KElly Jamieson warns you not to get burned by his fiery, trippy new single and video Too close to the sun — Premiere exclusively on tinnitus.

The title track and latest highlight of the Ontario singer-songwriter’s outstanding third album, Too close to the sun is a rough, boisterous roots rocker that is reminiscent of Bob Dylan And Tom Petty — if they are during the Summer of Love. Bolstered by the reliable thump of a no-frills backbeat and a deep bassline groove, the track sees Jamieson decorate a growling low-neck guitar lick with plenty of revealing fretboard flourishes – and tops all the hot stuff off with his gruff everyman vocals and unflinchingly cautionary lyrics about a friend who lived a dangerously fast and hard life:

“The page has been turned, the candles are burning
All that remains are these lessons
You should have read between the lines
The clues were there all along
You were just playing the fool for fun
Now you’re standing too close to the sun.”

Not bad for a guy who considers himself a late bloomer as a singer-songwriter, only releasing his debut album in 2015. Since then, however, Jamieson has fully dedicated himself to his craft, slowly but steadily creating an impressive body of work that ranges from skillfully executed heartland rock to lush ballads.

Jamieson shows this diversity again on the Too close to the sun LP, produced in collaboration with producer and multi-instrumentalist Craig Smithwho also directed his 2020 album Pure GoldWork on the album began in early 2022 at Smith’s studio in Collingwood, with a crew that included drummer John Hall and contributions from keyboardist Austin Jay StilesJamieson appreciates that Smith had an overall vision for the album, but at the same time did not impose any creative restrictions.

“The whole recording process was a super fun experience,” says Jamieson. “I brought in about 20 songs that I wanted to go through. I usually write in all sorts of styles, so we went through the songs with Craig. We were able to put together seven that seemed to fit well together, and we worked on creating the sonic footprint that would best suit the songs.”

Like the title track, most of these songs were inspired by the personal stories of the people in Jamieson’s life. The psychedelic Heaven was written as a positive message to Jamieson’s first niece upon her arrival on the planet. Other titles such as When the river turns to dust And Heroines offer roots rock at stadium level in the tradition of Petty and Truckers passing by.

“My journey as a songwriter is still relatively new,” Jamieson admits, “but with the experience I’ve gained over the last 10 years, I find it easier to write more openly and honestly, and to craft the songs in a way that creates a strong connection with the listener. I believe that good songs emerge over time if you just keep writing. My songwriting heroes are all master storytellers who can make you feel like you’re in the middle of the song. Aside from that, they can all deliver a beautiful finger-twisting ballad or a tear-jerker and then belt out a rock song in the next track. I hope my work reflects that kind of versatility.”

Watch the video for Too close to the sun above and listen to the rest of the album below.