We allowed ourselves a little time away to focus on our seventh anniversary pieces, followed by a long weekend in Ontario for a pair of great concerts – and before we knew it, the monthly Snappy Singles feature rolled around. Faced with the daunting task of selecting four recent releases to share (from an overwhelming abundance of new tunes), we are doubling down this month and bringing you a BOGO deal – eight new singles for the price of four. Less musings from us – more music for you – enjoy!
Le Roy, la Rose et le Lou[p], “Chanson thème”
There is always great music coming out of Quebec, but this recent collaboration from a trio of hot Francophone artists right now just has to be heard. Featuring Ariane Roy, Thierry Larose, and Lou-Adriane Cassidy, this tune oozes with plenty of French pop influences and retro beats designed to transport each and every one of us back to the heart of the sweet days of May. And for those lucky to be in QC next month, the trio have a string of tour dates for your enjoyment – lucky devils.
Marcus Lowry, “Time, Time, Time”
Let’s stick around in QC for another tune, this time from Montreal-based musician Marcus Lowry who recently shared this amazing title track from his latest album. Cleverly using evocations of a withering autumn to embody a theme of grappling with the inevitability of change, Lowry draws upon his folk, pop, and jazz backgrounds to cross-pollinate his traditional and melancholic singer-songwriter fare with strings, woodwinds, layers of effects and field recordings.
AV (Ann Vriend) ft. The Inner City, “Nobody Is You”
Too much time has passed since we last featured the sweet soul-blues sounds of Edmonton, AB recording artist AV – so we’re making up for lost time today by featuring this stunning tune with Ann’s recently formed vocal group, The Inner City. A collective that brings together vocalists from Indigenous, Black, and LGBTQ+ communities within the city, “Nobody Is You” unites the sounds of soul, gospel, and a splash of contemporary pop to share a contemplative tale about love and regret. Stunning stuff.
Bella White, “Unknown Legend”
Originally from western Canada, but currently residing in Music City, USA, the emerging artist tag no longer applies to country artist Bella White. With a pair of outstanding albums already under her belt, Bella threw a curveball recently with this stunning cover of a classic Neil Young tune. “Throughout the process of making Among Other Things, we listened to so much Neil Young and Emmylou Harris,” Bella recalls. “The imagery and mood that Unknown Legend creates is so melancholy and wistful.”
Joan Smith & the Jane Does, “Let’s Break Up Again”
A long-time favorite here at GDW, this latest single from underground Toronto alt-rockers Joan Smith and the Jane Does perfectly continues where their previous single “Irrational Anthem” left off. Smith is always happy to flex her vocal cords, switching tempos frequently and channeling an inner Zack De La Rocha delivery at times amidst a potent, distorted, marching rock beat. Demonstrating her ability to transition from passion to aggression with no warning, Smith never fails to demand your full attention.
Autogramm, “WannaBe”
We’re not quite ready to allow your pulses to return to normal just yet, hitting you with an adrenaline inducing tune courtesy of Seattle, Chicago and Vancouver synth-poppers Autogramm. Prepare to journey back to the 80s with “WannaBe” – loaded with infectious pop and new-wave influences that draw parallels to The Cars, Devo, and Gary Numan. Check out the ‘green screen’ style music video that accompanies the single too, if you truly want to recall memories of early MTV years-style nostalgia.
Christina Martin, “Storm”
This popular east coast artist from NS, Christina Martin is another who has somehow eluded coverage here at GDW (although there was an inclusion in a holiday feature last December but you have to dig back into our 2018 archives beyond that). The title track from her latest album release, “Storm” delights the senses with distant synths, songbird vocals, and echo-drenched piano chords, before ramping things up with some bittersweet strings and Dale Murray’s blistering lead guitar. You’ll spin it more than once.
Rachael Kilgour, “Ontario”
Canadian-American artist Rachael Kilgour may have only recently landed on our radar, but are we ever making up for lost time in discovering her music (with plans to catch a show later this year). Recording her latest full-length album in Toronto, Rachael surrounded herself with a stellar supporting cast – Josh Van Tassel, Dean Drouillard, and Devon Henderson – while entrusting behind-the-consoles duties to engineer Chris Stringer and producer Rose Cousins. Plenty of talent in that environment, and it shows.
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.
