Heather Valley goes down to the river, Dankrupt try to keep their heads above water, Great Lake Swimmers talk to the wind and more in a vaguely aquatic-themed Roundup. Speaking of which: A new seafood market just opened up in my neighbourhood. Coincidence? Well, yeah. I mean, duh. What else would it be?
1 | Heather Valley | Ohio River
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The song is set on February 14, 2018. Heather Valley was in Cincinnati recording. They would wake up late in the afternoon, travel to the studio in an abandoned factory in the North End by dusk, record for hours, and walk the abandoned streets after that. The Ohio River had flooded. The flags were at half mast in mourning over Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. It was a time of fantasy and infatuation. She had to leave the next day but wanted to hold on to the night.”
2 | Dankrupt | Drowning
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Southern California’s Dankrupt has dropped a video for the single Drowning. Dankrupt’s Derek Shields says, “It’s an uptempo rock song about the dark side of romance when someone’s in love with a drug addict. Knowing the person they love that’s keeping them going is the same person killing them slowly with each breath. Drowning in a sea of negativity, it has to be either the needle or me. It describes the harsh reality of the situation one might face when trying to cope with the addictions of a lover, friend or relative. As the opioid epidemic continues many listeners may relate with their own experiences in dealing with the issue of drug abuse. How do you help someone who is unwilling to help themselves without dragging you down with them?”
3 | Great Lake Swimmers | The Talking Wind Acoustic
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Great Lake Swimmers share a new video for The Talking Wind (Acoustic), the third installment in a series shot in Sleeping Giant Provincial Park earlier this year. The video was filmed and edited by Adam CK Vollick with the sound engineered by Joe Lapinksi of The WOW Sound. It is part of the recently released solo acoustic version of The Waves, The Wake. Released late last year, The Waves, The Wake was recorded in the 145-year-old Bishop Cronyn Memorial Church and produced by Chris Stringer (Union Sound). On the LP, Tony Dekker decided to challenge himself by writing new music without any acoustic guitar, which has always been his instrumental mainstay. Each song on the album is brought to life in its own distinctive way, using an acoustic palette that includes woodwinds, harp, congas, marimba and pipe organ.”
4 | Francine Honey | Take Me To The North Pole
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Internationally award-winning Canadian singer/songwriter Francine Honey has her sights set on the holiday season with this, her newest album release, Take Me To The North Pole. “Life can be so busy around the holidays!” Honey says of the season and the release. “We are all running around trying to get it all done to make it the best ever. As a kid and a parent, watching the Christmas classics always allowed me to find a pleasant escape into the world of Santa and the North Pole. It is a welcome relief from all of the hubbub of the holidays… For the song Take Me To The North Pole, we purposely chose a southern, swampy shuffle you can dance around the kitchen to while making your Christmas cookies, and bop to while driving to go shopping. How does Mrs. Claus do it all? Look in the mirror!”
