Friendly Rich Premieres His Dark Folk Opus ‘Man Out of Time’

Dark and weird in all of the right ways, Friendly Rich is an artist that is “out there,” and we mean that in the most complimentary way possible. Conjuring up his best set of dark and deranged folk songs, the singer-songwriter has returned with his brand new studio full-length Out of Time, due out on March 31st via We Are Busy Bodies.

There are very few artists who can hit on the type of sound and vibe that Rich is after with this songwriting project because it’s unique in all of the ways that it’s hard to be unique in. Anyone can try to be oft-beat or eccentric, but to make the pieces fit is another thing.

Speaking about the album, rich shares:

“To gain the support of Toronto label We Are Busy Bodies is a great honour to me, it’s nice to be a little less alone in this silly music industry. On MAN OUT OF TIME, I got to play with so many people I know and love, including Brian Poole all the way from Portsmouth, UK. Now, those of you who lost their minds listening to Renaldo & The Loaf will know Brian’s voice when you hear it on the track ‘Kiddos & Doggos.’ That was essentially like having John Lennon sing on my album, for a weirdo experimentalist like me.

“I try to forge long-term relationships with as many people as possible, that’s what keeps the adventures going! For example, my pal in Louisville, who I’ve played with for years, is now putting on a monthly in an old abandoned church, and I am thrilled to be going there to play in April, not to mention reconnecting with my freak family in New Orleans at end of the month for a residency at the Happyland Theater.”

With his eccentric approach to songwriting and recording, Rich may remind you in some ways of the kind of sound that Les Claypool aims for with his legendary, experimental rockabilly that he made so famous with Primus. With Man Out of Time, Rich has written 16 new songs inspired by his reflections on the Covid pandemic, and that darkness and hopelessness are plainly and beautifully on display here. The Oakville, Ontario-born artist also wanted to use this record to pay tribute to the great Felix Leclerc, a French-Canadian singer, songwriter, and poet who was active during the mid-20th century. Four of Leclerc’s songs ended up being covered on this record, showing the many sides of Rich as a songsmith.

Rich kept it very Canadian with Man Out of Time, not just with its inspirations but also with its personnel. A large contingency of Canadian musicians assisted and/or guested on this record, including Brian Poole (Renaldo & The Loaf), Kevin Breit (Nora Jones, Hugh Laurie), Christine Duncan (Tanya Tagaq), Michael Ward-Bergeman (Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble), and more. A lot of the collaborations were put together internationally and recorded in too many places and too many studios to count. Man Out of Time stands out as one of Friendly Rich’s greatest achievements, a very personal but ambitious record that stands out as an immense victory for him as a poet and songwriter.

Man Out of Time Track Listing:

1. Man Out Of Time
2. Moi Mes Souliers
3. P’tit Bonheur
4. Killdozer 04:00
5. Kiddos and Doggos
6. Wheels, You’ve Got Strong Legs
7. Notre Sentier
8. Alone On This Bus
9. Salvation Mountain
10. Fluffy Clouds
11. Fomo Yodo
12. Mother of Tongues
13. Bozo
14. Orca Whale
15. A Reasonable Man
16. Thanks For All The Fish

Friendly Rich ‘Man Out of Time’ album artwork