22 April 2022 Releases: Tenille Townes, Patrick Watson…

Twenty full-length albums are out this week, bringing the 2022 total to 188 thus far. Among this week’s batch are hot selling Lydia Képinski‘s Depuis and Siméon‘s pop-rock Présages, Lovers of relaxing jazz will enjoy 501 Lounge Street from Claude Chapleau / Chapcity. Also be sure and check out a trio of choice alternative works: Samantha Savage Smith‘s Fake Nice, Tess Roby‘s Ideas of Space, and Georgia Harmer‘s Stay In Touch. All three are superb.

Country superstar Tenille Townes has a batch of new songs out, care of EP Masquerades. It’s one of a dozen extended plays out this week. Another is Better in the Shade, the latest from the ever popular Patrick Watson. We have tracked 124 YTD EP releases. Check out the table of 32(!) new releases below.

TITLE ARTIST GENRE
501 Lounge Street Claude Chapleau / Chapcity Jazz
C’est dans vos yeux Lyne Cadieux AC
Cosmic Dreamer Barney Bentall S-S
Depuis Lydia Képinski Alternative
Des rêveurs dans la nuit Marcel Beaulieu S-S
Fake Nice  Samantha Savage Smith Alternative
Faster Than I Can Take  Jane Inc. Alternative
Home Les Arrivants World
Ice Cream In November Lynne Hanson Country
Ideas of Space Tess Roby Alternative
Jé Lalune Jé Lalune S-S
Le temps que passe… Marie-Pierre Leduc Folk Pop
L’échelle du temps Yves Léveillé Jazz
Nous resterons vivants Jean-Christophe Lessard S-S
Présages Siméon Pop-Rock
Reine de papier Jordane S-S
Stay In Touch Georgia Harmer Alternative
Stolen Time Abigail Lapell Country
What It Is Ian Lake S-S
Who? Léonie Gray R&B
À la pêche aux éclairs (EP) Divers Rap
Adulescence (EP) Arielle Pop
Better in the Shade (EP) Patrick Watson S-S
Case Départ (EP) Missy D Rap
Embryonnaire (EP) MiTcheL Rap
Fraide (EP) Fraide S-S
Goodbye Again (EP) The Johans S-S
Masquerades (EP) Tenille Townes Country
Plaisirs & terreurs… (EP) Carla Blanc Alternative
Protagoniste (EP) K!ra Rap
Put the Sauce On It (EP) Duck Sauce et al. Dance
The Storm (EP) Q052 Rap

15 April 2022 Releases: Grae, Bülow, Sophia Bel…

A number of satisfying discs were released in mid-April this year including Anxious Avoidant from budding indie pop star Sophia Bel and Whiplash from Grae. JUNOs endorsed German-Canadian singer Bülow has a new EP out entitled Booty Call. CMB also recommends EP Sad In a Good Way from Hawa B. Find these and more in the table below.

TITLE ARTIST GENRE
Anxious Avoidant Sophia Bel Pop
Born Losers Altameda Alternative
La route est longue jusqu’au top Ben Claveau Folk
Le sablier Alex & Caro Country
Nuances Marion Cousineau AC
Oh Suzana Blues David Owen Folk
Psychic Jailbreak  Cancer Bats Metal
SOUL URGE Modlee R&B
Whiplash  Grae Alternative
Apricity (EP) Winterglow S-S
Booty Call (EP) Bülow Pop
C’qui reste (EP) Les Dérapeutes Folk
Drowning In The Culture (EP) AVIV Alternative
Fauve (EP) Velours Velours S-S
Pour marcher à tes côtés (EP) Pierre Bédard AC
Reckless Reckless (EP) Anyway Gang Rock
Sad In a Good Way (EP) Hawa B R&B
Super (EP) JP Couet Country

