Canadian pop-rock singer/songwriter Robert Corbett sets a nostalgic scene with this, his new synth-laden love song, “Drive85”

His sixth single, the Toronto-based artist uses the song to usher audiences on, not only a metaphorical musical journey, but one of the highs and lows of being in love too.

Check out “Drive85” on YouTube here:

Though the sonic elements of this spacey love song might inspire a happy-go-lucky feeling, the lyrical content is much deeper than it may seem on the first spin; Corbett reveals its creation spawned from the concept of trying to navigate one’s way through the denial of being in a great relationship — one that’s almost-ethereal — and the fear of heartbreak. “If you don’t put yourself out there, it’ll never work,” he considers. “Facing the possibility of heartache and loss is worth the gamble of potentially gaining real love.

We’re confident the current year is 2021, but one listen to Canadian rockers The Great Fuss and their new single and video for “Hairbrain,” and… It’s hard to not double-check the calendar!

An homage to yesteryear’s pulsing piano melodies and indelible electric guitar riffs, this Saskatoon-based four-piece goes for a generational collision, capturing a decidedly 60s vibe within a new-age kaleidoscope of rhythm and lyrics on the track.

On “Hairbrain,” the band explodes with chiding questions, including scathing sentiments like ‘You think you know what I’m after? I’ve seen your kind, it’s clear that you’re a disaster.’

Laced with low-fi pop rock riffs that earworm their way into your consciousness, the track’s accompanying music video showcases the band interspersed with places of travel, dimly lit, brightly coloured, black and white, in and out of focus.

Check out “Hairbrain” on YouTube here:

It’s ‘the thrill of the chase’ in this cut from California songwriter Bobbo Byrnes as he weaves yarn on the tale of a van of young American dudes ready to tear up the stage, night after night, in Canada.

Byrnes quickly sets the scene from the first sentence: crossing the border, passing by Niagara, and heading to Toronto to play a host of sets at some of the nation’s finest clubs along the troubadour passageway.

Byrnes chants, “chasing rock and roll for the rest of our lives.”

And aren’t we all.

In his signature melodic fashion, Byrnes observes the nightly pastime of many-a-rocker: winning over patrons and audiences alike, finding inspiration at the sound of a Blue Rodeo album, seeking refuge on the floor of hotel rooms for a few moments of rest, and doing it all again the following night.

What “Chasing Rock and Roll” provides the listener with is an insight audiences rarely get to see; the song delivers the inside track on the path to stardom for a band that kicks it nightly on the stage. Suddenly privy to the goings-on behind the curtain instead of dancing in front of it, Byrnes offers audiences a lyrical “backstage pass.”

Award-winning and Internationally acclaimed Canadian female vocal group ViVA Trio are set to summon audiences out to sea with this, their stunning new single, “Siren Song”.

Give a listen here on YouTube here:

The three-piece’s two sopranos Anna Bateman and Katya Tchoubar, along with mezzo-soprano Erin Fisher, discovered a rare silver lining in the interruption of their international touring schedule due to COVID-19; the newly-freed up time meant they could create some new musical masterpieces to follow their breakthrough debut, Nothing Else Matters.

Telling the ancient sailor’s tale of the ‘Siren’s’ hypnotic voice and powerful lure, “Siren Song” instantly surrounds, haunting and hypnotizing from start to finish between its electronic mixing and multi-layered vocal mastery.

Breezy Canadian folk-rock duo Robinson Kirby are off to “Find A Way” when it comes to lost affections in this, their heartwarming love-quest of a new single and video — available now

Freshly pressed from their 2021 seven-track album offering, Little Dreams, the rhythm section of “Find A Way” instills a sense of beautiful calm, reminiscent of a gentle stream while the satiny vocal tones send the listener floating through the song with a feeling of warming assurance.

The song features a graceful, echoey twang of the electric guitar, and its solo, along with the slide of the lap steel, tie the instrumentation together seamlessly. These elements combined create a serene audible flow that contrasts the turbulence surrounding the song’s theme based on the uncertainty of lasting love.

Love may be blind, but we can always find our way through. These sentiments are suggested by the lyrics: ‘I don’t look at you the same, since we played the losing game, but I will try and find my way.’

Check out “Find A Way” on YouTube here:

Top 10 charting Canadian folk-rocker Chris Ronald muses aloud in this, his new single “City Girl”.

Check out “City Girl” on YouTube here:

Rife with Ronald’s signature sound and Songwriter of the Year-nominated lyricism, the song serves as the first preview for the Vancouver-based artist’s forthcoming emotionally expansive album, Light & Dark (Borealis Records).

His fifth album release, the 11-track LP is steeped in Ronald’s British roots, poetic song craft, and buttery blend of folk and rock instantly reminiscent of 60s-era revivalists and 70s-era singer-songwriters.

Chinese American pop artist Alex Su stacks the building blocks of love with this, his new single “Jega”.

