Did you watch Dolly Parton’s Pet Gala on TV the other night? I did — but I still have no clue what the hell was going on. It was like some weird ’70s variety show, crossed with an informercial — on acid. One minute, Dolly was singing Boogie Shoes with K.C. of The Sunshine Band; the next minute, Jane Lynch was hosting a runway fashion show for dogs in Dolly-themed outfits (she has a pet-clothing line, because of course); then they showed a film about military service dogs; then some country dude sang a song while a bloodhound howled behind him; then Kelly Osbourne or that guy from Young Sheldon gushed about their dogs. It was just plain nuts. Whoever was responsible should win an Emmy — and then never be allowed to make another TV show. Still, I gotta admit, it was totally unforgettable. I urge you to seek it out. But before you go to the dogs, take a walk through the latest littler of new Canadian singles and videos:
The Secret Beach | 22
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Secret Beach are an ever-shifting group of musicians and co-conspirators, orbiting around the songs and voice of Prairie songwriter Micah Erenberg. A retrospective view of life as a younger man, today’s single 22 is a beautiful rendition of regret, as Erenberg infuses classic romantic tropes into a lamenting story about his relationship with Winnipeg. Erenberg calls the single “a song about being young in a frozen, gentrifying shithole… I’d like to dedicate this one to some of Manitoba’s finest street performers: Eric the Great, Blue McLeod and Curtis Falk. Frequenters of the Osborne Village strip. The last time I walked through that spot at night, there was no soul to be found. The live music spots were closed, some canned music played out into the street. Eric, Blue and Curtis had moved on to better spots, I guess. I still love that town… yeah, it’s a shithole, but it’s our shithole.”
Old Man Luedecke | She Told Me Where to Go
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Last month, two-time Juno winner Old Man Luedecke stepped off the scallop boat and shared his first new music in a while, minus his trademark banjo, a suggestion from Afie Jurvanen (Bahamas). Today, he’s announcing his upcoming album She Told Me Where to Go (produced by Jurvanen) and sharing the title track. “The footsteps of doom kick us off,” says Luedecke. “This is the first OML track that may blow your hair back. This is music for a gunfight that could take place in The Mandolorian in the shape of a savage country blues with a hellish destination. The certainty of fate acts as an introduction to the ease of what is to follow. ‘I do not hurry, I do not rush, I don’t waste no effort on what don’t mean much’ opens up the album’s laid back grappling with fate and spirit and love.”
Kaïa Kater | Fédon (ft. Taj Mahal)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Acclaimed singer, songwriter and Grenadian-Canadian musician Kaïa Kater will release her new album Strange Medicine on May 17. Ahead of the release the song Fédon (ft. Taj Mahal) is debuting today. Of the track, released in honor of Black History Month, Kater shares, “This song centers around a late 18th-century Grenadian revolutionary, Julien Fédon, who began an armed insurrection against the British Colonists and plantation owners in Grenada. Inspired by the Haitian revolution, Fédon’s army was composed of many enslaved Black Grenadians and mixed race free Black people. Though the rebellion was ultimately unsuccessful, I wanted to channel the meticulous planning and electric energy that must have been traveling through the island the night of the first attack,” and continues, “I was overjoyed that Taj Mahal agreed to sing on this, as he is an icon in folk music and has brought Caribbean influences to so many of his works. He’s also an incredible person and a personal hero of mine.”
Scenic Route to Alaska | Call It A Coincidence
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Born and raised in Edmonton, the trio of childhood best friends in Scenic Route to Alaska have been a consistent force in Canada’s music scene since 2011. With six albums already under their belt, the band (Trevor Mann, Shea Connor and Murray Wood) are gearing up for their seventh release Lasts Forever, set to drop on April 11. The upcoming album promises a matured yet light-hearted sound, weaving catchy melodies with Trevor’s vocals as they navigate through themes of love, loss, and nostalgia. Today, they’re sharing the first single Call It A Coincidence, a heartfelt song about moments in everyday life that echo the presence of lost loved ones. It is a gentle reminder of shared moments, serendipitous encounters, and subtle signs that keep the memories of those we have loved alive.”
