The unstoppable force that is Eric Andersen just keeps rolling along. The famous Eric Andersen song “Time Run Like a Freight Train” could actually be personified into Eric Andersen Run Like a Freight Train. From the 1960s to today,  Eric has not stopped creating, performing and evolving never losing his sense of wonder and thirst for enlightenment.  And he’s about to take all of this back on the road with one Canadian stop, the iconic Toronto listening venue, Hugh’s Room Live.

Called “a great ballad singer and writer” by Bob Dylan, Andersen has over the past fifty years toured the world and released more than thirty albums of original music. Andersen’s most famous songs include “Violets of Dawn” and “Thirsty Boots,” with potent lyrics that reveal his literary devotion to the likes of Dostoevsky, Rimbaud, and Kerouac. These songs and more have been covered by artists including Judy Collins, Fairport Convention, John Denver, Bob Dylan, Linda Ronstadt, The Grateful Dead, Peter, Paul & Mary, and more. Andersen has also co-written songs with Bob Weir, Townes Van Zandt, Rick Danko and Lou Reed.

Described as “sickly sweet”, singer/songwriter Jadyn Lamb embodies moody electronic pop with a style similar to Lorde and Kate Bush. In 2018, Lamb released her debut single, “A Day Off,” emphasizing her love for the strange and different.

Born in Toronto, Canada, besides rattling train tracks and noisy city parks, Jadyn Lamb grew up spirited and loud. Fascinated by music and writing as a child, she quickly fell in love with big stages and crowds. Every summer was spent in a packed bar in Leaside, watching her Father play the guitar and sing songs with his band.

As a young teen, she moved with her family to a sleepy town outside of the city. In this town, there was a great distance between homes and no one walked around outside. In school, she weirded out her classmates and was told to be quiet. This would be the beginning of her musical career.

Over the past dozen years and six albums, McKhool and his bandmates — co-founding guitarist Kevin Laliberté, bassist Drew Birston, Cuban percussionist Rosendo ‘Chendy’ Leon and second guitarist Eddie Paton — have excelled at both. Thrilling listeners around North America with their genre-hopping fusion of Celtic reels, flamenco, Gypsy jazz, Arabic, Cuban, and South Asian rhythms, Sultans of String celebrate diversity and creativity with warmth and virtuosity. And they often do it with artists such as Paddy Moloney and The Chieftains, Richard Bona, Benoit Bourque (Bottine Souriante), Nikki Yanofsky, Alex Cuba, Ruben Blades, Crystal Shawanda and Ken Whiteley.

We’ve seen all the glowing comparisons; Cohen, Dylan, Cash, Prine and Young, and they are well placed but being all North American, their take on desolation and societal disintegration is bound to be different from that of a man from the English Northlands.

Bower´s recently released second album doesn’t hesitate to throw us headlong into the pit of alcoholism, loneliness and quiet desperation that’s the new norm in England’s rust belt. Bowers feels the pain and articulates it in finely honed lyrical details atop a piece of music that’s a strange striped down Americana which nevertheless is the perfect framework for these songs.

A minimalist rhythm guitar leads us on a trek through broken hearts and shattered dreams, the fine points filed in by electric guitar, pedal steel or Dobro, the grand design etched by Bower’s sonorous and deep baritone. The voice of doom never sounded so arresting. All slowly paced, the material invokes an endless trudge through tedium and hopelessness, leavened with some dashes of minor chording to keep a sense of unease shadowing the songs’ characters.

Laidback local hero Fergus Hambleton has gone from playing sax to guitaring with Sattalites to singer/songwriting, all of which come together to sweet effect on this latest album.

Posited as a stroll through neighbourhoods real and imagined, Hambleton has taken that and woven strands of reggae, pop, folk and rock across its frame and filigreed with gorgeous at times medieval-sounding harmonies that brought extra texture.  Such is the enduring cool and command of his craft wielded by the man that at the end, makes this brilliant piece of music and words seems so just by chance.

The album kicks off with “Late September Song,”a catchy tune that skips along brightly, and a showcase for the talents of backing unit Wood and Water. The harmonies do it a little differently by focusing on what Hambleton is singing rather than filling in backing vocals. That the song moves along at a goodly pace gives the impression that wherever it’s going is gonna be a fun place. Which brings us to “A Good Place To Be”, where the harmonies are no less impactful for being more traditional backing vocals.

East Canadian country rocker Jeff Hope is back after a near-two decade pause from recording with the forthcoming release of his new album, Fill The Void — available December 31st.

First single up? “No Thing” — a track Hope describes as “a song written from the light-hearted perspective of a guy who wants no commitments and claims ‘no fault’ if the other party feels differently.

Watch “No Thing” here: https://youtu.be/UrGL-yXkrP8

“I wrote this song last March while working on my album, as a whole,” the Middle Sackville, Nova Scotia-based artist continues. “It was such a fun groove, I decided to move forward with it ASAP and include it on the record. 

“Since then, it’s become one of my favourites.”

Toronto producer, hip hop artist, and singer/songwriter Myer Clarity has wasted no time re-introducing the world to his newly-minted melancholic persona, releasing his latest video for “Love Me When I'm High”.

