Marie Minet returns with a captivating new single, " Je Serais Tout Ce Que Tu Veux - High Life Edition Acoustic", from her revisited album Clair Obscur - High Life Edition Acoustic. A passionate fusion of Chanson Française and Highlife, this track showcases Marie’ s unique blend of African rhythms, evocative lyrics, and delicate melodies. Recorded live after an inspiring journey through West Africa, and featuring world- class musicians, Je Serais Tout Ce Que Tu Veux is a testament to her musical evolution and cultural exploration.

BATHURST, NEW BRUNSWICK Artist JP LeBlanc’s new album “All In My Blood” on the Acadian Connection label was produced by Grammy-winning Colin Linden, will be released nationally this summer.

The nine-song album, recorded in two sessions at a fairly fast clip in 2024 with A-list players at Linden’s 1,000 square-foot, standalone home studio Recorders Studios in Nashville, is the result of two years of intense woodshedding, and long-distance songwriting with Toronto-based music industry journalist Larry LeBlanc.

For the first session in April, backup was provided by multi-instrumentalist George Recile, one of New Orleans’ premier drummers, and Canadian bassist John Dymond. Colin himself played on all the tracks.

While the original musicians weren’t available for the second Nashville session the following December, Linden matched the quality of the earlier session by bringing in some equally heavy hitters, drummer Bryan Owings and bass player/educator/producer David Santos. Again Linden played guitar on all tracks.

Toronto folk-rocker Joe Cool is back, calloused hands and all, with the lead single from his third EP Blood, Sweat & Beers. The track, “Company Man,” is a blue-collar anthem for anyone who’s ever punched a clock, buried their dreams for a steady paycheque, and tried to keep their head above water in a world that doesn’t always make room for poets and pick-up trucks. Written by Joe Cool (aka Joseph D Coulas) and produced by longtime collaborator Jack Wiktor, “Company Man” is out now - offering the first sip of a record that goes down like a cold beer after a long shift.

Built on ringing acoustic chords and the kind of worn-in vocals that only come from life experience, “Company Man” captures the quiet resignation of working-class life, laced with just enough hope to keep going. Think Jason Isbell if he clocked in at a factory. Think Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska if it were written with a Canadian postal code. It’s a song that doesn’t flinch—it tells the truth, straight-up, no chaser.

Alternative singer-songwriter Jax Turcotte has released his debut single, “Sincerely, Once Beloved,” an intimate yet expansive ballad written as a farewell to guilt, grief, and everything that no longer serves him. Blending vulnerable lyricism with stripped-down instrumentation and a voice that sounds like both a whisper and a declaration, Turcotte is carving out a lane all his own—equal parts Phoebe Bridgers, Radiohead, and the emotional resonance of early 2000s indie rock.

New single out now, ahead of 2025 album ‘The Monkey in the Crown’; Spring & Summer tour dates announced

There’s no metaphor. No abstraction. No retreat.

What does it mean to raise a child in a nation that won’t protect them? To send them off to school each morning with a silent prayer—because hope is all that’s left when policy fails?

 HuDost isn’t asking these questions quietly.

Their latest single, “Broken Down in America,” co-written with Dan Haseltine of Jars of Clay and The Chosen, is a soul-piercing cry of grief, rage, and resilience. It’s a song for every parent rehearsing tragedy in their head. For every student taught to hide before they’re taught to dream. For every citizen too exhausted to shout—but too heartbroken to stay silent.

Hamilton’s most lovable weirdos, Doctor Tongue, are back with a brand-new single, “Higher,” out NOW via Jetpack Records. Blending funk rock, alternative, and soul with a poet’s heart and a glam-rock glint in the eye, the track is both a celebration of fantasy and a hard stare into the mirror. It’s seductive, surreal, and surprisingly heartfelt—like if Prince, Parliament, and the ghost of Carl Jung all split a cab home from band practice.

 “You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.” More than 50 years since Joni Mitchell first sang those words, singer-songwriter Raina Krangle breathes new life into them with her vibrant, acoustic-driven cover of Big Yellow Taxi, out now. Blending her signature Fresh Folk style with a stripped-down authenticity true to Joni’s spirit, Krangle’s version is both a nostalgic nod and a timely refresh—one that captures the urgency of now with the warmth of a shared past.

With a mix of raw storytelling, rich instrumentation, and a sound that bridges folk-rock and indie grit, Niagara, ON’s Nick Braun unveils his new EP, Johnny, led by the standout title track. The five-song collection explores ambition, isolation, and the search for meaning through the lens of a fictional character navigating the ups and downs of life as an artist.

What if your most enduring relationship… was with suffering?

On his evocative new single “Bride of Suffering”, Victoria, BC-based artist Tobacco & Rose (aka Richard Moody) takes us on a poetic and emotionally immersive journey through the human condition—where sorrow is not only familiar but wedded. Following the meditative grace of “Tara,” this latest release is another stunning entry from the forthcoming debut Tobacco & Rose album, due April 25, 2025.

Some songs arrive like a whisper. Others hit like a runaway locomotive. On his blistering new single “Hellbound Train,” Indigenous singer-songwriter The Tennessee Cree (aka Kevin Schofield) delivers a wild, soul-scorching ride straight from the heart of Canadian roots music.

It’s a song that sounds like it could have been found on an unreleased Johnny Cash record—and that’s no accident. “Johnny Cash has been good to me,” Schofield says. “I love the man in black. George Jones is almost like the dad I never had. Hank Williams is the lost uncle I never knew.”

Love doesn’t fade. It lingers in familiar places, in quiet moments, in the space where paws once pressed against the floor. Indie rock trio The Alter Kakers have released “My Darling One”, a song that began as a private letter and became an anthem for anyone who has ever said goodbye to a beloved pet.

