Halcyon Phase, the Ottawa-based progressive rock duo of Frank Smith and Phil Bova, has returned with their highly anticipated second album, Critical Misunderstandings On The Precipice. Released in September 2024, this ambitious project arrives nearly four years after their acclaimed debut, Tendrils. The new record is a rich combination of sounds, blending elements of folk, indie rock, jazz, and progressive rock, while delving into profound themes such as social injustice, climate change, artificial intelligence, and the complexities of human relationships.
In this exclusive interview, Frank and Phil share the story behind the album’s creation, offering a glimpse into the unique collaborative process that drives their music. From the challenges of the pandemic to the deliberate choice of session musicians, and from the lyrical inspiration of personal struggles to the exploration of timely societal issues, Halcyon Phase prove that they are a band unafraid to tackle the big questions.
“Critical Misunderstandings on the Precipice” has just been released, nearly four years after your debut album “Tendrils.” What was the process like for you between albums, and what were some of the key reasons it took this long to release the new material?
Frank Smith: The first Halcyon Phase album was written, recorded and produced during the pandemic—which presented some challenges for sure, but Phil and I were thrilled with the result. And he made it happen almost magically at his studio Bova Sound in Ottawa, with some musicians recording from their home studios during COVID periods of lockdowns. Tendrils was released in late 2021. Critical Misunderstandings On The Precipice certainly had a period of gestation. I am regularly singing melodies into my iPhone for reference as they float through my cranium, often unbidden.
In the summer of 2023, I completed the words to about two dozen songs, sang them acapella into my iPhone and dispatched the audio files to Phil by email. From there we met in his studio in the fall, with Phil playing along on electric guitar and the co-writing process moved fairly quickly. We separated the wheat from the chaff—as it were—to choose what we felt were the best 14 songs that would end up on the album. Phil brought top-notch drummer Gord Finley in early on to lay down programmed drums first (he’d play real drums later) and Phil added bass for the earliest mixes to flesh out the structures, keys and tempos of the songs. The album took about a year to record as other players and singers were brought into the studio.
John Fraser Findlay was also in the project from basically the ground floor, contributing lead electric and acoustic guitars, piano and other keyboards. He’s such a brilliant player. But circling back to the premise of your question, I actually think we’ve been quite prolific. This is the second Halcyon Phase studio album, but before that there were six albums with the Sills & Smith project. When Jeremy Sills moved his family to British Columbia in 2018 just after we released Maps – Burned or Lost I knew it would be very difficult to continue that project from a distance. Phil had produced and recorded three Sills & Smith albums—Etched, Echoes in Time and Maps – Burned or Lost. It seemed natural that we could work well together in a new project, so Halcyon Phase was born out of necessity but also out of a special connection that Phil and I have musically and this friendship we’ve developed.
Phil Bova: Although I had produced the final three albums for Frank’s former band Sills & Smith, co-writing songs with Frank for both Halcyon Phase albums has been one of the most fun things I have done in many years! There is just something so incredibly magical about starting with a tiny morsel of a lyric and melody and growing it into a full song!
The album touches on a wide range of important issues, including social injustice, climate change, AI, and mental health. Can you explain how these themes became central to the album, and why they resonated with you at this particular moment in time?
Frank: Most of my songwriting is not particularly intentional, in that I don’t usually set out to write on a certain subject. It usually starts with a melody that is playing in my head for some reason—sometimes with a few words attached to what might be a verse and/or chorus part. Often I wonder “what is this tune I’m hearing?” But after that I think there is a tendency to lean lyrically into subjects that are of concern to us as human beings living in this world.
In these perilous modern times, there seems to be a decided shift to the right politically which is scary. Trump of course immediately comes to mind, but in Canada we have our own far right Conservative leaders. These right wing movements threaten the climate and hurt the most vulnerable people in society. The song “Mean Streets” that opens Critical Misunderstandings On The Precipice—and the one you’ve chosen for your new Prog Sphere compilation—is about the anguish and suffering of people living with persistent homelessness. It’s what I think is a very powerful progressive rock song in its messaging and with the music shifting in different passages to tell the story, along with the layered vocals.
Juno Award winner Kellylee Evans sings with me on “Mean Streets” as does John. “AI World,” for which we released a music video, is I think a siren’s cry to consider the “progress” of new technologies as both exciting but also horrifying in the many negative impacts. Artificial intelligence shows great promise in medicine and engineering for example, but there are terrifying possibilities of the powerful in society manipulating reality for political and/or economic gain. Artists of all types also have much to fear from AI I think as our original art can be stolen, misused, exploited.
