Songs of the Week: October 04 - 10, 2021

October 12, 2021 by Christine McAvoy in Song Of The Day, Songs Of The Week

“Recklessly” by JEEN

The new album from Toronto’s JEEN comes out in just a couple weeks, and we’re getting one last sneak peek with the latest single “Recklessly”.

It’s a gritty and driving song, with JEEN saying that “After a while, it can be hard to know whether you control your destiny or if your destiny is controlling you. ‘Recklessly’ is for when you can’t tell if you’re moving forward, or falling behind, and when it’s impossible to know where you’ll end up.”

Dog Bite was co-produced by JEEN and legendary Canadian musician Ian Blurton, and drops October 22!

Kirk

“I Give My All” by TITUS BANK

Another new track from TITUS BANK came out this week, and it was co-written with Toronto indie-pop group Valley.
”I Give My All” is about “lovers dealing with distance and embracing the mundane when together”.
In the video, Titus plays the guitar while a projection of home movies is displayed over top of him and on the wall behind him, and it even includes a proposal!
Give it a listen

Christine

“Nothing is Lost” by Luca Fogale

Luca Fogale has released an album of acoustic versions of songs from both is debut and sophomore albums, aptly named Other Ways.
The album also includes a cover of Joni Mitchell’s track “A Case of You”, but the song we have for you today is a wonderful piano ballad version of Luca’s “Nothing is Lost”.
The whole album is definitely worth a listen too - click here to stream it.

Christine

“Jungle Heart” by Adnama

Vancouver musician Adnama released a brand new single last week, “Jungle Heart”.

The tune has a simmering energy with driving bass, and vocals that seem to stalk you like the panther in the artwork.

Have a listen below, and hopefully it’s a sign of more to come soon!

Kirk

Songs of the Week: September 27 - October 03, 2021

October 04, 2021 by Kirk Hamilton in Song Of The Day

“Black Averageness” by Shad

This new banger from Shad is one of those songs of him that you need to put on repeat in order to get all the amazing references/lines.

While “Black Averageness” has cheeky Canadian Tire and Swiss Chalet mentions, the song as a whole is about being okay with just being human. This theme -and losing touch with our humanity as a whole - are found throughout the rest of his new album TAO. The record was released on October 1st, and definitely deserves attention from your earholes

Christine

“Better Now” by The Weather Station

It’s been a heck of a year for The Weather Station. Between TV appearances and Polaris Short Lists and everything in between, it’s almost hard to remember that Tamara Lindeman’s latest album Ignorance only came out at the start of the year.

But she’s not slowing down at all; with some tour dates looming (including here in Vancouver at the Hollywood Theatre on Nov 12), Lindeman just announced the release of a brand new DELUXE version of Ignorance. The two-LP version will include the original album, as well as live & piano versions of some songs, plus two brand new songs!

Check out the first of those songs, “Better Now”, below and stream the album on your platform of choice. OR mark November 19 on the calendar for the physical release.

Kirk

“Rose Coloured Ear Drums” by Big Kill

After months of teasing, we’re finally getting our first taste of Big Kill. Rising from the ashes of We Are The City, Cayne McKenzie and Andrew Huculiak launched the first single from their new project Big Kill last week. And “Rose Coloured Ear Drums” lives up to every promise they’ve made, an incredibly infectious “destructive pop” tune.

You can grab the song — as well as a few others — on Big Kill Future, which they’re promising is not an EP, but an album with more songs to come! Listen to those new songs here, or check out the INCREDIBLE video for “Rose Coloured Ear Drums” below.

Kirk

Songs of the Week: September 20 - 26, 2021

September 27, 2021 by Christine McAvoy in Song Of The Day

“Sweetheart” by Said The Whale

Just weeks ahead of the release of Dandelion, Said the Whale is giving us yet another tease of the new album with “Sweetheart”.

Singer Ben Worcester says the song is “an exploration of secrets. How (and why) we keep them, who we keep them from, and how they affect our relationships. This song doesn’t refer to a specific moment or circumstance in my life, but instead speaks to the idea in general - how revealing our innermost thoughts and fears can serve to weaken some bonds but other times can actually strengthen them - the beauty of sharing a secret with a lover, keeping something hidden from the world, a covenant of mutual trust.”

