In 1968, American band Blood, Sweat and Tears recruited a Canadian lead singer and songwriter: David Clayton-Thomas who had grown up in the Toronto suburb of Willowdale. Clayton-Thomas took the reins and rode the group into the arena of superstardom, thanks in part to his brilliant composition “Spinning Wheel”. Blood, Sweat and Tears’ second, eponymous album topped the Billboard charts, was the third biggest of the year, sold 10 million copies and won the U.S. Grammy Award for Album of the Year beating out The Beatles’ Abbey Road! David was inducted into the Music Hall of Fame in 1996 and received a star on the Walk of Fame in 2010.
Dave’s conduit to success was not an easy one. A tumultuous relationship with his father had him run away from home when he was 14. Living in abandoned buildings, mixing it up with street hooligans, and stealing supplies to survive led to several arrests and overnight stints in the slammer. On one of these stays, he claimed a beat up guitar left behind by a cellmate and in his spare time taught himself to play. In 1962, he began performing at the seedy venues on Toronto’s Yonge Street. Honing his skills and attracting crowds, he eventually caught the attention of Ronnie Hawkins who mentored him, and the rest is, as we say, history.
After the success, disbanding and reformation of BS&T, David Clayton-Thomas assembled his own band of 10 highly skilled musicians in Toronto and began releasing new material. His latest work is entitled A Blues for the New World.
Although this is at the foundation a blues album, the steel-blue eyed crooner, whose voice sounds as good as ever, has raised up a superstructure from constituents of rock, jazz, reggae, and gospel decked with remarkably clever lyrics. Thrilling satire takes bites out of weighty subject matter including the invasion of privacy, a brush with death, the misery of unemployment, and the sleaze of politics. “It’s just politics. It’s a grand charade. The only way to love the law is to not see how it’s made. … Everything gets nasty in the heat of the debate. And you got to be so careful ’cause a word can seal your fate.”
It used to be that instrumentation served as the backdrop, complementing the singer and his poetry. Because the bulk of modern music does the opposite, we are grateful to DCT for reminding us that it doesn’t always have to be that way. A Blues for the New World is available now.
A Blues for the New World oniTunesDavid Clayton-Thomas’Website
JUNO-nominated Canadian singer-songwriter Jim Guthrie is from Guelph, Ontario, known for its low crime and unemployment rates. The man is a storehouse of creativity, consistently manufacturing many quality albums since his debut in 1995. He also involves himself in side projects working with several indie bands, collaborating with other solo artists, and scoring films and video game soundtracks (million-selling Sword & Sworcery for example). His album Now More Than Ever received a JUNO nomination in 2005. Jim’s latest release is entitled Takes Time and it was five years in the making and produced by Mark Lawson who has worked with the Arcade Fire.
This album is instantly likeable. Part of Guthrie’s appeal lies in his gentle, easy-going, and youthful voice, somewhat of a cross between Vae and “Weird Al” Yankovic. “Taking My Time” opens the work with a crowd cheering as if it were recorded live. High pitched horns flicker like a flock of birds chirping overhead and flying away. “Difference a Day Makes” gets the electricity flowing, the sentimental “Before and After” makes use of vocal harmonies, and “Never Poor” feels like riding a row boat in the moonlight.
Jim turns up the charm on “The Rest Is Yet to Come” with monophonic piano hammers, bubbly guitar strums, and even bells. “Bring on the Night” softly trumpets in afterwards with shuffling drums and appears to be the album’s most popular track. Cheeky yet dreamy “Don’t Be Torn” would make for a great number in a music theatre show. “The Sound of Wanting More” has the geese honking, strings jittering, and perhaps the album’s catchiest melody.
What makes any work of art great is its painstaking inclusion of intricate detail which alienates none but the flouters of intelligence. This is why artists like Jim Guthrie are such treasures. And, of course, accomplishing this … takes time.
Composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist (Xavier) Caféïne has launched his latest bilingual Brit-style punk / new wave album entitled New Love. Single “Lettre d’amour” has vaulted up to #3 on the Franco chart. The music reminds us a little bit of very early Ultravox. He released material in his band from 1997 and his first solo album, Gisèle, in 2006. Song “La fin du monde” received a SOCAN award. Bushido followed in 2009. For this, his third solo album, Cafeïne teamed up with producer Gus Van Go (The Stills, Priestess) and played all the instruments on the record himself! Caféine has left out the cream and sugar and brewed the bitter blend to a potency that has us wired for sound, and we’re grateful for that. Check out the album teaser below.
A hit with the fairer sex given his boyish good looks, 23-year-old William Deslauriers of Plessisville, QC (just east of Trois Rivières) was a finalist in the 2009 season of Star Académie and released his debut album the following year which was certified gold. He has just released his followup LP entitled Aux quatre coins de ma tête. First single “Lundi matin” has already topped CKOI’s Franco charts. The new album continues in the same vein as his last—a pleasant mishmash of pop, reggae, and folk delivered with his earthy voice. This is, as to be expected, a charming and very slick production, consistently enjoyable, with clever compositions and skilled musicianship and will no doubt be played at many coffee houses through La Belle Province. Give it a listen!
