Album
No Words
A fully produced instrumental rock album built from original compositions, personal memories, and distinctive interpretations of songs that influenced Jamie Penner, with guest piano by Kevin Reeves on “Amazing Grace.”
Release date: June 20, 2023
In stock
Album introduction
A fully produced instrumental rock album built from original compositions, personal memories, and distinctive interpretations of songs that influenced Jamie Penner, with guest piano by Kevin Reeves on “Amazing Grace.”
Track listing
About this release
About No Words
No Words is Jamie Penner’s third instrumental album, its title serving as a tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement that the music has no lyrics—although several tracks still carry stories, memories, and personal meaning.
Recorded, engineered, arranged, produced, and mastered by Penner at The Rock Quarry in Nanaimo, British Columbia, the album combines original compositions with his interpretations of music by Alexander Gifford, John Newton, Dhruv Visvanath, and the Bee Gees. Penner performs the guitars, bass, piano, synthesizers, percussion, and programming throughout, with Kalamazoo, Michigan musician Kevin Reeves contributing piano to “Amazing Grace.”
“Spybreak!” revisits a track Penner loved from the moment he heard it in The Matrix. Its underlying rhythmic loop was created using sounds mouthed by Penner himself, introducing a recording technique he had never previously attempted. “Selfie” was written specifically for its music video, built around the popularity of online selfies and supported by a pre-release campaign inviting listeners to submit their own photographs for inclusion.
The album’s quieter moments carry more personal associations. “Reminisce” reflects on people who enter and leave our lives and the mixture of happiness and sadness that accompanies remembering them. “Amazing Grace” connects directly to Penner’s musical roots playing on a church worship team, while Reeves’ piano adds a distinct collaborative voice to the arrangement.
Elsewhere, Penner reshapes music that had stayed with him over the years. His interpretation of Dhruv Visvanath’s “Rain” transforms the original acoustic composition through his own instrumental style, while “Jive Talkin’” revisits a Bee Gees song he had loved since childhood—the kind of formative favourite he intends to continue weaving into future recordings.
Released in 2023, No Words demonstrates how instrumental music can communicate personal history, humour, nostalgia, and emotion without saying a word.
Track notes
Inside the tracks
01Paradox
An original Jamie Penner composition opening the album.
02Spybreak!
Penner’s interpretation of the Alexander Gifford composition featured in The Matrix. The underlying rhythmic loop was created using sounds mouthed by Penner, marking his first experiment with that recording technique.
03Selfie
Written specifically for its music video, which was conceived around the popularity of posting selfies. A pre-release campaign invited people to submit their own photographs for inclusion in the official video.
04Let’s Go
An original instrumental written and performed by Jamie Penner.
05Reminisce
Written while reflecting on people from Penner’s past. The slightly melancholy piece captures how people can come and go like the tide, leaving behind memories that carry both happiness and sadness.
06Amazing Grace
Penner’s instrumental interpretation of the hymn associated with John Newton. The track reflects his musical roots playing on a church worship team and features piano by Kevin Reeves of Kalamazoo, Michigan.
07Rain
Penner’s interpretation of the Dhruv Visvanath composition. After discovering the original acoustic recording on a random playlist, he reworked the piece through his own instrumental and production style.
08Jive Talkin’
Penner’s interpretation of the Bee Gees song written by Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. It was a childhood favourite and represents the kind of formative music he plans to continue revisiting in future releases.