On their third album, Nunavut’s Jerry Cans get serious

The Jerry Cans’ new album Inuusiq/Life is due out Nov. 4, but is available for pre-ordering as of Oct. 7.

The Jerry Cans, from left to right: Nancy Mike, Andrew Morrison, Gina Burgess, Brendan Doherty, Steve Rigby. (PHOTO BY MICHAEL PHILIP WOJEWODA)

Like seeing a baby smile or a rainbow in the sky, the Jerry Cans’ newest album Inuusiq/Life offers a guaranteed pick-me-up for fans of the Iqaluit five-piece band.

And fans won’t have to wait long; the group’s third album is set to be released Nov. 4, available for pre-order Oct. 7, as the Jerrys prepares to head out on tour through eastern Canada.

Despite the feel-good frenzy the Jerry Cans usually stir up, the group calls the new album “a serious reflection on culture and politics, family and land.”

Inuusiq might indeed deliver a fiercer tone to the group’s previous albums as the Jerry Cans use their high energy roots-rock and ethereal throat song to portray the hardship and beauty of life in the Arctic.

Inuusiq’s first single, Ukiuq, or the Northern Lights, was recorded in Inuktitut and English —something the band hasn’t done before.

“Both versions of the song give me the feeling of being in the long cold Arctic winters,” Jerry Cans’ accordion player and throat singer Nancy Mike said in an album promo.

“There are so many different types of heartbreaks and souls lost during those times but when you look up to the lights it can bring you comfort,” she said. “Sometimes it is hard to find that light and warmth in the winter, and we hope this song gives you a bit of that spark.”

But Inuusiq offers plenty of tracks to move along to, both in body and mind, like the foot stomping Paniarjuk and even the pounding piano ballad Arnalukaq.

The songwriters and musicians behind the Jerry Cans call Iqaluit home: singer, songwriter and frontman Andrew Morrison, accordion player and throat singer Nancy Mike, bassist Brendan Doherty and drummer Steve Rigby.

The exception is violinist Gina Burgess, who splits her time between Halifax and Nunavut’s capital.

Inuusiq/Life was recorded over the summer at the Woodshed studio in Toronto and produced by Juno-winner Michael Phillip Wojewoda. Inuusiq’s release will coincide with a five-city tour that will bring the band to Ottawa, Toronto, Halifax, St. John’s and Montreal.

While releasing their third album, the Jerry Cans are also celebrating a major first—Inuusiq/Life is the first release by Aakuluk Music, Nunavut’s first record label.

That’s a welcome addition to the territory’s musical landscape which the band calls void of “music business infrastructure,” such as booking agents and recording studios.

Founded by band members Morrison, Mike and Rigby, Aakuluk Music’s aim is to help produce and promote Inuit musicians across the territory with the goal of distributing Inuktitut-language music to a more national and international audience.

Aakuluk Music has already signed on three other Nunavummiut, including Iva (Kathleen Ivaluarjuk Merriitt), Riit (Rita Claire Mike-Murphy) and Agaaqqtoq (Abraham Eetok).