Songs of the Week: August 28 - September 03, 2023

“Heaven's Gate” by Radar Peak

Take two parts PUP and one part Modern Superstitions, and you get Radar Peak. The “not-so-new” project from Nestor Chumak, Zack Mykula, and Matt Aldred just recently announced their debut album, even though the band ostensibly formed nearly 20 years ago.

The first single to show off the band is “Heaven's Gate”, which Mykula calls “the first song we worked on where it felt like we’d figured out what Radar Peak is. The three of us taking a thread of a song and spinning it into 3 minutes of melody and guitars and pounding drums and harmonies and a twin guitar solo for good measure. It felt good to be locked away together with our instruments, bridging the distance of thousands of miles, hundreds of gigs, a couple missed birthdays and life passing you by. This is us figuring it out together and coming out the other side in one piece.”

Have a listen below, and keep an ear out for more this year, when the self-titled album drops October 20th!

• Kirk

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“Not The Name You Say” by Hannah Georgas

Hannah Georgas’s new album I’d Be Lying If I Said I Didn’t Care is finally out in the world!
The latest track “Not The Name You Say” was released recently as well just ahead of the record dropping.
It’s a beautiful album that she took the reigns on and produced herself using analogue equipment. (Listen to the whole album by clicking here.)
She’s heading out on tour through the states with Broken Social Scene, and then kicking off her own tour, ending with a show in Vancouver at the Hollywood Theatre on December 7th, and I cannot wait to hear the new music live!

• Christine

Songs of the Week: July 31 - August 06, 2023

“Home” by Hannah Georgas

Swaying along to this dreamy new pop song from Hannah Georgas this morning!

“Home” is the latest of a handful of singles that have been released, as we creep closer to the launch date for Hannah’s new album I’d Be Lying If I Said I Didn’t Care, due out August 25th.

Of the song she says: “"I feel like the word home is really emotionally loaded and can mean so many different things to different people. This song is about dealing with feelings of being lost and unsettled, and comparing that to others who seem to have it figured out. It’s about a feeling of estrangement and exclusion, only made even more polarizing when you’re confronted with the opposite experience amongst your peers or in the media.”

Hannah also announced dates for Western Canada, and she will be performing at the Hollywood Theatre in Vancouver on December 7th.

• Christine

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“It Might Just Rain Like This For Days” by The Fugitives

Vancouver folk group The Fugitives are gearing up to release their sixth album in a couple months, with an eye to the current climate crisis.

The latest single, “It Might Just Rain Like This For Days” exemplifies the themes of the album, with singer Adrian Glynn explaining:
“We’ve decided to engage the immediacy of the climate crisis with music and lyrics that are personal, earnest, and unafraid of playfulness. Amidst our research, a side effect of our grief was a connectivity to others. As such, the album is not an overt call to political action, but an exploration of the joyful motivations behind standing up for the world, and a celebration of the wit, care, and resolve humans can display under even the most devastating circumstances. It acknowledges there's no help coming, it's only us, and that that just might be good — because one thing humans can excel at is forming and gaining strength from community.’”

The duo of Adrian Glynn and Brendan McLeod are joined by Chris Suen and Carly Frey for No Help Coming, which is out Oct. 20, on Fallen Tree Records.

• Kirk

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“Somebody Just Like Me” by Bahamas

Bahamas is looking very Ken-like in this new video for his latest release “Somebody Just Like Me” (I’m also obsessed with the Garth Brooks t-shirt he has as well!).

If you missed it, Bahamas has decided to release a country album, titled Bootcut, which is still very close to his signature sound, but with a little more twang.

He will be performing on the Sunday afternoon of the Ambleside Music Festival in Vancouver - not sure if it will be a full Bootcut style set, or a mix of everything (my hope).

• Christine

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: May 29 - June 04, 2023

“Better Somehow” by Hannah Georgas

We finally have a release date for the new Hannah Georgas album! I’d Be Lying If I Said I Didn’t Care drops on August 25 via Arts & Crafts, and the announcement came with a new single, “Better Somehow”.

The new single instantly became my favourite of the teases for the album, and Hannah explains: “I’m trying to be more honest with my feelings and be more comfortable communicating them. I think this track is quite vulnerable in that respect. It’s about being less self-critical and accepting the side of me that’s weird, insecure and has faults. I’ve been through many situations where someone has hurt my feelings by saying something offensive and I end up not saying anything about it and feeling resentful. I don’t want to hold on to negative thoughts and let them eat away at me. I internalise a lot, and this song is about wanting to be more open.”

Have a listen below!

