Toronto-based rockers Cigar Club have released two new contrasting yet complimentary singles, “Dark Market” and “Ocean Potion” both pulsing with the same buzzy, fuzzy guitar tone to make them two sides of the same coin, or sonic fraternal twins.

“Dark Market” is full of dark strut and swagger, infused with a dirty, gritty ’70s vibe meets the Arctic Monkeys. The song pounds with suspense and a gray, hazy feeling of malaise you just can’t quite put your finger on. All you know is that the morning’s dark and the coffee’s bitter and lukewarm:
Now you roll around the east of town
Where the creases in the streets pound through the seats into your soul
Falling and you can’t climb back now
Summer had danced with a frown
And an extended hand your fingers had found but it was cold

“This song came together almost in a blur,” recalls drummer Tyler Booth. “I remember hearing the chorus riff for the first time from guitarist Trevor Coughlin. That fat, fuzzy, in your face tone he had coming out of his Fender Bassman. Holy– I knew there was potential.”

“Dark Market” on YouTube here:

Some people say think if you do what you love for a living, your job is easy to do. However, this isn't as cut and dry as it seems. No one understands this more than Calgary, AB-rockers Redhead Mack Band in their new single "Pick It Up," the first single from their new album You Know That You Want To. Check it out on YouTube here:

The song opens with steady riffs from lead guitarist Lee Carlson and backup vocalist and bassist Jared Wiebe. Then songwriter and vocalist Kevin Phillips comes in with the first two verses, which discuss picking up something new and then learning to enjoy it. However, the chorus that follows shows how a personal passion can dominate your life once you start trying to make a living from it.

Thursday, December 14th
Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
Doors - 8:00pm

Hosted and headlined by Gavin McLeod, Jammin’ for Joy is an annual charity concert celebrating its 11^th year. The concert began more than a decade ago in Gavin’s hometown of Milton, ON, to raise money and toys for underprivileged children during the holidays. This year, the concert will be returning to the legendary Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto. Proceeds from every ticket sold will be donated to SickKids Foundation.

This year’s lineup will include an acoustic set by English singer-songwriter Zach Oliver, as well as performances by Niagara Falls-based blues/psychedelia band JIN and Gavin McLeod. ‘Performance times are as follows:
Zach Oliver (acoustic) – 8:30pm
JIN – 9:15pm
Gavin McLeod – 10:15pm

Tickets are $15 (+ fees) online, or $25 at the door. Tickets are available at www.gavinmcleodmusic.com or https://www.showclix.com/tickets/jamminforjoy. The event will include raffle prizes and special guest appearances.

Arturo Rojas keeps the music vibes alive after the recent success of "Te Diré" (Song of the Week on Toronto's Voces Latinas CHHA 1610 AM). Now, he introduces his latest single, "Entre Mi Fuego y Sangre" / "Between My Fire and Blood," a harmonious fusion of artistry and emotion.

"Entre Mi Fuego y Sangre", written by Rojas, is a personal artistic expression of positivity, after experiencing a near-death situation. "It made me wonder about life", the singer shares. "What comes after we die? Where are we going after death? Is there a place waiting for us after we pass away? But in the end, we need to learn to give…" Check it out on YouTube here:

Despite drawing inspiration from a challenging life moment, Rojas skillfully channels his emotions into a captivating ballad, effortlessly blending Latin, pop, and jazz influences.

Independent Toronto-based artist Alan Tuck is back with his latest single “By Any Means (Warriors).” The high-octane, blood-pumping track boasts features Chicago rapper iRoc Omega, who recently collaborated with Snoop Dogg, and award-winning Montreal-based rock vocalist and songwriter Bobby John. The result is an irresistible, genre-bending rock-rap anthem reminiscent of Jay-Z and Linkin Park’s stellar 2004 joint project Collision Course, tied together with a heartwarming backstory sure to make anyone a fan.
Check it out on YouTube here: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=1ra1mBaeJ1k

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Nothing worth having comes easy.

Vincent Teetsov has been steadily writing music and books since 2013. It’s been quite the 10-year ride, and it helped bring him to become the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for Toronto-based “tropical rock” band Blumarelo. It also inspired the band’s latest single, “Maybe You’ll Win This Time.” Check it out on YouTube here:

The song is a reflection of the decade Teetsov has spent roaming the path that was meant for him: the peaks, the valleys, and every terrain in between.