Loony | Tiger Eye
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Loony, the Toronto singer and songwriter, is sharing Tiger Eye, another new track from her upcoming self-titled debut album, due March 22. A bouncy, fun-loving groove with four-to-the-floor pacing that still maintains the typical, subtle intelligence found in all Loony records. Whether a cheeky lyric like ‘Why don’t we go out tonight 6:45, that’s 8 o’clock my time’ or ‘You ask if it’s forever, I say long enough’ reveals itself through the unassuming but perfectly crafted harmonies, Tiger Eye is a gift that keeps on giving. A dynamic and captivating artistic force, Loony’s emotionally charged, genre-defying compositions meld beautiful melodies with introspective lyrics, leaving an indelible mark within the hearts of her listeners. Her songs hint at the meaning behind her name: “My friends say I’m spacey as hell, I’m often in my own little world,” she explains. Nevertheless, they carry weight.”
Charlotte Day Wilson | I Don’t Love You
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Charlotte Day Wilson says her highly anticipated sophomore album Cyan Blue will be out May 3. Along with the announcement of her new album comes the release of first single I Don’t Love You, a stark and devastatingly beautiful confessional, highlighting Wilson’s immaculate production skills and chill inducing vocals laid atop smooth groove piano chords and soft drums. The track also arrives with a visual directed by Dani Aphrodite featuring layered low-fi footage of the artist and producer performing at home, living every day life and having moments of solitude in her car, a theme that comes up throughout the album. Shares CDW: “This song is meant to remind us that losing love & leaving can be just as inspiring as finding it.”
Davis Hall & The Green Lanterns | White Toyota
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Award-winning drummer Jim Casson (the Maple Blues Awards’ Drummer Of The Year in 2022 and 2023) has just released a new video from his funky New Orleans-style project Davis Hall & The Green Lanterns. White Toyota is the only non-instrumental track on the latest album Canboro Canborough. It features Casson on vocals and drums, Jay Burr on tuba and Wayne DeAdder on guitar and ukulele. It’s a love letter to his wife and was released, appropriately enough, on Valentines Day.”
Chris Cadaret | How I Miss You
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “From personal, emotionally driven love songs to fictional, lyric-based stories, Chris Cadaret holds dear the craft of songwriting. Chris stays true to the goal of creating music that finds a home in the hearts of listeners just as his favourite songs and albums continue to do. His song How I Miss You was inspired by the passing of a family member and observations on how people can grieve this type of loss. “This song was originally written late at night while it was pitch black in my room,” says Chris. “I remember having a distinct feeling of sadness following the passing of my family member and it seemed as though my grief led the way in forming the ambiance of the song. I would play the song from time to time to my girlfriend and she would typically become teary-eyed and emotional afterwards — which is how I knew it was a keeper!”
July Talk | No Safe + Sound
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “July Talk’s new song No Safe + Sound will be found on the forthcoming Remember Never Before (Deluxe), out March 8. Produced by Kevin Drew, the song is both churning and frothy, a sea foam feeling equal parts queasy and confident. “No Safe + Sound is a series of promises. It is about greeting uncertain and imperfect futures with a willingness to show up and keep trying,” writes co-lead Leah Fay Goldstein. “The nagging divine and communal pressure that urges us to never lose hope is as mundane and as vital as the blood in our veins. You don’t tell your heart to pump or your lungs to breathe, they just do it. Yes there will be suffering, yes there will be valid reasons for fear, but there will always also be love. Love is the cure, love is the greatest assurance of all. Love is how we got here. Love is why we stay.”
Ghostly Kisses | Keep It Real
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Ghostly Kisses share Keep It Real, a propulsive and haunting electropop single that pulls inspiration from the Box of Secrets initiative, where the band invited fans to anonymously share their most personal secrets. What they discovered was a global, post-pandemic, postmodern era of pain — an intense and strange loneliness felt around the world. Their sophomore album Darkroom, out May 17, synthesizes those missives into a mesmeric album that brings our inner monologue into view. Margaux Sauvé explains the track “stands out for us as the darkest and one of the most impactful tracks on the album. It was inspired by the narratives shared in the Box of Secrets, where individuals wrestled with deciphering the thoughts of others and sought to shed light on complex situations.” The new track follows previous singles On & Off and Golden Eyes.”
