While the supposedly religious try to claim God’s favor for themselves and deny it to anyone they see as “other,” Canadian Afrobeats queen Zochi – and a real-life Princess in royalty, too - has something more open-hearted in mind. Her new single, “Alone (Whole Again),” sees her praying for the consummation of a same-sex attraction not just because she wants it, but because the Lord must too. Check it out on YouTube here:

When bad love hurts you, it can really sting. The betrayal can cut deep and sometimes you feel the need to shame them for what they did. The Canadian /U.S. collaboration RENITA ZINTEL from Lethbridge, AB and RANDY LODDER of El Paso, Texas knows this personally but uses rock n' roll to heal their wounds in new single "Bad Bad You." Check it out on YouTube here:

Recently nominated in the U.S. for a HUGS 24/7 Radio Award, opening with some explosive guitar riffs, the song kicks into high gear with smoky, angry vocals from vocalist RENITA. Reminiscent of Joan Jett and a sprinkle of Janis Joplin, RENITA’s passionate delivery of the song's lyrics is captivating.

Her solo career may be soaring, but OUDi still doesn’t like heights. On her latest single, industrial pop’s prodigal daughter admits she’s “Afraid of Flying”—because the higher you go, the farther you might plummet.

I miss the horizon, I miss the views
It never used to scare me but now I know the truth
That what goes up, must come down
I’m afraid of flying, I’m afraid of heights
‘Cause now I know what it feels like, falling from that high
Feeling so helpless, I can’t help it
Oh, I’m afraid of flying

The hard-rock juggernaut known as MJM has more than enough party favors in their stash to throw one heck of a blowout. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t going to fling open their doors in welcome when a true legend shows up wanting to join in. Just cock an ear toward the room-shaking new remix of MJM’s most recent single, “Live It Up,” now with a killer lead vocal by esteemed metal mouthpiece Tim “Ripper” Owens. Check it out on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjyDzKmTIk4

XOCÔ (Lulaworld Records) represents Mestre Sérgio Xocolate's visionary venture, blending Afro Indigenous Brazilian rhythms with elements of rock, psychedelic music, and various modern influences. Hailing from the Northern region of Brazil, Sérgio brings forth a vibrant fusion of traditional native rhythms intertwined with folklore, capoeira, and poetry.

In his music, Sérgio's lyrics hold a profound power, embodying a narrative of embracing courage. This spirit shines brightly in his latest single, "Guerra", where he paints a portrait of resilience and strength. The video is historic, in terms of the Eagle & Condor Prophecy manifestation of an Indigenous artist from the North, CLASSIC ROOTS, the King of Pow Wow Techno, collaborating musically on the new invocation of the song while also dancing together in regalia with XOCÔ, an Indigenous Artist of the South. Check it out on YouTube here:

Montreal-born, Toronto-raised queer pop artist Jennarie’s sophomore luscious jazz single “Stop (you can let it go),” out April 19^th. This vibey and motivational track is anchored by luscious vocals and a splash of jazz harmonies reminiscent of Yebba and Amy Winehouse. Check it out on YouTube here:

Jennarie first cut her teeth in the Toronto music scene, where she gained a powerful stage presence by performing regular live shows all over town. She’s continued to make waves and build a strong name for herself in the years since, with renowned Canadian print and online magazine The WholeNote recently hailing her for her “big voice, fearless delivery, ebullient sense of rhythm, and bubbles of humor.”

Farsot: “The year was 2022. Our heroes managed to find their way back to the rehearsal space after the gates of the pandemic were finally unlocked. Their band had split up and they found themselves lost, so they did the only thing they knew how to do.

They picked up their instruments and started jamming!“

Can an epidemic also be the cure? It can, according to the Swedish upcoming band Farsot, which translated to English means just that: Epidemic. If you are in need of a sonic detox to rid yourself of pop and R’n’B? With fuzz pedals, the penta scales, the rumbling bass and the clattering drums Farsot is absolutely the cure for you!

Having had the great pleasure to enjoy Farsot live at Kristianstad Music Days earlier this Spring, we have to agree.

