We recently had the amazing opportunity to check out the latest single “Soo All The Way” from Boston+Phoenix noise rock band Canyons And Locusts .

You can listen to “Soo All The Way” on Spotify Here and on Apple Music Here

Those of you who are regular readers of The Whole Kameese know that we say what we mean and mean what we say . The new single “Soo All The Way” from Canyons And Locusts is an absolutely phenomenal new song that, should be required listening for all music lovers.

Soo All The Way,” the punchy new single from Canyons and Locusts, is crashing the streams today , Friday, January 19.

And that extra “o” in the title’s “Soo” is certainly deliberate, as it’s a shoutout from the Boston and Phoenix noise-rock duo to Sault Ste. Marie, the international border cities of Michigan and Ontario – dubbed the “Soo” – that have a special place in the heart of Canyons and Locusts’ guitarist and vocalist Justin Keane. His fuzzed-out guitar riffage and gritty vocal howl pairs perfectly with drummer Amy Young’s thunderous and propulsive beat, allowing the duo to showcase what they do best in a robust 131-second runtime.

“For my work, I am part of a mentoring group based out of Sault Ste. Marie – and through that group I’ve met some of the coolest and nicest people in my life,” Keane says. “One of the things they mention is that while the winters can be pretty long – and rough, but also beautiful – the summers are so lovely and the time when many folks take to their cabins and camps and cottages for vacation. So, thematically… it’s just about that cycle of going inward in the winter and outward in the summer – going ‘Soo All The Way.’”

The Boston-based Keane feels a special kinship with Sault Ste. Marie, as New England’s seasons have the same type of extremities. And the dual elements and dichotomy of environments is certainly a key element in the music of Canyons and Locusts, as not only do the duo merge noisy, unhinged guitar-rock with a melodic and calculated spirit, but Keane’s Boston weather is usually at odds with the desert landscape of Young’s home out in Phoenix, Arizona.

“Generally, Justin will let me know when he has a batch of songs in the works and what he’s thinking about for a song,” Young notes. “Even though he’s writing the songs, I often feel like the records can pertain to the general ongoing conversations we have, in mood and tone. It’s never not relatable and it’s always a guide.” Adds Keane: “This was a song with a winter riff/verse and a summer chorus. Amy has this way of just getting things I haven’t been able to crystallize yet and it’s just perfect and moves the song where it’s meant to go.”

This theme of duality is reflected in the “Soo All The Way” artwork, designed by Young, which features fallen snow across cacti and agave plants as city buildings and majestic mountains loom in the distance. The physical separation between the two Canyons and Locusts players does not hinder their creative chemistry, however.

“There are so many times that we can get what the other person means without a long explanation,” Young admits. “Sometimes it’s a word or a reference to something and then it informs how we move forward. In this case, I immediately felt the vibe of Sweet’s ‘Love Is Like Oxygen’, and telling Justin that gave me an idea of where I wanted to go with the beat. It just clicked into place. Living far away from anyone you want to create and hang out with isn’t always ideal but it’s not uncommon these days. We have the technology, you know. For Canyons and Locusts, this, in some ways, allows us to maximize our creative time – and we do. We can schedule blocks of time to do shows or record. We never complain about any of it, as we’re just driven to move full steam ahead.”

Co-produced by Keane alongside Ethan Dussault and recorded at New Alliance Audio in Somerville, “Soo All The Way” is the third single from Canyons and Locusts’ forthcoming EP, The Red Angel, set for release on March 15. The EP is dedicated to, and named after, the late Red on Red Records founder and Boston music scene champion Justine Covault, who personally signed the band a few years back and released through Red on Red their 2022 album Roll The Dice. The band were in the midst of recording this batch of new songs last summer when Covault unexpectedly passed away; left without a label home, Keane and Young decided to self-release the EP in her honor.

We are so excited for the forthcoming EP, “The Red Angel” Canyons And Locusts bring a real energy with their music that is both genuine and authentic. They say music is the highest form of expression… With “Soo All The Way” – Canyons And Locusts have created an absolute gem.