With their 20th year in motion, Octoberman returns with “We Used To Talk of Death,” a nostalgic, tape-warmed indie rock single that meditates on aging, memory, and the inevitable weight of time. Recovered from a forgotten 2014 demo, the track now arrives fully realized – leaner, rawer, and more resonant than ever.

“One day I was going through old hard drives and stumbled upon the original demo,” says guitarist/vocalist Marc Morrissette. “It was meant for [2014 album] What More What More back in the day, but I wasn’t into the outro. I cut that section out, brought it to the band, and suddenly it all clicked.”

Lyrically unchanged from over a decade ago, the song hits differently now. “Whether it’s losing a loved one or becoming a parent, life events shift how we think about death,” says Morrissette. “This song used to feel hypothetical. It doesn’t anymore.”

“We Used To Talk of Death” was the final song recorded during three days at Ottawa’s Little Bullhorn Studio with longtime collaborator Jarrett Bartlett (Howe Gelb, The Acorn, Jim Bryson), tracking straight to two-inch tape with no click tracks or computer screens in sight. “It was so refreshing,” says Morrissette. “Especially after spending so much time glued to screens in general.”

• What can you share with readers about your new project?  Octoberman is celebrating our 20th year of releasing albums and playing shows. While it seems more common to mark milestones by re-releasing older recordings, I thought it would be cool to celebrate with brand new music. 
  
• How does this release compare with your other projects you had in the past?  I wanted to return to analog recording, which we haven’t had the luxury of doing since 2009’s album Fortresses. I’ve found that recording straight to tape can help us focus on critical elements of the song, versus adding as many new tracks or ideas as possible in a Pro Tools session, which can also be super fun. So while both digital and analog have merit, I personally love the aesthetic of older sounding recordings so it was fun to record in this way. The other thing you hear is the sound of a band in a room together with no click track to guide us, just looking at each other and following along. After playing with these guys (Marshall Bureau on drums and Tavo Diez de Bonilla on bass) for 17 years, it’s nice to feel that comfortable chemistry between us. And then other longtime collaborators J.J. Ipsen (acoustic guitar) and Annelise Noronha (background vocals) added their secret sauce on top. 
  
• What about this single makes you most proud?  I like that the lyrics are open enough to convey a variety of different emotions depending on what is going on in the listener’s life.  
  
• Was there a specific goal you were trying to accomplish with this release?  It’s funny because a friend of mine asked me what goal I had for this release and I didn’t have a great answer. To me, making music is a cycle that starts with writing, then arranging, and then recording a demo. Then at that point, whatever ideas are resonating the most get fleshed out in person with my bandmates. And then we’re ready to record it and then once it’s mixed and mastered, the logical thing is to release it into the world. So in a sense, the fact that it’s out there is already a win for this little song idea from a few months earlier. Other than that, I hope it resonates in whatever way it can. But it’s officially out of my hands now! 
  
• What inspires you to create music? What motivates you to keep going?  I’m basically an obsessive music fan who’s always listening to, reading about, and playing music, whether they’re my own songs or written by someone else. And that love for music has always managed to keep me inspired to keep on creating.  
  
• If you could collaborate with anyone – dead or alive, famous or unknown – who would it be and why? If it’s an indie/DIY artist, please include a link so readers can check them out.  My philosophy has always been to make music with friends because then you can capture the camaraderie and chemistry built up through shared experiences and trust. So in that sense, I’m already doing this with my bandmates… but I have many talented musician friends that I’ve yet to collaborate with so it would be fun to write or record together someday. I live in a new city with musician friends and acquaintances like Jim Bryson (https://jimbryson.bandcamp.com/), Jeremy Fisher (https://jeremyfisher.bandcamp.com/album/let-it-shine-redux), Jonathan Pearce (https://jonathanpearce.bandcamp.com/album/systems), Andrew Vincent (https://andrewvincent.bandcamp.com/), Andy Swan (https://andyswan.bandcamp.com/), and Sarah Hallman (https://sarahhallman.bandcamp.com/) who would all be fun to make music with in some capacity.
  
• What was the last song you listened to? Favorite all-time bands/artists?  I just checked my ‘recently played’ on my phone and it was “Nowhere to Run” by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas. And as I mentioned, I love the sound of older recordings and it’s hard to beat Motown classics like this one. In terms of Favourite all-time bands/artists, anyone who knows me might assume naming classic songwriters like Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Lucinda Williams, or 90’s bands like Built To Spill, Dinosaur Jr or Pavement. But I’m all over the place genre-wise, so it’s painful to call out just a few, but here we are. 
  
• Where is the best place to find you and stay connected?  It seems like @octobermanmusic on Instagram, an account I only started a couple of years ago, is probably the easiest way to keep up with what we’re up to. But I do have an old school website at octoberman.ca. 
  
• I really appreciate your time. Is there anything you’d like to share before we sign off?  No except to thank you for reaching out and for sharing and celebrating new music. Take care.