Songs of the Week: June 03 - 09, 2024

June 10, 2024 by Christine McAvoy in Song Of The Day, Songs Of The Week

“Big Feelings” by Arkells

Arkells just don’t have an ‘off’ mode. They just released their album of covers, Disco Loadout: Volume 1, and now ahead of their Big Feelings Tour later this year, they’ve dropped the eponymous song.

“Big Feelings” is a perfect title for the new tune, full of the band’s usual infectious energy, and singer Max Kerman explaining “In the studio, this track was a burst of energy and felt like it came together quickly. When you have something with propulsion, you just hang on and try to steer it the right way. Immediately, we understood it would be unruly, and that the spirit of the song was more about the collective unvarnished expression than any conventional ‘songwriting rules.’ The most satisfying songs are often the ones where we surprise ourselves.”

You can catch Arkells here in Vancouver on November 15 when they play Rogers Arena(!!) with K.Flay!

Kirk

“Stay Forever” by Begonia

After announcing her new album (Open Swim) and releasing the first single (“Get To You”) in April, Begonia has dropped a second single for us!

“Stay Forever” is a slow, melancholic song with Begonia’s beautiful vocals over a delicate piano, and is about being “free of self judgment and open to love”.

It’s a simple, yet gorgeous piece of work.

Christine

“Magic Wand” by Energy Slime

Energy Slime is back with a not only a brand new song, but a new album coming soon!

The duo of Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle announced their new LP Planet Perfect and gave us a hint of what’s to come with “Magic Wand”. The lead single may hit a little close to home for people — especially artistic types — in Vancouver, as it’s an upbeat, bouncy track about being priced out the city you live in.

Arner elaborates, “Specifically this is about trying to have fun in a place that is destined to become condos. In general it's about living in a city that is hostile to me and my friends. I've lived here my whole life but I feel like I'm being squeezed out.”

Check out the video below, directed and edited by Delisle, and mark August 9th on your calendars for the release of Planet Perfect, on We Are Time Records.

Kirk

“Ooh La La” by ADNAMA

It’s been a few months since we’ve heard from Vancouver’s Adnama, but last week she dropped her latest single, “Ooh La La”.

The simmering synth tune is “an 80's throwback to when soundtracks were great.”

Have a listen below!

Kirk

Songs of the Week: August 14 - 20, 2023

August 21, 2023 by Christine McAvoy in Song Of The Day, Songs Of The Week

“Who Am I Now?” by David Vertesi

David Vertesi is back and going through an existential crisis. The latest solo release from the Hey Ocean! member — and integral part of Vancouver’s music & arts scene for over a decade — asks the question “Who Am I Now?”

Vertesi explains “This song was born out of the individual and collective renegotiation of self that I have witnessed since 2020 and the beginning of the pandemic. With my band of 15+ years [Hey Ocean!] on indefinite hiatus, I was attempting to do this for myself, however, I couldn't help but notice pretty much everyone around me was doing the same: leaving jobs, moving cities, ending relationships. But whether mourning or celebrating the loss of our old lives it seemed like we were all asking ourselves the same question.”

“Who Am I Now?” features Vertesi’s trademark smooth vocals over a moody beat, and marks his first release through Vancouver’s Tiny Kingdom Music. So check below to find out who the hell David Vertesi is now.

Kirk

“Out in the Fields” and “Party Oven” by Kevin Drew

We’ve got a new solo album announcement from Broken Social Scene front man Kevin Drew, and it looks like it’s quite a vulnerable one.
Aging will be released in the fall (physically first on September 22, and then digitally on November 3rd) and was heavily influenced on loss, love, and illness of those around him, and the reality of aging.

Of the album the press release says it is “an album best played at the end of the night; a collection for the stragglers left when the bar is about to close; a serenade for those who are coming down; songs that are quietly sad but ultimately ruminative and comforting.”
The first two tracks “Out In The Fields” and “Party Oven” have major BSS “Lover’s Spit” vibes and I’m here for it. Can’t wait for more.

