NEWS: Halifax's Ben Caplan and the Casual Smokers Announces Release of New Album 'In The Time Of The Great Remembering" on October 18 and International Tour Dates

East coast pride and joy, Ben Caplan & The Casual Smokers will be releasing their new album on October 18th, 2011 across Canada. The much anticipated new record is a bridge between the blue solace of life in the Maritimes and the stomping rigs of traditional soul and folk. Caplan's explosive and no-holds-bar debut connects a gypsy-esque arrangement of strings, woodwinds, piano, and banjo-rich hue of dark folk. The 10 song LP highlights Caplan's skill for storytelling while exploring the depths of humanity and mysteries of love.



In The Time Of The Great Remembering was no easy feat for Caplan to pull off. He gathered a fleet of talented musicians to make his theatrical songs come to life. "I'm a songwriter spoiled by excellent musicians. We're usually a five piece, but we have gone as big as eleven. I live to perform with people who can play their asses off, so bringing together a group of the best talent I could find was top priority" said Caplan. With support from Ron Hynes (Keith Mullins) on contrabass, and David Christensen (Hawksley Workman, Classified) on clarinet, sax, and flute, the record took shape and has become one of the most compelling independent records out of the east coast.


Caplan will do the rounds in New Brunswick and Ontario before heading to Pop Montreal Festival. After that, he jumps on a plane to represent Canada in Germany at the Reeperbahn Festival and tour the Netherlands and UK. He will return home in time for his official album release show at this year's Halifax Pop Explosion festival on October 20, 2011.

Noted in Halifax as one of the most exuberant and talented songwriters from the east coast today, Caplan's live performance is both experimental and well rehearsed. Herohill.com reviewed, "Caplan and his talented band - The Casual Smokers - will undoubtedly garner review after review built around praising his voice, but even when they deliver the roughest of bar room stomps, there is a surprising depth and musicianship to the songs. Stand up bass, classically trained strings, flute, sax and terrific use of call and response sing-along choruses all help Caplan and the Casual Smokers stand out from the masses influenced by the same sounds." Tour dates and downloads below.