earbuds & ticket stubs

Premiere: Rose Cousins' short film 'If I Should Fall Behind' (CBC Music)

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:03:05 -0500

Premiere: Rose Cousins' short film 'If I Should Fall Behind' (CBC Music): Rose Cousins’ newest...

METRIC will release their fifth full-length album Synthetica on...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:35:46 -0500

METRIC will release their fifth full-length album Synthetica on June 12th, 2012. Keep your eyes peeled here for more information as it comes out!

James Shaw of the band describes Synthetica as “[…] the culmination of everything we’ve done. We’ve always had a sound in our heads that we hoped to realize. We finally heard it coming back out of the speakers this time.” Haines first envisioned the word “Synthetica” as the name for a particularly resilient skin-job from Blade Runner, a female replicant who voices an inner monologue of all your human imperfections. “If you imagine a nightmarishly fake version of me as a pop star, that’s her,” she says. “And this record was about me saying, I’m going to give more to the music than ever, but there’s no way I’m going to turn into someone like that.”

ryanmaksymic: Women Shaking Hand || Chris Reimer, who was a...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 01:12:20 -0500

ryanmaksymic:

Women Shaking Hand || Chris Reimer, who was a member of the awesome Calgary band Women, among other groups, passed away this morning. Please take a few minutes and check out this rad song from Women. The band’s self-titled debut and 2010’s Public Strain are both crazy, intriguing, noisy, and weirdly catchy albums. You should head down to your local record store and pick them up. Find a few more songs here.

Yukon Blonde - “Stairway.” From their upcoming album...

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:00:06 -0500

Yukon Blonde - “Stairway.” From their upcoming album Tiger Talk, which is due to drop March 20. What a fun video to put a smile on your face!

These Kelowna rockers have extensive Canadian tour dates coming up, and you can also read more about Tiger Talk and download “Stairway” here.

Directed by Joy and Justin Broadbent, the “Stairway” video finds member Brandon Scott in a dreamlike state, remembering and longing for all the normal things he misses when on tour like vacuuming or washing dishes. The band explains, “In the dream he also finds these ‘apparitions’ which seem to be memories of people and places he misses from home, from which he feels slightly detached from being away so long, and yet he can always return and connect with them in the end.“

Vancouver’s Yes Nice have recruited their friends from Oh...

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:00:05 -0500

Vancouver’s Yes Nice have recruited their friends from Oh No! Yoko, HUMANS and more to release a remix album. You can stream and download it for free. Enjoy!

Free Download: Jeremy Fisher - Beatbox Demos

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 14:42:06 -0500

Vancouver’s Sunny Pompeii is the side project of drummer...

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 13:20:05 -0500

Vancouver’s Sunny Pompeii is the side project of drummer Spencer Schoening from Said the Whale. They have their debut EP up for grabs for whatever amount you’re willing to give them. Give it a listen!

Daniel Romano - “Time Forgot (To Change My Heart).”...

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 14:41:05 -0500

Daniel Romano - “Time Forgot (To Change My Heart).” One of my favourite songs from 2011 gets the video treatment, and it’s a bit sad, a bit ridiculous, and a lot of fun. I mean hair.

Thanks to Oh! Canada and The Line of Best Fit, here’s...

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 13:20:05 -0500

Thanks to Oh! Canada and The Line of Best Fit, here’s another free and awesome compilation of Canadian artists you want to be listening to right now.

Click through the album cover for the download and more info.

As winter once sets its icy grip on these fair isles, Best Fit’s thoughts once again turn to a place that, to be fair, tends to deal with chilly weather slightly better than us. We’ve come back with a packed 20th edition, which finds us welcoming back some Oh! Canada veterans (No Gold, Elliott Brood, Hooded Fang, Chains of Love, BA Johnston, The Darcys), discovering new projects from familiar faces (Del Bel, Phèdre , Bernice, Marine Dreams, Whitehorse) and showcasing tracks from a host of our favourite new discoveries of 2012 so far.

Our thanks go out to Jon Janes for creating the artwork, and to all those who made this edition possible.

Enjoy Oh! Canada 20 and stay warm! Stream in full below or alternatively, download the entire compilation in a handy .zip file here.

cbcradio3: Said The Whale - Big Sky, MT Every week, Said The...