Frank, as the primary lyricist, what inspired you to write about the passing of time, aging, and the complexities of human relationships? How did your personal experiences shape these themes?
Frank: Growing old makes you think about your own mortality and how fragile life is. I’m 63. Phil is a little older. With age comes experience and maybe a kind of wisdom from the various trials and tribulations—the highs and the lows. We humans have successes but we also fail often. To survive we need to pick ourselves up and move forward, hopefully as better people from what’s bad and good in our lives.
But I admit to struggling with my own mental health. I started on my songwriting path when I was hit hard with a weird flu-like virus in 2006 that was variously diagnosed by doctors as Chronic Fatigue and Lyme Disease. I’m better now than I was, but for a long time I was knocked flat like I’d been hit by a truck. The brain has a way of re-wiring itself, but I’m left with constant dizziness and a sense of disequilibrium. I always had a love for music and I have a large collection of CDs across genres. I loved to sing along to the albums of bands and songwriters I like, but never thought I could make music myself. It started out as singing covers with Jeremy as a way of coping with my physical challenges, but eventually my musical brain kicked in and I started hearing my own inner music around 2011.
We recorded the first Sills & Smith album of original songs Uncertain Vista in 2012 with Jonathan Edwards who would produce our first three albums. As to human relationships, I have a fascination with how we all find it tricky to navigate the relationships in our lives. It’s not easy. People are very complex and can be hurtful, as well as loving. If there is a thread running through Critical Misunderstandings On The Precipice it’s of the human struggle and that we fail to communicate as often as we successfully communicate with one another. Not for a lack of trying, of course. There are love songs on this album like “A Fever Dream” and “The Pledge,” but also break-up songs including “Thinking of You” and “Our Love Was In Danger.” I suppose the latter tune is more about a relationship in peril of ending. Rest, which closes the album with beautiful harmony singing from Tara Holloway and Shannon Ross, is about struggling with mental health but it’s also about living your best life while there’s time.
You’ve mentioned that the album explores the role of the artist in society. What do you think is the role of music and art in times of crisis, and how does this influence your approach to songwriting?
Frank: Music is everything to me. It has the power to bring great joy and to evoke so many other emotions. It’s not just about entertainment, although for some people it is incidental to their lives or on the periphery. “The Room Spins Around” is partly about the significant role of the artist in society, as is “Blank Page.”
Phil: Frank and I seem to suffer from a creative compulsion. The conversation is always about the song.
How did the collaboration between you and Phil evolve over the course of creating this album? How do your strengths as a songwriter and producer complement each other?
Frank: I explained earlier about the nature of the collaboration. Phil is a genius in my opinion as a musician and producer. He brings out the very best out of everyone who records in his studio. He’s patient and kind. I’m not a professional singer. It’s not how I make my living. I consider myself a songwriter, who has a decent singing voice. While Phil mostly plays bass live and his studio, he is a multi-instrumentalist. He plays many instruments on the new album including electric and acoustic guitar and keys.
The best producers/recording engineers, in my view, are musicians themselves. The super cool Polymode synthesizer sound that holds this collection of songs together like a kind of sonic glue is Phil. As for the songwriting process, it’s quite different from how Jeremy and I wrote together in a way but it still starts with my melodies and words. But Phil is very much a co-writer within Halcyon Phase, as the music and structure of the songs blossomed with his contributions. Also Phil knew instinctively which singers and players were best for the songs. In the end Phil recorded, mixed and mastered the Critical Misunderstandings On the Precipice so there’s incredible depth to the stereo mix. Every instrument and vocal part shines in just the right way and at the right moment.
The song “AI World” is anthemic and speaks to modern concerns about Artificial Intelligence. What inspired you to tackle such a topical issue, and how do you feel about the growing influence of AI in music and art?
Frank: I touched on “AI World” earlier. We’re really proud of the song and it is anthemic. Thanks for saying that. There’s killer lead electric guitar from John. Gord and Phil anchor a mighty rhythm section. There’s an amazing vocal contribution from Kellylee Evans on “AI World” and Jeremy Abboud is in there singing in this really low register—Basso Profundo as Phil calls it. “AI World” is the first song I’ve heard that tackles the influence of artificial intelligence so directly in a rock song. I may be wrong about that, but I’ve not heard of others. There’s a progressive rock song called “Tornado Alley” on the Sills & Smith album The Glorious Ache. I thought at the time it might be the best rock song about a tornado, but then again I wasn’t aware of others, so I might have been deluding myself.
