As she was about to start the fourth song of her final New Zealand date, Lydia Cole spoke of a young woman – a long-time fan from Gisborne who had planned to attend the show. A family accident, however, prevented her from coming, and Cole dedicated “Time Is A Healer” to her, singing it with the grace and power of a person […]

Carl Broemel takes his customary place – stage right – with his black Gibson Les Paul in hand. The crowd roars, but it is not Broemel or his fellow musicians that the audience has come to see. The applause and excitement are for the venerable Ray Lamontagne. After the screams and whistles die down, a woman’s voice can be overheard […]

We usually pride ourselves at being at the forefront of new music, but it does sometimes occur that some really great music slips through the cracks. Likely we miss things all together (not surprising given the amount of music output these days), while other times we do eventually “catch up” to releases from months ago. Discovering Rodney Cromwell is a […]

For Greg Edwards, one half of the creative duo behind Failure, contrast is key. Quite simply, he says, if he and partner Ken Andrews come up with something that sounds uplifting musically, it needs to be offset with some lyrical darkness. And if the lyrics have any sense of hope, then the edges of the music need to be sharpened. […]

One could say that sisters Elle and Shealeen Puckett were destined to be musicians and be involved in show business. The two grew up in a musical environment. Their parents were musicians who played in bands, and the home was filled with the classics. The entertainment genes were passed on to the sisters at a very young age. When they were […]

In 2011, Danielle Caruana – a.k.a. the woman behind Australian band Mama Kin – graced the Ottawa Bluesfest for the first time. It was an early afternoon time slot, and the sun was blazing down on her and and her band. It was one of those rare scorching days, but Mama Kin was unfazed. Caruana and her band seemed to be at home, […]

There are plenty of musicians who are trying to transcend music. Individuals who are taking creative liberties to develop something different. However, this attempts often involve the use of many of today’s new technologies – from synthesizers, computer programs, you name it. But few are doing it like Pokey LaFarge, the St. Louis-based singer-songwriter and entertainer who is taking the […]

It was roughly year ago when Liza Anne Odachowski – a.k.a. Liza Anne – released her debut album, The Colder Months. It was a minimalist, folk-focused record that, despite its simplicity, was deeply personal and moving. But like many young singer-songwriters who constantly wish to challenge themselves and push the envelope, the album didn’t feel complete for Liza Anne. It took a journey […]

There are artists that you encounter and immediately know that they are on to something great. Maybe not immediately but eventually the world will discover the talents of these hidden gems. Lilith Ai is one of those artists. Despite only releasing a couple of tracks, the London-based singer-songwriter has the unique ability to write lyrics that are real and honest, and music […]

Just prior to Canadian Music Week, which took place in Toronto from May 1 to 10, the fine gentlemen from Palaye Royale agreed to do a quick Q&A. If you don’t know who Palaye Royale is, here’s a quick primer. Founded in 2011, the trio is currently based out of Las Vegas and composed of Remington Leith, Sebastian Danzig, and […]

“The reluctant politician”, a term we’ve all heard before to describe an ordinary individual fall into politics and succeed. But what about the “reluctant music star”? This descriptor might best describe UK singer-songwriter Thea Gilmore, who has been writing music and performing for nearly twenty years and in that span has released 14 – now 15 – albums. In that […]

Antix, the young hip-hop artist from London, caught our attention a few weeks ago with his stellar “Come Home”. It wasn’t your typical hip-hop song, as it wasn’t overlaced with beats or scratching records nor spoke about late nights, clubs, money, or women. Instead, the track is based on pop arrangements using classical music instruments and raises awareness about mental […]

Last week, Gary McClure – a.k.a. American Wrestlers – released his fantastic, eponymous new album (iTunes, Amazon, eMusic, Fat Possum). It’s an album that sounds deeply personal, whether the songs are an introspective look at his own life or telling the stories of people around him. In the lead up to his new album, McClure did several interviews, as his […]

When involved in an industry as competitive as music, artists need to do two things – 1) think outside the box to have their music heard and 2) have a great sense of humor to get through the tough days. Fawn Larson has both of these traits in spades. Born in Lafayette, Louisiana and now calling Nashville, Tennessee, Larson has […]

There’s a new wave of pop artists emerging on the scene. Apart from their image and multi-color hairstyles, this group of pop songstresses are putting their own stamp on the genre. Moving away from the repetitive and formulaic soundscapes, artists like Phoebe Ryan, Chelsea Lankes, and many others are incorporating indie-, synth-, and dream-pop sounds into their music. Among this […]

Today, London-based Disraeli Gears are releasing their debut single, “Born and Bred”. While the band has been inspired by present-day, indie-rock icons such as St. Vincent and Grizzly Bear as well as music gods like The Beatles, the new single is a brooding, indie-folk-rock tune akin to Angel Olsen’s early work and that of current indie bands The Bright Smoke and […]

The great city of New York is a place where anything can happen, where chance turns to opportunity and a glance could turn into something platonic or even intimate. In the winter of 2012, Amelia Bushell and Thomas Servidone each decided to go to an open-mic event in Brooklyn, sharing their songs with like-minded others and looking for advice or […]

A few weeks ago, we posted one of the newer tracks from up-and-coming UK artist Mike Dignam. In terms of talent and potential, he has all the elements needed to achieve the magical occurrence in music when an overseas band or artist can break through in the USA and Canada and gain worldwide success. Sam Smith and Royal Blood are […]

Come Together Boys, the newest single by indie artist Blue Blue Satellite is not only beautifully haunting, but very engaging both musically and lyrically. Come together boys! Join the battle boys! Horses saddled boys! Hear the battle noise! We’re defined by the way the way that we stand and we fall Compromise catches up to the best of us all Twist […]

There are musicians around the world whose sole goal is to make you want to dance. There are those who want to challenge how you perceive sound. Then there are those that want to entrap your mind and take you to places, sometimes to an unknown landscape, sometimes above the clouds, or sometimes even to dark places that you did […]