The single is accompanied by a delicately sombre and intimately inviting cinematic showpiece that invites listeners to watch Myer’s decidedly lonely journey on his road to recovery following a decade of substance abuse.

“I wanted to create space for introversion and sobriety to be seen as mysterious and sexy,” he reflects on the recent release. “There aren’t really any records like that out there for people like me to relate to.

“I thought, I guess I’ll make some.”

Directed by Aaron Sambey and worked on alongside visual artist Sean Mundy, Myer and “Love Me When I'm High” delivers an all-encompassing experience as his raspy storytelling, dynamic genre-hopping, and authentic experience paints a haunting picture well exceeding 1,000 words.

Canadian funk legends Crack of Dawn are serving up some serious soul this Holiday season with their newest single, “It’s Christmas Time”.

Watch and listen here: https://youtu.be/RHTwA0kIoGo

Featuring the same signature velvety tones that have made them Canada’s most celebrated soul act for 40 years and running, the seasonal tribute to Motown is a track packed with everything needed to keep spirits bright.

Written by Crack of Dawn keyboardist Bela Hajmann and saxophonist Alvin Jones, funk-soul enthusiasts and then some are set to be immediately hooked by this effortlessly catchy melody and vintage vibe.

Alt rockers Autopilot are on anything but when it comes to their latest video, “Modern Age” and album Afterglow. 

Watch “Modern Age” here:
https://youtu.be/RYMCkAtJsXk

“The video for ‘Modern Age’ was directed by New York City-based director, Kevin Van Witt,” the band details of the meta submersion into a glitched and twitched fever dream of a video. “Filmed on the Lower East Side and Long Island’s Gold Coast, it captures the chaos of this new technological world we have built, and the freedom we once had in childhood.

“It’s a psychedelic adventure of realities we have created in this… ‘Modern Age.’”

Canadian reggae-jazz dynamo Chelsea Stewart is back, once again bringing her name to the forefront with a newly released self-titled album, Chelsea Stewart — and premiere single “Forever Your Girl”

Watch video of “Forever Your Girl” here: https://youtu.be/F9LaUXZleAI

A reflection of Stewart’s rich Jamaican Canadian roots, Chelsea Stewart was mostly recorded in Jamaica and features production influence from the likes of long-iconic and GRAMMY Award-winning and multi-nominee artists, Sly and Robbie, and songwriting influence from Canadian Renee Brown.

“I have probably been listening to music from Sly and Robbie since the day I arrived on this Earth,” she says of the legendary reggae masters Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare. “They have been responsible for so many hits that still play on the radio, and at almost every celebratory gathering in my community.

They say the only givens in life are death and taxes, but for death-pop rockers Skeleton Club and their debut album, those guarantees are more along the lines of Death, Love & Money.

So goes the name of the trio’s 11-track LP, a number that wasn’t landed on with any sense of coincidence. “We only ever release music with an odd number of songs,” says vocalist and bassist Andrew Matthews. “Chris has OCD and doesn’t ‘do’ even numbers.”

He’s speaking of guitarist and synth-master Chris Anglin; the two lifelong friends are originally from Langley and Tsawwassen, British Columbia, respectively, and currently based in Montreal. From there, the pair added a third, Nova Scotian drummer Morgan Zwicker, to the mix, rounding out the sound. “It was a Kijiji ad, you know, where any self-respecting story starts,” Matthews laughs. “But we quickly found we had more in common than just being broke and incredibly good looking… With our music.”

That common ground in their core sound lands as sometimes heavy, but also sometimes soft, as the three weave together their one-of-a-kind blend.

Canadian alt electro-rock duo Black Arcana and their sonic tonic of heavy honey for the soul has been unleashed with their newest single, “Rum Runner”. A blend of garage rock and trip-hop influences, “Rum Runner” reveals Black Arcana’s bittersweet and mood-heavy brand of alt-rock.

Watch “Rum Runner” here: https://youtu.be/5ZUF8n5_oE4

The brainchild of Montreal-based musicians Patrick De Marseilles and Miss Marie, the band and their forthcoming debut Astrophysical — set for release early 2020 — takes listeners on “an exquisite plunge into personal divinity and the ties that bind and divide” they say.

With a voice CBC calls “incredibly earnest” with an “honest purity,” Canadian singer/songwriter Alex Whorms continues to shine in her favourite holiday song, releasing a video covering Joni Mitchell’s “River” as the season swings into full-gear. 

“Joni Mitchell’s ‘River’ has been my favourite Christmas song for years,” says the Ajax-born, the Hamilton-based artist of her affections for the track, originally released in 1971. “I heard it for the first time when I was about 13… My family was watching an old rerun of ‘Ally McBeal’ — it was the episode where Robert Downey Jr’s character sang it, and I couldn’t believe how beautiful the song was. 

“I immediately looked up the lyrics and taught myself how to play it on the piano. 

“I’ve pulled it out, again and again, every year.” 

“It’s cool for me that the lyrics mention ‘skating away’ because I was a competitive figure skater for most of my life,” she marvels. “Skating is extremely therapeutic for me… It feels like flying.

