BYWATER CALL : SUNSHINE - LIVE IN 2024

1. Sunshine
2. Bring Me Down
3. As If
4. Love The One You're With
5. Sign Of Peace
6. Everybody Knows

Label : Bywater Call Records

Venues : Arlington Arts, Newbury, UK + Colony, Woodstock, NY, USA + The Rivoli, Toronto, Canada

Recording Date : October 26, 2024 + November 21, 2024 + December 19-20, 2024

Length : 46:01

Release Date : August 22, 2025

Review (Blues Rock Review) : Since hearing the great live recordings from the Allman Brothers, Deep Purple, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Peter Frampton, and Joe Cocker, I’ve become a lover of live concert albums. I can now add Bywater Call to that list. Sunshine is one of those live albums you just have to turn up loud, or at least play through quality headphones or earbuds, to get the full concert experience. Bywater Call is a seven-piece powerhouse band from Toronto, Canada, formed in 2017. They are fronted by dynamic vocalist Meghan Parnell, who fits the band perfectly. The other members are all outstanding musicians in their own right and complement each other seamlessly. As a group, Bywater Call has earned multiple blues music award nominations. In 2023, they played 96 shows in 10 different countries, proving they’re a band best experienced live as well as on record. Sunshine opens with its title track, and it’s the perfect way to kick off the concert atmosphere. The organ and horns lock in beautifully with the rest of the band, and the line “We’re all searching for miracles out in the sunshine” sticks with you. The official video of this recording really captures what Bywater Call is all about. It’s worth a watch on YouTube. Track four is “Love the One You’re With,” the beloved Stephen Stills song from 1970. I’m sure Stills himself would appreciate this version, as the band adds extra energy while still honoring the original. The next track, “Sign of Peace,” opens with gorgeous piano and carries a soulful, gospel-like feel with its refrain, “If you see me way down low, give me a sign of peace.” You can also find a video of the band performing this song live, and it’s electrifying. Although Sunshine contains only six songs, it’s packed with magical moments and extended instrumental jams that showcase the band’s exceptional talent. Sunshine has left me eager to dive deeper into their music, and I haven’t been let down. This band has something truly special, and their sound defies easy categorization. Trying to compare them to other groups would only miss the point. Instead, I recommend listening to Sunshine yourself and deciding what Bywater Call means to you. They’re currently touring the U.S. and Canada and will head to the U.K. later this year. Just remember: turn that volume up loud. You won’t be disappointed.

Review (Rock and Blues Muse) : Canada is over 1000 miles away from New Orleans and the US South, but that hasn’t stopped the members of Bywater Call absorbing those American influences. The band’s three albums reflect this country’s soulful rocking with such sincerity that those unacquainted with the group’s Canadian origins won’t realize where they were born and raised. Borrowing their Bywater name from a historic neighborhood in New Orleans’ 9th Ward also muddies the waters. Frontwoman/vocalist Meghan Parnell even dips into a bit of sly country twang, tempered with a tough churchy attitude that connects with her strutting, tough-gal style. Bywater Call’s studio sets reflect the seven piece’s muscular songwriting craftsmanship, perhaps at the risk of restricting the focus of their instrumental prowess. On the live ‘Sunshine,’ released August 22, however, the emphasis is on how their blues/rock/soul/funky repertoire takes a more free-wheeling, jam-oriented slant. The average song length is nearly eight minutes, with two tracks running over nine. Add the natural energy generated on stage for a fun, frisky, often funky 45 minutes that delivers and expands on their originals. The fine-tuned playing displays how organically the members bounce off each other, trading licks without anyone hogging the spotlight. That’s especially the case on “As If” where Stephen Dye’s trumpet and Dave Barnes’ guitar spur each other to sweltering solos that could not be created in a studio environment. Four versions of already recorded tunes share time with the newly written title track and a roaring version of Stephen Stills’ “Love the One You’re With,’ the latter clocking in at ten minutes. It kicks off with Stills’ melody and lyrics, bringing some funk to the roots rocker. But like professional jazz musicians, by the 2:30 mark they shift to full improvisation mode, abandoning all references to the tune as saxist Julian Nalli blasts into honking heaven. It’s impossible not to reference the Tedeschi-Trucks Band when describing Bywater Call’s sound, particularly due to singer Parnell’s voice sharing her rough and gritty-soulisms with Susan Tedeschi’s similar style. Additionally, the TTB veers off into often uncharted territory, especially on stage, that isn’t far from Bywater’s approach. But give Parnell props for selflessly handing attention to the other musicians, taking a backseat as the guys travel down some impressively intense, and often unexpected, musical roads. Guitarist Barnes’ Terry Kath-inflected solo on “Bring Me Down,” lengthened by three minutes and rearranged from 2019s debut, gives Barnes room to roam on an extended, searing six-string journey. Pianist John Kervin displays his gospel/New Orleans chops on “Sign of Peace” as the horns and percussion bop down to Bourbon Street on a tune any Big Easy outfit would be thrilled to cover. Parnell spreads her gospel/Irma Thomas-inspired vocals before Kervin jumps in as the ensemble breaks into a frantic, joyous, double-time churchy rave-up on the disc’s most sweat-soaked example of Bywater’s jubilant talents. The closing “Everybody Knows” crackles over eight minutes of rocking soul, raising the temperature considerably from 2024s album performance. Parnell shifts from hoarse shouting to supple singing (check out her lung power on the slow opening of “Bring Me Down”) reminiscent of Cold Blood’s Lydia Pense. “Everybody knows the bed they sleep in,” she declares, then allowing the guys and especially pianist Kervin to go wild after the song’s first half. Guitarist Barne’s matches with a Lynyrd Skynyrd-styled guitar rave-up and the horns join to close things down on a live show that likely blew the fuses in the Toronto club where it was recorded. At just 45 minutes, ‘Sunshine’ could have been longer and the smattering of applause doesn’t seem like this was a full house. But there’s enough here to convince any roots music lover that if Bywater Call is playing anywhere nearby, that’s the place to be.

