Simply put, Scenic Route to Alaska is Edmonton’s band. They have worked tirelessly and fervently to make themselves a staple in the indie/folk music community and have deservedly garnered international success and recognition. With passion, love, and commitment, they have risen to a level that would make any Edmontonian proud to call them a local band. These qualities are also what helped shape and create this trio’s latest record, Tough Luck.

 

“The record is about three years of not being in any kind of serious relationship, which is the first time — well, feels like the first time — in my life where I’ve had that kind of solo experience,” lead singer Trevor Mann says.

 

For Mann, songwriting is what he calls his “therapeutic release,” but being on the road acts as a barrier to starting a new relationship. That fact weighed heavily on Mann as he wrote this record.

 

“It’s this weird tongue-in-cheek scenario, where I absolutely love being on the road but realized I had been missing that sort of companionship.”

 

That honesty and thought put into the lyrics shines through in songs like “How It Feels,” one of the singles off the record.  

 

Having been in a band together for so long, the members of Scenic Route to Alaska pride themselves on their ability to cohesively create their music. On Tough Luck, there is an ease to each song that beautifully highlights the band’s chemistry.

 

“It kind of came together extremely intuitively and easily, and I hope that comes across,” Mann says of recording this album. “Nothing felt like a challenge to do, and I hope that when you listen to it, people can kind of get down with that and I feel like it’s very much us.”

 

Although the band is already seeing immense success with the new record, they are all very excited to come home to Edmonton and play their sold out CD Release show at the Starlite Room on April 7.

 

“I feel like I’m counting down the days a little bit,” Mann says. “When we were kids, we used to go to shows at the Starlite a lot, and it’s always been a goal of ours to play a show there and headline a show there. So to have a show sell out there in advance, it feels very nice. We are always blown away with the amount of support we get in Edmonton, and we legitimately are so grateful for it.”

 

With Tough Luck, Scenic Route to Alaska has just entered into a new era that represents them — sonically, lyrically, and musically — maybe more so than ever. Having stayed true and genuine to themselves during the creation of this album, they are likely to continue to garner more national and international success than they already have.

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Photography by Michael Kuby. From left to right: Shea Connor, Trevor Mann & Murray Wood.