Luke Nicholson - "All Your Dresses" (Maggie's Room/Fontana): The well-respected Toronto singer/songwriter is back with new album Shape and Sound, and focus track “All Your Dresses” is about to be released to radio.

According to his bio, this song “pays tribute to two of the most important relationships in Nicholson’s life. Using clothes as a metaphor, the song illustrates special moments shared between a husband and wife, and also the  ideals his father instilled in him to be a good man and father, captured through the simple image of a tie.

“I look at this track as my artistic fingerprint,” Nicholson says.  “Instead  of outsourcing parts or players, it truly is one voice speaking. From the beginning, making this album made music exciting for me again.”

He does sound rejuvenated here, with his warm vocals neatly complementing the perceptive lyrics. Those backing vocal oh oh ohs that seem mandatory these days are in evidence here, which won’t hurt its airplay chances.

Nicholson and collaborator Marty Skrzypczyk co-produced and played all the instruments on the album, while the mixing of new Juno nominee Howie Beck and mastering of Joao Carvalho is typically top-notch.

Nicholson has two Ontario gigs this month, followed by a Western tour in March. Dates here 

Jason Schneider is handling publicity on this one.