Fronted by Quebecois-Vietnamese singer, Laurence Giroux-Do, Montréal’s Le Couleur has released a new EP entitled Voyage Love. The band delivers a very sophisticated, kaleidoscopic, funky, danceable, synth-driven sound in which Dragonette, Kylie Minogue, The Fantastic Plastic Machine, and Mylène Farmer, as one unit, roll down the throbbing artery of Saint Catherine Street lined with nuclear-powered 1970s strobe lights. These guys have been releasing wonderful material for the past five years and have championed Québec’s independent radio charts. Debut album Origami wooed the critics and infiltrated underground currents, surfacing on music blogs as far away as Germany, Mexico, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom.
Five-track EP Voyage Love was produced by the expert remixer French Fox and features a collaboration with French Horn Rebellion. These exquisite tracks are sure to please platform shoe wearing lovers of classic 70s dance music as well as those hungry for something richer and more creative than the assembly-line churn outs of the modern era. Listening to this amazing EP, we are indeed taken on a voyage—from the discothèque, to the lounge, to the carnival, to the roller arena, to the cabaret. Giroux-Do’s sultry vocals, punctuated candy-coated bass funk, ear-soothing synths, and unanticipated hooks will suck you into a vortex of ecstasy and fun.
Sophia Danai is a fabulous, multi-faceted new singer from Langley, BC whose influences include Nina Simone, Billie Holiday and Portishead. She started out by writing songs with a number of fairly high profile artists including Canadian electronic ensemble Purity Ring, rapper Shad, and American rapper DJ Khalil. Recently, Sophia was featured in Madchild’s popular track “Judgement Day” off his JUNO-nominated Dope Sick album. Last week, Sophia released her stunning debut album, Wishing Well. It was produced by 2-time Grammy winner Chin Injeti (Pink, Eminem).
Sophia Danai’s smooth, richly delivered singing takes us on a joyride through claustrophobic suspense and mystery. She replaces the jukebox in the lounge with a wishing well where defunct pennies are tossed in and diamond-studded tunes pour out the speakers along with some portentous fog-cloaked phantoms. With a breathtaking sound that combines vintage soul, the vapours of classic reggae, 1960s spy music, summertime ambiance, an addictive potpourri of beats, and movie house magic, this sophisticated work of art stands as one of 2013′s finest releases.
Michael Bublé, winner of 11 JUNO awards, wrapped up his hosting this year’s gala by releasing what is set to become his sixth straight multi-platinum studio album, To Be Loved, which has already gone gold in Australia. Working with Bob Rock (who co-produced his previous two albums), the production is crisp and slick. There are 10 covers and four originals, recorded in Vancouver and Los Angeles (USA). The work opens with the bright “You Make Me Feel So Young,” a 1946 song featured in the musical film Three Little Girls in Blue. His current hit single “It’s a Beautiful Day,” which has been on top of the AC radio charts for the past few weeks, follows. From the Bee Gees’ debut album in 1967, Michael tackles “To Love Somebody” and adds a splash of soul as well to Smokey Robinson’s 1960 tune “Who’s Lovin’ You”. “Somethin’ Stupid” was a 1966 song by Carson and Gaile; Buble performs it with Hollywood actress Reese Witherspoon. “Come Dance with Me” was a song written for Frank Sinatra in 1959; Diana Krall has also covered this.
“Close Your Eyes” is the album’s most remarkable track in that it sees Michael take a stab at pop/rock. He co-wrote this fabulous song with fellow Canadian Jann Arden. Another Canadian superstar co-wrote the jazz-rock “After All” with Michael and sings it with him—Bryan Adams. “Have I Told You Lately that I Love You?,” written by Scotty Wiseman in 1945,was one of the first country songs to crossover onto the pop charts; American R&B group Naturally 7 adds some nice backing vocals. “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” was written by Randy Newman for the animated film Toy Story. “Nevertheless” was first recorded by Bing Crosby in 1931; the Bublé version features England’s The Puppini Sisters. “I Got It Easy” is the final original track. To Be Loved closes with the well-known “Young at Heart” first recorded by Frank Sinatra in 1953. While the album marks familiar Bublé territory—swinging jazz-pop—some peppering with soulful Motown and rock will serve to broaden its appeal.
