I am heading out the door to a concert right after I post this, so I’ve got no time for chit-chat. See you in the pit. Of course, if you can’t make it, feel free to enjoy a set of swell new cuts from some fine Canadian artists. They’re the next best thing to being there:
Ombiigizi | Laminate The Sky
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Ombiigizi, the Anishinaabe-Canadian band led by Daniel Monkman (aka Zoon) and Adam Sturgeon (aka Status/Non-Status), share news of their sophomore album Shame, accompanied by the single and video for Laminate The Sky. Delving into the Anishinaabe ancestry of its members, with Ombiigizi‘s particularly sonic aspect — Indigenous futurism with a heavy dose of ’90s alt, psych rock and shoegaze — Laminate The Sky portrays “a visual representation of the world we are in,” Monkman says. With the first cheaply plasticized treaty cards (“that no stores would accept”) as poetic reference, Ombiigizi‘s vaporous melodies, mingling with uncharacteristically stripped-back guitars and gentle rhythmic propulsion, set the band’s sophomore album alight, with its mix of terrestrial and spiritual elements. “Laminate The Sky to us symbolizes freedom in a lot of ways,” the band say. “The idea comes from these things that Indigenous people are given at birth called a status card. Back in the day, they’d give you this crappy cardboard paper with a cheap laminated seal that everyone off the reservation thought was fake. Nowadays, we have high-tech ones that I scan at the border to go work in the United States, but even 10 years ago my pass to get off the reservation would be rejected in the city. It was a rude awakening in my formative years, being self-conscious of my place.”
Petunia And The Vipers | Billy The Kid
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The story of Billy The Kid has been told in innumerable ways ever since the Old West outlaw was gunned down at the age of 21. It made him an instant legend. Then there is the legend of Petunia. Since the turn of this century, the enigmatic Vancouver singer-songwriter and his band The Vipers have crafted an original sound based largely on the music of the early previous century. But while they may look the part, they are not precious about it, instead putting all the fire and fury of the original artists into a modern context. That’s precisely what Petunia & The Vipers do on their single and video Billy The Kid, a rousing re-telling of the gunfighter’s rise and fall. It’s also the latest preview of their ambitious new double album Callin’ Me Back, due out in 2025. Co-produced by Steve Loree, guitarist with Canadian alt-country pioneers Jr. Gone Wild, the album was initially slated for release in the summer of 2020, but plans were set aside due to the pandemic. Now it’s full speed ahead.”
Rory Taillon | Reunions
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Alternative folk singer-songwriter Rory Taillon is sharing his fourth album, the beguiling and vulnerable Now It’s Quiet. The record’s main theme centres on loss, “whether it is the loss of someone you love, the loss of a friendship, loss of an ideal, or the loss of contempt towards something that hurt you,” explains Taillon. The album’s focus track, Reunions, faces grief head on as Taillon contemplates the need for reunions “if our childhood friends keep on dying.” His rich, classically trained voice is coupled with simple acoustic guitar on this subtle yet powerful arrangement. Taillon drew inspiration on Now It’s Quiet from losing one of his best friends, silver linings, and reflecting on things in his past that continue to bother him.”
Bob Sumner | Is It Really Any Wonder
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Talking about traditional country music, Americana and folk makes Bob Sumner a little prickly. His problem isn’t with the music itself, of course, as his forthcoming sophomore album clearly shows that the Canadian singer-songwriter appreciates the finer points of steel guitar, fiddle, and strong storytelling. Rather, Sumner takes issue with the idea that the only way to honour the genre’s greats is to play music exactly the way they did. On Some Place To Rest Easy — out Sept. 6 — countrypolitan strings are deployed with ambient sensibilities, while tasteful synth tracks live alongside dobro and steel guitar. Sumner is offering another preview with a new video for Is It Really Any Wonder. As Sumner says, “All of my heroes, all the people that did it so well — whether it be George Jones or Willie, Waylon, whoever — they weren’t these museum pieces. They were always creating something new, something different.”
Abigail Lapell | Serpent à Sonnette
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Today, Abigail Lapell is sharing Serpent à Sonnette, the French version of her infectious singalong Rattlesnake, from her latest LP Anniversary, an evocative collection of original love songs that balances buoyant earworms and poignant ballads, ultimately emerging as an earnest celebration of commitment. This stripped-down acoustic rendition features an enchanting translation — celebrating love omens, marriage vows and seasonal superstitions — entwined with serpentine layers of steel-string guitar.”
Golden Feather | What Your Heart Is Telling You
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Hamilton’s Golden Feather are expanding their string of single releases from their self-titled upcoming debut LP, with the subtle and assuring What Your Heart Is Telling You. Golden Feather will be out on Sept. 20. A laid-back soft rock/pop release featuring gentle woodwinds and an understated rhythm section, What Your Heart Is Telling You is a song about self-belief. “It’s best not to idolize anyone,” vocalist Bradley Germain advises over mellifluous saxophone harmonies. “This is a song about expectation. How we can place so much on others to guide us, and to heal us. We can think we’re not strong enough to do it. We can convince ourselves of that. It’s also about the weight of expectation from others onto you. Ultimately, it’s an observation about looking within and trusting yourself.”
