Laura Borealis travels to Halifax from Montreal on a cloud made of magical mist on April 11th to play at Gus' Pub with Al Tuck. Her long and illustrious career includes two cassettes under the band name Snob Shop, a 10" pink vinyl album entitled Pick of the Week, a CD called Funderful: Songs by Laura Borealis, an EP called Jupiter Tapes 5 Virgos = 8 songs (also the soundtrack to her film All She Wants) and now her new release, Laura, on Gooseberry Records, available at zunior.com. She has directed videos for Eric's Trip and Thrush Hermit (She did a cover of "French Inhale" for the Hermit tribute record coming out soon , and originally directed the "French Inhale" video.) She is also the mother of three children and a Reiki master. With Borealis' plans to play only one show in 2008 (this is the one, by the way), you may be right in saying that she is nearing mythic status. Her impressive group of musical friends is also a factor. Her album, recorded and mixed by Mark Lawson, features extra mixing duties by Harris Newman and Jace Lasek (singer/sonqwriter and guitars for Besnard Lakes. Lasek remixed on his all-Neve console once owned by Led Zeppelin). The album features Jean Derome (jazz bass flute legend), husband Greg Tymoshenko (The Leather Uppers), Alex and Sebastian Chow (Islands), Matt Conger (Mystery Girls), Spike Taylor and Benoit Leger. With all that going for her, why so few shows? The answer may be location. "I enjoy playing live. I tried to book shows, but clubs said no. I can't guarantee a bar that more than seven people will come. Usually those seven people are awesome, but that's no shower of dollar bills for the promoter. Historically, it's only other songwriters who have liked my music. If I'm lucky, maybe one day, I will be welcome to play at clubs. I can't headline a show at a club, even in Montreal, where I live. Festivals don't accept me when I apply. So, as far as I know, this is the only show for 2008. I'm happy to come to Halifax and give everything to this show. Halifax is dear to me. I had so much fun there in my 20s." A former Haligonian, Borealis thinks of her former home fondly. "I loved living in Halifax. I still remember going to Chebucto Head and Crystal Crescent Beach to pick blueberries and get brain freeze in the ocean in summer. Or hiking to lakes and going to three pools. I remember being picked up by the wind and thrown a couple feet at Blowers and Barrington during a snowstorm. Waking up to see an aircraft carrier parked in the harbour. Serving the popcorn rush at Wormwood's. Doing performance art videos. Walking home after doing an all-nighter at CKDU. I cherish the time I had at NSCAD and CKDU and the incredible people I met." Borealis' songs are gentle, beautiful and give the listener some real meat to sink their teeth into. "I write songs from the heart because of an emotion I can't express in any other way but in song. Music and art have saved me many times over. I give myself total freedom of expression in art and music. Sometimes I make art that confuses me and other people, but I just have to have faith that honesty is good. I express the way that I feel love." Interestingly, the way she feels love may next be expressed by doing the hustle. "I am writing lyrics for a disco record. I really admire the generosity of spirit that Peaches has in her music and performance, and my dance record will be in part a valentine card to her. I have a longstanding fascination with Rick James Street Songs. I really like dancing. I want to have that recorded by the end of the summer. So I'm going through the K-Tel. Disco is very positive, always taking it higher. Maybe disco's a higher consciousness."
