JUNO Award-nominated, jazz singer and songwriter Alex Bird is gifting Canadians a song dedicated to Thanksgiving - a holiday that, until now hasn’t had a dedicated tune in Canada.

Titled “The Sweetest Moments” and written and performed by Bird, Ewen Farncombe and the Jazz Mavericks, the track captures that fall, Thanksgiving feeling, where the air is crisp, and you can almost hear the laughter of your favourite people around the table and smell the turkey roasting.

Check it out on YouTube here:

“Thanksgiving is one of the sweetest holidays, which is why we couldn’t believe it didn’t have a song,” said Bird. “When we set out to write a Thanksgiving song, we thought about the sounds, the sights, the smells, the faces, the turkey and really tried to encapsulate that in a tune.”

Get ready for your favorite new, groovy, soulful tune because Ontario-based trio Road Waves’ new single, “Small World” – Check it out on YouTube here:

The trio originated in 2014 and quickly fell in love with cross-country touring. Of course, when the COVID virus caused an unforeseen pause for live music events, the band had to compromise. The group brainstormed the best ways to keep their strong relationship with their fans, deciding to perform live stream concerts and videos. The trio stepped up their game a notch and hosted drive-in concerts for safe, socially distanced live events.

The trio consists of Ji Sharp on Lead vocals and guitar, Matt Maxwell on Drums and Vocals and Dave Ruigrok on Bass Guitar. When the trio recorded “Small World,” Yo Izumita played Bass Guitar.

Baltimore-based Von Tae’s newest single is a masterclass in velvet delivery and silk sonic music production from start to finish. Reflecting on the trials and tribulations associated with day-to-day life, “On God” is a proficient retelling of mantras and wisdom paired excellently with a side of raw emotion.

Check it out on YouTube here:

Von Tae recounts his darkest days in this heartfelt track, revisiting homelessness in Atlanta, the death of his oldest brother, infidelity, and a global pandemic. The whole production is reminiscent of an intimate confessional – two strangers in a dark room, confessing their hardships and reflecting without judgment.

London, United Kingdom’s Vivienne Cure explores the dimly lit fringe of “Paranoia” – check out the YouTube Link:

Boasting electric lo-fi percussion and seething metal elements, Cure's vocals haunt the melody. “Paranoia” is a TV set to static before the paranormal comes to reclaim. It’s a sanity-questioning anthem, set to stun. Cure takes no prisoners; a siren in a lake of rushing industrial hard rock water. It captivates and claims the oxygen in the air, leaving you gasping for more.

The British born Cure is both a musician and visual artist. Her tenure in the arts bleeds together the elements of experimental soundscape doom metal and alternative gothic.

“My collection of musical works lay at the centre of a vortex of swirling fragments of deeply personal memories driven by my inner war and reaction to society’s underlying sadness,” Cure says.

Country singer-songwriter Travis Dolter has released his version of the classic ABBA song, “Does Your Mother Know.” The song, originally released on the Swedish group’s 6th album in 1979, has been covered in various genres, and this one, Dolter's version, is a fan favourite at his live shows.

"I have been a huge ABBA fan since my grandma first showed me the movie “Mama Mia”. When I saw a Ukrainian band performing “Does Your Mother Know” at a Zabava back in 2019, I decided to add this song to my set list. It quickly became a fan favourite at my shows that everyone loved! I am so excited to be releasing this ABBA cover, with my own twist on it!"

Check it out on YouTube here:

Last year, the Toronto-based folk-rock duo Robinson Kirby released a seven-song EP, Little Dreams, and a summer anthem, “Summer of Love.” Now, they add to their discography with a fresh folk jam, “Secret Lover” – check it out on YouTube here:

Robinson Kirby mentioned that their previous EP focused on songs “about love, searching for connection, and finding your place in the world.” “Secret Lover” picks up where Little Dreams left off with an ode to a blossoming relationship. Moments so novel you spend your free time sneaking around friends and family, eager to cherish those early days before the relationship blooms into something concrete and known.

Robinson Kirby mentioned that originally “Secret Lover” started with a slower melody and a completely different tone than the “upbeat, grooving feel” it emanates today.

