Songs of the Week: November 24 - 30, 2025

“All Night, All Night, All Night” by David Vertesi

It’s been fifteen years since David Vertesi released his acclaimed debut album Cardiography, and this past week he celebrated the anniversary by releasing a brand new acoustic version of it!

The whole album was already incredible heartfelt, but the stripped down versions of each song really amplify the emotions, as heard in “All Night, All Night, All Night” which features Hannah Georgas on vocals.

Vertesi explains, “I often think about Cardiography as a heartbreak record, but upon re-recording it I realized there’s more to it than that. It sprung from a time when I was learning how to love. The lessons can be painful, but also beautiful. ‘All Night, All Night, All Night’ paints a picture of young love. I wrote this song about sneaking out at night to go sleep over at my then girlfriend’s house and imagining my Dad waking up to discover I wasn’t home. In an album that focuses a lot on heart break, this song means even more, as it is a reminder of what we are fighting for as well as what is lost when things don’t I work out. My dear friend Hannah Georgas lent her vocals to the original album and I’m so grateful to have her back again on these acoustic versions so many years later.”

Have a listen below, and pick up the album anywhere you get music. He’s also playing a release show in Vancouver at The Gallery @ Artech on December 7th, and I am absolutely devastated that I can’t make it, so I hope you can!

• Kirk

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“Apple” by Rae Spoon

I got super excited when the press release saying “Rae Spoon returns to country music” and then I saw the words “cover” and “Charlie XCX” and I couldn’t click the link fast enough.

There’s something about an unexpected pick for a cover song, especially with a vastly different genre of music…it’s like hearing it for the first time again.
Here’s what Rae had to say about it:
“I wanted to do a country cover of a pop song as part of the process of returning to making country music. I spent Brat Summer reconnecting with Berlin and it was really healing after I hadn't been able to travel for many years. I love Charli XCX and I thought that ‘Apple’ was such a strong song that it would be great in any genre. I love making both country and electronic music, so it felt like a great fit.”

I’ll be on the lookout for the rest of their new music!

• Christine

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“i was ill, you were wrong” by TRAITRS

Toronto coldwave duo TRAITRS are back after a four year hiatus! Earlier this year they released the single “Burn In Heaven”, and now they have a brand new one with “i was ill, you were wrong”

It's a moody, synthy track with vocalist & guitarist Shawn Tucker explaining, “I felt that song connected me to everything and everyone, it is the one thing we all share and have in common. It is also a wake up call to live the life you want to live. We only have one chance at this so go dance in the rain.”

Have a listen to the song below, and check out the new album Possessor when it's out on March 13th, 2026

• Kirk

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“Two Step To Forget” by Johnny 99

We fiiiiiiinally have the new album from John Sponarski’s project Johnny 99!

Mr. Lonely is a collection of old singles and five new songs from John and his backing bandmates from City and Colour, as well as contributions on backing vocals from Georgia Harmer, and fiddle from Kendal Carson.

The tracks are billed as “country music that was made to dance to, whilst shedding a few tears as well” and the latest single “Two Step To Forget” is definitely on the dance end with choreography and everything in the music video.

Johnny’s playing a release show in Toronto this week, but hopefully there will be a Vancouver dates in the future.

• Christine

Songs of the Week: November 17 - 23, 2025

“You Get Me By” by MOONRIIVR

New MOONRIIVR alert!

I can’t believe it’s already been almost two years since their debut album, Volume 1, and I’m so excited to get new material.
“You Get Me By”, according to lead singer Gavin Gardner is “an attempt to hold up a mirror and offer the same empathy to myself that I would offer a friend navigating the challenges of self and identity. My mind creates boundaries for who I think others expect me to be, when hopefully they just want me to be free.”

There’s no other word on any upcoming album, but the band is about to do some touring in Europe with the Rural Alberta Advantage (THAT would be a fun show), so hopefully upon their return we’ll get some more info!

• Christine

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“Devastation’s Bliss” by Larkk

Last week, Larkk not only released their latest single, but also announced a debut album!