Recently, Michael performed “Who’s Lovin’ You” at a New York subway station. Check it out:
JUNO-nominated Jérôme Minière is one of Canada’s finest imports (he was born in France). He has been creatively concocting fabulous music since the late 90s. On a number of albums, he has used the fictional character Herri Kopter as an alias for his more instrumental electronic projects. Miniere’s latest album has been released, a work entitled Jerome Miniere Danse avec Herri Kopter. It features a number of guest vocalists, though the sprinkles of singing (in both official languages) are meant to garnish the music as opposed to the opposite. This is funky electronic dance music on the lighter side, as if Beat Market collaborated with Marc Drouin. It is refreshing to hear the use of a classic vocoder, modern digital vocal effects having been overused as of late. Additionally, electronic handclaps, funky bass, and keyboard blips and buzzes add extra pizzazz like tossing some colourful confetti over a dancing stickman. If the music relates to a helicopter ride, this is one chopper that flies up on automatic pilot to dock at an orbital club, and we are grateful for that. Well done.
Our handsome man Marc Dupré has released his 4th studio album, Nous sommes les mêmes, the title track of which is his fourth single to make the Canadian Hot 100. Marc has collaborated with a number of artists since his debut in 2005 including Céline Dion. His last album, 2010′s Entre deux mondes, nabbed the coveted Félix award for Pop/Rock Album of the Year. Song “Si on changeait” won a SOCAN award. A solid singer, he is becoming highly reputable as a composer, known as a hitmaker, writing with and producing for other artists. He launched the new album to a packed house at the Olympia in Montréal.
The music on Nous sommes les mêmes is passionate, vibrant, and fresh—pop/rock fare with some heartland folk thrown into the mix. Two tracks feature writing from Fred St-Gelais and Marie-Mai. The album opens with the upbeat “Un coup sur mon coeur” and closes with pretty guitar ballad “Je vous aime”. Catchy “Nous sommes les mêmes” spent 5 weeks on the Canadian Hot 100 and as such is one of the most successful Franco songs so far this year. Powerful love song “Pour que tu reviennes” has Marc letting loose on the sky-scraping chorus. “Être à toi” with its solid beat will get your foot tapping while “Aimons-nous (sans attendre)” may elicit hand claps and “ho-heys”. Some robust guitar riffs animate the next two tracks. “Quelques mots” is one of our favourites, very nicely done, and “Un peu plus près des dieux” (there’s a French tongue-twister, for ya) makes effective use of Dupré’s soaring voice. “Tout ce que je peux” softens the air like riding a bicycle in the sunset before “Rien ne finit jamais” has us racing down the highway in a convertible. Nous sommes les mêmes is a great album.
Winnipeg’s beautiful, gifted, Australian-born Ruth Moody, one of the members of all-girl bluegrass group The Wailin’ Jennys, has released a new solo album entitled These Wilder Things, followup to her 2010, JUNO-nominated debut LP The Garden. The old-time banjo and fiddle combo that animates “Trouble and Woe” opens the work as if Gillian Welch and Archibald Lampman were riding a hay-cart in the Ottawa Valley … “with idly clacking wheels”. Ruth’s voice sounds so sweet on “One and Only” that we wonder if she was snacking on maple-dip doughnuts in the recording studio. “Dancing in the Dark”, a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s most successful single, receives a nicely folkified Moody treatment that takes us to the title track, a lovely, heart-stirring piano ballad that would easily win over Chantal Kreviazuk’s pride. “Trees for Skies”, as soft as feathers, is sure to induce the most pleasant of dreams if played before bedtime, while “Pockets” would serve as a great wakeup song. “Make a change” makes the listener feel as if he is riding on a cloud overlooking a beautiful, peaceful meadow. “Life Is Long” tips its toque to the shamrock. These Wilder Things paints a rainbow of sweetness, and by the time it is over, we find ourselves standing before a pot of gold in the form of inner peace.
These Wilder Things has been released digitally, available on CD April 23, 2013.
This is an amazing 11-member band from Winnipeg founded in 2001 by David Boulanger. Their culturally rich music incorporates elements of rock, reggae, traditional First Nations, funk, jazz even using big band horns, African and Latin beats, and Middle Eastern rhythms. Their second album, Hometown, won the JUNO for Aboriginal Recording in 2006. A few years ago, the CBC commissioned Boulanger to write a song dedicated to the survivors of residential schools. The Black List was several years in the making, released last year.
Crystal was born in the Wikwemikong Native Reservation which is situated on Manitoulin Island (Lake Huron, southwest of Sudbury). She is a dynamo of country music, signed in 2007 to RCA Records/Sony Music Nashville. Who can forget her debut single “You Can Let Go” which became the fastest rising single in Canadian BDS history, a top 5 hit on the country charts and Top 20 in the U.S.? Crystal’s 2008 album, Dawn of a New Day, was Billboard’s highest charting album of all-time by a First Nations artist and sold 400,000 copies. She toured with Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, and Reba McEntire. Just Like You gives Crystal her third JUNO nomination.
Although gifted independent folk artist Don Amero has won a host of awards over the past few years, this is his first JUNO nomination. He launched his music career after working as a hardwood floor installer in Winnipeg. His style has broad-spectrum appeal as it showcases his soothing voice, exciting guitar playing, beautiful uplifting arrangements, and intriguing storytelling. Diligent Don has toured coast to coast, played with the symphony, and has made appearances on national television. Heart On My Sleeve is his fourth album and its music is heavenly.
