Far as I can see, there are only two surprising aspects to the Oasis reunion tour: 1 | That it took this long for the Gallaghers to swallow their pride and accept the inevitable; 2 | That it took this long for someone to put enough zeroes on that cheque. I’m sure they’ll get their money back, based on the number of suckers already in line for tickets. Thankfully, I saw them the first time around, so I can save my cash. And you can save yours by checking out the latest free roundup of new singles and videos from these fine Canadian artists. Be here now:
Jennifer Castle | Lucky #8
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Songwriter Jennifer Castle’s new album Camelot is due Nov. 1. Today she released the single and video Lucky #8, an irrepressible ode to dancing as a bulwark against the “tidal pools of pain” and the “theory of collapse.” Co-producer Jeff McMurrich provides the song’s chiming guitars, with an assist from special guest Cass McCombs on slide. Jennifer created Lucky #8’s tender video using footage of heroic, historic gymnastics routines that were a formative part of her childhood. Now seen through the rearview, these routines take on a new poignance and are embraced differently in adulthood. As she sings in the song’s chorus, ‘So just give the money to the dancers / While their hips go figure eight / And they entrance us with the answers / And we hope and pray the message ain’t too late’. Castle adds that Lucky #8, “sort of has that energetic vibe to it, where it attempts a stunt lyrically (in my mind) to absorb all the possibilities of life into one moment and to be okay with that complexity, instead of fracturing off into myriad neurotic narratives.”
Allegories | Nostalgia Kills (Official Reel To Reel)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Hamilton’s Allegories have re-emerged to share their first release since 2022’s buoyant and experimental electronic pop record, Endless. The duo have developed Nostalgia Kills from a group of 20 song sketches that remained from their previous album process. Band member Adam Bentley reinvented the song’s vocals and lyrics, creating a new direction. This hazy, melodic piece of dream pop focuses on grand questions. Speaking of the song’s themes, Allegories explain: Why look back? Nostalgia Kills. Why find comfort in a past version of you? Nostalgia Kills. Why cling to what you already know? Nostalgia Kills. Remember when…Nostalgia Kills. If I could only go back to… Nostalgia Kills.”
Ghostkeeper | Storm Chaser
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Cîpayak Joy is the new album from Ghostkeeper, the ever-evolving project of Métis pop experimentalists Shane Ghostkeeper and Sarah Houle. The new LP follows their critically acclaimed 2023 album Multidimensional Culture. To celebrate the album’s release, Ghostkeeper share the video for Storm Chaser, an homage, says Shane, “to the moment when these two lovers chose to accept a mutual invitation to propel themselves into the iconic, formidable and epic storm that arises when one decides to battle their ego — a sincere and fierce commitment to romance and progressive individualism so as to gift each other true love.”
Mustafa | Old Life
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Ahead of the release of his debut album Dunya on Sept. 27, Mustafa shares the single Old Life alongside a Tanima Mehrotra-directed video. Speaking about the song — which was produced by Simon Hessman (James Blake, Jamie xx) and Dahi (Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott) — Mustafa shares that “Old Life is about reminiscence, and separation, and romance being a life sentence even in tragedy.” The first thing that strikes you about Mustafa’s music has always been his writing: A simple, piercing tone that can make any story feel as raw and earnest as the words to a love song. On this latest project, Mustafa expands the boundaries of his autobiographical storytelling. With a hushed delivery that can silence his surroundings, Mustafa evolved swiftly from a child prodigy reciting poems throughout Toronto to a behind-the-scenes songwriting force for artists like The Weeknd, Camila Cabello and Justin Bieber.”
Kim Beggs | Bury Me Inside Your Heart
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Kim Beggs possesses a voice as distinctive as her songwriting. With the release of Beneath Your Skin on Sept. 20, Beggs’ talents are fully realized as never before. Familial history, survival, and the natural world are themes Beggs explores throughout her seventh release. Each is a conversation between Beggs and her growing audience, making Beneath Your Skin her most dramatic album to date. Beggs travelled to Montreal to record Beneath Your Skin with Howard Bilerman (Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Leonard Cohen) at Hotel2Tango studios. Rather than polish each individual instrumental contribution, Beggs and Bilerman aimed for a natural-sounding album, with the instrumental foundation largely a reflection of three women: Beggs on acoustic guitar and stomp board, Lilah Larson on electric guitar, bass and drums, and Charlotte Cornfield on electric guitar, bass, drums and keyboards. Along with Mike O’Brien (Eliaspie, Lisa LeBlanc) on electric guitar, the ensemble crafted atmospheric pathways to support Beggs’ lyrical journey.”
Kristin Carter | Lazy Sunday
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Contemporary pop artist Kristin Carter is celebrating the video for Lazy Sunday, the featured single from her debut album Full Bloom. The video was directed by award-winning filmmaker Eva Tavares and features actor Sean Depner (Riverdale). Carter says, “I wanted this video to match the song’s surreal and romantic vibe. Eva developed a beautiful concept of an artist breaking free from a studio session through the magic of flight. The video lets the song exist in its own dream, but also gives the album a bold visual sendoff.” The video’s dazzling aerial sequences required months of preparation to send Carter into flight, including specific training for the artist, so she could gracefully “fly” with the use of a rig. Filmed in Langley, B.C., the production was also a full circle moment for Carter and Tavares, who went to high school together in the same town.”
Odd Marshall | Santa Barbara
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Singer-songwriter Odd Marshall, based in Ellengowan, Ontario, is sharing a playful and upbeat pop-rock number from his forthcoming debut record Sand & Glue, a collection of songs both dark and bright. From start to finish, the album takes listeners around the world with a strong back beat and infectious hooks. New single Santa Barbara was inspired by a frivolous encounter with a woman from Norway who Odd Marshall met on the dance floor in the Californian city. It’s a bit of a disco-ish song that makes Marshall want to bop along to it. Him and his collaborators, producer Don Kerr, Mike O’Brien on lead guitar, and Jason Haberman on bass, were going for a ’60s pop feel with a bit of tambourine. “We took a cab to an after party and in the cab Pink Floyd’s Shine on You Crazy Diamond was playing,” says Marshall. “So I borrowed that phrase in reference to the diamond she was wearing that her rock-star boyfriend gave her. I had never heard of him or his band, so I put that in the song.”
Opeongo | Ceiling Rats
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Opeongo is the moniker of Keegan Trumpour and an ever-rotating cast of musicians. Keegan is from Midland, Ontario. Opeongo have already released two albums; fall brings their third, 2024’s Eventual Mt. Lee. Like everything you’ll hear on it, the mournful single Ceiling Rats was inspired by the passing of Keegan’s best friend Liam; inspired, too, by the beautiful, albeit short, existence he blessed those around him with. At the time of his passing, they were living together in a basement unit in Toronto. There was a problem with rats or mice or rodents of some sort in the ceiling in between their unit and the folks on the main floor. After Liam passed, Keegan was sorting through all of his stuff in the apartment, and he liked to imagine that it was his late pal’s ghost that he was hearing, rather than a bunch of rats roaming around. Not too great at humour amidst intense grief, this song is Keegan’s self-described “sad attempt” at such.”
