No fear, none nothing just Peaches and Joan Jett sparks, we used to call it glam rock when it was just pub rock in sequinned jeans - the denim comes off and its coffee and someone else's shirt and its just as glam, just as rock, just as thrashy and just so fresh.
Photo by Nikki Ormerod
The Good Lovelies release "Shapeshifter", play Massey Hall May 11 with Royal Wood
The voice times three, the harmonies, the Good Lovelies bring it all in silky delicate number light as breathing, and while they see gold I see This Is Us all of us.
Young Novelists come round again with new album and tour
The bookish hookish Young Novelists have released "Come Round Again" a track which neatly marries the Skydiggers and Joel Plaskett in a raggedy pub folk romp about a Halton Hills heist. Their new album, 'in city and country', comes out May 4 2018.
Frigs release 'Solid State' - here's to all you kool things!
TO Frigs set up for Feb 23 release of their debut album, 'Basic Behavior', on Arts and Crafts.
Remember when Kim sang :
"Hey, Kool Thing, come here, sit down
There's something I go to ask you.
I just want to know, what are you gonna do for me?
I mean, are you gonna liberate us girls
From male white corporate oppression?
Tell it like it is!
Huh?
Yeah!
Don't be shy
Word up!
Fear of a female planet?"
- watch this space -> and watch for a gig Apr 7 at the Garrison in Toronto
Photo by CarolineDesilets
JUNOS announced, METZ, Christopher Mills and Timber Timbre nominated
OL' SlowCity has been around for a while in Oshawa, hanging out and getting nowhere but some of the kats we have shared paths and pints with, have gotten somewhere and the 2018 Junos have given some of them the nod; Congrats to them all for taking their own road to the podium and keep on the keepin' on - maybe someday we will cross paths again. Full list of Juno noms here.
ARTIST of the YEAR
Daniel Caesar
R&B/SOUL RECORDING of the YEAR
Freudian - Daniel Caesar
ALBUM ARTWORK of the YEAR
Freudian – Daniel Caesar
Keavan Yazdani (Art Director & Photographer), Sean Brown (Designer), Eric Lachance (Illustrator)
VIDEO of the YEAR:
LEAVING THE TABLE - Leonard Cohen
Christopher Mills
ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM of the YEAR
Sincerely, Future Pollution - Timber Timbre
METAL/HARD MUSIC ALBUM of the YEAR
Strange Peace - METZ
Lindi Ortega is back with a new song and new tour, new album released soon
Lindi Ortega mixes surf and turf on her new track "The Comeback Kid". Its a long black veiled murder ballad, all earthy beats and sorrowful twangs, from her album 'Liberty', a concept album in three acts. The Comeback Kid comes with a tombstone canyon cartoon video - Its the best of Western and a sweet treat. Fans will soon be treated to a cross- America/Canada tour with dates below the videos. 'Liberty' for all March 30.
Feb 15 - Little Rock, AR - South On Main
Feb 16 - Kansas City, MO - Knuckleheads Saloon
Mar 15 - Swift Current, SK - The Lyric Theatre
Mar 16 - St. Albert, AB - Arden Theatre
Mar 17 - Fort Macleod, AB - Empress Theatre
Mar 24 - Seattle, WA - The Tractor Tavern
Mar 25 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios
Mar 29 - Los Angeles, CA - Moroccan Lounge
Mar 30 - San Diego, CA - Soda Bar
Apr 1 - Phoenix, AZ - Musical Instrument Museum
Apr 3 - Austin, TX - Stubb’s BBQ
Apr 4 - Dallas, TX - Club Dada
Apr 5 - Houston, TX - McGonigel’s Mucky Duck
Apr 12 - Calgary, AB - Festival Hall
Apr 14 - Winnipeg, MB - West End Cultural Centre
Apr 15 - Minneapolis, MN - Dakota Jazz Club
Apr 17 - Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall
Apr 19 - St. Louis, MO - Old Rock House
Ap 20 - Nashville, TN - 3rd & Lindsay
Apr 21 - Decatur, GA - Eddie’s Attic
Apr 22 - Charlotte, NC - The Evening Muse
Apr 24 - Washington, DC - Union Stage
Apr 25 - Annapolis, MD - Rams Head On Stage
Apr 26 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
May 4 - Montreal, QC - L’Escogriffe
May 5 - Ottawa, ON - The 27 Club
May 6 - Burnstown, ON - Neat Coffee Shop
May 7 - Kitchener, ON - Centre In The Square
May 9 - Toronto, ON - Mod Club Theatre
May 10 - London, ON - Aeolian Hall
May 11 - Hamilton, ON - Mills Hardware
May 12 - Kingston, ON - Queen’s Grad Club
Benefit show, Sounds of the Soul, at Oshawa Music Hall Feb 28
February is Black History Month but for Pickering teacher, Paula Walker, its an opportunity too to celebrate the future as well as the past. She has organised a celebration of, and a benefit for, a school in Uganda. Sounds of the Soul takes place at the Oshawa Music Hall Wednesday, Feb 28, 2018. Sounds will come from a variety of performers including the 2017 Boots and Hearts Emerging Artist, Jade Daniel Eagleson, and over 70 students from Sir J.A. Macdonald P.S. in Pickering, where Walker teaches.