Donny’s from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, and this is his third JUNO nomination. He holds the record for the most nominations and wins at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards and has also received Canadian Country Music Award nominations. He has performed for Canada Day on Parliament Hill and been on CTV’s Canada AM. His new album Bring It On features collaborations with Jully Black and legendary rock band Streetheart. Donny learned the violin, er fiddle, in his teens and then mastered guitar and mandolin. Aside from a soloist, he is also one of the musicians in Neal McCoy’s band.
This alternative artist was born in Brockville, Ontario but moved around the country a lot including stints in Calgary, Montreal, and Vancouver. Janet is a Metis artist, has been involved in a few bands, worked as a producer and broadcast journalist, and operated Vancouver club The Comedy Store which closed after her business partner left to work on Canadian sitcom Corner Gas. She has been described as a “female cross between Lou Reed and Leonard Cohen” and her “entirely trippy pop music” as “drop-dead sexy”. Janet won best folk album at the Aboriginal People’s Choice Music Awards last year for this very album. This is her first JUNO nomination.
Listen to/download Samples at Bandcamp Janet Panic’s Website
The front man behind diamond-selling, 4-time JUNO winning band Our Lady Peace has released his second solo album, an 8-track affair entitled We All Get Lighter. Raine Maida wedded Canadian singer-songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk and started a family and the couple has been working hard as a musical team. In addition to making their own music, they have composed and produced for a number of high-profile recording artists including Avril Lavigne, Hilary Duff, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Josh Groban, Drake, and David Cook.
The title of Raine’s new album means that no matter what happens, we all eventually depart from this world, so should live life to the fullest. The overall feel of the album is Raine taking a long walk in the rain reflecting on a number of life’s issues and making comments on what he sees along the way. Many of the tracks showcase complementary horn sections which add some frisk to the autumnal and austere world Raine presents. A literary work, Raine makes use of repeating poignant verses to emphasize key points. The opening track with its ominous undertones shimmers into soulful vocal harmonies. “Rising Tide” gives us suped up beats, “How Bizarre”-type trumpeting, and even some dashes of spoken word sequences. Single “Montréal” follows in a sashay of triumph bristled up by horns. “Not Done Yet” has Raine taking a break from his lengthy stroll, sitting down on a street corner. Soulful harmonies resume on soothing “This Is Gonna Hurt” offering delicate beats. Determination returns to Raine’s stance letting loose on “SOS”. “A Drink of You” conjures up an image of our author mounted on a slow moving mule on urban streets. The album closes with the beautiful “Numbers” summoning sunset with gentle piano. We All Get Lighter is a work of art, a very fine record.
Kelowna, BC, land of the Ogopogo, was the birth place of a fine JUNO-nominated, platinum purple and green folk rock trio best known for their beautiful song “All the Things I Wasn’t” in 1989. We’re speaking of course about The Grapes of Wrath, consisting of Kevin Kane and Chris and Tom Hooper. They were signed by foremost alternative label Nettwerk Records and released an EP in 1984 and an LP the following year. They enjoyed their most success in the 1989 to 1991 period scoring 2 platinum albums. The band called it quits in 1992 when Kane left. The Hoopers continued under the name Ginger. Kane and Tom Hooper without Chris released an album in 2000 under the Grapes of Wrath moniker. In 2010, the original trio performed together for the first time in 18 years at a festival in Surrey, BC. Encouraged by the response, they began touring and decided to record a brand new studio album. This new album, High Road, was released on March 19, 2013. The first real Grapes of Wrath album in 22 years is no doubt a dream come true for fans of the band.
“Good to See You” kicks things off with bright guitars and rootsy organ. The music takes an edgier turn on the next three tracks after which, comes the mesmerizing Wurlitzer-Supertramp style “I’m Lost (I Miss You)” and sweet folk ballad “Take On the Day”. “Broken” pounces around with jabs of electric guitar and “Make It OK” adds a dash of punk rock. “Picnic” provides great driving new wave complete with synth. “Waiting to Fly” is classic Grapes of Wrath dreamy shimmer. Whether you are familiar with the band or have never heard of them, High Road is definitely worth checking out.
JUNO-nominated, platinum recording artist Luce Dufault was born in Orleans, Ontario. She began her singing career with a performance in a mall at the age of 15 and later joined a rhythm and blues band in Montréal. In 1992, Luc Plamondon offered her a role in “The Legend of Jimmy” musical. This was followed by her appearance in 1993′s Starmania”. Her debut album (platinum) appeared in 1996 and gave her a JUNO nomination. Two songs were among the biggest Francophone hits of the year including Félix nominated “Soirs de scotch”. Off her several studio albums released since, “Quand on s’en va pour oublier”, “Belle ancolie”, and “Tu me fais du bien” were all Felix-nominated songs. Luce has just released a brand new album entitled, Du temps pour moi.
