Vancity's Tourist Company have released the first single from their upcoming debut album Apollo. "Pedestals" is as silky as a slinky and slides right into your ear.
The Standstills tour with I Mother Earth, Our Lady Peace, play Massey Hall Oct 24, 25
Oshawa duo, Johnny Fox and Renee Couture, are touring with two of Canada's 90s stars I Mother Earth and Our Lady Peace. The Standstills are road warriors and having been playing rock solid of many years. There a couple of notable gigs on the tour, Massey Hall Oct. 24 and 25 and their hometown and neighbourhood arena the General Motor Centre on Oct. 29.
Here's a list of full dates. Check them out and tell them I say hi. They have been super supportive of the Oshawa scene, both in the arts and in the music and I like them a lot.
August 26th – Whoop-Up Days Festival – Lethbridge, AB
August 27th – 97.7 HTZ FM The Biggs and Barr BQ – St. Catharines, ON
October 6th – Burton Cummings Theatre – Winnipeg, MB*
October 7th- O’Brian’s Event Centre – Saskatoon, SK*
October 14th – Commodore Ballroom – Vancouver, BC*
October 15th – Abbotsford Centre – Abbotsford, AB >
October 16th – Prospera Place – Kelowna, BC >
October 17th – Revolution Place – Grand Prairie, AB>
October 19th – Grey Eagle Resoirt & Casino – Calgary, AB >
October 20th – Shaw Conference Centre – Edmonton, AB >
October 21st – Canalta Centre – Medicine Hat, AB >
October 24th & 25th – Massey Hall – Toronto, ON >
October 27th - Budweiser Gardens – London, ON >
October 28th – TD Place Arena – Ottawa, ON >
October 29th – GM Centre – Oshawa, ON >
October 31st – Centre in the Square – Kitchener, ON >
November 2nd – Scotiabank Centre – Halifax, NS >
November 4th – Molson Canadian Centre at Casino New Brunswick – Moncton, NB >
November 5th – Casino Rama – Rama, ON >
* with I Mother Earth
> with I Mother Earth and Our Lady Peac
B0n !V3R i$ 22 & U R +h3 1000000 , new language symbolizes new music
KASHKA: all the lonely people and a single heavy ghost
KASHKA has released a new single, “Heavy Ghost” produced by Nathan Ferraro who has worked with Young Empires. Its a delicate pop number heavy on the ghost, lighter on the heavy, even with the plaintive plea “there’s got to be another side.” KASHKA (aka Kat Burns) is on an alternative space/house tour and if you interesting in hosting a show contact her at hello@kashkamusic.com
The Toronto-based KASHKA has also released a tribute to the Beatles who played Maple Leaf Gardens 50 years ago. There are many celebrations in TO (Mayor John Tory has declared Aug. 13 to 20 Beatles 50 Week) including a fashion show, a photography exhibit and a Massy Hall presentation on the site of the former hockey arena, now part of Ryerson University. The Classics Album Live band will perform the same set the Fab Four played five decades ago but will add some of the later hits. KASHKA has covered one of those hits, the beautiful elegy to lonely people” Eleanor Rigby.”
A Tribe Called Red and Tanya Tagaq collaborate and its too good
Morning Report, The Arkells didn't start the fire but they keep it burning
I have a sense the Arkells' new album Morning Report is being misread, or misheard rather. Reviews are mostly talking about the Hamilton lads exploring new sounds, sounds mostly associated with the new crop of popstarts from the 6. Not so. The Arkells do draw from the 6, yes however for them its Hwy 6, the deep well of Robbie Robinson of the Six Nations, what Tom Wilson dubbed music that eased up the highway from Port Dover, what Daniel Lanois called the Simcoe Sound. Its a northern southern sound. The Arkells didn't go looking for it, it found them. The Arkells are not seeking out new sounds, they are drilling down into their own soul, deep into their own history, and their own geography.
The Hammer is the bleeding edge of American soul, gospel, jazz, R&B, another corner of the Chess table. Its Detroit on the airwaves, all of it Marvin and Iggy, the MC5 and Knuckles, Jack White, Jackie Wilson,Wilson Pickett. The Arkells dig it all and mine it and it fuels the Morning Report. They also fuel up on the east coast mellow of Philly and boombastic Boston and the drifting musical mist of New York that washes over Hamilton from across the lake. The Hammer is Canada's ear to the ground of America. The border doesn’t matter to music or to the sonics of the band. They reference American places as readily as they shout out their hometown, (“She was named for her dad’s favourite city,”) on Savannah, brassed up pub rock in the style of Springsteen, think Courtney Cox on stage with the Boss.
