Folk Rock Project THE ALL CANADIAN SOUNDCLASH Dives Right In with New Release “Raise Me High”

Fri Sep 11, 2020

Canadian folk rock project The All Canadian Soundclash is out with its newest single and video, “Raise Me High” and self-titled EP.

“Raise Me High” lives up to the suggestion and follows suit with the Ottawa-based band’s now-signature sound; its uplifting beat and melodic lyrics serve as both an infectiously rollicking track and prime example for The All Canadian Soundclash as a whole.

Check out “Raise Me High” on YouTube:

 

“They say the music you first discover and fall in love with is the music that stays with you for the rest of your life,” frontman and composer Andrew Michelin considers. “That’s true in my case… I come from the early 90's era of alternative grunge rock and, like any other 40-something, I can still remember the exact moment I first heard Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ or Pearl Jam’s ‘Alive.’”

Toronto, ON’s We Are Busy Bodies Label Announces the Release of Winston 'Mankunku' Ngozi’s 1968 masterpiece ‘Yakhal'Inkomo’

Fri Sep 11, 2020

Toronto, ON’s influential record label We Are Busy Bodies announces the release of Saxophonist Winston 'Mankunku' Ngozi’s 1968 masterpiece ‘Yakhal'Inkomo’ as a Canadian exclusive limited to 300 copies and remastered under Senior Mastering Engineer and owner of Lacquer Channel Mastering, Noah Mintz.

‘Yakhal' Inkomo”’ stands in the front rank of global jazz recordings. A certified jazz classic in South Africa, it has sold hundreds of thousands of copies and has never been out of print. But like so many other crucial South African jazz LPs, it was never released outside the country, and went unheard at the time by the wider world. This reissue is the first time that this truly essential jazz recording has been properly available outside South Africa.

Pre-Sale Through Label Store Here
Pre-Sale Through Bandcamp Here

Indigenous Alt-Pop Contemporary Rocker & Award-Nominated Producer PaulStar Pauses “One Last Time”

Fri Sep 11, 2020

Award-nominated Canadian alt-pop / contemporary rocker and producer PaulStar explores long-held and unexpressed grief “One Last Time” in this, his new single — available now.

“This is the very first song I worked on in the Fall last year, and I finished it that winter,” he recalls of “One Last Time.” “It’s about losing a loved one.

Watch and Listen to “One Last Time” Here:

“It took me a few years to grieve for my grandfather. I had no words to express that grief in a song until that Fall. From there, I included the others I’ve lost as well.”

Grammy-Winning Rich Jacques Finds Meaning in the Journey with “Joy Follows Like A Shadow That Never Leaves”

Fri Sep 11, 2020

Breathe in, revel, and let go; it’s with this mantra GRAMMY Award-winning singer/songwriter and producer Rich Jacques leans into his newest body of work, “Joy Follows Like a Shadow That Never Leaves” — the title track from his forthcoming album.

The journey from your head to your heart…
From fear to love;
in the end a complete release and surrender.

Check it out on YouTube here:

 

 

With a sonic style that is powerful, yet simple and direct, Jacques makes clear within the album’s 10 tracks that the joy we all seek is found within the very peaks and valleys of our own journey.

Aussie Rockers skinsNbones March “Forever On” in New Issue-Raising Single

Fri Sep 11, 2020

Australian ‘oldSkool rock’ and ‘nuSkool rollers’ skinsNbones rarely place one issue or storyline to their songs, and their newest single “Forever On” is no different.

Watch and listen to “Forever On” here:

 

 

“Our songs are definitely not about ‘boy meets girl’ or ‘boy loses girl,’” the band assures. “Each of our songs highlight a different social issue that we try to make the listener more aware of and to question.”

Case in point: “Forever On” is first and foremost an ode to mental difference, as they suggest calling it, and the band’s effort to help change perceptions around it. “We feel strongly about reducing stigma associated with mental dis-ease, or ‘mental difference,’” the band says. “We ask: ‘what would the world be like without mental difference?’

Alt. Rocker ROGOV Questions Life & Celebrates its Flow in NEW Single “Mistakes are Beautiful”

Fri Sep 04, 2020

Canadian artist ROGOV and former frontman of 80s-era rockers ARKITEX questions life and celebrates its flow as he unveils his stunning, take-pause new single, “Mistakes Are Beautiful”.

Watch and listen to “‘Mistakes are Beautiful’ here:

“Looking back at 36 years of living in California, where the ceaseless sun blurs the seasons and melts the years into long view, a question of mistakes swept over me,” ROGOV — nee Vladymir Rogov — considers. “I mused on the things that had become of me and wondered: what if my entire life is made out of mistakes?”

Collaborating with former Bowie lead guitarist, plus long-time friend and collaborator, Gold- and Platinum-selling, award-winning Canadian producer Stacy Heydon (Teenage Head, Sheriff, Long John Baldry), the song lands ahead of his forthcoming EP, Tourist.

World-Jazz Singer-Songwriter Nancy Ruth Urges You to “Turn The Lights Back Down”

Fri Sep 04, 2020

Canadian singer/songwriter Nancy Ruth has set forth her fourth single of the year into the world, a sultry ballad straight from her renowned repertoire of jazz, latin, and flamenco influences: “Turn the Lights Back Down”.

Watch and listen to “Turn the Lights Back Down” here:

“It invites us to take pause during this time of global chaos, and tap into the love that connects us all,” she shares of the inspiration behind the song.

Nancy Ruth, of all people, knows very much about this concept firsthand. “I recorded this song between New York, Vancouver, and Spain, both before and during COVID-19 confinement,” she recalls of the process. “The onset of travel restrictions caught me while I was in Malaga, Spain, which delayed my return to Canada.”

Arsenal Mills Break Onto the Scene with Debut Single, “Lovesick & Broke”

Fri Sep 04, 2020

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.

Brandi Disterheft Trio with George Coleman Ride the Waves of Bossa Nova in NEW Single “Surfboard”

Fri Sep 04, 2020

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.

Toronto Duo 148 Defy Genre Labels With New Single “Double Trouble” and Sophomore EP, Blue Moon

Fri Sep 04, 2020

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.

Wide Mouth Mason Cooks Up ‘Stew’ For A Re-Release 20 Years Later

Fri Aug 28, 2020

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.”

JUNO Award-Winning Tony Quarrington & Zoey Adams Have One More JAZZ Thing For You This Summer

Fri Aug 28, 2020

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.

Pop-Country “Discovery of the Year” & CBC Searchlight Picks THE RECORD BREAKERS Release “In My Car”

Fri Aug 28, 2020

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 Peels Back Social Fakery in New Video for “La La Land”

Fri Aug 21, 2020

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:

Keith Phelps Releases Premiere Single “Need 2 Know” from New Album Stimulus Package

Fri Aug 21, 2020

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:

Montreal Brother/Sister Duo Just Costa Set Sights on a "Bubblegum Sky"

Fri Aug 21, 2020

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 Breaks New Ground AWake & New Video for “Awake Awake”

Fri Aug 21, 2020

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.

Alt-Metal Prog-Rockers Helfreya Merge Love & Death in Debut LP Shieldmaiden

Fri Aug 21, 2020

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.”

Grumpy Kitty Boy Gets Authentic & Reflective in Debut Single, “Airplane Wings”

Fri Aug 21, 2020

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.

Hamilton, ON’s Pop Artists Bubl T’s Release EDM Version of “Dance In the Moment”

Fri Aug 21, 2020

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.”