Check them out on YouTube here: YouTube:

Bluesy, twangy and reflective, Gary Edward Allen’s “First Day of School Part 1” – is an ode to one’s inner child and the immutable person within us. Check it out here:

 “I like the idea of being true to yourself and knowing that the core of you is just as true at seven as it at 27 or 54 or however old you are,” Allen says.

If I could run away .... but not to follow
I'm so easily led astray …
Once I passed a note to the child I once was…

The acclaimed, JUNO-winning Canadian saxophonist and composer Christine Jensen is proud to announce her forthcoming jazz orchestra album Harbour, due out on June 28^th via Nettwerk/Justin Time Records. The follow-up to her two previous award-winning jazz orchestra albums Habitat (2013) and Treelines (2010), Harbour features a searing set of originals penned by Jensen over the last decade. Featuring some of New York and Montreal’s top improvisers, Harbour represents a departure point from leaving shelter and emerging into the new world, with the ensemble playing with acoustic and electric elements from Jensen’s compositions. The first taste of the album comes with “Fantasy On Blue,” a feature for Ingrid Jensen commissioned in celebration of the 60^th anniversary of the Miles Davis’ seminal work, Kind of Blue.

The Canadian hard rock powerhouse hailing from Ottawa, Ontario, The Space Between, known for its articulate riffs, powerful melodies, and aggressive rhythms is excited to announce the release of their newest single, "Crooked & Hollow" – Check it out on YouTube here:

Crooked & Hollow delves into the introspective journey of lead vocalist and lyricist Maryn Pegan, exploring themes of self-perception and grappling with personal demons. "The title 'Crooked & Hollow' sparked images of looking into a mirror and not recognizing oneself," says Pegan.

This song serves as a cathartic outlet for angst and anger, fueled by Pegan's personal battles with self-confidence, a struggle that resonates with many young people.

Penning a tribute to a fallen loved one is an unavoidably personal undertaking. Whether the finished product ends up sounding like a private moment we shouldn’t be eavesdropping on, or like a gift to be shared with all humanity, is entirely up to the quality of the artist.

Toronto-based singer-songwriter Matt Von has taken the latter tack on his affecting new single, “Still in My Heart.” Ostensibly a paean to his mother, who passed away in 2023 after a more than 18-month battle with cancer, the song strikes a universal chord that transcends his own harrowing experience and rockets it straight into the stratosphere of mass catharsis. And in the algebra of popcraft, mass catharsis equals a great song. Watch it on YouTube here:

Life’s highest highs often accompany its lowest lows. Regina, Saskatchewan pianist and singer-songwriter Jeffery Straker knows this well. He’s opening up about some of the lessons he’s recently learned on his new single, “The Time You’ve Got,” out everywhere now. Check it out on YouTube here:

 “In the past five years I’ve watche both of my parents pass away,” Straker shares. “I’ve also found love in my partner of four years, Michael. Losing my parents has made me reflect on where it is that I was born, then decided to leave, and then felt drawn back to in recent years. All throughout this I’ve become cognizant of time: how precious it is and how important it is to use it wisely.”

In the realm of music, there are songs that transcend mere melodies and lyrics, touching the very soul with their heartfelt resonance. "Hold Me Tight," the latest release from the talented artist Harriet Chung, stands as a shining example of such a song—a poignant anthem of love and security that captivates listeners with its emotional depth and sincerity. Check it out on YouTube here:

 Crafted by the skilled songwriter George Chiang and brought to life through Chung's soul-stirring vocals, "Hold Me Tight" is more than just a musical composition; it's a journey through the intricacies of human emotion, wrapped in the soothing embrace of harmonious melodies and heartfelt lyrics.

The award-winning Oregon-based jazz singer-songwriter Halie Loren is proud to release her new full-length album Dreams Lost and Found out now via Nettwerk/Justin Time Records. 

This collection of songs explores themes of longing, seeking, and seeing with new eyes — the falling away of old illusions and outgrown desires, finding new visions for love and life, allowing some dreams to die to make space for new dreams to be born. The album captures the live essence of her music, that has led to tours and performances for audiences worldwide. The 14-song effort sees Halie lend her take on standards, originals, and her personal favorites. 

When you need a pep talk in how to get the most out of life, you always want to turn to a woman who grows food out of her own poop.

