Snappy Singles: Delightful Ditties for the Dog Days of Summer
bySummer is still here. The cicadas are singing for us. The mosquitoes are feasting on us. And the sunsets are gorgeous. It’s a great…
Archive
Kennedy Road: New Single and Video Release
byCanadian folk-roots duo Kennedy Road are proud to release and share “Kennedy,” the first single from their upcoming full-length album, along with an accompanying…
Westminster Park: Live at Brown & Dickson Bookstore (and New Single!)
bySinger-songwriter, poet and author Steve Murphy is a familiar name here at Team GDW, known also as one of our regular featured GDW contributors…
Highlights From Home Country Music & Art Festival (Part 3)
byIn this third and final installment of our features on the 46th annual Home County Music & Art Festival, we concentrate on some of…
Single Release: Black Suit Devil, “Firefly”
byHaving launched their first new single, “A Matter Of Time,” last Spring, the Toronto-based acoustic-soul band Black Suit Devil are releasing their second teaser…
Song Premiere: Twas Now, “Black Coffee”
byFor anyone who has lived in Kitchener, Ontario since the 1980s, it’s a safe bet they know the enigmatic graffiti adorning a prominent railroad…
Highlights From The Home County Music & Art Festival (Part 2)
byIn this second installment of our trio of features on the 46th annual Home County Music & Art Festival, we feature three artists that…
Melanie Brulée: Intimate House Concert in Mansfield, PA
byPacking her suitcase and heading south of Toronto for a few weeks, alt-country singer-songwriter Melanie Brulée recently commenced her summer US East Coast tour;…
Retro Rockers The Sheepdogs Return Once Again to Niagara-on-the-Lake
byBack in 2017, the Jackson-Triggs winery invited Saskatchewan rockers The Sheepdogs to perform at their annual Summer Concert Series, giving us our first opportunity…
Snappy Single: In The City, “Every Single Day”
byWith all of the great folk-roots music that continues to cross our paths here at GDW, it has become quite the juggling act to…
Review: Kae Shelby, “Music and Motorcycles”
byI listen to many fabulous releases every week as part of what I do, and sometimes an album that comes through the door just…
Review: VK, “Charm”
byIt was just a little less than one month ago that we had the pleasure of debuting “What Tomorrow Will Bring,” the brand new…
Jadea Kelly Releases New EP, “Met While Incarcerated”
byHot on the heels from her acclaimed 2016 “Love and Lust” album (accolades from Canadian Folk Music Awards for Contemporary singer of the year),…
Snappy Singles: Sizzling Summer Treats for Your Listening Pleasures
bySummer is here, Cottage Country is open for business, and many cold beers are flowing. All that’s missing is some great new music, and…
The Julian Taylor Band: Live at Sound of Music Festival
byWe originally saw the announcement for the TD Main Stage Sunday show at this year’s Sound of Music Festival, and were in awe at…
The Devin Cuddy Band: Live at The Dakota Tavern
byWith plans already made to be in the GTA this past weekend, the announcement of a Devin Cuddy Band concert taking place at The…
Matt Andersen & Erin Costelo Bring the Music of the Maritimes to Virginia
byTeam GDW spent another weekend taking a road trip to Jammin’ Java in VA, eager to enjoy an evening of music from Nova Scotia’s…
New Video From West of Mabou: “Eagle’s Whistle”
byOur friends West of Mabou, the terrific Celtic musicians from Saskatchewan, are premiering their first video today, and we want to make sure you…
Single & Video Premiere: VK, “What Tomorrow Will Bring”
byLast year, we discovered the music of Orillia, ON duo Steve and Marni Van Kessel (collectively called ‘VK’), whose sophomore album “Terms and Conditions”…
Snappy Single: Opeongo, “hopeless”
byAs mentioned in my review earlier this week of “Mistakes,” the latest single from Titus Calderbank, I had recently discovered a pair of great…
