“Common Fires perfectly melts together the serene qualities of singer-songwriter music with the abstract tendencies of prog.” - Savannah Bagshaw
— KelownaNow
“McAlpine’s work leans into the abstract; [...] a gratifying blend of folk and prog-leaning production...” - Natalie Hoy
— The Permanent Rain Press
“...superbly talented multi-instrumentalist, [...] heartfelt and breathtaking in equal measures.”
— FV Music Blog
A Canadian songwriter and composer with 20+ years of experience, multi-instrumentalist Caleb McAlpine has performed music under the name 'Common Fires' since 2017. A classic over-thinker, McAlpine's material is kaleidoscopic and cannot be singularly defined: oscillating freely between hyperintricate bombast and tender minimalism.
As a recording musician, performer, and producer, McAlpine has kept busy with collaborative projects (Andrew Judah, Windmills, N. Sherman, Chloe Davidson, Rinnovare), energetic live shows (Slow Leaves, Amos the Kid, Yes We Mystic, Sam Tudor), and as a full-time member of BC-based supergroup Nightshades. In 2023, McAlpine released a full-length Common Fires album (Great Pink Heron), two EPs with Nightshades (It's Not Weird, Yellow and Green), and performed 26 shows.