Edmonton singer/songwriter Vissia releases Place Holder

Fri Oct 06 2017
Vissia

Edmonton-based singer/songwriter VISSIA's new full-length album Place Holder will be released Nov. 10, coinciding with tour dates in eastern Canada (see full schedule below), and the launch of her own label, Hurray Hard Records.

Place Holder follows hot on the heels of VISSIA's three-song EP You Should Be Sleeping, which ARTISTDirect praised as "good ole rock 'n' roll from a powerful female songwriter. VISSIA might be a new name, but she is an old soul who bleeds blues."

Souleye Wildman

Fri Oct 06 2017
Souleye Wildman

Souleye has earned his spot among the most talented performers in hip hop today thanks to talent, hard work, and discipline coming together in one package. Another key and seldom discussed element driving such career is willingness to grow and Souleye, at every turn of his development as both a performer and writer, has shown an eagerness to widen his musical and thematic scope so long as it remains true to the essential core of his artistic and personal vision. He’s joined by visiting artists on a number of cuts and the guest shots that punctuate this album all serve a greater end. They also fully understand their role as guests and do a great deal to take otherwise fantastic tracks and make them even better. Wildman, taken as a whole, strikes you as the sound of an artist at the top of his game and it’s monumentally impressive that Souleye, this far along, hasn’t lost any of his appetite for communicating with his audience.

Betty's New Moon Comes Chrome Plated

Fri Sep 29, 2017

In these troubled times, Betty Moon wants us to all to chrome out and appreciate the bright and shiny aspects of life. So it follows that her current cookie Chrome is the soundtrack to all that appreciation, an on point SoCal NuPop sound filtered through Moon's quirky and all-embracing sensibilities.

“The name Chrome comes from an expression I use. When you think of chrome, you think of shiny, sparkling, something that mesmerizes you, the cream of the crop. That was how we saw the album, so Chrome it was."

If you're familiar with Moon's output, 7 albums staggering the lines between Goth, garage rock and metal, this shiny happy new thing seems to be coming outa nowhere. Truth is, Betty's always been a genre dabbler. While the lines she's blurring may have changed, the blurring itself remains, flirting brazenly with disco, clubby bangers, pure pop harmonies and Europop and techno throughout. Being Betty, the girl pop on " Bullet To My Brain" and "Natural Disaster" comes over like something Haim and Nina Hagen cooked up in a Detroit basement.

BTW Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers , Cold Specks, Tei Shi, Ol'Savannah, ScMira, Jessica Lea Mayfield, Tricky, Nice Knees, Little Steven and the Disciples Of Soul, Max Weinberg's Juke Box

Fri Sep 29 2017
Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers

Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers released The Long-Awaited Album on Rounder Records on September 22. The Long-Awaited Album, Martin's newest collaboration with the Grammy-winning North Carolina-based band, The Steep Canyon Rangers, is full of stories that mix humour and melancholy, whimsy and realism, rich characters and concrete details. And lots of banjos.

That instrument, dexterously, even acrobatically picked and strummed, is just as crucial to relating these new tales as the lyrics themselves, each chord and riff revealing new depths to Martin’s narrators and to his musical talent. Produced by Peter Asher, the new album is a collection of 14 stunning new songs including the boisterous and humorous new track Caroline, the deeply romantic tune All Night Long, and the fantastical song Santa Fe, which showcases the lively dynamic between Martin and the Rangers.

Proudly Canadian: Five Man Electrical Band (The Staccatos)

Fri Sep 29 2017
The Staccatos

The Five Man Electrical Band (originally known as The Staccatos from 1963–68) is a Canadian rock group from Ottawa. They had many hits in Canada, including the top 10 entries "Half Past Midnight" (1967) (as The Staccatos), "Absolutely Right" (1971) and "I'm a Stranger Here" (1972). Internationally, they are best known for their 1971 hit single "Signs”.

The band The Staccatos was formed in Ottawain 1963. It initially included singer Dean Hagopian, guitarist Vern Craig, bass player Brian Rading and singer/drummer Rick Bell (born Rick Belanger). Hagopian left after about a year, and was replaced by vocalist and guitarist Les Emmerson , who would become the band's prime songwriter, while Bell and Emmerson split lead vocal duties.