• Kirk

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“Golden Days” by FRANKIIE

Happy release week to Vancouver’s FRANKIIE! Their sophomore album, Between Dreams, dropped last Friday and THIS Friday they’ll be having their joint release concert with Winona Forever at Green Auto.

Along with all of that awesome, they also put out another single and video from the record, “Golden Days”. The video follows “the inner world of a top-level gymnast, the unbreakable bond he shares with his coach, and the heartbreaking devastation they face after a sudden season-ending injury” (sorry, spoilers).

• Christine

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“You Get What You Give” by Mint Simon

I love a good cover song, especially when the covering artist puts their own spin on it. And that’s what Mint Simon has done with the New Radicals power-pop classic “You Get What You Give”

Aside from giving the song a synth-pop update, the video was shot at Montreal lesbian sports bar Champs, and directed by one of the owners, Sarah Watts. Mint also opened up about what the song meant to them, and the reasoning for the video:

"When I first covered ‘You Get What You Give’, I realized how much of a timeless, important, and empowering song it is. After having a really rough last year between personal and community trauma, the lyrics are something I needed to hear over and over. Maybe at first, I was singing ‘don’t let go’ to myself, but making this video to celebrate queerness has given it yet another life, and one that’s not just about me.

With all of the attacks on LGBTQIA+, horrific laws, and true and utter hate - we wanted to make something beautiful and joyful and celebratory; to show that no one can take that away from us. I want our community to see this and be reminded of their own queer bars and spaces, the places that shaped their youth as it did mine, the love and intimacy and beauty that is being queer, and to see queer & trans folks being happy and loved and thriving. Existing.

This is the most raw, real, and vulnerable I’ve gotten in a music video, there are no bells and whistles. It feels grounded and rooted in some really intense self-discovery, undoing my own thoughts and patterns surrounding my transness, and is just authentically me. I’m so excited to show and share this side of myself, and our beautiful beautiful community."

Get the music in you and give it a watch!

• Kirk

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“HUH” by Haviah Mighty

Okay, I actually had to get out of my computer chair and dance to this one - and hopefully you get a mid-day dance party too.
“HUH” is the latest from Haviah Mighty, after a few other releases this year, which hopefully means the new album is on its way too.

The new track is a very fun mix of a few different genres (hip-hop, house/dance, R&B) and it is hard to pin down in describing the progression, so I won’t!
Of the lyrical theme, Haviah says: “Huh is a tale of disappointment - following the narration of a desperate lover who is losing the love of their life, and vowing to change to reverse it all. Desperate to go back to how it was, they’re taking responsibility for the incompatibility, and suffering a mind/body separation of sorts-where their mind is wrapped up in the traumatic loss, unable to escape, but their body is free and has been let loose. They are living in two spaces, two worlds, and trying to return to perceived 'stability,' where ironically, what they want to return to, is the most unstable thing in their life.”

• Christine

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“All Your Dreams” by Blue J

Vancouver band Blue J has announced their second studio album, Deep in the Fade, with a release date (August 25) and a new single “All Your Dreams”.

The dreamy (yes, I know) little piano ballad is what band-leader Justice McLellan calls “an anthem to the dreamer”. It gave me images of a movie where a person is walking along the waterfront contemplating their life or decisions.
Can’t wait for more from the group!

• Christine

Songs of the Week: April 24 - 30, 2023

“Replacements” by Chromeo (feat. La Roux)

Starting your Monday morning off with the Funklordz, Chromeo, is never a bad thing.
“Replacements” ft. La Roux (who made an appearance during their Coachella set recently) is the latest release from the duo, who seem to be amping up to a new album release.

The end of the press release said “More from Chromeo is imminent” and they have announced a tour, with a stop at the Vogue Theatre on September 26th.
Have a funky day!

• Christine

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“All Of This Time” by Jenn Grant (feat. Bahamas)

Jenn Grant recently gave us another glimpse at her upcoming album, which is full of collaborations with some of Canada’s finest musicians.

“All of the Time” is latest single, a beautiful tune that Grant wrote with Bahamas.
Jenn says: “So wonderful to spend an afternoon working up this little ditty with Bahamas. I will never forget coming up with that chorus together in our little studio singing in harmony. His voice felt like a big ship taking me out to sea. Watching him play guitar, and then casually stroll over to the piano to add little bits of music here and there was mesmerizing. He thought he was just tickling the ivories, playing a few notes here and there for fun. We kept everything.”
And Bahamas adds: “So great to spend an afternoon with JG and sing together. I think this song officially qualifies as a ‘ditty.’ Wish we had more time to write a bridge but the guys upstairs at corporate had us working to a tight deadline. Hope you enjoy the results!”

