Songs of the Week: October 10 - 16, 2022

“PROVE IT!” by Mauvey

Mauvey has announced his brand new EP last week, with the release of his latest single, “PROVE IT!”

Written as a missive to his younger self, Mauvey says: “I wanted to write the answer to a question I've been asked repeatedly since about the second month of the pandemic. The question was, 'If you were face to face with your younger self, how would the conversation go?' It took a while, but ‘PROVE IT!’ is my answer.”

The incredibly catchy alt-pop tune is the latest single off his upcoming EP entitled BEFORE THE ALBUM: A love letter to the moons of Mars., which is out on November 4th

• Kirk

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“Him” by TFD (TOTAL FUCKING DARKNESS)

Seems fitting to post this the day after Pet Shop Boys & New Order played in Vancouver. They’re the two bands referenced as influences in the bio of TFD (or TOTAL FUCKING DARKNESS), and I’m sure at least one half of the duo was in attendance.

TFD is the pairing of long-time friends and collaborators Torquil Campbell (Stars) and Stephen Ramsay (Young Galaxy), and their latest single is a dancey, synth-laden track called “Him”.

Check it out below and let the 80s beats wash over you.

• Kirk

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“TRENDSETTER” by Snotty Nose Rez Kids ft DillanPonders

SNRK are back with another track, and their second collaboration with DillanPonders. “TRENDSETTER” is a new song on their self-proclaimed “campaign of confidence” post pandemic.

The upbeat track goes well with the duo’s continuing success, including another (their 3rd) Polaris short list noms, and 3 more Western Canadian Music Awards this year as well.

• Christine

Songs of the Week: September 05 - 11, 2022

“I Know What You're Thinking And It's Awful (Acoustic)” by The Dears

This week, The Dears Return to Lover’s Rock with a brand new acoustic album. To celebrate (finally) being able to play shows, the band is releasing an expanded version of their 2020 album Lover’s Rock, with five new acoustic versions of songs from the album.

Natalia Yanchak says “We originally released Lovers Rock in 2020. It was an album we were, and are still, very proud of. Murray and I recorded an acoustic session just before we released the album. Again, back in 2020 we spent the day at Hotel2Tango studio in Montreal -- we put out the videos of some of these sessions, but now can finally share the audio on this deluxe upgraded version of the album, Return to Lovers Rock. It's kind of like Return to the Planet of the Apes: we can't not go back there. There's unfinished business down on Lovers Rock, so it's time for a spin off!”

The full album is out now, and you can hear the gorgeous “I Know What You’re Thinking and it’s Awful” below.

And as a side note! Check out Riley & Rochelle — a detective game about two musicians in the 90s who fall in love — co-created by Natalia, alongside Tim Sheinman.

• Kirk

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“I’M GOOD” by Snotty Nose Rez Kids

I don’t know if I’ve ever heard Kenny vs Spenny referenced in a rap before but I absolutely love that Snotty Nose Rez Kids did it in their newest release “I’M GOOD”. (“This ain't David vs Goliath, it's Kenny versus Spenny".)

In their first new music since their Polaris Prize Short Listed album Life After, SNRK gave us a song that is “a call for anyone to focus on themselves rather than others”.

We’ll have to wait another week to find out if the duo claim this year’s Polaris Prize, but in the meantime, check out the new song below.

• Christine

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“Division 5” and “Leave Me As You Found Me” by Whitehorse

During their set at the Constellation Festival this summer, Whitehorse teased a couple new projects coming down the line, including a full-on country album. Now we’re getting our first look at I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying with not one, but TWO new songs.

“Division 5” features Luke Doucet singing a tale of a sad sack trying to enlist the help of Mounties to reclaim his lost love, and “Leave Me As You Found Me” features Melissa McClelland’s gorgeous voice joined by some pedal-steel.

I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying isn’t out until next year — January 13 — but you might just be able to catch some of the new songs live as the duo is on tour right now, including a show here in Vancouver at the Hollywood Theatre on October 8th.

• Kirk

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“It’s Not Up To Me” by Hyaenas

Vancouver’s Hyaenas released their latest single last week, the 80s-inspired, synth-rock infused “It’s Not Up To Me”.

Produced by Jesse Gander, the band says the song “alludes to the fight, flight, or freeze stress response and that serving up anger can be warranted (especially when it’s towards a toxic manipulator who is the subject of this track). The choruses support the cathartic healing that anger brings, and the bridge encourages the release of letting it go.”

