Songs of the Week: October 23 - 29, 2023

“Dark Angel” by Rose Cousins, Jill Barber, and Jenn Grant

Can you think of a better trio of Canadian singers than Rose Cousins, Jill Barber, and Jenn Grant? Neither could Blue Rodeo’s Jim Cuddy.

Barber explains that she was backstage at a Blue Rodeo show last spring with Grant, when “Jim Cuddy turned to us and suggested that, along with Rose Cousins, we should form a trio... like a Canadian version of the Dolly Parton, Linda Rondstadt and Emmylou Harris ‘Trio’. The next thing we knew we were sending Rose a video message saying: ‘we're doing this, because Jim said so’.”

So of course, their first single is a gorgeous & haunting cover of “Dark Angel”, which celebrates the 30th anniversary of Five Days In July.

Hopefully we hear more from the trio in the future, but for now, check out the cover below!

• Kirk

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“Halloween Store” by Andy Shauf

Phewf! We got this one in under the wire…couldn’t leave out “Halloween Store” by Andy Shauf the day before Halloween!

It’s a fun, and chaotic, little song, and now it has a fun, and chaotic, little video to go along with it.

I hope you all have your costumes for tomorrow - I have to get back to work on mine.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

• Christine

Songs of the Week: October 16 - 22, 2023

“Lost Without You” by Shred Kelly

Fernie’s own Shred Kelly have released their new album Blurry Vision this week, and shared the single “Lost Without You” at the same time.

I was lucky enough to pop in during their recording process to take some photos of the band doing their thing, so I’m super stoked for this record.
We also go to catch them performing in Vancouver last week with Elliott BROOD, and it was a hell of a show.

The band is heading to Germany next - but you can listen to the new release by clicking here.

• Christine

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“almost beautiful” by suffer fools

Vancouver Island’s suffer fools is “a conceptual project centered on d. debased: former child star, current trainwreck, future pop messiah”, and they just released the first single from their sophomore album.

“almost beautiful” is a dreamy, hypnotic song that’s juxtaposed with dark lyrics; the catchiest song you’ll hear in a while about being fine while “watching a dream die”.

the album will be out early next year, but have a listen to the new tune below!

• Kirk

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“No Help Coming” by The Fugitives

Another new album came out this week, and this one was from Vancouver’s The Fugitives.
No Help Coming is full of songs inspired by the climate crisis, and the band went about it in an interesting way.
Songwriter Brendan McLeod, says: “Leading up to the recording, we asked environmental experts what was missing from the conversation, and they all said the same thing: no more sad songs. We know the world’s messed up. What’s missing are more invitations to get real about making changes. And to do that, we have to get less precious about the subject.” McLeod's creative partner Adrian Glynn adds, “It’s an album about resolve. It’s upbeat because there’s a lot of resolve to be found in joy. And while humans have a lot of bad things going for us, we can be pretty great at the joy part. So, let’s use it.”

It’s a super intriguing album, and hopefully you caught the band at their album release show last week, as they’re heading out on the road to support the new project.

• Christine

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Songs of the Week: October 09 - 15, 2023

“Live a Lie” by Kandle

Kandle is back with a dark and hypnotic new song called “Living a Lie”. It’s the first tease of her upcoming, self-produced album, which will be out in the spring of 2024.

The single is accompanied by an X-Files inspired video directed by Jeffrey Mitchell — who co-wrote the song, and is the Mulder to Kandle’s Scully. Kandle elaborates that “this cinematic homage still layers in some welcome levity, with epic performance pieces and considerably more dancing than an X-Files episode typically contains. Happy 30th anniversary X-Files!”

• Kirk

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“Never Grow Up” by Said the Whale

Said the Whale wants to “Never Grow Up” with their latest single. The Vancouver band recorded this new rocker at the end of August with frequent collaborator (and local legend) Steve Bays, and admit it’s the fastest they’ve ever turned a new song around, from recording to release.

Check out the video below, which is a peek behind the scenes at the process, and includes Tyler Bancroft getting not one, but two new tattoos, including one he did himself!

• Kirk

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“I'm Starting to Think I'm Bad at Parties” by The Darcys

Yay! A new banger from The Darcys!

Released on Friday the 13th, the new track, “I’m Starting To Think I’m Bad At Parties”, is about “the malaise of the human condition and confronting the monotony of daily life”.

Despite that sounding super melancholy, it’s a super fun song with a hell of a catchy chorus (“hands up, hands high, if you don’t feel like feeling lonely tonight”), that kinda reminds me of some of the songs by The Zolas. (I think I just built myself a very fun touring duo!)
Check it out below!