“Devastation’s Bliss” is a haunting piano-driven number from the solo project of Dear Rouge’s Danielle McTaggart, and is the latest in a string of singles that we now know will culminate in the release of Cinders on February 13, 2026.

Have a listen below!

• Kirk

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“Margaret” by Elliot C Way

Following up his previous single from this year “Fool’s Gold” Vancouver’s Elliot C Way has released a new track titled “Margaret”, a song about his grandparents, Margaret and Nelson Beattie:
“It tells the true story of their decades-long love, and their shared life in rural Ontario that was filled with hard-won moments of resilience and devotion. At its heart, the song is a tribute to his grandmother and her quiet battle with MS, a disease that slowly changed the shape of their lives but never broke their bond. It’s also a testament to his Grampap, as told from his perspective, and his unwavering love as he stood by her side through the difficult years.

Whenever Elliot visited them on their Uxbridge, Ontario hay farm, he got to witness the kind of rural, hardworking life that made a profound impact on him at a young age—hot, muggy summers with fireflies and iced tea, and unforgettable Christmas gatherings that included hockey games on frozen ponds and snowmobile rides in the deep cold. As Elliot describes, “My grandpa was the patriarch of the family and a man larger than life. He was a humble farmer, a handyman, and the kind of father and husband any man would hope to be. I saw first-hand the power of his love for my grandmother in the care he gave her until the very end.””

It’s a beautiful and sweet ballad that you can hear live in Vancouver on the 26th of November at the WISE Hall, or the 19th of December at Green Auto!

• Christine

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“Amour Amour” by Common Holly

Montreal’s Common Holly (aka Brigitte Naggar) just released a cover of the 1970’s Anne Germain song “Amour Amour”

A beautiful and vulnerable version of the song, Brigitte explains: “This song has been in my head since I first encountered it during a film screening in a high school French class. We had the opportunity to watch Peau D'ane, a 1970's fantasy musical belonging to the infamous 'Demy-world' of director Jacques Demy. Between the chromatically whacky music, outrageous themes and whimsical visuals, I haven't been able to get it out of my mind, so a little while ago I adapted the song to guitar. This is my first time singing in French too, which is technically a language I speak, but has never found its way into musical releases until now, so this is also a nod to my home in Quebec and to my French heritage.”

Along with the new cover, she’s also teasing more music for next year, so be sure to keep an ear out!

• Kirk

Songs of the Week: November 10 - 16, 2025

“Right Hand Man” by Katie Tupper

Last week, Katie Tupper announced her debut album Greyhound with the release of her new single “Right Hand Man”

The track showcases her smoky vocals and soulful sound with a funky, upbeat vibe, as Tupper explains “This song is about the weight and pressures someone puts on you in a relationship— when you become someone's only source of happiness and they are vocal about it. It becomes a compromising place to be in and clouds your decision making about the relationship. I am a very independent person and all of my relationships have been independent. This song was about the first time I felt someone acting co-dependent towards me and how difficult I found it.”

Greyhound is out early next year, on January 21, 2026 and you can check out the video for “Right Hand Man” below!

• Kirk

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“Outsider” by Duke & Goldie

Vancouver duo Duke & Goldie have released their new EP Romance And Ramblin’ and announced a cross-country tour, including a show in Vancouver this Thursday November 20th at the Biltmore with Mallory Chipman, and Janky Bungag.

The pair recorded the new album in Vancouver with a bunch of regulars from the Vancouver country scene including Erik P.H. Nielsen who produced the album as well.

The latest single “Outsider” is about the struggle to belong while still being yourself - "I hope that 'Outsider' reminds listeners that being different is really what country music’s all about," says the band.

• Christine

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“Daniel’s Theme” by Luca Fogale

Okay, right off the top I have a confession… I’ve finally started watching The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives (and by watching, I mean it’s on my laptop while I am editing photos).
Why am I bringing this up here? Well, pretty early on in season one, my head snapped SO HARD toward the laptop because I heard a voice and one of my favourite songs - Luca Fogale’s “I Don’t Wanna Lose You”. Anyways, just wanted to say that was cool.

