As Team GDW settle back into the daily routine following our first Canadian adventure of the year this past weekend, while we take time to unpack and catch up with work related tasks and so forth, allow us to at least punch in the combo to the Video Vault and share a few recent clips that you may have missed…
Ontarians, “Baby’s On A Bike”
Canadian roots-rockers Ontarians only landed on my radar recently, thanks to their 2024 single “Start Again” earning heavy SXM radio rotation. This tune quickly got under my skin. Now sharing “Baby’s On A Bike,” the band consider this song one specifically written in the aftermath of the pandemic, as the world grappled with how to return to ‘normal’ life – with whimsical lyrics offering tongue-in-cheek commentary on the societal subject matter.
Jeanphilip (ft. Armelle Yons), “Du Saint-Laurent à la Seine”
When learning of a musical collaboration between Québecois indie-rocker Jeanphilip and French singer Armelle Yons, we quickly sat up and took notice. Delivering a mesmerizing track, infused with transatlantic poetry, this single reimagines “Les amants,” a song found on Jeanphilip’s 2024 “Verandas” album. This fresh take quickly becomes an ode to impossible loves and to the invisible bridges between continents and souls.
Kate Maki, “All I Get”
Following a nine-year hiatus from the music scene, Sudbury, ON singer-songwriter Kate Maki returns to the spotlight with a surprise new single and announcement of her seventh studio album set to follow soon. “This song asks tough questions, ones you want answered when you are trying to quit something,” Kate offers. “We often destroy ourselves by holding on to things that we should be letting go of … easier said than done.”
Jim Cuddy, “We Used To Be The Best Of Friends”
We take pride here at GDW offering a space with social and political neutrality (let the music be the focus, always), but this does not mean we are unwilling to share socially or politically motivated music. The folk-roots genre has always offered up some of the finest protest tunes, after all, and with the current tensions between two long-time allies on this continent, Toronto’s Jim Cuddy airs a few home truths on this matter…
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.