Mid-April 2022 Headlines: BBMAs, MHF, Twain, Cox, and The Boyz

A Canadian Leads the 2022 BBMA Nominations

Nominations for the 2022 Billboard Music Awards have been announced. Bear in mind that they are based on the performance of material on the US Billboard charts only, and as we have seen through the years, tastes in music differ from country to country. Three Canadians fare well this year – all male soloists. In fact, leading the entire pack is The Weeknd with 17. Justin Bieber has 13 and Drake 11. American artists include the supposedly retired Doja Cat (14) and Kanye West and Olivia Rodrigo (13 each). Brits Dua Lipa and Ed Sheeran have a respectable nine. Australia’s The Kid Laroi has eight. South Korean group BTS has seven as do Americans Givēon and Taylor Swift. The most decorated artist in the history of the BBMAs is Drake with 29 wins. Taylor Swift is second with 25, and Justin Bieber is third with 21. Those awards will be held in Sin City the same night as the JUNO awards (May 15) are held in the city that rhymes with piranha, testing Canadians’ loyalties.

Shania Joins the Styles of 1D

Canadian icon Shania Twain surprised the crowd by joining former One Direction member and current soloist Harry Styles of Britain on stage in the American California desert. The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is an annual event that always promises a huge lineup of performers. This year’s Canadian contingent includes The Weeknd, Carly Rae Jepsen, Arcade Fire, Daphni/ Caribou, Badbadnotgood, Jessie Reyez, Orville Peck, Belly, Ali Gatie, and Daniel Caesar. Shania popped in unexpectedly during the conclusion of Harry’s set when he began performing her song “Man, I Feel Like a Woman”. The Commonwealth siblings sang the classic together. After this, they took seats and Styles said, “In the car, with my mother as a child, this lady taught me to sing … To you, for the memories you gave me with my mother, I will be forever grateful.” Twain responded, “I am so honoured and thrilled to be here … I’m a bit star-struck – what can I say?” Harry and Shania then sang the latter’s “You’re Still the One”.

Deborah Cox Tapped for the MHF

Toronto R&B star Deborah Cox is this year’s inductee into the Music Hall of Fame. The Debster first charted within the realm of the RPM Top 40 in the year 1996 with hits “Who Do U Love” (#15) and “Sentimental” (#33). Those two songs made a mark internationally as well, making the Top 40 in the United Kingdom. “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here” (see its MV below) reached #21 at home in 1998 and stands as her biggest hit in the United States where it peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Cox released five albums between 1995 and 2008. Her debut self-titled work is certified platinum, and her 1998 followup One Wish sits at gold.

Deborah is perhaps best known domestically for her 2008 Top 10 hit “Beautiful U R”, a platinum digital download. Cox has won a total of three JUNO awards, all from the late 90s and in the Best R&B/Soul Recording category. The currently flourishing R&B scene in Toronto, which has produced such global superstars as The Weeknd, owes much to Deborah Cox who helped kickstart the genre in a 90s scene heavily dominated by rock favourites like Alanis Morissette, Amanda Marshall, and the Tragically Hip.

Among The Boyz Are Two Canadians

An objective of Canadian Music Blog has always been to highlight Asian Canadian recording artists in a western music scene that is predominantly a Blacks and Whites only club. Some of these talents choose to take a stab at success in the English language market at home while others relocate abroad to make their mark in Asian language music. The three predominant subsets of the latter are C-Pop (Chinese language pop music), J-Pop (Japanese), and, now familiar to western audiences, K-Pop (Korean). As far as we know, there is very little Canadian artist involvement in J-Pop currently but very significant involvement in C-Pop. Largely unacknowledged by the Canadian media, there are a number of Canadian artists killing it in K-Pop.

What follows is by no means a complete list.

We have profiled Henry Lau in the past. Born and raised in Toronto, he is Chinese Canadian but infiltrated the K-Pop scene with great success. Wendy of popular girl group Red Velvet and YoungK from boy band Day6 were plucked from Canada by South Korean entertainment companies. Mark of groups NCT and SuperM was born in Toronto and grew up in Vancouver. Tablo attended high school in Canada and Stratford University before debuting with South Korean trio Epik High. Canadian born (Jeon) Somi dabbled in a few K-Pop girl groups before going solo. She released her debut album XOXO in 2021.

