Juno-Nominated Folk Quartet The Fugitives Release New Album 'No Help Coming' + Announce Tour Dates

The Fugitives release their highly anticipated new album, No Help Coming, a collection of material inspired by the climate crisis. However, the Juno Award-nominated quartet handle the subject matter in a way you might not expect, resulting in a bold song cycle that’s both cautionary and uplifting.

One of the group's primary songwriters, Brendan McLeod, says, “Leading up to the recording, we asked environmental experts what was missing from the conversation, and they all said the same thing: no more sad songs. We know the world’s messed up. What’s missing are more invitations to get real about making changes. And to do that, we have to get less precious about the subject.”

McLeod's creative partner Adrian Glynn adds, “It’s an album about resolve. It’s upbeat because there’s a lot of resolve to be found in joy. And while humans have a lot of bad things going for us, we can be pretty great at the joy part. So, let’s use it.”

The Fugitives are taking that message on the road across Canada, starting with a hometown show in Vancouver.

Along with Glynn and McLeod, The Fugitives consist of banjo player Chris Suen (Viper Central) and violinist Carly Frey (The Coal Porters), with percussion on No Help Coming handled by special guest Sally Zori. The recording itself showcases the band in top form, with Brendan and Adrian’s voices shining in harmony as usual, and Suen’s banjo and Frey’s fiddle adding just the right melodic touches. With producer Tom Dobrzanski at the helm, the overall sound of No Help Coming is highly polished, although live off-the-floor takes, song snippets from jam sessions and voice memo recordings keep the album real, raw and, most importantly, human.

No Help Coming follows The Fugitives' acclaimed 2020 album Trench Songs, which set to music poems written by First World War soldiers. The Globe & Mail’s Brad Wheeler compared Trench Songs and its companion film Ridge to Peter Jackson’s 2018 documentary They Shall Not Grow Old, writing, “Soldiers, often teenagers, are humanized and brought to 21st-century life.”

Along with their Juno nomination, The Fugitives have earned numerous Canadian Folk Music Award and Western Canadian Music Award nominations, while touring extensively through Europe, Canada, and the UK. The arrival of No Help Coming comes on the heels of a 22-date fall European tour, adding to an already impressive touring history that’s seen The Fugitives entertain crowds at major Canadian festivals, perform at Glastonbury, and tour as Buffy Sainte-Marie’s opening act.

With their top-notch musicianship combined with compelling storytelling, it’s no surprise that CBC came to this conclusion: “Simply brilliant.”

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