REIMAGINED TRACK FEATURES DRUMS BY DALE CROVER OF MELVINS
Canadian Folk Music Award nominee CHEVAL releases “Cheyenne,“ a reimagining of a track first released by The Purple Helmets 30 years ago. Stream the song HERE or by clicking the artwork above.
Veering slightly from the twangy folk-infused alt-country of his celebrated album Singer Songwrecker, the Wedgeport, NS-born musician and songwriter leans hard into his indie rock roots to create an updated version of the early 90s powerpop earworm.
First released on their seminal 1994 album, Bugs In Jars, “Cheyenne” was a breakout single for Yarmouth, NS pop rock band The Purple Helmets. Accompanied by what is widely considered to be the very first music video from a Yarmouth band ever to air on Much Music, the song (and the video) helped cement the impact of The Purple Helmets on the coming generations of independent, alternative artists in the region. Bugs In Jars (and the debut Purple Helmets cassette, 1993’s Wishing Well) set the stage for this foggy, coastal community to spawn bands such as Burnt Black and kary – the precursors to bands like Holy F*ck, Dusted, Wintersleep, and Postdata – and later artists such as Cheval himself.
Paying tribute to this unique place is nothing new for Cheval (aka AA Wallace). His last single, “Sooner or Later“ (March 2024), name checks Southwest Nova Scotia’s biggest town out of the gate while also alluding to the dominating influence of heavy, guitar-oriented music that once helped cultivate the thriving scene: “Yarmouth’s alright, if you like Kyuss.“
On “Cheyenne,” Cheval expertly weaves together this tapestry of these diverse regional influences by recruiting Dale Crover of experimental sludge metal legends Melvins on drums while also focusing on a glossy, 90s powerpop sound embodied by artists such as Matthew Sweet, Soul Asylum, and the Northern Pikes – foundational sonic touchstones when discussing The Purple Helmets’ catalog. Staying true to the original arrangement and melodies, Cheval’s version of “Cheyenne” is a heart-on-the-sleeve homage to both a style of music that would seep into his decades of output via groups like Sleepless Nights and, more recently, Sluice, and a band that would help define the Yarmouth musical community for years to come.
Cheval’s reimagining also introduces the beloved song to streaming services for the first time ever. To date, the original version of “Cheyenne” was only available online via this YouTube video.
“Cheyenne” by Cheval is available to stream on your platform of choice today, Wednesday, Sept. 25, via Acadian Embassy.