David Picco: Brand New Album and Music Video Launched Today
byThere is an abundance of new music being released today, and we were spoiled for choice when picking one to focus on today. With…
Video Premiere: Ryan Hicks, “Prairie Ocean”
byLast year, we were captivated by an album from Saskatchewan singer/songwriter Ryan Hicks, who eloquently explored the aftermath of tragedy on “Pulsing Colours.” I was…
The East Pointers Return to Charlottesville, VA
byHaving attended three straight concerts by Canadian artists here on US soil over the past ten days (Colter Wall, The Small Glories & Rose…
Review: Lydia Persaud, “Let Me Show You”
byWe’ve been writing this site long enough now that we’ve had the great good fortune to see the tremendous development of a number of…
Rose Cousins: Live at Jammin’ Java
byI finally made my first 2019 excursion to Jammin’ Java last Monday evening; Team GDW’s favorite little music venue in Virginia who always invite…
An Evening of Music With The Small Glories in Central PA
byEvery year, it seems that our local Susquehanna Folk Music Society find a way to bring a popular Canadian act to the PA mid-state. …
Review: Sunnsetter, “I Will Understand”
bySunnsetter unveils his inner turmoil to the world on a new single and watershed of creativity from his phone. Sunnsetter is the stage name…
Jadea Kelly: Live at Hamilton’s Mills Hardware
byWith the recent release of her latest EP, “Met While Incarcerated,” singer-songwriter Jadea Kelly just embarked on a brief tour of Southern Ontario to…
Review: Leanne Hoffman, “What Remains”
byNova Scotia singer-songwriter Erin Costelo had quite a busy year in 2018. Along with the successful release of her own “Sweet Marie” album, she…
Review: Saint Lo, “We Could Be”
byIt was by pure chance that I recently encountered the music from Montreal folk band, Saint Lo, when needing just one more new song…
#TuesdayTunesday: Ava Wild, Lydia Persaud, Mo Kenney
byAs we prepare to bid April farewell, we are listening to new music from three of our favorite singers – grab a cup of…
Black Suit Devil: Live at Collective Arts Brewery
byWith plans to attend a show on a Monday evening in Southern Ontario, we made the decision a few weeks ago to drive north…
Single Release: Black Suit Devil, “A Matter Of Time”
byRewind to late 2017, when we first discovered the music of Black Suit Devil, a Toronto based acoustic soul ensemble who had just released…
Single Release: Eamon McGrath, “Guts”
byFollowing the excellent (and most recent) “Tantramar” album last summer, journey-man and current Torontonian Eamon McGrath just announced the arrival of yet more new…
Snappy Singles: New Releases for Your Listening Pleasure
byJust last month we brought you a selection of new singles that we discovered in our inbox, and wanted to share. Well, these emails…
Stephen Fearing: Live at Station 1 Coffeehouse
byIt must have been a couple of years ago when Stephen Fearing last toured (as a solo artist) around Southern Ontario, and as much…
New Week, New Music
byWe’ve been inundated with new music recently here at GDW HQ! We shared some new videos with you Friday, but there’s plenty more in…
Fresh Videos for #NewMusicFriday: Angela Saini, Rich Aucoin, Madison Violet, Alicia Toner
byWe’ve almost made it to April! On this final Friday in March, settle down with a hot cup of your favorite beverage and enjoy…
Review: Tim Moxam, “Marlborough Hall”
byWe’ve enjoyed music from Tim Moxam over the last few years, due in part to some rotation on the SiriusXM Canadian music stations that…
The Julian Taylor Band, “Avalanche”
byKnown for their outstanding performances on the live-music circuit across their home province of Ontario, the Julian Taylor Band (JTB) are definitely one of…
Review: Pretty Archie, “Hanging On”
byEvery now and then, when casually searching for new music, something completely new and unexpected crosses my path. Often cursed with a relatively short-attention…
