Some people are born athletes and others are born leaders. Kerri Powers was born to play the guitar and tell stories that could best be defined as Mark Twain’s Mississippi River tales meet Kurt Vonnegut’s Sierra Nevada deserts. The Connecticut-based singer-songwriter, in other words, is a throwback, who would have been a star if she started performing in the ’70s […]

We truly are mining indie music’s hidden gems on The Matinee May 30th edition. Every single one of the nine artists and bands featured below have fewer than 1200 Facebook followers. Some even have yet to hit triple digits and have a very minimal social media presence. That’s how “new” they are, but they deserve your complete attention for creating […]

As time passes, Quinn Devlin is finding more ways to welcome us to his inner world. This time he’s opened his doors to optimism and four new tunes that will make you want to walk out in the sunset and dance. In a perfect marriage between Bad Company and Van Morrison, Quinn Devlin & the Bridge Street Kings‘ new EP, Sweet […]

Combine a hefty dose of nostalgia with a mix of jazz and toe-tapping rhythms and you’ve got yourself A Peck Of Dirt, the brand new album from Fanny And The Atta Boys. Released on March 24 with support from Heyday Media Group, this is an album of sounds that are sure to pack any old-time dance floor, and we are […]

Trying to determine which songs would be featured on The Matinee October 4th edition was immensely difficult. The quality of songs continues to improve. The emergence of a new season tends to inspire people, and hopefully these ten new songs will do that you. I’ll try to keep things brief so that you be fully immersed in the singles because […]

Almost every day I cruise the internet for music sites in which help pass my mundane life. The internet is a wonderful tool and I don’t know where I would be without it. I love catching up on the musical world. Sometimes doing so can lead to new artists. The Wood Brothers are one of the most recent bands I […]

The city of Kingston, Ontario (population approximately 125,000) is known for a few things (some of which may be new for you) – was the original capital of Canada from 1841 to 1844; it has the largest concentration of penitentiaries in Canada (9 by last count); it is home to a large post-secondary population (Queen’s University, the Royal Military College, […]

Brought together by chance and a Craigslist ad, The Hunting Party are now endearing friends and a collective of musicians that are making terrific music that blends the roots and folk heritage of America’s deep south and the rock ‘n roll of New York/New Jersey. Formed barely three years ago, the sextet found instant chemistry and a common love for some of […]

Our weekly playlist of some awesome new music from the not so-distant-past. The playlist is at the bottom, but if there’s a track that you want to repeatedly hear, click on the song title. If you like what you hear from an artist, click on their name. “Kissing Booth”, the top-tapping, knee-slapping, rocker from Austin, Texas native, LA-based Vanderocker. The […]

“Tacky Part” is the new single from roots-folk band Galleri. The seven-piece collective from Australia has toured with the likes of Ash Grunwald, and their sound resembles the roaring music of Shakey Graves. The track officially comes out February 27. Also included below is the video for “Already Won”, where the septet put their musical chops on display. “Tacky Part” is […]

In another feature, Vancouver was spoken about as a great Canadian city for music, arguably moreso than Toronto and Montreal with its diversity. But what about a smaller city, one not considered a sprawling metropolis? Look no further than Hamilton, Ontario. Home to about 500,000 people and located about an hour west of Toronto, Hamilton is known as Canada’s equivalent […]

James Leclaire sings with a gritty voice (think Steve Earle but without the booze issues) and I’ll admit that I first thought it was affectation. James is a super friendly, clean cut guy from the Ottawa Valley, and to meet him is to meet a man with a big smile, quick wit, and really positive attitude. In short, this is the […]

Funk, soul, and roots music are slowly creeping back into the mainstream mindset, thanks in large part to veteran musicians like Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Charles Bradley, Lee Fields (more on him next week), Gary Clark, Jr., and a wave of Australian musicians such as Johnny Lang, The John Butler Trio, Kim Churchill, and Ash Grunwald. Canada, too, has […]

This is a fun one, folks. Ninety Pounds of Ugly are a rootsy-country quartet (though for our purposes, we had 3 of ’em) who sing songs of booze, death and sex. The lyrics can be dark, but the band couldn’t be brighter. I sat with Lefty McRighty (guitar) and Patsy Clash (vocals) for a hilarious chat about how they started […]

Setting the Scene I first came to know Gerry Griffin in late 2012, when he and his partner/manager Heather contacted me about getting a song in Capital Revue, my audio blog for the Ottawa Citizen. I heard one song (When I Say That), and was hooked. When I invited Gerry to come do a Revue session with us at Zaphod’s, […]