BTW Greg Allman, Van William, Nick Hakim, The Wilderness of Manitoba, Chad VanGaalen, Jordana Talsky, Julian Taylor Band

Fri Sep 15 2017
Photo: Greg Allman Credit Rolling Stone

So it's September and new releases are falling like leaves in my inbox. Love it. In no particular order, this week's sampling.

The final testament from an artist who shaped rock'n'roll, Southern Blood is Gregg Allman’s newest release since the 2011 Grammy Award-nominated solo landmark, Low Country Blues. It serves as a uniquely personal piece, featuring songs written by his friends and admirers (Jackson Browne, Willie Dixon, Jerry Garcia & Robert Hunter, Lowell George and Spooner Oldham & Dan Penn) and is a mix of classic rock & roll, blues, and funk, with emotional texture and powerful subject matter. Produced by Don Was, and recorded at the renowned FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, AL, Southern Blood highlights Allman’s legacy as an iconic singer/songwriter and exceptional practitioner of the American blues tradition. Harley Davidson will be honouring Gregg, a longtime motorcycle enthusiast, with special events across North America on release day.

Canadian Country Music Association Awards 2017

Fri Sep 15, 2017

Every year in September the pilgrimage to celebrate Canadian country music, its artists, songwriters, business folks, radio stations and fans kicks into full gear. This year the gathering was in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and for four days and nights the city rocked with Wranglers, Tony Lamas and pearl snap shirts. The days leading up to the Awards show are filled with old friends gathering together, road musicians reacquainting with compadres; they crisscross on the road with fans, radio folks and country music lovers. Late night hotel lobby jams are common place.

The 2017 Canadian Country Music Association Awards Show had Saskatoonians on their feet at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and Canadians from coast-to-coast cheering for all their favourite country stars on CBC when the awards were broadcast exclusively by the national public broadcaster at 8 p.m. (8:30 p.m. NT). In the action-packed two-hour event, eight of the most sought-after CCMA Awards were presented and fourteen exceptional performances blew fans away.

The Tenors Bring Harmony to The Holidays

Fri Sep 15 2017
The Tenors

Multi-platinum, JUNO Award-winning vocal supergroup, The Tenors are gearing up for the international release of their fifth studio album CHRISTMAS TOGETHER, out on October 13 through Universal Music Canada (UMC), the country’s leading music company, and Decca Records/Verve Label Group in the United States. Bringing the spirit of Christmas to their fans and to complement this release, The Tenors will embark on a 16-city North American tour beginning November 18 in Los Angeles, CA. Tickets for the tour go on sale Friday, September 15 at 10 A.M.

Dean Brody Live and Kickin’

Fri Sep 01, 2017
Dean Brody Live and Kickin
Dean Brody Live and Kickin

A beautiful summer night, an iconic venue, Toronto’s Budweiser Stage, a full house of pumped up country music lovers. What more do you need ? How about adding show that measures up to all the other ingredients? Well that is exactly what transpired in Toronto on August 24th, 2017.

Kelita Everyone Has A Story

Fri Aug 25, 2017

Kelita Haverland, singer/songwriter, motivational speaker and comedienne has had a very successful career so far but to hear her talk she is just getting started. And she is getting set to embark on yet another exciting chapter on her journey. “I am so excited to finally give you some amazing news! This is my 35th year of being a recording artist, and with that I am embarking on my 9th studio album called “Everyone Has a Story”. We begin recording in September, so the clock is ticking.”

Kelita goes on to explain “I am now crowdfunding for the album, which is where my fans and friends come in. The way the music industry is evolving crowdfunding is most viable way to record. It’s win/win. It gets the fans some unique perks and allows an artist to record their music with expenses covered by “investments by friends and fans. I decided to go with Pledge Music which is GoFundMe and Indiegogo but is just for recording artists.”

