Apparently I’m not the only one who’s in a good mood because it’s Friday — today’s crop of new Canadian videos and singles definitely lean toward the lighthearted. Laugh it up, funny boy:
Son Of Dave | He Likes That Classic Rock
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Spoiler alert: It’s not classic rock. It’s Son Of Dave trippin’ some kind of techno-blues dub on harmonica, beatbox, guitar riffs and joy. Maybe like Muddy Waters playing Pump Up The Jam. A light-hearted bouncy tune about the workin’ man who won’t dance to nuthin’ but the oldies. Recently returned to the wilds of Winnipeg after living in London for 26 years, Dave’s upcoming album A Flat City has themes of homecoming, prairie culture, and beats way outside the blues genre, including ska and boogaloo. There’s nothing like Son Of Dave. Millions of listeners across the globe, songs in Breaking Bad and many other soundtracks, a one-man live show that superstars hire for their private parties (Grace Jones, Rag&Bone Man), and a dedicated cult following make him a truly maverick bluesman. “This one aint for serious types,” he says. “The first time I played it live, two dudes came from the back of the bar and hit the dance floor with all they had. In Calgary. They wore cowboy hats. Makes perfect sense. I hope you enjoy as much as they did.”
Snotty Nose Rez Kids | BBE
Canadian Indigenous hip-hop artists Snotty Nose Rez Kids amplify Indigenous creativity and culture with their latest single BBE, paired with a celebratory music video directed by frequent collaborator Sterling Larose. The certified hit marks the second release from their upcoming album Red Future, due later this year. For the dynamic duo, BBE‘, or Big Braid Energy, is about the pride and resilience represented by braided hair. BBE taps into the inner strength of Indigenous peoples and is the anthem for embracing long braids. This contribution to the broader dialogue also serves as a catalyst for meaningful conversation about the deeper cultural meaning of braids. Yung Trybez, one half of Snotty Nose Rez Kids, explains, “There’s real power in Indigenous people growing out their hair, and this song taps into that power. When we braid our hair, it gives us strength and reminds us of our growth. BBE is an anthem for our people to be proud of their long braids! Big Braid Energy is what we feel when we think about the journey that brought us to this moment.”
Royal Castles | I Don’t Think I Like You
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Energetic, hard hitting and boasting hooks for days, Royal Castles make nostalgic but contemporary garage-power-pop. Hailing from Guelph, the trio blend riffy guitar licks, wooly bass and ear-candified harmonies. They have partnered again with Zane Whitfield (Glorious Sons, Blue Stones) — who produced their sophomore album Just The Hits (2021) — on five new songs for their EP called Singles Night. I Don’t Think I Like You is their summer vibe song. Put it on and go for a long drive! “There was a friend who had been around for years; someone we all thought we liked, because we were supposed to like him,” songwriter Jordan Gabriel explains. “He was a part of the crew. But as time went on, that little nagging feeling became clearer and clearer. We just didn’t like him.” In the era of streaming where every song is its own piece of content, the idea was to release each of the five tracks as singles. So why not call it out in the name? Lyrically, these songs mark a shift towards storytelling and allegory. Royal Castles have also upped the production level to craft poppier, catchier tunes. “Our fascination with pop has continued to influence us lyrically, thematically and from a crafted production standpoint,” says Gabriel. “We are chasing the elusive earworm. And we simply want to bring our audiences a little bit of head-bobbing happiness.”
Geoffroy | C.A.Y.A.
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Geoffroy is an essential and emerging voice in Canadian music. Now three LPs into a career that has solidified him as one of Quebec’s best artists, the Montreal songwriter and producer takes the next step internationally with his fourth full-length Good Boy, due June 14. Almost 10 years removed from his first release, this project was sparked with the intention of creating Geoffroy’s most authentic work to date, blending organic instrumentation and electronic elements into a bright and rich album filled with diverse sounds, a collection of songs that moves beyond the brooding depth that has defined recent works. Today, he shares the first single from the album, C.A.Y.A. “This one was a real challenge to crack,” says Geoffroy. “I spent over a year messing around with the instrumental, trying to come up with the perfect topline. Had some awesome ideas, but none of them felt quite right. Still, I couldn’t give up on this track. There was something special about the music, and I was determined to figure it out. Then, just before our last recording session, it finally clicked: the chorus came to me out of the blue, and everything else just fell into place. This song is all about being real and true to yourself, no matter what. It’s about sticking to who you are, even when the world tries to push you to change.” The video for C.A.Y.A. follows Geoffroy on a recent trip to Thailand where he played the single for people he encountered. The video, directed by longtime friend and collaborator Kyle Smith, expands on Geoffroy’s tradition of vibrant travel videos but adds a colourful, comedic tone that matches that of the new music.”
