It isn’t a holiday here in the Great White North, but I’m still thankful for a relatively quiet day. And for these new Canadian songs and videos, of course. Pass the yams:
Snotty Nose Rez Kids | ’96 Bulls (ft. Drezus)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Snotty Nose Rez Kids, comprised of Yung Trybez and Young D, just released their latest single ’96 Bulls, featuring Drezus. This electrifying track is a slam dunk with its dynamic lyrics and high-energy beats, drawing inspiration from the world of basketball and their Indigenous culture. With a love for basketball running deep in their veins, it’s no surprise these two legends are comparing their journey to the iconic ’96 Chicago Bulls and the trio of Jordan, Rodman and Pippen. “The ’96 Bulls team was the most legendary team of all time,” said Yung Trybez. “’96 Bulls, for us, is about building a team that’s legendary status. It’s about building a legacy… we can always look back to the ’96 Bulls and say that was one of the greatest teams of all time and likewise, we want Indigenous youth to look back at Snotty Nose Rez Kids and say that was one of the greatest rap groups of all time. We are here to leave something behind that people will remember. It’s all about us making history and the ’96 Bulls made history.”
Dan Mangan | All My People (Elsewhere Version)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “After returning from a cross-Canada tour supporting his Juno-nominated album Being Somewhere, singer-songwriter Dan Mangan shares the third reimagined track from the record. All My People is about dreaming of being near loved ones during the height of the pandemic. While the original album version explores the sonic scope of percussion, this new Elsewhere Version focuses more on hypnotic acoustic guitar, evoking an increased feeling of melancholy and intimacy. “I didn’t start with any particular plan,” Dan reflects on the song. “I just started deconstructing the song and exploring where else it might like to be constructed. I wrote this song in the depths of lockdown, wandering around my home, annoying my kids. It took forever to get the chords right. The lyrics right. I wrote several different choruses and bridges. Before it was even a real thing, it had lived several lives. My 40th birthday was looming in the distance. I pictured a party. This same home, full of people laughing. I pictured a huge pileup of shoes by the front door. Coats laid on the bed. It was one weird dream away.”
Danny Miles | Tiger Blood
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Danny Miles’ versatility as an artist is best showcased in his forthcoming debut solo release, Beautiful Music. It was entirely self produced and recorded by the July Talk drummer at his Hamilton studio, The Pillowfort. The album artwork and video animations were done by Toronto artist Tyson. The record boasts 27 instrumental tracks, offering a wavy nuanced, sound, that gives way to full on funk beats and jazz. Thick crackles and dusty beats are layered with snippets of obscure samples, and live instrumentation, to create what Danny calls subtle busyness. “I start by listening to vinyl,” he says. “I usually find small pieces of songs. More like sounds, different instrument hits, vocals, etc., and then I piece them together into the big picture. It’s a collage of sonic textures.”
https://youtu.be/cjcAZ3-OHkk?feature=shared
Allen Dobb | Here And Now
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “After more than a decade-long retreat from recording and performing, singer-songwriter Allen Dobb is returning with a new album scheduled for release Feb. 9. Alone Together is a collection of 10 new original songs drawn from characters, stories, and landscapes that are part of Dobb’s experience working as a range management specialist in the interior of British Columbia. The continual motion of being on the road can be addictive and the feelings that come with being away from home and family are hard to reconcile in a relationship. The backstory for Here and Now is elusive… it could be about the life of a rodeo cowboy or a touring musician. Either one works, because there are lots of similarities between those two lifestyles. The characters in this song have been through a lot, and who knows if they are going to be able to make up the difference.”
Caméra | Le Philtre
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Buried deep in Montreal’s lingering winters, a trio of musicians sat in a room together: Francois Jalbert the guitarist, composer and producer; Mélanie Bélair the violinist, arranger and composer; and Aurélien Tomasi the composer, arranger and performer, specializing in wind instruments. Together as Caméra, the trio spent time finding sounds, exploring bizarre ideas, but always seeking beauty. A philtre is a love potion for which Caméra’s song is named after; the music just as intoxicating and passionate. The musicians were inspired by the atmosphere of the French film Betty Blue, when the saxophonist wandered a coastal town.”
Tara MacLean | Kiss in December
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian singer-songwriter Tara MacLean has been an internationally renowned and award-winning recording and touring artist for over 25 years. She’s written and recorded six solo albums and two with her Juno-nominated band Shaye. In 2008, Tara took a hiatus to focus on being a full-time mother, but she never stopped writing music. Her memoir Song Of The Sparrow and the accompanying Sparrow LP were released earlier in 2023. The new song Kiss In December is a rare collaboration between Tara and her fellow singer-songwriter Catherine MacLellan, who co-wrote and produced it. It’s about a winter love, a real life kiss in December that changed Tara’s life many winters ago. The song originated as a poem. It paints a picture of warmth and of cold at once, but in the end it’s a bit of a sad song.”