Luca’s just released a new single (“Daniel’s Theme”) from his upcoming album Challenger, which is due out in January.

“Daniel’s Theme” is a pongnant and quick track (clocking in at just over a minute and a half), and as Luca tells it: “Daniel is an archetype of a man that I have met many times throughout my life; one who has faced hurt and hardship and adversity, but who has carried on with deep strength and kindness. [He] endures through every challenge with quiet resolve and is everyone’s champion. It’s a reminder to myself that I don’t have to let the scars of life dictate how I show up in the world.”

I’m so excited for the new album, and even more excited for his show in Vancouver, right after the release, on January 31st at the Hollywood Theatre.

• Christine

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“What I Don’t Need” by Neil Haverty

Neil Haverty (frontman of Bruce Peninsula) has spent the year releasing a slow drip of new music, and the latest comes with the frenetic new single “What I Don’t Need”

Haverty explains, “The title/refrain are intentionally cagey and avoidant. I’m resistant to being told what to do even if it’s born of love and care for me. When you struggle with decision paralysis, you don’t want to re-litigate the decisions you already managed to make. That said, there’s a lot about oneself that is hard to see personally, but that friends and loved ones can easily spot. This song is about trying to listen to those voices, trying to see yourself as you’re seen and the responsibility to act that sometimes comes with that.”

Have a listen below with the beautiful video from director/animator Luca Tarantini (aka AOK)

• Kirk

Songs of the Week: November 03 - 09, 2025

“What Killed Elvis Presley” by Hollerado

Last week Hollerado announced that they were re-forming (Hollerado 2.0 you might say) and surprise released a 5-song Ep titled Start A Band, with the lead single “What Killed Elvis Presley”.

After performing at a Tokyo Police Club farewell show in Toronto, it kind of kickstarted the band to get back together after 6 years away working on their own projects.

I was lucky enough to catch Menno and Nixon when they performed the song (as well as the title track “Start A Band”) live at the Peak Lounge, and I couldn’t have been more excited about what is to come, including a full length album in 2026!

• Christine

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“Doom Pays” by The Dears

Last Friday, The Dears released their ninth studio album called Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful!, and along with it dropped a video for the song “Doom Pays”

With some killer sax, a frantic beat, and Murray Lightburn’s urgent vocals, the song is as chaotic as the accompanying video. Murray says the song was “written very quickly, all at once; words, music, melody and arrangement. It is probably the closest thing to making any kind of political statement we will ever make. In the face of that, there is an internal noise and an external noise and they feel immovable. It’s a battle on two fronts.”

You can check out the video below — directed by Kevin Drew and Rachael McLean — and grab the new album anywhere you get new music (and I highly recommend it!)

• Kirk

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“I Got A Feeling” by Wintersleep

I honestly wondered if we’d ever hear from Wintersleep again, or if it’d be “Weighty Ghost” on the radio forever…but they’re back!

Six whole years after their last EP In The Land Of, the band returns with a new album (the band’s eighth) titled Wishing Moon, which will arrive on March 27th, 2026.

The first track, “I Got A Feeling”, starts slow with anticipatory guitar and drums, and then goes full blown rock by the time the chorus hits.
Despite being the first single, it was a last minute addition to the album: “It might have been the last song we demoed for the record. We were packing up at our rehearsal space in Great Village Nova Scotia and we by some miracle had time to fit in one more. It immediately came together. This song started to morph into something more in Pioneertown.
Our collaborator, Nicolas Vernhes, had the idea to hold off on the main riff until the second verse, which gives it this really suspenseful feeling building on this one note until the chorus. That feeling it created got us shaking up the chords in the chorus which really highlighted and pushed the tension and energy up another level. Lyrically it centres around that kind of excited anticipation. That moment when you know that someone special you care about, cares about you too.”
Can’t wait to get more music in the coming months and just today the band announced tour dates, including Saturday June 6, 2026 in Vancouver at the Hollywood Theatre!

• Christine

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“Bloom” (feat. Kendel Carson) by Debra-Jean Creelman

Gearing up to release her latest album Little Town, Debra-Jean Creelman has released a new song “Bloom”, featuring Kendel Carson.

