Whitehorse
By Will McGuirk
“I came across this Emily Dickinson poem and found it to be the most vivid description of an inner world I’ve ever encountered,” - Andrew Bird
“This duet playfully pulls back the curtain on a romantic proposition, exposing the inherent pragmatism in joining forces with another person,” - Jill Barber
"I let go of some swagger and embraced intimacy and joy and wonder. I hear this in the record and it makes me very happy to have made it.” - Jason Collett
Begonia, photo by Calvin Lee Joseph
By Will McGuirk
“You don’t really need to compete with yourself, you just need to challenge yourself.” - Jeffrey Innes, Yukon Blonde
“. . . I’m a work in progress and always will be” - Felly
Evangeline Gentle, photo by Mark L. Craigshead
By Will McGuirk
“Hunter Street is lit in that golden glow”
No matter how down one gets music gets one up. All those cycling thoughts hooked onto a passing chord, and whoosh up and at ‘em. Bed laying, the inevitability of staying in bed, in bed, in bed, in bed. . . until hand reaches out, radio clicks on, song fills the room and thoughts change to ideas, ideas to plans, and plans to action. Up and at ‘em. There’s a world to save, one soul at a time, one song at a time.
Rob Baker, via supportcanadianvenues.ca
By Will McGuirk
Music is fuel. Music is medicine. A music city is a healthy city. A music city is a wealthy city. Music is also labour not only leisure. Music is also work not only play. Slowcity.ca urges all our supporters to contact your local government reps to support for live music venues.
“We live in a world where people want instant gratification. But sometimes, chasing after that can leave you feeling empty, and the things that used to feel like magic lose their lustre.” - Once A Tree
“In the Arctic of Canada, Inuit People face the highest amount of suicides in the world, ‘Battlefields’ is a song to remind our people we have to fight our own minds to survive…” - Jaaji, Twin Flames
“I wrote this song as a reminder to myself and anyone listening to search for beauty and meaning in every piece of this life, however simple or complex, no matter the circumstance. - Luca Fogale
“Due to the ongoing revelations of harrowing injustice, and systemic racism against BIPOC throughout North America, all Bandcamp sales of “Bird Songs” will be donated to AWO TAAN HEALING LODGE SOCIETY based in my hometown of Calgary, AB, Canada.” - Astral Swans
“This song has a real solitary, lonely vibe that I think really reflects the times we’re all living in right now.” - Mo Kenney
“Animal is a song about our tendency to hide our true selves from one another, and what happens when we stop,” - Scott Packham, Color Fields
Evangeline Gentle, photo by Kristal Jones
By Will McGuirk
Sticks and stones will break your bones but names can never hurt you but names, memes, avatars, icons, stereotypes do hurt. Cursory summaries, quick glances, are the building blocks of our entertainment economy. If you want to be known wear the same clothes. Every song has a hook, every act has a look. Avoid that rush to judgement, speed kills, slow down and learn up. We look too much and listen too little. Stop overlooking.
“I believe that our deepest connections are found through vulnerability which is why I feel compelled to sing this track completely unaccompanied.” - Evangeline Gentle
“Can I still connect with my America Spirits as the daughter of an Iranian immigrant mother? This song is an answer to that. Yes, I can and I will. But, this will come with a lot of uncovering and opposition against the unjust reality of what America has mean since its bloody conception and its chaotic, violent reality today.” -Niki Black
“It’s about those moments when you’ve felt like you’re truly on the same plane as those around you.” - Tristan Armstrong, The Actual Goners
Sarah Jarosz
By Will McGuirk
Really enjoying this latest album from Sarah Jarosz, ”World on the Ground”; there’s a touch of Harry Chapin, a touch of Gordon Lightfoot and a touch of Neko Case and at a time when touch is rare thats a whole lot of goodness right there. The good is the details as the kids say.
“I’ve seen the streets set ablaze, the sky set on fire. I’ve been manic, heartbroken for the world, heartbroken for the country, heartbroken from being heartbroken again and again.” -Margo Price
“Making this record definitely taught me that I don’t want to be selfish: I want to channel something larger than myself and give myself to the process as fully as possible, because these songs also become the story of whoever hears them. Whatever someone might get out of listening to this record and hearing me express myself in this way, it’s completely theirs.” - Rushton Kelly