Naomi King | Like All The Other Boys
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Vancouver alt-rocker Naomi King shares Like All The Other Boys the second single from their new album Black Water, due May 17. Naomi wrote the amusing and cheeky track about being pursued by a guy who becomes disinterested when he finally gets what he wants. “Like All The Other Boys is a fun rant about a guy that love-bombed me and then completely lost interest when I finally reciprocated,” says Naomi. “My best friend was going through the exact same thing at the exact same time, so I wrote it for the two of us. While I might have been mad when I wrote it, the song is so fun and the music video so hilarious, I now just laugh when I hear it!”
Tennyson King & Lindi Ortega | Where I Make My Home
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Tennyson King is an award-winning, nomadic, folk musician from Hong Kong and Canada with a charismatic stage personality and magnetic energy. Pairing songs written in English, Mandarin and Cantonese with kick drum, Zhongruan, electric and acoustic guitar, he captivates audiences with positivity, interactive songs, and playful stories of life on the road. He’s appeared solo from great halls to intimate theatres and brings his band to festival stages with a restorative sound that brings crowds to their feet; folk-rock infused with earthy roots, pop, and subtle psychedelic ear candy. The first of three upcoming collaborations with notable fellow Canadian songwriters, Where I Make My Home is a song that highlights the recognition that home can be found within ourselves, the people we love, the strangers we meet, and in magical places we never knew we’d find. Written in a small Canadian mountain town by Juno-nominated singer-songwriter Lindi Ortega and King, the song was inspired by their experiences of life on the road — traveling from city to city, venue to venue, arriving and leaving in the dark, feeling the loneliness of a nomadic lifestyle, and battling homesickness amidst the constant unknown. Ultimately, the song reflects on finding comfort in the realization that happiness can be created wherever we choose to make our home.”
Jerry Leger | Out There Like The Rain
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “I wanted to send along a brand new music video we released today. It’s for Out There Like The Rain, the penultimate track on my latest album Donlands,” Leger says. “The video was beautifully created by Joshua Parrett, who previously made the video for You Carry Me.” As Toronto’s music scene has grown in stature on the world stage, singer-songwriter Leger has been making his own significant contributions. He has earned the praise of fellow artists Ron Sexsmith (“he’s the real deal”) and Doug Paisley, while maintaining a long relationship with Cowboy Junkies as part of their Latent Recordings roster, with their songwriter and guitarist Michael Timmins serving as producer. On his album Donlands, Leger has taken a different approach, teaming up with legendary Canadian producer and engineer Mark Howard (Lucinda Williams, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Neil Young), whose trademark atmospheric sound adds an entirely new dimension to Leger’s approach. Named after the street in Toronto’s East End, where it was recorded, in what once was the Donlands Theatre, Donlands presents Leger as he’s never been heard before.”
Kellie Loder | Honey I’m Scared
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Kellie Loder’s new album Transitions follows on the heels of their award-winning release Benefit Of The Doubt (2018), offering a stunningly crafted masterpiece of original songs with stories of love, heartbreak, life, and transitions. When It Comes to You, the lead single, topped charts, giving listeners a glimpse of the pure authenticity of one of Newfoundland’s most promising and celebrated songwriters. Loder is a towering talent about to explode on the world stage. They are also sharing another album track, Honey, I’m Scared, a song that “makes me feel like I’m eating ice cream with someone I’m in love with on a warm day at golden hour while harboring feelings of being scared of losing it all,” says Loder. “It makes me feel like I have all my favorite things but that it’s too good to be true.”
earth2zoe | Typical
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “After navigating the unpredictable tides of the music industry, earth2zoe re-emerges with renewed vigor and artistic vision on her latest single Typical. Collaborating with her trusted co-writer Sarah Boulton and producer Mike Schlosser. earth2zoe unveils a compelling anthem that explores the themes of societal conformity, personal liberation, and the quest for authenticity. The topic of the song, dealing with the pressures of societal expectations and the desire for individuality, became increasingly relevant to earth2zoe as she matured. In 2023, she and her team reconvened to breathe new life into the track, infusing it with the depth and maturity that comes with years of experience and self-discovery. Reflecting on the collaborative process, earth2zoe recalls the journey of Typical, which began five years ago during a time of uncertainty and exploration. “It’s surreal to think about how this song started half a decade ago,” she muses. “Back then, we were delving into a topic that seemed distant, yet somehow inevitable — a theme that continued to echo in my life over the years. Revisiting the initial demo compared to what we’ve created now is like witnessing a transformation from night to day. It’s a testament to evolution not only of the song but of myself as an artist and individual.”
