‘The Metchosin One’ Jesse Roper takes the heat with his newest record Horizons

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Jesse Roper’s approach to music has always been organic—go for a walk, grab a guitar, and sing his heart out. And it all started in Metchosin, his childhood home. “My parents would constantly be telling me to go outside as a kid, and I’d begrudgingly leave the house, but 20 minutes in I’d be in wonder,” he said. “Eventually, I brought along a guitar.”

And it’s that approach that’s seen him appeal en masse to Vancouver Island residents alike for the past decade, earning him the epic moniker of ”The Metchosin One.” He’s grateful for it. “I live a charmed life,” he said. “Victoria deserves all the credit for my career—it’s my springboard, and I’m trying to use that to push my music even further.”

Roper’s newest record sees him out of his comfort zone and taking a slight departure from what he’s used to—trading in his blues-drenched rock ‘n’ roll for a stripped-back folk rock sultriness.

Horizons was produced by Canadian producer Gus Van Go over five weeks in New York City. Van Go has previously worked with the Stills, Metric, and the Arkells, and with that experience, Roper said the Juno-nominated producer pulled no punches when they talked about working with each other. 

“[Van Go] was like, ‘I don't really like your music. I don't like your guitar playing, it doesn't really blow me away. I'm not a huge fan of your band.’” Roper laughed. “I was kind of ready for a change anyways. So I thought, at least this guy's honest.”

Not long after, Van Go agreed to work with him, and Roper flew out to Boiler Room Studio in New York City, a “dingy, hole-in-the-wall studio” as Roper recalls that really reflects in the music.

“It wasn't a luxurious recording scene,” he said. “There were rats—it was dingy. But we got some killer sounds out of that place and it goes to show you don’t need anything fancy—you just need a good brain.” 

What was initially meant to be a three-song EP turned into a full-fledged album, which has produced some of Roper’s most well-mixed music in his career.

Horizons is Roper at his most stripped-back and well-produced—his voice is front and centre soaring through the laid-back accompaniment. The storytelling and lyrics are especially interwoven with his subtle guitar playing in songs like “Two Wolves” and the title track “Horizons.” 

And while some riffs and licks might catch the ear, and the drums and horns are a fantastic addition—especially in the funky folk jam “Cool Whip”—Horizons is very much a singer-songwriter’s album, and it’s refreshing.

“I never really thought of ‘Jesse Roper’ as a solo thing—I always thought of it as a band, and I’ve had the same band for a long time,” he said. “But [for Horizons] I worked with a studio band, which was a much different experience.” 

The work Roper put into this album, he hopes, can put him on the map across borders. If so, that success means he can pour even more money into his artistry—more music videos, music, and eventually, he said: pyrotechnics.

“I want to blow things up, you know, I would love to experience every aspect possible in this music thing,” he said. “Mostly, I want to do this until I’m really old. I would love to have a little more freedom to be more artistic. I don’t want to be greedy about it though.”

So far, Roper has released a live video and music video to accompany the single ‘Two Wolves,’ and he plans for more this winter.

And you can expect the same rip-roaring guitar-soaring Jesse Roper you’ve come to love, just with some more sultry folk songs in between.

Catch Roper touring throughout eastern and western Canada in support of his new album this November and December. While there’s no Victoria date booked yet, he said he’s never too far away from doing a show in town.