• Christine

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“Old Familiar Drunken Feeling” by Corb Lund

Corb Lund is back with a new song, album on the way, and a tour to follow after that.
The new record, El Viejo, pays tribute to his late friend and mentor, Canadian singer-songwriter Ian Tyson, and was recorded fully acoustically, live off the floor (of Corb’s living room).

The first single, “Old Familiar Drunken Feeling” is based on a true story of Corb being way too high off of edibles during a show.
Here’s his account of it: “It was all totally above board, the state had just legalized it, so it was kind of a novelty field trip for the band to visit the shiny new dispensary. Some songs are 'based on truth' but this happened EXACTLY as I sing it. Turns out weed ain't my thing. And eating it's even worse, it lasts forever. Fronting a band can occasionally be terrifying at the best of times, doing it high as a kite and super paranoid was hell on earth. When I started feeling like myself again in the second set after a bunch of cowboy whiskey, I confessed to the audience what had happened and offered them all their money back! No one took me up on it.  Bottom line? If this doesn't get me a Pendleton whisky endorsement, I don't know what will." 

You’ve gotta see the video below as well!

• Christine

Songs of the Week: October 02 - 08, 2023

“There's Never Enough Voices” by WAASH

You may know Vancouver’s Andrew Bishop, as he’s played with (or alongside) about 73% of all Vancouver bands, including Twin River, Alex Little & The Suspicious Minds, dwi, and White Ash Falls.

Now, Bishop is branching out with a brand new group, WAASH. The first single, “There's Never Enough Voices”, is a swirling, shoegaze tune that Bishop says is “about trying to come to an understanding about the intentions within your actions and the realization of your past mistakes. Quite often we get caught in the moment and don’t understand the consequences.”

The self-titled, debut EP comes out November 20th, and you can check out the first single below!

• Kirk

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“I Really Like Your Style” by Combine The Victorious

A new single from Vancouver’s Combine The Victorious has been released, and on top of that, it’s the first one they’ve written with new member and guitarist Dan Clement.

The song starts out soft and airy and then builds up into a fun little reggae track you can dance and sway to.

The band will be performing at the Cascade Room on Thursday October 19th as part of their After Dark series.

• Christine

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“WannaBe” by Autogramm

A couple weeks ago, Vancouver’s power-group Autogramm dropped their first single from the upcoming album, Music That Humans Can Play.

“WannaBe” (no, not that one) delves deep into the band’s 80’s influences, with a chorus that will instantly get stuck in your head.

Drummer/singer The Silo explains that, “WannaBe began as a way to say to the most important person in my life that I will stand beside them no matter what their direction, self-opinion, or physical state of being. Upon further reflection, I thought it could apply more broadly to all of our relationships in life: it’s a declaration of love and support to any friend, child, or lover who is going through a change in their self-perception; the idea that gender, occupation, size, skin, are all merely physical manifestations of being and will never matter as much as the person underneath it all.”

Autogramm features members of Black Mountain, Destroyer, Lightning Dust, and lots more, and you can hear the full album Music That Humans Can Play when it’s out November 14th.

• Kirk

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Songs of the Week: September 25 - October 01, 2023

“Rose City” by Eliott BROOD

Elliott BROOD is back with not one, but two new albums, Town and Country!

The first of the pair, Town, kicks off with an ode to Mark Sasso and Casey Laforet’s hometown of Windsor Ontario, with the new single “Rose City”. The tune joins a long line of songs about ‘home’ from the trio, with their trademark raucous sound.

Town will be out November 3rd, with Country out later on. Maybe you’ll hear a sneak peek on their current tour, which includes a stop here in Vancouver at the Biltmore Cabaret this Friday (Oct 6th)!

• Kirk

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“Personal Effects” by Chromeo

I’m still choked I missed out on their show in Vancouver, but I’ll take a new track from Chromeo and day!
“Personal Effects” is the latest song to be released from their upcoming album Adult Contemporary (due out Feb 16th).
It’s another banger, one that you can definitely groove along to, and has a hilarious backstory from Dave 1:
“I was on a flight and the pilot said, ‘please don’t forget your personal effects’ and I was like, ‘wait how come this isn’t a Chromeo song title?!’ We felt like we needed a little breezy funk…something warm and fuzzy to bop to. You notice that long instrumental bit at the end? That’s definitely a motif on the album: extended sections where we let the music ride out. Adult Contemporary is a meditation on modern, mature relationships, which means: if we gotta sing about curling irons, so be it.” 
Love it.

• Christine

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“Laws of the Universe” by Twin Rains

Glad we were a day late because of the long weekend, because it meant I could include my newest discovery via my inbox, Twin Rains.