Here, we introduce Jacob and Kevin (see photo above) who are two Canadian members of K-Pop group The Boyz which broke through in South Korea last year with a triad of Top 40 hits including the #6 song “Maverick”. See the MV below. But first, a little on these two fine young gentlemen.

Jacob was born in Toronto in 1997 and into sports at a young age, particularly basketball and volleyball. He won an MVP award in the latter. He plays guitar, piano, and drums. In The Boyz, Jacob serves as one of the vocalists and is also skilled in beatboxing.

Kevin was born in Vancouver in 1998. He attended the same elementary school as Michael Bublé and won the “Bublé Prize” in Grade 7 due to his musical abilities. He acts as the main vocalist of The Boyz. Kevin plays piano, guitar, and saxophone and loves to draw. He also knows how to tap dance.

We wish these Canadians continued success with The Boyz!

Carla Chanelle’s Music Is On Our Cheeks

Scholarship recipient from the Canada Council for the Arts, Carla Chanelle, recently dropped a first-rate EP, with a splash of perfume, entitled Sur nos joues. With this, find yourself swimming in pensive waters harbouring a syrupy melancholy while stately beats keep things flowing along gracefully and intricate details convey a charming loneliness that will have the listener immersed in a warm glow. There are some subtle funky grooves, massaging keyboards, and soothing guitar strokes on this little gem. And, my goodness, Carla’s voice is like honey. All five tracks have us hooked, smiling, and … entering this as a contender for 2022’s EP of the year. Don’t miss out on this, folks! The embedded MV for “Mandarine” (track 3) below will give you a taste.

New Singer Alert! Emmy Rouge

New Canadian singer Emmy Rouge recently launched her debut disc: Catalogue, a five-song EP. We feel it has more going for it than recent releases from the A-listers. Beauteous vocals self-penned lyrics, catchy writing, progressive sounds, assuaging moods, delicious beats, random details, and expert production. It’s pop sprinkled with a jazzy vinaigrette and wafting chillout aromas. And to think that Emmy leapt into the music community a mere 1.5 years ago! We have embedded the MV for “Laisse-moi” below but bear in mind that all tracks on the disc are winners.

Besides the funky electropop of the latter, clap-along opener “Miroir” hits the spot. The hazy “Tours les jours” comes complete with teasing vocals and colourful chords, and then it casually tosses in a sax! OMG! “Girls Night” contains some urban jazz vibes and intricate percussion. Capping things off is groove extravaganza “Miami Vice”. Emmy Rouge’s Catalogue hits a homer, and so we hit the golden buzzer. Top marks from Canadian Music Blog. Very, very cool EP. We’re hoping for a full-length on CD as soon as possible.

8 April 2022 Releases: Dear Rouge, Josh Ramsay…

Vancouver’s SkyTrain has become an instrument of permanent hearing loss for the metropolitan area’s millions of residents. The noise the trains make far exceeds safety limits, but of course, nothing is being done about it by TransLink, a company with an annual operating budget of $1.4 billion. Why not treat your ears to something far more pleasant than deafening rattles and squeaks?

JUNO award winning modern rock duo Dear Rouge releases its latest disc this week, the full-length Spirit. The opening track alone is dee-lish! Marianas Trench frontman Josh Ramsay tosses a solo album into the smorgasbord. The Josh Ramsay Show features a host of popular Canadian recording artists including Tyler Shaw and Serena Ryder. Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson is behind a new progressive rock project called Envy of None featuring the sizzling vocals of budding singer Mariah Wynne. The group’s self-titled album is out now. Other discs to check out are EP In Good Time from New West which contains some good tunes. Find these and more in the table of new releases below.