Have a listen below, and make sure to check out their tour dates, which include not one, not two, but three! consecutive Vancovuer shows, playing venues near & dear to the band’s hearts.

Kirk

“Spanish On The Beach” and “Jaywalker” by Andy Shauf

Whoops, i dropped the ball last week (well, I was working the election so I couldn’t post my songs!) and couldn’t express my excitement at the announcement of a new album from Andy Shauf!

Wilds was released this past Friday and is a collection of songs that he wrote when composing his last album The Neon Skyline. That was one of my favourite records of 2020, so I cannot wait to delve into this one.

The first two singles “Spanish On The Beach” and “Jaywalker’ are below for your rainy day listening pleasure.

Christine

“On The Beach” & “Oleander” by Jasper Sloan Yip

Speaking of beaches (oh, I wish), Jasper Sloan Yip released two new tracks from his upcoming double EP, Strange Calm / Blushing Autumn: “On The Beach” and “Oleander”

Both EPs revolve around the themes of life and death, and these two songs in particular are about gratitude. They’re lovely tunes and another set of ones I curled up with some tea to listen to this morning with the rain in the background.
The albums will be released on October 26th via Tiny Kingdom.

Christine

“Pourquoi faire aujourd'hui” by Lisa LeBlanc

Lisa LeBlanc has returned with a super catchy ode to procrastination, “Pourquoi faire aujourd'hui”, her first original song since the ‘016 album Why You Wanna Leave, Runaway Queen?

A disco-tinged tune with an incredibly infectious synth line — and sparkling video to match — the new single teases a brand new album next year, and I can’t wait to hear more.

Despite the title, you should take a listen today!

Kirk

“Caroline” by Lowell

Apparently I’ve got all the slow jams this week.

Holy moley, I missed Lowell. This little nostalgic pop ballad, “Caroline”, is beautiful and showcases just how talented she is lyrically. It hits on her childhood memories of: “sleeping bags and landlines, grass stains and pool parties, sneaking into cabinets and finding your parents' booze”.

I was happy to see that this single is going to be on an upcoming album in 2022, so hopefully we’ll get more from her soon.

Christine

“Surrender” by Royal Canoe

Hot off the release of their album Sidelining, Royal Canoe is dropping a brand new video for the song “Surrender”, as well as announcing some tour dates!

Directed by Vince Tang, the video is what can only be described as a ‘dance heist’ video, with a few fun twists and turns.

The tour sees them crisscrossing the country in April of next year, including a date here in Vancouver on the 20th at the Fox Cabaret, and finishing with a pair of shows in their hometown of Winnipeg.

Kirk

“Maudlin Days (Robocop)” by Gold & Youth

Okay, so I’m just gonna go ahead and fully copy-past the story about this song, “Maudln Days (Robocop)”, from the Gold & Youth press release, because nothing I write could do it justice:

”A substantial part of the lyrics for 'Robocop' are a near verbatim transcript from when I was sucked into a conversation at a party last year with some finance bros who kept insisting they had found truth (“about, like, everything man") after doing ayahuasca together on a boys trip. The entire exchange was one of total earnestness on the part of the bros, oblivious to tact, cultural sensitivities or fashion sense (one of them was wearing a pink and gold Givenchy tracksuit into the Ayahuasca hut) and I engaged with thinly veiled contempt and entirely in bad faith in a deeply embarrassing battle of wits. It wasn’t until later, when rehashing the story with my girlfriend, a story in which I was so sure I was doing’s God’s work in raining down ridicule and condescension with a half smirk (and to be clear, this story absolutely deserved ridicule and condescension), that it became obvious that I had slipped into just as much of a caricature as they had: The Lululemon wall street jabronis vs the smug lefty band guy who claims to love humanity above all else but rolls his eyes at actual humans (even finance bros are humans after all right). Low stakes and who cares right? Not exactly profound. But, it was a great jumping off point for writing about a real sense of alienation I’ve felt in so many social situations in my life and constantly wondering how much of it has been self imposed. How often am I preemptively detaching myself from potential human connection to preserve some abstracted convictions about what my chosen friend group might say about me? Aren't these convictions about love, empathy and understanding just empty high minded rhetoric if I don’t try to actually love, understand and empathize with the actual humans in my life? 'Aren’t people all we’ve really got man?!'. Deeply solipsistic bullshit. The name of the song is equally self involved. Any time I go cold and detach my girlfriend calls me 'Robocop,' which she stole from my bandmate's nickname for me on tour. Aloof, ultra stoic, but incredibly capable of driving from Vancouver to San Diego in a single go."