Check it out below, and catch an acoustic duo set from the band at Westminster Pier Park this Friday as part of the TD Play the Parks Music Series.

• Kirk

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

“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

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“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: June 01 - 06, 2021

“Starless Nights” by iskwē and Tom Wilson

If you’ve been following this here blog, you know I’ve been a fan of iskwē for a while now, so when I heard she was teaming with Canadian legend Tom Wilson (of Junkhouse, Lee Harvey Osmond, & Blackie and the Rodeo Kings) I was intrigued.

“Starless Nights” is their second single together, a dark, noir song featuring a beautiful blend of iskwē’s gorgeous vocals with Wilson’s growl.

iskwē calls the original, by songwriter Misha Bower, “a beautiful song” also saying "When I was at Words Fest in London, ON, sharing in a conversation/songwriters circle with Misha; she performed this tune acoustically and it was mind-blowing. It was one of these songs that the moment you hear it you get shivers.” with Tom adding: “The song was a natural fit for us. It's otherworldly.”

• Kirk

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“Little Sunscreen” by Golden Cinema

You may recognize a few of the faces in this band; Andy MacDonald, Derek Ellis, Chris Robison, and Dan Griffin have been in the likes of Two Hours Traffic, Arkells, and North Lakes. But over the past few years, they’ve come together as Golden Cinema and released a couple of EPs.

Now these EPs are being collected — with a few brand new songs — as REELS (2016-2021). Lead single “Little Sunscreen” evokes a hazy summer evening car ride, and if it’s any indication, this album will fit all your harmony-filled power-pop needs for the foreseeable future.

• Kirk

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“Something Else” by Snotty Nose Rez Kids

Snotty Nose Rez Kids released a new song this week and to kick off Indigenous Heritage Month.

In the release they said “Y’all remember when CNN labeled us “something else” during the presidential election? Well we flipped it on em!”

Boy did they ever. This one’s a summertime banger for sure.

• Christine

Song of the Day: May 19, 2019 - "Boujee Natives" by Snotty Nose Rez Kids

I’ve had Snotty Nose Rez Kids’ new album Trapline on repeat for the last little while since it came out this month.

Their latest video and single from the album, “Boujee Natives” is insanely catchy, and you should give it, and the rest of the album a listen - prepare for even more great things from these two, including a show in Vancouver on May 30th at Fortune Sound (I’ll be there!).

Song of the Day: April 19, 2019 - "I Can't Remember My Name" by Snotty Nose Rez Kids

Less than a month until the new Snotty Nose Rez Kids album Trapline is released (May 10th), and we just received another single AND a spectacular video to boot.

“I Can’t Remember My Name”, which also features Shanks Sioux, is an anthem that the band describes like this:
”I Can’t Remember My Name suggests we are lost and don’t understand our position in this new world, but the lyrics tell the opposite. Instead of being consumed by society, we preserve everything that makes us Indigenous by staying true to ourselves through all the bullshit.”

I can’t wait to hear the whole album, and already have May 30th circled on my calendar for their performance at Fortune Sound Club!

Song of the Day: March 22, 2019 - "Creator Made An Animal" by Snotty Nose Rez Kids ft. Boslen

New music from Snotty Nose Rez Kids!

Been waiting for this one after being pretty obsessed with their Polaris nominated album The Average Savage - and now we have a new single “Creator Made An Animal”, and release date for their next album Trapline - May 10th.

The JUNO nominated duo will also be heading out on tour, and their Vancouver show is May 30th at Fortune Sound Club with DJ Kookum.

This is what the band has to say about the new single (that features 19-year year old Boslen - a Haisla/Jamaican from Chilliwack):

“Creator Made An Animal is our way of paying homage to the place that we call home as our spirits awaken and our people rise up,” the band comments. “Creator Made An Animal carries an aggressive and assertive energy that imitates the way society portrays Indigenous people and People of Colour across Turtle Island. Our ancestors were stereotyped as savages, and we are often regarded as the pissed-off generation who haven’t gotten over what colonization has done to our lands and to our people. Through stylish delivery, we proclaim ourselves as the Father 7th Generation and let the world know that we aren’t changing for anyone. The future is ours. We are powerful as human beings and it’s integral that we respect the knowledge that was passed down from our ancestors. Many of us also carry their pain, but every single one of us carry their power. Embrace that power, stay true to that power and to yourself!”