Artist of the Week: Coeur de Pirate

Greetings from Montreal! This week I'm in Quebec, and it's so fitting that Coeur de Pirate is releasing new music this week so I can share it from this side of the country. Let me say that in a province whose radio stations play a mix of approximately 6 songs on repeat, I'm glad Coeur de Pirate is one of the popular artists because the rest of English radio selection seems to be my top least favourite songs from the past few years.

Coeur de Pirate is the musical project of Béatrice Martin, who I've been a fan of for a long time. As much as I love the allure of French music, the new album Roses is bilingual, which is good for her cross-Canada fans. With every album since her debut, Martin has built more upon her foundation as singer/songwriters/pianist, and this time she really fleshed out her sound and expanded in multiple sonic directions at once. The result is a dynamic alternate pop album - bravo Béatrice. Catch her at the Commodore Ballroom on September 19, get tickets here.

You can pre-order Roses on iTunes or Bandcamp. It comes out on Aug 28, and for a mere $7 this beauty can be yours! Stream a few select songs below from Martin's Bandcamp.

Artist of the Week: Kalle Mattson

A big congratulations to Ottawa artist Kalle Mattson for the release of his brand new EP, Avalanche, this week. On Aug 21, you'll be able to purchase this album, an explosive string of emotion bombs, jumpy piano and the unique voice of Mattson himself. The songs explore the landscape of pop-rock, pulling elements & inspiration from chart-topping hits as well as obscure indie rock. Next week Kalle leaves on a fall & winter tour that will bring him across Canada, the USA, and western Europe. Catch him in Vancouver at Guilt & Co on October 5. 

On top of a great album and expansive tour, Kalle Mattson has also attracted some attention when CBC Music made his newest music video into a game. Well, Mattson set that one up. The video for the title track "Avalanche" pays homage to a ton of famous album covers - see which ones you can spot and check what everyone else saw in the comments of the CBC Music post.

Artist of the Week: Head of the Herd

After a year off from playing shows in Vancouver, and from doing much else other than slaving away over a brand new record, Head of the Herd are back in town and headlining the Red Truck Brewery Parking Lot Concert Series this weekend. They've had their share of jetsetting after recording  Birds on the Roof in the middle of the countryside in Wales, in Georgia, and at home. More than just a the music, the record is interwoven with memories, strange stories and challenges. 

"We did the drums in Wales," Neu Mannnas explained to me over the phone. "We had this guy we were working with. We did 5 songs with Ian Davenport. We had the drum set from OK Computer, so I was like 'I want to use these!' The studio is in the middle of the countryside in Wales, they had the goddamn piano that Bohemian Rhapsody was recorded on. You just walked into the room and that piano had a presence. But right outside there were Welsh cows walking around."

There's definitely something about being far away from home that heightens the senses and makes every day a surreal experience. Mannas elaborated, "We were in the middle nowhere. No distractions. You're in the moment. You just wouldn't approach things the same way at home." The trekking around and chasing down producers paid off, in Manna's opinion. "We didn't do what was easy or cheap - we did expensive and difficult. So many bands get caught in the grans system... figure out what you want to do first, and make that. Beg, borrow, steal, light fires! We were so committed that we would do whatever it took to get it right."

If you're a fan of the band or just want to have a good time, come on down on Saturday to Red Truck. Don't expect the HOTH of past albums though, or you'll be dissappointed. "We went out of our way to make this sound different - shake it up," tells Mannas. Besides the pre-order, very few people have actually heard the music. "We kept it under tight wraps because we wanted people to hear it how we wanted them to hear it," elaborates Mannas. If a beautiful Saturday outdoor festival in an East van parking lot with lots of fresh beer is how the band wanted fans to hear the music, then they picked the right event. 

Birds on the Roof is available on iTunes or you can wait for the in-store release on September 25. Check out the debut single, "Live for Love", on Soundcloub.

Tickets for the Red Truck Parking Lot Concert Series are available here for $35.