The album has a fun backstory full of some heavy hitter musicians, so I’ll just relay the story from the press release:

Born out of a writing exercise with one of her students, “Bloom” evolved from a simple lyrical prompt into a stirring collaboration with longtime creative partner Sean Cronin. The track was recorded live to tape in a barn in Catskill, NY, with Cronin assembling an all-star ensemble of collaborators, including Noah B. Harley (Spirit Family Reunion), Andy Weaver, Adam Brisbin (Big Thief), and Alex P. Wernquest (recording engineer and owner of Basement Floods Record.)
Creelman later overdubbed her vocals in Vancouver with Dave Genn (54-40, Matthew Good Band) & Kendel Carson (Alan Thomas Doyle; Shania Twain), whose fiddle and harmonies add depth and shimmer to the track.

Creelman added: “The goal was to make something soulful that properly reflected my biggest musical influences and had my vocals front and centre. I wanted it to be something that would translate well live – more of an emotional experience for the listener rather than a cerebral one.”

You can grab Little Town when it’s out on December 5th, and catch the album launch show here in Vancouver on November 28th at Green Auto!

• Kirk

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“Don’t Talk” by Jets Overhead

Last week, Victoria’s Jets Overhead released their first new album since 2012’s Boredom and Joy, though it’s not quite new music.

As you might expect from the album’s title, Ordinary Dreamers - Rarities and Demos, Vol. 1 is a collections of previously unheard music from the band, recorded during the Boredom and Joy session.

Lead singer Adam Kittredge explains, “We've been inspired by the number of messages we get from people around the world saying our music is still part of their lives. We built this band before streaming existed, so watching new listeners discover our songs all these years later feels like a second life for the music. This archive release is our way of saying thank you.”

No word yet if this is a full-on comeback for the band, but to celebrate the album, they also released a new single “Don’t Talk”, which is classic Jets Overhead, with swirling shoegaze vibes and ethereal vocals. Check it out below!

• Kirk

Songs of the Week: October 27 - November 02, 2025

“What Good?” by Arkells

After a couple weeks of teases, Arkells have given us the first hint of their upcoming album with “What Good?”

The new single is a classic, boisterous Arkells banger, which asks the question What good can come from the noise of modern day life. Though as frontman Max Kerman elaborates: “The song doesn’t pretend to have neat answers—but it points toward where meaning might still be found. The sun, the moon, the neon glow of your neighborhood bar. Things we can share, things that feel real.”

The album is due out next year, as the band promises more info (and tour dates) are to come, so for now check out the video below!

• Kirk

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“Airport” & “The Only Truth” by The Weather Station

Earlier this year, The Weather Station released the acclaimed album Humanhood, and is now back with a pair of new songs from that recording session with the rollicking “Airport” and the rich, gorgeous “Only The Truth”.

Tamara Linderman explains why the songs were omitted from the album, saying “There were so many strong songs I left off Humanhood because the album had such a narrative arc to adhere to. ‘Airport’ was one of them that I’m glad to release now. I’ve always hated airports; I find them so dehumanizing. This song tells a story of a person trying to mirror what is around them; that sort of shutting down, not caring, acting like you don’t care even when you really do. At the heart of it though is, of course, an intense longing, and a hope for something alive that feels like it can't be.”
And she describes “Only The Truth” as “one of my favourite songs from Humanhood and just didn’t make the tracklist at the very last moment, but it feels so relevant and connected with the record. It intersects with ‘Neon Signs,’ it expands on the same idea; that the truth is this sort of lumpen, complicated, organic thing. Falsehoods and lies glimmer, reach towards you, need you; but the truth ‘doesn’t care if you care / all it ever is is there.’”

Check out both new singles below, and make sure to check out Humanhood if you haven’t yet!

• Kirk

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“Human” by Hawksley Workman

Canada’s troubadour Hawksley Workman has announced his Canadian tour to support his latest EP, Fly Like An Ego and I couldn’t be more excited.

