Songs of the Week: July 24 - 30, 2023

“Twenty Twenty” by Tim Baker

Just shy of a year out from his last album, The Festival, Tim Baker has announced a brand new companion EP, Along The Mountain Road.

The first single off the EP, “Twenty Twenty”, is a soaring song about Tim’s move from Toronto back to Newfoundland, and bracing himself for the uncertainty of the eponymous year.

Along The Mountain Road drops October 20th!

• Kirk

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“Sure To Come” by iskwē

It’s always a good day for new music from iskwē.

“Sure to Come” is an incredibly catchy song — thanks in part to a marimba played by Miguel Haller, recorded in Mexico City — but with a much deeper undercurrent, as iskwē describes: “With so many ways to become obsolete in this world, and all the things we’re afraid of, it brings me a sense of calm knowing the only piece that’s certain is some day I’ll be forgotten. We cancel each other at the push of a button, we crumble at the thought of being entirely alone. Whether it be our turn now or tomorrow, that day is sure to come.”

So check it out below for the most upbeat existential crisis you’ll have all week!

• Kirk

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“Change of Scene” by The Matinee

The Matinee have officially announced the release date for their fourth studio album, as well as the title track, “Change Of Scene”.
The album by the name name is set to be released on September 22nd and will be their first independent record.

With the announcement, we also got a video of the band out on lead singer Matt Layzell’s boat in English Bay. The song was a collective effort from the band after sharing a road trip down to Oregon and back - with no real itinerary or plan (or shows) - just a classic trip with the room to see everything and anything along the way.

The band will be performing at the Mosaic Arts Festival, and Harmony Arts Festival this week/month.

• Christine

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“Mama” by Hotel Mira

When the new track “Mama” from Hotel Mira kicks off, you might think you were going to get a pretty little ballad, but it quickly takes off into a fun, emo-tinged banger!

The band is set to release their new album I Am Not Myself, in just over a month on September 8th, after setting out on a huge tour this past spring.
But if you want to hear them in person this summer, you’ll be able to catch them if you’re in Kelowna for Rock The Lake on the Friday evening.

• Christine

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“3/2 (Loves Me)” by Clare Siobhan

I was hooked on the new song from Clare Siobhan, “3/2 (Loves Me)”, with the first line:
“We’re not a perfect match, we’re a perfect misfit”

The charming song was inspired by a prompt from a creative writing exercise, to craft a song with the word of “misfit,” though Claire explains, “I was thinking about it and didn’t really want to write a misfit-themed song in the original sense of the word, so I decided to start writing something I knew: I was falling in love at the time, and it was exciting and scary and all I could think about.”

“3/2 (Loves Me)” is the first single off her upcoming debut EP, which should be out later this year.

• Kirk

Songs of the Week: July 16 - 23, 2023

“Say When” by Dan Mangan

A few weeks ago, Dan Mangan went a little viral with a video talking about writing a radio friendly hit that he ended up loving, and now… we get to hear the results of that.

“Say When” was written with Lowell, and Dan explains “We were talking about how no matter how grateful you are for wherever you’re at in your artist journey, you still want more. It always feels like a truly big break is just around the corner, but that the obstacles between you and that break are ambiguous and ephemeral. It’s like you’re trying so hard and you’re stuck waiting for luck to come and anoint you. The song is totally earnest, but it’s also self-aware…like, I understand how ridiculous and self-indulgent it is to want cheerleaders to carry you through your hometown.”

As advertised, the new single is incredibly catchy, and will dig into your head for the rest of the day (week?). Check it out below, and don’t forget to root for Dan in the Polaris Music Prize, where his latest album Being Somewhere was just shortlisted!

• Kirk

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“Me & Me” by The Beaches

I’m so excited for The Beaches to release their new album Blame My Ex on September 15th, because every single they’ve dropped so far has been a banger.

This includes their latest “Me & Me”, which is a fast-paced anthem for single-hood (a theme to this new album).
It’s a beachy, soft rock jam tune and another perfect summer single (with a cute lyric video below).

• Christine

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Songs of the Week: July 10 - 16, 2023

“Price You Pay” & “Hot City” by Bend Sinister

Crank the volume, because Bend Sinister is back! The band has been quiet for the last few years, but last week they released not one, but two brand new singles, “Price You Pay” and “Hot City”.

Both new songs are as soaring and high energy as you would expect from the Vancouver band, with “Price You Pay” about the highs and lows of touring, and “Hot City” feeling like a late-night-cruise summer jam.

No word yet on a new album, but if the pair of songs are any indication, I can’t wait to hear more.

• Kirk

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“Somebody Just Like Me”, “Second Time Around”
and “Working On My Guitar” by Bahamas

Not to upstage Bend Sinister above, but Bahamas released THREE songs this week, and not only that, but they’re from a country album!

