Edmonton 9-Piece Soul Band, Secondhand Dreamcar, Finds Joy in the Mundanity of Life on “Eight of Spades”

Secondhand Dreamcar is a nine-piece soul/roots superband fronted by Canadian Folk Music Award-nominee Dana Wylie and also featuring notable producer Harry Gregg on bass, Jamie Cooper (Up and Over Trio, Obsessions Octet) on drums, Kyle Mosiuk (The Hello Darlins) and Chad Murphy (Dallas Smith) on guitar, Rooster Davis on organ, and a horn section led by Dave Babcock. This group of Alberta heavies is crafting a distinct, funky, and lyrically driven sound that journalist and programmer Peter North has deemed the most exciting thing to come out of Edmonton since KD Lang and The Reclines. 

“Eight of Spades” is the group’s first ever release, and it’s a song about finding satisfaction in whatever life has to offer at any given moment, and about watching someone struggle in that dance with life and loving them for it. The song’s title refers to the tarot card the 8 of Pentacles, which encompasses the joy that can be taken in mundane work and activities, in everyday life.

“Lyrically, our songs deal with the nitty-gritty of the work of life, from a spiritual perspective. Because I believe that if there is a reason we are all here living a life, it is because there is something we are supposed to learn,” says lyricist Dana Wylie. “Musically, we work to engender joy in collaboration, collectivity, collegiality. We love writing and playing music together, and our songs are an embodiment of that.”