See? What did I tell you?
Gold & Youth’s album Dream Baby is out November 5th.

Christine

“Something Sweet” by Graham Wright

Tomorrow Graham Wright’s album The Cost Of Doing Business comes out, and this single really is “Something Sweet”.

The track is full on 90’s goodness, to which Gram says he “really went for it”, and that “the more ‘90s affect I piled on, the more exciting it got”. I have to agree, it’s pretty damn perfect and super catchy.

Christine

“Here’s To The Future” by Sam Weber

This new tune by Sam Weber is probably the best way to end this week’s Songs Of The Week.

Beautiful, slow, and includes a mini saxophone solo (which I’m always a sucker for), “Here’s To The Future” is Sam’s first release since 2019. He calls it “a toast and a prayer to the better and brighter days ahead”, which I can get on board with.

Here’s to more music from him in the future!

Christine

Songs of the Week: September 13 - 19, 2021

September 20, 2021 by Kirk Hamilton in Song Of The Day

“More Love Than Money” by Leeroy Stagger

There are hard workers in the Canadian music industry. And then there’s Leeroy Stagger. Unless I’ve lost count (and it’s entirely possible I have), Dystopian Weekends will be Stagger’s twelfth album in the last 17 years or so. And that’s not even including a couple EPs and a live album.

“More Love Than Money” is the latest single from the upcoming album, a charming alt-country tune about “making major life decisions based on happiness and intuition rather than fear. There are plenty of voices that can talk you out of a dream, but if you follow the ones that guide your heart, you realize that anything is possible - even if it means giving something up to start fresh, or at the bottom of something different. It’s about new beginnings and running off of the love of the people that support you.”

Pick up the new album on October 15th, and have a listen/watch to the video below!

Kirk

“Under The Rolling Moon” by Ducks Ltd.

This is a warning: only listen to the latest single from Ducks Ltd. if you are okay with it being stuck in your head for the rest of the day. And probably tomorrow, too.

Last week the Toronto duo shared "Under The Rolling Moon" — the latest single from their brand new album, Modern Fiction — an incredibly infectious tune that features backing vocals from labelmates The Beths.

The album is out on October 1, and have a listen to the song below (at your own risk)!

Kirk

“Free” (feat. Kinnie Starr) by Andrea Ramolo

The first time I heard this song, I was instantly struck with Andrea Ramolo’s powerfully haunting voice. “Free” (featuring Kinnie Starr) is the third single from her upcoming Quarantine Dream, and was co-written with Andrea, Kinnie, and Hill Kourkoutis.
Ramolo says "Initially, we came together as three strong and supportive women who thought we would write and sing about just that… about coming together as women and lifting each other up and supporting one another in this sisterhood. But we were moved and inspired to lift up and support more than just one another. The song emerged as a true folk song at heart, shining a light on society and exploring the falsity of freedom that only seems to exist for a few. We want to believe in the power of music and the power of coming together for change. “We can’t be free ‘cuz we’re not all free.”

The album is due out October 22, and check out the equally powerful video below, co-directed by Andrea, Kinnie, and the 8 year-old star Emilee Ann Pitawanakwat.

Kirk

Photo Credit: Sebastian Buzzalino — Photo by Lindsey Blane

Songs of the Week: September 06 - 12, 2021

September 13, 2021 by Kirk Hamilton in Song Of The Day

“Fake Fame” by Dear Rouge

Dear Rouge has come roaring back with a very timely single, “Fake Fame”. The song takes aim social media influencers and socialites, with a huge (and incredibly catchy) tune that takes the band’s sound to new heights.

Singer Danielle McTaggart says "Stardom is alluring and fascinating. It can also be toxic, destructive, and entrapping. Just before writing this song, I actually deleted all social media from my phone. It felt like a small act of rebellion against the anxiety and pressure I felt. In our digital age where anyone can blow up overnight, or one can buy followers and validation, what does notability mean? “Fake Fame” is our attempt to answer to this question. It examines our addiction to technology, social media culture, fast fashion, and the tension between desiring and despising fame.”

