Life as an artist can be desolate and dire, but it can also come with ample moments of joy and happiness in simple things and making connections. Those thoughts about the highs and lows and rolling with the punches are perfectly captured in Winnipeg indie rock group Empaths In Retrograde's debut album The Great. It's an honest collection of genre-defying material speaking to vices and virtues using infectious, intriguing melodies and hooks, and incredibly accurate but gritty lyrical vignettes highlighted by the single "She Comes to the City."

"'She Comes to the City" is about the sacrifices one must make for the things we love," the band says of the single which brings to mind some eclectic collage of The Strokes and critically acclaimed Canadian group Constantines. "Written about a tumultuous long-distance relationship from January 2024, it was saved by guitarist Ryan Whiskey’s (Ryan Purdy's) insistence on its survival. His buzzy guitars compliment the catchy singalong hook of the chorus to create our best attempt at a song of the summer (as no one likes driving in a Winnipeg winter)."

The world can be divided into two groups of people: those who inherently believe in what messages or proverbs are found within fortune cookies and those who don't. For Southern Oregon-based folk roots musician Aliza Hava, she falls into the former. "I have a whole box full of them at home that I've collected over the past two decades," Hava says. However, a moment of serendipity arrived while working on her phenomenal new studio album Into the Light with producer Mikal Blue and, more specifically, the fantastic title track, which is also the album's lead single.

There often comes a time in a relationship when you realize that what used to sustain you no longer works for you, and that you need to move on. But what if the relationship is with yourself?

 On his new single, “Letting You Go,” Coquitlam B.C. alt-rocker Tim Steinruck confronts the man he used to be, and hands him a breakup letter that’s as eloquent in its execution as its message is heartfelt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSQI8cR_19E&feature=youtu.be

The Sun Harmonic are an Ontario based straight-ahead three-piece rock n' roll band; guitar, bass and drums. Recording is always live-off-the-floor in the studio. 

Their 7th full-length album is set to be released in 2025, ushered in by the first sing-along single "Homesick"  coming out Friday February 28th. 

Indie veteran and frontman Kaleb Hikele (guitar), with rhythm section Dave Skrtich (drums) and Ian McLennan (bass), are The Sun Harmonic. 

Elephants and Stars (proudly Canadian) are thrilled to announce the release of their new album, "Under The Earth And Above Heaven", produced by the legendary rocker Ian Blurton. With a sound that fuses high-energy rock, heartfelt lyricism, and anthemic melodies, this record marks an exciting evolution for the band. Fans have already embraced the first two singles, "The Ceiling" and "Strangers on a Train," both of which have been gaining traction with their big hooks and guitar driven energy. Blurton’s production has brought out the band’s full dynamic range, making this their most powerful release to date.

Mississauga-based jazz pop vocalist Heather Christine revisits her solo travels in France with a fresh, Latin-infused take on the Cole Porter standard, accompanied by the renowned Bill King Trio.

When Mississauga, Ontario-based jazz pop vocalist Heather Christine graduated from college, she set out for a solitary backpacking trek to France. That adventurous trip and feeling of empowerment at the time has now come full circle with her latest single, a fabulous rendition of the Cole Porter standard "C'est Magnifique." Accompanied by the Bill King Trio, and found on the forthcoming EP entitled Heather Christine with the Bill King Trio, the single is a trip down memory lane for Christine while musically having some lovely Latin edge and moxie.

"'C'est Magnifique' was the first cover song that I have ever recorded," Christine says. "It's a song that sweeps me away to my happy place. Traveling solo gave me the chance to push through my fear and revel in the delight of a dream come true. We captured the essence of this experience for me personally with 'C'est Magnifique.'"

When words fail, symbolism takes over. And West Vancouver indie poppers Focus Your Audio know a thing or two about symbolism, having just filmed a video that proves its emotional power in a stunning 360 degrees.

Their clip for “The Long Goodbye” is an extended visual metaphor for the ravages of dementia, as represented by a living room that’s progressively being stripped of its contents. Band members Sarah Stewart and Bobby McAloney perform the song’s poignant lamentation while the camera spins slowly around them; each time it completes another cycle; more knick-knacks and pieces of furniture are missing. All the while, the lighting grows dimmer, like a mind slowly losing track of its inventory. Amid that unfolding portrait of involuntary surrender, Stewart’s repeated refrain acts like a plea against the inevitable: “Stay with me tonight.”