Christine

“The Cabin” by Haley Blais

Speaking of David Vertesi’s contributions to the local music scene, someone he’s been producing lately has been Haley Blais, who is giving us another peek at her upcoming album, Wisecrack.

Her latest song is “The Cabin” which she describes as “A sweaty, dehydrated memory of my summers spent in the cabin on the lake. It wasn’t our cabin — my dad’s brother’s wife’s cousin’s friends owned it or something — but it was ours. I had my first sips of beer, first almost kisses. It’s a fluffy recollection until the guitars break through with their overbearing distortion like a roaring tidal wave and I’m thrown back into the discomfort of real time.”

The video for was directed by Zia Kalyan, and features some familiar faces in Blais’ chaotic orchestra.

Wisecrack comes out September 15, and she’ll be celebrating the release with a show in Vancouver at the Hollywood on October 20th!

Kirk

“Let’s Do Drugs” by NOBRO

And now for something completely different… NOBRO’s first single of 2023 “Let’s Do Drugs”!
A fun, loud, fast, punk song, “Let’s Do Drugs” is one I can see a whole venue shouting along to.
Of the idea behind it, vocalist/bassist Kathryn McCaughey says it’s “a ‘dumb’ rock song about getting older…about wanting to have one more wild night, while having no business doing so and failing miserably. Musically it’s a middle ground between maybe ‘(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)’ and ‘Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap’ but only the dumbest bits of those songs, distilled into something even more dumb. It’s like shotgunning a beer then immediately puking on yourself.”
I don’t know if there’s anything left to say - I really hope they swing by Vancouver soon!

Christine

“Rise Up With Fists” by Elliott BROOD

Sometimes I’ll see a band release a track with the same name as another song, and be disappointed it’s not a cover.

Other times, Elliott BROOD will release an absolutely fantastic cover of the Jenny Lewis classic “Rise Up With Fists”.

The tune is the latest in their covers collection, and hopefully they’ll be playing this live on their upcoming tour with Shred Kelly, or at least when they hit Vancouver at the Biltmore Cabaret on October 6th.

Kirk

“Electric Dreams” by Adnama

Vancouver’s Adnama is back with her first new single in over a year, “Electric Dreams”.

The fittingly-titled song is an ethereal ear-worm, which “surfs on layers of synth waves while floating in a dreamlike state.”

Check it out below, and try not to get it stuck in your head for the rest of the day.

Kirk

Songs of the Week: January 31 - February 06, 2022

February 07, 2022 by Kirk Hamilton in Song Of The Day, Songs Of The Week

“Alternate View” by Anyway Gang

The Canadian Indie Rock Voltron known as Anyway Gang is back! A couple years ago Chris Murphy (Sloan), Menno Versteeg (Hollerado), Dave Monks (Tokyo Police Club), and Sam Roberts (uh… Sam Roberts Band) got together to jam, and ended up releasing a self titled album and playing exactly one (1) show.

Now they’ve returned with a brand new single, “Alternate View”, a psyche-tinged indie-pop banger that’s paired with an excellent animated video from Justin Hess.

Released on Royal Mountain Records, hopefully this single is just the tease of a brand new album and, more importantly, at least one more show.

Kirk

“With You” by Mo Kenney

The first new music of 2022 from Mo Kenney came out this week with the song “With You”.
Mo says the track about their “own messy, true-to-life experience with loss, reflecting on dashed dreams, miscommunications, and moments of quiet connection”.

It’s about heartbreak and accepting something can be painful, but you’re okay with that.
Hoping to hear more from Mo in the coming months!

Christine

“Human Like You” by Adnama

Since her debut EP in 2017, Vancouver’s Adnama has been releasing a slow drip of new songs exploring a variety of sounds.

Her latest, “Human Like You”, is a dark & pulsing synth-heavy tune, that’s accompanied by a video of what appears to be an extraterrestrial being staring directly into your soul for 4 minutes.

Check it out below!

Kirk

Songs of the Week: October 04 - 10, 2021

October 12, 2021 by Christine McAvoy in Song Of The Day, Songs Of The Week

“Recklessly” by JEEN

The new album from Toronto’s JEEN comes out in just a couple weeks, and we’re getting one last sneak peek with the latest single “Recklessly”.