Review (Music-News.com) : I first started listening seriously to music back in the late sixties and my early listening included bands such as Blood Sweat & Tears, Cold Blood, Chicago Transit Authority, Mothers of Invention and the Grateful Dead. The excitement I felt listening to the bands stretching out and playing long funky jams coloured my tastes ever since. Bywater Call are one of the few current bands who strike that particular nerve with some of the most heart-lifting and utterly exciting music I’ve heard in ages. I’ve particularly wanted to see them live which hasn’t happened yet and grabbed hold of this as, hopefully, the next best thing. From the very first moments of ‘Sunshine’ – Meghan Parnell’s soulful vocals over the twin horns of Julian Nalli (sax), and Stephen Dyte (trumpet) and the rolling keyboards of John Kervin – it is loud, proud and funky as hell. The rhythm section of Mike Meusel (bass), Bruce McCarthy (drums) creates a massive driving force and Dave Barnes (guitar, slide) hits the riffs with aplomb. It’s a blast all through. ‘As If’ continues the funkiness, really showing the bands chops with a number that is both loose and fresh and tight as a drumskin too. Mike Meusel’s bass line is dark and smoky, Barnes choppy riff is an instant foot tapper and Parnell’s vocals are the nearest thing I’ve heard to Lydia Pense at her best. I absolutely adore their extended version of Steven Stills classic ‘Love The One You’re With’ – one of the numbers that first turned me on to West Coast music – taking that great song and moving it to New Orleans with a terrifically funky back line. Mehghan Parnell wailing for all she is worth and the band cooking a great gumbo behind her. It is a terrific live album. Full of musical heights and the sound of a band playing together and for each other – the very essence of a live album. They will be touring in November. Unmissable

Review (Written in Music) : Het septet uit Toronto wordt aangevoerd door gitarist Dave Barnes en de flamboyante zangeres Meghan Parnell, een duo dat zich bovendien als geïnspireerd songwriters team profileert na het titelloze, uit 2019 daterende debuut volgen nog twee studioalbums met een naar de Zuidelijke Staten lonkend repertoire. Gospel, soul en southern rock vormen eveneens de hoofdingrediënten van Remain en Shepherd. Talrijke passages op de festivalpodia in Nederland en België, vorig jaar nog terug op Moulin Blues en Blues Peer, deze zomer op Bospop en Hookrock, bevestigen de ware kracht van Bywater Call. Overrompelende, knap opgebouwde shows waarbij eigen songs naadloos verweven worden met een rockklassieker. Holler dat naadloos overloopt in Led Zeppelin’s Katmandu of Love The One You’re With, een kingsize versie van Stephen Stills’ lichtjes fantastische parabel uit beginjaren zeventig, prijkt nu op de vorig jaar opgenomen reeks live-registraties die op dit EPtje te beluisteren zijn. Het hitsig orgel en de blazerssectie sturen de funky soul van Sunshine, Bring Me Down van het titelloze debuut is een soulballade balancerend op zacht wiegend blazerswerk en zweverig gitaarpartijen die exploderen in een helse ontknoping. Na het broeierige funk epos As, If dat uitloopt op een duel tussen gitaar en blazerssectie horen we de lang uitgesponnen concertfavoriet Love The One You’re With, het is één van de drie nummers die eind vorig jaar in The Rivoli in thuisbasis Toronto gecapteerd werden. Op rollende pianotonen van John Kervin doemt Sign Of Peace op, in het tweede, meer uitbundige gedeelte met swingende bijdragen van Parnell’s kompanen onbeschaamd Lonkend naar de befaamde streetparades in New Orleans. De energieke gospelrock van Everybody Knows met een ontketende chanteuse vormt de afsluiter met de gebruikelijke dankwoorden. Alvast een meer dan overtuigende introductie voor de tournee die Bywater Call eind oktober terugbrengt naar De Bosuil, Tivoli en de Spirit Of 66 in het Waalse Verviers.