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:56:03 -0500

cbcradio3:

Said The Whale - Big Sky, MT

Every week, Said The Whale is premiering a video for a song from their upcoming album Little Mountain. The videos are by the amazing people at Amazing Factory. Unlike last week’s frantic video, the video for Big Sky, MT is a low key affair, but that doesn’t make it any less effective or affecting.

-Graham

Lovely. And Said the Whale seems to be getting more adventurous with their sound as well, which is exciting!

Vancouver’s Bend Sinister have a new EP coming out on...

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:40:05 -0500

Vancouver’s Bend Sinister have a new EP coming out on March 6th named On My Mind. Listen to lead off single “Give It A Rest” above and grab it for free over on Soundcloud.

I’m sad that they’re not headed to the east coast, but check them out live if you can. Between the epic prog-inspired vocal styling of lion-maned frontman Dan Moxon, the guitar wails and thudding drums, it’s just a solid good time.

Bend Sinister tour dates:

MARCH 1st - KELOWNA - The Habitat
MARCH 2nd - OLDS (alberta) - Tracks pub
MARCH 6th - MONTREAL - L’Esco Bar
MARCH 8th - LONDON - Call The Office
MARCH 10th – TORONTO - @ Cherry Cola
MARCH 13th- WINNIPEG - The Pyramid *
MARCH 14th - REGINA - The Exchange *
MARCH 15th - SASKATOON - Amigos *
MARCH 16th - CALGARY - The Gateway *
MARCH 17th - EDMONTON - The Starlite room *
MARCH 18th - BANFF - Wildbills *
MARCH 19th - JASPER - The Horseshoe Club *
MARCH 20th - FERNIE - The Northern *
MARCH 21st - NELSON - The Hume Hotel *
MARCH 22nd- KAMLOOPS - Catus Jacks *
MARCH 23rd - VANCOUVER - Venue *
MARCH 24th - VICTORIA - Club 9one9 *
MARCH 26th - WHISTLER - Garibaldi Lift Company *

Hamilton’s Edgar Breau used to front...

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:20:05 -0500

Hamilton’s Edgar Breau used to front “proto-punk/psych” band Simply Saucer. I couldn’t tell you what that alliteration-filled genre sounds like. But I can tell you that Breau’s solo material, which he has been working on since the late ’70s, has heapfuls of warm, bossa nova influence and will make these short, wintry days pass a little faster.

Stream and download 3 tracks from Patches of Blue above.

Little Scream - “The Boatman” (live). This is pretty...

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:40:06 -0500

Little Scream - “The Boatman” (live). This is pretty epic! Also, Richard Reed Parry looks so enthusiastically bookish. Love it.

They’ve got some cross-Canadian tour dates coming up. Definitely check out this whirlwind of talent in real life.

March 1 Toronto | The Great Hall with Barr Brothers

March 20 Victoria | Lucky Bar *

March 21 Vancouver | Rickshaw Theatre *

March 27 Edmonton | Starlite Room *

Mach 28 Calgary | Rebublik *

March 29 Saskatoon | Amigo’s *

March 30 Winnipeg | West End Cultural Centre *

April 13 Wakefield | The Black Sheep

April 14 Kingston | The Grad Club

April 28 Montreal | Casa del Popolo

Album Review: Rose Cousins explores her collaborative side in We...

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:20:06 -0500

Album Review: Rose Cousins explores her collaborative side in We Have Made A Spark

No matter what new material Halifax’s Rose Cousins releases, it is always going to be hard pressed to live up to the excellent The Send Off, which remains one of my go-to singer-songwriter albums. Not that she has been stagnant, to the contrary. Beyond releasing three full-length albums of her own, Rose is also a prolific collaborator, the most well-known and recent project being Joel Plaskett’s opus Three. And with her latest effort, she called in all those favours that she’s been owed, featuring help from songwriter friends Rose Polenzani, Kris Delmhorst, Mark Erelli, Laura Cortese, and members of Josh Ritter’s Royal City Band.