TITLE ARTIST GENRE
Avery Raquel Avery Raquel R&B
Cheer for the Deer Melted Wings Alternative
Envy Of None Envy Of None Rock
Far From Folk   B. Knox S-S
Fluxus Pop Rip Pop Mutant Alternative
Glossolalia Jordan Klassen S-S
Just One Voice  Michelle Willis AC
L’échec héroïque  Thick Glasses Punk
Papillon de Nuit: The Night Butterfly  Tanika Charles R&B
Perdre  Jules et ses pilules Rock
Seul à la fin Félix Lemelin Pop
Shrug The Henrys Alternative
Solo  Jesse Mac Cormack Pop
Spirit Dear Rouge Rock
The Josh Ramsay Show Josh Ramsay Pop
To Hell With You, I Love You   Deanna Petcoff Rock
Colors (EP) Avril Jensen Alt Pop
Dans ta lumière (EP) Alex Métivier Alternative
Digital Damage (EP) Emma Beko Rap
Hellscape Suburbia (EP) ElyOtto Pop
In Good Time (EP) New West Pop
Je ne parlerai pas fort (EP) Myriam Arseneau S-S
Looking Around (EP) Pelch S-S
Maison de Paille (EP) Alex Pic S-S
Ready To Burn (EP) Saya Pop
Top Net (EP) Dope.gng Rap

Take a Satellite Ride with Geneviève Racette

Satellite is the latest album crafted by the genius of Canadian singer & songwriter Geneviève Racette. On the disc she explores the concept of love as a satellite which is attracted to and encircles another object. When the love ends, it loses orbit and crashes down in painful ruin. Popular artist City and Colour makes an appearance on the album in the track “Someone”. The album offers soul-stirring moods of pensive melancholy and heartfelt reflection. We were hooked immediately. Geneviève’s voice is lovely and the music charming. We have embedded a live version of opening track “Hostage” below. Don’t let this one pass you by.

BAAB’s La Cible Hits the Target

Montreal’s BAAB consists of aces Charles-David Dubé and Mariève Harel-Michon. Joined by musicians Olivier Bernatchez and David Marchand, EP La Cible came out last month, and we are really taken with it. The four-track effort, dressed with silky female vocals, is detailed, soothing, jazzy, and funky – an electronic chillout disc that cast us into a curious world of energizing dreams. La Cible is really, really good and has been targeted as a strong contender for 2022’s EP of the year. If you like this, check out also the full-length Rédactions tranquilles BAAB released last year. Embedded below is audio for the title-track of the new EP to give you a taste.

The Silence In Between Bob and Moses

Four-time Juno nominated Vancouver duo Bob Moses (Jimmy Vallance and Tom Howie) recently released its latest album The Silence in Between. The disc, the outfit’s best yet, benefits from inspired composition and is, as one would expect, sprinkled with savoury EDM spices. Though we would not call every track dancefloor ready, the excursion through droning bass pulses, synthy burbles, and the occasional unexpected crescendo is satisfying. The energy pumping through the album never runs dry, and we never lose interest. It’s a most worthy effort impressing the CMB. Do check this one out.

1 April 2022 Releases: Lights, No Frills…

As we begin 2022’s fourth month, Canadian artists have released 142 albums and 93 EPs. Find the latest below.

TITLE ARTIST GENRE
 Consumed in Key Plastikman & Chilly Gonzales  Instrumental
 Set The Record  HOROJO Trio  Blues
 Un homme et son piano P’tit Belliveau  S-S
 Voice Leading  Kellarissa  Electronic
Abri de fortune Koriass Rap
Chutes libres  Lexil Rock
Downward Dog No Frills Alternative
Goodbye Nightlife Yesterday’s Ring Folk
Pan est Mort  MAUV Rap
PEP Lights Pop
The Life and Times of Eddie Gage Aldo Nova  Rock
The Unravelling of PupTheBand Pup Punk
 Can’t Make This S*** Up (EP) Pengz and 6ixbuzz Rap
 Past Dawn (EP) Jeremie Albino  Folk
 If It’s Not Forever (EP) Cassidy Mann  Soft Pop
10 Seconds, Vol. 1 (EP) A-Trak Dance
Another Self (EP) Sara Danielle AC
Freynet (EP) Freynet Country
Interstellar (EP) Pilla B Rap
Maximalist (EP) Common Deer  Pop
The Rise (EP) The Rural Alberta Advantage  Folk Rock
True North (EP) The ACT Americana Trio Folk

25 March 2022 Releases: Corneille, Alicia Moffet, Michael Bublé…

A-lister Michael Bublé drops his latest work, Higher. Even if you’re afraid of heights, this should satisfy. Award winning singer Alicia Moffet releases her second album, Intertwine. You’ll get caught up in it and it will satisfy. The ever popular Corneille tickles with pink ink in Encre rose. It’s a panther of an album and it will satisfy you. Also worth checking out is alt-pop EP Sur nos joues from Carla Chanelle. Wear it on your cheeks or anywhere you like; it satisfies. Check out this week’s new Canadian artist releases below.