Hawksley’s live show has always been something fantastic to watch and one of my favourites to see, and his statements on what this tour is going to be has got me giddy…
“For the last UK solo run, I pushed myself to perform newer and more ‘forgotten’ songs. You can rehearse endlessly, but a song only finds its confidence in front of an audience. Mr. Lonely and I are now diving into rehearsals, adding a new big rock-club section and dusting off older duo pieces. We may even transform ourselves, from time to time, into a Dance-Rock Power Duo, and yes, the keytar will finally make an appearance.
On these two tours you can expect to hear some long-forgotten orphans, in particular the song ‘Striptease’, which is arguably my biggest hit in Canada, and a song I rarely play live. We are also planning on some extreme deep cuts like, ‘Above Ground Pool’, which has never been played live.  Expect some introspective moments and some exciting rockers too!”

I’m excited by all the tour chat, so check out the video for “Human” from the new EP, which features Canadian actor/comedian Chris Locke!

• Christine

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“Mountainside (acoustic)” by David Vertesi

I cannot believe it’s been fifteen years since David Vertesi released his debut solo album Cardiography. And to celebrate, he’s releasing a special acoustic reimagining of the whole thing.

Along with the announcement of the new album (and vinyl), Vertesi has released “Mountainside (acoustic)”, a stunning version of the already beautiful song.

Have a listen below, and you can check out a special live show on December 7th here in Vancouver at The Gallery @ Artech!

• Kirk

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“Giallo” by Rich Aucoin

The fourth and final season of SYNTHETIC, Rich Aucoin’s incredibly ambitious project, has finally arrived (mine came in the mail last week!).

To celebrate Rich released the video for the track “Giallo”, which was filmed by Malcolm Macmaster & Seth Daniel Willard and starring Florence Wallace & Malcolm Macmaster.

Season 4 comes with the most synthesizers used, compared with the following three seasons, and clocks in at 103 unique syths, and brings the total to 162, which blows my mind.

This might be my favourite of the four (I think I say that with every new release), and I’m excited to hear it on my record player finally!

• Christine

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“Breakaway” by Blue Jay Valley

How about being the youngest Canadian band to EVER sign to a record label!? Well that’s exactly what Blue Jay Valley did when they signed with the new label Fink City Records headed up by Vancouver punk rock legend Billy Bones (of Clampdown Record Press, the Vicious Cycles).

With an average age of 11, the band is comprised of Noa (lead vocals, age 11), Josh (guitar, age 12), Obi (drums, age 11), and brothers Mikey (lead guitar, age 12) and Alex (bass, age 10).

They are following up their debut EP, We Like To Rock, with their new one Breakaway on November 15th with a show at Green Auto.
Check out the title track below!

• Christine

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“Slanted” by Shad

Speaking of album releases, Shad’s latest Start Anew is finally out!
Been excited to get the whole package since he released the first single “Bars and BBQs” and I cannot wait to hear some of the new stuff live when he rolls into town for a show on January 17th at the Hollywood Theatre.

With the album, Shad also released the single “Slanted” with a video directed by Justin Broadbent (who also did the album artwork). Of the track Shad says: “"Slanted" is a song about the proverbial slippery slope. Or the proverbial frog in boiling water. Whatever metaphor you want to use to describe how things can slide in the wrong direction while we fail to notice. It's hard work to perceive the slope before it's too late and restore balance. But it's often the main task at hand.”

Now excuse me, I’m off to listen to this one front to back…

• Christine

Songs of the Week: October 20 - 26, 2025

“Jim Cuddy Dress” by Jenn Grant

Last week Jenn Grant released beautiful ode to her late mother with the new song “Jim Cuddy Dress”. It’s the first single from her new album, Queen of the Strait, which is out early next year, and I’ll just let Jenn tell the story behind the song:

“This single coming out today feels very serendipitous because it would have been my mother's 76th birthday, and this song is a tribute to her.

This is the story of when we met Jim Cuddy at the JUNOs back in 2012. She was wearing a dress that we'd picked out together. It was actually chosen not only for its colour and fabric but because it also helped to conceal the swelling in her stomach and liver from the metastatic breast cancer.