Phil: I much prefer NI… Natural Intelligence!
The album blends folk, indie rock, progressive rock, and jazz influences. What made you want to explore such a diverse range of genres, and how do you find these styles work together within the context of the album?
Frank: Phil has played in and recorded for many years in bands that cover just about every genre under the sun. I have a huge music collection at home and listen to jazz and classical music as much as I listen to rock and folk artists. Everything I listen to has some kind of influence. As songwriters we don’t write in a vacuum. However, I don’t think the music of Halcyon Phase sounds particularly like any of the artists we like. I hope when people hear Tendrils and the new album Critical Misunderstandings On The Precipice they’ll think we’re carving our own path—that it’s a unique mixture of genres from one song to the next. At the heart of everything is that the melodies are strong. I hear big choruses in my head a lot. Critical Misunderstandings On The Precipice is not a concept album, in the way you’d consider Jethro Tull‘s Thick As A Brick, Yes‘s Tales From Topographic Oceans, or Pink Floyd‘s The Wall or The Final Cut for example as true, great rock concept albums.
However, the songs on Critical Misunderstandings reflect certain themes that seem to resonate and build through the collection. We were very deliberate in the way the album is sequenced from song 1 to 14, so that it’s hopefully a sonic and lyrical journey for the listener, with twists, turns and surprises along the way.
Can you talk about the decision to bring in session musicians and singers to help complete the album? How did they contribute to the overall sound, and were there any particularly standout moments during the recording process?
Frank: As I mentioned earlier Phil as producer chose the session musicians and singers. We’d worked with a few of them previously. John Findlay plays on every song and sings on most of them. Such a talented guy. Arguably one of the best guitar players in Canada. Kellylee Evans, Shannon Ross, Tara Holloway, Jeremy Abboud and Michael Belanger (formerly in the Five Man Electrical Band) also sang with me. All amazing musicians and humans. Phil plays on every track. He plays several of his bass guitars, plus he adds keyboards, and additional electric and acoustic guitars.
The album was produced and recorded at Bova Sound in Ottawa. What was the recording process like there, and how did the studio environment influence the final outcome of the album?
Frank: Bova Sound is just about a 5 minute drive from my house, which is super convenient of course for the songwriting and the recording. Phil and his wonderful wife Janet Kirby run Bova Sound and Sage Electronics. Phil has the very best gear in his studio. I love the sound of everything on the new album, including my vocals. Phil chose microphones that worked best for my voice. John and Gord spent the most time in the studio over the course of the year, but the supporting singers would be in the studio for a day or two each depending upon how many songs they were singing on.
You’ve worked with a variety of musicians and artists throughout your careers. What was it like collaborating with John Findlay and Janet Kirby on this project? What did each bring to the table that made them integral to the album’s creation?
Frank: Well, as I’ve said John’s great playing and singing are all over the album. There’s a level of virtuosity that he and Phil share. Plus, they’ve been life long friends and have played in many bands and on many projects. We couldn’t have made the album without Janet. She managed the whole project from start to finish, scheduling everything masterfully. And Janet is a great cook and person. We were treated to the best coffee, soups/stews, and baked goods to keep us fed and sufficiently caffeinated during long days and evenings in the studio.
The album cover features an original oil painting by Alan Marsden. What was the inspiration behind this artwork, and how does it connect with the themes of the album?
Frank: Alan is a friend. He’s also a great guitar player and music teacher. He actually only started painting during the pandemic, which is surprising because he is so accomplished. My amazingly talented and creative wife Grace, who has designed all of the packages for our Halcyon Phase and Sills & Smith albums over the years, suggested that we commission Alan to paint something for the cover. And he was inspired to come up with the concept, which is an abstract oil painting, after listening to early mixes of all of the songs. The painting works beautifully, in my view with the themes running through the album. The cover of Critical Misunderstandings On The Precipice is Alan’s painting, with some minor colour adjustments. Then Grace isolated sections of the painting and enlarged them for the other panels of digipak CD package. It’s quite striking.
How do you feel the songwriting and production on Critical Misunderstandings differs from your previous projects, particularly Tendrils? Are there any elements or techniques that you’re especially proud of on this album?
