Mr. Superlove, an album of unexpected songs originally recorded by Joy Division, The Kinks, George Harrison, Pedro the Lion and others. With the release of Mr. Superlove, Phillips has taken an astounding detour. Vamoosing from the double-wide trailer of the honky-tonk soul, Phillips is on an off-road trip into some beautifully stark and ragged musical territory. Steering without a seat-belt is Calgary icon and producer Lorrie Matheson, who chose the album’s dozen covers and who needs no map for this tarriance through his old stomping grounds of songs by Uncle Tupelo, Freedy Johnston, Crooked Fingers and Richard Buckner. Tim Leacock, late of both the MOCS and Matheson’s National Dust, lends his formidable talents playing, singing and arranging.

The collection is striking, cheeky and at times bizarre. From the opening notes of Ass Ponys’ grotesque “Mr. Superlove”, a chilling, low-key sleepwalk through domestic violence, through the gentle chiming tone of George Harrison’s song for Bob Dylan, “Behind that Locked Door” to a bang-on version of Nick Lowe’s horn-blessed “Lately I’ve Let Things Slide”, the album uncovers under-known musical wealth and brings it into the light.

Released February 2015.