Fear Not, the second studio platter from Cameron Blake, will likely end up being one of the defining releases in Blake's musical career. You can't accuse him of aiming low. Blake's dozen songs on Fear Not make use of a supporting cast numbering nearly fifty musicians to take on the theme of fear. The songs, in a variety of contexts, explore the subject without any sentimentality or straining for effect. They succeed in a major way, thanks to his focus on the reality of this subject rather than just some grab bag of tropes and easy drama. It's autobiographical, or at least that suggestion is there, but Blake has a sharp interest in the lives of others outside his sphere that's reflected in his personal journey. The greatest artists often bring those things that drive their daily lives into their art and it's, invariably, a beautiful experience. Blake brings that experience to its near zenith with Fear Not.

This is a simply lovely album from a UK outfit with a blues-cum-Americana outlook, feel and beauty. Fronted by guitarist and songwriter Richard Townend, the band is tightly controlled with hints of seventies US, West Coast, Laurel Canyon sounds and sensibilities.

In many ways this has a Knopfleresque feel but, having been listening to this outfit for some years now, it is surely time to shrug aside that sort of thinking. Maybe, and probably inevitably, Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits have been influences and interests back in the past, but Townend has clearly slipped off that yolk and moved on with his own distinctive style and delicious delivery.

The six members of Flatt Lonesome have grown a lot as individuals, band mates, songwriters, and musicians in the four years since they first appeared on the scene with a self-titled debut. This distinctive and retro-minded outfit has spent much of the early part of their run pay due deference to the rich history of country music, but these last four years has also found them expanding their purview to include increasingly sophisticated arrangements, more and more original material and discovering a wont for pushing the boundaries of the form while still loyally adhering to its expectations. There’s a lot of entertainment value spread out over these twelve tracks, but there’s also a feeling of life well lived that goes into these performances and they will likely strike a chord deep within listeners. Silence in These Walls is Flatt Lonesome’s best effort to date and sets the bar high for their future releases.

The imagination and depth of feeling that goes into realizing “Not Obsessed” make it much different than the average pop song. Severine’s single has the potential to break out in a big way commercially, but she takes no compromises to position the song in such a way. “Not Obsessed” comes off as an intensely personal lyrical and musical statement. Her youth is no impediment to projecting confidence and Severine’s vocal performance simmers with atmospherics and a satisfying emotional range. Severine was born in the United States initially, but her French-born parents soon decided to return to France and she grew up in an environment that promoted her musical development. The song’s subject matter isn’t necessarily remaking the wheel, but it’s equally impressive how Severine has established such a unique voice for speaking on familiar themes and subjects.

Recently in Toronto, Montreal's Caveboy blew the roof off at the Allan Slaight JUNO Master Class Showcase - demonstrating their innate power to command a crowd with their live performance. Sneak previewing their brand new track, New Touch - OUT TODAY, the trio had the audience grooving from the first beat of this tasty jam.

Renowned Montreal vocalist and songwriter Florence K is offering a holiday treat to her fans this season with A New Christmas, an EP comprised of six brand new, all-original Christmas soon-to-be-standards. Set for release on Nov. 17 through Universal Music Canada, Florence K co-wrote four of the songs with veteran Canadian hit-maker Vince Degiorgio, with two duets contributed by famed Montreal DJ/producer Stefie Shock. Sung in both English and French, A New Christmas displays Florence K's appeal in both languages, underscored by the EP's overall festive and jazzy arrangements.

"Some of the greatest tunes in the world, in both the jazz and the pop universe are Christmas songs. I wanted to give myself a shot at writing some new melodies that people could sing along to and whistle during the Holiday season," said Florence K.

Trevor Drury’s journey from a Southern California upbringing into the world of international modeling no doubt informs the vast experience projected through his songs, but Drury’s far more than just some visually appealing young performer. There’s genuine musical substance you can hear on his latest single “Trip to the Water” born not only from his personal experiences, but just as much built from a musical life that began when he was just entering his pre-teen years and later led to higher musical education when he entered college. His voice isn’t conventionally beautiful in the manner of some budding pop stars, but it has a natural sound and emotive capabilities possessed by few of his contemporaries. There’s immense stylishness that he puts into this performance you simply don’t hear in songs from many of those same contemporaries. “Trip to the Water” resonates as a song about very human yearning and an intensely personal statement.