Drawing some 2012 The Weeknd vibes, he New Jersey-based Su takes audiences on a honeyed journey through the shaky ups and downs of a scenario many have been through: Deep in love, lacking control, carefully investing and building in a relationship… All just to see our efforts, heart, and ego tumble to the ground.

Love can be a playful yet dangerous game and, as the title provides in a clear, almost rough-hewn metaphor, Jenga (the game) is an obsessive and artful combination in concentration, soft movement, careful motions, and general unease. Not to mention, it often ends in a shocking, free-fall of disappointment.

“I love the game of Jenga and, one night, I found similarities between the game and toxic relationships,” he shares. “You keep pulling and hurting each other until the whole thing crumbles down.”

On a quest for emotional peace and grappling with the question “could anything more have been done,” indie rocker Alan Zreczny and his Chicago-based band bluefront deliver this, their newest single and video “High Time”.

“I think the song is about me reaching for an emotional space I have rarely, if ever, achieved,” Zreczny reveals of the song and its inspiration. “Although it was written with a relationship in mind, for me, it could apply whenever there comes a time — sometimes far too long in the making — where a certain kind of peace is achieved.

Check out “High Time” on YouTube here:

Well, with the annual day of ‘unbridled love’ long out of the way, Canadian rockers Dali Van Gogh are soldiering on with a brand new video and release for their favourite “anti-love song”; “Past Crimes”.

The freshly pressed video depicts two lovers at the onset of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic; it serves as an allusion to the stress and turmoil of the last year, and the toll it’s taken on even the closest relationships. It was originally envisioned as a live action story but, after numerous delays due to related restrictions, the band converted the concept into an animated lyric video.

Highlighted with a Tchaikovsky-inspired keyboard line, the song churns through a near-despondent ‘lost love’ narrative and the haunting consequences of old mistakes. The groove-centric duet features bandmates John Scotto and Rachelle Moreau trading lead vox as they’re supported by the rest of the Halifax-based five-piece: drummer Johnny Moore, bassist Lance Hicks, and guitarist Isaac Kent.

Canadian rock singer/songwriter Ethan Flynn steps to a mirrored surface to examine the varying depths of human connection in relation to oneself in this, his new single “Reflection”.

A fitting preview into the Maple, Ontario-based artist’s forthcoming album, The Pumpkin Club, this contemplative and captivating new single steadily carries listeners through a robust stream of sound.

On “Reflection,” oscillating guitar effects create an affable ripple, which is then harnessed by the undulating distortion of Flynn’s flowy voice and accompanying harmonies. When bound with the single’s lyrical themes of transitory relationships — romantic or otherwise — the music feels rich in texture. It’s like a river in song-form due to how effectively these conjoined elements illustrate the transience of our connections with other people, as the current of life carries us from them and them from us.

Check out “Reflection” here on YouTube:

Toronto artist, songwriter and producer David Bray adds another powerful R&B / Neo-Soul track to his repertoire with the release of this, his newest single, “Nothing Left”.

Featuring the outstanding vocals of his long-time collaborative partner Lorraine Reid, “Nothing Left” is the second single from his forthcoming album, Land of Extremes.

A follow-up to his critically acclaimed, internationally heralded and widely played previous single — and premiere preview to the new album — 2020’s “Overdue,” “Nothing Left” wastes no time to spotlight Bray's compelling lyrical flair and ear for musical hooks once again. The song is a devastatingly sensitive take on divorce, and Reid delivers one of the finest R&B performances likely to be heard this year; she stunningly captures the heart and soul of Bray’s striking and poignant lyrics resulting in dramatic, noir imagery.

Watch and listen to “Nothing Left” here on YouTube:

Psychedelic rocker Ethan Larsh is set to take audiences on an audible odyssey with this, his latest conception “The Emperor”.

The title track from the Waynesboro, Pennsylvania-based artist’s forthcoming sophomore album, The Emperor, the single immediately pulls you in with its enthralling riffs and bass line before bringing you to your knees with the resounding force of the organ's emphatic tone.

Check out “The Emperor” on YouTube here :

The pounding drums march along with the melodies to effectively usher in the message of “The Emperor.” Instrumentally, you’re reminded of and drawn towards what made legends — such as Hawkwind, Iron Butterfly and Deep Purple… All titans of the psychedelic rock genre. As such, the song’s nuanced lyrical restraint serves as a potent allegory to the conceptual foundation of the song itself.

Take a chance, if you want to have a future in the music industry!

If you aint’ first, your last! – Ricky Bobby.

That sums it all. Right now, the music industry is going through big changes, bigger than ever before. Like when Napster came around, when we went from vinyl to CD, from buying to streaming music. It has always been the ones that take chances that are the winners.  

Scott Cohen who started the distribution service The Orchard with Richard Gottehrer said in a panel we arranged, said when he had the idea of digital distribution, no one believed in him and was thrilled when Richard came along who was a big industry person, In reality, Scott had no clue if this would work. Later we had Richard on another panel and he remembered that he was insecure around digital distribution but he thought that Scott was young and probably knew what he was doing.

