Songs of the Week: February 15 - 21, 2021

“Obeah” by Haviah Mighty

2019’s Polaris Prize winner Haviah Mighty continues to kick ass and take name (check out that awesome promo pic above!). Her latest single “Obeah” which she co-produced with her brother ocuses on “trust, spirituality, her close connection to family and a belief that the energies around you dictate what you allow in your life in order to prosper”.
The whole release seems like a family affair, with her father also appearing in the video!

-Christine

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“Good Place To Hide (At The Time)” by Partner

I’ve enjoyed Partner since discovering them via their Polaris Prize nomination, and since that debut album, their sound continues to evolve. When I saw the words “RUSH-inspired” in their press release for this song (“Good Place To Hide (At The Time)”), I knew it was going to be a banger.
In true Partner form, the press release also came with a content warning, which I’ll also pass along……..
….
There are clowns/mimes in this video.

-Christine

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“Slow Riser” by Bad Pop

If you’ve been a fan of Bad Pop since their days as Hot Panda, then you may just recognise this first single since their three year hiatus. “Slow Riser” lands directly in the middle of the trio’s Venn diagram of catchiness & grittiness, and is the first tease of a brand new album, due out in March.

- Kirk

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“Don’t Panic” by Mike Edel

Victoria’s Mike Edel kicks off his new series of cover songs with a classic from Coldplay. The first of four covers, Mike’s version of “Don’t Panic” both honours the original while still putting his own style on the song, somehow managing to make it more mellow.

- Kirk

Songs of the Week: Feb 08 - 14, 2021

“Night Danger (Lovers Mix)” by iskwē

One of the best livestreams I've seen over the last year was iskwē performing with a small string section, so I was very happy to see the news about The Stars. The new EP sees her backed by a trio of piano, violin, and cello, with “reimagined” songs off her last album acākosīk, featuring new arrangements.
Upon first listen, “Night Danger (Lovers Mix)” — where she’s backed by the FILMharmonic Orchestra — sent actual chills down my spine, so I can’t wait for the album to come out March 5th, with a special livestream the night before. - Kirk

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“Stories” by Sarah Neufeld

Sticking with the “gorgeous strings” genre, Sarah Neufeld (long-time member of Arcade Fire and founding member of Bell Orchestre) released the first single to her upcoming album Detritus last week.
”Stories” is a ghostly, sprawling song that “compels us to face the stories we’ve told ourselves that we can no longer believe.”
Drift away with the song below, and look for the album on May 14. - Kirk

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“Quiet” by Megan Nash

First off, “The Best of Intentions” is my favourite backing band name in recent memory.
Second, if you need a “Parking Lot Approved workout”, then Megan Nash has you covered with the brand new video for her song “Quiet”, which would provide a perfect soundtrack for those exercises. - Kirk

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“Big Lies” by Alex Little & The Suspicious Minds

Vancouver’s Alex Little and the Suspicious Minds released their latest single “Big Lies” last week, and I dare you to listen to this song and not have it stuck in your head for the rest of the day.
Hopefully this new single, along with a few released last year, indicate a new album from the group sooner rather than later!

- Kirk

Songs of the Week: Feb 01 - 07, 2021

“Parking Lot” by The Weather Station

Not only did The Weather Station release her brand new album, Ignorance, last Friday, but also a new video for “Parking Lot”. With vulnerable vocals and heartbreaking lyrics juxtaposed with the dancey beat, if you like this song then you’re going to love the rest of the album (it’s really good). - Kirk

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“Take Me Home” by Shred Kelly

To kick off their latest “virtual tour”, Shred Kelly dropped a brand new video for last year’s “Take Me Home” from their album Like A Rising Sun. The video is touching look at band member Tim Newton’s late father Bud, and one of the most creative “lyric videos” I’ve seen. Check it out, and then join Shred Kelly online every Saturday for the rest of the month. - Kirk

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“Pre Post-Period Blues” by Bad Waitress

I don’t think anything I write about “Pre Post-Period Blues” by Bad Waitress will be better than what Guitarist Katelyn Molgard said in the press release, so I’m just going to put in exactly what they had to say:
“It’s like this: you got yer friggin hormones, your cramps, you forgot to eat, but you need to take Advil, then yer like, "bitch, now my stomach hurts!" and then you get so mad yer like "WHYYYYY?!?"So you slam back a few and then you’re way more drunk than you’d normally be so like, you say some shit to someone and then now yer yelling and THEN some dude’s like “are you on your period?” And so then you turn into a werewolf and eat everyone. Ya know?”
- Kirk

Songs of the Week: Jan 25 - 31, 2021

“Jellybean” by Justin Rutledge

If you’ve seen Justin Rutledge perform live over the past decade or so, you may remember this crowd favourite. Well, after so many years, Canada’s greatest sing-a-long (sorry “Robots”) has finally made its way on to one of Justin’s albums. And to capture the same vibes as the live performances, he’s enlisted the help of Dan Mangan, Matthew Barber, and Annelise Noronha, among others.
Check out “Jellybean” as the first single to his album Islands, due out March 26, and just try not to sing along. - Kirk