I grew up listening to Blue Rodeo in the house, and my mother, like so many Canadians, was such a big fan of Jim Cuddy.

So when I saw him standing there in the lobby on his own, I decided it would be ok to introduce ourselves. What a strange and magical moment now that I think back on it. When I took their photo, it was the last time I saw her sparkly blue eyes shining bright. Jim, who is now a very dear friend, didn't know how much that moment meant, or even that she was sick, but I think the flight home might have been the thing that pushed her over the edge. She died 3 weeks later. Just before she left us, she said she'd like to be laid to rest in the 'Jim Cuddy Dress'.

So this song is about the last time we saw her, said goodbye in that moment, like it was a movie, in a little funeral home in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. On that day, it was just my brother Daniel (Grant), my husband Danny (Ledwell) and our dog Charlie that mom and I shared. Charlie and I danced as Danny played Beach Boys songs on the organ, my mother in her dress, still beautiful as ever. This was 'the make-believe funeral'.”

• Kirk

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“Feels So Good” by Bahamas

It feels like Bahamas just announced his newest album, My Second 𝖡̶𝖾̶𝗌̶𝗍̶ Last Album, and now it’s already out!

The album’s release was accompanied by the latest single, “Feels So Good”, a chill groove that’s about balancing discipline and indulgence and the internal struggle not to give in to impulses.

Have a listen below, and pick up (what is hopefully not) My Second 𝖡̶𝖾̶𝗌̶𝗍̶ Last Album now!

• Kirk

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“Southern Star” feat. AURORA by Leif Vollebekk

Super cool news our of the Leif Vollebekk front!
The musician released a new version of his song “Southern Star” featuring Norwegian artist AURORA this week, and with it another announcement - a short film.

Also to be titled Southern Star and featuring both Voleebekk and Aurora as characters, Leif concieved the idea around his album Revelation:
“Revelation always reminded me of a dream sequence, the songs felt like a little movie, and I wanted to see that movie. AURORA and I had been fans of each other’s music for years and kept talking about finding the right way to collaborate. When I mentioned I couldn’t find a lead actor for a film I was working on, she simply said, ‘I’ll do it. Come to Norway.’ Two weeks later, we were filming. I can’t thank her enough for what she brought to it - her radiant presence, her generosity, and that unmistakable voice.”

No details yet on a release date for this, but Leif heads out on tour in November for the next several months, so it might be a bit.

• Christine

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Songs of the Week: October 13 - 19, 2025

“Falling Apart” by The Rural Alberta Advantage

Last week, The Rural Alberta Advantage released their first new music of the year with “Falling Apart”.

The single is a classic RAA slowburn, and comes with a video of them performing it live, as well as the announcement of a run of tour dates in the States early next year.

No word on a new album (or Canadian dates) so fingers crossed we hear more from them soon!

• Kirk

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“First Kiss” by Larkk

A month back Danielle McTaggart of Dear Rouge announced a solo project titled Larkk and released a dreamy instrumental piano track, and now we have the first song with lyrics!

“First Kiss”, which was co-written with American spoken word artist Derek C. Brown, is also dreamy and piano-focused but with added depth from strings and Danielle’s delicate vocals.

Danielle says “First Kiss is about that meeting point between memory and imagination—where a moment can be both the start of something and the echo of everything that came before. It’s a type of confession and a beginning. It’s gentle and raw, hushed and insistent—a small light in a dark room. There are threads of poems woven inside, fragments that helped me open the door, but the song is ultimately me telling myself: I’m ready to feel again. I’m ready to risk softness. I’m ready to name the thing that once only lived as a shape in the dark. First Kiss, is the first step, to singing out the world inside.”

• Christine

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“Sounds Like a Deal” by Alex Little

Alex Little is back (and this time without her Suspicious Minds) with a brand new single from her upcoming EP, Spider in the Sink.

“Sounds Like a Deal” is a catchy garage rocker that was inspired by a recent documentary on The Jerry Springer Show, of all things, with Alex explaining: “The poor treatment and exploitation of the people on the show was truly awful and I needed to sing about it.”