“8th Day” was written by Brody and his long-time producing partner, Matt Rovey. Like his previous single, “Time”, this track from Beautiful Freakshow has a more traditional Dean Brody sound. “8th Day” pays homage to strong, confident and sometimes-complicated women who were finely crafted to be in this world.

“My fans mean the world to me, and a lot of them happen to be incredible women who love country music,” says Brody. “I wanted to honour all female country fans by giving them a song that is about them and everything that makes them wonderful. It’s a fun song that everyone can sing along to on the radio or at a concert.”

In honour of the release of “8th Day”, Wednesday November 8th will be dubbed “National Country Girls Day”. Country girls (and guys) can participate by posting photos and stories on social media with the hashtag #NationalCountryGirlsDay to win a signed poster from Dean Brody.

What with the Iranian cabbie banging South Indian bhangra on the way to the transformative music of the Miles Electric Band, crosspollination was in the air this Saturday night. Miles Electric Band focuses on entirely on interpreting the music of Davis’s electric period, when he released Bitches Brew, On the Corner and Jack Johnson. This however, ain't no tribute band. It does not faithfully replicate the songs; instead it holds to the spirit of the recordings, which was all about fusion and improvisations. The original recording sessions were convened with no music written down beyond basic song structures, the playing field that Davis required for what was to come. This is the jumping off point for the music of Miles Electric Band.

The latest offering from New Jersey, US, acoustic picker, Toby Walker, is nothing short of a complete, masterful tour de force of blues-picking at its very best. Walker is a guy who has been out there many years now, always happy and prepared to push the boundaries with his music and his sheer class act. Here, with ‘From the Ground Up,’ he has glanced over his shoulder, looking back to those remarkable songs and artists that first fuelled his own interest and love for the music as a teenager.

In truth, there’s a track version cover from almost every true, traditional blues giant included within this package: kicking off with Robert Johnson’s ‘Terraplane Blues’, Walker moves effortlessly through Blind Boy Fuller, Reverend Gary Davis, Mississippi John Hurt, Charley Patton, Fred McDowell, Lead Belly, and just about anyone you care to think of, tackling each style – and these vary enormously – with complete ease and towering skill and talent. And, as Walker explains, these are the tracks, the musicians who first fired him up, lit the spark, and whose work he still adores and returns to time and time again.

Lancaster, PA's August Burns Red have released release their new album, Phantom Anthem – the follow-up to 2015’s Found In Far Away Places, which earned the band a GRAMMY nomination for Best Metal Performance. The album is available now at AugustBurnsRed.com. Watch the official music video for new single, The Frost.

August Burns Red recently wrapped up their European headline tour for the 10-year anniversary tour of their much-loved album, Messengers (2007), and will be touring North America through the fall. Full tour dates below.

Canadian Country music has a new emerging power couple, Abby and Beamer. Each artist had already began planting the seeds of solo careers from different sides of the country. Beamer Wigley a feature in a recent Cashbox profile, from Penticton, British Columbia and Kingston Ontario’s Abby Stewart have just released a new single to radio, “What If They’re Wrong” to radio. We were fortunate to catch up with the duo while in Toronto at a CNE concert where they opened for superstar Brett Kissel.

Legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, Grammy Winner, New York Times Best-Selling Author, co-founder and chief lyricist of The Beach Boys, Mike Love, is set to release a special double album on November 17 through BMG. Entitled Unleash the Love, the albumwill feature 13 previously unreleased songs and 12 re-recordings of Beach Boys classics. The album is produced by Grammy-winning producer, Michael Lloyd. To listen to the title track off of the album, "Unleash The Love," click here: http://bit.ly/2wyosO9. The album will be released on digital, double CD, and 2LP formats. It will be available for pre-order on October 27- once pre-ordered, fans will be able to stream and instantly download 3 album tracks (Do It Again, Darlin' and All the Love in Paris).

In a world where the sum of our lives is defined through another’s gaze, genuinely unchained artists like Winnipeg-bred Hamilton-basedIskwé (pronounced iss-kway) are a rare breed. Named one of the ‘Top 10 Artists to Watch’ by CBC Music, Iskwé (‘woman’ in Cree) is set to release her sophomore album, The Fight Within, on November 3rd (Independent). The album features the new single Soldier.

