The GDW safe has been fully stocked with some New Year goodies, so rather than keep them under lock and key, let’s go ahead and send them out into the world for your enjoyment. With fresh tunes from BC, ON, QC, and NB, prepare to be whisked away on an awesome winter road-trip too.
David Vertesi (ft. Jill Barber), “Mind Reader”
Having toured the US northeast this past week, expect plenty of Jill Barber coverage here at GDW very soon. For those not so fortunate to catch up with Jill in person, fear not, she collaborates here on this latest tune from Vancouver, BC indie-rocker David Vertesi. “Throughout the pandemic, many of my friends’ longtime relationships began to crumble,” David shares. “This is loosely based on one of those stories and was written by my friend Jill Barber who also sings on the recording.”
Kaia Kater, “The Internet”
It feels like forever since GDW 2018 Album of the Year honoree Kaia Kater released new music. Good news – not only does this new tune, “The Internet” encapsulate the manipulation of our modern digital age, it represents the first single from this Montreal-based artist’s forthcoming studio album. Partly inspired by the Kate Bush tune “Watching You Without Me,” witness how Kater riffs on old modern sounds by rendering some of the lyrics barely intelligible and slightly gargled. Outstanding.
Matthew Holtby, “Goodbye Song”
This melodic, guitar-driven toe-tapper from Warkworth, ON indie-rocker Matthew Holtby is the title track of his latest EP – and it’s a jam!!! Per Matthew, the song’s origins date back a couple of years to when he and his family were searching for their new home, waking up to a melody he dreamed of one night. “I grabbed my Norman, sat up and the song fell out of me,” he recalls. “[This] wouldn’t sound out of place on your playlist next to songs by The Lemonheads, Matthew Sweet or Wilco.”
Pallmer, “Carbon”
Fredericton, NB chamber-pop trio Pallmer share this artistic video (directed by Jordan Anthony Greer) for “Carbon,” filmed along the Nashwaak River and featuring NB dancer G. C. Grant. “It’s about the pressure to craft an image of yourself, presenting an almost performative version of your every day to the public,” shares singer/cellist Emily Kennedy. “We shot [the video] at sunrise, just a few days shy of the winter solstice. We watched the sun come up through the trees while the ice shifted and crackled.”
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.
