Rock/blues band Arsenal Mills — featuring Brad Milligan, Griffen Arsenault, Josh MacNeil, and André Uyterlinde — have arrived on the Canadian scene with the release of their groove-laden debut single, “Lovesick & Broke” — available now.

“This song is a true story about a close friend of mine,” Milligan shares of the song’s origins. “He ended up losing someone special to him, which then caused a downward spiral of depression and drinking.

“We approached this song with the idea of making it as relatable as possible — the most important aspect of any song in any genre — but ’Lovesick & Broke’ was written with the hopes it would be sort of therapeutic for him.”

Watch and listen to ’Lovesick & Broke’ here:

“If you keep telling yourself you’ll be okay, you will… Right?” Arsenault adds.

Award-winning Canadian jazz contrabassist, singer and composer Brandi Disterheft and her Trio ride the wave of exploring bossa nova in a contemporary light with the release of her new single and video “Surfboard”.

Watch and listen to “Surfboard” here:

The title track from her forthcoming album, Surfboard — set for release October 2020 via Justin Time Records — the single and its surrounding body of work are touted among Disterheft’s most accomplished yet. Joined by two octogenarian masters — virtuoso tenor saxophonist George Coleman and the definitive Brazilian drummer Portinho — and world-class pianist Klaus Mueller, Disterheft authoritatively and organically guides the flow on a varied program that reflects her capacious interests.

Lagos, Nigeria-born now based in Toronto, ON duo 148 — Suertudo and McQueen — continue to uplift and inspire while refusing to be painted into any corners with the release of their new single “Double Trouble” and sophomore EP, Blue Moon.

“‘Double Trouble’ was created in a studio bedroom with our longtime friends and producer, Jms,” Suertudo recalls of the song’s earliest start. “It was made on pure vibes, in anticipation of the 2020 summer.

Watch and listen to ‘Double Trouble’ here:

“This was before the world as we knew it fell apart!” McQueen adds. “But, in the midst of the pandemic, finishing this song kept us in good spirits.”

Those good spirits and the decidedly unique circumstances around them propelled 148 to create a body of work around the song; the result is their second EP release, Blue Moon.

Multi-Gold selling and multi-JUNO Award nominated Canadian blues rockers Wide Mouth Mason announce the forthcoming 20th Anniversary reissue of Stew this November 27th, 2020. Set to be released as a limited edition LP by the band and their management, We Are Busy Bodies, the original album was released by Warner Music Canada and licensed to the band for the anniversary release.

To pre-order go to:
we-are-busy-bodies.myshopify.com/products/pre-order-wide-mouth-mason-stew

“Stew was intentionally Wide Mouth Mason’s funkiest offspring,” original band member Shaun Verreault, along with Safwan Javed, recalls. “It showcased a specific subset of our musical influences, and was a mashup of musical styles passed through the filter of Wide Mouth Mason.”

Prolific and eclectic musical duo Q&A have got One More JAZZ Thing for you; their newest EP!

From big band to ballad — and including newly released single “That Place, That Face, That Moon” — One More JAZZ Thing leaves little behind across five tracks exploring the genre.

Listen to  “That Place, That Face, That Moon” here:

Comprised of JUNO Award-winning Tony Quarrington and Zoey Adams — an accomplished jazz guitarist, composer, and songwriter with hundreds of multi-genre credits to his name, and an artist long-lauded for her work in theatre, movies, radio, and corporate entertainment, respectively — the duo are now co-writing original tunes to the beat of their Q&A drum.

At over 11,000+ views and debuting at #1 on Amazon Music’s “Country du moment” playlist, Canadian pop-country band The Record Breakers continue to soar beyond sonic norms with the release of their latest double-single, and first bilingual release, “In My Car / Dans mon char” — available now.

Watch and listen to The Record Breakers here: “In My Car / Dans mon char” here:

See, on the surface you have your standard checklist for the makings of a stellar contemporary band: two main vocalists, guitarists, and songwriters, Hayden Nolan and Bella Galasso, accompanied by knockout keys, bass, and drums from Michael Vallinakis, Devan Meisner, and Julian Galasso, respectively.

Check, check, and check.

But dig a little deeper, and you discover The Record Breakers are so much more.

Singer, songwriter and producer Mikoh removes the filter and does away with the facade found in social media and social climbing alike in her newest alt-pop single, “La La Land”.

“This song was written with the intention of commenting on how what we see on social media affects us in ways we might not understand,” the multi-talented French-Canadian artist says. “I wanted to talk about the online culture that enables some to feel like they are unworthy.

“It’s also a commentary on the ‘fast life,’” she continues. “The ‘partying’ and surrounding yourself with people that are only around for clout. It’s an interesting space to be in and, although it can seem like fun, it usually comes at a price.

Watch and listen to “La La Land” here:

Hip hop R&B artist and producer Keith Phelps has channelled his visionary insights into prescient lyricism with this, his timely new album Stimulus Package and premiere single “Need 2 Know”.

