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Shakey Graves brings his musical evolution to the Okanagan Valley

The constantly evolving artist is set to perform in Kelowna
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Alejandro Rose-Garcia also known as Shakey Graves will perform in Kelowna March 21 photo: Cal Quinn

Alejandro Rose-Garcia, better known as Shakey Graves, shed his skin for his latest album once again to reveal a heavier rock vibe.

His Texan roots survive throughout his latest album Can’t Wake Up, the tambourine and snare drum spurs sputtering and whistling to mimic the wind. But the theatrical elements in the latest addition to his discography cannot be ignored, lulling listeners to step into his version of the world.

“It’s the type of record I have always wanted to make,” said Rose-Garcia.

“Part of me felt that if I didn’t re-define what the sound was—because if you really listen to the stuff I have made, it’s all over the board—if I just tried to make a follow-up to a record I put out four years in the past, I would just have been trapped. I just felt it was important to shake people up a little, no pun intended. My music is sold as all sorts of things.”

Through the album, he loosely refers to folklore tales such as The Wizard of Oz and the wonder of it when it first came to the screen as the first Technicolor film.

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“I thought of the Wizard Of Oz in a film sense, from black and white to colour and it being a dream or fantasy and it’s overall dark even though it is a family movie or story, it’s a pretty intense spectacle,” said Rose-Garcia.

He released his first album, Roll the Bones in 2011. Now he has 11 albums to his name and has grown from an artist who wrote about girls, being a teenager, and “dragging his guitar around” on tour. He now says that he has elevated his lyrics. He now uses a fictional backdrop to express himself using themes instead of specifics.

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“It’s an abstract to do with the overarching theme and it’s abstract to do with the order of songs and the underlying ethos of this record. Being a record of (me) being older and maturing to whatever the rest of my life where a lot of it is in the past and me trying to navigate who I wanted to be when I grow up, that is not answered anymore. It’s what do you want to do with your life once you grow up. Fairy tales or folklore is just another type of storytelling,” said Rose-Garcia.

Through touring the musician says that he has been able to grow as an artist, seeing other musicians perform and collaborating with other musicians has been a vital part of his metamorphosis.

“I’ve had a lot of good experiences dragging my guitar around L.A. and New York City and I have witnessed incredible acts and bands no one sees or shows that are inspiring along the way,” said Rose-Garcia. “That’s where the friendly competition makes new things happen.”

Shakey Graves will play in Kelowna at Prospera Place March 21. Tickets are available at selectyourtickets.com