Actually the entire album is as joyful as that moment, the girl called on stage, lost in the dance with her fave band. Its what the Arkells are; one moment of joy with your fave band amped up, as the band gets bigger the intimacy remains, They played to 40,000 at WayHome Festival recently and my bird on the street told me even those at the back were touched. The band reaches out giving the audience the opportunity to dance and shout along, “Hung Up” a shout at to the “Gate Keepers, keeping me out,” and a whoo hoo chorus. We’ve all familiar with the gatekeepers and wondered “who made you the President?”
The songs of Morning Report continue the character based narratives the band is known for. The Arkells are the very definition of College Rock, and sing to the boys and girls of the dorms and bus stops about their lives, their loves, their nows, for now anyway, “now you sleep on the couch just a few blocks away,” on “Come Back Home; (“time how fast I would take to take of her bra”) on “Savannah” and (“I do my pre-drinking in the shower”) on Drake’s Dad.” They do stay a safe distance away from the millenials’ futures.
The Arkells future looks rosy but success doesn’t seem to change them much. They still seem like a bunch of good guys who party hard but make sure their dates get home. They don't front about being rock stars either. The first track "Drake's Dad" isn't about them hanging out with the Famous and Beautiful, they hang out with the parents, how Canadian. The second track is about the private school kids, ah so lovely with their perfect teeth but just the stuff of dreams for working class kats from the wrong side of the tracks in Steeltown.
Round and Round begins with a possible nod to Gordon Lightfoot’s Go-Go-Round, switching to a stomping romper in the style of Edward Sharpe, (“I sing along to my headphones, Jules is dancing when I get home, we ramble round and round.”) Making Due rates high on the Springsteen-isms as does “And Then Some”, (“I adore you because you don’t care where I came from”). “ A Little Rain (Song for Pete)” also builds on the Springsteen base, with a New Pornographers pop hook and a glam clap-a-long break. The track is just about everything rock ’n roll draws from thrown into one great balls on fire breakout.
Just like The Arkells' Morning Report builds into one great balls on fire breakout. Now go see them live.
PHOTO CREDIT : JEN SQUIRES
Hoodoo blues from the Hammer, LeE HARVeY OsMOND is on "Planet Love"
Lee Harvey Osmond has released Planet Love, the latest track from his Polaris nominated album Beautiful Scars. Its an eerie blues number, as if Robbie Robertson covered Alabama Shakes or vice versa maybe, with a great guitar lick I can't place, possibly Edwyn Collins' "A Girl Like You". LHO has a long list of tour North American dates coming up for late summer and into the Fall, notable TURF in Toronto Sept 17.
Peaches, Hidden Cameras go Live at Massey Hall Aug 4, you should come
Well done Toronto The Good, well done austere historic Massey Hall, two very provocative activist artists are laying claim to the old lady of Shuter Street. The magnificent Live at Massey Hall series continues Aug 4 2016 with the Peaches and The Hidden Cameras. The performance, and it will be a performance, will be filmed for a 30 minute documentary of the event.
Peaches has been supporting her in-yer-face as in-yer-orifice new record, Rub and its accompanying album Rub Remixed. If you thought Peaches got down, listen to the remixes she's going down down down deeper, deeeeeee-per on down. There will be a celebratory air to the proceeding too as her album The Teaches of Peaches won the Slaight Family Polaris Music Heritage Award.
Hidden Cameras will release their latest recording, a country folk album, Home On Native Land in the Fall. It features collaborations with Ron Sexsmith, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Feist, Rufus Wainwright and Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys.
Now I'm not saying just saying the Hidden Cameras and Peaches have collaborated with many many folks over the years of their careers and when I saw Chilly Gonzales at his Live at Massey Hall his long time collaborator the aforementioned Feist joined him. Don't be surprised if there some special guests at this show.
