Beatrice Deer launches new album
before a full house

Beatrice Deer’s eighth album, Inuit Legend, is all about stories — ones for bedtime, others to scare kids away from walking the shores at night. They are reimagined in a rock anthology that has moments of serenity and calmness mixed with intensity and a few laughs, qualities that were on display at her launch party Friday evening.

“I have been anticipating this show for many weeks,” Deer said in an interview, after she finished her set and greeted her loved ones at the packed L’Escogriffe bar in Montreal.

She knew the concert would be momentous for her — so much so that she hadn’t slept well during the lead up.

“I [put in] so many details, but I am so happy that it was a great night,” the Nunavik-born singer said. “It felt really good.”

In a performance that lasted about one hour and 45 minutes, Deer and her seven-piece band played all 11 songs from the record. Between the tracks, she shared their back stories in great detail.

“The Fog” tells how a giant chased a man who split the ground in half, revealing a river. The giant was forced to drink the water until he exploded, which created fog.

Another number, “Qaluppalik,” is less humorous and more dissonant. It tells of a monster that drags children who stroll too close to the shore to the bottom of the sea.

“I know for this album, for our shows, I really want to emphasize storytelling,” Deer said.

Her next show is set for Aug. 14, at Festival SuperFolk in Morin Heights, Que.

“There are a lot of people who came up to me and said the storytelling was something they really enjoyed. So that’s a really good sign. I’m going to keep doing that.”

She said her research is rooted in conversations with elders and that she wants to preserve their stories, which come from “many generations.”

“It’s a way of honoring our elders,” she said of her music. “This was their way of relieving their stress and forgetting about struggles.

“It’s important to keep telling our stories, to keep the imagination running.”