The multi-talented musician and creator recently toured as the keyboardist for Haley Reinhart (Season 10 American Idol finalist), and can also be seen playing alongside R&B legend Jon B, or with his band, The Conglomerate. In 2017, he scored Nathan Cheney’s film, A Fatherless Generation, starring George Lopez, Terry Crews, Aisha Tyler, and Bret Ernst.

“I create ‘audible chicken and noodle soup for the soul,’” Phelps says of his sound. “I’m constantly creating music with the intent to aid the inner well-being of the listener.

“Stimulus Package and ‘Need 2 Know’ are part of that. The album is meant to uplift, but also address the heartache of the global pandemic and social injustices plaguing the world.

Watch and listen to ‘Need 2 Know’ here:

Canadian brother-sister popster duo Just Costa are gazing up and out at a “Bubblegum Sky” when it comes to this, their latest summer bop and stunning lyric visualize.

Watch and listen to “Bubblegum Sky” here:

The Montreal-based fam-band embodies the term “happy-go-lucky” through and through, and counts music like a ticket to their own sonic theme park. "We call it Just Costa Land," quips Jesse Just Costa, who leads the outfit with older sibling Juliana. "It's like this: We want to bring the sense of an amusement park to our music. The excitement, the enthusiasm, the joie de vivre, the willingness to be happy and grateful and positive and live life to the extreme; that's what we're trying to construct."

Between them, they have all the building blocks they need in a sort of supernatural blend of style, skill and substance that takes a lifetime to achieve. Which is about how long the Just Costas have been making music.

Jayme Stone has made a rare thing: a piece of work that asks us to both travel on his melodic and emotional journey and allows us to have our own. And nowhere is this more apparent than his single “Awake Awake”.

Watch “Awake Awake” here:

The newest song to land ahead of his forthcoming LP, AWake, the song serves as a prescient preview for what’s to come from Stone’s new album as he breaks new ground from folk musician and composer to experimental pop singer and producer. Available August 28th, AWake offers unique tonal palette blends with deft storytelling and disarmingly honest lyrics to create a sonic world both eminently engaging and full of nuance and surprise.

Canadian alt-metal prog-rockers Helfreya beckon audiences down a sonically daring tunnel of psychedelic doom-jazz in this, their debut breakthrough release Shieldmaiden.

To listen to Helfreya’s music go to:
open.spotify.com/artist/50IVxlA1G4FeJvosG1eWHP?si=kzEJClqXTjq89PtETthCng
open.spotify.com/track/73oKYxknbzdxlbAt6KGViG?si=c8J1FYhcTOiRAy7cuWZg0Q

Fronted by vocalist Violet Vopni, of Metis and Icelandic descent, Helfreya rounds out with guitarist Keith Meyer, bassist Russ Maskus, and drummer Travis Stephenson. The Winnipeg-based band draws on Norse and Celtic mythology in their songwriting, and the name is derived from two Norse Goddesses: Hel, the Goddess of death, and Freya, the Goddess of love.

“We’re the duality between light and dark,” the band says, “and the enigmatic amalgamation of love and death.

“We take fans on a strange adventure.”

Award-nominated and internationally esteemed Canadian artist Juro Kim Feliz is channelling his synth-pop alter ego Grumpy Kitty Boy and encouraging listeners to live authentically in this, his debut single, “Airplane Wings”.

Watch and listen to “Airplane Wings”:

The song is all about examining life and relationships, even if it means risking loss or regret.

It’s a series of notions Feliz knows personally and all too well. “Switching gears in life is a tough choice to make,” he confides. “Arriving in Montreal from Manila as a student in December of 2013, the struggle to feel secure and find a place to call home became a recurring theme for me throughout the years.

When it comes to pushing the boundaries of pop, Canadian artists Bubl T’s says “all things are fair game.” Nowhere is this more exemplified than on their newest  single, “Dance In The Moment” and its EDM version.

Featuring esteemed musicians in their own rights — Martina Aswani, Alex Whorms, Robert Bruce, Mark Shannon and Ruth Chan — Bubl T’s embrace a wide spectrum of genres and influences while creating their own unique brand of sound: catchy, fun and danceable pop songs with solid melodies, engaging structure, and great production.

“Lyrically, the song reveals the thoughts of a young woman at a busy dance club who is only interested in dancing,” Bubl T’s say about the track. “Ultimately, she’s happy when she connects with someone to dance with for the night.

“That’s all she’s really after.”

Chicago-based indie rocker Alan Zreczny and his band bluefront are still riding the Aftershocks following the release of their sophomore album this spring, including top track “It’s Not Over Yet” and its brand new video.

Narrative poems set to spirited melodies, Aftershocks is a journey into the reverberation of emotional aftershocks enveloped in shimmering melodies and instrumentation deftly demonstrated by bandmates Jason Steele, Nick Kabat, and Mark Burns.

A lawyer-turned-singer/songwriter, Zreczny first picked up a guitar at the age of ten, having grown up in a house always filled with music and music lessons. His love for music and writing remained under the surface while he went to college, law school and grad school, and continued as he worked as both corporate in-house counsel and later at a law firm…

The thoughts about creating music were ever present: “I always thought of being a musician and writing songs as the most fulfilling modes of self-expression. And then, a terrible break-up happened.”

