Dear Canada, you are creating too much good music right now. March has arrived already, and this poor little blog of ours cannot keep up and give the artists the coverage they deserve. Best we can offer here is a quick fling as we anticipate the arrival of spring. How about four cuts from the gals today, and four from the guys later this week? Sounds good, right? Don’t delay, give these tunes your attention today. Yours, GDW.
Sadie Campbell, “Be This Good”
BC-born (and Nashville-based) folk-soul artist Sadie Campbell made a STRONG first impression here at GDW and came oh-so-close to taking our album of the year prize back in 2024 with a stunning debut release. Returning to the airwaves with this first single for 2026, Sadie continues where she left off – leaving me shaking my head in pure disbelief of her powerful songwriting and emotional vocal delivery. Still craving some vinyl here…
Julianna Riolino, “Don’t Put Me in the Middle”
I must confess that when first encountering this one on SiriusXM radio recently, I had no recollection of hearing this tune when spinning Julianna’s most recent “Echo in the Dust” album (itself a 2025 GDW Top Album nominee). It turns out that my memory was not failing me after all, with Julianna set to release a deluxe reissue of the album, complete with bonus tracks. A great country crooner, with some sweet steel courtesy of Aaron Goldstein.
Jody Glenham, “Love Deficiency Syndrome”
Another tune that landed on our radar, this catchy dream-pop number from Vancouver, BC veteran Jody Glenham provides a taste of new music set to appear on an upcoming EP, “Still here.” The retro opening synth and guitar hook “evokes a drawn-out doorbell waiting for an Uber Eats delivery, and the bridge references computer shutdowns, reflecting both the autopilot of being in a relationship and the process of becoming whole again.”
Abigail Lapell (ft. Jill Barber), “Hazel”
Following both the success of her “Anniversary” album (another 2024 GDW Top Album contender) and the birth of her first child, Abigail Lapell shares a new tune and news of a new album coming soon. Part lullaby and part elegy, “Hazel” is a gentle love letter to an unborn or future child, or one that may never be. Soft guitar plucks “float beneath sweet childhood imagery; sandcastles, snow angels, sunflowers, and a name carried off on the ocean breeze” (Official Press Release).
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.
