Reports of rock and roll’s demise have been greatly exaggerated, and Philip Sayce aims to keep it that way. On his new album Spirit Rising - scheduled for release on April 24 via Warner Music Canada - Sayce boldly lets his freak flag fly, reaffirming his status as one of the best electric guitarists on the planet right now, but also demonstrating that he’s got a lot to say.

Those ideas have been building for a while now, as Spirit Rising marks Sayce’s first studio effort since 2015’s Influence, an album that found he and famed producer Dave Cobb brilliantly refurbishing a wide range of obscure rock nuggets. With Influence bringing Sayce to the attention of many new listeners, Spirit Rising shows the full breadth of his talents, and how much they have evolved.

Fans who want to hear Sayce’s blazing fretwork will certainly find a ton of it on Spirit Rising. That aspect of Sayce’s musical identity is, after all, how he built his reputation starting in his adopted hometown of Toronto, where the legendary Jeff Healey took him under his wing in the late 1990s. After touring the world as a member of Healey’s band, Sayce relocated to Los Angeles where he landed a four-year gig with Melissa Etheridge, before officially launching an independent solo career in 2009 with the album Peace Machine. Sayce’s subsequent albums firmly established a rabid fan base in Europe, where he toured with the likes of ZZ Top and Deep Purple. All of this eventually got the attention of Warner Music Canada in 2015, leading to the release of Influence.

The foundation of it all is Sayce’s guitar playing, and unlike some doomsayers bemoaning the diminished role of lead guitar in mainstream rock, he believes a return to that former glory is imminent due in large part to YouTube and other digital media. “There is a sea of young players coming up right now who have unlimited access to learn techniques that took people of my generation years of searching and trial and error to figure out,” Sayce says.

“I think it all depends on where you look. We’re just at the tip of the iceberg with people like Rival Sons, Gary Clark Jr. and Greta Van Fleet now getting mainstream attention, and when you go to their shows, they are always packed. I feel like it’s a really great time to be making rock and roots music, and my hope is that this new album will appeal to those fans, both old and new.”

It’s often been said that it takes many years to become an overnight sensation, and in many respects that’s the trajectory Philip Sayce has been on. Listening to Spirit Rising, the experience he has accumulated thus far is undeniable. Yet, there is also an unmistakable drive to break new ground. With artists like Philip Sayce, the future of rock and roll is in safe hands.

Tracklisting:

"Warning Shot"
"Fits Me Good"
"Black Roller Coming"
"She's The Music" 
"Once"
"Wild"
"Give Me Time"
"Oh My"
"Burning Out"
"One Foot On The Gravel"
"Awful Dreams"
"Spirit"
"5:55"

"Fits Me Good" lyric video:

"Black Roller Coming" lyric video:

For further details, visit Philip Sayce on Facebook.