While there’s no specific date for Danielle & Drew’s upcoming third album, they tease it will be out early next year.

Kirk

“Strong” by Arkells

Do you have your tissues ready?

Arkells are on the verge of releasing their new album Blink Once on September 22nd, and after bangers and bops, this week we got a ballad.
”Strong” is written for/about their college friend Dr. Barbara Tatham, reflecting on the period of time while she was battling cancer. It’s a beautiful song about resilience and finding small moments of joy where you can.

Christine

“I'm Your Man” by The Tom Fun Orchestra

My eyes nearly popped out of my head when I saw there was brand new music from The Tom Fun Orchestra — mostly since we haven’t heard much from the Nova Scotian band in nearly a decade.

But if “I’m Your Man” is any indication, the group hasn’t lost a step since their 2012 album Earthworm Heart. Ian MacDougall’s growl still blends perfectly with the lovely voice of Breagh Potter, as the song builds to a bombastic finish.

Along with the single, the band put out the following tease, and I really hope it’s the latter:

“Is this just a one-off single release for a lark; or a sign of more to come? It is almost probably one or the other. Who knows. Whatever happens, we hope you like it.”

Kirk

“Chew Quietly / Clean Slate” by Megan Nash & the Best of Intentions

Last week, Megan Nash dropped a brand new song in advance of their latest album, Soft Focus Features.

“Chew Quietly / Clean Slate” is a gorgeous song that breaks down into a melancholic second half, with Nash describing the song as about “anxiety and hope and dating after a divorce and just wanting things to work out this time. It's about longing for intimacy and stability. It's about that twist in the gut when you see your crush. It's about feeling unbelievably awkward. It's about trying again.”

Soft Focus Features is out November 3, and take a look at the impressive video for the songs below, shot entirely in one take!

Kirk

Songs of the Week: August 30 - September 05, 2021

September 07, 2021 by Kirk Hamilton in Song Of The Day, Songs Of The Week

“Change (Acoustic)” by Hannah Georgas

It’s been one year since Hannah Georgas released her critically acclaimed album All That Emotion, and to celebrate the anniversary, she’s releasing a second companion EP (after a compilation of alternate versions and remixes). This latest “mini-album” will feature a half-dozen songs from All That Emotion performed acoustically, thought not entirely “stripped down”, as Hannah was joined (remotely) by guitarist Christine Bougie and cellist Ben Whiteley, with additional strings from Drew Jureka.

Have a listen to the hauntingly beautiful version of “Change” below, and keep an ear out for the full EP September 17th!

Kirk

“Wild Boy ft. Polo Brian” by Snotty Nose Rez Kids

So much new music is coming out lately that I missed another release from the upcoming album Life After, by Snotty Nose Res Kids.
The song “Wild Boy” features fellow Vancouver rapper Polo Brian, and is the third single from the upcoming album (which is set for release on October 22nd).
Check out the lyric video below!

Christine

Songs of the Week: August 23 - 29, 2021

August 30, 2021 by Kirk Hamilton in Song Of The Day, Songs Of The Week

“The Worse The Better” by Gold & Youth

Your “feel bad hit of the summer” is here with a brand new single from Gold & Youth. The Vancouver group is gearing up for the release of their sophmore album (newly signed to Paper Bag Records!) and are teasing us with the first single, “The Worse The Better”. The new tune is a dreamy alt-pop jam that the band describes as “a fun little bop about water-sliding into the abyss” and I can’t think of any better way to put it.

Mark November 5th on your calendar for the release of Dream Baby, or catch them opening for Yukon Blonde in Victoria and Vancouver on Oct 22 and 23, respectively.

Kirk

“A Mushroom Cloud” by Lydia Hol

Okay, I wasn’t meaning to start this week so bleak, but Lydia Hol’s gorgeous cover of the haunting (and maybe a little too timely) “A Mushroom Cloud” can’t be missed.

Originally written in the 50’s by Boudleaux Bryant, the song is about the North American anxiety and fear of nuclear warfare. Hol updates it with a renewed sense of urgency that’s less about fallout and more about, well… *broadly gestures around*

Watch the video below and catch the song on her upcoming album Some Dreamers of the Golden Dream is out September 17th on Amelia Recordings

Christine, can you pick it up a little for your song(s) of the week?

