Toronto’s veteran indie rocker, producer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, Weatherell (moniker of Sean Hackl from Fade Awaays and BBQ Pope), has announced his debut album, Lonely Soul, is due out September 18. Pre-save the album now.
Accompanying the announcement , Weatherell also shares the new single, Shelf Life. Showcasing the artist’s signature melodic guitars, driving bass, hard hitting drums and powerful lyricism, the track is a reflection on life’s impermanence and the understanding that our time is finite. It serves as a reminder to embrace each moment with gratitude, lead with kindness, and make the most of every experience while we have the chance. “Like a product on the shelf, love and life eventually expire, we just don’t always know which comes first,” shares Sean. “Love life and don’t take anything for granted.”
“Shelf Life was written after the loss of a close friend, and through my own experience in past romantic relationships. It’s about the experience of finality, when something you once had that was so good suddenly turns bad,” adds Sean. “The lyrics are written from the perspective of someone who was cheated on by their partner and in the chorus, we can understand the contempt the person is feeling…like a product gone sour, we feel disposable, used and no longer stable. The concept runs deeper though, as the song also addresses our relationship to life itself.”
After the sudden passing of his close friend and bandmate in 2022, Sean sought to channel grief into his healing, shifting his focus into one goal: make the best album he possibly could, channeling his energy into catharsis and honouring his late friend. Inspired by a love for 90’s electronica and dance music, coupled with his indie rock-roots, Sean began setting the foundations for the project and Lonely Soul in early 2023, compiling demos, writing new music, and re-working old songs.
Shelf Life comes from that collection of work and along with the album, was brought to life with the help of co-producers Sam Arion (Mute Choir, Sofia Camara) and Dylan Frankland (Tallies, Dean Blunt). The song was mastered by JUNO award winning engineer Kristian Montano (The Beaches, Ruby Waters, Aysanabee). Additionally, Frankland helped engineer and mix the record, which saw the duo spend eight months studio-hopping around Ontario producing live drums, guitars, bass and vocals for the collection of songs.
