Clever Hopes is Andrew Shaver & Eva Foote. They met in Montréal when Andrew directed Eva in the musical Once, a show she carried squarely on her shoulders. Clever Hopes was born in the spring of 2020 as Andrew prepped, what would end up being, an album’s worth of songs. He’d write in the morning, send scratch recordings to Eva in the afternoon and by night those sketches had found a shape strong enough to sustain themselves. In October 2020, Andrew and Eva went into Union Sound in Toronto to record their debut album, helmed by producer Matthew Barber and brought to life by a band of all-stars that included Noah Reid, Justin Rutledge, Joe Grass, Steve Zsirai, & Marshall Newman. That album, Artefact, is out on January 20, 2022, and has been heard on SiriusXM North Americana, across the country on CBC Radio One, and CBC Music Afterdark with Odario Williams.
Name:
Clever Hopes
Genre:
Americana
Founded:
2020
# of Albums:
1
Latest Album:
Artefact – released January 20, 2022
Latest Single:
“The Other Side” – Soundcloud or Visualizer
Latest Video:
Favourite musician growing up:
Andrew: Twisted Sister when I was 8. Billy Idol by grade 5. The Black Crowes in high school. You’d think I’d wanna rock a little harder now. Maybe I do. Maybe I will?
Eva: (Dixie) Chicks
Favourite musician now:
Andrew: Hiss Golden Messenger. No Nathanial Rateliff. No, wait Hiss – ok, hold on. Leif Vollebekk. Glen Hansard? Leif, final answer
Eva: Oh god. That’s a hard question you know. Probably The Weather Station but then Gillian Welch but also Bonnie Raitt but then also Anais Mitchell but you can’t forget Pinegrove and – ok I think this question is inappropriately hard.
Guilty pleasure song:
Andrew: Foreigner’s I Want To Know What Love Is
Eva: Rain On Me – Lady Gaga (I think my actual pulse goes up when I hear this song)
Live show ritual:
Andrew: Years ago I did a clown show at Soulpepper. In it, I sang a Google translated Row Row Row Your Boat in Italian to the tune of La Dona e mobile from Verdi’s Rigoletto. High art. I still sing it anytime I’m about to perform anything.
Eva: PRE-SHOW TODDY, and also make sure your guitar is in tune.
Favourite local musician:
Andrew: Matthew Barber. For now and forever.
Eva: Sam Tudor but don’t tell him it’ll go to his head.
EP or LP?
Andrew: LP
Eva: EP
Early bird or night owl?
Andrew: Early Bird
Eva: NIGHT OWL
Road or studio?
Andrew: Road – but that’s really from all the time spent doing theatre on the road, and going to see shows.
Eva: Studio only because I haven’t really toured much. Don’t laugh.
Where can we follow you?
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud
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Rapid Fire Toronto Qs
Favourite local restaurant:
Andrew: Caffino
Eva: Luna Junction.
Favourite street in your city:
Andrew: Cowan. I live in Parkdale and love its mix of character, with its little jungle gym and splash pad parks separating high rises and shelters on one street, from big old summer homes, from when Parkdale was Toronto cottage country, on another.
Eva: Ossington.
Favourite park in your city:
Andrew: Ashbridges Bay. It’s Toronto, but also, kinda Vancouver? And it’s that much closer to Montreal than High park is.
Eva: Bickford.
Favourite music venue in your city:
Andrew: Dakota. Love the vibe, the artists they book, and the early shows!
Eva: Monarch.
Favourite music store in your city:
Andrew: Dowd Musical Instruments. Look, it’s not your everyday music store, no. It’s a repair shop, sure. But Bruce is the best in the biz, been doing it for years, and I’ll take the opportunity to give that man (who needs no plug) a plug.
Eva: Probably Pauls Boutique.
