If the equation for a bop = pure fun x a bit of drama, Canadian artist Joshua Sade James and his new single “Closer” proves he’s a wizard with the formula.

Watch “Closer” on YouTube here:

“I feel like, if Twilight had a pop theme song for Bella’s mood swings between Jacob and Edward… This would be it,” the multi-talented artist explains. “I want people to start jamming out, then catch themselves saying, ‘oh, WAIT. I thought this was a happy song.’

“I wrote this song at the beginning of mine and my partner’s relationship and, over a year later, it rings more true than ever,” James shares of his personal and evolving inspiration behind the track. “Since COVID-19 restrictions shut down the borders, we haven’t seen each other in over nine months, so ‘(pushing) people out of my way to get a little bit closer’ doesn’t sound too far off.

“I bet it’s the same for anyone who’s separated right now.

Singer/Songwriter/Recording Artist Music....the universal language and no one speaks it better than Anthony Liguori. Perhaps you would never suspect this handsome down to earth talent from New Jersey of being so close to the truth, but he is. Fostered in the love of his music, he has overcome the busy and noisy sounds of his upbeat surroundings with the ease and beauty of a Bennett "sonata" and the gentle touch of a B. J. Thomas "rainfall".  Anthony has been able to remain true to who and what he is. Regarding his talent and direction in which he has moved his career, he has been a straightforward guy. 

His latest release – “Midnight in Memphis” is a fast moving rockabilly tune, a tribute to the King and captures the essence of Elvis. Whether you are an Elvis fan or not – the song is cleverly written, well-produced and has hooks all over it. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Check out this great song here:

An eclectic mix of genre-bending sounds pave the way for alt-pop band, the Morning Trips, and their new release, “My Parade” — check it out on YouTube here:

First on the scene in 2017, the Florida-based four-piece’s expansive sound has been described as by the Northwest Florida Daily News as “influenced by a gumbo of dream pop, shoegaze, R&B, and ‘80s music,” with founding punk-era nostalgia and saccharine synth mixed in for good measure.

The blend of comforting yet pulsating feelings ripple and resonate further with each riff; Morning Trips aim to be for all collections of people as they morph through soundscapes with their diverse approach to creating.

In a release that’s anything but “Futile,” Canadian rockers Derev harness the intensity of metal with atmospheric progressive sounds, all while incorporating elements of their Arabic and Armenian heritage in this, their propulsive new single —  check out the video here on YouTube:

The freshly pressed debut track for the Toronto-based three-piece features the guest vox of Adel Saflou (Ambrotype); its video then whisks audiences on a vivid journey through the mind of an individual who is exhausted from a life lived glued to a screen and yearns to return to a more natural way of life.

Canadian singer/songwriter and pop artist Kele Fleming has just released her latest single, “The Latest Meme” – Watch and listen here on YouTube:

Existential lyrics like “10 years on / So much is gone / Am I more weathered?” and “Age of distraction / What’s the attraction?” make it clear that Kele (pronounced Kelly) wrote this surprisingly upbeat and jazzy tune about the inevitability of coming to terms with aging and the overall struggles of staying adapted with the youth of the latest generation and their trends — the digital age, in this case.

“The Latest Meme” comes from the queer folk singer’s fourth and most recent album, The Song I’ll Write for My Whole Life (2020); the 10-track record marks her official comeback to the music scene, after nearly four years away.

Ahead of the release of her fourth studio album, Unfinished Business, veteran Leamington, ON’s singer/songwriter Francine Honey has released a brand-new single, “I’m Coming Home” — Watch and listen to the YouTube video here:

The emotional, three minute-spanning tune follows the bilingual Ontarian musician’s signature format as yet another blues-inspired country song jam-packed with a lifetime’s worth of raw emotion.

As suggested in the song title, the somber track is all about finally making the journey home after being away and missing it for so long. With the power and vulnerability of Honey’s voice, you might even think she wrote it, however, that was not the case.

“This is a love song, even though it makes reference to a felony or mischief,” multi-Gold and Platinum-selling Canadian rock star, author, songwriter, manager, producer, human and animal rights activist Bif Naked says of her new single, “Broke into Your Car” — Watch and listen to it here on YouTube:

“Whoopsie!” she continues. “But yes, it really is a nod to the lengths a smitten person — in this case, moi — would go to to gain the attention and affection of their crush.

“I love the imagery of sitting in the back of one’s love interest’s car, perhaps leaving Polaroid pictures (among other things) behind…

“The height of romance!”

The song follows 2020’s release of “JIM,” and a year of continued immersion in the community as a prominent activist. “Originally I considered releasing this track last Spring,” Bif recalls, “but with the ongoing pandemic, it seemed unimportant to me.