TonyTone has Summer 2020 “Poppin” with the release of his new single, an upbeat, modern hip hop track complete with heavy 808’s and catchy chorus melodies — available now!

“This track was meant and inspired to be a great party or event song for the summer,” the Hamilton-area artist says. “There’s influences from emo and cloud-style pop rap in there, as well as unique flute melodies.”

With over ~ 40,000 total streams across platforms, and included on upwards of 600+ Spotify playlists to date, the latest from TonyTone — aka Anthony Marzanek — falls seamlessly inline for his brand of lounge beats and an ambient moods that nod to both hip hop and indie influences, while staying pop-centric at its core.

Watch and listen to “Poppin” here:

“We added a pretty rad breakdown and some chanting to make it a fun, Canadian punk rock anthem,” says Canadian pop-punk skate-rockers Moore Ave Underground of their new single, “Beanies and Plaid Jackets.”

Intriguing, yes. But let’s back it up a bit.

First, let’s establish that Moore Ave Underground is made up of Josh, Joseph and Jack Gaudette  and Shawn MacDonald.

Then, let’s parse its concept, which is fluid-Ish.

“Moore Ave Underground refers to our family home’s basement,” Josh says. “When I took up music, the basement was already filled with a foosball table, a hockey table, and a bar that no one ever used. We convinced my mom and dad to make some hard choices, and ended up bidding a fond farewell to it all in order to make room for instruments.”

“It became something special,” he continues. “Soon, friends, family and contributors started coming and going and creating. We have witnessed those who never believed their musical ability was possible grow into accomplished performers.

Canadian outfit KRONIS debuts their firm yet inventive footing on the fault line between alt rock and EDM with the release of their newest single, “It’s Time For Love,” and breakthrough album Against The World.

Watch and listen to “It’s Time For Love” here:

“I spent three years in the studio with Parker creating Against The World,” Toronto and Los Angeles, California-based frontman Aaron Kronis says, name checking mix engineer and producer Parker Ament of XLNTStudios. “We didn’t know what the title would be, or the number of tracks, but we knew we were onto something.”

That ‘something’ is alt rock streamed live with live guitars, live vocals, and Ableton. It’s guitars into cell phones while on hoverboards. It’s the essence of skateboarding at Burning Man channeled into a technologically enabled sonic sojourn spanning the ages.

Hamilton, ON’s alt-rock Americana artists Bryce Clifford & Brother Superior come face to face with their “Worst Enemy” — the latest single off their forthcoming release, Rebounder.

Watch and listen to “Worst Enemy” here:

With added influences of bluegrass, honky tonk, post-punk and old school soul woven in, the band’s newly minted third album sews in a bow the Hamilton, Ontario-based frontman’s storied 10-year sojourn to Austin, Texas and back — complete with love gained and lost.

“The story behind this album is a difficult one to talk about,” Clifford laments. “Not because of the hard feelings behind the breakup, but for the regrettably trite scenario…

“I seethe at the idea of being lumped in with lame ‘singer/songwriter seclusion’ stories,” he continues, half-groaning, half-laughing. “In all seriousness, though, I hope it isn’t filed under ‘pain makes art,’ but something more like ‘art as survival.’

Award-winning Canadian folk-rock singer/songwriter Ryan Hillier is making No Excuses when it comes to this, his latest solo album release.

Based in Moncton, NB, Hillier’s story of this, his third album, is one nothing short of tenacity: “It’s a blues song without being a blues song,” he offers as an early overview. “The message is that life sucks and that it can get better — you just have to keep going.”

“This is a record of my evolving feelings during a very uncertain time in my life,” Hillier continues. “Sparked from the idea of making ‘one more album’ while I was temporarily homeless and living in a band tour bus in my friends driveway after leaving an abusive relationship, I needed something to anchor me and to help me process the last several years.”

With early billings as an opener for Tim Hus in 2010, Hillier’s signature airy, high and lonesome style of folk has long garnered him critical acclaim through a lengthy series of live performances, collaborations, and self-produced solo albums — including Midnight Revelation (2014) and In the Shadow of the Chapel (2016).

JUNO Award-winning Toronto-based singer, songwriter and harmonica master Paul Reddick lauds life’s bounties of great friendship, great music, and great surroundings in this, his new release — Alive in Italia.

“This record is somewhat of a love letter to Italy and our friends there,” Reddick muses. “If I had one wish come true today, I would be sitting on a patio on the narrow, cobbled streets of Italy’s Sestri Levante…. I’d be kept cool by a sea breeze, and be drinking a glass of red wine.I would be celebrating in the fine company of my Italian and Canadian musician friends, and savouring the endless beauty of that place and that moment. We would talk about the shows we have played together, and we’d remember and drink ‘to’ one evening in particular: the one in a wooden beamed theatre among those piacevole foothills of Piemonte…

“The one where we performed as one, come fratelli, as brothers, Alive in Italia.”