It’s a gritty and driving song, with JEEN saying that “After a while, it can be hard to know whether you control your destiny or if your destiny is controlling you. ‘Recklessly’ is for when you can’t tell if you’re moving forward, or falling behind, and when it’s impossible to know where you’ll end up.”

Dog Bite was co-produced by JEEN and legendary Canadian musician Ian Blurton, and drops October 22!

Kirk

“I Give My All” by TITUS BANK

Another new track from TITUS BANK came out this week, and it was co-written with Toronto indie-pop group Valley.
”I Give My All” is about “lovers dealing with distance and embracing the mundane when together”.
In the video, Titus plays the guitar while a projection of home movies is displayed over top of him and on the wall behind him, and it even includes a proposal!
Give it a listen

Christine

“Nothing is Lost” by Luca Fogale

Luca Fogale has released an album of acoustic versions of songs from both is debut and sophomore albums, aptly named Other Ways.
The album also includes a cover of Joni Mitchell’s track “A Case of You”, but the song we have for you today is a wonderful piano ballad version of Luca’s “Nothing is Lost”.
The whole album is definitely worth a listen too - click here to stream it.

Christine

“Jungle Heart” by Adnama

Vancouver musician Adnama released a brand new single last week, “Jungle Heart”.

The tune has a simmering energy with driving bass, and vocals that seem to stalk you like the panther in the artwork.

Have a listen below, and hopefully it’s a sign of more to come soon!

Kirk

Songs of the Week: March 01 - 07, 2021

March 08, 2021 by Kirk Hamilton in Song Of The Day

“Honey Trap” by Kandle

If the first two singles are anything to go by, Kandle is going for a “Neo Noir James Bond” vibe for her new album, and I am all for it. “Honey Trap” is the latest single for the upcoming Set The Fire, and features some familiar voices like Louise Burns, Debra-Jean Creelman, and Kendel Carsen. A fierce song about “breaking free from a sticky power struggle”, it may not be a coincidence that the song comes out after Kandle leaving her label and releasing her first independent EP last year.
But hear for yourself, and check out the video — directed by Brandon William Fletcher — below!

Kirk

“I Got Love” and “Stay Behind” by Mother Mother

Not content with one new song from Vancouver’s Mother Mother? How about TWO? Their first new releases since blowing up on Tik Tok (I know, right?), both songs encapsulate everything you love about the band; “I Got Love” being brash and infectious and “Stay Behind” more chill and melodic, with playful vocals and clever lyrics on both.
Have a listen to “I Got Love” below, or how about “Stay Behind” right here.

Kirk

“Nightwaves” by Chad VanGaalen

I’m kinda sad this is just the song and not another gem of a music video from Chad VanGaalen but it’s still a great new track. “Nightwaves” is dreamy and odd - pretty much exactly what you’d expect from VanGaalen. Also completely on brand is the title of the new album that comes out on March 19th - World's Most Stressed Out Gardener. You gotta love it.

Christine

“4521.0kHz 6730.0kHz 4109.09kHz” by Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Okay, this one is less a “Song” of the Week and more an “Album Tease” of the Week.
A few days ago it was announced that the brand new Godspeed You! Black Emperor would be coming out April 2nd, but the band was very clear that “there will be no advance “singles” on SpotifApple or other streaming platforms. The record is not available for preorder on Amazon” so all we’re getting until then is the 60 second clip below. UNLESS you hit your local record store, which may be receiving an advance 10” and will be encouraged to share clips or play in-store. Find out more about that, or preorder the album G_d’s Pee AT STATE’S END! for yourself, right here.

Kirk

“Pissed at the Disco” by Adnama

I know CBC Radio 3 isn’t anywhere near what it once was, but every once in a while I’ll be listening and still find a new gem. Case in point, a few years ago I Vancouver’s Adnama, whose EP Ghost Like Me made its way into my regular rotation.
Flash forward to the present, where Adnama has released a brand new song, “Pissed in the Disco”., a synthy pop tune that very much sounds like you would expect from the title. Hopefully it’s a hint of more to come.

Kirk