BTW with Sarah Slean, Leif Erikson, Elliot Root, Laura Rain and the Caesars, Megan Bonnell, Oh Susanna, TDotFest

Fri Aug 25 2017
Sarah Slean

Singer-songstress Sarah Slean has announced her upcoming Canadian fall tour in support of 9th studio album, Metaphysics. Metaphysics was released on April 7th via Cadence Music/Fontana North and features two CBC Radio 2 - Top 20 songs Sarah and Perfect Sky. This summer will see Sarah perform on Canada Day as part of the celebrations in Hamilton, as well as a performance at the Interstellar Rodeo in Winnipeg. On October 6th she will kick off her fall tour in Vancouver, followed by dates in Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, and Ottawa to name a few (full details below). In conjunction with the tour announcement - Sarah has released a beautiful new video, filmed on the streets of Toronto and featuring clips from PledgeMusic supporters from 5 different countries, for her song, Every Rhythm Is The Beat. "This song was inspired by my chance encounter with an extraordinary 31-year-old man on a GO Train several years ago. It ignited a two-year long correspondence," says Sarah.


New Quicksand Album Interiors To Be Released On November 10

Fri Aug 25 2017
Quicksand Photo Credit Atiba Johnson

New York City post-hardcore band Quicksand are pleased to announce the upcoming release of Interiors, their first album in 22 years. Interiors features the band’s original (and only) lineup of drummer Alan Cage, frontman/guitarist Walter Schreifels, bassist Sergio Vega, and guitarist Tom Capone. The album will be released on November 10, 2017 on Epitaph.

Quicksand have also shared a new video for the first song shared off the album titled “Illuminant,” the lead single and opening track from Interiors.With its heavy but melodic guitar lines, intense rhythms, and emotionally charged lyrics, “Illuminant” shows the scope of Quicksand’s influence on post-hardcore and indie-rock bands over the last two decades.

Recorded at Studio 4 Recording in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, Interiors was produced and engineered by Will Yip (The Menzingers, Title Fight, Pianos Become the Teeth). While the album finds Quicksand embracing the cathartic, guitar-driven dynamic of their earlier work, Interiors also takes on a wider spectrum of sound.

Anti-Flag Releases New Studio Album American Fall

Fri Aug 25 2017
Anti-Flag Releases New Studio Album American Fall

Anti-Flag's new studio album, American Fall, follows 2015's well-received, American Spring. With Good Charlotte's Benji Madden on board as co-producer, the band has intensified their signature anthemic style with bigger melodies, tighter songcraft, and thicker guitars.

American Fall is bold – both musically and politically – and Anti-Flag's time is now. With Anti-Flag, a new album is always a call to arms and a call to action that reminds listeners to question everyone and everything, including the current administration. American Fall arrives on November 3 via Spinefarm Records and as expected, it addresses issues facing America today like only Anti-Flag can.

The Beach Celtic Festival

Fri Aug 11, 2017

Although I have spent decades in the music industry, many of you know I have deep roots in the Celtic world, being a first generation Scot who was always reminded by my Mum about our heritage. As the story goes when she knew she was ‘going home’, she asked that we not mourn her but to celebrate her life and to hold our family traditions close to our hearts.

And so the Beach Celtic Festival was ‘born’. Slated to be a one day event only to be a celebration of life, thanks to the many people who have been there for me, we are now entering our 14th year in the beautiful setting of Kew Gardens in the Beach, Toronto, Ontario.

This year’s line up is stellar to say the least.

BTW-Austra, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Teddy & The Rough Riders, Mike McDonald, Hypoluxo, Sean Jones, Madison Violet, Hilario Duran, Dean Lewis

Fri Aug 11 2017
Austra

Carrying her masterful political pop album Future Politics , Austra return to Canada Aug.18 for a run of tour dates including Pop Montreal, Ponderosa Music Festival , and stops throughout the prairies. Full tour dates can be found below.

Austra's third LP, Future Politics, is the Montreal band's most ambitious record to date and calls for radical hope: "a commitment to replace the approaching dystopia," says Katie Stelmanis , who leads Austra with the support of Maya Postepski (Princess Century, TR/ST), Dorian Wolf, and Ryan Wonsiak.

Seether Releases New Music Video For Betray and Degrade

Fri Aug 11 2017
Seether Photo Credit Marina Chavez

Betray and Degrade, Seether’s newest music video from their seventh full-length studio album, Poison the Parish, premiered on Vevo August 10, 2017. This is the second music video the band released from their latest album.