Review: Psalm Trees, “Crystal, Coral, Fossil: A Collection”
byA mystical type of melancholia and introspection from London, Ontario’s Psalm Trees. Brothers Shawn and Derek Durant have been quietly creating mesmerizing beauty under…
Review: Madison Violet, “Everything’s Shifting”
byIt is often said that time flies when you’re having fun, so one can only assume that for Madison Violet, this duo of Brenley…
Alt-Country Artist Melanie Brulée Returns to Philadelphia
byAfter making her debut at the Philadelphia Folk Festival last summer, Melanie Brulée quickly earned an invitation back to perform for the Philadelphia Folksong…
Ron Hawkins Returns to Hamilton’s Mule Spinner
byJust six days after our evening with Lee Harvey Osmond at The Mule Spinner in Hamilton, ON, Team GDW returned to this wonderful venue…
Stephen Fearing, “The Secret Of Climbing”
byGo ahead and ask casual fans of Canadian music about the most recent solo album from Vancouver based singer-songwriter Stephen Fearing, and many will…
Album Release: Alanna Matty, “This Past Year”
byWe recently featured Toronto artist Alanna Matty’s single, “End Up Alone,” here on GDW. Her insightful musings on the reasons relationships fail are but…
Lee Harvey Osmond: Live at The Mule Spinner
byHello Canada. We’ve not seen you for a while. Blessed with some decent weather conditions for our first trip to Southern Ontario this past…
Amanda Rheaume, “The Skin I’m In”
byIf you follow singer-songwriter Amanda Rheaume on social media, unless you live under a rock and never check your feeds, you ought to know…
Review: Post Script, “The Light I Can’t Block Out”
byAs Edmonton’s Post Script, singer Steph Blais and guitarist Paul Cournoyer have been making accomplished tunes together since 2013. Through the years, they’ve gained…
Single Preview: Alanna Matty, “End Up Alone”
byThe whys and hows a relationship didn’t work out is something everyone toils over at some point in their life. Toronto-based singer-songwriter, Alanna Matty,…
Review: The Rainy Day Apparel, “Reset”
bySeveral weeks ago, an enterprising young artist reached out to us with a request to review a new EP – unfortunately, because things like…
Suzanne Jarvie: “In The Clear”
byA new year can only mean one thing; more new music. And from the announcements we’ve seen just through these first two weeks of…
New Music for #WonderfulWednesday
byIf you’re like us, you’re thoroughly disheartened at the prospect of a full week of work with no holiday in sight. Music can be…
2018 Year-End Roundup: Martin and Lesley Choose Their Final Four
byFrom Martin: Following up from my list earlier this week of my favorite 20 album releases in 2018, with so many fantastic albums to…
Top Albums of 2018 by Province – Lesley Carter
byWith the quantity of excellent music that comes out of Canada each year, it’s always a challenge to select a few favorites. As regular…
2018 Top Twenty Album List – Martin Noakes
byIf I thought that selecting my top 20 Canadian albums in 2017 was a daunting task, it completely pales in comparison to the time…
Documentary, “Sweet Marie: In Studio With Erin Costelo,” to Air on CBC in January
byCBC will air a new documentary focused on the recording of Erin Costelo’s recent album “Sweet Marie” on 5 January at 1 pm. (We…
Snappy Snippets: Lofi Uppercut, Alex Mason, The Hope State, Madeleine Roger
byGot room for a few more musical treats? Team GDW receive LOTS of music to review, and while we cannot get to everything that…
2018 Top Ten Album List – Steve Murphy
byBetween my two writing gigs and my own personal record collecting, I’ve probably listened to a hundred albums released this year. 2018 has been…
2018 Year-End Roundup: 10 Memorable Live Moments
byBefore we go ahead and tear down that old 2018 calendar from the wall, it’s time once again to look back at some of…