Watch “River” here: https://youtu.be/XlqH7o77D8A

Royal Tusk are ready to share a new lyric video for their song, Die Knowing. The track is from their latest project, Tusk II, released via Entertainment One in 2018. In addition, Royal Tusk will kick off a new decade with a coast-to-coast tour across Canada for their Thunder on the Tundra tour, alongside Brkn Love, Sights & Sounds and Ready The Prince. See below for full details.

Watch Die Knowing here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fu-qpkzSIJQ

Blue-collar troubadours from the Great White North, Royal Tusk are steadfast champions of the majesty of kickass riffs, meaty hooks, a thick bottom end, and loud guitars. The four-piece band born in Edmonton, Alberta mount a high-octane assault on the lazy security blanket, self-aware irony of hipsters and the disingenuous commercial pandering of rock poseurs alike.

Canadian indie folk-rocker Antoine Perreault has released his newest album, Folks I Know, and acoustic video for “My Something”.

Watch “My Something” (Acoustic version) here:
https://youtu.be/5miOo886xQE

Antoine Perreault Is a Montreal singer-songwriter, who started his love of vocals when he sang in choirs as a young boy. As a teen, beatbox and guitar we’re his two ways to get through high school. Then, he went to study music in college, but couldn’t dive in the institutionalized perspective of it.

You may have seen Eric Schenkman on stages before thousands of fans worldwide with the Spin Doctors. He is one of the band’s not-so-secret weapons — a vital songwriter and a virtuoso guitarist who crafted the ‘90s band and co-wrote all five of their Top 100 hits. He also worked with Chico Hamilton, Carly Simon, Natalie Merchant, Noel Redding, Phoebe Snow, and Corky Laing, among many other notable musicians.

His self-produced third solo album, WHO SHOT JOHN? showcases the many sides of Schenkman, from raw, rockin’ blues to funk/soul/pop. With its elemental lineup of guitar, bass and drums, and songs that seldom stray beyond three chords, it’s radio-friendly and familiar enough to draw listeners in. After that, the complexities reveal themselves. The proof is in the beats, in the intimacy of those late nights on stage and through every moment of WHO SHOT JOHN? Every track digs in deep and doesn’t let go, thanks to Schenkman’s voice, commanding guitar and powerfully emotional lyrics.

It’s album number 17 for Canada’s best-selling and longest-running kid’s music group! MINI POP KIDS have officially released their newest takes on today’s hottest pop songs, including the original track “Who You Are”.

Watch Who You Are - Mini Pop Kids (Original Song) [Official Music Video] here:
https://youtu.be/bgIEpZ9wbis

The latest in the now-iconic compilation series lands as the legendary family entertainment group head south to perform in California and Minnesota to perform the album on their biggest release weekend in history. The MINI POP KIDS has officially announced The Bright Lights Concert Tour with more than 45 shows in over 30 cities across the country and U.S. — including the first-time tour stops in Newfoundland, Quebec, Vancouver, Sault Ste. Marie, Ft. McMurray, Prince Albert, Lloydminster, and MORE!

Myles Goodwyn brought his blues band to Toronto’s iconic listening venue Hugh’s Room for one night only and it was epic. Goodwyn and his stellar four-piece band, consisting of drummer J.R. Smith, Bruce Dixon on bass, Warren Robert on lead guitar and Ross Billard on keys were in town to promote Myles’ standout new album Friends of the Blues 2. I arrived early, at about 7 PM for an 8:30 PM start and was pleased to see the room already packed with an enthusiastic and anticipatory crowd. The age demographic was wide, some older and some kids and some happy couples enjoying seeing rock royalty up close and personal.

Award-winning avant-garde electro-popstress Mauve ushers in a “Brand New” era with the release of her newest single — as well as her debut EP, Palette.

The Canadian singer/songwriter best known for infusing chill-bop pop tracks with distinctly infectious hints of tropical house and RnB, is quickly garnering recognition. Mauve was nominated for a 2018 Niagara Music Award for “Best New Artist” and her single “Come Around” won top honours at the 2019 InterContinental Music Awards for “Best of North America.”

With tracks topping upwards of 450,000 streams across Spotify, she has also been featured by NBC-2, FOX40 News, ABC7 News, CBC Music, 107.3 Virgin Radio, Buzz Music LA, Talk About Pop Music, WFMZ-TV 69, Best Kept Montreal, Tinnitist, KOTV-TV CBS-6, IndieCan Radio on SiriusXM and many more.

A Tribe Called Red have released the official music video for their latest single, Ba Na Na. The video follows track vocalists, Haviah Mighty and Odario, as strangers who are unwittingly brought together by Toronto’s Caribana Festival and end up joining forces to celebrate the day. Have a look here.

The video was produced by Jon Riera and Connor Illsley and directed by Jon Riera and Aidan Shipley from Toronto based company, COMBO BRAVO – who have teamed up with Tribe in the past for their videos, Indian City and Suplex. Taking place at Caribana – as Haviah Mighty references in the song’s chorus – the video visually reflects the track’s lyrical themes of coming together in celebration and enjoyment.