"The Moonshine"

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Chris Strei's debut album produced by Iain McNally, mixed by Paul Intson and Iain McNally. Released at the sold out venue at Riffs Music Lounge in Woodstock, Ontario. Featuring Iain McNally on guitars, keys, percussion, banjo, tres, and mandolin, Rick Roach on drums as well as backup vocals with Jay Riehl and Janna Leduc of Thorn and Roses, Paul Intson on upright bass, Steve O'Connor on keys. The Moonshine is a collection of 10 dynamic songs that touch on various topics and styles, from the sweet commitment of "Love You Anyhow," to the date-night glow of a dashboard light on the album's title track "Moonshine", the bittersweet goodbye of "Timbercreek", and the gritty, fan-favourite "Prison Bound Man".  

"ANNABELLA" EP

Words and Music by Chris Strei
Recorded, edited, mixed, and mastered at ChevyCat Music
Special thanks to Jay Reihl for Drums and Bass (performance and recording)
Artwork by Natalie Jayne Robinson

In February 2020 I started writing a small collection of reflective songs about my experiences as we welcomed and said our farewells to our daughter, Annabella. We left the hospital the day the world seemingly stopped after spending two sleepless nights in the hospital. Paired with thankful grief, the timing couldn't have perfect for us. I can't express enough how that statement is purely from a introspective point of view.

I just had a room finished to be my studio and I spent lots of time sitting, thinking, noodling on guitar, and writing reflective songs the way I do with any heavy situation in my life. It's how I cope and also grow as a person. God is never short on comfort and wisdom, regardless of how big the mountain is to us. While I was just writing songs - without any intended direction - about what I was feeling and experiencing, one of the artists that has influenced my songwriting the most released a concept meant to tell a continuous story. It sparked the idea of arranging these songs into a journal style concept. I thought it would be a great idea to make this EP something of a musical short story.