Poison the Parish (Canine Riot / Fantasy), which hit on May 12, 2017, debuted at #1 on Billboard's Hard Rock albums chart, #14 on Billboard's Top 200 albums chart, and #8 on Billboard's Current albums chart selling more than 31,000 copies in its first week.

Most recently the band shared lead single, Let You Down, which sat at #1 across the U.S. at rock radio for four consecutive weeks.

Poison the Parish, recorded at Blackbird Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, marks the first album produced entirely by front man Shaun Morgan. Perhaps the heaviest and most expressive collection they've ever released, the album is earning their best notices in years.

Seether is currently on the last leg of their North American tour, and come September 10, they will embark on their European tour. The European tour includes stops in countries such as Russia, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, among others.

BTW-Moon King, Tara Beier,Yukon Blonde, Jerry Leger, Mike Monroe, Benjamin Booker, Figure Walking, Broken Social Scene

Fri Aug 04 2017
Moon King Photo Credit Devon Behelak

Moon King (Daniel Benjamin) returns with an animated visual for lead-single "In & Out" taken from his forthcoming tape Hamtramck '16 - out August 4 on Arbutus Records . Video animation is by Jordan Minkoff . On "In & Out" Benjamin says, "I made this in Detroit last September, very quick & dirty, mostly inspired by the music I was hearing DJs play around town ... it's a good tape to leave in your car I think." The new single also premiered on air courtesy of CBC q.

Doug MacLeod: Break the Chain

Fri Aug 04 2017
Doug MacLeod: Break the Chain

‘Break the Chain’ is the latest, twelve-track offering from leading US steel-guitar and slide master, Doug MacLeod. Recorded once again with Reference Recordings and Prof Johnson’s crystal-clear 24-bit set-up, this is an album that is bound to create enormous interest as is often the case with this guy’s music.

MacLeod is a regular award-winner; indeed, it seems that everything he delivers is destined to pick up national and international awards. Success is pretty much assured with this guy. As usual the tracks feature MacLeod picking and sliding with a remarkable ease and enormous talent and confidence. Accompanied by his usual, preferred sidemen of Jimi Bott and Denny Croy on drums and bass respectively, this outing also sees Macleod’s son, Jesse, and percussionist Oliver Brown step up to the plate. The result is a fuller sound than we have come to expect from MacLeod, who normally delivers stripped-back, pared-down acoustic blues with his signature sound and hints of wit and humour at the heart of his story-telling song-writing.

Geoff Gibbons: Buffalo Hotel

Fri Aug 04, 2017

Geoff Gibbons, a veteran singer/songwriter from Vancouver, has an excellent new body of work that really deserves to be heard. I was alerted to this talented performer by Canadian Pop Encyclopedia of Pop Music author Jaimie Vernon who had worked with Geoff with his band Silverlode. The band released two albums and garnered some airplay and recognition with the band.

Geoff started out with an acoustic guitar and a host of great role models, Cat Stevens, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell to name a few and of course The Eagles. All these influences are evident in his work.

Geoff has collaborated as a songwriter with artists like Jeff Carlisi of .38 Special-Lynard Skynard, Dawn Langstroth the daughter of Anne Murray and Nashville writers James Dean Hicks and Peter McCann to name a few. His songs have been used for TV shows such as Higher Ground, Just Cause and Robson Arms. Geoff also wrote the score and the songs for Lions Gate Film's "Wolf Moon" aka "Dark Moon Rising.”

BTW White Hot Guilt, Ember Swift, George Thorogood, Tim Moxam and Liz Stringer, (Sandy) Alex G, Rik Emmett, The Road Hammers

Sun Jul 30 2017
White Hot Guilt

Side projects are great evolvers of music and White Hot Guilt is on that from the get go. Change is good, and for Josh Warburton (July Talk) and Toronto producer Thomas D'Arcy (Small Sins/BROS./Tommy Hawkins) change was exactly what these two needed to fully discover their new side project White Hot Guilt. Out making the rounds is first new track, Little Things , off self-titled debut EP (TDM Inc.). All proceeds from sales will be donated to ' SKETCH ' - a Toronto-based community-arts-development initiative that creates equitable opportunities for young people homeless and on the margins from across Canada to experience the transformative power of the arts. Check out more info about White Hot Guilt at www.whitehotguilt.com.