Hailing from Toronto, the duo of Christine (good name) and Jay released their new song “Laws of the Universe” - a shoe-gazey, dreamy, pop song.
The concept and inspiration actually came from an episode of Succession and of it Christine says: “Kendall speaks at his father’s funeral, saying basically: ‘Yeah we know he wasn’t a nice person—but look at what he accomplished.’ So one moment I’m watching TV and the next I’m in deep contemplation because I find this to be such a profound philosophical debate—what’s more important, your life and how you treat the people and places in it, or your legacy?”

Check it out!

• Christine

Songs of the Week: September 18 - 24, 2023

“Another Place” by Shred Kelly

As we creep closer to the release of Blurry Vision, the sixth album from Shred Kelly out on October 20th, the stoke-folk band is sharing another preview by wishing they were in “Another Place”.

Band member Tim Newton says the song is about never quite feeling like you’re in the right place, explaining: “When we’re on the road, we miss home, and when we’re home, we miss the experiences that travel brings. Our hearts are always in two places at once.”

One of those places will soon be here in Vancouver, as they are soon kicking off their tour with Elliott BROOD and stop at the Biltmore on October 6th!

• Kirk

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“Pilgrims” by Tim Baker

With his new album, All Along The Mountain Road announced for October 20th, Tim Baker has released a new track called “Pilgrims”.

Of the song he says it is: “…sort of about being born in the wrong time - feeling more spiritual and religious than our modern, rational, digital reality encourages. It’s about feeling close to sweetness, ease, goodness, enlightenment even, but always being pulled away from it by reality - specifically the reality of the climate crisis and our inability to fix it, ignore it, or find some deeper meaning in it beyond senseless destruction. It also speaks to my life as a traveller, a searcher, someone who is always leaving, always reaching for something, but never quite seems to arrive and find it. But somehow still has hope and keeps going.” 

Tim has announced a fall tour that’s billed as “an evening of songs, stories, stripped back and solo performances” - and he is doing two nights at St James Community Square here on November 23rd and 24th.

• Christine

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“Heading Home” by wiL&Co

For about two decades now, BC singer/songwriter William Mimnaugh has been going by the stage name WiL. But recently he wanted to highlight that there is more to WiL than just him, especially his legendary live shows which frequently feature drummer Keith Gallant and Matt Bromley on electric guitar. And so the name has evolved to: wiL&Co.

And along with the updated moniker, there is a brand new song, “Heading Home”.

A heartwrenching song about looking back, as Wil expands: “Not many songs are written from the perspective of someone who is ready to die. Our culture tends to shy away from the topic; perhaps since we are all heading there and we can't do a damn thing to change it we spend hours obsessing over its inevitability versus the alternative of being genuinely present; to acknowledge and appreciate what is right in front of us, good or bad rather than wile away the hours worrying about what hasn't happened. When you have lived 'a life' and arrived at a place where you know it's time; it can be peaceful; even liberating. This is what I realized after having had some remarkable conversations; knowing that once I leave the room, I may not see them ever again. In this case, a gent I got to know over the years who recently passed. He had accepted his imminent fate but also spoke some brutal truths with a glint and a grin. I was able to sit with him for one final scotch and a great chin wag”

Have a listen below, and keep an eye out for him hitting your town on his string of western Canadian dates.

• Kirk

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“All Your Fails” by Kevin Drew

I’ve really been enjoying the vibes of the new music that Kevin Drew has been putting out lately, and am excited that the new album is finally out (physically - digitally that will be November 3).

The Aging LP has taken on a more sonic and melodic route, with songs reminding me of early Broken Social Scene.

“All Your Fails” fits that bill as well, and of it he says "Live by the mirror, die by the mirror. The loops of the constant reflective trauma continue within exploring vocal ranges beside Lake Ontario. I have always kept a journal next to my mouth for better or worse. I hope you enjoy this struggle anthem for the outdoor bedroom lovers of yesterday."

• Christine

Songs of the Week: September 11 - 17, 2023

“Tough Kid” by Skye Wallace

Skye Wallace wants to know if you are a “Tough Kid”.

The new single is their first collaboration with the legendary Hawksley Workman co-producer, and the result is a gritty, slow-burn of a tune.

Skye says “Before this song came to its full fruition and was still a pile of words and ideas, I had an image of this kid in my head that I was pumping up. That kid represented anyone who needed to hear it, any kid who has been told they aren't allowed to be who they truly are, that they aren't good enough – I wanted this song to be a reminder to them that they've got a power in them that they might not believe in yet. It was only when we were designing the single artwork, which involved using an old photo of me at 10 years old, that I realized I had also been talking to my weird kid self. There's a power in looking back with pride and care for the kid you were.”

