Hey Rosetta! Breathe Deeply And Tour

If the lungs are two spongy, sac-like respiratory organs found within the chest cavity that work together with the heart to remove carbon dioxide from the blood and provide oxygen, Hey Rosetta! will never need to be put on life support. The St. John's, Nfld.-based six piece ensemble composed of Tim Baker (vocals, guitars, organ), Adam Hogan (guitar), Josh Ward (bass, mandolin, vocals), Phil Maloney (drums), Kinley Dowling (violin, viola) and Jessie Tesolin (vocals, cello) have outdone themselves with their new full-length, Into Your Lungs (And Around In Your Heart And On Through Your Blood).

"There are some recurring themes, same old big things really — trust, death, love, interconnectedness, our society's crumble," says Baker. "In terms of production, the album is pretty straightforward, not much trickery.

"We tried to capture really good energy and sounds as honestly as we could. Nothing too glossy, too artificially lo-fi, except for that noise transition on the first track, and even that was mostly construction going on right outside the studio door."

The album was produced by Hawksley Workman at Sonic Temple and Music Room in Halifax and the Gas Chamber in St. John's — a divide that seems rather befitting of a band who seem to have their toes in both coastal cities. Hey Rosetta!'s highly sought-after string player Dowling lives in Halifax, while the remainder of the band members hang their hats in St. John's. Baker credits the city for being highly influential in his songwriting, vision of the world and sense of self.

"There isn't a fever, rat race or a raging scene where people are trying so hard to get noticed and become famous and become the envy of others. I feel like you don't have to be super different, gimmicky or ultra-hip here. You can be yourself and write music that moves you and play shows that move you.

"I find if I spend too much time in Toronto, I feel myself getting jealous, insecure or thinking about image or genre — or that we should be fitting into some mold to more effectively market ourselves or some bullshit. I like it here in the real world."

Being a touring band means spending more time on the road more than anywhere else. It's a lifestyle that takes some getting used to and often takes its toll. The last time Hey Rosetta! made mileage on the mainland, Baker was struck with an unforgiving bought of acute bronchitis. The onslaught of illness led to a series of cancelled dates, but he's been tending to his immune system and the band are geared up for a cross-country tour.

The title and certain thematic elements of the album reference breathing — the physical act of letting air out and into your body. Into Your Lungs (And Around In Your Heart And On Through Your Blood) comes from the record's quiet closing track, "Psalm."

Hey Rosetta! were nervous about asking Workman to climb on board. But they fired off a few hopeful emails and it turned out he was just as excited about the project. Workman recently performed in Halifax and, prior to that, was in Newfoundland working with Great Big Sea. He calls the experience with Hey Rosetta! highly educational, rejuvenating and inspirational.

"I learned a lot about spirit," says Workman. "I learned a lot about intention, just all sorts of things about life, music, about perspective.

"That's what makes the job the most interesting, going on that journey of the process of making a record. When you walk in on the first day and there is nothing, and you walk out on the last day, exhausted, but with this creation. And it's the most bizarre, kind of like taking drugs, you start and then you finish. And with all of that hard work, it kind of evaporates. You don't even remember it. And all you are left with is great memories and this beautiful piece of art."

Catch Hey Rosetta! in these cities:

June 3 Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
June 4 Hamilton, ON @ The Casbah
June 5 Ottawa, ON @ Mavericks
June 7 Montreal, ON @ Petit Campus
June 11 Waterloo, ON @ Trepid Records
June 12 Guelph, ON @ Jimmy Jazz
June 13 London, ON @ The Salt Lounge
June 14 Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern (NXNE)
June 17 Saskatoon, SK @ Lydia's
June 18 Regina, SK @ O'Hanlons
June 19 Calgary, AB @ The Republik
June 21 Squamish, BC @ Waterfront Festival
June 22 Vancouver, BC @ Media Club
June 24 Victoria, BC @ Lucky Bar
June 26 Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room
June 28 Winnipeg, MB @ Royal Albert Arms
June 30 Saint John, NB @ Canada Day Countdown