Lustre Parfait is a studio album by singer Gord Downie and musician-producer Bob Rock, released on May 5, 2023, through Arts & Crafts Productions.Alex Hudson, "Gord Downie and Bob Rock's Collaborative Album Gets Release Date, New Single". Exclaim!, November 22, 2022. It is the second album of original material released after Downie's death from brain cancer in 2017. Lustre Parfait features songs Downie and Rock created together in the 2010s after Rock produced two albums by Downie’s band The Tragically Hip: World Container and We Are the Same.Stuart Derdeyn, "Now hear this: Lustre Parfait by Gord Downie and Bob Rock is a tasty single". Vancouver Sun, October 22, 2022.
Downie was known to have recorded a solo project with Rock, but its status was unclear at Gordie’s death.Michael Barclay, The Never-Ending Present: The Story of Gord Downie and the Tragically Hip. ECW Press, 2018. . p. 414. Rock later clarified the recording sessions were largely completed at Downie’s death, but Rock felt emotionally overwhelmed and took a break before completing the album. Daniel Sylvester, "Gord Downie and Bob Rock's Electrifying Collaboration Goes 'Beyond Friendship'". Exclaim!, May 2, 2023.
The album's title track was released in October 2022 as a preview.David Friend, "New song 'Lustre Parfait' offers sample of posthumous Gord Downie, Bob Rock album". Toronto Star, October 20, 2022. In November, "The Raven and the Red-Tailed Hawk" was released as the title track of a three-song EP that also included "Lustre Parfait" and the song "Is There Nowhere"; in February 2023, "The Moment Is a Wild Place" was released as the lead track of a six-song preview EP, which also featured all three of the already-released songs as well as the album tracks "Something More" and "Camaro".Will Schube, "Bob Rock And The Late Gord Downie Share 'The Moment Is A Wild Place'". UDiscoverMusic, February 1, 2023.
Rock described working with Downie on the album's songs as one of the great highlights of his professional life.Kerry Doole, "Gord Downie & Bob Rock: Lustre Parfait". FYI Music News, October 26, 2022.
Supporting musicians on Lustre Parfait include Abe Laboriel Jr., Tom Keenlyside, Steve Madaio, Camille Henderson and Saffron Henderson.
Track listing
Personnel Musicians
Gord Downie – lead vocals (all tracks), background vocals (tracks 1, 2, 6, 9, 10) Bob Rock – guitar (all tracks), background vocals (tracks 1, 5–7, 10, 11), keyboards (1–6, 8, 12), percussion (1–4, 6, 9–12) Jamey Koch – bass guitar (1–5, 7–13), synthesizer (2, 5, 6, 8, 10–12), background vocals (2, 6, 7, 9) Abe Laboriel Jr. – percussion (1) Pat Steward – drums (2, 9, 10, 12, 13) Adam Greenholtz – keyboards (2, 5, 6, 8–10, 12), percussion (3, 5, 6, 8, 13), background vocals (7) Tom Anselmi – keyboards (2, 6, 10, 11) Zac Rae – keyboards (2, 6) Camille Henderson – background vocals (3, 6) Saffron Henderson – background vocals (3) Sean Nelson – drums (3, 4, 7) Chris Gestrin – keyboards (3, 8–10, 13) Tom Keenlyside – saxophone (3), horn (10) Steve Madaio – trumpet (3) Alan Chang – keyboards (4) Jamie Edwards – keyboards (4, 7, 14) Johnny Fay – drums (5, 6, 11), background vocals (11) Patrick Downie – percussion (5) John Webster – keyboards (7) Pete Finney – pedal steel (7, 14) Che Dorval – background vocals (8) Ryan Enockson – keyboards (10) Lenny Castro – percussion (10) Rafael Padilla – percussion (10) Tiki Pasillas – percussion (10) Jamie Muhoberac – keyboards (11) Chris Wyse – bass guitar (14) Dave Pierce – horn (14)
Technical Bob Rock – production, mixing Adam Greenholtz – additional production, mixing, engineering Jamey Koch – additional production Chris Allgood – mastering Emily Lazar – mastering Eric Helmkamp – engineering Ryan Enockson – engineering Dominic Civiero – engineering (4)
References