Champagne Problems is out June 21st, and I can’t wait to hear the rest of the collabs, which include Basia Bulat, Dan Mangan, Kevin Drew, Slow Leaves, Joel Plaskett, Tim Baker, Hannah Georgas & Amy Millan, and more!

• Kirk

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“Beautiful View” by Hannah Georgas

I’ll tell you what’s a beautiful view…the sight of new music from Hannah Georgas in my inbox!
“Beautiful View” is the second release from Georgas after “This Too Shall Pass” off of the album that is due to come out this summer.
Of the song she says it is “about seeing the beauty in the things we can take for granted. It’s about having perspective and recognizing the things we often overlook. It’s about enjoying the moment, even if it’s not a breathtaking high or grand achievement. Instead of sweating the small stuff I’m trying to be more present and thankful. Zooming out and seeing things from that perspective isn't always easy and it's all definitely still a work in progress for me.”
I cannot wait for more music, the album itself, and then hopefully some tour date announcements!

• Christine

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“Your Favourite Place” by Noble Oak

It’s funny that get to write about this new track “Your Favourite Place” by Noble Oak, because I ran into the man himself this week while we were both at work!

In addition to the new track, Noble Oak is announcing that his new album When It Finds You will be released on July 8th. The new tune, which I find incredibly ear-worm-y, is a song about finding optimism and “the desire to return to a place of comfort”.

No show announcements yet, but I might have got the inside scoop, so stay tuned!

• Christine

Songs of the Week: July 04 - July 10, 2022

“Africvillean Fun” ft. Trobiz by Aquakultre

I’m heading camping in Ontario with my family (on a plane probably when this comes out) and I REALLY wish the new album by Aquakultre, Don’t Trip), was already out, because it seems like a perfect summertime jam album.

Will have to wait until the 22nd (of July) for the rest but in the meantime crank the speakers and open the windows or lie in the sunshine and listen to “Africvillean Funk (ft. Trobiz)”

• Christine

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“Right Love” by Hannah Georgas

Hannah Georgas is back with new music! Well, new to us, anyway. “Right Love” was recorded along during sessions for her 2020 release All That Emotion, but has only just seen the light of day.

Hannah says “I recorded ‘Right Love’ at Long Pond with Aaron Dessner and Jon Low while we were working on songs off my album, All That Emotion. We decided not to include it on the album because it had a bit of a different feel. I thought it would be nice to release it in the summertime (feels kinda summer-y), and while I've been working away on new music. It was inspired by feelings that come up when you meet someone new that you have a connection with. It all feels exciting and fresh. You want to be in the moment and not get too wrapped up in things, but there's a small part of you that wonders if it could be something more than a fling.”

Stream the sparking summer jam below!

• Kirk

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“In The Dark” by Blonde Diamond

Not only did we just get a brand new song from Vancouver’s Blonde Diamond, but we also got a release date for their full length debut!

The aptly titled “In The Dark” is a dark anthem (for seventeen year-old girls) about how high school was maybe not quite the best experience for some, with Alexis Young’s powerful vocals driving home that emotion.

The new album Magnetic Strangers will be out September 23, and you can check out the video for “In The Dark” — directed by longtime collaborator Brandon William Fletcher — below. (But note there is a content warning that the video contains depictions of suicide)

Or, if you’re heading up to the Constellation Festival in Squamish, make sure to catch them on the Friday!

• Kirk

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“Deepfakes” by Colyn Cameron

New song from Vancouver (and now LA based) songwriter Colyn Cameron, titled “Deepfakes” from his forthcoming album Freehand, which is due out August 5th.

Cameron was reading a book also titled “Deepfakes” by Nina Shick. “It got me thinking about this AI technology but also the veil of capitalism that we already exists under and how this particular corner of the near future relates to the mega-marathon of consumption and distorted nature of our current priorities,” says Cameron. “From my understanding, the fundamental anxiety of the tech is that we will have no way to decipher between the real and the unreal in the digital domain. And adjacent, how being an economic cog in the current era can feel like a burden, but also like you are burdening something. It can all make one easily feel replaceable, invisible, and yet responsible.”

Bonus? It’s also a super pretty song.

• Christine

Songs of the Week: August 30 - September 05, 2021

“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

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“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

Song of the Day: June 18, 2020 - "Dreams" by Hannah Georgas

Woohoo! We finally got a release date and album name from Hannah Georgas for her new LP!

All That Emotion will drop on September 4th via Arts & Crafts, and included in the announcement was a new single from the album, “Dreams”.

Of the single Hannah says it’s about past relationships and pushing people away because you’re feeling like you don’t deserve love - as well as reconciling that breaking down those walls.

Check out the song below, and you can pre-order the album (and some special bundle items) by clicking here.