Songs of the Week: January 26 - February 01, 2026
“Not Sorry” by Softcult
Ontario sibling duo Softcult officially released their debut full-length album When A Flower Doesn’t Grow, last week.
I’ve listened to some of the tracks that have been released so far, and with the addition of “Not Sorry” I’m excited to dive into the full album.
Of which the press release tells us that it was “written during a period of personal upheaval and self-discovery, the record traces a path through trauma, disillusionment, empowerment, and eventual liberation. The title itself comes from a quote that struck Mercedes at a pivotal moment: “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” That perspective threads through the album’s ten tracks, which explore cycles of oppression, abuse, and conformity, while championing the courage it takes to break free.
They will be playing a few headlining shows coming up, before hitting the road in support of LIGHTS. Right now there’s no Vancouver date announced, but there’s a nice little gap in gigs between Calgary and Seattle that hopefully we’ll see filled!
Christine
“The Hunt in Edson” by The Rural Alberta Advantage
As they’re about to embark on a quick jaunt through around The States, The Rural Alberta Advantage have dropped a brand new single!
“The Hunt in Edson” is a slow-burn that was inspired by two separate events that happened to singer Nils Edenloff recently, as he elaborates:
“I’m always surprised how the small events in life worm their way into our songs, or even multiple moments that seem unrelated at the time. Several years ago on a beautiful summer morning, my wife woke me up with a jolt when she realized that our cat Edson had brought a mouse into our bed. As surprised as I was, the mouse in Edson’s jaw was even more surprised when it was dropped and hit the bed, having been granted a new lease on life. From there, the mouse scurried up my leg trying to make a break for freedom and ended up behind the bed. The next several minutes involved a comical level chaos between us all, before I managed to trap the mouse and release it back into the yard.
Around the same time, a friend let me know that they had received some life changing news, and opened the conversation with a quote I was unfamiliar with … 'nothing concentrates the mind like a noose around your neck'. Somehow, both of these unrelated events kept popping up in my head as I was working on this song, wondering what the mouse must have thought about his unlikely escape that summer morning and how much it differed from what was going through my own mind in that morning.”
No word yet on their next album, but it’s always exciting to hear new RAA!
Kirk
“Days Of Our Lives” by Mise En Scene
Winnipeg duo Mise en Scene is back with a brand new single that heralds their next full length album, Drive-Thru Confessional.
“Days Of Our Lives” is a direct & emotional song, as lead vocalist & guitarist Stef Johnson explains it’s “about realizing you have reached a dead end in a relationship. Nothing’s changing, it’s the same arguments over and over, and you ask yourself ‘is this my life now?’ Producing this song was so fun, we knew we wanted to keep the earthy qualities of the acoustic guitar in it, but make it a grunge anthem with some Beatles harmonies.”
The new album was written by Johnson and drummer & vocalist Jodi Dunlop in a remote 100 year old family cabin in Gimli, Manitoba with producer Micah Erenberg, and you can check it out when it drops on March 6th!
Kirk
“Fabulous” by MEEK
Earworm alert!
I’ve had “Fabulous” by British artist MEEK stuck in my head since the press release landed in my inbox.
The singer is anything but her namesake, and proves the fabulous in the music video for the song.
I listened to the other two tracks she’s released (“Brixton” and “I Want Love, But Not That Much”) and she gives big Chappell Roan meets Adele vibes. She’s one to watch out for in 2026!
Christine
Peacelands by My Morning Jacket
Last week, My Morning Jacket announced they were standing alongside the citizens of Minneapolis with the release of an acoustic album, featuring stripped down versions of MMJ and Jim James solo tracks (like “I’m Amazed” and “Here In Spirit”) as well as some covers of iconic songs by Bob Dylan (“Blowin’ In The Wind”), The Velvet Underground (“I Found A Reason”), Brian Wilson (“Love and Mercy”), and more.
All proceeds from Peacelands will benefit nonprofit organizations, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Doctors Without Borders, and the International Rescue Committee.
In Jim James’ own words:
“Peacelands” is a word and concept created by visionary Louisville artist Mark Anthony Mulligan. An imaginary land of peace, friendship, and equality he created in his artwork - a place where folks listen to each other and find a way to get along in peace, friendship, and togetherness - despite their differences.
I think about this word “Peacelands” in our world all of the time, especially in troubled times, and we believe that it’s still possible for us to achieve Mark’s vision of Peacelands - a world of love and friendship - if only we can learn to listen, love, and forgive in paths of peace, acceptance, and tolerance.
We stand with the people of Minnesota and everywhere else affected by the horrors of ICE brutality and lack of human decency or transparency from this administration.
There is room for everyone to be safe and free and at home in this vast world and we need to find a new path together to safe and humane immigration policy and reform rooted in peace and love… safety and equality… and new systems of fairness, freedom, and transparent justice for all.
ALL PROCEEDS from “Peacelands,” an album of mostly unreleased, acoustic peaceful protest songs - some covers and some of my own - that we released today exclusively on Bandcamp, will go to organizations like American Civil Liberties Union fighting for our safety and freedoms here at home, as well as Doctors Without Borders and International Rescue Committee - organizations working hard to help heal the horrors of war and terror around the globe… working around the clock to help move us all towards “Peacelands.”
Artwork artist is unknown and comes from a handmade wood carving I found years ago at a second-hand store in Missoula called Circle Square.
You can grab Peacelands from Bandcamp now, and for an additional directory of activists providing crucial efforts on the ground in Minneapolis and elsewhere, you can visit Stand With Minnesota.
Kirk
