While we dedicate our usual midweek video slots to our month-long “May’s Matts” features, we refuse to discriminate against those with no references to “Matt” in their name. Music videos are a hot commodity right now (rebounding almost as fast as the vinyl resurgence), with some fabulous mini-movies being created around some stunning new tunes. Here are some video delights that you may have missed – check them out here today.
Altameda, “Sweet Susie”
“Sweet Susie” is the latest single from Edmonton, AB indie-folk rockers Altameda, taken from their “Born Losers” album, and a track that lead vocalist Troy Snaterse wrote during the height of this current pandemic. “I had been experimenting with an exercise where I write from a fabricated character’s perspective,” he recalls. “With everything happening in the world at the time, it seemed that trying to explain all of the atrocities in the world to a child would be an extremely difficult task for a parent.”
The Redhill Valleys, “Travel Well”
Hamilton, ON alt-country band The Redhill Valleys are no strangers to our pages, and when they announce new music, we take notice. This latest cut is the title track to their upcoming EP – the first of 2 currently in the pipeline – with Tim Allard taking the vocal reins this time around. “I sat down one day with a guitar and Tim’s voice in mind,” shares songwriter Chelsea McWilliams. “[With] the perspective of someone who has been weathered by life on the road and being away from the one he loves.”
Juliana Eye, “Dreaming”
Toronto, ON alt-pop artist Juliana Eye has a self-professed obsession with pop melodies, nostalgia, and melancholy – so what better than taking a timeless 1970s Blondie hit and reinterpreting it with subtle hints of new wave synth textures, dreamy guitars, and alluring vocals? Better yet, if imitation is a sincere form of flattery, why not take cues from Debbie Harry’s vintage music video style, and mimic a dream-like state, with slow motion shots and surreal imagery, making for a cool cover version.
Desiree Dorion ft. Dave Wasyliw, “Wouldn’t That Be Fun”
Fun, upbeat and lighthearted, Dauphin, MB JUNO Award nominee Desiree Dorion’s latest tune (featuring Dave Wasyliw) is a call and response country tune about imagining what it is like to be in the early stages of a relationship. Directed by Landon Lake, and set in a laundromat (The Washeteria), Desiree and Dave meet while waiting for their laundry to finish, spending their time having a ton of fun in the process – while alluding to the early stages of young and innocent attraction.
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.