We Have Made A Spark features friends within both the music communities in Halifax and Boston. The album boasts some lovely harmonies and more complex instrumentation, evident in stand out single “The Darkness.” Said single is also among the most upbeat of Rose’s repertoire, tapping into the signature playfulness and humour that charms audiences during her live shows. Ultimately, it’s her warm voice that drives the album, the distinctive element soaring above the piano and guitar ballads fans have come to expect from the songstress. However, although there are stand out moments (“The Darkness,” “Should I Fall Behind”), We Have Made A Spark doesn’t have quite the emotional grip as its predecessor.

The album closes off with two reworked tracks from The Send Off, “All the Time It Takes to Wait” and “White Daisies.” The former receives layers of heartbreaking harmonies, while the latter is buffered by a host of stringed instruments. Lovely additions of two favourites, both of which hint at the incredible potential that Rose Cousins has in combining her emotionally incisive songwriting with a little help from her friends.

We Have Made A Spark is available via Outside Music on February 28. You can pre-order the album and watch the trailer for the short film that will go along with the new record over on her website.

You can catch Rose Cousins on tour. Canadian dates below:

3/16 Victoria, BC - Solstice Cafe
3/17 Bowen Island, BC - TBA
3/18 Gibsons, BC - St Bart’s Hall
3/28 Winnipeg, MB - West End Cultural Centre
3/29 Saskatoon, SK - Lydia’s
3/30 Edmonton, AB - Haven Social Club
3/31 Canmore, AB - Communitea
4/2 Calgary AB - Ironwood Stage & Grill
4/14-15 Moncton, NB - East Coast Music Awards
4/20 Lunenburg, NS - Venue TBC
4/21 Wolfville, NS - Al Whittle Theatre
4/22 Halifax, NS - Spatz Theatre
4/25 Charlottetown, PEI - St Paul’s Anglican Church
4/26 Moncton, NB - Capitol Theatre
4/27 Saint John, NB - Sanctuary Theatre
4/28 Fredericton, NB - Charlotte Street Arts Centre
5/3 Toronto, ON - Rivoli
5/5 Wakefield, QC - Black Sheep Inn

Baby Eagle & The Proud Mothers will release Bone Soldiers on...

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:40:05 -0500

Baby Eagle & The Proud Mothers will release Bone Soldiers on March 6th via You’ve Changed Records. The band consists of Steve Lambke (Constantines) as Baby Eagle and Will Kidman (Constantines), Ian Kehoe and Spencer Burton (Attack in Black), and Nick Ferrio (Nick Ferrio & His Feelings) as the Proud Mothers. Pretty solid lineup, right? Album details and tour dates are below.

Stream single “Brave Women” above and grab the free download over on Soundcloud.

Bone Soldiers track list:

01. Bone Soldiers
02. Strange Bodies
03. Brave Women
04. Rebel Crimes
05. Old Punks
06. Good Times, Bad Times
07. Marching Orders
08. Peace On Earth
09. Hard Truths
10. Hurricane Weather

Upcoming tour dates:

March 28 - Peterborough, ON - The Garnet

March 29 - Hamilton, ON - The Casbah

March 30 - London, ON - APK

March 31 - Guelph, ON - Jimmy Jazz

April 5 - Toronto, ON - Dakota Tavern

April 8 - Montreal, QC - Casa Del Popolo

April 11 - Sackville, NB - The Legion

April 12 - Halifax, NS - Micheal’s

April 13 - St. John’s, NL - The Ship

Teen Daze remixes Library Voices’ “Traveller’s...

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:20:00 -0500

Teen Daze remixes Library Voices’ “Traveller’s Digest.” Enjoy!

Download over at Soundcloud.

Canadian tour dates supporting Yukon Blonde

March 24 – Winnipeg, MB – WECC*
March 28 – London, ON – Call The Office*
March 29 – Guelph, ON – The Vinyl*
March 30 – Montreal, PQ – Casa Del Popolo*
March 31 – Kingston, ON – The Grad Club*
April 2 – Quebec City, PQ – Le Cercle*
April 4 – Charlottetown, PEI – Hunters Ale House*
April 5 – Fredericton, NB – The Capitol*
April 6 – St John’s, NFLD – The Rock House*
April 7 – Halifax, NS – Reflections*
April 12 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace*
April 13 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace*
April 14 – Ottawa, ON – Ritual*
April 16 – Sudbury, ON – The Townehouse*
April 18 – Thunder Bay, ON – Crocks*
April 20 – Regina, SK – U of R Multipurpose Room*
April 21 – Calgary, AB – Palomino*
April 26 – Victoria, BC –9ONE9*
April 27 – Vancouver, BC – The Commodore*

Toronto trio The Junction will release their third...

