TORONTO 鈥� Metallica producer Bob Rock is serving a taste of his collaborative album with Gord Downie.
"Lustre Parfait," an upbeat rock 鈥檔鈥� roll song packed with organs, horns and soulful backing vocals, arrived Thursday on streaming services.
It's the first sample of a long-rumoured album between the Winnipeg-born record maker and the late Tragically Hip frontman that will be released next year.
The track was composed by Rock and features lyrics and vocals from Downie.
An announcement for the upcoming joint effort says Rock and Downie's project began more than a decade ago after the producer finished work on 2009's "We Are the Same," his second album with the Hip.
Downie asked Rock about the possibility of collaborating as a duo, which led Downie to "delve into the depths of his notebooks" for material.
Beyond Metallica's "Black Album," Rock has a celebrated history in the music scene that includes winning a Grammy for work on Michael Bubl茅's "To Be Loved" album and producing songs by M枚tley Cr眉e, the Cult, Cher and Our Lady Peace.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2022.
David Friend, The Canadian Press