Luce has a strong, mature, and classy voice which carries through 11 unforgettable tracks written by such greats as Michel Rivard, Richard Séguin, Daniel Bélanger, and Catherine Major. The album opens with brisk paced “Cours” offering a harvest in heartland flavour and then proceeds to “L’acrobate” animated by spicy guitar riffs as if played by a tightrope walker. Following is a gorgeous duet with legendary Richard Séguin aspirated by ripples of a drowned piano. Catchy “Rouge inquiétant” precedes the beautifully written title-track. Next comes popular short and sweet “Que de Bonheur” and a bluesy ode to Etta James. She also tells a legend of lonesome cowboy Will James. The album ends with the haunting Catherine Major piano ballad “La vraie vie”.
Though musically based in Vancouver, Hannah Georgas grew up in Newmarket, ON (where Jim Carrey is from). She was in a high school rock band with Tim Oxford who ended up forming The Arkells. Georgas’ first LP came out in 2010, This is Good, which garnered 2 JUNO nominations in 2011 (songwriter and new artist of the year). This is her second album, a mishmash of funky electronic beats, pulsating guitars, and shimmering synthesizers. Her voice sounds as if it is coming up the pipes from a factory’s boiler room along with puffs of dream steam. Hannah is recognized for being one of our best songwriters and certainly the arrangements on this little gem give her artistic credibility as well.
Based in Vancouver, this duo’s 2009 debut album was nominated in this very JUNO category. Celebration Rock is their second album. Their style of punky, spirited, vitamin potent tunes is guaranteed not to put you to rest. Their critical acclaim and popularity came in the nick of time as Brian King and David Prowse were about to call it quits. They went all out on this album crashing up the drums and revving up the guitars for a joy ride from Grouse Mountain to Mount Fuji on the back of a supercharged android gone berserk.
Toronto’s electronic rockers Metric won a pair of JUNOs in 2010, one for this very category. They have managed to score a pair of platinum albums and one gold. Synthetica is their fifth studio album and debuted at #2 on the Billboard Canadian albums chart. Singles “Youth Without Youth” and “Breathing Underwater” both made the Hot 100 proving the height of Metric’s success cannot be measured in feet and inches. Less ethereal than their previous work Fantasies, the band made music for this album encompassing the spectrum of moulds through all previous works. The result is an album that packs a brass knuckle punch of spicy anthems that leave you breathless.
Vancouver’s five-piece ensemble Said the Whale kicked things off in 2007 and won the JUNO in 2011 for New Group of the Year. They have released a number of EPs. Little Mountain is their third full-length studio album. Rolling drums, earnest yet theatrical vocals, and punctuated keyboards conjure up an image of a beached whale floundering on the sand in the pangs of heartbreak. Essentially this is indie rock with touches of new wave and sunny pop thrown into the mix. The songs come waltzing down at you from a little mountain and are varied in fragrance like a sonic potpourri making the ears perk up in an unpredictable listen.
This five-member, twinkling, progressive rock band from Montréal has been working hard; thisis their sixth studio album which managed an impressive #5 position on the Billboard Canadian albums chart. Previously, two of their LPs have been nominated in this very category, including Set Yourself on Fire, a gold-certified work. Stroll by the Habitat 67 complex and you may hear music from The North emanating from some of those cubical apartments complete with its funky bass lines, scintillating synths and soft, eloquent male/female vocals.
In 1968, American band Blood, Sweat and Tears recruited a Canadian lead singer and songwriter: David Clayton-Thomas who had grown up in the Toronto suburb of Willowdale. Clayton-Thomas took the reins and rode the group into the arena of superstardom, thanks in part to his brilliant composition “Spinning Wheel”. Blood, Sweat and Tears’ second, eponymous album topped the Billboard charts, was the third biggest of the year, sold 10 million copies and won the U.S. Grammy Award for Album of the Year beating out The Beatles’ Abbey Road! David was inducted into the Music Hall of Fame in 1996 and received a star on the Walk of Fame in 2010.
JUNO-nominated Canadian singer-songwriter Jim Guthrie is from Guelph, Ontario, known for its low crime and unemployment rates. The man is a storehouse of creativity, consistently manufacturing many quality albums since his debut in 1995. He also involves himself in side projects working with several indie bands, collaborating with other solo artists, and scoring films and video game soundtracks (million-selling Sword & Sworcery for example). His album Now More Than Ever received a JUNO nomination in 2005. Jim’s latest release is entitled Takes Time and it was five years in the making and produced by Mark Lawson who has worked with the Arcade Fire.
Composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist (Xavier) Caféïne has launched his latest bilingual Brit-style punk / new wave album entitled New Love. Single “Lettre d’amour” has vaulted up to #3 on the Franco chart. The music reminds us a little bit of very early Ultravox. He released material in his band from 1997 and his first solo album, Gisèle, in 2006. Song “La fin du monde” received a SOCAN award. Bushido followed in 2009. For this, his third solo album, Cafeïne teamed up with producer Gus Van Go (The Stills, Priestess) and played all the instruments on the record himself! Caféine has left out the cream and sugar and brewed the bitter blend to a potency that has us wired for sound, and we’re grateful for that. Check out the album teaser below.