Frank: We’re especially proud of the new album. Phil can speak more from a recording engineer’s and producer’s perspective than I can. The songwriting process was similar with Tendrils and Critical Misunderstandings On The Precipice, although we weren’t encumbered by public health restrictions during the pandemic with the new album as we were with Tendrils. Phil’s has created an album that sounds so dynamic and rich. There’s a stereo version of the album now, but plans to release a Dolby Atmos mix in the future.
The album is available on various platforms, including Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music. Do you feel the changing landscape of music consumption has affected how you approach releasing albums, and what role do you think physical media (like CDs) still plays in today’s music scene?
Frank: I continue to be a fan of physical formats. I especially love CDs, but I know there are those who love LPs equally or more and I originally built my collection with records and tapes. For me, the album isn’t done until you can hold it in your hands, read the liner notes, admire the art and slip it lovingly into your boombox, living room stereo or car stereo. Fewer cars have CD players these days sadly. Mine does. After slaving over a studio album for a year or more, it’s an awesome feeling of accomplishment. We have released our albums on all the major streaming platforms, so it’s accessible depending upon how folks prefer to consume their music. We also love music videos for their considerable, visual story-telling possibilities. There are many Halcyon Phase and Sills & Smith songs that are on YouTube as music videos. For the new album we’ve started with “AI World,” but we’ll do other videos over time. I am also really excited that Critical Misunderstandings On The Precipice is getting airplay on campus and community radio stations and rave reviews from music critics. Request a Halcyon Phase song be played on your favourite radio station. That would help us a lot.
Phil: I’m not worried. CDs will probably make a return to popularity in a few years!
What are you hoping listeners take away from Critical Misunderstandings on the Precipice? Is there a particular message or feeling that you want to leave them with after experiencing the album?
Frank: We really hope that listeners just enjoy the album and find some favourite songs in this collection. I may have certain understandings of the messages or feelings of the tunes as a songwriter, but hey the listener should be free and feel welcome to make their own interpretations that are relevant to them and relate to their own life experiences.
Halcyon Phase has been a collaboration between you both for some time now. How has the partnership between the two of you evolved since the early days of Sills & Smith, and how do you feel your musical chemistry continues to develop?
Frank: Good question. I touched on this already, but I believe that musical chemistry is a fairly intangible thing. But it’s either there or it isn’t. If it’s there, the chemistry can grow over time. Phil and I have great chemistry as songwriters and people and often have a shared vision on the potential and possibilities of a song. We both love progressive music and don’t feel wedded or tied-down by any specific genre. Working with Jeremy was different, but also a fabulous experience for me.
Phil: Frank and I are both such musical sponges. We’re into everything from pop to the stuff that lives in tiny cracks. It’s a huge shared language that makes our songwriting so rewarding.
Looking ahead, what’s next for Halcyon Phase? Are you planning any live performances or tours to promote the album, and if so, how do you envision bringing the music to life on stage?
Frank: This is a studio project. I am afraid I am a very reluctant performer. It would take a couple of weeks of rehearsal with all of the players—bringing them in from near and far—to reproduce what we’ve captured on the studio albums, only to likely play to a crowd in a pub or a small theatre. That’s not worth it for me at this stage in my life.
With the themes of the album addressing serious global issues, how do you see your music fitting into the broader conversation about the future of our world? Do you feel artists have a responsibility to engage with such topics, and if so, how do you approach this in your own work?
Frank: I don’t feel a responsibility to deliver social or political messages in the songs. There’s no point in whacking listeners over the head, even though I enjoy artists who are progressive thinkers and care about the world and all people around them. But I think if artists have a platform and they really want to make a difference they should go for that, whether they’re songwriters, painters, novelists/poets, dancers. Ultimately even sad songs can make us feel beautiful, life-affirming emotions. Some personal heros of mine as singer-songwriters are the late great Nick Drake, Bruce Cockburn, Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush and Lloyd Cole. While Cockburn might be the most political of that group of songwriters, those folks have written songs that capture the range of emotions and also have tried to describe the human condition as best they can. I hope we do that as well, in our own way. Thanks for this interview. I’ve really enjoyed it.
Phil: I’m with Frank regarding an artist’s responsibility to deliver social or political messages. It can be a very powerful thing but we never set out ahead of time to write such a thing. For us it’s all about waiting for the muse to lob a tiny song fragment into Frank’s mind and then we’re good to go. Thanks for checking out our album!
For all things Halcyon Phase visit their website, for music visit band’s Bandcamp. Follow them on Facebook and X.