As the unpredictability of this new world continues to spiral, London, Ontario-based Pop/R&B vocal quartet The McAuley Boys are back to remind us about the importance of family and human connection with their uplifting new single “I Can’t Wait To See You Smile” – check it out on YouTube here:

Real-life brothers Gary, George, Mark, and Randy McAuley deliver a silky-smooth auditory experience with “I Can’t Wait To See You Smile” while reckoning with the cold new reality forced upon us by the polarizing global pandemic. George McAuley captures the spirit of the music when he says, “It’s a timeless song that has a far-reaching sentiment. We need more smiling and more love in our world today…and always.”

Award-winning singer/songwriter and Chicago-based multi-instrumentalist Sarantos uses his charm to let the genie out of the bottle on his new single about the universal desire to achieve happiness with the retro-inspired EDM pop song “I Wish” – check it out on YouTube here:

Known for tackling deeply rich subjects through the magic of music, Sarantos delivers yet another profoundly personal song touching on the quest we’re all on to attain happiness. Sarantos captures the melancholy nature of life on “I Wish,” a track brimming with sonic personality that hooks you in with its catchy beat and synthy vibes.

Osas Igbinosun is a Nigerian-born artist based in Edmonton, AB who started his career by teaching himself songs on YouTube. His love for music began when he picked up his brother's abandoned guitar, and from the age of 16, he has been immersed in music, playing for his local church and worship team as a guitarist and singer. From there, it was a goal to only write songs that showcases Osasioo’s expansive voice like no other.

Listen to “Gravity” on YouTube here:

“I realized I was a trans woman between finishing and releasing this album. That presented me with an issue: I was ready to release this album but didn’t want to go through the release process under that old identity.”

Check it out on YouTube:

Those inspiring words come from Chicago-based Vanessa Thurlow aka co-founder of Opal Voss along with Kate Nikles, and as you can imagine, it’s as brave and bold as her 11-track pop-synth album that sheds light on her realized identity and viewing life through a lens of loss.

“Only in making these songs to work through the years of loss I’d experienced was I able to get a look at who I am separated from the circumstances of my life: Coming to terms with my identity as a trans woman, losing my father, COVID, difficult breakups, etc. I have always had a fair bit of distance from my identity.”

Your past doesn’t determine your future, you do - that’s the message of New Brunswick artist Upkvst’s newly-released single, “Midnight Club.”

Over a murky boom-bap beat that leaps the listener into a nighttime vibe, Upkvst delivers meaningful bars explaining the diamond in the rough mentality, shining in the dark, and pushing forward to forge a brighter future.

A Moncton-native, Upkvst has dealt with his share of troubles in his lifetime. The 24-year-old felt misunderstood and outcasted growing up, and it led to a dark path of substance abuse. But years of growth and reflection have lifted him from that place, and his confidence for his future will never falter. Everything moves up for Upkvst, the inspiration for the first two letters of his music moniker.

That mindset is central to “Midnight Club.”

Listen to “Midnight Club” on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/track/6YhznebFLTMCtgdcp3Lzsv?si=68adc7e05f764206&nd=1

The human cost of political inaction on gun violence and the meaningless “Thoughts and Prayers” from leaders that follow inevitable tragedy is the subject of Orangeville, Ontario-based rock band The Discarded and their provocative new single -

Inspired by the heavy toll and senselessness of gun violence across North America and the family unit within the band, The Discarded’s latest song, “Thoughts and Prayers,” accompanies a collection of exquisitely constructed tracks on the highly anticipated new album and soundtrack to the upcoming animated feature film, “The Getgoes.” The new record was produced, engineered, and mixed by JUNO award-winner and founder/owner of Green Door Studios, John Critchley (Elliott BROOD, Dan Mangan).

Indie folk-rocker Taylor Simpson is proud to announce the upcoming release of his sophomore album, “New Sights in a Familiar Place” on November 18, 2022.

Ahead of “New Sights in a Familiar Place,” Simpson has released the album’s first single, “Long Time Coming,” a nostalgia-riddled hymn to youth and indecision written and composed by Simpson and produced by Adriano Loparco of Stone Roof Studios.

