Cochlear Implant

Ethan Collister
Ethan Collister w/ Ariane Mahryke Lemire
Jan. 21, Brixx Bar and Grill (10030 – 102 St.)

Next to heartache and love, it seems isolation is the calling card of most singer/songwriters. Loneliness isn’t something to brag about, I suppose, but it is a common thread running through a lot of what we listen to. People can feel alone amongst their friends and alienated even when they are surrounded by city noise and daily commutes, even though it’s not “alone” in the literal sense.

Ethan Collister, who currently lives in Calgary, likely looks at loneliness a bit different than most. Collister’s summers spent as a forest fire lookout in remote Alberta heavily inspire the artist’s vision and give him ample time to work on what he routinely refers to as his real job — his music.

“My job caters to a type of personality. Not everyone is cut out to be a stockbroker, or a teacher, but a certain personality fits a certain gig. The opportunities I have to work on the creative side of things have been really great,” says Collister.

You would think that Collister’s work would be chalk full of reference to seclusion from friends and society in general, but he admits that his latest release, Wishing Well is the first to have a song strictly dedicated to his summer gig. It was natural to ask Collister about his separation from society, however, his quiet life doesn’t change his perspective like you might imagine.

“Alienation is a pretty strong word,” Collister replied when I asked about how alone he must feel. “My music doesn’t come from a place of alienation or isolation. A word that comes to mind is 'longing.' Some of the work is definitely inspired by a sense of longing. My idea about music and art is that in life there is a huge range of emotions. You have your happy times, you have your tough times, you have your forlorn times, and your existential crises and who knows what else. My songs are trying to give a sense of that. Some songs that are fun and lighthearted, some that are sad — I am just trying to reflect on the eclectic nature that is life.”

And rather than dwell on the sense that he isn’t exactly in the middle of company for about half the year, Collister uses this opportunity to access that great creative well — and reflects on things that fall in the bigger picture and in a larger world.

“There are many other experiences in my life too though — it’s not just isolation,” says Collister. “I was travelling India last year, so there are songs about that. I was lucky enough to visit New York — I wrote about my experiences there. The songs are informed by all the experiences I had in my time. The tower certainly gives me ample chance to reflect on that but it’s not the only aspect of my life, right?”