Toronto Trio BBQ Pope Find Beauty in Loss on Poignant New Single "Pool Hall"
Toronto indie rock trio BBQ Pope return with UNFURL, their long-awaited sophomore album, and a bold reflection on grief, growth, and navigating adulthood's uncertainties. Written after a three-year hiatus and shaped by loss, friendship, and perseverance, the record delivers nine songs that balance raw heaviness with gratitude, maturity, and the DIY spirit that has fueled the band since day one.
At the heart of the record lies "Pool Hall," a cathartic track about memory, loss, and carrying the spirit of those we've loved into the future.
UNFURL finds BBQ Pope – Reid Millar (bass/vocals), Sean Hackl (guitar/vocals), and Duncan Briggs (drums) – sharpening their sound and voice. Produced by Dylan Frankland (Tallies) at Wychwood Sound, the sessions struck a balance between play and discipline, pushing the trio to capture both emotional intensity and sonic clarity. "This is the first time recording a record where I really felt like I wasn't faking it," says Millar. "It feels like we came into our own sonically."
Stream + share UNFURL in full: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/bbqpope/unfurl
Watch + share the official "Pool Hall" music video, as well: https://youtu.be/vi9-GFiAXg8
At its core, "Pool Hall" is about grief's duality – pain and gratitude living side by side. Inspired by the passing of a close friend, the song revisits familiar haunts like a beloved Toronto pool hall and transforms nostalgia into a pulse of memory and loss. "The reason grief is so painful is because you loved someone so deeply," Millar shares. "It's the price you pay for knowing that person and eventually you learn to be grateful for those memories."
With UNFURL, BBQ Pope delivers their most mature and focused work yet: a nine-song collection that faces loss, adulthood, and the shifting weight of friendships with honesty, grit, and gratitude. Recorded over two years, the record stands as a testament to patience, persistence, and the enduring strength of friendship and DIY spirit.