“I wanted my students to feel what it was like to shine like the stars do,” says Walker in an email, “when they have the stage and an audience to engage. So, I asked my lifetime friend Johnny Matusiak to help me form a village of professional musicians to make this happen."
Walker had another village in mind too; Kawanda in central Uganda.
“My friend, David Amot, was raised in this village by his mother Suzan Mary Okel, who established and principals Jethro a school for orphans which now educates over 200 students,” says Walker. “What began as an effort to school her own relatives who had lost their parents, turned into a mass outreach to her own community".
“David was very young when Suzan opened Jethro, and was inspired by his mother’s work. As such, a few years later he travelled with the African Children’s Choir as an 'uncle'. Then, went on to become a nurse. There are many more success stories like this, for the children who have been schooled at Jethro. It now schools over 200 children,” she says.
Walker met Amot at her church in Peterborough in 2004 along with Joziah Deklerk (who will also perform at Sounds of the Soul). They became friends sharing their love of music as a source of healing.
"Again, my intention was multi-layered, as it was not only to give my students an opportunity to perform with professionals and show their own gifts, but to celebrate music born out of suffering; donating all proceeds to a greater cause,” says Walker.
Photo by Danielle Holbert
Donovan Woods is on fire on 'Burn That Bridge', new single out
The woodsy timbred Woods goes all Broken Social Steen on the first single "Burn That Bridge" from his new album 'Both Ways'. The track rolls like a hug of thunder down Thunder Road, or the anthemic leaning Bruce covering Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl. Its an emotional builder with the sweet teeth of failure and loss nibbling at the edges. The album drops April 20 2018 on Meant Well.
Photo by Colin Medley
Hey Sudbury!! Partner with Lazy Daisies for free concert at Grace
Its a Bangers production - takes place Mar 2 and its free and its all ages and accessible and is a showcase to all to say hey you you can rock too - learn live! Thats the key, not from radio, not from Spotify but from seeing bands play, smelling bands play, feeling the energy and feeding into it. I got the heads up from the beauty folks of River 'n Sky about this so bit far for me but go represent - its free just like the music you get on the 'net.
Ellevator on the rise with new track 'New Survival' and tour with OLP, Matthew Good
Yeah, cheap headline pun I know - Ellevator from Hamilton, ON, have signed to Arts&Crafts and released a new single, 'New Survival'. Delivery is somewhere between Amy Milan and Emily Haines. They are on tour with Matt Good and Our Lady Peace on some West dates but have their own date at the Drake in Toronto Feb 10 and 11 2018. Worth digging into I'd say.
Photo by Brantley Gutierrez
Hey Mama, new track from Nathaniel Ratetliff and the Nightsweats, plays Massey Hall May 18
The latest track from Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats is a four minute trip though the Last Waltz, all of those Winterland Ballroom kats, from Dylan to Van Morrison and Levon Helms & Co. show up in sonic vignettes on this pretty, great track, its oozy like a Sunday Morning, eh Mama? The new album, 'Tearing at the Seams' drops March 9 on Stax.
here's another one for you for scrolling down here ->
Ottawa's MEGAPHONO fest pop-ups in Toronto and Montreal
Trails is just one of the over 70 artists performing at MEGAPHONO in Ottawa Feb 8 to 10, 2018. Trails is also one of several artists playing pre-fest showcases in Toronto and Montreal. She joins Willie Thrasher and Linda Saddleback as well as King Kimbit Feb 5 at The Burdock in TO and Moonfruits steps in for King Kimbit at the La Salla Rossa in the City of Saints the following night.
Alongside such luminaries as Lido Pimienta, Steven Lambke, Daniel Romano's Ancient Shapes, Nap Eyes and Nick Ferrio, MEGAPHONO features a Native North American Gathering with Duke Redbird, the aforementioned Thrasher and Saddleback, Eric Landry, Leland Bell, Alanis Obomsawin and more. The full line-up is on the website plus tickets, schedule, conference deets and all that other vital info. Lucky Ottawa is all I can say.
Photo by Hollie Fernando
Hookworms release new track, Each Time We Pass; don't pass on it
Leeds UK synth-psych rawkers have tucked in under my ears and are staying there like the hookworms they are. They are joined on this track of their new album, MicroShift on Domino, by guest vocalist Alice Merida Richards from Virginia Wing.