Her unmistakable sound weaves her Irish and Cree/Dené/Métis roots with poignant politically charged lyrics, dark soulful R&B rhythms, electronic flourishes, and trip-hop breakbeats. Iskwé teamed up with several notable producers for the new album including The Darcys on Nobody Knows, Hayden Wolf on Soldier and Will I See; and Keolya on Sometimes and The Storm.

22 year old Londoner Nilüfer Yanya has revealed her new single "Baby Luv" -- her first release since the acclaimed Plant Feed EP in July. The single will be Nilüfer's first release on her new U.S. label ATO Records -- and Blue Flowers Music in the U.K. Nilüfer will also travel to the U.S. for her first North American shows at New York's Mercury Lounge (November 14th) and Los Angeles' Masonic Lodge at The Hollywood Forever Cemetery (November 16th).

Emerging in 2016 with her debut EP Small Crimes, Nilüfer Yanya has gone on to establish herself as one of the most promising British songwriters and guitarists of her generation. Nilüfer's 2017 follow up EP, Plant Feed proved her breakthrough moment with Pitchfork crowning her a 'Rising' artist, MistaJam selecting her as a 'New Name' on BBC Radio 1 and Broken Social Scene and The xx all handpicking her to perform as support at their headline dates.

Watch the video for "Golden Cage," which Pitchfork previously said "is the kind of song you love to sing, sure, but it's as much the kind of song you want to be":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbwZIRcsdDo

Videoman writes music for lonely people. On September 29th, the Montreal-based band  released their debut album, A Kind Of Serenity, featuring the album opener, Salt & Wine. Have a look at the video for the track here. The record will be available for pre-order on September 8th, with an instant-grat download of the first single, Adeline. The group will celebrate the release with a hometown show in Montreal on October 5th at Petit Campus.

After years in Los Angeles studying classical music, Videoman frontman, Pasquale D’Alessio, returned to Montreal and became a Resident Artist with Opera de Montreal with one goal: to compose an opera. Looking for a modern take for the script, he teamed up with musician and writer, Mitch Findlay. The duo began working on the story, and quickly realized the project was evolving. No longer an opera, but an album.

Toronto-based singer-songwriter Shawna Caspi released her fourth studio album Forest Fire on September 1st, 2017. Engineered and produced by Don Kerr (Rheostatics, Bahamas, Ron Sexsmith), the album is complete with Shawna’s remarkable lyrical fingerpicking guitar style, elegant arrangements and powerful messaging in which Shawna strives to be unafraid, to embolden quieted voices and to tell the truth above all else.

Dave Arcari is one of those guys that is often out on the road touring, gigging and travelling around his native UK, Scottish homeland, much of Europe and more recently the USA. Known for his hard, driving and percussive style, Arcari favours steel-resonator guitars and banjos for his, at times pretty unique, take on blues and roots music, with a fine eye for Scottish traditional folk music which he attacks with absolute confidence and thundering acerbity.

In many ways it’s hard not to think of Arcari as a bit of a ‘wild man’, a blues rebel with a purpose and power that spills out with every song he works. Most of the 26 tracks on this live release are self-penned and all feature his distinctive blues take and gripping, grit and whiskey-fuelled vocals. I’ve been a fan of this guy’s music for some years now and have caught his live performance where he really does come into his own clearly enjoying the performance and his audience participation.

Today, Lee Ann Womack has released the latest cut from her forthcoming album The Lonely, The Lonesome & The Gone the shimmering and ghostly "Hollywood." Written by Lee Ann, Adam Wright and Waylon Payne, the track poignantly portrays a relationship riddled with doubt and uncertainty.

As millions across the nation gathered recently in their respective states and towns to watch the Great American Eclipse, Prophets Of Rage: Tom Morello, Tim Commerford, Brad Wilk, Chuck D, B-Real and DJ Lord, have now debuted the music video to their song, Radical Eyes. The fiery anthem is featured on their forthcoming self-titled LP, set for release September 15th, 2017.

Says Tom Morello, “On the heels of this historic solar event let's all aim to eclipse racism.”

Burning with a razor sharp message and a deep, unrelenting groove, Radical Eyes is the third track to be unveiled from the band’s new album, following the previously released, Unfuck The World, and Living on the 110.

“The Western world has created biased structures and stereotypes,” explains Chuck D of the song. “Opposing viewpoints and movements are seen as radical rather than diversity. ‘Radical Eyes’ is the lens everything is viewed through, any life movement in opposition is considered radicalized.”