Photo Credit: Sebastian Buzzalino — Photo Credit: Vanessa Heins

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