“Somebody Just Like Me”, “Second Time Around” and “Working On My Guitar” all have Bahamas signature vocals with a little more twang, country style lyrics with some pedal steel behind them.

Bootcut will be out on September 15th and I cannot wait. Hopefully we hear a taste when he rolls through town next month for the Ambelside Music Festival.

• Christine

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“Just Shadows” by JEEN

There is just no stopping JEEN. The Toronto musician has put out three albums in as many years, and is already gearing up for her fourth, with the new single “Just Shadows”.

The fast-paced, grungy tune was written while JEEN was thinking “how the darker parts of everything can snuff out some of the best people's light. It’s about trying to get out from under it so we don’t just become casualties of our shittiest days. I lost all my demo projects for this upcoming album in a massive computer failure last year, so Ian suggested we just go in and jam the songs a bunch top to bottom and re-demo them before we started tracking for real. We had never done it that way for the previous albums; always just worked off my home demos as opposed to rehashing the songs prior with the full band. Anyway, it was super fun to go a little deeper on these songs at that early stage and I think the whole LP is better for it.”

The new album, Gold Control, is once again co-produced by her long-time collaborator, Canadian icon Ian Blurton, though no date yet for the upcoming album.

• Kirk

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Songs of the Week: July 03 - July 09, 2023

“My Old Mistakes” by Wide Mouth Mason

Last week, venerated Canadian blues rockers Wide Mouth Mason gave us another peek at their upcoming album. The newest single “My Old Mistakes” is classic Mason, with a few lyrics that may be familiar to longtime fans.

Of the new album, drummer Safwan Javed says "We're pushing our boundaries, exploring new musical landscapes, while staying true to our roots. The new material reflects our growth as artists, and we hope it resonates with our fans as much as it does with us."

Late Night Walking is out September 8th on We Are Busy Bodies, and they’re also reissuing a limited vinyl run of their debut self titled album, and the acclaimed Where I Started on the same day!

• Kirk

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“Just The Once” by Metric

A little ironic that Metric is announcing the follow up to last year’s album Formentera with a song called “Just The Once”. Exactly one year after that album’s release, the Toronto band has dropped the news of the unexpected companion album, Formentera II.

The new single is described as “regret disco”, with Emily Haines clarifying“It's a song for when you need to dance yourself clean. Beneath the sparkling surface, there’s a lyrical exploration of a simple word with many meanings. Once is a word that plays a game of opposites. Once can mean once-upon-a-time and refer to a moment in the past, or it can mean someday, once something happens. And as for doing something only once versus doing something once in a while, well, I think we all know how vast the difference is between the two.”

Have a listen below, and mark October 13 on your calendar for the release of Formentera II!

• Kirk

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“Nothing For A While” by Shred Kelly

Another new track from Fernie’s Shred Kelly, and an album announcement.
“Nothing For A While” is the latest tune from their 6th album, Blurry Vision, which is due out October 20th.

The song is about the world changing at a fast and overwhelming pace, and the video does a great job at showcasing it. In it, singer Tim Newton is running furiously around their hometown of Fernie, BC - almost as furiously as he plays his banjo during an epic solo mid-song.

The band is on the road doing their usual summer music festival route, but they’ll also be on tour late September/early October with Elliott BROOD, and will be making a stop in Vancouver on October 6th!

• Christine

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“Normalize” by Mother Mother

Ever since blowing up online a few years back, Mother Mother has barely slowed down. And now they’re back with the new single “Normalize”.

The song has the chaotic alt-pop energy we love from the band, with singer Ryan Guldemond explaining it’s about “the metaphorical death which occurs when we’re not being ourselves; the deadening of the spirit when trying to appease some external framework of so-called normalcy. Ideally, it’s an anthem for the outcast. We’re very fortunate to look out at our audience to see such a wealth of uniqueness. This song is our way of telling our people to keep being themselves, whatever that means to them. What is normal? We don’t know, and I’m not sure we care.”

No word yet on a new album, but you can check out the video for “Normalize” below!

• Kirk

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“Fake Happy” by Hannah Georgas

Another beautiful (and sad) new song from Hannah Georgas from the album I’d Be Lying If I Said I Didn’t Care, due out August 25th

The song is about a drifting apart of a relationship, and of it Hanna says: “Over the years we grew apart and trying to maintain a connection had begun to feel uncomfortable. I think sometimes we cling onto what’s left of friendships even if our values no longer align and we’ve changed as people. I don't know if it's a getting older thing but I've come to realize how important it is to focus my energy on the people who support me and are positive sources in my life.” I think we’ve all be there throughout the years - I know I have.