The Long Goodbye

Powerhouse, JUNO-nominated Canadian vocalist DENIELLE BASSELS proudly presents her third original studio album, It Goes Like This. A testament to her singing and songwriting prowess, It Goes Like Thisis like a lush, cinematic journey, or an epic vintage novel. Under dim lights, with a bottomless glass of cognac, it invites listeners into a space where every note and lyric tell a tale. With vintage style, yet contemporary sound, it offers unique music that pushes the boundaries of jazz, and jazz songwriting. Performing with an eight-piece band, Bassels celebrates the album launch on February 13^th at Toronto’s Drom Taberna, 458 Queen St West. Doors open at 7 pm, an opener at 8 pm and Bassels goes on at 9 pm. Tickets are $22.63 at Eventbrite.

Think February is too early to start thinking about summer weddings? Ask a caterer. Better yet, ask 98º, who are looking ahead to the season of love with a freshly re-recorded and digitally remastered version of their classic “I Do (Cherish You).”

 Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/album/0XzaVuKFTZyDL4LsY9yEkX

Seeing release in plenty of time to be incorporated into a planet’s worth of nuptial plans, the new recording offers a contemporary take on the timeless classic that was a worldwide smash in 1999. Group members Nick Lachey, Jeff Timmons, Drew Lachey and Justin Jeffre are in better voice than ever as they revisit their swoony slow-jam pledge to love us from the depths of their soul, in a way that’s beyond their control.

“I’ve waited so long to say this to you,” they declare, in a statement that has even more romantic heft than it did 26 years ago. “If you’re asking, do I love you this much? I do.”

August 2 and 3: St. John's, NFLD August 8 and 9: Twillingate, NFLD

Not everyone can say they documented a personal epiphany on a barf bag. Yet that’s exactly what happened to Newfoundland-born, Toronto-based singer-songwriter Tonia Evans Cianciulli, who got the inspiration for her moving ballad “Bravery” while on a fateful flight to Vancouver.

At over 30,000 feet in the air, stuck in her seat for five hours between her two young children, Cianciulli found herself bedeviled by thoughts of worry—for her own safety and security, and for theirs.

“I’ve been no stranger to the feelings of being lost and alone in life, despite being surrounded by family and friends who loved me,” she says. “That day, my mind was particularly turbulent. I could also see my daughter, a tween at the time, struggling with her own heavy emotions. It was then that the realization hit: I had to be brave—not only for myself, but for my children too.”

We’ve all been there before: the dreaded “situationship,” that frustrating limbo zone that isn’t quite friendship but isn’t quite romance either. Yafania, Vancouver’s newly minted queen of dream romance pop, takes us on a guided tour of that misbegotten territory on “Don’t You Wanna Be With Me?,” a poignant exploration of unspoken love that perfectly captures the frustration and longing that come from being caught between what you have and what you want.

Tickets Now Available Here

 Step into the world of unparalleled jazz mastery with The Cookers! This all-star septet, boasting over 250 years of combined experience, invites you on a musical journey like no other. Led by legends Eddie Henderson, David Weiss, Donald Harrison, George Cables, Cecil McBee, and Billy Hart, The Cookers redefine the boundaries of post-bop jazz.

Nowhere to Hide Album Marks 13 Consecutive Weeks in Roots Music Report’s Canadian Top 10 and the Video Going Viral With 120,000 Views in 10 Days.

Watch on YouTube here:

 Reminiscing about the past can be a blast, particularly if the one you were with back then is still the same partner you're looking back with now. For Calgary-based blues and Americana singer Ollee Owens, that reflection is captured perfectly in her fantastic new music video for "Shivers and Butterflies."

The song, from her 2024 chart-topping album Nowhere To Hide, was inspired by Owens and her "guy" for the past 25 years discussing the early days of their relationship. From reflecting on the nerves or jitters both had before their first date to the "silly things we did to impress each other back then."

Musicians revisiting their discographies can shed light on a certain time and place. It can also be a reason to revisit old songs and see if there's a new sonic coat of paint that might bring them back to life. For Brantford, Ontario-based Americana musician KC Armstrong, the pandemic offered up time to rediscover old gems, including "Someone Else Tonight," the latest strikingly solid single, from his Finally Crafted album, teeming with passion and verve despite the recording process being the antithesis of the original approach.