Ahead of their forthcoming debut studio album, experimental downtempo duo Anaté have released a stunning new single, “First Time” – Check it out here on YouTube:

The somber pop ballad is carried by a groovy drum and bass track which is accompanied by the ambient sounds of violins and a bone-chilling vocal melody.

A collaboration between French singer/songwriter Ana and Italian music producer, Andrea, the duo met in early 2019 during a trip to Brussels and — after having the revelation of sharing the same musical vision — have been writing and recording music together virtually since then.

The name Anaté, comes from the singer/songwriter and face of the project — whose full name is Ana-Maria Teodorescu. After being trained in classical piano from a very young age, she’s always been involved in writing and performing music; she is currently based between Paris, France and Berlin, Germany.

There’s no question about it: Canadian blues rocker Melanie? says “Be Careful With My Heart” in this, her latest single.

Check out “Be Careful With My Heart” on YouTube here:

Adding to her 500,000+ streams and counting, the new bluesy pop ballad is chocked full of emotion, tasty guitar leads and a simple, yet groovy bass line. It’s all par for the musical course for the Toronto-based artist (nee Melanie Goldman) who Clash Magazine recently described as “defiant in her outlook, staunch in her approach, and completely, utterly ruthless in her execution.”

Canadian artist ROGOV and former frontman of 80s-era rockers ARKITEX draws inspiration from Paris’ illicit and illustrious underground as he offers up an unrelenting new alt-rock single, “Dancing Girls”.

Watch the video on YouTube here:

Produced by long-time friend and collaborator — Gold- and Platinum-selling, award winning Canadian producer and former lead guitarist for David Bowie, Stacy Heydon (Teenage Head, Long John Baldry, Sheriff) — the track lands as a pulsating, beat-driven ear worm, enticing audiences with its infectious hook, introspective lyrics, and eclectic approach; in all, it’s a great time.

The second release to preview ROGOV’s forthcoming EP, Tourist, the song’s inception sprang to life one summer evening, the artist recalls. “I was walking home, past a book shop, and saw a book called The Crazy Horse Saloon in the window.

The veteran Toronto-based musician Trevor Owen has just released his latest single, “Horizontal” – Watch it on YouTube here:

Though the groovy two minute-spanning number was released as Owen’s latest single, it’s actually a cover of the 1940s tune by the famed American lyricist Hal David. “Horizontal” was the first success David actually enjoyed in his lengthy career, though it was soon banned in Boston for being too risqué... “Where lying down was apparently considered controversial,” according to Owen. The song was co-written by David and Lou Ricca.

Along with “Horizontal,” Owen’s accompanying debut album And the Moon Rising features three other covers and six original tracks. It was released last January and produced by Marcus Vichert. Owen began recording the album in 2018 with engineer Braden Sauder at Marquee Sound in Toronto, and the record was mastered by Stephen Stepanic at João Carvalho Mastering.

Multi-award winning artist and Barrie, ON-based Rupert (Ojiji) Harvey takes a trip down memory lane, extending his arms to “Old Friends” in this, his new video:
Check it out here on YouTube:

As both a solo recording artist and the founder of legendary funk band, Crack Of Dawn, and world-renowned Reggae outfit, Messenjah, Harvey has been an iconic mainstay on the Canadian music scene for more than four decades and counting. Along the way, he’s stacked a tower of awards, including a JUNO, CASBY, and the Q107 Music Award. Inducted into the Canadian Reggae Music Hall of Fame, Harvey’s music has been featured in several television and movie soundtracks; there was also a cameo appearance in the movie Cocktail.

As a follow up to the successful single “Silent Waves,” emerging international artist Gabriel Vargas has released an emotive version of the Tea Party hit, “Heaven Coming Down” watch it here:

First released by the Canadian band in 1999 where it reached #1 on International charts, Vargas has breathed new life into the song with a piano-laden, mournful version that creates a dynamic new sound to accompany the haunting lyrics, serving as a tribute to what drew him to the original version way back when.

A friend and touring partner of The Tea Party’s acclaimed lead singer, Jeff Martin, Vargas was hesitant at first to cover a track written by someone he considers a mentor. “My cover of ‘Heaven Coming Down’ was a beautiful accident,” Vargas recalls. “During rehearsal, I was running through a chord progression that reminded me of the song and, next thing you know, I was singing the lyrics.

First at it in 1977, Peterborough and Belleville, ON’s outfit Bentwood Rocker continue to craft their legacy in the making with this, the first installments of their new visual album.

Fans of the five-piece were treated to the first taste with the double release of “I’m Not Taken” and “Give Her An Inch” this month. The Ontario-based rockers have five additional songs to follow, all professionally captured via Empire Theatre’s Music City Mondays series — a pandemic-related initiative by the Belleville-based venue.