TITLE ARTIST GENRE
21st Century Lo-Fi Tom Savage  S-S
Avalon Tassonyi Avalon Tassonyi Folk
Construire une table… Bolduc Tout Croche  S-S
Do All Words Can Do   F****d Up HC Punk
Encre Rose Corneille Pop
Éphémère  Manela  Jazz
Faust Mahogany Frog   Alternative
Higher Michael Buble AC
Intertwine Alicia Moffet R&B
Labyrinthitis Destroyer Alt Rock
L’aéronaute  François Jalbert & Jérôme Beaulieu  Jazz
Poésinutiles Vol.1  Edgar Bori  S-S
Rap Queb, Vol. 1 Jay Scott Rap
Sans oublier Lysandre Alternative
Songs of the Recollection Cowboy Junkies Folk Rock
Subterranea Sunglaciers  Alternative
Aphélie (EP) Joseph Boonen  Alternative
Afterlife (EP) Vi Alternative
Bonjourno My Friends (EP) Bernice Experimental
Enter the Mirror (EP) Jay Feelbender  Alt Rock
First Thing’s First (EP) Jon Rivera Urban Pop
Good Things (EP) Devin Cooper  Country
Our Lady of the High… (EP) Steven Doman  Alternative
Se Pa Lèd Ou Lèd (EP) Denzel  Rap
Sur nos joues (EP) Carla Chanelle Alt Pop

18 March 2022 Releases: Lisa LeBlanc, Ria Mae…

Marching through the new releases, Lisa LeBlanc drops the funky Chiac Disco, Geneviève Racette the beautiful singer-songwriter album Satellite, Franky Freedom a self-titled electronic chillout disc, and La Bronze the great pop album Vis-moi. EPs include radio star Ria Mae with Therapy and emerging slayer Emmy Rouge with Catalogue.

TITLE ARTIST GENRE
Applaudissez, bande de…  Larynx Alternative
Chiac Disco Lisa LeBlanc Pop
Dis-leur  Psycadelick Rap
Eleven Dollar Bill  D. Columbus Country
Franky Freedom Franky Freedom Chillout
Gone, Long Gone  Steve Dawson S-S
ImagiNation Q052 Rap
Milliers d’étincelles Atémi Folk Pop
Nothing Pressing Jerry Leger Folk
Roadhouse 02 Allan Rayman R&B
Satellite  Geneviève Racette S-S
The Fire Waltz Little Miss Higgins et. al. Folk
Vis-moi La Bronze Pop
Big Hurt Boy EP Donovan Woods S-S
Catalogue (EP) Emmy Rouge Pop
Encased in Chrome (EP) Trench Metal
Folktopia (EP) Slide & Popcorn Folk Rock
Hazed + Amused (EP) Innr Circle Pop
Light Yagami (EP) Kira Rap
Listen To Your Art (EP) 28. & The.Blind.Monkey Rap
Love Faster (EP) Coco Rose R&B
Midi Pile (EP) Bkay Rap
Quand on sera une saison (EP) Irène Alternative
Terre! (EP) Clara and the Sky Alt Rock
The Night Suite (EP) Stephan Moccio Classical Xover
Therapy (EP) Ria Mae Pop

11 March 2022 Releases: Ingrid St-Pierre, Men Without Hats…

Ingrid St-Pierre releases piano-themed album Ludmilla this week. Veteran artists join her with new discs. Men Without Hats follows up last year’s EP Again Pt. 1 with full-length album Again Pt. 2. Bryan Adams serves his latest, So Happy It Hurts. Broken Social Scene’s Sam Jr. contributes a self-titled work and Daniel Bellegarde some sweet world music, Pastourelle. Find these and more in the table below.

