This week brought some particular delights in the new song pile – most notably, new songs from long-time GDW faves Ariane Moffatt and Greg Keelor. Grab a cup of your favorite hot beverage, sit back, and enjoy some new music.
Youngblood, “Better When You’re Close”
Youngblood is the one artist this week who was completely new to us, but their sound is so intriguing that we’re looking forward to hearing more. “Better When You’re Close” is about romantic obsession to the point of possession – where you feel like your entire body and mind have been involuntarily taken over by the mere close proximity of another person and you’ve lost your sense of self,” explains vocalist Alexis Young. “It’s about coming to terms with the realities of putting love and lust on a pedestal, and just how quickly a person can become consumed by infatuation of the highest degree. Crippling, consuming, and it also has a sweet bass line that you can dance to, because why not.”
Ariane Moffatt, “Les apparences”
After a year-long sabbatical (which included the birth of her third son), Ariane Moffatt is making an oh-so-welcome return to music with a new single and the announcement of a new album to come in the fall. Her previous album “22h22” was deeply rooted in the synth sounds of the 1980s, and this first single hints, at least, of similar inspiration and sound (although the press release specifically cites 1990s influences – so we’ll see). We can’t wait to hear the full project!
Visit Ariane Moffatt’s website.
JP Maurice, “Rocket”
We’ve been fans of JP Maurice since his 2017 EP “Girls” and we’ve been watching carefully for hints of new music. Last week’s announcement of his catchy single “Rocket” was therefore great news and we’re pleased to share it here with you. The full album, “Boys,” will be available 18 May. “Calling the albums Boys and Girls was a simple way of breaking down the idea that we need to be aware of all sides and all points of view,” he says. “The Girls EP reflects a darker musical tone, leaning heavier on piano and neo-soul qualities, while the Boys album is more upbeat and rooted in acoustic, alt-country, and straight up pop influences.”
Greg Keelor, “Early in the Morning”
It somehow seems fitting that Greg Keelor would just drop an album, with little or no warning, just like the proverbial mic drop: here it is, boom. Last week brought the news of his new EP, “Last Winter,” and since this blog is named for (and inspired by) one of his Blue Rodeo songs, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to feature one of the songs here. This lovely song clocks in at over eight minutes – but it’s well worth the time, make no mistake. Here’s hoping that Greg continues to recover from the travails of his last Blue Rodeo tour so we can hear that beloved “See you down the road” soon.
Photo credits: Mandy-Lyn Antoniou (Youngblood)
