If there is one thing you can always count on in this crazy, beautiful thing we call the rock and roll landscape, it’s that Dallas Frasca does not do things by halves. She doesn’t just play music; she lives it, breathes it, and commands it like a genuine force of nature. Coming off the back of heavy touring, massive arena supports with legends like ZZ Top, and a highly successful Green Electric Tour, Australia’s premier riff-queen is gearing up for her most ambitious sonic adventure yet.
Pack your bags and fire up the engines, because Frasca is heading across the Pacific to Canada to record her highly anticipated fifth studio album. Supported by a prestigious grant from the Record in BC Program, this isn’t just a simple trip to lay down some vocal tracks. This is an all-out international collaboration designed to push her massive blues-rock sound into entirely new territory.
Once she lands in Canada, the magic truly begins. Frasca is teaming up with a world-class production unit, tracking at the legendary Smooth Operator Studios in Vancouver and the serene, isolated Capsule Studios on Bowen Island. Behind the desk is producer and engineer Janey Aurora, alongside multi-instrumentalist Erik Nielsen, known for his stellar work with City and Colour. If that layout wasn’t enough to get your heart pumping, iconic Canadian drummer Pat Steward – who has kept time for Bryan Adams – is stepping behind the kit to lock down the rhythm section.
This next chapter promises to be an absolute ripper of a record. With Frasca’s signature powerhouse vocals, face-melting guitar work, and a legendary international crew in her corner, the rock world needs to brace itself. Canada won’t know what hit it.
HEAVY sat down with Dallas before she left to dive deeper, asking her the reasons behind relocating to Canada for a month or so.
“A producer (Janey Aurora) reached out to me late last year and sent me this really amazing email about why she wanted to make the album with me,” she began. “And it really resonated quite deeply with me. Plus, I think I’m also ready to do something quite different sonically to extend what I’ve been working on for the last couple of years and the songs I’ve been writing.”
In the full interview, we discussed why Dallas is heading overseas to record in more detail, the musicians she is working with in Canada and what she is expecting. She ran us through recording outside of your comfort zone and the different ways being in that position can impact your songwriting and the way you approach music.
Dallas told us more about what we could possibly expect from the new music, including the use of a Gospel choir. She told us about the songs she has already written and her mindset going into recording, including the challenges and advantages of doing so. We talked about the success of her previous album, Force Of Nature and the importance of challenging yourself musically and growing as a person and musician between albums, plus more.