Canadian pop-punk skate-rockers Moore Ave Underground usher audiences into their dreamscapes with the release of this, their new single “6 Feet”.

The song’s inspiration stems from a subliminal vision band member Josh Gaudette had where his dad was dying, the band — which also includes Josh’s brothers Joseph and Jack, as well as Shawn MacDonald — shares.

Check out “6 Feet” on YouTube here:

“Essentially, he was giving me his last words, and pieces of advice to take with me into the future,” Josh continues. “But with my dad still being alive and well, it was even weirder for me being at his bedside as he was ailing within the dream. Even more disturbing was receiving the call that he was gone…

Ever feel stuck in the same place, wanting nothing more than to break free from inhibiting surroundings? Canadian alt-grunge trio Sunlust are here to pull even the most sedentary listeners out of such funks with this, their zesty new single “Action Figure”.

From front to back, “Action Figure” has more than enough oomph to shake even the most rigid of beings from their resolute poses with its frisky riffs and upbeat rhythm. As if that weren’t enough to get heads boppin’, the single kicks it up a few more notches during the bridge and chorus with its crunchy chords and guitarist-frontwoman, Stephanie Woulfe’s fun and raspy vocals.

Check out Action Figure on YouTube here:

Melded together with influences of grunge, garage, punk and alternative rock, the single itself is more radiant than the sum of its parts — and just as animated.

Canadian country singer-songwriter Tommy John Ehman is serving up his timeless new take on the Bruce Springsteen classic hit, “Hungry Heart”.

A multi-releasing and acclaimed singer/songwriter, this is Ehman’s (pronounced ēmn, with a hard ‘e’) first official cover offering, and lands a month after his not one, but two 2021 Saskatchewan Country Music Award nominations were announced: Male Artist of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year.

“‘Hungry Heart’ has been one of my favourite Springsteen songs, right from its original release in 1980, even before I knew it was The Boss singing it,” Ehman shares. “It’s such a classic. It’s simple, yet complex… Happy, yet sad at the same time… Thoughtful, yet spontaneous.

Give a listen to “Hungry Heart” on YouTube here:

Canadian composer Rob McAllister’s ambient, neoclassical project Music Within is set to soothe thoughts and ease minds with his new, dream-like single, “Reverie”.

Like watching the sun set upon a quiet hilltop on a summer night, “Reverie” is a tranquil, relaxing, and beautifully mellow composition. Featuring the arrangement of soft, gradual piano keystrokes adjoined with the alleviating reverb of the synthesizer, “Reverie” rounds out with warming strums of an electric guitar.

Listen and enjoy “Reverie” here:

The resulting dreamy sound flows through ears with ease, settling in the crevices of minds, and instilling audiences with a sense of peace. “Within you, there’s a place of escape; a place to reflect, reminisce and wonder; a place that’s all your own,” he expresses. “I hope this music might offer an escape for those experiencing a difficult time right now.”

British alt-folk, alt-Americana ‘Indie for Grownups’ act Wonders of the Yukon are at it again with this, the release of their new single, “Rachel (And All The Goofs And The Stars)”

Check out “Rachel (And All The Goofs And The Stars)” on YouTube here:

Just when you think you’re on the right path and have this folk-noir duo all sussed out, they come right back at you with their unnerving and unsettling existential commentaries, returning you to that feeling of not quite knowing where you stand.

It’s like: You’re in a familiar place, looking at something or someone you know like the back of your hand.

But…

Your head is cocked to one side. Staring intently. A furrowed-brow with lips slightly parted. A quizzical, marginally pained expression on your face.

Because that seemingly familiar image is different in a way you can’t quite put your finger on.

Toronto-based indie folk singer-songwriter Deanna Faye poetically contrasts the light side of love and its inherent pressure with this, her new video for “Reassure”.

That latest to land from her breakthrough EP, Good To You, the song grapples with the concept of love — and how difficult it can be to grasp. While the word, in and of itself, denotes feelings of joy and happiness, the reality behind such an emotion is that of balance; with balance comes weight, and “Reassure” exemplifies the beauty in the struggle in such a reflective way.

Check out the YouTube of “Reassure” here:

Frank Patrick, the Edmonton-born/Toronto-based adult contemporary musician, has released a new video for his emotionally-charged single, “Mercy”.

In this thought-inducing song — which echoes the struggles and sadness associated with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic — the award-winning singer gifts listeners with an offering of telling lyrical images, buttery guitar melodies, and emotional phrases, complemented beautifully by the harmonized backups of singer Rebecca Campbell.

“Mercy” was written by Frank months after the beginning of the global health crisis. He describes it as a “prayer for these fragile times.”

Check out “Mercy” on YouTube here:

He enlisted local producer — and long-time collaborator — Rob Greenway (aka brilliantfish) to not only play drums and keyboards on the special track, but to produce it, and create the enticing and just-released music video for it, too.