On his latest album, the Murray Lightburn (The Dears) produced “The NewGreat Game” Andrew Johnston paints in broad, expansive brushstrokes,delivering 12 killer rock anthems for troubled times, with just enoughredemption to keep hope alive.Growing up in Ottawa and now calling Montreal home, Andrew has hadthe great fortune of a career that has included work with some ofMontreal’s finest including Richard White (Besnard Lakes), Rishi Dhir(Elephant Stone), George Donoso (Sam Roberts, the Dears), JF Robitailleand many more. “The New Great Game” is the sound of an artist earnestly aiming for thebleachers and holding nothing back. If a certain aesthetic of coy restrainthas become fashionable within indie rock circles, this album grabs thelistener from minute one and seems to earnestly proclaim that there is no time to lose; we must love now, yearn now,strive now: our dreams will live or die in this moment.Title track “the New Great Game” is indicative of the terrain we are in here. Starting with a Springsteen-esque pianofigure that descends into a wall of carefully crafted 6 and 12 string guitars, “The New Great Game” careens into a chantalongbreakdown section to make the Hold Steady jealous, before changing gears and sinuously weaving its way to ariveting conclusion of stacked vocals, wailing guitars and pounding drums.With lyrics such as “ain’t there somewhere we can go where it still feels right - ain’t there something we could say thatdon’t feel like diffidence”, it is clear that Andrew is in big picture mode, trying to make a statement about the hardshipsand cruelty of the modern world that still makes room for magic, a little romance, and the dreamer that is inside us all.