I am laughing out loud listening to the song Late Bloomer by GreenWing.

“I’m a later bloomer, No longer scared of growing old”

That could be my soundtrack. You see, I’m a late bloomer in many ways. But “I am no longer scared of growing old.” I stuffed that fear in a trash can and chucked it to the curb on garbage collection day.

According to most demographics, I am old, and I love it. I have the time to pursue my passions since I am now retired. I listen to a massive amount of music every day. I am glad I didn’t throw out all my records when I made the big shift to CDs in the 80s. I’m glad I didn’t let go of all my CDs when everyone shifted to digital music in the aughts. Through that digital medium, I get to listen to new music by writing blogs for artists that I probably wouldn’t have heard of otherwise. Bands like Greenwing. This is great music. You should listen to it before you get old and forget to.

Late Bloomer takes a somewhat humorous view of the aging process, specifically turning thirty years old and feeling like some things in your life are just beginning to happen, and you are not afraid of growing old. You’re just a late bloomer.

Dead Friends is track two, and it hits the nail on the head. “It was me and I didn’t even know.” I skip to the end, “Sometimes you just got to let go.”

This song is uncomfortably close to the truth. A great song, though, don’t skip it and go to the next one until the lyrics of Dead Friends makes you cringe.

10,000 Reasons is a gut shot at financial responsibility. “School never taught about compound interest,” and neither did my parents. I think the only good thing about being poor is that no one will fight over your will if there’s nothing to fight for. There are 10,000 Reasons to pay attention to what GreenWing is teaching in this song.

Before I forget what this blog is all about, I am hitting the pause button right here and now. The reason for the pause is to take some time to talk about the music that makes all of these words songs instead of Wikipedia articles. GreenWing grows music that breathes life into words. They lean hard into the alt-rock category, which would probably make them a great live act to see. I hope we cross paths someplace between the wheat fields.

A little cut and paste here to promote their band: “GreenWing self-produced their album at singer/guitarist Matt Stinn’s studio, Rainy Day Recording Co., with mastering by Trevor Case at Case Mastering. The album features rich layered indie production contrasted with a weight that hits the listener square in the chest. 

Established in 2021, the band’s early days saw them living through Covid lockdowns and the harsh Saskatchewan winter while finding sanity through collaborating on a collection of songs and the hopes of one day returning to stages and touring. “Late Bloomer” leans heavily on driving rhythms and pop-laden hooks, reminiscent of the punk and post-rock they grew up listening to while incorporating themes of self-reflection, grief and a newfound sense of self. 

Once lockdowns lifted, GreenWing quickly made a name for themselves with tour dates that feature their signature singalong hooks, infectious driving energy and chaotic stage presence. Look for GreenWing touring across Canada in early 2022 in support of “Late Bloomer.

Thank you, Matt, for that news report. We now take you to our previously scheduled broadcast.

The song Take Care drifts over to a piece of quieter, gentler music that lets the lyrics do the talking. And talk they do. They speak about knowing a person well while not really knowing them all that well. Superficial friends, Facebook has lots of that. These are good lyrics, not easy but good.

The next track, That Tour Sucked, takes us on a cross-Canada tour and the antics that happen to a small venue touring band. They also show that there are diamonds in the dirt. “That tour sucked, but at least I met you.” and then they throw in the unexpected with the last line.

“That tour sucked

But at least I met you

Whoever you were”

Brutal and funny at the same time, thanks to whoever you were.

GreenWing closes the album with two very introspective songs. I Wish I Wrote That One Pixie’s Song and Frustrated. Both of these tracks sound very personal. the singer is pouring out what they are feeling. I can almost feel the pain in the lyrics. The music in these two songs still drives us and pounds us forward even when the lyrics hurt. Pain should hurt. In I Wish I wrote that one Pixie’s Song the singer tells us that “I know it’ll be okay.” In the very next song, Frustrated, the same voice tells us, “That I wasn’t okay.” We have some Yin and Yang going on here, is never stable. We can be okay one moment and not okay the next. I can be celebrating a joyous moment when a quick phone call plunges me into not being okay. Call it Yin and Yang, or call it the circle of life, or just call it life, just plain life. That’s the way it’s always been. Okay? Or not okay?

GreenWing also references some other music acts, The Pits, Refused, and the Pixies. I don’t know about The Pits, but I am familiar with Refused and the Pixies. They are all good bands, as different as the day is from the night, but they are okay. Unless you are in the wrong headspace while you are trying to listen to Refused when you don’t have that going on in your head. and it isn’t okay. Go listen to something else. Listen to something new. Something okay, like GreenWing. GreenWing is okay, and I was in a good headspace after hearing their new release, Late Bloomer. Lovely art work on the cover by the way.