“At the core of ‘Maybe You’ll Win This Time’ is a story of patience, persistence, and frustration in the pursuit of one’s destiny,” the band said.

After spending the last 20-plus years focused on electronic music production and songwriting with an emphasis on dance music, independent Canadian musician Ryan Shane Owen revisits his roots in classical and traditional music with his new album, Wintersong.

Listen and Watch Myfanwy on YouTube here:

Ryan turns his electronic production skills towards music from the 15th to the 19th century, adding percussion and beats to bring a modern interpretation to the multilingual album. He sings in 7 different languages on Wintersong: English, Welsh, French, Italian, German, Norwegian, and Finnish. Ethereal, atmospheric, cinematic, gothic, moody, romantic, and mystical, the album explores old territory with a fresh twist.

Singer-songwriter Ron Kalmakoff’s music is so closely correlated with evoking vivid nostalgia in his listeners, that his fans asked for years if he would ever consider releasing a full Christmas album. This holiday season they are in luck, as his first ever Christmas single “Christmas Once Again,” just in time to incorporate into this year’s music memories. Check it out on YouTube here:

Before migrating to the west coast of Canada, Kalmakoff spent his childhood roaming the prairies of Canora, Saskatchewan, an experience he illustrates in an earlier song of his entitled “Where the Willows Bend.” In “Christmas Once Again”, he calls upon that same wistfulness, changing the lyrics of “Where the Willows Bend,” and inviting listeners back to that familiar special place in Canora- this time to stay for the holidays.

It's a tongue-in-cheek Christmas for London, Ontario's preeminent folk-roots collective Maggie's Wake. Their new single "Christmas Is Coming (for you)" on YouTube here:

 "Christmas Is Coming (for you)" is not your typical holiday single. Maggie's Wake's frontwomen Tara Dunphy (The Rizdales, Luther Wright and the Wrongs) and Lindsay Schindler (Rant Maggie Rant, Trent Severn) aren't afraid to get candid about the ever-expanding holiday season-- and how hard they often find it not to roll their eyes.

Listeners will relate to their quippy lyrics about spotting Christmas decorations pre-Halloween, accidentally overspending on gifts, and having to create "a gluten-friendly, vegan, pescatarian" meal the whole family can enjoy. But that doesn't mean Maggie's Wake has penned a new anthem for Ebenezer Scrooge!

There’s no better way to ring in the 2023 holiday season than with Sherri Harding’s enchanting new single, “Doin’ Christmas Right.” Check it out on YouTube here:

Produced by Dick Cooper, with Brian Cooper on bass and Rob Holtz on percussion, Harding’s new song is another project created in collaboration with The Cooper Brothers. Instrumentals by the world-class Muscle Shoals Horns inject warmth, energy, and a beloved holiday sound into the single. With all the makings of a holiday classic, “Doin’ Christmas Right” is a melody listeners will no doubt return to year after year.

Hani Abadi steps out from his comfort zone with his new acoustic project Tiamat.

With anything but a dull musical journey, Abadi has taken on his first solo project since being part of Bilocate, a dark metal band. Originally from what was formerly known as Yugoslavia, Abadi explains he is from a place that labels anyone a satanist for looking different or listening to music that is misunderstood. With Bilocate, he rebelled through music and even risked imprisonment with shows that were eventually shut down by authorities. Today, the musician calls California home, and he can’t recall the last time he performed the last time he played in his country, Jordan.

Now, after a history of musical rebellion, comes his first solo project: a collection of personal stories enveloped in a delicate and emotive album.

There's no such thing as too much of singer/songwriter Donita Large, and thankfully, she is back with her highly anticipated blues single, "Too Much of Anything.” After reaching the #1 spot on the Indigenous Music Countdown with her debut single, "Going To Walk That Line," fans have been wanting more. Check out “Too Much of Anything” on YouTube here:

When you can’t find your place, all surroundings are strangers.

