From Vancouver Island to Toronto’s Streets: Tristan Armstrong’s “The Lonely Avenue” Captures Urban Catharsis

I wanted this track to be a good time – a release of rock-and-roll abandon that’s cathartic for me and fun for listeners. “The Lonely Avenue” captures the energy of urban life and the yearning for something deeper. – Tristan Armstrong

The title track of Tristan Armstrong’s forthcoming album (available early 2025), “The Lonely Avenue,” is a cathartic release of rock-and-roll energy inspired by the dualities of urban life and a longing for home. Written during his early days in Toronto after moving from Vancouver Island, the song melds raucous rhythms with an undercurrent of melancholy, creating a dynamic sound that captures the bittersweet transition of leaving behind the familiar to chase a dream.

Rooted in rock, indie, and roots traditions, “The Lonely Avenue” showcases Armstrong’s signature guitar-driven aesthetic, blending a Queens of the Stone Age-inspired groove with vintage rock-and-roll swagger. Produced in part at Lincoln County Social Club with John Dinsmore and recorded in Armstrong’s Toronto basement studio, the track features lush mellotron strings and chugging guitars that evoke both grit and nostalgia.