Jim Bryson admits that he is not one to bask. And even if he was, there’d be no time.

When his latest recording hit the streets (where the bungalows roam, Kelp Records), the soft-spoken singer-songwriter played a couple of small gigs (including one at a retail music outlet where the audience spilled out onto the sidewalk) and immediately went on tour with Kathleen Edwards.

Meanwhile, the accolades poured in. The Ottawa Sun’s Allan Wigney gushed with hometown pride, while Toronto’s NOW Magazine was equally effusive:

"Maturity can be trouble – you know, that album your favourite artist makes to show the world he or she can be a serious musician. When it goes wrong, it goes very wrong, but when it goes right, as in Jim Bryson's case, a masterpiece is often born."

Bryson is a committed collaborator and there is likely very little to distinguish his music life from his social life. When the Edwards gigs ran out, Bryson took off out East in a joint-headliner tour with David Myles.

“Lots to report, so here I go,” he wrote in a June 12 update on his web site. “My car has been problematic as has the iBook, but onward we roll into the east.”

“I will also be doing a little recording and a radio cooking show while out there.”

Thankfully, between the gigs and the cooking shows, Bryson carved out some time to play along in a Guerilla Q&A session.

Photos by Aaron McKenzie Fraser
 

What has been the general reaction to bungalows in your view?

Very poor. Actually it has been really surprisingly terrific for the most part. There is a small amount of people who miss the rock and I understand that, but it is nice to have fun and do what you feel like. Not everyone is going to like everything.

Have you had time to bask in this success of bungalows because you are touring with Kathleen Edwards?

I am not really to type to bask as there is too much to get done. Small victories is a nice  thing though and it feels good to be doing this with friends. I have lots of time to do stuff this year, but there are always more ideas than time it seems.

I've noted how subdued your vocals are in bungalows. Is this by design, given the nature of the songs?

Um, I am not sure if it is by design or not. At one point I did realize it was that way, but I just had these songs that were like that. I was just singing them really.

The song "Fire Watch" was inspired by Ken Babstock poems "Firewatch" and "Willow." Why did these particular poems resonate with you?

I have known Ken for along time and we have had a lot of talks about music and writing and word in music and how words cross-over and I just liked the way these words worked around the melodies and chords and all that. I had opened his book to springboard my thinking about words and then I used his in the end. Not totally his words, more of a morphing, but the crux of it is about his words.

How do react to the attention? Is it something you crave, seek out, tolerate or despise?

It is always great when people appreciate the work one does. I can not lie about it. It is not something I crave, but it is something that I appreciate.  Whether it is a review or an e-mail or anything like that.
 
You are very much a product of the Ottawa music scene. Do you ever see yourself leaving town permanently for greener  pastures?

I have no plans to leave and I certainly would not leave for any concept of something greener. I think you can be from wherever you are and be happy and do whatever you want to do. I sometimes think of moving temporarily just to be somewhere else for a little while and experience different things. I believe that I will always end up here though and have no current plan to go anywhere. I feel very fortunate with what we have in our city. It is home.

Your trademark baseball caps—what's the deal there? Do you ever perform without one?

I do not wear hats much except for playing these days, but they have become like a security blanket at my shows. I play often without them with Kathleen and Howe, but it is something I like to hide behind I guess when singing and stuff. I played in a legion though two weeks ago in Tofino without one and it felt fine.

Spill the beans a bit about touring with Kathleen Edwards and appearing on Letterman. What was that experience like?

No beans to spill really. Letterman was over as quick as it started and we never met the other guests and never met Dave. But we did meet Paul. Now The Tonight show was different. We ended up talking to Dr. Phil for quite long time and he was very charming and humorous and interested in what we did. 

You said some people miss the rock. Why did you choose to do an album without any rocking out?

Cause I am old now. Ok, I am kidding. But there are other avenues that involve less volume that I have
been excited about and it just made sense this time around.

 Do you write poetry as opposed to lyrics? What did you learn from Ken B. about how the two differ or cross over?

I do not think I write poetry as I am a writer of no training. I learn a lot from reading people whose words I admire. Cadence and ryhthmn and just the way they bounce things around. I call my words words for sure though.

The song "All the Fallen Trees" seems particularly bittersweet to me and certainly self-effacing. Is this song about those agonizing moments when a relationship ends but the two parties have yet to part ways?

I do not know exactly, but I know the song has an element of staring out a window and wondering about change and all that stuff. Not so much about breaking up, but definitely change.

You use a lot of nature imagery in your lyrics on this album. Have you always done so? Are you the outdoorsy type?

I am not such an outdoorsy type in that I rarely camp, but that is not intentional. I used to do much
more of it and i do have a good canadian appreciation of the natural world we live in.

What are some of the projects you have coming up this summer and beyond?

Lots of touring and shows and hopefully some time with my Lisa. I get away all the time and I want to
make sure we get to go somewhere and have an actual getaway.

I also have plans to perhaps record some more songs sooner rather than later this time, so I can just have a feeling of forward motion.
 

For the latest on Jim Bryson, visit his web site.