It also features some familiar faces; Tony Dallas on drums and Hayz Fisher on bass, with James Younger producing! You can have a listen below, and make sure to grab Spider in the Sink, on November 19th.

• Kirk

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“Whoever You Are…” by Clothesline From Hell

I’m not gonna lie, part of why I listened to Clothesline From Hell in the first place was that Adam LaFramboise named his project after a pro wrestling move. But I kept listening because of songs like the new single, “Whoever You Are…” a twitchy earworm with deeply introspective lyrics.

Adam says, “Most days this is my favourite song on the album. It’s become an endorsement for baptism by fire. The hardest lessons being the only life-affirming ones, available to anyone who resists warping the past into something tragic. Placing blame on someone else, only to pity yourself, never had longevity in mind. It’s a sped up healing process, but eventually it comes back to fuck you over and steer you clear of any sort of enlightenment.”

The new song comes with the announcement of his debut full length album, called Slather On The Honey, which is available early next year, on January 16th.

• Kirk

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“End Of The Road” by Royal Wood

Royal Wood’s ninth album Dear John is out now and with it came the latest single “End Of The Road”.

Of it Royal says: “the song came to me almost in a dream. The moment my fingers touched the keys the melody and words played themselves out. I remember sitting back and listening to the demo recording that I had fortunately captured and it was all there. Everything I needed to say that day. I think this song healed my heart, and set the tone for this album. When the words revealed themselves, I knew what they meant. I was going to fall in love with life, music and my career again.”
The record is a love letter to his younger self and he says he wrote it to create an album that the kid in him would love.

• Christine

Songs of the Week: October 06 - 12, 2025

“Tomorrow And Tomorrow” by The Dears

It’s a little over a month until The Dears release their ninth studio album, and we’re getting another tease with the latest single “Tomorrow And Tomorrow”. The new track has a bit of a doo-wop vibe, with Murray Lightburn’s rich voice crooning out as the song soars.

Check out the video, directed by Kevin Drew and Rachael McLean, and make sure to pick up the new album titled Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful! when it’s out on November 7th!

• Kirk

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“Give Me Everything Your Own” by Total Fucking Darkness

The “landslide winners of ‘BAND OF THE VOID 2025’” Total Fucking Darkness is back with a brand new dreamy, twitchy dance number.

“Give Me Everything Your Own” is the latest from the collaboration of Torquil Campbell, Stephen Ramsay, and Tom McFall, with the band saying: “We live in a late-period capitalist wasteland where art is devalued and podcasters are the new creative upper class. What a fucking bore. “Give Me Everything Your Own” is a reminder of the intrinsic, anarchic power of our music. We made it to feel like a nice cold wet fish slapping you upside the head to remind you not to fall asleep in your own life, that connection matters, that a dancefloor can be the site of rebellion and dissent. Don’t forget that cunts are still running the world...”

Crank it up and have a listen below!

• Kirk

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“Reckless Kids” by Danny Miles

Seems like the members of July Talk are always on a side quest…

This time it’s drummer Danny Miles, who has been releasing solo music including this latest song “Reckless Kids”.
Of the song Danny shares that it is about “living life to the fullest. It’s about trying to enjoy everyday. I’ve had some huge life-changing events happen in the past couple of years and I think it made me care a little less about what people think about me, and people pleasing in general but in a positive way. It’s been freeing to lose some of that.”

And notably, Danny did all the vocals, and played all the instruments for this funky and sporadic track, as well as mixed the song himself!

• Christine

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“For You To Come Around” by Great Lake Swimmers

The new album Caught Light from Great Lake Swimmers is now out and the band embarks on their tour with Elliott Brood starting tomorrow.

Before they headed out on the road, they released a live version of the album’s track “For You To Come Around”. Lead singer Tony Dekker say it’s about “the baggage we carry and the emotional lifting it requires for us to endure, and ultimately, it is about loneliness and longing, and the inability to truly know someone.”

I can’t wait to hear the new music live - the band comes to Vancouver on October 23rd at the Biltmore Cabaret.

• Christine

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