It’s a dark, complicated world that comes with no manual. It’s a feeling that Hawaii-based MDMP founder and frontman Jeremey Meyer knows personally, and it was the motivation behind the band’s latest single, “Stranger Things.” Check it out on YouTube here: youtube.com/channel/UCEyEbuONOtWcMXru-CR4b4Q

 “This song is dedicated to everybody who feels they somehow don’t belong in this messed-up world,” Meyer explained. “I myself am a bastard child who tries to make the most of what has been given to me.”

That spirit is at the essence of MDMP, a one-man band with an endless list of members. Collaboration is the purpose of its existence, and it’s how all of its music has been made.

Los Angeles-based singer and songwriter, Z Chambers works through relationship woes on his Sweetest Lies EP, out now. This 4-track EP is a compilation of his recent songs and a story that unravels right through. On the EP’s lead single, “Sweetest Lies,” the singer gets candid about his most recent romantic connection. Check it out on YouTube here:

Centered around frustrations with his experiences in relationships, the “Sweetest Lies” project is delivered into four parts–four songs. Each track is based on lies, but unravels in special ways, inviting listeners to live through his deep lyrics.

Following on from 2022’s impactful Darkside of Christmas Chapter 1, Collette Cooper, known for her individual, unmistakable voice returns this festive season with Darkside of Christmas Chapter 2 (Thelonious Punk Records.)

Reflecting the current political and social environment caused by the impact of national and global events, Darkside Of Christmas Chapters 1 & 2 takes a more poignant approach to the seasonal album, aiming to recognise the recent difficulties that have been felt by many around the world, touching on themes of love, loss and empathy, tied together with wry wit, edgy humour and outstanding musicianship.

George Gagnidze is a talented Israeli/Canadian composer with a knack for curating gripping electronica compositions. Currently residing in Vaughan, ON, the artist has returned with a brand-new single “Composition 800.”

Written, produced and composed entirely by Gagnidze, “Composition 800” is an enchanting electronic composition to sink your teeth into. As you make your way through this track the artist takes you on an alluring passage of dark keywork and warped production – a captivating touch to say the least. Check it out on YouTube here:

With its loose, careening, ’70s rock ‘n’ roll style, you would hardly expect Toronto indie rockers The Alter Kakers’ fun-loving new single “The Great Upheaval” to be about something as highfalutin as fine art, but indeed it is. Check it out on YouTube here:

Inspired by The Great Upheaval art exhibit at the AGO in Toronto, the song is told from the perspective of painter Marc Chagall in the first verse (“I made my name as a painter; I helped create a new style, and we changed the landscape for a while”); and then Picasso in the second verse: “I’ll put your ass on a canvas, cut you into cubes; they’ll know your name but never recognize you.”

Get ready to groove with another timeless rock & roll track brought to life by Run the River, featuring Joel Manchester on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Chris Furlotte on drums, Rick Couture on bass with fantastic backup vocals, Ed Legge on lead guitar and excellent backup vocals, and Ross Kinney on keys.

Out now, 'Punch the Dark' stands as an anthem for bad days. The track commences with a dramatic opening driven by piano and guitars, giving you that span of a second to wonder what the next instrumental twist will be – exactly where the cheerful melody with classic rock & roll elements gets all your attention. Check it out on YouTube here:

The multifaceted musical artist Abøn has released her debut album Talon.

At the forefront of the album are the Canadian-Danish's gentle vocals. Her delicately mastered skill will captivate listeners from start to finish. More than just well-seasoned vocals, Abøn brings another edge to the pop-forward album. Her classical background is present throughout the tracks as well-orchestrated strings and expressive piano melodies flawlessly intertwine with catchy rhythms and well-thought-out electronic textures. Talon travels through beautiful harmonies bringing its listeners a sense of peace and allowing them to wander to a world of wonder and fantasy.

Things can get weird in isolation, and then add unemployment to the mix and you’ve got yourself a recipe for some wild, psychedelic trippy-ness. Such were the conditions leading to Les Moontunes’ dark, strutting, and stunning new single “Elephant Wizard” off their forthcoming concept album of the same name. Check it out on YouTube here:

During the thick of isolation in the Covid-19 pandemic, Les Moontunes’ frontman Miguel Dumaine had been laid off from work and his days began bleeding into one another, forming one long, blurry stretch unto nothingness. So he dug deep into his imagination and created a fictional character he christened the Elephant Wizard.