Montreal-based folk/Americana singer-songwriter Mike McKenna Jr. recently released his fourth studio album, Smokey Mountain High, marking McKenna’s return to Cape Breton after spending a decade in Montreal. McKenna explains, “I bought an old campervan with my dad, turned it into a mobile writing cabin, and found a safe space to create. I’d camp in the Highlands, hike, take mushrooms, and just let the island’s beauty sink in. It was during these moments that I wrote songs like ‘Smokey Mountain’ and ‘The Old Country.’ This album became my way of processing everything, from losing my relationship and release tour to reconnecting with my homeland.” Produced by Quinn Bachand, who also played multiple instruments on the album, Smokey Mountain High also features the talents of Beatrix Methe (back...