There's no shortage of artists who are concerned about climate change, but for HuDost, it’s personal. Their impassioned new single, “Fire of Eden,” was inspired by an epiphany vocalist/lyricist Moksha Sommer had while on the road, surveying the damage wrought by the California wildfires. She could see that the environmental upheavals she had been witnessing for two touring cycles held implications that were beyond troubling—not just for her, but for the baby she was pregnant with at the time. And of course, for the rest of us.

If you want to get in good with your lover, write a song about them. But if you really want to seal the deal, write a song that describes them as a force of nature.

It’s what Toronto’s F-105 are up to on their new single, the frankly worshipful “Immovable.” Singer/songwriter/guitarist Din has cooked up an ardent little promise ring of a tune, in which he compares the object of his affections to a host of almighty natural phenomena—including, but not limited to, “An eternal light/ Even when you’re not.”

 “You are immovable,” the song’s habit-forming refrain repeats over and over, in a tone as admiring as its subject is inevitable.

Tour Dates:
February 28, 2025 Algonquin Theatre Huntsville ON
March 5, 2025 Sanderson Centre Brantford ON
March 6, 2025 Shenkman Arts Centre Ottawa ON
March 7, 2025 Living Arts Centre Mississauga ON
March 8, 2025 Rose Theatre Brampton ON

Canada's iconic music artist, Bif Naked, is starting 2025 with a bang, simultaneously releasing three singles in three distinct formats. These tracks showcase the breadth of her talent and her ongoing influence in the music industry.

The first single, Champion, serves as the title track of her current album and has been distributed to rock radio across Canada and international tastemakers. This epic track has already garnered strong reactions, setting the tone for a high-energy year. Her Royal Majesty’s Entertainment, in collaboration with Georgie Jett Promotions, is launching the single with renewed enthusiasm, aligning with multiple shows planned for 2025.

For most musicians, getting to record with members of the legendary King Crimson would be intimidating enough. For Jacksonville, Florida-based guitarist/singer Andy Toomey, it raised a dilemma that was even more daunting: figuring out something for them to actually play.

That’s the scenario that transpired early last year, when Toomey happened to notice that Crimson über-bassist Tony Levin and his offshoot project, Stick Men, were going to be playing a concert in Toomey’s native Jacksonville. On little more than a whim, he reached out to Levin and asked if he and his crew would be interested in doing a session together when the band hit town. The answer was an enthusiastic yes—leading to an immediate freakout when Toomey realized he had no idea what they’d be playing.

“Like the dog who caught the car, I panicked,” he recalls. “How could I write music that would be worthy of these amazing players in a few short weeks?”

The bikers’ famous credo is that we ride to live and live to ride. But Graeme Jonez wants you to know that it runs deeper than that. His new single, “Ride or Die,” raises the stakes of a life on the road to something truly metaphysical—an irresistible rendezvous with the infinite that’s just a full tank of gas away.

A gutsy, gritty piece of latter-day roots rock, the song is sung from the perspective of a rider who’s surrendered to the call of the “great highway,” trusting it to take him wherever it will. That road might even end in death, but he welcomes the chance to one day learn “the kind of things no living man knows.” In the meantime, he harbors “no worries about tomorrow/’Cause tonight it’s ride or die.”

98º is back and better than ever with their new single "Got U," out now, a heartwarming anthem of love, devotion, and connection from their upcoming album Full Circle (May 9th, 2025/ XOXO Entertainment Corp.) Penned by Alex Cantrall (JoJo, Toni Braxton, EXO, SHINee), Carsten Schack (Whitney Houston, 2Pac, Brandy, Usher), Kenneth Karlin (Backstreet Boys, Mary J. Blige, Monica, Sting), and Nick Lachey, the track showcases the group’s signature harmonies and emotional resonance. Produced by Anders Bagge (Celine Dion, Janet Jackson, Madonna, Santana) with polished finishing touches from 5x Grammy Winner, Orlando Calzada (Lady Gaga, One Direction, Beyonce) and mastering by Chris Gehringer (AJR, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, & “APT” by Bruno Mars & Rose), the 27-time Grammy-nominated & 3x winning engineer, "Got U" is a perfect blend of classic 98º and contemporary sophistication.