Songs of the Week: July 05 - 11, 2021

“One Thing I Know” by Arkells

After a string of singles, Arkells have finally announced the details of their sixth studio album. Continuing in the tradition of two-word album titles, Blink Once comes out September 30th, and if the songs we’ve heard so far are any indication, it’s going to sound (and be) HUGE.

Case in point, latest single “One Thing I Know” is a bombastic, rowdy, feel-good sing-a-along that is no doubt going to be a crowd pleaser when the Hamilton boys get back on the road. Hit play below, and crank it up loud.

• Kirk

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“Hide Me Like You Do” by TITUS BANK

Vancouver’s TITUS BANK released his latest single last week, “Hide Me Like You Do”. The gorgeous pop tune was co-written with Toronto’s Valley, and BANK says “it was really special because it sparked a chemistry that I’ve never experienced before with any other songwriters. We spent the day getting to know each other, and then started writing the song by brainstorming title ideas and going from there. It was really organic and natural.”

The song is the second single he’s released recently, and here’s hoping for more (or even a full album) sooner rather than later.

• Kirk

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“Avocado” by Haviah Mighty

Haviah Mighty released a new song, “Avocado”, all about channelling inner confidence and has a fresh, summer-y vibe to go along with it. Collaborating with Toronto’s Grandtheft, the song will appear on her upcoming EP Stock Exchange this fall.

For now, open a window, sit in the sun and enjoy!

• Christine

Songs of the Week: June 28 - July 04, 2021

“Roman Candle Eyes” by Shred Kelly

It’s been one year since the release of Like A Rising Sun, the latest album from Fernie’s Shred Kelly, but they just released a (surreal) video for the banger “Roman Candle Eyes”. The new video comes as they head out on tour (holy crap, live music?!) hitting small towns in BC for what they’re calling the Tiny Concert Tour.

Check out the video below, and if you live somewhere between Kelowna and Calgary, you may get a chance to see them live!

• Kirk

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“When It Hurts” by Kandle

Not only is Set The Fire one of my favourite albums so far this year, but Kandle is really batting a thousand when it comes to videos from the album. Last week she released yet another video, this time for latest single “When It Hurts”. Directed by her frequent collaborator, Brandon William Fletcher, the video is described as “a timeless, Lynchian portrayal of a love gone wrong where both parties are stuck in a time loop of paralysis – afraid to leave due to the fear of the unknown.”

• Kirk

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“Words Left Unsaid” by Johnny 99

John Sponarski, aka Johnny 99, just released his first single off his forthcoming debut record last week. “Words Left Unsaid” comes with a trippy little video, and an awesome guitar solo in the middle.

Funny enough Kirk and I ran into John this past weekend in a park - hopefully the next time will be during an album release! Check out the single below.”

• Christine

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“Meantime” by Del Barber

Looks like I get the country songs this week!

Del Barber finally released the first single off his upcoming album Stray Dogs - which is out on August 20th!
Stray Dogs is a collection of unfinished songs Del had that he reworked during the pandemic and put them all together…hence the album name.

”Meantime” is a slow and dreamy, and if it’s an indication of the rest of the album, I can’t wait to sit on the beach in the sunshine and listen.

• Christine

Songs of the Week: June 14 - 20, 2021

“The Slinfold Loop” by K.D.A.P. (aka Kevin Drew a Picture)

You may know the name Kevin Drew, but you have likely never heard him like this before. Under his latest project, K.D.A.P. (aka Kevin Drew a Picture), Drew secluded himself over the last year and made a brand new album, largely with a smartphone app while walking outdoors in the woods just outside of London.

Influences (out July 16th) is a collection of instrumental songs inspired by, well, his earliest influences, and of the lead single “The Slinfold Loop” Drew says: “We live in a society that’s based on selling yourself back to yourself. It’s created an underground battle to constantly be searching for ‘true identity’. We wanted to create a video presentation that promotes exploring over searching and brings the mystical slide-show of never ending opinion to the forefront of this battle. We used available footage found on the World Wide Web from other artists and cut together a blender of images to tell a love story about continuing to move forward amongst the never ending information of how one is supposed to live.”

• Kirk

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“Never Gonna Stop” by BROS

This new tune from Ewan and Shamus Currie (of Sheepdogs fame) from their side project BROS gives off serious Chromeo vibes, and I love it.

Their new album Vol 2, comes out in just under a month and I’m pretty excited to hear more.

• Christine

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“Jealous” by Chromeo

Speaking of Chromeo!

The duo is releasing a new live album, called Date Night, and listening to it has made me miss live shows even more. I highly recommend putting it on and dancing around your living room. Here’s the live version of “Jealous”

• Christine

Songs of the Week: June 07 - 13, 2021

“Sick of the Silence” by Mother Mother

Fresh off an appearance on The Late Late Show With James Corden, Mother Mother drops another new single, “Sick of the Silence”. The frenetic song is the latest off their upcoming album Inside, which is due out next week (June 25) and they’ve also booked not one, not two, but four hometown shows at the Commodore, (December 2nd, 3rd, and 4th) heralding the return of live music!

• Kirk

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“Show Me Everything” by Said the Whale

Forget the MCU, we’re starting to see the STWCU form (okay, doesn’t quite roll off the tongue the same).

The latest video from Said the Whale continues the narrative from their last video “Everything She Touches is Gold to Me“, seeing mountain man Krock Dynamo (Ben Worcester) breaking down while being haunted by the ghost of the local reporter (Tyler Bancroft) that he shot with an arrow.

The song itself is a gorgeous indie-pop jam featuring a string section that includes members of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. It’s off their forthcoming album which doesn’t have a name or date yet, but at the rate they’re releasing new music, we might be hearing the whole thing sooner rather than later (hopefully?)

