Spring is here! We’re enjoying these longer daylight hours, seeing the buds and blooms burst into life around us, and hearing a cacophony of lawnmowers most evenings around ‘the hood.’ New arrivals are not just confined to the garden beds – we have some fresh hot single releases from five of our GDW pals. So, while you’re here, pull up a lawn chair, pour yourself a large glass of lemonade, and take a little time to become acquainted with these good friends too. We’ll let the music do the talking, and keep our musings concise, promise.
The Hello Darlins, “What Is A Broken Heart For?”
We’re jumping straight in here with this latest tune from our good friends, Calgary’s The Hello Darlins. Taken from their recent “In The Sundust” EP, this single is a playful, upbeat tune with a strong Linda Ronstadt vibe. “It’s a lighthearted question that we all may have asked at some point during a heartache,” the band share. “What’s the point of love – only to experience a broken heart?” Check out the music video, featuring bandmates Brett Ashton (salesman) and Kyle Mosiuk (bad Elvis).
Nelson Sobral, “Twice The Price”
No stranger to us here at GDW, Toronto blues-rocker Nelson Sobral shared this latest single just last Friday, and as we’ve come to expect, it’s a rock and roll banger. Listen carefully though, and you’ll quickly learn that this is also a powerful anthem for those daring to follow their dreams. “You should always follow your passions because living a life not doing so is way worse that having success in some other endeavor just to make a living,” Nelson offers. “I want to live a life, not make a living.”
Abigail Lapell, “Willow”
Toronto’s Abigail Lapell recently shared a ‘deluxe edition’ of her 2022 “Stolen Time” album, offering a handful of new tracks. One such tune is “Willow,” an “acoustic guitar ballad evoking themes of grief and hopefulness,” Abigail shares. “The weeping willow tree is an ancient symbol of mourning, but also adaptability, resilience and rebirth. With simple strumming, layers of vocal harmonies, and a whistle solo, the song conjures a timeless image of gold branches swaying by the riverside.”
The Blaze Velluto Collection, “Feeler”
Exciting news – Quebec’s retro pop-rockers, The Blaze Velluto Collection, are back, and just dropped this corker of a new single last Wednesday. Discovering this band in early 2020, their hit single “Fish Mountain, Pt. 2” was a musical bright light that helped me navigate through those early unchartered pandemic waters. “After quite some time, here we are, back with a new single and a video,” the band shares. “Feeler should make you want to spin the wheel of fortune or crack a golden egg!”
Alanna Matty, “Rabbits”
Halifax, NS singer-songwriter Alanna Matty released this single just last week, and we were just itching to include it here. “I wrote this song in bits and pieces throughout the Canadian leg of my most recent tour, with each chorus reflecting exactly where I was in the moment I wrote it,” Alanna shares. “I got to explore the continent. I swam in two oceans. I drank moonshine. I was humbled by the mountains. With the looming reality that all of this would soon end … came this song.”
The British guy that crossed the ocean and crash landed in central Pennsylvania (to quote Greg Keelor, “And I wonder what am I doing here?”). As the youngest of four siblings, exposure to music from a very early age nurtured my passion and appreciation for many musical genres. Continuing to discover some amazingly diverse and talented musicians based in Canada, I gravitate to live music experiences and remain devoted to spreading the word about such a vibrant music scene.
