Over Land and Sea Till Now

To celebrate Over Land and Sea’s fifth birthday, we’re having a merch sale! Head to my online store to find Over Land and Sea on CD for only $5, and a ton of stuff including limited quantities of early LMATFOF t-shirt designs, Dearestly black vinyl and Where the Ocean Meets the Sky: A Visual EP on sale as well! You can also finally buy Dearestea and the Exclusive screen printed poster on their own. Sale runs until 05/17/17. ✨

Five years ago I released my first studio album, Over Land and Sea, recorded at the Vanguard Room in Lakeland, FL with Aaron Marsh back in 2011. During the writing and recording process I had no idea that this album would kickstart my music career and open up so many opportunities in the five years following. It was truly a dream come true, and has led us on quite the journey. To celebrate Over Land and Sea’s fifth birthday, I thought I’d dig into the archives and share some of the highlights from the past five years.

Our touring took us all over North America, circling the continent many times and playing a lot of shows! In fall 2012 we got to open for Rusted Root on their American comeback tour, which was an incredible opportunity to share Over Land and Sea with a big audience and play in some really notable venues. There were many nights spent in the van, many long drives, many gas stations, many sandwich making parties in the van…you get the idea. And five years later I can see how the constant movement and lack of home base really took a toll on me in many ways, but I can also look back on those moments with a fondness for the memories that we created that will last a lifetime, and hopefully someday end up in a book.

There have been many people who joined me along the way as Fairly Odd Folk or just plain friends including, but not limited to, Aaron, Mike, Hammer, Jeremy, Jay, Jessica, Josh, Ray, Dane, Darryl, Greg, Adam, Sherry, Mat, Phoenix, and Clark. I wouldn’t be where I am today without all these wonderful people and more who have come through my life and through my music in so many ways.

In the past two years we’ve slowed down a lot, even with releasing another album and touring across Canada this fall. We’ve been taking more time off the road, finding a balance between home and work life, and putting down deep roots into our community on Pender Island, BC. In 2014 we started developing the Exclusive Content Project which allows me to spend time throughout the week focussed on my career, and has become a really great way to keep in touch with fans when we’re not touring. It’s been a lot of change but in the best way, and I’m in a better place now more than ever to continue writing and performing and inspiring others to do the same. I never imagined my life looking like this, and even with the hard stuff we’ve gone through, it’s more than anything I could have come up with.

I had a great time going through these photos…what a blast from the past. Lots of good memories. I hope you enjoy looking through them!

Aaron, Hammer, Mike in a pretty classic van scenario.

Driving through icy mountains.

First time to In-N-Out!

Setting up on the street in Kelowna, BC.

The nickel! Sudbury, ON.

Spending time on Î’le d’Orléans, QC with our friend Pierre.

After playing an outdoor festival in Rochester, NY we decided to play some acoustic songs as people were leaving.

Hammer, Mike & Jeremy with their cheap fireworks.

That one time our trailer flipped…

Saying goodbye to these Fairly Odd Folk for now.

Sidewalk picnics at the start of another tour.

Did you know the eastern half of Oregon is all desert? It was a strange discovery for me.

Classic van scene. I remember this day…it was SO HOT. I’m pretty sure I was lying down on the floor between the front seats and the next bench trying to stay cool and get some rest.

Hiking the Flat Irons in Boulder, CO with Zoltan’s cousin Joel.

Eating big southern brunch in Austin, TX after a gruelling night drive.

Hammer and Zoltan fixing cables on time off between tours.

Picnic in Quebec City!

Josh & Hammer, no caption needed.

The Bean in Chicago, on a tour of the city with our friend Arturo.

Live at The Orpheum in Tampa Bay, FL.

After a corn maze fight, we picked apples and made pie. I think this was right around Thanksgiving.

Scott at The Ship & Plough in Gimli, MB made us a cake for reaching 5000 likes on Facebook!

Hanging with Grant Lawrence after our set at CBC Music Fest in Burnaby, BC as Searchlight winners. That was a huge moment for us.

Leaving our mark on the gum wall in Seattle, WA.

Promo photo taken on Pender Island, BC (before we had any idea we’d end up living there) with Kyle & Katie’s awesome car.

Peak Performance Project boot camp doing a co-write with Jon Bryant.

Our Peak showcase. We had so much fun with these shows!

After the craziness of Searchlight, Peak, and Jay & Jess moving on, we recorded some Christmas songs.

Eating cake on the final tour of 2014.

A new year, a new album! Beginning pre-production for Dearestly at OCL Studios with Josh Gwilliam.

More pre-production…this time in Vancouver with Howard Redekopp.

Visiting Cafe Balou in Chicago where we played on our very first tour together in 2010. We still keep in touch with Khosro, the owner.

And then we bought a house! This was the day we looked at it and decided it would be ours (if the bank allowed it, and they did with some persuasion).

Sharing some insight to the next year’s Peak Performance Project.

Our progress chart for Dearestly.

Almost done!

Kurt Dahle on the drums.

Lots of keyboards.

What do you get with an airsoft gun, a hatchet, and old metal cans? Some cool samples for the album!

Chris Byrne on the bass.

Recording an impromtu song on an old (very out of tune) piano.

I got to be part of the Prophets of Music fundraiser and play with an all star band…such a treat.

Taking promo photos for Dearestly with the lovely Kristy-Anne Swart

My favourite corner of our new house.

Shortly after moving to Pender we started hosting house concerts. It was something we always wanted to do, and now we had the space to do it.

Wit more time off the road I’ve had more time to work on recording myself.

Getting together with our friends for the Amazing Grace concert: a refugee benefit concert.

The Pender Island Community Hall. Much magic has happened under these timber beams.

We also had the opportunity to record our friends WhiteBird record their first album, Force of Love.

Filming a music video for Hibernate on Mt. Menzies, Pender Island.

In honour of David Bowie, I recorded covers of three of his songs for the Exclusive Content Project. My friend Elizabeth was a magician and transformed for the photo shoot.

Recording drums in the living room…not an uncommon sight!

Clark and Mat and I playing a trio show together at our house.

A spring tour with Adam, Darryl and Mat (and Sherry and Phoenix too)

The gang on our spring tour featuring Travis and Mikaela’s Westy.

Filming music videos with our friend Cole in Ontario…one that hasn’t even been released yet!

Since we’ve been off the road more I’ve been able to collaborate with other artists. I got to play keys for my friend Jonny’s rock ‘n roll band and we won the Battle of the Bands!

The night we released Dearestly. Another milestone achieved.

Heading up to Yellowknife with our crew. Phoenix, Clark, Mat, Sherry, myself.

Stopping at our favourite fruit stand for cherries and pie.

First time in the territories! We played Folk on the Rocks and fell in love with Yellowknife.

Signing deluxe vinyl at Canada Boy in Calgary, AB.

The Dearestly release show on Pender Island, BC. What a beautiful thing it was to share something so close to my heart to a sold-out hometown crowd.

After the release show we turned on the garden lights and sang songs together.

Getting ready for the Dearestly release tour…my first ever solo tour.

Maxine helping us pack the van. She’s not in a lot of these pictures but she’s been a really important part of our life, especially through all the change and transition.

Charlottetown, PE

Home in the studio, writing new songs and finding balance all over again.

❤ Lauren.