With Remembrance Day around the corner, people will wear poppies and reflect on those who made the ultimate sacrifice. But for Ottawa-based political folksinger Christophe Elie, the annual ceremonies and moments of silence don't compare to the mental, physical, and emotional turmoil each military person encounters in the line of duty. That cold reality is delicately but directly detailed in Elie's latest single "A Soldier's Face," a terse but tremendous song epitomizing the horrors of war and the psychological scars that run just as deep as physical ones.

As a young girl growing up in the Big Apple, New York-born singer Caroline Cotto couldn't get enough of "(She's) Sexy + 17," "Rebels Rule" and "18 Miles To Memphis." The songs were off the riveting 1983 album Rant n' Rave with the Stray Cats by the iconic rockabilly trio from Massapequa, New York. And Cotto loved the imagery of the rebel rockers. Now, Cotto has to be pinching herself as her latest rockabilly-leaning single features one of the Stray Cats, Slim Jim Phantom. The result is the catchy, groove-fuelled single "Lone Man."

"Brian Setzer, Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom were the perfect trio to me," Cotto says. "So when I found myself years later in the studio with Slim Jim, this was a dream come true."

When an artist has ridden his boundless creativity to almost unprecedented heights of commercial success, he’s practically obligated to share a little sunshine now and then. But in typical overachiever mode, the multi-platinum phenomenon known as Akon is letting the light in both musically and literally, with a new single that promotes his deep commitment to leaving the world in a happier place than where he found it.

The holidays are often a precious time for people, whether seeing family and friends for the first time in ages or simply waiting for someone's other half to land at the airport and hurry home. For Toronto-based singer-songwriter Victoria Carr, that feeling is vividly captured in the melodic, roots-based folk effort "New Year's Eve." It's a simple but poignant tale of waiting for that special someone to arrive and doing all the little preparations so their arrival is more welcoming.

"'New Year's Eve' is about waiting for the one you love to get home," Carr says. And that theme is apparent from its enjoyable start to its almost hypnotic conclusion. From getting the wine chilled to wondering where they're seated in their flight across the Atlantic to pondering when they've flown over Labrador, Carr paints a picture that describes the short-term happiness and elation the visit and reconnection will bring. But also the bigger picture thoughts of whether the relationship will last for years to come.

Sometimes, what people say to your face and what they say behind your back are more often than not two totally different things. Only true friends or loved ones will be direct. It's the sentiment that Oshawa, Ontario blues rock guitarist Stefan Palicki used as inspiration for the meaty blues rock diamond and his latest single "Blue Eyed Devil." Palicki says the song's title originated from a phrase his late grandfather used to say regarding people being somewhat two-faced. 

There's a classic adage that says those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it. And in a world where past injustices and inequalities continue to be uncovered while current injustices remain, that statement unfortunately still rings true. For the Calgary, Alberta rock group Redhead Mack Band, educating youth about rather recent scandals such as Canada's residential schools and the tragic price paid by Indigenous children is a difficult challenge. But fortunately, they've taken a great step towards creating awareness of universal injustices with the single "Oppression" from their latest album You Know That You Want To.

In 1964, the late Oscar Peterson released Canadiana Suite, an album based on a cross-Canada journey east to west that showed his love of thecountry through dazzling musicality. Now, 60 years later, Toronto pianist Rea Beaumont has crafted a very different ode, both to her homeland and life's journey, with the lovely single "Vancouver Vibe (Green Pieces)" from her excellent new album Enjoy The Journey.

"'Vancouver Vibe (Green Pieces)' is an upbeat, energizing piece that is perfect for Vancouver, where so many people are active -- walking, biking, hiking, jogging -- enjoying the outdoors and its impressive natural beauty," Beaumont says. "It's stunning. It is peaceful, but there is also a vibrancy that comes from the energy of the city, which inspired 'Vancouver Vibe.'"

Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/track/3pHUFvBDLjvNFFphbsiiAo

Toronto-based folk/singer-songwriter icon Ken Whiteley has crafted beautiful songs that have piqued the interest of children, gospel fans, and lovers of tasteful, highbrow folk music. Now Whiteley has again added to his rich discography with his latest single "Hole In The Clouds" from his timely, tranquil, and tremendously solid studio album Unseen Hands. For Whiteley, the 12-track effort features Whiteley performing on 12-string guitar for majestic results.

Hailing from Toronto’s vibrant Hip-Hop scene is Johnny Dubb, an artist who is fully committed to the local culture, and this is reflected in his upcoming work called “SLID’N”, releasing on the 27th of September, which will make a part of what he calls his finest work yet: 3rd Time’s a Charm. The album is a reflection of his evolution as a student of the Hip-Hop genre, blending classic influences with modern stylings. This project represents not just musical growth, but the culmination of hard work, experimentation, and learning.

You can call quirk-pop purveyor Hot Mud an optimist if you want; heck, on the right day, he’d probably agree with you. Just don’t dare suggest he’s naïve. On his new single, “The Best Life I’ve Ever Had,” the Ottawa singer/songwriter/visionary takes a hard look at his personal circumstances and decides his glass isn’t just half full—it’s a veritable Holy Grail, simply by dint of it being the only one he’s ever going to own. 

There are times in one's life when you realize life is precious, time is precious, and memories, despite illnesses that can make them disappear, can last forever. For Vancouver-Based duo Focus Your Audio -- Bobcaygeon, Ontario singer Sarah Stewart and Coquitlam, BC musician Bobby McAloney -- those feelings are vividly captured in the hauntingly precious single "The Long Goodbye." It's a gorgeous, tear-inducing effort detailing the topic of dementia and how difficult it is to see loved ones gradually slip away.

Although universal in its empathy, Stewart says the song was inspired by her nursing career and meeting a special elderly woman who was diagnosed w progressive dementia. “’The Long Goodbye' was written about an incredible woman, someone whose details I didn't want to lose," she says. "This song was based on a single mother who beat all odds, attended medical school in the '60s, and went on to have an incredible impact on the world around her."

Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/track/6abVxlgspK7F8JKp1isuzB

Canadian rock band Autopilot is thrilled to announce the release of their latest album, "Here Comes the Pressure," available today on all major streaming platforms. Following their successful series of North American tours, this new album marks a bold evolution in their sound, showcasing their unique blend of hard-hitting rock and introspective lyrics.

"Here Comes the Pressure" features 10 tracks, clocking in at just under 30 minutes, each a testament to Autopilot's commitment to pushing creative boundaries while staying true to their rock'n'roll roots. The album dives into themes of resilience, self-discovery, and the complexities of modern life, all set against a backdrop of dynamic playing and powerful vocals.

Like many people cooped up during the pandemic, Graeme Shaw, known under the moniker Uncle G, returned to some of his earlier loves, including music. Living at the time in Tobermory, Ontario, Shaw began playing guitar again, started covering a myriad of songs, and crafting amusing birthday ditties he wrote for family and friends. Now with that passion for his art fully rekindled, nobody's laughing at Uncle G's latest comforting single "See You Soon" from his thoughtful, honest, genre-bending debut album Where I'm From released on Simcoe Sound Record Label.

Uncle G says, "See You Soon," with its soulful, old-school arrangement, was penned for his nephew Malcolm, who was born during the pandemic. As much as the singer kept tabs on Malcolm through phone and video calls, it didn't resolve the physical distance. "I lived 300 kms away from him so I was pretty isolated from him," Uncle G says. "I would talk to my brother on the phone pretty much every day, and I would always say, 'hi and bye' to him. Then I'd say, 'See you soon.' One of the first times I hung out with him, I played him the chord progression from the song while he laid in his crib."