Okay, hear us out. Yes, it’s true that Goldy Locks, lead singer and mastermind of Nashville’s house-shaking Goldy lockS Band (yes, that’s how she spells it), recently appeared on a 2023 of TLC’s Extreme Cheapskates to explain how she uses her own feces as garden compost. She also mentioned that she collects stray socks from the laundromat to use as sanitary napkins and cuts down on her bar tab by finishing strangers’ discards. But before you dismiss her as some sort of crackpot, you owe it to yourself to take a listen to her band’s new single, “Just Say Yes,” a simply undeniable instant anthem that could convert just about anyone to her philosophy that the glass is always half full (especially when it isn’t yours).

Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/album/6w5oQUynNcVNuJz8mkosIc

After four decades in the music business, Glen Foster has earned the right to break any rule he wants. And this happy iconoclast shows no signs of compromise on “White Funeral,” a whimsically morbid country-blues number that appears on his latest album, the trend-bucking Unnatural Tendencies. Check it out on YouTube here:

Like a winking eulogy to a vanishing era, the song finds Foster chronicling the impending demise of one Old Snake, a “hardened old metaphoric character” who gets stranded in the desert just as it’s starting to snow.

Ruth Moody is releasing the second single from Wanderer,her first new album in over a decade. Moody's clear soprano soars on "Already Free," a song Moody says is "for anyone who is ready to let go of the weight they are carrying and be free”.

Check out Ruth Moody on YouTube here: youtube.com/@ruthmoodyvideos

"I wrote the lyrics during the pandemic This was me, saying ‘I’m not coping well, I’m losing my grip’ and finding strength in that admission. It’s a song about that moment of reckoning, that acceptance of vulnerability and surrender that ultimately helps us to find our resilience.”

Les Stroud, the renowned Rock musician from Huntsville, Ontario, is proud to announce the release of his newest single, “Ancients Call,” – Check it out on YouTube here:

 This impactful and moving song breaks through musical limits, encouraging listeners to rekindle their bond with the earth and the knowledge of their ancestors. Ancients Call is more than a mere track; it's a deep dive into Stroud's spiritual and emotional exploration, inspired by earth ceremonies around the world.

Drawing inspiration from the survival expert’s adventures while filming the series Beyond Survival, Ancients Call mirrors his immersion into numerous earth ceremonies, from Ayahuasca and San Pedro rituals to ceremonies honouring the elements and Incan high priests.

It’s been quite wild ride for Ottawa roots singer/songwriter and keyboard player Jeff Rogers over the past 6 months.

Last fall he had the thrill of opening for The Legendary Downchild Blues Band on their sold-out Ontario theatre tour, to great response. The February 16, 2024, American and international release of his new album Dream Job, recorded in the revered music mecca of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, helped the album hit Top 5 on the Roots Music Report Canada Album Chart alongside The Dead South on March 30, 2024. Stellar album reviews south of the border from respected magazines like Downbeat and praise from Billboard Canada as “one to watch in 2024”, have helped put Jeff Rogers on the map internationally.

On June 27^th, Rogers will hit the stage with his 10-piece band at the Ottawa Jazz Festival to open for American alternative/indie darlings Lake Street Dive, who just happen to be one of Rogers’ favourite bands.

With the buzz building, Rogers is set to release his brand-new lyric video for his first single “Lock & Key” TODAY. Watch it now at https://youtu.be/hZXP6n_NG8g

Cashbox Canada has spent the last few years forming a strong bond with Sweden and we have seen so many talented emerging artists that deserve some recognition. So we now have a column devoted to that called Knock! Knock! based on the song by Sweden’s Bara Jonson and Free. The artist reviews will be written and presented by Malin Osth and Jonas Tancred of BjF, carefully chosen by their expert musical ears and featured here, proving as always that music has no borders.

Knock! Knock! Meet:

Agnes Mai – An Old Soul With A Young Heart

Submitted by Malin Ostha and Jonas Tancred

One way of describing Agnes Mai is that she is a 21-year-old singer-songwriter from Lund, Sweden. Softspoken, maybe a bit shy.

Another way to describe her is that she from her first note grabs a firm hold of you and that she will not let go until she has told you all her stories, until you feel what she felt, until you understand.

An old soul with a young heart indeed.