Random Record Revival: Neko Case, “The Tigers Have Spoken”
byPicture the scene: Team GDW’s Martin in a group therapy session for those with a predilection for the live music experience. “Hi, I’m Martin…
Video Premiere: The Old Salts, “Mall Store Santa”
bySome months ago, we spoke with singer/songwriter Derek Harrison about his excellent solo album “Blossington.” Now, we’re delighted to offer you the exclusive debut…
Erin Costelo Makes Her Philadelphia Debut
byHaving enjoyed the concert in Toronto with Erin Costelo, who launched her brand new “Sweet Marie” album at The Dakota Tavern in October, a…
Interview: The O’Pears, “Stay Warm”
byAmidst the deluge of new holiday music this year (much of which has been truly excellent), one album has stood out from the rest…
Special #ThursdayTunesday Edition
byAnd why, may we ask, can’t Thursday be a Tunesday just like Tuesday? In addition to the holiday music filling our inbox, we’ve recently…
Bonus Holiday #TuesdayTunesday Edition, Redux
byAfter posting a selection of holiday songs last week, we realized that we’d missed new holiday music from some of our favorite artists, so…
New Single and Video: Phöenix Lazare, “Under the Light”
byCanadian singer/songwriter Phöenix Lazare is releasing her new single “Under the Light” today. The song is an atmospheric reflection; velvet vocals glide gently, yet…
New Single and Video From Ryan Hicks: “All the Love You’ve Shown Me”
byTomorrow, singer/songwriter Ryan Hicks will release his new Christmas single, “All The Love You’ve Shown Me (2018).” This song was written as a tribute…
Blue Rodeo: Live at The Sanderson Centre
byFor our third and final night of our annual Thanksgiving weekend adventure in southern Ontario, we found ourselves back at The Sanderson Centre in…
#TuesdayTunesday, Holiday Edition
byWith the impending holiday season comes a treasure trove of new seasonal music. As you’re preparing for the holidays ahead, crank some of this…
Jeremie Albino: Live at The Dakota Tavern
byHaving spent our Black Friday in downtown Toronto (indulging in just a wee shopping spree ourselves), we arrived at The Dakota Tavern, one of…
New Single From Marlon Chaplin: “Take Me There”
byMarlon Chaplin today announces the release of the third single off of his debut album “The Circle” which is accompanied by a captivating music…
Review: Daniel Romano, “Finally Free”
byA cohesive collection, Daniel Romano’s latest album “Finally Free” is best enjoyed like a film, in one complete sitting. Welland, Ontario’s Daniel Romano is…
#TuesdayTunesday, 27 November 2018: Jean-Michel Blais, Jennah Barry, Lee Harvey Osmond, Mr. Goshness
byEven though most of us are ramping up for the holidays, ramping down for the end of the year, or a little bit of…
Royal Wood Returns to the Burlington PAC
byJust twenty four hours after an enjoyable evening in Guelph with Jory Nash, we were back seated in a concert venue ready for another…
Jory Nash: Intimate Live Event in Guelph, Ontario
byWe first became familiar with the music of Jory Nash several years ago, when CBC Sonica was broadcast on satellite radio here in the…
Snappy Singles: New Releases You Can’t Afford to Miss
byFresh from our inbox: four Snappy Singles that you really need to hear. Hearts & Knives, “It Is What It Is” Back in September…
Sneak Preview: Ian Foster and Nancy Hynes, “A Week in December”
byIn advance of the release of the new holiday album from Ian Foster and Nancy Hynes, “A Week in December,” we’re delighted to preview…
Interview: Rob Moir, “Solo Record”
byQuestion: Which Canadian artists seem to always be on the road? Right now, I’m pretty confident that a high percentage of respondents would fire…
Live Sessions Video From Annie Sumi and Tannis Slimmon
byToday we’re delighted to share a three-song live sessions video from singers Annie Sumi and Tannis Slimmon. The first two songs are originals from…