Toronto-based R&B singer Omar Lunan, now known as oH!, has been an industry veteran for over a decade. From starring on Canadian Idol to playing alongside the likes of Usher, Brandy Norwood and Ginuwine, oH! who is currently signed to S.O.G. Entertainment Inc.; distributed by Orchard-SONY is now preparing to make his solo debut with his new single “The Greatest,” out now. An eight-song EP is to follow “The Greatest” on Nov. 1, before heading out on a national tour, bringing his distinct and memorable musical stylings to audiences across the country.

When not in the group Moore Ave, singer-songwriter Josh Gaudette has plenty on the go in his own life. But Gaudette, using the name numberonesun, has opened himself up with the shimmering, highly contagious indie pop single "Over Again." It's a song addressing a personal issue that many have and can successfully deal with.

"'Over Again' is about discovering my issues with anxiety, learning what it feels like to me, how it presents itself to the ones I love, learning to live with it everyday, and working towards conquering it one day at a time," the artist says. "'Over Again' really punctuates the topics that surround the record it is preceding."

A musician's life can sometimes be glamorous but often involves a lot of time away from family, the rigors of the industry, and trying to keep a stiff upper lip often in the face of doors being closed or slammed shut. The temptations touring and the road offer can also destroy many physically, emotionally, and mentally as an artist tries to survive for the original love of creating one's art. For Toronto blues rock musician Frank Cosentino, the challenges of being a songwriter and performer are starkly captured in his latest weighty single, "Making The Rounds." It's a song Cosentino sounds like he's lived through and persevered.

Capturing mental illness in song is a dicey business. When somebody does it right, you feel like you’re getting to listen to the most poetic case study ever written. When they do it wrong, it’s like being accosted on the street by an actual mental patient who wants to sing you his very favorite tune. Which he just made up.

Suffice it to say that prog- metalers Derev get it right on their new single, “Room 9.” Very right indeed. Harrowing in all the best ways, the song chronicles the inner torment of an inmate in a mental institution who feels as if he’s trapped within his own mind as well—that his thoughts keep racing around and around on an “endless trail” that leads nowhere but back into the thick of an impenetrable maze.

Some guys just don’t get the hint until you paint a picture for them. Fortunately, Darline Desca is working with a full palette of colors. On her new single, the sensuously imploring “Do Me,” the Haitian-born singer makes her intentions plain to a man who can’t quite seem to get with the program. The result is an overtly sexy come-on that’s tough to misinterpret, no matter what language you speak.

“I was in this relationship where the vibes were strong, but there were moments of distance and uncertainty creeping in,” Desca says, remembering her inspiration for the tune. “The song captures that tug-of-war of emotions, how a guy can be amazing yet leave you guessing with his silence.” 

Just because Toronto’s Danceland owe their existence to The Grateful Dead doesn’t mean they can’t pay tribute to another musical legend when it’s warranted. Take “Steve Earle,” their new single that chronicles a night out on the town with the Nashville firebrand—a dinner to remember that, as it turns out, was put in motion by the simplest of requests.

“He was in town, and his label guy needed a couple joints,” Danceland singer-songwriter Joe Ferland explains, matter-of-factly. “My friend asked me to hook him up, and the rest is in the tune. I wasn’t really a Steve Earle fan at the time, so I didn’t ‘fanboy’ him, which I think added to the topics of conversation we ended up having.”

Toronto-based, JUNO-nominated artist DENIELLE BASSELS releases her first single “Lighthouse,” from her upcoming third album It Goes Like This, slated for release in February, 2025. Following her highly-acclaimed, JUNO-nominated Little Bit a’ Love, the new album promises a daring, imaginative journey – think Ella Fitzgerald’s grace clashing with Moby Dick’s epic narrative, or Nina Simone’s intensity encountering 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. “Lighthouse” will be out October 25^th, on all major platforms. For more information please visit any of the links below or Bassels’s website.

From a husky whisper to a full-on scream, and through that cycle again, "Lighthouse" builds to a wildly frenetic peak of interpolated piano (by Ewen Farncombe) and violin (by Drew Jurecka) solos, reflecting the intense internal turmoil in Bassels's soul. As Leonard Cohen said in "Closing Time," "The whole damn place goes crazy twice."