A hit with the fairer sex given his boyish good looks, 23-year-old William Deslauriers of Plessisville, QC (just east of Trois Rivières) was a finalist in the 2009 season of Star Académie and released his debut album the following year which was certified gold. He has just released his followup LP entitled Aux quatre coins de ma tête. First single “Lundi matin” has already topped CKOI’s Franco charts. The new album continues in the same vein as his last—a pleasant mishmash of pop, reggae, and folk delivered with his earthy voice. This is, as to be expected, a charming and very slick production, consistently enjoyable, with clever compositions and skilled musicianship and will no doubt be played at many coffee houses through La Belle Province. Give it a listen!
Fronted by Quebecois-Vietnamese singer, Laurence Giroux-Do, Montréal’s Le Couleur has released a new EP entitled Voyage Love. The band delivers a very sophisticated, kaleidoscopic, funky, danceable, synth-driven sound in which Dragonette, Kylie Minogue, The Fantastic Plastic Machine, and Mylène Farmer, as one unit, roll down the throbbing artery of Saint Catherine Street lined with nuclear-powered 1970s strobe lights. These guys have been releasing wonderful material for the past five years and have championed Québec’s independent radio charts. Debut album Origami wooed the critics and infiltrated underground currents, surfacing on music blogs as far away as Germany, Mexico, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom.
Five-track EP Voyage Love was produced by the expert remixer French Fox and features a collaboration with French Horn Rebellion. These exquisite tracks are sure to please platform shoe wearing lovers of classic 70s dance music as well as those hungry for something richer and more creative than the assembly-line churn outs of the modern era. Listening to this amazing EP, we are indeed taken on a voyage—from the discothèque, to the lounge, to the carnival, to the roller arena, to the cabaret. Giroux-Do’s sultry vocals, punctuated candy-coated bass funk, ear-soothing synths, and unanticipated hooks will suck you into a vortex of ecstasy and fun.
Sophia Danai is a fabulous, multi-faceted new singer from Langley, BC whose influences include Nina Simone, Billie Holiday and Portishead. She started out by writing songs with a number of fairly high profile artists including Canadian electronic ensemble Purity Ring, rapper Shad, and American rapper DJ Khalil. Recently, Sophia was featured in Madchild’s popular track “Judgement Day” off his JUNO-nominated Dope Sick album. Last week, Sophia released her stunning debut album, Wishing Well. It was produced by 2-time Grammy winner Chin Injeti (Pink, Eminem).
Sophia Danai’s smooth, richly delivered singing takes us on a joyride through claustrophobic suspense and mystery. She replaces the jukebox in the lounge with a wishing well where defunct pennies are tossed in and diamond-studded tunes pour out the speakers along with some portentous fog-cloaked phantoms. With a breathtaking sound that combines vintage soul, the vapours of classic reggae, 1960s spy music, summertime ambiance, an addictive potpourri of beats, and movie house magic, this sophisticated work of art stands as one of 2013′s finest releases.
Michael Bublé, winner of 11 JUNO awards, wrapped up his hosting this year’s gala by releasing what is set to become his sixth straight multi-platinum studio album, To Be Loved, which has already gone gold in Australia. Working with Bob Rock (who co-produced his previous two albums), the production is crisp and slick. There are 10 covers and four originals, recorded in Vancouver and Los Angeles (USA). The work opens with the bright “You Make Me Feel So Young,” a 1946 song featured in the musical film Three Little Girls in Blue. His current hit single “It’s a Beautiful Day,” which has been on top of the AC radio charts for the past few weeks, follows. From the Bee Gees’ debut album in 1967, Michael tackles “To Love Somebody” and adds a splash of soul as well to Smokey Robinson’s 1960 tune “Who’s Lovin’ You”. “Somethin’ Stupid” was a 1966 song by Carson and Gaile; Buble performs it with Hollywood actress Reese Witherspoon. “Come Dance with Me” was a song written for Frank Sinatra in 1959; Diana Krall has also covered this.
JUNO-nominated Jérôme Minière is one of Canada’s finest imports (he was born in France). He has been creatively concocting fabulous music since the late 90s. On a number of albums, he has used the fictional character Herri Kopter as an alias for his more instrumental electronic projects. Miniere’s latest album has been released, a work entitled Jerome Miniere Danse avec Herri Kopter. It features a number of guest vocalists, though the sprinkles of singing (in both official languages) are meant to garnish the music as opposed to the opposite. This is funky electronic dance music on the lighter side, as if Beat Market collaborated with Marc Drouin. It is refreshing to hear the use of a classic vocoder, modern digital vocal effects having been overused as of late. Additionally, electronic handclaps, funky bass, and keyboard blips and buzzes add extra pizzazz like tossing some colourful confetti over a dancing stickman. If the music relates to a helicopter ride, this is one chopper that flies up on automatic pilot to dock at an orbital club, and we are grateful for that. Well done.