Review: Carly Dow, “Comet”
byHailing from Manitoba, Carly Dow released “Comet,” her full-length sophomore album on October 19th, and with just a short sampling of the opening track,…
Kaia Kater: Live at the Weinberg Center for the Arts
byFresh off the release of her third and most recent album, “Grenades,” Kaia Kater has embarked on a small tour of the Eastern US…
Poor Nameless Boy Releases New Single, Video for “Catch Up and Slow Down”
byAs Poor Nameless Boy, singer/songwriter Joel Henderson first came to our attention with his 2016 album “Bravery,” a delightful album full of terrific folk…
Review: Sarah MacDougall, “All the Hours I Have Left to Tell You Anything”
byRegular readers of this blog will recall that we’ve recently featured singles from Sarah MacDougall’s new album (“Empire” and “We Are Fire“). Now that…
Gossip Talkin’ Blues, Episode 34: Saskatchewan Music 101
byLocal music expert Taron Cochrane joins us to dish on all things Saskatchewan music. Songs from The Wolfe, Colter Wall, Nick Faye & the…
Jill Barber: “Metaphora” Album Tour at the Aeolian Hall
byOur most recent musical excursion to Ontario ended with a return visit to London, and a stop at The Aeolian Hall; always one of…
Interview: Kyp Harness, “Kyp Harness”
byOne advantage of being a music blogger is the continuous stream of artist submissions and new releases landing in your email inbox. Yet with…
Snappy Snippets: The Heartaches Stringband, Chris Velan, Marlon Chaplin, Doris Folkens
byIt’s hard to believe that we are already well into the third season of the year, but there is no doubting that the onslaught…
Review: Karrnnel, “Crazy Old Man” and “SKMB”
byReleasing one album is an ambitious enterprise for any musician… releasing two simultaneously is hugely daring. Karrnnel Sawitsky (who readers might know best as…
Erin Costelo: Album Launch at The Dakota Tavern
byWe very recently had the pleasure of reviewing an advance copy of “Sweet Marie,” the fifth album from Nova Scotia’s Erin Costelo, and kicked…
Great Lake Swimmers Make a Much Anticipated Return to Pittsburgh
byFollowing the release of his most recent “The Waves, The Wake” album, Tony Dekker once again brought his band, Great Lake Swimmers, back to…
Review: Jimmy Rankin, “Moving East”
byWhenever I am asked why I got into Canadian folk-roots music, and who I first discovered in this genre, Nova Scotia’s The Rankin Family…
T. Buckley, “Miles We Put Behind”
byWriting about Canadian music means constant surprises in the form of artists who we should have known previously, but didn’t. Alberta-based T. Buckley is…
Review: John Wort Hannam, “Acres of Elbow Room”
bySome months ago, I happened on a posting from an artist soliciting contributions for his album pledge campaign. Intrigued by the description and by…
Matthew Byrne & The Fretless: Live in Westminster, MD
byTeam GDW had purchased tickets to see this show with The Fretless (featuring Matthew Byrne) when first announced back in early September. After all,…
Erin Costelo, “Sweet Marie”
byDon’t let anybody try to convince you that it is not easy to find great new music in this era of social media, genre-specific…
The Slocan Ramblers: Live in Frederick, MD
byOne great thing about the fall season is the anticipation of the schedule releases from our favorite music venues and theaters in close proximity…
Canadians Return to Pennsylvania’s Celtic Classic
byIt’s hard to believe that a year has passed since Team GDW ventured out to our first annual Celtic Classic event in Bethlehem, PA. …
Sarah MacDougall Releases New Single, Announces Fall Tour Dates
byIn advance of her new album (coming 2 November), “All the Hours I Have Left to Tell You Anything,” Sarah MacDougall recently released a…
Interview: Roxanne Potvin, “All It Was”
byWith the recent release of her five-song EP, “All It Was,” Roxanne Potvin has delivered a tantalizing set of songs not only exploring love…