Songs of the Week: August 16 - 22, 2021

“Don’t Get Pushed Around (feat. Shad)” by Dave Monks

I will literally listen to ANY SONG that has the words “featuring Shad” next to the title, but seeing as it was a new song from the solo work of Tokyo Police Club frontman Dave Monks, I was going to listen no matter what.

Ironically enough, the song below is in Lyric Video form, but the only lyrics Monks says over and over are the ones in the track title: “Don’t Get Pushed Around”. Shad comes in about two thirds of the way into it and raises the word count instantly with his verse.

It’s a super catchy track and you can find it on his upcoming album I’ve Always Wanted To Be Me when it’s released on October 15th! (PS Shad’s new album TAO is out on October 1st!)

• Christine

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“Vortex” by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

16 years ago Nick Cave put out a three-disc collection of b-sides and rarities called, well, B-Sides & Rarities. In that time he’s released four new albums with The Bad Seeds, as well as other projects, so it looks like it’s time for a follow up!

B-Sides & Rarities Part II contains 27 rare and unreleased tracks spanning 2006-2020, including first recordings of songs, new versions of old favourites — like a live recording of “Push The Sky Away” with The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra — and unreleased tracks — like “Vortex”, a song that lives in the space between The Bad Seeds and side project Grinderman.

The new collection comes out on October 22 as a double vinyl or double CD, OR you can get a combo of Part I and Part II as a Limited Edition Deluxe Seven (7!) Vinyl Box Set.

• Kirk

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“Nothing Left To Find” by Del Barber

I wanted to include this live version of “Nothing Left To Find” by Del Barber this week because his new album Stray Dogs was released on Friday.
The album consists of a polished and reworked collection of songs and unfinished demos that Del had stored up. Using his time during the pandemic to put them together the result is a superb example of why Del is one of Canada’s best songwriters and story-tellers. Give the new record a listen!

• Christine

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“Strange Calm” & “Silver Lining” by Jasper Sloan Yip

Two more new tracks are now out from Vancouver’s Jasper Sloan Yip, whose new double EP, STRANGE CALM/BLUSHING AUTUMN, will be released October 26th.

Jasper says of title track off of the Strange Calm side of the EP is about how it is “an overwhelming time to be alive”. This is probably putting it mildly, but the song is slow and yes, is indeed calming. It’s definitely my favourite of the new releases so far.

”Silver Lining” was penned after hearing two ghost-adjacent stories that had Jasper thinking of the human soul and the idea that a part of us might go on forever.

Check em both out below!

• Christine

Song of the Day: June 19, 2020 - "Body Language" by Cherry Blaster

What to do when you’re set to make a music video and COVID comes along? Write, film and act in it all yourself of course.

That’s what Toronto artist Cherry Blaster did for her new single “Body Language”. It’s a fun, quirky song with colourful beats, and the guitar reminded me of Andy Shauf, but I can’t nail down which song.

Check out the video/single below!

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.

Song of the Day: May 29, 2020 - "Prudence" by Mani Khaira

I loved this new track “Prudence” from Mani Khaira, and when I read the story behind the song, I knew there’d be no way I could write anything that’d do it justice.
So I’ll put it here in full and you can listen to the song that officially premiered today!

”I wrote 'Prudence' shortly after an old friend had a photographer take my photograph. She had a photo of me blown up onto a 48/36 inch canvas, and then she painted on top of it. At first, she wouldn’t show me this painting and when I saw it the first time, I was like, "Oh, my skin colour is a little darker." She put a hat on me to cover my bald head, and there were glasses on my face and a cigarette in my mouth--totally not how I was when the photo was taken. I thought to myself: that’s her perception, it’s what she sees in her artistic mind.

The second time I saw the painting I noticed my skin was lighter and I was still wearing the hat, but the glasses and the cigarette in my mouth were gone.
It was very bizarre to watch someone else do this to my face, my image. Kind of like someone scribbling over pictures in a yearbook.

I sat at the piano and started blurting out how I felt, and this song came from these experiences.

Now, the song has taken a lyrical meaning of its own that I believe relates to everyone. We all wear these ‘masks,' showing our best selves first. 
Some people get us and some don’t and some create their own version of who or what they think you are.
I think this song is an inspirational piece reminding to reveal your true self at all times--no matter which angle you may shine.”

Song of the Day: May 28, 2020 - 'Living A Lie" by Royal Canoe

Earlier this year (in The Before Time), Winnipeg’s Royal Canoe decided to embrace their city’s reputation as the coldest place on the planet, and played an outdoor show.
In January.
In Winnipeg.

And if that didn’t already sound bonkers enough, they decided this live show would be played on ice. Not like Disney On Ice, but played on ice, as in, every instrument the band played would be made out of ice, making it look like they were playing in the middle of the Fortress of Solitude.

Some of the results of the live show is not only going to be available as a live EP tomorrow, but they’ve also put together a documentary called Glacial which debutes TONIGHT (5p Pacific) on YouTube.

Check out the video for “Living A Lie” below!

Song of the Day: May 27, 2020 - "Survivors" by Tim Baker

After an amazing debut solo album last year, Tim Baker is poised to release a follow up EP entitled Survivors, due out July 10.

The title track is the lead single, and alludes to the fact that the songs were written during run up to the last album. Baker says "I’ve always made twenty songs to keep ten, and the Forever Overhead sessions were no different. You’ve maybe heard some of the songs that didn’t make it, on the Side Door Sessions. Or you’ve maybe heard some other survivors at a live show. Well, some seemed so relevant to the current moment that they basically stood up and demanded to be let out. Being no tyrant, I dusted them off, smoothed their lapels, and resolved to send them on their way, on this new EP."

And speaking of Side Door, Tim Baker has a couple online performances coming up, on May 29 and May 30!

Song of the Day: May 25, 2020 - "Options Open" by Kathleen Edwards

After retiring from music and opening up her own cafe (ominously named Quitters) I never thought we would be hearing new music from Kathleen Edwards. But here we are, and I couldn’t be happier.

“Options Open” is the lead single to her brand new album Total Freedom, out August 14. Of her break, Edwards says “I had no desire to write, no desire to play. It allowed me all the time and space I needed to even just enjoy listening to music again. There were so many times where, if I was thinking about my own writing or playing, my heart just wasn't in it. I don’t want to write songs that are going to keep me in a dark place for two years. I didn’t have to carry a lot of the pressure of whatever course I was on previously…There’s a pressure sometimes to keep that ball rolling, and that’s what was so freeing about stopping altogether and starting again. I realized I’m entirely in control and deciding what my course of action is.”

Song of the Day: May 24, 2020 - "Sixteen Stares" by Aidan Knight

Oh boy, it’s new Aidan Knight! The last we heard from the Vancouver Island singer was back in 2016, but now he’s back with a brand new single, “Sixteen Stares”. It’s the first off his upcoming self-titled album, out August 14.

Aidan will also be jumping on Side Door for a show on June 5th at noon Pacific (but if you’re a 9-to-5’er like me, don’t worry, he’s also hinted at a more weekend-friendly show)