Leeroy Stagger Gets More Personal With Depression River

09/19/06 6:30pm

Vancouver's Leeroy Stagger has always had grainy roots running through his music, but he leaves his pop side largely behind and veers more into country rock territory on his third full-length album, Depression River.

The record, produced by John Ellis (Be Good Tanyas, Long John Baldry), will be released on October 3 via Vancouver's growing Boompa label, which is also home to Lullaby Baxter and The Salteens, among others.

Depression River is Stagger's rawest effort yet, and has drawn comparisons to Steve Earle's Copperhead Road and Neil Young's Harvest, which is pretty heady company for the young singer/songwriter to be put in.

"Most of what I write about is real life experience," says Stagger. "Sometimes mine, sometime not.

"Either way, they touch on life and death and pain and happiness — real things that each one of us experiences almost every day of our lives."

The album name and title track hit home particularly hard, as they relate to a traumatic experience from Stagger's youth. A river that ran through his family's back yard claimed the life of his brother after he tumbled in and drowned. The song can be heard on Stagger's MySpace page.

Stagger has these western Canada dates lined up over the next month:
September 20 Nanaimo, BC @ Queen's Pub
September 23 Victoria, BC @ Central Bar
September 27 Edmonton, AB @ Sidetrack
September 28 Saskatoon, SK @ Lydia's
September 29 Calgary, AB @ Liberty Lounge
October 20 Winnipeg, MB @ Times Change(d)
October 21 Winnipeg, MB @ McPhillips Street Casino

Here are the songs on Depression River:
"Where I Live”
“Depression River”
“Wish You Were The Trees”
“Payback”
“Jealous And Drunk”
“Best Mistake”
“Saskatoon”
“One Of The Lucky Ones”
“Carol”
“Lay Down Your Guns”
“Satellite”
“Tired Of Being High”
“Jesus And The Liquor"