TITLE ARTIST GENRE
Again, Pt. 2 Men Without Hats Pop
Angel’s 11 vol. II Angel Forrest  Folk Rock
Astronaute Fredz Rap
Hit ‘Em with the Funk Kalisway R&B
Ludmilla Ingrid St-Pierre Classical Xover
Mark VI Tony Price Dance
Pastourelle Daniel Bellegarde  World
Pink Tiger Apollo Ghosts  S-S
Sam Jr. Sam Jr. Alt Rock
So Happy It Hurts Bryan Adams Rock
City Classix, Vol. 1 (EP) Jayden Premo Rap
De l’aut’bord (EP) Woodwolf Hard Rock
Eleven Achers (EP) Nemahsis S-S
Mauvais temps (EP) Maxime de Wilde  Alternative
Reversal (EP) Raphaël Reed  Classical Xover
Strates (EP) Sébastien Lafleur Alternative
Trapistan the Mixtape (EP) Road Runner Rap

4 March 2022 Releases: Luna Li, Bob Moses…

Some great music is out this week in a variety of genres. Find below the latest albums and EPs from Canadian artists. Familiar names include Bob Moses, Luna Li, Maylee Todd, The Weather Station, and Thus Owls. EPs include exquisite works from BAAB and Anna Valsk.

TITLE ARTIST GENRE
Ballad of a Tryhard Scott Hardware  Rock
Baratin d’marins La Nef  Folk
Bienvenue Ambroise  S-S
Calamity biosphere & Xiv Rap
Calm Fury Sarah Hiltz  S-S
Duality Luna Li Alternative
Ensemble Philippe Dunnigan  Classical Xover
From 2 to 3 Peach Pit  Alternative
House to House  Matt Andersen S-S
How Is It That I Should Look… The Weather Station  Alternative
Lately JC Campbell  Country Rock
Maloo Maylee Todd  Electronic
Miroirs Visrei Alternative
Pekuaiapu Scott-Pien Picard Folk
The Silence in Between Bob Moses  Dance
Who Would Hold You… Thus Owls  Alternative
Easy Listening for Jerks, Part I (EP) The Dead South  Country
Easy Listening for Jerks, Part II (EP) The Dead South  Country
La cible (EP) BAAB Alt-Pop
Les mains pleines de terre (EP) Bel Ours  S-S
Morphologie A (EP) Anna Valsk  Alt-Pop
Plus on change… (EP) Olivier Couture S-S
Romeo Eats 2 (EP) Walk Off the Earth Children’s
Stars We Lost (EP) Lammping  Alt Rock

Charlotte Cardin Leads the 2022 JUNO Nominations

A female Canadian recording artist from Montreal leads the 2022 JUNO nominations, and her name is Charlotte Cardin. The dear one has attracted six nods, beating out both the Biebs and the blinding lights man who each garnered five. Charlotte sees her name in the categories of Single of the Year (“Meaningless”), Music Video of the Year (for the same), Album of the Year (Phoenix), Pop Album of the Year (for the same), Artist of the Year, and JUNO Fan Choice.

Shawn Mendes, Jessia, and Pressa received four nominations apiece. Vancouver-based pop star Jessia scored a big hit last year called “I’m Not Pretty”. It’s up for single of the year. She is nominated for JUNO Fan Choice and Breakthrough Artist of the Year, and her EP How Are You is in the running for Pop Album of the Year.

The JUNO awards will take place in Toronto this year on May 15. The gala will be hosted by Hollywood actor Simu Liu.

Performances thus far announced are Avril Lavigne, Charlotte Cardin, Arkells, and Mustafa. This will be a triumphant return of the so-called pop-punk princess who has not performed at the JUNOs since 2008!

As usual, most of the 46 awards will be given out at the dinner party the evening before the main televised show. Five new categories debut this year which include the exciting Underground Dance Single.

Find all nominations at the JUNO website here.