Summer's here and the time is right to ...

Road test new material?

Well, if you're Chantal Kreviazuk that's certainly the case. The 28-year-old Winnipegger says she's written anywhere from 12 to 15 songs for her next album, the follow-up to 1999's Colour Moving and Still, and that she intends to perform some of them during her coast-to-coast summer tour.

"That's exactly the reason for touring this summer," she says by phone from Ottawa, where she performed two shows at the National Arts Centre this week.

Good time to perform

"I want to get out and see people, and the summer is such a wonderful time to perform and play. And I think I want to get some of the songs out in the open. Playing them live gives them a vibe and a character that's helpful when you get into the recording studio."

Accompanying the singer on this jaunt are bassist Drew Birston and drummer Paul Brennan (formerly with Vancouver's Odds), a musical formation which Kreviazuk says helps take the pressure off her as a performer.

"You like the sound and you like the feel of playing with other musicians. It takes the pressure off, which I know about from playing solo so often, and it's a good way of conjuring up the energy to perform every night," she says.

At times throughout the show, Kreviazuk will be joined by Jorane, her cello-playing opening act, and Joran's accompanist, guitarist Simon Godin.

As for the new material and the possibility of writing and recording a new album, Kreviazuk will only say that there will be "a few surprises" in her set. The song G.I. Joe, which she debuted at the War Child Canada concert at The Forks last fall, will likely be included, and Kreviazuk sang a new cut called Miss April at her Tuesday concert in Ottawa. She also previewed a song about her husband, Our Lady Peace singer Raine Maida.

With Maida, Kreviazuk has spent quite a bit of time in the past year promoting the War Child Canada cause. Last winter, the couple accompanied War Child chair Dr. Samantha Nutt on a fact-finding mission to Iraq, which was subsequently documented by Maclean's and MuchMusic.

She says that she and Maida will commit themselves to many worthwhile causes.

"I think that the trip to Iraq confirmed what we are and what type of lives we want to lead. We want to use the opportunities we have to help perpetuate opportunities for others," she says.

"But I'm not only involved in the War Child campaign. Anything that comes my way that I can help with I try and do. I'm passionate about anything that seems to have a great mandate."

Kreviazuk is also passionate about home and family. She hasn't been home since Christmas, apart from a brief stop-in prior to last winter's postponed Barenaked Ladies concert, and intends to spend some extra time here prior to her gig Monday in Brandon.

"I'm looking forward to spending some low-key time hanging out with my folks," she says.

By: John Kendle