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:40:05 -0500

Toronto trio The Junction will release their third LP Grievances on March 6, 2012. Here’s the video for lead-off single “Awakening,” which is a pretty wicked song to rock out to. What a contrast between the industrial hustle and bustle of the video and the anthemic chants of “you’ve got a right to live the way you want, but I’ll take it slow” in the chorus.

If you like what you hear, check out “Waves,” which is another single the band has recently released prior to the album coming out. You can download that for free over on Soundcloud.

Enjoy!

Album Review: Demetra takes a musical sojourn through the North...

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:20:05 -0500

Album Review: Demetra takes a musical sojourn through the North with Lone Migration

What if all I have to offer is a broken heart?

Demetra (Penner) is an artist, yogi and world traveller who finds inspiration by escaping from her occasional home of Winnipeg to the frozen tundras of the North. In her debut full length, Lone Migration, Penner displays these influences with the flexibility of her range, the imagery in her soundscape, and the expressiveness in the instrumentation.

To bring her music to fruition, Penner called upon friends like Andrew Braun (Hannah Georgas), Matt Peters (Royal Canoe, The Waking Eyes) and Inuit throat singer Nikki Komaksiutiksak to expand her sonic pallet. With all that extra manpower, it’s somewhat surprising yet apt that the disc begins with “Emergency Exit,” a track that starts with just Penner accompanied by simple piano chimes. Her voice, pure with nary a waver, has a lonesome quality to it that recalls the icy white of the North.

Penner’s angelic voice is always tempered by whimsy in her songwriting. Tinkling banjos follow behind, and then enters the jarring guitar strums. “Hey Stranger,” similarly, reflect a playfulness that perfectly complements the optimism of new love in the lyricism. The lovely track is streaming above and available for download here.

Lone Migration, for all its lighthearted whimsy, is not superficial. Demetra’s voice deftly floats and sinks, and rises and sinks again; her vocals are expressively sinuous, like a constant stream. Although tracks like the string-laden “Maiden of Ice” can evoke a chill, much like the majestic beauty of the North, Long Migration never feels inaccessible like the landscape that became her muse. It takes a voice and a talent like Demetra to make the connection.

Lone Migration is available in stores now.

Well! This is a fun track. The Just Barelys -...

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:40:05 -0500

Well! This is a fun track. The Just Barelys - “Lions.” Undeniably catchy and danceable guitar pop. Their long awaited new album Mad Bits will be released on Valentine’s Day, kind of apt for their adorable boy-girl vocals.

Grab a free download over on Soundcloud.

The second ever Shivering Songs Festival took place from...

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:20:06 -0500

The second ever Shivering Songs Festival took place from February 3 to 5th. It was a delight and demonstrated the warmth of the music community in snowy New Brunswick. Some of my personal highlights (there were many) included Hot Toddy Trio’s first performance in several years, which saw the veterans grinning and blazing through an excellent set, performing their well-loved album Shoe Factory, supposedly without any prior rehearsals.

The songwriters and storytellers circle on Saturday afternoon included gracious and charming host David Myles, who shared a few new songs inspired by his new home base of Halifax. Mike O’Neill was showered with praise by his fellow participants and lived up to them with his unabashedly catchy pop tunes. Catherine Maclellan’s set can only be described as immaculate, although she was packing heat with an extra guitar player.

That evening, Wintersleep side project Postdata paired incisive lyricism with swelling guitars and synths. “You kiss her lightly so she can forget that you’re gone.” Ouch. Paul Murphy, warm and self-effacing, filled every corner of the church with his resonant and distinct voice and beamed with each round of applause.

Over in a packed bar, Halifax’s Gypsophilia got all feet moving with “a little Jamaican music for warmth, and a bit of Jewish music for flavour.” Flowing gypsy skirts and colourful leisure suits alike would have looked right at home. Managing to tear myself away, musicians’ musician Snailhouse closed the night off with the competent help of festival hosts The Olympic Symphonium.

For live videos of Shivering Songs performances by Paper Beat Scissors and Mark Kozelek (and I assume more to come), head over to Southern Souls.