• Kirk

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“Feels Like Summer” by Left Field Messiah

I don’t think I’m going to have to sell you on this new song by Left Field Messiah, but here goes.
It’s titled “Feels Like Summer” and it actually FEELS like summer, and there is a massively awesome saxophone solo in it.
That’s the pitch. What else could you possibly want?!

• 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

Songs of the Week: May 24 - 31, 2021

“All Roads” by Arkells

Not content with one potential “Song of the Summer” (with their banger “You Can Get It”, released in March), Arkells are back with another candidate: “All Roads”.

Frontman Max Kerman says “As we start to find our footing on a road back to some normalcy in our lives the sentiment ‘all roads lead me back to you’ is about trying to find your way back home. Home could be a person, a place, or a personal truth - the goal is to keep moving, keep learning, and you’ll find your way."
A perfect sentiment for the upcoming summer, the video also fits that vibe with a long drone shot following the band members at sunrise.

• Kirk

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“Scratching Static (feat NNAMDÏ)” by Royal Canoe

Royal Canoe has revealed another track from their upcoming album Sidelining, out July 9th. “Scratching Static” features vocals from NNAMDÏ, and comes with a delightful video that is comprised entirely of animated gifs, appropriate to both the music and lyrics of the song. As someone that prides himself on his ability to find the perfect gif for any situation, I am very enamoured with this video.
Take a look below!

• Kirk

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“Remember 01” by The Halluci Nation
ft. John Trudell & Black Bear

A Tribe Called Red is now The Halluci Nation - and with the name change, a new single (“Remember 01”) and upcoming album - One More Saturday Night out July 30th.

You might recognize the voice in the video from the previous album We Are The Halluci Nation - it’s poet and activist John Trudell.
The song is an ode to him and his words that inspired the group and as it says in the press release, “the video can be compared to that of a trailer for a movie about the birth of The Halluci Nation”.

I cannot wait for more, and for the day when I can see them perform live again!

• Christine
  

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“Work” by Shad
ft. Skratch Bastid

This new song by Shad literally make my jaw drop. It hits so hard, has all of the classic Shad wit in the lyrics and features Skratch Bastid, so naturally I love it.

Then I cocked my head to the side and was like: “Wait…I know this drum beat.” - it took me a few second to realize it was sampled from a We Are The City song called “When I Dream I Dream Of You”.

Excuse me while I go listen to it 100 more times.

• Christine

Songs of the Week: May 17 - 23, 2021

“Yung DiCaprio” by The Zolas

As we creep closer to the release date for Come Back To Life, the latest album from The Zolas, we’re getting yet another tease; this time with the video for their latest song “Yung DiCaprio”.
Lyrically inspired by DiCaprio himself — specifically, his role in Baz Luhrmann’s ‘96 take on Romeo + Juliet — and sonically inspired by the same era of Britpop, the pulsing song is exactly what you need to get pumped for the week.

• Kirk

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“Windermere (feat. Dan Mangan)” by Yaehsun

Toronto multi-instrumentalist & producer Yaehsun (aka Jason Haberman) has collaborated with a long line of Canadian rockers, including Zeus, Jason Collett, Yukon Blonde, and The Wooden Sky to name a few. His latest song "Windermere" is a dreamy, wistful track that features vocals from Dan Mangan.
He says “When I first wrote the instrumentation to this song I was envisioning long drives at night, moving quite quickly. After Dan sent me his vocals with the chorus line “slow down” I felt a bit altered. My daily ritual while working on this song changed shape, day into night this bizarre perception of time circled around me - and still does. Devouring seasons, gathering hope, pondering subtle breezes that turn to rapid growth and repetition. All in time - go easy on yourself.”
Have a listen below!

• Kirk

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“Song” by Lydia Ainsworth

Just ahead of releasing her new album, last week Lydia Ainsworth shared a new video for her latest single “Cosmic Dust”. Animated by multimedia artist, director and producer Eli Welbourne, the video brings to mind the planetarium laser light shows, fitting not only the title of the song, but the spacey, ethereal vibe the track gives off.
So lay back and have a watch, and if you like it, be sure to pick up her new album, Sparkles & Debris, which came out this past Friday!

• Kirk

Songs of the Week: May 10 - 16, 2021

“Topanga Canyon” by Ashleigh Ball

Ashleigh Ball gives yet another preview of her upcoming album with a song about California. "Topanga Canyon" is the latest single from Before All The Magic’s Gone, which now has an official release date: June 25!
Her sophomore album was produced and co-written by Deadmen (the production name for duo Matt Schellenberg and Matt Peters of Royal Canoe) and based on what we’ve heard so far, it’s going to be a perfect album for the summer.

• Kirk

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“I Do Yeah” by Titus Bank

Vancouver’s Titus Bank released his debut single last week, “I Do Yeah”. Co-written with Valley out of Toronto, the song features Bank’s smooth voice soaring over a driving alt-pop beat.
The song is also the debut single from brand new label Everything Forever, started by Tyler Bancroft of Said the Whale. Aside from Titus, keep an eye out for releases from Said the Whale themselves, along with Micah Erenberg, Mute Choir, shy kids, and Big Kill (Andy & Cayne from the former We Are The City).

• Kirk

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“Living Room” by Andy Shauf

This song by Andy Shauf is by no means new, as it’s from one of my favourite albums of 2020, Neon Skyline. But any chance to listen to it again with a new animated video, I’ll take and that’s exactly what we got with this music video for “Living Room”.
Oh, and want some bonus awesomeness? It was directed by Anne Douris - who has done some super awesome work for bands in the past, click here to see more!

• Christine