Song of the Day: March 17, 2020 - "Vultures" by Ashleigh Ball

I’m sure you know Ashleigh Ball as part of the Vancouver trio Hey Ocean!, but just last week she returned with a brand new solo release, “Vultures”.

She says the song is about "the intimate connection of lifelong friendships and the importance of women strengthening each other. It’s about the ways we can be truly vulnerable in these friendships and cut out the people who are threatened by that openness."

No official word on the new album, but Ashleigh has been recording with Matt Peters and Matt Schellenberg from Royal Canoe, and if you follow them or even other artists they’ve worked with, you know it’s gonna be a good one.

Song of the Day: March 16, 2020 - "The Worst In Us" by The Dears

If you’ve followed this blog for any length of time, or know me at all, you may know that one of my favourite bands is The Dears. So when I saw a brand new song pop up last Friday, I was just a little excited.

The perhaps timely named “The Worst In Us” is the first single off their upcoming album Lovers Rock due out May 15. It starts off with a grandiose swell, but takes a turn part-way through, hinting at a callback to the darker No Cities Left.

In fact, singer Murray Lightburn says “There’s a direct line between the sort of doominess of No Cities Left and this album. You could go straight from Lovers Rock to No Cities Left and it’s like they're interlocked. But it's a different kind of doom.  Around 2001, it felt like, ‘We have no control. We don't know what's going to happen next.’ Now it’s a doom that's within our grasp. It’s in the air. It’s between us. But we do nothing about it.”

Take a look/listen below!

Song of the Day: March 15, 2020 - "Hot Mess" by Nice Horse

I think I can speak for both myself and Christine when I say our favourite country band is back with a bit of a “Hot Mess”. Just last week Nice Horse the brand new song about, well, I think you can take a guess.

“Hot Mess” comes a couple years after the release of their debut album, as the band has been very busy winning awards, relentlessly touring, and even creating an app to help musicians keep themselves organized.

Have a listen below!

Song of the Day: March 14, 2020 - "I'm In Love" by Sunday Morning

Vancouver’s Sunday Morning released “I’m In Love” earlier this year, but the dark and gritty rocker as song of the day is timed just right for both the release of their latest album Consequences Of Love (Part 2) — out yesterday — and their album release show — tonight at the Rickshaw.

Have a watch below, for a band full of Vancouver all-stars, including members of bands like The Evaporators, Slow, The Ballyntines, Destroyer, and more!

Song(s) of the Day: March 13, 2020 - "Trouble Is" & "Ain't No One Like You" by The Matinée

It’s been a hot minute since we last heard from Vancouver roots rockers The Matinée, but this past week they released not one, but TWO new songs.

“Trouble Is” and “Ain’t No One Like You” are both natural extensions of the bands sound, with some familiar voices helping out — both Dawn Pemberton and Colleen Rennison (No Sinner) lending their incredible pipes, as well as Matt Kelly (of City & Colour as of late) on slide guitar.

Lead singer Matt Layzell says “Inspiration for ‘Trouble Is’ came after seeing the premiere of ‘Selfless’, a poignant documentary which looks at the effects of social media and screen time on today’s youth by the wonderful people at Fresh Independence. The concept arose from conversations sparked after digesting the film’s message, which got us riled up that no one seems to want to do or say anything about it. The song allows us to preach wearily from our humble soap box and tell you what we feel the ‘Trouble Is’.”

While there’s nothing official announced, I have it on good authority that a new album is very much on the horizon, so while you wait pop these into your ears on repeat.

Song of the Day: March 9, 2020 - "That Emotion" by Hannah Georgas

It’s been a minute since we’ve heard new music from Hannah Georgas, but this past Friday she released her brand new song, “That Emotion”.

With her gorgeous voice driving the honest and contemplative lyrics, Georgas says:
“The song is a portrait of one particular way that emotions can build up inside. You’re going through the motions, suppressing how you really feel, and pretending things are ok — but your body knows…that deep down life and worry can weigh you down in ways your head might not acknowledge. This song was inspired by the feeling of hiding emotions you would like to express but feeling alone.”

The song is the first tease of a new album out later this year, Hannah’s first on the Arts & Crafts label(!) and produced by Aaron Dessner (of The National), who Hannah had spend a good deal of last year touring with (fittingly enough).

Song of the Day: March 8, 2020 - "Dead Leaves" by Shred Kelly

Just last week, Shred Kelly not only released a brand new song, “Dead Leaves”, but also announced their fifth album!

“Dead Leaves” is a dark and sombre reflection of our lives on the internet, with the band says the song is about "the online battles we have around political issues. We are all friends until someone has an opposing view online. Then we tear each other apart from behind our screens.”

The song is the lead single to their new album, Like A Rising Sun, which is due out on May 15th!

Song of the Day: March 7, 2020 - "Years In The Making" by Arkells

They’re back, baby! Arkells have returned with a bang, dropping their new single “Years In The Making”

With a grandiose swell of horns, and Arkells’ usual high energy exuberance, singer Max Kerman says “You never know when the universe will deliver a tune from the song gods, but ‘Years In The Making’ arrived just when we needed it. It leans on a question we keep coming back to: How do we conceive of everything we’ve been through, and shape it to offer some love and hope? ‘Years In The Making’ is meant to encourage us to find ways to embrace the bumps in the road, because all of our challenges are ultimately there to help us work towards the dream – whatever that may be. Most importantly, the song is meant to viscerally offer our bodies all the moves to play it live. Thank you to all of our inspirations that drive us forward. The reward is this A+ banger.”

And I gotta say, he’s 100% correct.