Our handsome man Marc Dupré has released his 4th studio album, Nous sommes les mêmes, the title track of which is his fourth single to make the Canadian Hot 100. Marc has collaborated with a number of artists since his debut in 2005 including Céline Dion. His last album, 2010′s Entre deux mondes, nabbed the coveted Félix award for Pop/Rock Album of the Year. Song “Si on changeait” won a SOCAN award. A solid singer, he is becoming highly reputable as a composer, known as a hitmaker, writing with and producing for other artists. He launched the new album to a packed house at the Olympia in Montréal.
Winnipeg’s beautiful, gifted, Australian-born Ruth Moody, one of the members of all-girl bluegrass group The Wailin’ Jennys, has released a new solo album entitled These Wilder Things, followup to her 2010, JUNO-nominated debut LP The Garden. The old-time banjo and fiddle combo that animates “Trouble and Woe” opens the work as if Gillian Welch and Archibald Lampman were riding a hay-cart in the Ottawa Valley … “with idly clacking wheels”. Ruth’s voice sounds so sweet on “One and Only” that we wonder if she was snacking on maple-dip doughnuts in the recording studio. “Dancing in the Dark”, a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s most successful single, receives a nicely folkified Moody treatment that takes us to the title track, a lovely, heart-stirring piano ballad that would easily win over Chantal Kreviazuk’s pride. “Trees for Skies”, as soft as feathers, is sure to induce the most pleasant of dreams if played before bedtime, while “Pockets” would serve as a great wakeup song. “Make a change” makes the listener feel as if he is riding on a cloud overlooking a beautiful, peaceful meadow. “Life Is Long” tips its toque to the shamrock. These Wilder Things paints a rainbow of sweetness, and by the time it is over, we find ourselves standing before a pot of gold in the form of inner peace.
This is an amazing 11-member band from Winnipeg founded in 2001 by David Boulanger. Their culturally rich music incorporates elements of rock, reggae, traditional First Nations, funk, jazz even using big band horns, African and Latin beats, and Middle Eastern rhythms. Their second album, Hometown, won the JUNO for Aboriginal Recording in 2006. A few years ago, the CBC commissioned Boulanger to write a song dedicated to the survivors of residential schools. The Black List was several years in the making, released last year.
Crystal was born in the Wikwemikong Native Reservation which is situated on Manitoulin Island (Lake Huron, southwest of Sudbury). She is a dynamo of country music, signed in 2007 to RCA Records/Sony Music Nashville. Who can forget her debut single “You Can Let Go” which became the fastest rising single in Canadian BDS history, a top 5 hit on the country charts and Top 20 in the U.S.? Crystal’s 2008 album, Dawn of a New Day, was Billboard’s highest charting album of all-time by a First Nations artist and sold 400,000 copies. She toured with Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, and Reba McEntire. Just Like You gives Crystal her third JUNO nomination.
Although gifted independent folk artist Don Amero has won a host of awards over the past few years, this is his first JUNO nomination. He launched his music career after working as a hardwood floor installer in Winnipeg. His style has broad-spectrum appeal as it showcases his soothing voice, exciting guitar playing, beautiful uplifting arrangements, and intriguing storytelling. Diligent Don has toured coast to coast, played with the symphony, and has made appearances on national television. Heart On My Sleeve is his fourth album and its music is heavenly.
Donny’s from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, and this is his third JUNO nomination. He holds the record for the most nominations and wins at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards and has also received Canadian Country Music Award nominations. He has performed for Canada Day on Parliament Hill and been on CTV’s Canada AM. His new album Bring It On features collaborations with Jully Black and legendary rock band Streetheart. Donny learned the violin, er fiddle, in his teens and then mastered guitar and mandolin. Aside from a soloist, he is also one of the musicians in Neal McCoy’s band.
This alternative artist was born in Brockville, Ontario but moved around the country a lot including stints in Calgary, Montreal, and Vancouver. Janet is a Metis artist, has been involved in a few bands, worked as a producer and broadcast journalist, and operated Vancouver club The Comedy Store which closed after her business partner left to work on Canadian sitcom Corner Gas. She has been described as a “female cross between Lou Reed and Leonard Cohen” and her “entirely trippy pop music” as “drop-dead sexy”. Janet won best folk album at the Aboriginal People’s Choice Music Awards last year for this very album. This is her first JUNO nomination.
The front man behind diamond-selling, 4-time JUNO winning band Our Lady Peace has released his second solo album, an 8-track affair entitled We All Get Lighter. Raine Maida wedded Canadian singer-songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk and started a family and the couple has been working hard as a musical team. In addition to making their own music, they have composed and produced for a number of high-profile recording artists including Avril Lavigne, Hilary Duff, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Josh Groban, Drake, and David Cook. 