She’s also announced some November Canadian tour dates, but no Vancouver show yet - but I’ll keep my eye out!

• Christine

Songs of the Week: June 26 - July 02, 2023

“Air I Walk” by Zeus

Oh my gods, Zeus are back! It’s been nearly a decade since we last heard from the Toronto quartet, but they have returned with a brand new album, CREDO.

Along with the album announcement comes their first single, “Air I Walk”. Picking up exactly where they left off, the incredibly catchy song features the band’s unparalleled harmonies and throwback rock sound.

CREDO is out September 8th on Arts & Crafts, and immediately became one of my most anticipated albums of the year.

• Kirk

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“Just Another Day” by Royal Wood

Royal Wood is back with a 5-song EP Just Another Day (set to come out September 22), and has released the title track.
He not only (for the first time) solely wrote, arranged, performed and produced the song himself, but also engineered and recorded it as well.

He’s heading out on the road to support living legend Bonnie Raitt - although the closest stop to Vancouver is Penticton, that might be worth the drive for that show!

• Christine

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“Skin” by Arkells

Arkells have to be one of the hardest working bands going right now. They recently announced a new album, which will be their third new album in as many years (four if you count the acoustic album Campfire Chords).

The latest single is “Skin”, and feels destined to be a big singalong at Arkells’ legendary live shows. Singer Max Kerman explains the song “is about choosing to love more purposefully, about finding meaning in the hard stuff. It’s about coming to the understanding that the best and deepest relationships are far beyond what we experience on the surface.”

Sticking with their two-word title scheme, the new album is called Laundry Pile and drops September 21st!

• Kirk

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“Baby Teeth” by Haley Blais

This week Haley Blais announced that her sophomore full-length album, Wisecrack, will be due out on September 15th (via Arts & Crafts)!
We’ve had three singles released from said album over the last few months, and with the release announcement came another one, titled “Baby Teeth”.

The track comes with a super trippy video that I could see being on the Prism Prize list next year (speaking of, this year’s winner is announced on Thursday).
Of the song Haley says: “It’s a bunch of snippets of my life, of seemingly insignificant moments that made me who I am today, I think.”

• Christine

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“Walk Among the Stars” by Odds

Last week Odds released the third single from their upcoming album, Crash The Time Machine!

“Walk Among the Stars” is described as “a musical map pointing to fond memories of camaraderie and creativity. It's set in the town of Bath, Ontario and it's a tribute to friendship. Kindred spirits raise a toast on the frozen lakeshore. It's a rock 'n roll landscape painting.”

Check it out below, and keep an ear out for Crash the Time Machine, out August 4th!

• Kirk

Songs of the Week: June 19 - 25, 2023

“Open Heart” by Rae Spoon

Rae Spoon is back with a new album Not Dead Yet. The songs revolve around their experience with a cancer diagnosis, and the treatment that followed, through a system they went out of their way to avoid.
The first single is “Open Heart” and of it, Rae says: “I was hospitalized for over a year with complications from cancer treatments. The beginning of my time there was very difficult because a lot of the people who worked there didn’t know much about trans/non-binary people or trauma-informed care. I tried to get to know my nurses, doctors, and care aids as they got to know me. Over time, many of them changed how they were treating me. This song is about hope for change in oppressive systems through relationships.”

• Christine

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“Isumagijunnaitaungituq (The Unforgiven)” by Elisapie

“Isumagijunnaitaungituq (The Unforgiven)” is the third song Elisapie has released off her upcoming covers/reimages album Inuktitut, and I am loving each new song more than the last.

Much like her versions of Blondie and Cyndi Lauper, the decision to translate a Metallica song came from a special memory, specifically the time she interviewed Kirk Hammett in the early 90s. Elisapie explains:

“When I was 14 years old, I applied for a job at TNI, the first Inuit TV-radio broadcaster, and I was thrilled when I was chosen for the position! Everyone at the station dreamed big, and they put in a request for an interview with Metallica. The band was so loved in Salluit that we had to give it a shot. Metallica accepted only two interviews on their Québec tour, and TNI was chosen. In my boys' eyes, I was the coolest!
As a teenager, I only wanted to hang around the gang of boys in my village. We would all go to my cousin's house and smoke weed while listening to Metallica. The band's music allowed us to delve into the darkness of our broken souls and feel good there. Men's roles in our territory had been challenged by colonization, and it had become confusing what life was supposed to look like for a man. My boys were seeking new roles, and subconsciously, I allowed them to be my bodyguards so they could feel strong. Looking back, I was trying to give them the strength to find their place.”

Inuktitut is out September 15th, and includes covers from Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Queen, and more!