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“Samurai Sword” by Chad VanGaalen

Not only are we getting a new Chad VanGaalen album. Not only did we get a new Chad VanGaalen animated video. But we’re also getting a Chad VanGaalen scavenger hunt!
The video for the new song “Samurai Sword” contains Easter eggs scattered throughout, and every week VanGaalen will share a list of some of these hidden objects with a challenge to fans to find them. Check out his website for more details, and watch the video with a eagle-eye below.
Oh, and the new album? It has the best name ever: World's Most Stressed Out Gardener is out March 19 - Kirk

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“510” by Kylie V

Vancouver up-and-comer Kylie V recently released the latest peek of their upcoming album, Big Blue, with the second single “510”. Featuring Kylie’s tender vocals backed by gorgeous strings, the melancholic song swells to an emotional conclusion, that just leaves me looking forward to February 28th. - Kirk

Songs of the Week: Jan 17 - 23, 2021

"Andre" by Small Sins

(okay, this came out before last week, but this is a new feature & I wanted to spotlight it, and I call the shots around here!)

It's been just over a decade since the last Small Sins album, and since then Thomas D'Arcy has been more than a little busy producing and collaborating with the likes of Hawksley Workman and members of July Talk. But now the catchy synth and intimate vocals that I loved are back, as heard on the new single "Andre", the first tease of the brand new album, Volume II, due out on Feb 12th. - Kirk

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"We Are The Underworld" by Strippers Union

Another band we haven't heard of in quite some time, with members who have been busy nonetheless. Strippers Union was a collaboration between The Tragically Hip's Rob Baker and Craig Northey of Odds, and they're back with not one but TWO albums of new material. The Undertaking is a double album with the first half being released February 5th, with the second arriving a month later on March 12.
"We Are The Underworld" is the first taste of the album, and sounds a lot like what you would expect the collaboration of the two Canadian powerhouse bands. - Kirk

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"Wanna Feel Good" by Miesha and The Spanks

Hot off their 2018 album Girls Girls Girls, Miesha and The Spanks are already back with a brand new EP called Singles on April 16th. The grungy, fuzzy rocker "Wanna Feel Good" is the first of what was meant to be a loose collection of radio singles, but found their way onto an EP produced by the award winning Leeroy Stagger. - Kirk

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"TV God" by Art D'Ecco

Vancouver's "androgynous neo-glam art-rocker" Art d'Ecco released the lead single off brand new album In Standard Definition, due out April 23. The press release promises the album will be "like channels on an old television set" and that every song "presents an episodic look into the world of entertainment, our obsession with celebrity and the power it holds over us."
I love a good concept album, and if the first single is any indication, it's gonna be a doozy. - Kirk

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"Bus" by Begonia

A b-side off her last album Fear, "Bus" comes out along with the announcement of Begonia's upcoming live album, appropriately titled the Fear Tour Live Album.
The live album is out at the end of this week, January 29. You can get a tease of it by watching "The Other Side" here. If you’ve never seen Begonia live, this record and these videos will have to do for now, coming as close as possible to capturing her powerful performance. - Kirk

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"High School" by Nice Horse

It's not often you'll see a country song here, but I've long said Nice Horse sneaks in with the few other country acts I like. And their new single "High School" reaffirms that sentiment, with a nostalgic look back at the "glory days" (that hits even if you don't have a particular fondness for those days or wish to re-live them). - Kirk

Song of the Day: June 19, 2020 - "Body Language" by Cherry Blaster

What to do when you’re set to make a music video and COVID comes along? Write, film and act in it all yourself of course.

That’s what Toronto artist Cherry Blaster did for her new single “Body Language”. It’s a fun, quirky song with colourful beats, and the guitar reminded me of Andy Shauf, but I can’t nail down which song.

Check out the video/single below!

Song of the Day: June 18, 2020 - "Dreams" by Hannah Georgas

Woohoo! We finally got a release date and album name from Hannah Georgas for her new LP!

All That Emotion will drop on September 4th via Arts & Crafts, and included in the announcement was a new single from the album, “Dreams”.

Of the single Hannah says it’s about past relationships and pushing people away because you’re feeling like you don’t deserve love - as well as reconciling that breaking down those walls.

Check out the song below, and you can pre-order the album (and some special bundle items) by clicking here.

Song of the Day: May 31, 2020 - "The Sound" by Jody Glenham

Last week Jody Glenham released the second single off her upcoming album Mood Rock.

The dream-pop vibe of “The Sound” proves the album will be aptly named, and given the subject matter, I’ll just share what Jody herself had to say about the song on instagram:

“This song is about many things. When I wrote it, I was tired of being quiet and politely waiting for my time to speak... for my turn to be important. This song may start hushed but as it moves towards it's raucous peak, it sheds the layers of frustration and despair revealing power and courage. I may never be important. But what this song says is. This song is The Sound. It is for all who fight to be heard.”