Listen on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/track/4RcdDXSs1MIDrB8wJl29v6

Frontman Steve Bronstein wrote the song after the sudden passing of his rescue dog, Tori, in August 2023. Searching for ways to process his grief, he was encouraged to write a letter. Instead, the words found their way into a melody—a way to keep her memory alive.

"My darling one where have you gone?
Are you out walking at the dawn?
Are you smiling at everyone?
It’s so like you, my darling one.”

Vancouver-based alt-folk artist Kele Fleming has never shied away from truth. Her songs are protest anthems. They are hymns for the haunted. They are postcards from the edge, sent in the voice of someone who made it back. Her newest single, “The Nite The Stars Fell (For Kurt Cobain),” might be her most personal yet.

A forgotten poem, a legendary folk voice, and a story 120 years in the making

 Acclaimed Western Canadian balladeer John Gogo is bringing history to life with his new single “The Morning After”, a rollicking folk tune based on a virtually unknown Robert Service poem. Originally written in 1900, the poem was passed down through generations before landing in Gogo’s hands in 2020. Now, after setting it to music, enlisting Canadian folk legend Valdy, and recording with an all-star lineup, he is unveiling a song over a century in the making.

"Western Canada is filled with stories just waiting to be told," says Gogo. "When I was given this poem, I knew I had to bring it to life in the best way I could—through song."

There is a certain weight to a song that feels lived in, the kind that doesn’t just tell a story but carries the marks of time, regret, and redemption. John Dawson’s latest single, “Mend in My Ways,” is one of those songs—a quiet but powerful reflection on taking love for granted and the slow, often painful process of setting things right. Following the success of “Where You Belong,” “Things That I Meant to Say,” and “Life Just Came to Me,” Dawson continues to carve his space in the folk-roots tradition as a storyteller whose words feel as familiar as a well-worn book, yet as profound as a revelation.

Club Cadetta continues to build momentum with the recent release of their catchy single “Fences,” their first issue of 2025 on the heels of 2024’s “Terminal 3” and “It Starts Again.”

The Brampton and Mississauga, Ontario four-piece have only been writing since March 2022 and are already making their mark on the music world. The group are a tight, vibey, coordinated force with a sound that has clarity and is inviting to the ears. They are rapidly growing in popularity and notoriety even sharing the stage with the likes of Our Lady Peace.

With Touch Guitarist Markus Reuter And Drummer Zach Alford

After last year’s successful sessions with Stick Men produced Toomey’s bold prog EP Perseus Calling the songwriter was excited to continue the trend. Unfortunately, scheduling conflicts prevented Bassist Tony Levin and drummer Pat Mastelotto from participating, so drummer extraordinaire Zach Alford (Bowie/NIN, B52’s, Psychedelic Furs & many more) stepped into the breach with Stick Men touch guitarist Markus Reuter and a plan was laid.

Due to the somewhat last-minute nature of the sessions the decision was taken to do virtually no prep work and write in the studio. Toomey says “This is something I’ve always wanted to do, but also WAY outside my comfort zone. Professional music production costs being what they are, coming in cold is an even more risky venture than usual. Thankfully, Markus is a consummate improviser, and his encouragement gave me the confidence to go with it. I’m so very glad I did!”

If the world feels like it’s gone off the rails, it’s because it has—and The Riptides have the soundtrack for it. Fueled by a post-pandemic punk-rock panic attack and loaded with melodies that hit like a right hook, Burn After Listening is the Ottawa band's most audacious record to date. Their third single “Bad Habit” is out now—an infectious slice of pop-punk perfection that slams like Green Day but with the heart and hangups of a bruised romantic. Think The Clash at their catchiest, Screeching Weasel at their wittiest, and The Queers with just the right amount of existential dread.

Award winning Canadian Folk/Americana songwriter Robert Thomas will release his much-anticipated sophomore album “The Way We Roll” on May 1. Following on the heels of a career writing for the likes of Bonnie Raitt and the Dixie Chicks and the highly regarded 2022 release “Parallel Lines,” the first 3 pre-release singles from “The Way We Roll” have already garnered over 100K streams, 50K video views, an International Acoustic Music Award and an Official Video Selection at the Folkstone Film Festival (U.K.)

youtube.com/@robertthomas_sessionmen/videos

Produced and recorded by JUNO winners Catherine Maclellan and Mark Westberg, “The Way We Roll” features, Thomas’ legendary backing unit, the sessionmen – Ray Legere and Jon Arsenault - and guest appearances by some of Canada’s finest acoustic players – Ivan Rosenburg, Terra Spencer, Carlie Howell, and Rich Knox.

Just picture it: Wayne and Garth pile into their trusty AMC Pacer, headed for points unknown to get into some of their trademark hesher mischief. Wayne flicks on the radio, cranks up the volume, and outcome the familiar strains of … a flute?

It’s an entirely likely scenario, now that Regina jazz flutist and singer-songwriter Marie-Véronique Bourque has recorded her own version of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Just like the original, her rendition has the power to get any weekend warrior’s head banging—as long as there’s an open mind in there beneath all the hair.

With a voice “as powerful as a freight train” and a soul that carries the weight of his lived experiences, Indigenous singer-songwriter Joe H Henry unveils his latest EP, Real Things—a raw and deeply personal exploration of life’s honest moments. Fresh off nominations for ECMA Blues Recording of the Year, Americana Recording of the Year (NSMAs), and Indigenous Artist of the Year, Henry is set to bring his signature blend of gritty folk, blues, and Americana to audiences across Eastern Canada on his Spring 2025 tour.