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Double Rider Honors Their Legacy with Timeless Rock Album ‘Times of the Day

Double Rider unveil their anticipated full-length album, Times of the Day, which pays homage to the band’s late grandfather, Matthew Many Heads.

Double Rider, the three-piece family band from Siksika Nation, Alberta, have finally shared their highly anticipated full-length album, Times of the Day (Major Minor Music Project) which pays homage to the soft rock style of classic bands like CCR and The Doobie Brothers, as well as the band’s late grandfather, Matthew Many Heads.

Seven out of the nine tracks on the album were written by Matthew Many Heads between 1972-1992, and Double Rider has lovingly reimagined them for a new generation to appreciate.

double rider

With the mentorship and influence of their grandfather, Hannah and Lennon Owl Child and Erin Many Heads have also developed their own songwriting abilities and have incorporated their own positive undertones into the mix. Hannah and Lennon take turns as lead vocalists throughout the album, providing a diverse range of styles and emotions, in particular with the track “The Ride” which boasts an outlaw country vibe that carries one helluva beautiful melancholic tone.

Although the album has a foundation in ‘soft rock,’ there are plenty of variations to enjoy. “Go Man Go” is a blues rock track that channels the energy of The Allman Brothers, while “So Long to Wait” has a grungier hard rock edge. The guitar solos are simple yet refined, adding a groovy atmosphere to the music.

Double Rider’s Times of the Day is a timeless rock n’ roll record that showcases the band’s exceptional talent and musical range.

Double Rider

If you’re not yet familiar with Double Rider, they are a contemporary-classic rock trio that formed in 2014.

Back in the day, Hannah and Lennon Owl Child and cousin Erin Manyheads had access to a whole stash of musical instruments growing up in the Siksika Nation. We’re talking basement overflowing with guitars, drums, and bass – the works. It’s no wonder that music runs in their family. Their grandpa, Matthew Manyheads, even built his guitar at just 14 and went on to form several bands in the 60s.

Hannah picked up the guitar at 14, Lennon found his groove with the drums at 13, and Erin started jamming on the bass at just 12 years old. And so it began, the birth of Double Rider. They’d spend their summer days experimenting and honing their skills in their parent’s and grandpa’s basement. And what was the first song they learned? Only Creedence Clearwater Revival’s classic “Bad Moon Rising,” a tune that their folks and grandpa would have jammed on in their own classic rock bands.

double rider

Fast forward to 2014, and they’re hitting the stage for the first time as Third Generation at a music festival in the Siksika Nation. But that’s not all. In 2016, their grandpa, Matthew, opened up a whole new world for them by introducing them to a stash of original material he had written back in the ’70s. The grandkids were hooked, and he gave them the green light to perform his songs in a new and fresh way.

Matthew Manyheads, a residential school survivor, used music as an outlet to cope with his struggles. His earlier works were mostly non-political, but that all changed after the Oka Crisis. The land dispute between the Mohawk people and the town of Oka, Que in 1990 ignited a fire within him, inspiring him to pen “Echoes of the Past.”

As Lennon puts it, “He needed to say something, to just let it out the best way it could, which was through music.” And so the legacy continues, the grandkids keeping the fire alive and burning with their unique take on grandpa’s tunes, injecting their own flair into the mix.

After a few years of playing local festivals in Southern Alberta, they’ve gone on to perform at notable venues like the Yates Theatre in Lethbridge, AB, and the Palomino in Calgary, AB.

In early 2020, they embarked on their first tour, The First Nations Music Tour, alongside other Indigenous artists. They’ve since played at Big Winter Classic and Sled Island Festival in 2022.

Double Rider had the privilege of sharing the stage with some incredible musicians, one of the most notable was Terra Lightfoot, a Canadian singer-songwriter known for her powerful vocals and guitar skills. Double Rider also played alongside Radiation Flowers, an experimental psych-rock band from Saskatoon, as well as Bebe Buckskin, a Métis musician whose music draws from her Indigenous roots. They also shared the stage with Logan Staats, the winner of the first season of CTV’s “The Launch,” and Constant Reminder, a dynamic duo blending hip-hop and soul. Finally, they had the pleasure of performing with White Elk Smith, a singer-songwriter hailing from the Tsuut’ina Nation. It was an unforgettable experience for Double Rider and a testament to the vibrant Indigenous music scene in Canada.

Double Rider celebrated the release of their long-awaited album at the King Eddy in Calgary and the Blakbar in Edmonton in February 2023.

Times of the Day Tracklist

Track 1: Sunrise

Track 2: Cold, Cold Morning

Track 3: Go Man Go

Track 4: So Long To Wait

Track 5: The Ride

Track 6: Happy Is How I Feel

Track 7: One Two Three

Track 8: One More Time

Track 9: Get Away

Songs written by: Tracks 1-4, 6-8 written by Matthew Many Heads, Tracks 5 and 9 written by Hannah Owl Child, Lennon Owl Child, and Erin Many Heads 

Produced, Mixed, and Mastered by: Scott Oliphant

Distributor: Distrokid

Stay connected to Double Riders socials for forthcoming tour announcements:

 

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