Cabin Fever on their debut EP 'It’s Only Forever'

SWOMP

What began five years ago as three friends jamming around a campfire has now blossomed into Cabin Fever, Canada’s latest contribution to the international Americana music scene.

Comprised of Kyle Faulkner on guitar and vocals, Jessica McKay on upright bass and vocals, and Colin Jolly on mandolin, Cabin Fever is primed to make a lasting first impression with a five-song debut EP entitled It’s Only Forever.

Produced by Craig Smith (ONTARIANS, Kelly Jamieson, Queen M) at his studio north of Toronto, It’s Only Forever is steeped in tradition, but pushes the envelope with the addition of drums to add an extra kick to Cabin Fever’s already high-octane sound. For the trio, it’s never been about sticking to the rules, but instead writing original songs that can connect with roots music fans of all stripes.

As Kyle explains, “Craig began jokingly using the phrase ‘remember, it’s only forever,’ whenever we found ourselves debating any musical decisions. The more those words sunk in for the three of us as we lay down take after take, the more we started to see how they connected to the songs themselves. The memories we recall are forever, the troubles we sometimes face can feel like they’re forever, and good relationships have a promise of forever, while bad relationships can sometimes seem to threaten it. I think all of the songs contain these elements in one form or another.”

In the case of “Born To Lose”—in which echoes of the Carter Family’s “Wildwood Flower” are clearly heard—Kyle originally conceived it as a dark and dramatic song. But once he decided to give it a more “old timey” feel, the tone of “Born To Lose” became more light-hearted and almost instantly made it one of Cabin Fever’s more rousing numbers.

However, a little darkness does appear on another of the EP’s highlights, “Devil Is A Friend,” a minor-key stomp loosely inspired by the Grateful Dead. “I tried to put myself in the shoes of a character who uses the chorus, ‘devil is a friend of the working man,’ as a kind of mantra,” Kyle says. “This character’s past life just kind of poured out onto the page. When my mother is in the audience, I especially feel compelled to assure the audience that the opening line—‘when I was a boy my momma left home’—is pure fiction.”

In total, It’s Only Forever captures the undeniable work that all three members of Cabin Fever have put into the band since its formation. The playing, and vocal harmonizing, reflects countless nights of doing two-and-three-hour sets, while the songwriting itself teasingly suggests that a lot more top shelf material is waiting in the wings.

As Kyle says, “With this EP, our aim is to keep playing bigger and better stages and sharing what we regard as ‘our’ music with the audience. At the same time, we’re looking into the future and wondering what it holds for about a dozen other songs we have ready to go. It can be exhilarating, dumbfounding, and humbling all at the same time when we think about how we’ve grown as individual musicians, songwriters, and as a group. But what I don’t think will ever change is that original spirit we had when we were playing around the campfire.”

Follow the band at https://thatcabinfeverband.com/.

Photo credit: Kerry's Klips