Singles Spotlight:
Everett LaRoi –
“Wall of Death”

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Today I’m excited to talk about another artist making some great music: Everett LaRoi. According to his bio on his Bandcamp page, “Everett LaRoi is a Canadian singer-songwriter who came of age during the post-punk years of the Replacements, R.E.M. and Hüsker Dü, and he wears those influences on his sleeve. His signature tremolo guitar and lyrical Polaroid snapshots earn comparisons to Neil Young, Daniel Lanois, and Joe Henry.”

LaRoi is a fixture in Alberta’s alternative music scene as part of projects Manraygun, Goldtop, and Idyl Tea (co-founded in the mid-80s), and not too long ago he relaunched his solo career with the release of a full-length album, Morning Stars Mournings Hush (2025), and according to a press release for his newest EP which came out in September, “LaRoi is back with a five-song collection entitled The Dept. 9 Sessions that captures him in a live setting, accompanied by his Goldtop partner Alice Kos on vocals and keyboards, drummer Mike Silverman (The Deep Dark Woods, Kacy & Clayton), bassist Tom Murray (Old Reliable, Pal Joey), and pedal steel guitarist Gavin Dunn.

Recorded—as the title gives away—at Edmonton’s Dept. 9 Studios with producer/engineer Stew Kirkwood, the EP consists of new versions of two songs from the 2025 album, ‘On This Night’ and ‘Stuck In Another Time,’ two Manraygun songs, ‘Jake’s Big Top Lament’ and ‘Go Out,’ and one of LaRoi’s longtime live staples, Richard & Linda Thompson’s ‘Wall of Death,’ sung as a duet with Kos.” Yes, music heads, this is a cover of the critically acclaimed 1982 Richard and Linda Thompson album Shoot Out the Lights. The album is often regarded as Richard’s best, and it appears on multiple best-album lists for not only 1982 but also the decade, plus a few all-time lists.

Continuing with more thoughts on the EP from its press release, LaRoi says, ‘It was refreshing to simply play the songs live rather than use the meticulous overdubbing approach I’d taken on the full-length album. The sessions were both creatively satisfying and a ton of fun.’

LaRoi’s original intention was to make some live-in-studio videos, which ended up tallying some impressive numbers, particularly in Sweden and Germany. But the quality of the performances, combined with the stellar sound, led him to expand the project into an official release. It was an easy decision to make, since he admits that he’s felt a resurgence of creative energy over the past two years and wants to take full advantage of it.

‘With Morning Stars Mournings Hush and this slightly more raw EP, I feel like I’ve completed one chapter, and I’m excited to see where the next one takes me.’

Expanding on that notion, LaRoi adds that his writing has also come to reflect later-life themes of grief, renewal, and the complicated relationship between looking back and moving forward. In that sense, finally recording ‘Wall Of Death’—a joyous song rooted in hard-earned experience—is a clear reflection of LaRoi’s current state of mind.”

Beyond shedding light on the deserving singer-songwriter LaRoi and his band, that cover is why this particular entry in the fantastic Singles Spotlight series exists. I think it may be our first cover song in the history of the series, and it’s damn good enough to not only get my attention but also yours. I think it’s a must-share. Welcome.

The original song was a lovely, memorable song by Richard and Linda Thompson in the early 80s. The melody and their duet stuck with you. If you’ve heard it, you can recall it. If it’s been a few years since you’ve heard the song, please go back and listen to the original either before or after you hear LaRoi and Kos’ cover. I’ll refrain from comparing and contrasting. You can do that exercise by yourself. The point today is to highlight how good the cover is.

The LaRoi version opens with fantastic organ and guitar work, soon followed by thumping, marching drums. And then we hear the first of LaRoi and Kos’ duet vocals. They sound gorgeous together, especially with the twang and Americana elements of the melody. The pairing sounds natural; they play off each other and sound harmonious. I’ve heard that they’ve put on great live shows together, but I hope they record more songs together for the masses to enjoy.  Doesn’t have to be Richard and Linda Thompson songs; I’m sure originals and other covers will sound earworm-worthy and captivate future audiences.

But don’t take my word for it. Press play and listen for yourself!

From LaRoi’s YouTube channel, the gorgeous duet song “Wall of Death”:

(All credits and rights to Everett LaRoi)

Here’s the cover art for The Dept. 9 Sessions EP:

The track list for The Dept. 9 Sessions EP:

1. Jake’s Big Top Lament (3:04)
2. Go Out (4:06)
3. Wall Of Death (3:34)
4. On This Night (3:45)
5. Stuck In Another Time (2:41)

Giving credit where it’s due. The Dept. 9 Sessions EP credits:

• Everett LaRoi: vocals, guitars
• Alice Kos: vocals, piano, Hammond B3, tambourine
• Tom Murray: bass guitar
• Mike Silverman: drums
• With special guest performances by:
  Hank Engel: vocals on “Stuck in Another Time” and “Go Out”.
  Gavin Dunn: pedal steel on “Jake’s Big Top Lament”, “Go Out” and “Wall of Death”.
  Stew Kirkwood: Hammond B3 on “Wall Of Death”.
  Dennis Lenarduzzi: vocals on “Go Out”.
  Craig Metcalfe: tambourine on “Stuck in Another Time”
• Produced by Stew Kirkwood & Everett LaRoi.
• Recorded at Dept.9 Studios in Edmonton, Canada on
  March 2, 2025 and January 18, 2026.
• Recording Engineer: Stew Kirkwood
• Assistant Engineer: Paul Steffes
• Assistant Engineer on “Wall of Death”: Christopher Quesnel
• Mixed and mastered at Dept.9 Studios by Stew Kirkwood
• “Wall Of Death” written by Richard Thompson

Alex M Theel

Co-Founder, Reviewer, Content Creator, Business side, Editor at Scummy Water Tower Productions | Web

Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site, scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions and SWT Interviews. And all of our socials.
Questions, feedback, or more? Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com