JUSTIN HINES - Sides

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From prominence as a teenage prodigy to mature and compelling singer/songwriter. That has been the road well-travelled by Justin Hines, and the results of his journey are now vividly showcased on his astonishingly accomplished debut album, Sides.

For the past decade, the Toronto-based Hines has dedicated himself to sharpening his songwriting skills and finding his own voice. “I’ve done a lot of living, learning and growing in that time,” he explains. “I wanted to just be Justin, whatever that was. I made a conscious effort to abandon thinking of any trends for this record. I just wanted to do something that was very honest, and we worked on making it classic-sounding.”

Mission accomplished. Sides is a record that marries emotionally eloquent lyrics and strong, accessible melodies. Add Justin’s gentle and subtly persuasive vocals and the sympathetic, understated production of Justin Abedin and you have a winning work worthy of wide recognition.

This is an album that defies easy genre pigeonholing while possessing a genuinely timeless feel. The all-acoustic instrumentation on the record suggests a rootsy folk flavour, while Justin’s songwriting and vocal styles evoke those of such great ‘70s singer/songwriters as James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Jim Croce and Harry Chapin.

He acknowledges them as sources of inspiration, calling that era “a golden age. A lot of time was taken to write great lyrics, and they never over-complicated things. There was beauty on their simplicity. I think you can really capture people’s emotions with the most simple song.” Hines does that with his lovely version of Croce classic “I’ve Got A Name,” a tune he notes “is my dad’s favourite song.”

Justin does all his influences proud on Sides. He found the perfect creative collaborator in Justin Abedin, one of Toronto’s most talented musicians and producers (Jacksoul). “It was my vision to have something very acoustic and sparse, and then have Justin bring that to life,” explains Hines. “Our idea was for every player to have their part and for each part to be important. We just kept it very individual, with nothing too over the top or sonically overwhelming.”

Abedin helped assemble an elite group of local musicians (Mark Mariash, Drew Birston, Ron Lopata, Kevin Fox, Denis Keldie, Roger Travassos), for the sessions at Canterbury Sound. Mixing at the famed Phase One Studios and mastering in New York with Scott Hull (John Mayer, Steely Dan) captured the ensemble sound with impeccable clarity.

Unlike so many contemporary albums, Sides is devoid of filler. The 13 original gems here fit together snugly, creating a coherent collection that rewards repeated listening. Justin’s voice at times possesses a melancholy tinge, but his songs reflect his own optimistic outlook. ”I always try to leave a little hope or resolution at the end of a song,” he says. “I wanted to put something out there that is positive, but not cheesy positive.”

That is exemplified by the warmly soothing title track and its belief that “It’s not the sun goin’ down, it’s just the moon’s time to shine.” Similarly, the compelling first single, “April On The Ground,” is described by Justin as “a song about moving on, seeing hope beyond a negative situation. It uses the metaphor of spring being just around the corner from winter.”

Justin Hines’ love of music was apparent at a very early age. “I’m told that as a baby I was singing before I could say words. My grandmother Margaret always had this thing that I was going to be a singer. She had me singing in church and for relatives, so any stagefright left me early. While other kids were playing sports, that was not really an option for me, so I turned to music,” he recalls.

This is a reference to the fact that Justin was born with a rare joint condition known as Larsen Syndrome, one that keeps him in a wheelchair. He has faced this with real courage and determination, explaining that “I’ve always looked at it as a tool. My physical situation has always been a bit of an attention grabber, but as an artist and performer, it is my job to keep the audience’s attention.”

He proved very capable of that early on. At 14, he sang the national anthem at a Toronto Raptors game and started performing on major telethons. He won a YTV Youth Achievement Award in 1998 for his original music, and his performance at the show was so powerful that it earned him a Gemini Award nomination for Best Performance in a Variety Program or Series.

In 1999, Justin appeared at the star-studded Family Farm Tribute Concert at the Air Canada Centre, and then came to wider national recognition when a tune he wrote, “Song for the Millennium,” was adopted first by the Town of Markham and then the Government of Canada.

“They sponsored a tour for me to sing the song all over Canada,” Justin recalls. “It really was overwhelming and rather surreal. I remember at one time I was having dinner right beside the Prime Minister at a gala event, thinking ‘what am I doing here?’ It did get me very comfortable in terms of performing, but I never really saw that novelty act thing as the road for me.”

The serious musical soul-searching this charming young man has done since those heady days has paid off with Sides, an album of which Justin is justifiably proud. “I feel I’ve accomplished my goal with this project. This is the one I meant to record.”

More information and the video clip "Like Each Day Was Your Last "- A Journey with Justin Hines

www.justinhines.com

For more information, contact
Aubrey Winfield
(416) 504-8084 #226
aubrey@orangerecordlabel.com