So if your inner child needs pumping up, check out the video below!

• Kirk

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“Marigold” by Begonia

Tomorrow the Polaris Prize will be handed out for 2023, and Begonia’s album Powder Blue is one of the 10 nominees!

Last week she released her Marigold EP, which features the song from Powder Blue, an extended cut and three remixes. (It’s one of my favourites from the album, so I was VERY excited for this.)
Of the track she says: "Marigold is basically a short story about my teenage life. A passing reflection that has confirmed for me that all the questions and uncertainties I had as a kid, have value.”
All the best of luck to her tomorrow!

• Christine

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“End Of It All” by iskwē

“End of It All” is a breakup song, but maybe not in the way you’re thinking. The latest single from iskwē is about the end of her relationship with her ex-wife, but the evolution of that relationship into best friends.

iskwē explains, “I met my love, my future wife, on a fall afternoon in front of a park halfway between our two homes. I was late. I am always late. She is never late. As I walked towards her, I started to skip like I was five years old with the biggest smile on my face. My stomach knew I would love her like nobody before and now, in hindsight, like nobody after. For me, marriage is a commitment to try harder than you would with anyone else because that person is so special. And that’s what we did! ‘We tried, and we tried, and we tried, but the end of it all came anyway.’”

“End of It All” is iskwē’s third new single since the spring, and fingers crossed for a new album announcement soon, but in the meantime you can see iskwē live this fall, including a show here in Vancouver at The Pearl on November 10th!

• Kirk

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“Promise Of Spring” by Great Lake Swimmers

I’m going to be listening to this one all winter - I’m still in denial that it’s getting cold again.

Great Lake Swimmers have just started out on their four-month-long tour, which will stop in Vancouver on October 19th, and have announced a deluxe version of their latest album Uncertain Country.

With it came another single from the album “Promise Of Spring”, which was recorded live off the floor back in December 2020!

• Christine

Songs of the Week: September 04 - 10, 2023

“Conductors” by The Rural Alberta Advantage

For the last few months, The Rural Alberta Advantage has been teasing us with some new music, and now they have finally announced their upcoming album! And along with the news comes a brand new single, “Conductors” which is a hard-hitting, true to form tune from The RAA.

The Rise & The Fall, is the first full length album from the band in six years, and features the return of original member Amy Cole, re-joining Paul Banwatt and Nils Edenloff. The album drops October 6 on Paper Bag Records, and you can check out the lyric video for “Conductors” below.

• Kirk

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“Attention” by Talia Schlanger

I love when a press release makes me do a double-take… Talia Schlanger!?…like?…the one I know from CBC Radio 3, q, NPR and more?
Yep! And its a beauty of a track too.

“Attention” is the new single from the former radio host, from her upcoming debut Grace for the Going. After leaving her job in 2019, traveling Europe writing and singing, coming back in winter 2020 ready to record (and we know what happened then), she’s finally ready to release her music to the world.

She played an intimate show in Toronto, the same day the single was released, and hopefully this means more music (and maybe more shows?) in the future, ahead of the 2024 release date/

• Christine

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“What It Takes” and “Leave the Lights On” by Bend Sinister

Not content with releasing a pair of singles a couple months ago, Bend Sinister released two more tunes last week!

“What It Takes” is a fun, tongue-in-cheek song that asks the tough questions, while “Leave The Lights On” has a (relatively) restrained, but no less infectious, vibe.

Along with the new songs, Bend Sinister also release a brand new game! The in-browser rhythm game harkens back to the flash games of yore, as you take the band on their van to their next gig. Check it out here on their website.

• Kirk

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“Who Would You Be For Me” by Metric

We’re just over a month away from the new album Formentera II, from Metric out on October 13, and we have another track from the record.

I didn’t expect the acoustic beginning of the song, but when I read Emily Haines’ description of the track it made sense:
"“Who Would You Be For Me” is a throwback lullaby set in NYC in 2002. All the action takes place in Tompkins Square Park, in a subway car, and at the café on St. Marks Place where I worked as a waitress when we were getting our start.
Automatic behaviors and patterns are often fairly easy to flag in others but can be a riddle to spot in yourself. In life and in love, all the emphasis in your mind can default to being what someone else wants until it dawns on you to consider your own desire. I could be the girl for you, but who would you be for me?”
It’s a lovely, slow burner, that reminds me of Emily’s solo work a bit, but it’s definitely got that Metric-vibe.
They’ve announced some intimate shows in places like New York, Toronto and LA, but nothing on a full tour for the new album yet!

• Christine