Kelowna, BC, land of the Ogopogo, was the birth place of a fine JUNO-nominated, platinum purple and green folk rock trio best known for their beautiful song “All the Things I Wasn’t” in 1989. We’re speaking of course about The Grapes of Wrath, consisting of Kevin Kane and Chris and Tom Hooper. They were signed by foremost alternative label Nettwerk Records and released an EP in 1984 and an LP the following year. They enjoyed their most success in the 1989 to 1991 period scoring 2 platinum albums. The band called it quits in 1992 when Kane left. The Hoopers continued under the name Ginger. Kane and Tom Hooper without Chris released an album in 2000 under the Grapes of Wrath moniker. In 2010, the original trio performed together for the first time in 18 years at a festival in Surrey, BC. Encouraged by the response, they began touring and decided to record a brand new studio album. This new album, High Road, was released on March 19, 2013. The first real Grapes of Wrath album in 22 years is no doubt a dream come true for fans of the band.
“Good to See You” kicks things off with bright guitars and rootsy organ. The music takes an edgier turn on the next three tracks after which, comes the mesmerizing Wurlitzer-Supertramp style “I’m Lost (I Miss You)” and sweet folk ballad “Take On the Day”. “Broken” pounces around with jabs of electric guitar and “Make It OK” adds a dash of punk rock. “Picnic” provides great driving new wave complete with synth. “Waiting to Fly” is classic Grapes of Wrath dreamy shimmer. Whether you are familiar with the band or have never heard of them, High Road is definitely worth checking out.
JUNO-nominated, platinum recording artist Luce Dufault was born in Orleans, Ontario. She began her singing career with a performance in a mall at the age of 15 and later joined a rhythm and blues band in Montréal. In 1992, Luc Plamondon offered her a role in “The Legend of Jimmy” musical. This was followed by her appearance in 1993′s Starmania”. Her debut album (platinum) appeared in 1996 and gave her a JUNO nomination. Two songs were among the biggest Francophone hits of the year including Félix nominated “Soirs de scotch”. Off her several studio albums released since, “Quand on s’en va pour oublier”, “Belle ancolie”, and “Tu me fais du bien” were all Felix-nominated songs. Luce has just released a brand new album entitled, Du temps pour moi.
Though musically based in Vancouver, Hannah Georgas grew up in Newmarket, ON (where Jim Carrey is from). She was in a high school rock band with Tim Oxford who ended up forming The Arkells. Georgas’ first LP came out in 2010, This is Good, which garnered 2 JUNO nominations in 2011 (songwriter and new artist of the year). This is her second album, a mishmash of funky electronic beats, pulsating guitars, and shimmering synthesizers. Her voice sounds as if it is coming up the pipes from a factory’s boiler room along with puffs of dream steam. Hannah is recognized for being one of our best songwriters and certainly the arrangements on this little gem give her artistic credibility as well.
Based in Vancouver, this duo’s 2009 debut album was nominated in this very JUNO category. Celebration Rock is their second album. Their style of punky, spirited, vitamin potent tunes is guaranteed not to put you to rest. Their critical acclaim and popularity came in the nick of time as Brian King and David Prowse were about to call it quits. They went all out on this album crashing up the drums and revving up the guitars for a joy ride from Grouse Mountain to Mount Fuji on the back of a supercharged android gone berserk.
Toronto’s electronic rockers Metric won a pair of JUNOs in 2010, one for this very category. They have managed to score a pair of platinum albums and one gold. Synthetica is their fifth studio album and debuted at #2 on the Billboard Canadian albums chart. Singles “Youth Without Youth” and “Breathing Underwater” both made the Hot 100 proving the height of Metric’s success cannot be measured in feet and inches. Less ethereal than their previous work Fantasies, the band made music for this album encompassing the spectrum of moulds through all previous works. The result is an album that packs a brass knuckle punch of spicy anthems that leave you breathless.
Vancouver’s five-piece ensemble Said the Whale kicked things off in 2007 and won the JUNO in 2011 for New Group of the Year. They have released a number of EPs. Little Mountain is their third full-length studio album. Rolling drums, earnest yet theatrical vocals, and punctuated keyboards conjure up an image of a beached whale floundering on the sand in the pangs of heartbreak. Essentially this is indie rock with touches of new wave and sunny pop thrown into the mix. The songs come waltzing down at you from a little mountain and are varied in fragrance like a sonic potpourri making the ears perk up in an unpredictable listen.
This five-member, twinkling, progressive rock band from Montréal has been working hard; this is their sixth studio album which managed an impressive #5 position on the Billboard Canadian albums chart. Previously, two of their LPs have been nominated in this very category, including Set Yourself on Fire, a gold-certified work. Stroll by the Habitat 67 complex and you may hear music from The North emanating from some of those cubical apartments complete with its funky bass lines, scintillating synths and soft, eloquent male/female vocals.