-Kirk

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“Fuck Yourself” by Fast Romantics

The fact that the video doesn’t even appear down below because of age restrictions is beyond hilarious to me.
So was opening my email last week, only to see a song titled “Fuck Yourself”. I laughed pretty hard.
And while it’s all kinds of amusing, Fast Romantics created a very catchy, anthemic song, with a great sing-a-long chorus.
Lead singer Matthew Angus says: “This started out as a song about a very specific person, but as I wrote, it kept shapeshifting into being about a whole spectrum of human dumpster fires. By the end -- as so often happens -- the target turned out to be myself. Now that it’s finished, your guess is as good as mine as to who it’s really about, but it feels really fucking good to sing and that’s all that matters to me.”

The video, which they (accurately) described as “Full House meets Battlestar Galactica meets The Trueman Show”, is definitely worth the watch - so click through to it below.

• Christine

Songs of the Week: June 12- 19, 2023

“Blóðberg” by Sigur Rós

I was surprised last week when the first new single in seven years from one of my favourite bands of all time, Sigur Rós, hit my inbox. Then I was shocked when on Friday, they dropped a whole dang album, ÁTTA.

The new song, “Blóðberg” marks the return of multi-instrumentalist Kjartan Sveinsson to the band, joined by frontman Jónsi and bassist Georg Holm. And to tease their upcoming orchestral tour, the nearly-ten-minute song features the London Contemporary Orchestra conducted by Robert Ames.

It is exactly as gorgeous as you would expect from the Icelandic band being joined by an orchestra, and is just a hint of what you’ll hear on the full album. Unfortunately, their sold out orchestral tour isn’t making its way up to Vancouver, but you better believe I already have tickets for the Seattle show.

Check out the beautiful video for “Blóðberg”, directed by Johan Renck, below!

• Kirk

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“Be A Man” by Adam Mah

I always hated the phrase “Be A Man” and that’s exactly what Vancouver artist Adam Mah addresses in his new song.
It’s about “challenging the stereotypes of gender roles he experienced growing up”, and the track is off his upcoming album Year Of The Dog, out on June 23.

You can catch Adam on the Burrard stage at the Khatsahlano festival on July 8th at 1:30pm.

• Christine

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“After Effect” by Taxi Girls

Just last week I was wondering what was up with Montreal band Pale Lips… and then literally days later, I get an email for new music from Taxi Girls, a new band featuring members of Pale Lips!

Their new single “After Effect” keeps the same high energy, punky vibe. It’s off their debut EP Coming Up Roses, due out July 7. And based off this single, it should be a fun time!

• Kirk

Songs of the Week: June 05 - 11, 2023

“How To Live With Yourself” and “Smoke Screen” by PUP

It’s a double shot of PUP this morning!
The two songs are (previously unreleased) b-sides from the band’s last album, THE UNRAVELING OF PUPTHEBAND, and were put out into the world to celebrate their large summer tour kicking off.
Lead singer Stefan Babcock calls the track “How To Live With Yourself” a “catchy, miserable ripper”, which I love, and that “Smoke Screen” is a ““sludgy” version of PUP”.

The band is in Europe and North America this summer, with a big show in Toronto next week. No word on a Vancouver show, but I’ve got my fingers crossed.

• Christine

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“Overrated” by dwi

The new song from dwi is “Overrated” now.

The incredibly catchy fifth single from dwi’s upcoming album Zoo Life has a surprisingly clear message, with dwi explaining: “When everything in life feels meaningless just watch 'Everything, Everywhere All At Once’. That’s basically what this ADHD riddled song is about.”

Zoo Life comes out July 7th, and you can catch the album release show on July 8th at the Fox Cabaret, supported by Noble Son and Zach Gray (dwi’s bandmate in The Zolas).

• Kirk

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“I Do” by Colleen Rennison

There are many different types of “summer jams”. The big, loud, party ones; the chill campfire on the beach; and then the summer love songs. The newest single from Vancouver’s Colleen Rennison is that last one.

“I Do” is an R&B-tinged love song, with Colleen saying she "wanted to capture the excitement and delicious agony of being enamoured with someone and daydreaming about them to the point of almost insanity. I woke up in the middle of the night and wrote the chorus. I'd been listening to a lot of The Temptations and The Supremes and had been crushing on a graffiti writer who's name I kept seeing everywhere, hence the line: 'every time I see your name/ I seem to hear sweet refrains.'"

The new track is off her upcoming album Persephone, which will be out later this year!

• Kirk

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“Claws” by Ellevator

Well this snuck up on me! Not only did Ellevator release a new song last week, but they dropped a brand new EP as well! Do The Words I Spoke Still Move You? features live off-the-floor versions of four songs from their full-length album The Words you Spoke Still Move Me.

You can check out the video for the new version of “Claws” below, and the EP is out now on Arts & Crafts!

• Kirk