Check it out on YouTube here:

Simpson’s new album will continue the concept and storyline introduced earlier this year in his full-length debut “Learning to Live with Precious Time,” diving deeper into his struggles with mental health issues, the complications of modern romance and the death of his parents.

Singer/songwriter Mark Oproiu and his mononymous named band – featuring Chris Tondreau (lead/rhythm guitars, production); Calvin Beale (bass guitar); Michael Farina (drums/percussion); and Joel Joseph (keyboards) have released their debut single “Need Your Love.” The incessant, groove-oriented rock pastiche finds Mark Oproiu snarling over a tribal beat while guitars are ablaze. The band perfectly emulates the raw emotion and drive that Mark dreamed of as a child.

Check it out on YouTube here:

The ever-collaborative methods of artist/producer nasmore and his chameleon-esque approach to the art of making music have seen his songs find incredible success in a stunning variety of different styles over the course of the past year. As he surges into 2022, he’s returned with a slice of Stadium Rock.

Check it out on YouTube here:

It’s getting harder and harder to trust in the political process these days, no matter where you are, and German alt-rock band Joe’s Groove Huddle captures some of that distrust and uncertainty in their pumping new single “Believe Me” –

Combining the driving, hard-hitting pound of stadium heavy metal with the funktastic groove of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Believe Me” treats the topic of a politician speaking out of both sides of his mouth. “Writing the lyrics, I was wondering how many political decisions are influenced by lobbyists, and where that will lead in the decades to come,” said bassist Jochen “Joe” Kinzig.

Hear my message in disguise
On the radio
And I’m sure you’ll pay the price
When it comes to show

The fire of passion and desire is perhaps no more evident in a dance form than it is in flamenco. The famous, entrancing Spanish dance has been deemed part of the World's Intangible Cultural Heritage for its spirited incorporation of poetry, singing or cante, specific flamenco style guitar and the dance movements themselves.  It’s much more than a dance style and a perfect way for international award winning, multi-disciplinary singer-songwriter, actor and dancer Harriet Chung to present her songwriting debut, “Place for Dreams”.

Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/track/7fuhIVc87Qct2OH5RkUA2H?si=sfhDkJCOQjGSK6gJpwMoxg&utm_source=copy-link&nd=1

A captivating tale of love and loss conveyed through the rhythmic hand claps and percussive guitar that are hallmarks of flamenco, “Place For Dreams” is an ideal showcase for Chung to channel her own creative fire.

Comprised of an intricate blend of pop fundamentals and Waterloo, ON’s Jai Bentley’s unique brand of laid-back heartbreak, this breakout artist brings a one-of-a-kind stylization to the ever-shifting plain of pop music with his newest single, “I Met The Devil,” – check it out on YouTube here:

Known primarily for his contributions to the rap genre, Jai Bentley is no stranger to genre-bending to tell a convincing story. Bentley’s stories of heartbreak and love are riveting, to say the least, making “I Met The Devil” a welcome addition to this young artist’s ever-growing catalog of music.

Singer/Songwriter/Square Dance Caller/Early Childhood Musician Hannah Shira Naiman is releasing her 3^rd full length album out October 7^th. Alongside is a video for the sprightly song “The Grouse.” Check it out on YouTube here:

The Wheels Won’t Go will be available on all major platforms and the video will be on YouTube.

Honoured with Traditional Singer of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards for her album Know the Mountain (2016), Hannah Shira Naiman combines her powerful songwriting and impressive musicianship to deliver exciting contemporary versions of traditional music she was raised on.

Probing intensely poignant themes of self-destruction and relationship turmoil, Chris Caulfield turns pain into alleviative art in “Walls Come Down,” a new single out September 2nd, 2022. The track melds unblemished trap beats with impassioned, 2000s emo-rock sensibilities, akin to the genre-bending amalgam of artists like Machine Gun Kelly and iann dior.

Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/artist/7g3mUTTgFVHHjfSW8UUXRU

The single chronicles a harrowing conversation between Caulfield and his wife, who sings alongside him on the song. In the Fall and Winter of 2021, the couple experienced a trying strife that tested their 12 years of marriage, but they came out stronger on the other side, creating a contemplative, conversational song that pulls at the heartstrings with the umbra of achingly familiar pain.