Villages, those princes of Cape Breton music and the alter-egos of Mardeen (yes, the band that wrote “Telephones“, the song that made Mo Kenney famous) are releasing their very much-anticipated self-titled debut album later this month. In the meantime we’re treated to the album’s second single, “Maggie of the Cove.”
In its lilting way, “Maggie of the Cove” makes you wonder how anyone unlocks the achievement that gives them a post-nominal title. Maybe it’s as simple as needing to differentiate yourself from Maggie of the Town.
“As cliche as it sounds, the legit story is that I had a dream where I was in this town and I was introduced to this girl as Maggie of the Cove and no one called her Maggie, it was always Maggie of the Cove,” says Matt Ellis, singer.
In any case, we’re left with the Celtic counterpart to “Jenny from the Block,” and another curious character who has somehow achieved the status of a local legend.
Filmed just outside of Halifax, Nova Scotia, the video finds the band not in cove, but at Hatfield Farm amidst a veritable petting zoo full of horses, llamas and goats. Given the similar farmyard context that the song provides, it might be fair to ask why it isn’t “Maggie of the Farm,” but Bob Dylan may have provided some answers to that.
“Lyrically, it made sense to shoot the video at a local farm and it was a great excuse to rub shoulders with some characters with similar hairdos,” jokes Ellis. ” [We] wanted to do something fun to match the energy of the song.”
Villages’ self-titled debut album is being released on March 22, 2019.
Tour Dates:
03.22.19 – Halifax, NS @ Good Robot Brewing Company (2 Shows)
03.26.19 – Ottawa, ON @ Bar Robo
03.27.19 – Peterborough, ON @ The Garnet
03.29.19 – Toronto, ON @ The Dakota Tavern
03.30.19 – Hamilton, ON @ House Concert
04.13.19 – Sydney, NS @ Breton Brewing Co.
04.18.19 – Moncton, NB @ Tide and Boar
04.19.19 – Fredericton, NB @ Grimross Brewing
04.20.19 – Charlottetown, PE @ The Pourhouse
04.26.19 – Lunenburg, NS @ Ametora Supply
04.27.19 – Margaretsville, NS @ Evergreen Theatre
05.01-05.19 – Charlottetown, PE @ ECMAs Festival & Conference