Canadian hip-hop artist Shad is nothing if not humble.

Before receiving major critical acclaim for his work, he expressed surprise that his “niche and introspective” music seemed to have such a broad appeal among listeners. Now, with a Juno nomination and Polaris Prize shortlist spot under his belt, among other accolades, the Vancouver resident concedes he has a “small audience out there.”

But the reluctant recognition that people are listening has actually led to a shift in the approach Shad took when he made his new album, TSOL, which was officially released on Tuesday (May 25). Knowing that people are interested in hearing his stuff caused Shad to think about how he could share something that’s “enjoyable and positive and inspirational,” he said.

Instead of his earlier material, which he described as more “closed-in” or “self-focused,” the music on TSOL is more upbeat.

“I just tried to make songs that are engaging, interesting and worth sharing,” he told The Question.

With his new album in tow, Shad is launching a cross-Canada tour this week and is making a stop at Garfinkel’s on Wednesday (June 2) with guest Grand Analog. He said the show will include some material from the new album, as well as songs from his first two CDs.

“I like to try and mix it up,” he said. “I know when I go to shows I like to hear songs I know.”

Shad tours with a DJ, a musician who plays both bass and keyboards, and Shad even throws in a bit of acoustic guitar on some of the songs.

Though Shad, born Shadrach Kabango, may have been more conscious of his audience when he was making TSOL, the album still includes his famous lyricism, clever songwriting and varied subject matter.

Fans of the Canadian music scene will also enjoy the range of guest performers on the album, such as vocal contributions by Lisa Lobsinger, Kamau and Broken Social Scene’s Brendan Canning on Lucky 1s and beats by Classified on A Good Name.

Expectations have been high for Shad’s follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2007 album, The Old Prince. But the London, Ont.-raised Shad said the anticipation from fans and critics simply motivated him to work harder on TSOL.

“It gave me incentive,” he said.

As for the album title, it doesn’t actually mean anything specific. Shad said he likes that the word doesn’t stand for one thing.

“For me… it represents the idea that language sometimes is insufficient for expressing ideas,” he said.

After naming the album, he found out about the American punk band named TSOL, which stands for True Sounds of Liberty. Shad said he wasn’t aware of the band before.

Though music is Shad’s main focus these days, he’s still working part time on his Master’s degree in Liberal Studies at Simon Fraser University. He said if he goes back for one more semester next January, he’ll graduate next spring.

He said he’s continued to pursue his education “because you never know where life will take you.”

Hear some new sounds by Shad on Wednesday (June 2) at Garf’s. Advance tickets are $10 at Billabong, Katmandu and the venue. Doors open at 9 p.m.