Bobbi | Bruised
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Emerging Canadian alt-pop artist Bobbi has released her highly anticipated new single Bruised, which explores the facades we buy into, and the residual sting they leave behind. From her upcoming EP Harsh (due this May), Bruised delves into the harsh realities of life, shattering preconceived notions cultivated throughout Bobbi’s journey. “This was the first song I wrote for this EP, not knowing where it was leading,” says Bobbi. “It was the first honest moment I’d had with music in a long time, and I was kind of shocked at what came out of me. The longer I sat with it, the longer I was like, yea, this is the vibe.” Written by Bobbi (aka Kaylee Johnston) and co-written and produced with experimental-electronic artist Model 86, the track sheds light on what it’s like being stuck in negative patterns. “In a way, writing Bruised was the first step to me claiming my responsibility in those situations,” she explains. “I was the one making the repetitive choice to surround myself with people who had narcissistic tendencies. It was the beginning of a huge awakening, but I had no idea at the time. I just really liked the song.”
Keegan Powell | In My Cave
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian musician Keegan Powell makes songs that explore the mystery of pain, the release of demons and how through it all, life actually may be some kind of miracle. Imbued with infectious hooks and ferocious energy, Alien Radio is a compilation album of tracks from Powell’s archive, spanning the years 2016-2019. Inspired by wanting to contextualize his current albums with bits and bobs that were lost along the way, the tracks are a glimpse into an artist trying to overreach his ability and achieving it, only to forget about it altogether. For Powell, In My Cave brings back memories of being 24, a very strenuous and arduous period in his life. He feels fortunate that he was able to make a lot of music around that era — a time when he wasn’t even sure how he was going to make it through most days. While Powell previously thought a lot of Alien Radio’s tracks were lost, the medium of music has made them found and alive again.”
Ancient Teeth | Down A Hole
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Ancient Teeth (Adrian Mottram of Sights & Sounds, Seas and The Getaway) is back with another single from Humanizer. He explains: “Down A Hole is a nod to lazy ’90s indie-rock with toned-down jangly guitars and a baked-out drum groove. The uncovered single lead vocal effortlessly recounts about the self inflicted curses of the human condition.” Down A Hole follows the album’s first single Sacrifice.”
Kristin Carter | Euphoria
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Contemporary pop artist Kristin Carter is unveiling her newest single Euphoria. Co-written by the Vancouver artist with fellow Canadian Steve Mitchell in Nashville, Euphoria is the second single from Carter’s debut album Full Bloom, which arrives April 5. Euphoria — co-produced with Marcus Ramsay — is a dance-friendly pop anthem that radiates throughout a blissful lyrical exploration of an exciting new romantic connection. In keeping with the nature of the song, Carter delivers a surefire and breathless vocal delivery against a lively and upbeat production. She says, “The magic of finding electric chemistry with another person is the basis for Euphoria, as well as how that moment can make someone feel about themselves. In writing the song, Steve and I developed the lyrics into a central message of letting go of inhibitions, trusting confidence and instinct as a guide, leaning into the excitement of the euphoric unknown in whatever form that may take.”
Julian Robia | Roll Them Pretty Eyes
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Julian Robia is a 27-year-old singer-songwriter from Halifax. Growing up in a musical family, Julian picked up the guitar at an early age, and he fell in love. Playing, singing, and writing songs quickly became his passion in life. Between his country lifestyle of fishing and back-roading and his unconditional love for the genre, country music is what Julian gravitated towards when it came time to write his own originals. New single Roll Them Pretty Eyes offers a refreshing take on the classic country love song. While many have written about the beauty of a lover’s smile, Julian wrote this cheeky tune about how rolling eyes and annoyed looks can be just as sexy. The take itself speaks to real relationships, where partners get on each other’s nerves, but still love each other.”
Erik Lankin | Daedalus Requiem
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Erik Lankin is a composer and producer of new classical music in Montreal. Erik combines classical orchestration with contemporary sound design. He channels the full spectrum of emotion into instrumental soundscapes, which are compellingly narrative and evocative. From 2020 to 2023 he assembled a team of some of Canada’s most accomplished classical soloists and neoclassical producers to realize his vision for his debut The Icarus Album. Using music, Erik reinterprets the myth of Icarus and Daedalus as a metaphor for losing his father to mental illness. Their music flows between grief and torment to find places of hope, triumph and healing, reflecting his personal journey of coping with loss and finding meaning in music. On the single Daedalus Requiem, Erik says: “I reimagined the myth of Daedalus so that it was him and not Icarus who fell into the sea. Leaving Icarus alone, grieving and aloft on the broken wings he inherited. This song sings the passing of Daedalus into the underworld.”
