The Wooden Sky

An indie folk outfit known for music that balances dynamism with literary depth while drawing equally from exuberance and melancholy, the Wooden Sky originated in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. There Gavin Gardiner, serving as lead vocalist and guitarist, assembled the project while enrolled at Ryerson University. In 2003 he composed several songs to fulfill a coursework requirement yet required fellow musicians to perform them, so he enlisted bassist Andrew Wyatt and drummer Chris Cocca; the resulting trio performed locally under the moniker Friday Morning's Regret. The ensemble adopted its current name by 2007 and issued the debut full-length When Lost at Sea. Two years later the follow-up If I Don't Come Home You'll Know I'm Gone appeared amid several personnel shifts, including the departure of Chris Cocca and the addition of Peter Krpan on bass, drums, and percussion, Mika Posen on violin, and Simon Walker handling keyboards, mandolin, and guitar. Critics responded warmly to the expansive second album, which earned a nomination for the Polaris Music Prize given annually to an outstanding Canadian release irrespective of style or sales figures. To support a concert trek the band issued the five-track EP City of Light in 2011, then returned in 2012 with Every Child a Daughter, Every Moon a Sun; the set marked their initial notable commercial breakthrough by reaching number 66 on the Canadian albums chart and secured a Juno Award nomination for Best Roots & Traditional Album of the Year, although Elliott Brood ultimately claimed the honor. After issuing their first three LPs on the independent Black Box Recordings imprint, the Wooden Sky moved to the newly established Chelsea Records in 2015 and delivered Let's Be Ready that same year. The record introduced yet another configuration, centering on the core trio of Gardiner, Walker, and drummer Andrew Kekewich alongside longtime collaborators Edwin Huizinga on violin and Andrew Wyatt on bass.