Songs of the Week: December 02 - 08, 2024

December 09, 2024 by Christine McAvoy in Song Of The Day, Songs Of The Week

“Stardust” by Scenic Route To Alaska

Edmonton natives Scenic Route To Alaska have just released their latest album - Lasts Forever, and this week we got a new single as well.

“Stardust” is definitely a song you should watch the video for as it “explores themes of love and existential musings” and is set “against a cosmic backdrop”. The black and white music video has big 80’s vibes and was modelled after the work of artists like The Police and Elvis Costello.

There are no tour dates for the new album yet, but I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out.

Christine

“You Got Something” by TAURO

TAURO is the collaboration between jazz pianist & singer-songwriter Cynthia Tauro and Broken Social Scene’s Brendan Canning (among many, many other bands), and last week they dropped their second single, “You Got Something”

The new song brings to mind a late 90s trip-hop influence, with the director of the video Bea Santos agreeing, saying: “I knew that I wanted to make something fun that matched the fresh and idiosyncratic talent of Cynthia and Brendan, and looked and felt like it could have been on the Wedge (IYKYK). Some of the sequences in the video are an ode to the work of video artist Chris Cunningham and videos from artists like Massive Attack and Portishead. Ultimately, I wanted to create a moody, DIY vibe that underscored the song's melancholy and introspective mood.”

You can check that video out below, and while there’s no word on an album from TAURO, they have teased more… so keep an ear out!

Kirk

“Little Bit” by Larkin Poe

Grammy Award-winning duo Larkin Poe are set to release their new album, Bloom, on January 24th, and have dropped another single for us.

“Little Bit” is a tender and slow tune (especially compared to their single “If God Is A Woman”) and is perfect as the theme of it is taking time to be present and in the moment.

One part of the sister duo Rebecca Lovell says: “As touring musicians, we have cultivated a pedal-to-the-metal, high-octane culture, but the shine has slowly worn off that penny. ‘Little Bit’ is all about slowing down and savoring the precious little details, as lyrics say: ‘more ain’t always more than a little bit.’”

Their tour has been announced for the new year, and it will come through Vancouver on April 19th at the Commodore Ballroom!

Christine

Songs of the Week: March 18 - 24, 2024

March 25, 2024 by Christine McAvoy in Song Of The Day, Songs Of The Week

“If Something Is Good” by Adaline

After releasing various singles over many months, Adaline’s new album Hymnal has finally been released into the world.

The latest track is called “If Something Is Good” and it premiered recently on CBC’s “Run The Burbs”.

The album is based around Adaline’s reconciling queerness and her religious upbringing, and the new track focuses on just that.

She says: “It encourages us to fight for our valued connections. That if a church, a God, a belief system is truly good, it won't cause you to lose the people you love. Love doesn't cause estrangement or force you to choose at the expense of another. Love doesn't cause pain, loss, and confusion.”

Christine

“Lasts Forever” by Scenic Route to Alaska

Last week, Scenic Route To Alaska shared the title track from their upcoming album, Lasts Forever.

Packed with their usual infectious indie-pop, “Lasts Forever” is destined to be blasting on many road-trip summer-jam playlists this year.

Keep an ear out for the album when it drops on April 12 (and for their collaboration with Colleen Brown, Major Love, with their upcoming album too)!

“Hey Hey” by Sam Weber

I needed a sweet little folk song this morning, and Vancouver Island’s Sam Weber delivered.

Of the track, “Hey Hey”, Sam says it: “feels like an articulation and realization of the concept that the truth always rises to the surface. I feel like my understanding of it and how it reflects in my own life continues to change as time goes on. It's like it's still growing on its own, and I with it.”

It’s a beautiful little tune with Paul Simon vibes, perfect for a Monday.

Christine

“Are You Receiving Me?” by Stephen Hamm: Theremin Man

Stephen Hamm has been a stalwart in the Vancouver music scene for over three decades — as a part of bands like Slow, Canned Hamm, and The Evaporators — and last week he released the second single from his upcoming album, Songs of the Future.

“Are You Receiving Me?” delves into themes of “losing connection, longing for reconnection, and the poignant pain of isolation”, and the video, directed by Ani Kyd-Wolf of Sugar Skull Films, mirrors those feelings with the vastness of space.

Have a watch below, and check out the new album Songs of the Future. when it’s out on May 6th.

Kirk

Song of the Day: October 6, 2018 - "All These Thoughts" by Scenic Route To Alaska

October 06, 2018 by Christine McAvoy in Song Of The Day

Want a preview of what you might see tonight at the Wise Hall when Scenic Route To Alaska takes the stage?

Here’s a live video of their song “All These Thoughts” from their latest EP Tough Luck, which I’m sure you’ll hear much of this evening.

They’re joined by Vancouver’s JP Maurice and doors are set to open at 8pm!