Review (Jace Media Music) : Live albums often walk a tightrope. Too polished, and they lose the grit and energy of the stage; too raw, and they can feel unbalanced or unfinished. With Sunshine, Bywater Call have struck that rarest of balances—an album that brims with energy, spontaneity, and emotion while still being meticulously crafted and expertly delivered. Recorded across shows in Toronto, Woodstock (New York), and Newbury (UK), this record feels like a snapshot of the band’s very soul, a reminder of why live music matters and why Bywater Call have become such a force on the international blues, soul, and Americana scene. At its heart, Sunshine is a celebration of the stage. It’s the band’s first live release, and it draws from every corner of their catalogue: the debut self-titled record from 2019, their acclaimed Shepherd album from 2024, and even a taste of something new with the funky original title track, “Sunshine,” first teased as a single back in May. To round things out, the group take a brave swing at Stephen Stills’ classic Love The One You’re With, and the result is a reimagining that pays homage while still sounding distinctly Bywater Call. The album kicks off with “Sunshine,” a buoyant, groove-driven cut that immediately sets the tone. It’s funky, radiant, and joyous, built on an infectious rhythm section laid down by Mike Meusel (bass) and Bruce McCarthy (drums). Meghan Parnell’s voice—gritty yet graceful—soars above the band with conviction, while Dave Barnes’ slide guitar lines carve out a sound that is equal parts blues grit and southern soul. It feels like a mission statement: Bywater Call want you to feel good, and they aren’t afraid to stretch the boundaries of genre to make it happen. “Bring Me Down,” reaching back to their debut, is transformed in the live setting. The track stretches out to almost ten minutes, showcasing the band’s improvisational spirit. What was once a tight, radio-ready cut becomes an expansive journey. Barnes’ guitar soloing borders on incendiary, while the horn section—Julian Nalli on sax and Stephen Dyte on trumpet—adds depth and dynamism, weaving melodies that push and pull against Parnell’s raw vocal delivery. This is a song reborn, elevated by the freedom of the stage. “As If,” a fan favourite from Shepherd, highlights the group’s ability to balance restraint with fire. The introduction is moody and atmospheric, with John Kervin’s keys leading the way, before the band erupts into a groove that feels equal parts Muscle Shoals and Fillmore East. It’s soulful, expansive, and perfectly demonstrates how Bywater Call build tension and release in their live show. The centrepiece of the record is undoubtedly Love The One You’re With. Clocking in at just over ten minutes, this cover avoids being a carbon copy. Instead, Bywater Call filter the song through their own lens—horns blazing, vocals roaring, and guitar lines twisting into unexpected spaces. It becomes both familiar and new, a communal anthem reshaped into something uniquely theirs. It’s a risk to cover such a beloved classic, but the payoff is enormous. This is the kind of performance that converts casual listeners into lifelong fans. “Sign of Peace” follows, and its message resonates as powerfully live as it does on record. Parnell’s delivery here is equal parts plea and declaration, full of nuance and fire. The interplay between sax and trumpet gives the song a gospel-soul depth that elevates it far beyond a standard blues cut. It’s in moments like this that the band’s chemistry shines—each player listening, reacting, and feeding off one another in real time. Closing track “Everybody Knows” is sprawling and cinematic, clocking in at eight minutes but never once feeling overstretched. The haunting introduction, the rising tension, the cathartic release—all hallmarks of a band who understand dynamics on a level that few achieve. It’s the perfect curtain-call, leaving the listener not just satisfied but hungry to experience it all in person. One of the most striking aspects of Sunshine is the musicianship. Every player brings their own personality to the table, yet the cohesion is undeniable. Barnes’ slide guitar tone is searing and soulful, Meusel’s bass grooves lock everything down, and McCarthy’s drumming balances power with precision—no surprise given that he also captured and mixed the album himself. Add in Kervin’s atmospheric keys and the powerhouse horn section, and you have a band that feels larger than life. But the soul of Bywater Call is Meghan Parnell. Her voice is not just a vehicle for melody—it’s an instrument of raw emotion. She can be tender one moment and explosive the next, and her ability to command a room is evident even through the speakers. Whether she’s belting out a revenge-tinged anthem or delivering a hushed, soulful line, Parnell holds the listener in the palm of her hand. What sets Sunshine apart from many live albums is the mix. Captured and mixed by Bruce McCarthy and mastered by Kristian Montano, the sound is warm and full without sacrificing the grit and spontaneity of a live show. You can almost hear the sweat, the crowd, and the unspoken connection between band and audience. Extended jams and fiery solos never feel self-indulgent—they’re purposeful, carrying the songs to new emotional heights. Bywater Call have always been a band built for the stage, and Sunshine is the proof. It’s not just a collection of songs—it’s a document of what happens when a band throws everything they have into a performance. For long-time fans, it’s a chance to relive the fire of a Bywater Call gig. For newcomers, it’s the perfect entry point, a record that showcases not just the songs, but the heart, sweat, and sheer joy of this extraordinary band. With Sunshine, Bywater Call haven’t just released a live album. They’ve released a statement: this is who we are, this is what we do, and this is why live music matters.