Tom Wilson re-introduces himself, JD Era rolls his own way and more in today’s Roundup. Do geese see God?
1 | Tom Wilson has been through an identity crisis – and not just because he also works under the handle Lee Harvey Osmond. In his 50s, the Canadian roots and rock vet learned the couple who raised him were not his real parents, and his biological mother was a family friend from the Kahnawake reserve outside of Montreal. His incredible story informs the slow-burning, Leonard Cohenesque musical memoir Mohawk, the title track of his upcoming LHO album. SEZ THE PRESS RELEASE: “Over the course of discovering my true identity, the intention of my writing, my music and my art is to reduce the gap between my indigenous culture and colonialists to make a more patient, loving community.” Meet him again for the first time above.
2 | Most rappers hang out at the club — be it the dance kind the strip variety. Oddly enough, Mississauga rapper JD Era prefers to spend his time at a more wholesome spot: The roller rink. But make no mistake: The video for his new single Bankroll has all the profanity, grittiness and bouncing booties as required by hip-hop law. SEZ THE PRESS RELEASE: “Bankroll was a lot of fun to make,” JD Era says of the track produced by North P. “It’s a high energy record with a lot of bounce for the ladies.” Right, the ladies. Here you go, gals:
3 | Don’t you just love the way some narcissistic Torontonians think every single person, place and event there is of the utmost national significance? The latest thing the entire country is supposed to be excited about: A series of live albums compiled from shows taped at Toronto’s Massey Hall, which at least one writer has called Canada’s “most important” venue, because of course. Anyhoo, Volume One of Live at Massey Hall is out on Friday for Record Store Day — and to hype all those unimaginably important albums documenting those insanely historic shows at that incomprehensibly critical venue, here’s a 28-minute concert video of Whitehorse. See if you can get through it without being emotionally overcome at the sheer importance of the pivotal floor, the historic walls and the momentous seats. Thankfully, Whitehouse are able to be their usual swell selves despite the undoubtedly distracting auspiciousness of the room. SEZ THE PRESS RELEASE: “The harmonious duo of Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet has been a flagship artist of Massey Hall since their debut headlining show at the venue in 2013, an audacious booking for the then-relatively new band that partially inspired this whole series.” Lucky, lucky them. And now, you:
