LISA THALHEIMER
Arts Writer

Hawklsey Workman has come a long way since winning a Juno Award for Best New Solo Artist in 2002. While his pop/rock music hasn’t brought him mainstream superstardom, Workman has undoubtedly made a name for himself as one of the most honest, heartfelt and unique performers Canada has to offer.

For the months of March and April, Workman will be making his way across his native country playing old favourites while promoting his two new albums.

The Ontario born performer has just released his 11th and 12th albums, titled Meat and Milk. Instead of doing a more traditional two-disc album, Workman separated the two albums and released Meat in January, while Milk is being released digitally on sixshooterrecords.com and on iTunes over a five month period.

“After a trip to NYC to work and then chance meetings with writer and producers in Stockholm, I realized that I had two very different records evolving,” said Workman. “They were very much different pieces with different motivations and very different textural landscapes.”

While Meat is a harder rock album inspired by the likes of Jay Z, Led Zeppelin, Phoenix, Andrew Vincent and Colleen Brown, Milk has a much lighter-feeling electronic influence.

Both albums, despite their differences, deliver the emotional and earnest music and lyrics that have put Workman on the map in Canadian music.

I’m not very good at censoring what I say or write.
-Hawksley Workman

“These two records also find me between emotional despair and head-over-heels in love,” said Workman. Of course, these are two themes he has never been shy with.

“I’m not very good at censoring what I say or write. I always think that there is no such thing as too personal in terms of what is fair game for songwriting.”

The electronic release of Milk is just a small part of the online world that Workman has created for himself and his fans. Starting earlier in the year, Workman began producing podcasts under the name H-A-W-K Radio. He plays earlier versions, collaborations and obscure mixes of his songs, along with previews of his upcoming albums and projects.

The set list for Workman’s tour was created with the help and requests of his 2,900 Twitter followers, with the hopes of making his tour more interactive and fan-based.

With the variety of music Workman has produced over the years, along with the fan input, there will be something for everyone at his upcoming show.

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Hawksley Workman plays the Odeon on March 18.