Views from Hwy 6, Arkells' roadtrippin' meetup with "Drake's Dad", for reals
The Arkells always look like they're having so much fun and none more fun than in the video for the lead of track, "Drake's Dad" from the new album Morning Report due Aug 5 2016. And yes that Drake and yes that Drake's Dad. The track is based on a true road trip story where Max and his kats randomly met Drake's Dad. Soooo. . . not only are they having so much fun in the vid but they are actually having that much fun in actual real life; couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of lads. Great track, showing off their Hamilton/ Detroit by way of the mystic Hwy. 6 sounds.
New tune from TUNS, "Throw It All Away"
TUNS, comprised of Chris Murphy from Sloan, Matt Murphy from Flashing Lights and Mike O'Neill of the Inbreds, have released "Throw It All Away", a jangly summery singalong from an upcoming self-titled album due to drop Aug 26 2016 on Royal Mountain. Great harmonies from the three pals. The trio have been playing live most recently at Hillside in Guelph, Sappyfest in Sackville and also as part of the Toronto Star's Mill Street Sessions, should be online soon.
Boo yah The Luyas return with "Engineers", Says You EP
The Luyas of Montreal have returned from a sizeable hiatus with a new EP Says You recorded with Jace Lasek. It will be available Sept 16 on Paper Bag Records - Listen and drool to the first single "Engineers". I fell in love with The Luyas at Hillside a few years back and have been hoping Jesse Stein and Co would create more beauty. Boo Yah!!
Graceful and gritty Northcote play the Moustache Club in Oshawa July 28
Northcote (aka Matt Goud) plays the Moustache Club in Oshawa July 28. The SASK. singer/songwriter is touring his latest release, his third full-lenght, Hope is Made of Steel. Originally Northcote was a solo project but it has grown into a full band with Stephen McGillivray (guitar), Mike Battle (bass) and Derek Heathfield (drums). Goud has also been working with producre Gavin Brown and the album includes guest vocalists Hannah Georgas, Chuck Ragan and Dave Hause. His gruff but gentle vocal style and his heart-on-his-leather-jacket-sleeve draws comparisons to The Boss, Bruce Springsteen but one can see where his heart really lies on the songs he chooses to cover, from Modern Baseball to Florence + the Machine, its a diverse list and we had to ask him which side is he on musically - past or present?
SlowCity.ca: There is an obvious working class rock n roll vibe to your sound of course - when creating music do you prefer to dig deep back into the roots of that sound or do you rather push yourself to explore new musical territory, instruments, sounds?
Northcote: "I like to hear what people are doing currently. I usually will have one or two bands on the go, which I am going trough their discography in more depth. Recently I went over Tom Waits albums again and was listening back to Leonard Cohen. Both of those artists have cool new records. There is a group called Big Thief that has a new album out called Masterpiece. I've listened to that a lot. This morning I am listening to an album called Indian Ocean by Frazy Ford. As far as influences I believe it is much better to pick a couple things and get really obsessed with them. The alternative is borrowing broad strokes from classic artists and that can leave you feeling a little stale. I'm going to try and get into something that makes me freak out a bit, and go after that. With creating you are not really supposed to be trying to just fit in. Plus there can only be one Tom Waits anyway."
SlowCity.ca: We seem to be heading to a place where people are going to have to choose what side they are on - Springsteen and Billy Bragg, Frank Turner and others are outspoken in their support of social issues- it goes hand in hand with the style of music they play - What is your opinion on artists and musicians talking and singing about social issues, do artists have a platform?
Northcote: "I don't believe that the artist is responsible to anyone. The work is the most important for the socially active and for the more inactive. There is a need for beauty for its own sake, and for beautiful work with a more palatable message. Remember there is art that can cause both healing and discord. For the most part, they each have their place. Personally I am very moved by songs that are more blatantly political. But in a way all songs that share a sincere point of view are political in nature. An important act for us in Canada is A Tribe Called Red. They are doing great things. Yes artists have a platform, on the big stage or at an open mic, cafe or blog. If say the best 'political' acts follow their own passion, even if it's not political in nature you will be surprised by the meaning it may take on. When you hear Otis Redding it's not political songs really, it is mostly forelorn love songs , but the lines all blur and run together, you can hear and see all of America when you listen to it."
See and hear all of Northcote at the Moustache Club July 28 2016
Winnipeg's Royal Canoe Living A Lie
Winnipeg's sexiest synth-soul sextet Royal Canoe have released "Living A Lie" from Something Got Lost Between Here and The Orbit. The album will be out Sept 16 on Nevada but you can give it a spin below.