Singles Spotlight:
Sean Burns –
“Glory For Me”

Hello reader,

How are you? Ready to learn about another awesome musician?

Today I’m so happy and excited to talk about an incredibly deserving multi-instrumentalist, singer, and music preservationist who also crafts some great music on his own. The one and only Sean Burns. The Winnipeg, Canada-based musician performs solo, in various duos, and as the frontman for his own band Sean Burns & Lost Country, while also playing upright & electric bass, harmonica, and vocals for Corb Lund & The Hurtin’ Albertans. As well as hosting the fantastic Boots & Saddle Show. All of which are definitely worth checking out. As the must-read Saving Country Music.com rightfully said a few years ago, “This Sean Burns might be the most important person in the entire nation of Canada when it comes to the preservation of traditional country music.” Definitely add that site to your favorites tab if you haven’t yet.

Burns is known for his cover-song albums, including Cold Beans & Broken Toast (2013), Music for Taverns, Bars, And Honky Tonks (2018), A Bakersfield Half-Dozen (2020), We Gotta Lotta Truckin’ To Do (2020), and Lost Country (2023). And the compilation album It Takes Luck To Get The Best Of Me (2020). And recently, on September 18th, via Department Store Records, Burns released an album of new songs he wrote or co-wrote. The result was the lovely Better Off In Time & Other Songs For The Dance Floor. After finishing this Spotlight, I recommend taking the time to listen to each album. There’s something for everyone.

The album’s press release sheds some more light on Burns’ newest album, noting, “After paying tribute to Canada’s forgotten country music heroes on the 2023 covers album Lost Country, Sean Burns is back with an all-original 10-song collection entitled Better Off In Time & Other Songs For The Dance Floor, released Sept. 18 via Department Store Records.

Better Off In Time… was recorded at Winnipeg’s No Fun Club with co-producers Skinny Dyck and Scott Franchuk, and features Burns and his band, guitarist Chris Dunn, drummer Joanna Miller, and pedal steel guitarist Dan Russell, along with several guests including legendary piano player Floyd Domino (Asleep At The Wheel, Merle Haggard), who sent in his tracks from his home in Austin, Texas.

For Burns, who also plays bass in Corb Lund’s Hurtin’ Albertans, making Better Off In Time… was in many ways a matter of taking care of unfinished business that was disrupted by the pandemic. Over half the songs were written in 2018 and 2019, while others came together over the past few years whenever Burns was inspired to write while on tour. In the end, the pieces fell into place once Burns had the right group of musicians and some time to record.

Overall, fans of Sean’s work will be thrilled to hear him and the band continue to revitalize the sound of classic honky tonk, with song titles such as ‘When The Heartaches Call,’ ‘I Do My Crying Alone’ and “Lord, I Hate To See Myself This Way” speaking volumes. Indeed, the hard luck story told in ‘Glory For Me’ sets a high bar for the rest of Better Off In Time…, further accentuated by Sean’s soaring vocal performance.”

Now that we’ve talked about Burns’ biography, discography, and the album a bit, let’s dive into one of my favorite songs on his new album, shall we? I think the song I choose will become one of your favorites, if not your favorite on the album. But first, let’s take a look at the single’s artwork for this song.

Let’s explore the song a bit first via press release: “‘Glory For Me’ is one of three songs that Skinny and I co-wrote in that 2018-2019 period when we were touring together,” Sean says. “I think all the new songs touch on a similar theme of the protagonist being down and out, or at best, the underdog. Maybe we were seeing some of ourselves in these characters as we were out there grinding on the road to little or no fanfare.”

The release continues, “Such detail is common practice for Sean Burns, whose encyclopedic knowledge of country music has been established through his long-running radio show and early thematic solo albums. While there certainly are some lyrical connections on Better Off In Time…, Sean says that if there is a theme to the album, it’s more in the overall sound, which was largely inspired by Texas dancehall country, made famous by Ray Price, Johnny Bush and others.

As with all of Sean‘s work, it’s not necessary to be familiar with the theme he’s presenting. The songs stand on their own as not only a reminder of what country once was, but what it will always be: the music that maintains our unbreakable human bonds.”

Right on. Today’s Singles Spotlight is the album’s opening track “Glory For Me”. It sets the tone, taking the listener back to the best parts of American country music. One man’s opinion, but you know what I mean. Before the stuff that has no edge or personality. Yuck. That shit that licks the boots of the current administration, instead of defying it. Music that stands for nothing. Compliance music in general is boring. At SWT, we advocate for and support most; we are inclusive to most, but not that pitiful music. Songs of dogs and pickup trucks get old. No, give me the country music that spurns outlaws and may have some adult themes. A few illegal stories. That’s the good stuff. Along with the country music that had more traditional arrangements that came before it. This song has gorgeous strings, some sorrowful lyrics, and vocals. It showcases the musicians, as well as Burns’ voice, songwriting, and songcraft. Kudos on the song and album. Listen, watch, and enjoy for yourself!

A Record store performance within the video for the song, “Glory For Me” from Sean Burns’ YouTube channel:

(All credits and rights to Sean Burns)

The cover art for Better Off In Time & Other Songs For The Dance Floor:

The track list for Better Off In Time & Other Songs for The Dance Floor:

1. Glory For Me (2:20)
2. Stop! (2:29)
3. When The Heartaches Call (2:45)
4. Cold Day (2:44)
5. I Do My Cryin’ Alone (3:24)
6. Feeling Blue (3:33)
7. Second Time Around (2:25)
8. Lord, I Hate To See Myself This Way (3:18)
9. Tables & Chairs (2:16)
10. Better Off In Time (2:39)

Giving credit where it’s due. Who did what on the album?:

• Sean Burns: Vocals, Upright Bass, Tic-Tac Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
• Blaine Badiuk: Fiddle
• Christopher Bryan Dunn: Guitars, Background Vocals
• Floyd Domino: Piano
• Skinny Dyck – Pedal Steel Guitar (on “Feeling Blue”)
• Joanna Miller: Drums, Percussion, Background Vocals, Whistling
• Austin Parachoniak: Background Vocals
• Jeremy Penner: Fiddle
• Dan Russell: Pedal Steel Guitar
• Produced by Skinny Dyck, Sean Burns & Scott Franchuk
• Recorded & Mixed by Scott Franchuk
• Recorded at No Fun Club. Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. September 30-October 4, 2025
• Mixed at Riverdale Recorders, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
• Additional recording/engineering by:
  – Gabe Rhodes at Lampwick Studio, Austin, TX
  – Austin Parachoniak in Winnipeg, MB
  – Christopher Bryan Dunn in Winnipeg, MB
• Mastered by Fedge
• Design & Layout by Nickelas “Smokey” Johnson
• Insert Photos: Brodie Parachoniak & Sean Burns

We feature many musicians who show deep reverence and respect for their elders and peers. Go to the homepage and explore! If you dig musicians who are even more outward with their passion for the past as they reinterpret/rework/rearrange and do more with music of the past, check out Jake Xerxes Fussell, Pert Near Sandstone, Charlie Parr, Mason Via, to name a few to start with.

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