Watch Bentwood Rocker - Empire Theatre Live – ‘I'm Not Taken’ here:

“This is the first time in our over 40 years together that the band has been recorded live!” they marvel.
It’s yet another milestone for members Dan Thompson, Eric Baragar, Mike Goettler, Barry Haggarty, and Steve Smith.

Watch Bentwood Rocker Empire Theatre Live – ‘Give Her An Inch’ here:

Multi-platinum/gold selling and award-winning artist Jesse Cook wants to “Say Something” this year with the release of his new single.

“It’s not often a song stops you in your tracks and demands your attention,” the internationally acclaimed guitarist, composer and producer shares, “but A Great Big World’s ‘Say Something’ did that for me.

Check out ‘Say Something’ on YouTube here:

“The first time I heard it, I think I cried,” Cook continues. “The lyrics were so raw and deeply personal… We’ve all been there, having to walk away from someone you love; its emotional honesty is what makes it so universal.”

Fans of both will recognize the song’s timeless arresting and enveloping effect artfully woven within Cook’s own brand of musical magic.

The coming of a new year often fills people with a great deal of hope and ambition to make a difference and do something noteworthy; whether that’s for themselves or others. Well, only one week in and Canadian pop singer Kathryn Sinopoli has already done just that, with a song by the name of “Waterproof”.

Check out “Waterproof” on YouTube here:

With this track, not only has the St. Catharines-based artist managed to leave some of the demons of 2020 in her past, but she’s released possibly her most powerful and inspiring single to date.

Along with producer Derek Elliotson, Sinopoli penned “Waterproof” last August after experiencing what she said was a “long conversation with a counsellor.” The reflective, piano-driven ballad is about a personal relationship which didn’t work out, according to the singer/songwriter.

Canadian pop/soul singer/songwriter Alexandra Beck is clearing the way for matters of the heart with the release of her official debut double-single, “Blemished” and “Blew It”.

Watch and listen to “Blemished” here:
music.youtube.com/watch?v=rDHvJkU_zJM&list=RDAMVMrDHvJkU_zJM

“This collection portrays the two extremes that love can make us feel,” Beck shares. “I wanted to show how, one day, a person experiencing romantic love can feel completely and utterly euphoric and, the next day, the extreme pain of loss.”

The two releases — smoothly packaged as Blemished — take swift strides in showcasing the Saskatoon-born, Vancouver-based artist’s dynamic range; her first demo, “Non Lo So” featured Nik Pesut (Carly Rae Jepsen), and she also songwrites for other artists. In New York, she’s performed solo at the Lincoln Centre and the Bitter End, and was also a finalist in the Canadian Music Week x Jim Beam National Talent Search in August of last year.

Multi-award winning Canadian blue-collar country outlaws The Divorcees are taking a moment to reflect with the announcement of their new album, Drop of Blood.

The release includes the premiere single, “Dying Breed” – watch it on YouTube here:

Two-time winners of East Coast Music Association’s Country Album of the Year — plus several more from Music New Brunswick for good measure — members Alex Madsen, Jason Haywood, Denis “Turtle” Arsenault, Shawn Thomas, and Kevin Macintyre celebrate their 16th year as Americana trad-country aficionados this year.

With nearly two decades — not to mention coast-to-coast touring, over 120,000+ streams across platforms, and five studio albums — under their belt, Drop of Blood offers a glimpse into one of Canada’s most bona fide country acts.

Artfully ominous and delicately foreboding, Alexandria, ON’s contemporary jazz-pop artist Katie Ditschun steps surely into winter’s evening glow with the release of “The Moon” — her moody, ethereal new single and video available now.

Watch and experience “The Moon” here:

“This song came to me in a sudden rush,” the multi-talented Canadian singer/songwriter recalls. “I sat at the piano and was astonished at how quickly it flowed out of me. It was like it had been poured into me.”

The third single to shine from the Alexandria, Ontario-based artist’s debut album, Spare Skirt, “The Moon” is a song about secrets, and reflects the anxieties of these inauspicious times. There are three characters in the lyric: “I,” “you,” and “the moon” — the narrator, someone who keeps secrets, and someone who knows everybody’s secrets, respectively.

Funeral director by day, songwriter by night, Toronto singer/songwriter Sagen Pearse has just released the latest music video from his debut album, Nuclear Home. The three-minute, 15-second spanning folk song is called “Haunted” and was released under the moniker Hollowsage & the Three Mile Islanders.

“Haunted,” some might ask?

Watch the video and listen to “Haunted” here:

As someone who clocks in and bears witness to the frontlines of human grief on a near-daily basis, it’s understandable that the up-and-coming musician would cover the ground of dark subject matter.
Monsters, death and darkness... You name it, he’s written it.