Kirk

“Dog Chained To Dog” by Amazing Grave

I got you Kirk…
For a completely different sound and direction with the songs this week, I present: “Dog Chained To Dog” a result of the collaboration between Kevvy Maher of Fake Shark, and Eric Breitenbach, drummer from Limblifter.

Amazing Grave is a heavy-metal band in the sense that they say they want to be “heavy in groove, beats, screams and sarcasm”. No word on more tracks or an album yet, but I’m sure more things are in the works.

Christine

“Bridget” by Graham Wright

On to upbeat and dance-able!

Last week we got new solo music from Dave Monks of Tokyo Police Club, and this week it’s Graham’s turn!

We only had to wait a mere ten years for Graham Wright to follow his solo album Shirts vs Skins up, but if the first track from The Cost of Doing Business is any indication, it’s well worth the wait.
”Bridget” follows the time-honoured tradition of two friends making the “if we’re both not married by the time we turn 40….” pact, and how their paths diverged.

I cannot wait to hear the rest of the album, and hope the next track released is “My Time Machine Worked!”, because 1) that title!, and 2) the press release says there is a sax solo, and that’s up my alley.

Christine

“Sparrow” by Chin Injeti

Bringing it back to to mellow and groovy, here’s Chin Injeti’s new single “Sparrow”!

The song came about while Chin was stuck at home, yearning to go out into the world - it’s about freedom and giving yourself permission to feel. After everything we’ve all been through, and to borrow a phrase from Kirk above, “*broadly gestures around*”, I think we can all relate to that desire.

Christine

Songs of the Week: August 16 - 22, 2021

August 23, 2021 by Christine McAvoy in Song Of The Day, Songs Of The Week

“Don’t Get Pushed Around (feat. Shad)” by Dave Monks

I will literally listen to ANY SONG that has the words “featuring Shad” next to the title, but seeing as it was a new song from the solo work of Tokyo Police Club frontman Dave Monks, I was going to listen no matter what.

Ironically enough, the song below is in Lyric Video form, but the only lyrics Monks says over and over are the ones in the track title: “Don’t Get Pushed Around”. Shad comes in about two thirds of the way into it and raises the word count instantly with his verse.

It’s a super catchy track and you can find it on his upcoming album I’ve Always Wanted To Be Me when it’s released on October 15th! (PS Shad’s new album TAO is out on October 1st!)

Christine

“Vortex” by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

16 years ago Nick Cave put out a three-disc collection of b-sides and rarities called, well, B-Sides & Rarities. In that time he’s released four new albums with The Bad Seeds, as well as other projects, so it looks like it’s time for a follow up!

B-Sides & Rarities Part II contains 27 rare and unreleased tracks spanning 2006-2020, including first recordings of songs, new versions of old favourites — like a live recording of “Push The Sky Away” with The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra — and unreleased tracks — like “Vortex”, a song that lives in the space between The Bad Seeds and side project Grinderman.

The new collection comes out on October 22 as a double vinyl or double CD, OR you can get a combo of Part I and Part II as a Limited Edition Deluxe Seven (7!) Vinyl Box Set.

Kirk

“Nothing Left To Find” by Del Barber

I wanted to include this live version of “Nothing Left To Find” by Del Barber this week because his new album Stray Dogs was released on Friday.
The album consists of a polished and reworked collection of songs and unfinished demos that Del had stored up. Using his time during the pandemic to put them together the result is a superb example of why Del is one of Canada’s best songwriters and story-tellers. Give the new record a listen!

Christine

“Strange Calm” & “Silver Lining” by Jasper Sloan Yip

Two more new tracks are now out from Vancouver’s Jasper Sloan Yip, whose new double EP, STRANGE CALM/BLUSHING AUTUMN, will be released October 26th.

Jasper says of title track off of the Strange Calm side of the EP is about how it is “an overwhelming time to be alive”. This is probably putting it mildly, but the song is slow and yes, is indeed calming. It’s definitely my favourite of the new releases so far.

”Silver Lining” was penned after hearing two ghost-adjacent stories that had Jasper thinking of the human soul and the idea that a part of us might go on forever.

Check em both out below!

Christine