I went to see Bruce Springsteen again this week. I know it’s basically sacrilege to say this, but honestly, I was a bit underwhelmed.
Oh sure, it was uplifting and life-affirming and all that. After all, few things in this life are as cathartic as belting out Born To Run and Hungry Heart in the company of 20,000 people. At the same time, it was far from the best Springsteen show I’ve seen. The set list was missing too many essentials for my taste (no Rosalita, Jungleland, Glory Days, Born in The U.S.A., etc). I’m not a fan of the current 18-piece incarnation of The E Street Band, which includes a full horn section, four vocalists and percussionist. Some of the performances felt off — pianist Roy Bittan in particular seemed weirdly out of sync at times. Granted, you can always count on Nils Lofgren to deliver the goods with his incandescent, spiralling solos. And he did — especially on Youngstown. But in general, I think the entire band plays everything about 20% too damn slow these days. Too many of the songs just plod along.
I mean, I get it: They’re old dudes. They need to pace themselves. They couldn’t do the same show as 40 years ago even if they wanted to. But frankly, compared to the band’s high-flying, free-wheeling romps of old, this felt safe, choreographed and uninspired. I had heard great things about Bruce’s Toronto shows, especially his fiery post-election gig. Presumably that mood had worn off by the time he got to Winnipeg. This just felt like he was going through the standard crowd-pleasing motions. Don’t get me wrong; lesser Bruce is still better than no Bruce. So I’m not asking for my $400 back. But considering it was his first (and very likely only) appearance here — at a show delayed by an entire year, no less — I was hoping for something more memorable than a by-the-numbers gig. Oh well. Speaking of numbers, here are the latest and greatest singles and videos from around the country. Come sit by their fire:
Ash Molloy | Breakdown
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Ash Molloy’s Breakdown is a raw, introspective exploration of the mental battles we all face. Known for her unapologetic authenticity and powerful vocals, Molloy dives deep into the moments of vulnerability that make us human. A multi-instrumentalist with a background in neuroscience, she draws inspiration from the iconic alt-rock sound of the ’90s, reminiscent of legends like Fiona Apple and Alanis Morissette. The single invites listeners to consider their own struggles with self-care, set to the backdrop of Molloy’s evocative instrumentation and unforgettable melodies. “It’s so much easier to let go and go off the rails, even when we know it’s not the right choice,” she says. “In Breakdown, you experience that inner conflict — how we might learn what we need to do to avoid a breakdown, yet still find ourselves slipping back into those old habits. It’s a reminder of how challenging it can be to prioritize our mental well-being, even when we know better.”
Busty And The Bass | Lucky (Song 7)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “With 2023’s Juno-nominated LP Forever Never Cares acting as a bridge between two eras of Montreal soul-jazz ensemble Busty And The Bass, the band enter their next phase energized by the new voice of Philly-born vocalist Jordan Brown combined with founding member Alistair Blu and a new sonic palette lifting their singular sound. Lucky (Song 7) is an upbeat alt R&B track about “letting go of regret, picking yourself up, and reframing hardship with a more hopeful outlook.” Like if Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker produced an album for Earth, Wind and Fire. “Lucky (Song 7) is about positive reinforcement and self-affirmation,” share the band. “It acts as words of advice towards self-help and offers a bit of witful humour for bad days: Just another lucky day. The track is ultimately about allowing love and positivity to overcome the cloudiness of doubt, stress, and avoidance.”
Braden Lam | Highway Jesus
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Blending authentic songwriting with modern indie flare, Braden Lam is forging the path to a new 21st century folk. Today, the young artist from Halifax releases Highway Jesus. “I had my first psychedelic mushroom experience one summer on Prince Edward Island… It was extremely healing,” explains Lam. “I felt the earth and trees reaching out to hold me as I cried, and forgave, and just released and realised so many emotions. On the way home from that weekend our car broke down in rural Nova Scotia and we had to call a friend to come get us off the side of the highway… I wrote down ‘saved by a highway Jesus in a pickup truck’ in my phone notes that day. I grew up in a religious community and I was religious myself until my early 20s. The song ends with this sermon-style rant for why I left the church: No I don’t need your eternity / I got textural energy / A worldly consistency / I was made for this. I could no longer align with those values, the judgement, the whole living for some other life thing… when I had this current one to love and be fully present in. Honestly, with all this division and the way the world is heading right now, my bets are on magic mushrooms saving us all before religion ever does.”
Semiah | Withdrawals
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Semiah is a breath of fresh mountain air. She’s as at home on stage — where she’s spent 20 of her 25 years — as she is chopping firewood or on a dancefloor in bejeweled glam. Her latest single Withdrawals is an electro pop-punk love-gone-wrong song co-produced with Montreal’s Teleh0rn. Semiah produced, directed, choreographed, edited and created the wardrobe for the video which serves as a small snapshot of a larger storyline that she hopes to make a feature film. “I am the lead spy in a femme fatale trio who is hunting down a super villain into the wilderness of the snowy mountains,” she says. “The Villain is reminiscent of my breakup story in the song but told in a new and entertaining way. I wanted to write a story that has the same moral lesson but is more Hollywood, and also not something so personal to me as I still feel uncomfortable sharing really personal things about my life through my art.”
Lisa Humber | Blue Christmas
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Just in time for the holidays, Toronto indie-pop musician Lisa Humber shares her new single and video Blue Christmas.The track was created in collaboration with producer/guitarist Justin Abedin, who also produced her recent singles. The beauty of Lisa’s version of Blue Christmas lies in its authenticity. Where Elvis Presley’s iconic rendition brought a sense of resigned sadness, Lisa’s interpretation draws out a deeper sense of raw emotion. There’s a haunting tenderness in her voice, a vulnerability that makes each word feel personal. “My journey into songwriting began with my first original, Boxing Day — a reflective, bittersweet narrative about fleeting romance and the transient nature of holiday moments,” says Lisa. “This year, I’m reimagining Blue Christmas in a raw, stripped-back rendition that captures the season’s loneliness and heartache. With haunting melodies and a deep sense of longing, this cover brings out the quiet emptiness that can linger when the holidays don’t meet their festive promise.”
Rose Cousins | Denouement (Piano Sessions)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Acclaimed Canadian singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Rose Cousins recently announced her new album Conditions of Love Vol. 1 is set for release on March 14. Today, she shares the new single Denouement, which in artful shorthand the song asks the listener to fill in the blanks between paired words to create their own love story. With her signature economy of words, Rose eloquently captures that electric turbulence of new love and the uncomfortable slide into feelings that catch us off guard and have us pulling away, again. “What are we looking for from love, anyway?” asks Cousins. “We want to show and tell, to be seen, understood, and held. We want expansion, a new version of love, and at the same time, safety. We want to be loved for who we are, yet often, we don’t even know the answer to that question. But longing and belonging spur us to keep trying romantic love. We willingly dive in with someone brand new, a stranger actually, without ever knowing how the story will end.”
Mallory Chipman | Big Sky Country
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Having released her latest solo album Songs To A Wild God a little over a month ago, Canadian singer-songwriter Mallory Chipman is sharing a video for the live-off-the-floor recording of the powerful closing track Big Sky Country. Featuring a 13-member chorus, the song pays tribute to Mallory’s Alberta home, a place she’s been increasingly missing due to her busy touring schedule, both on her own and as the co-leader of the alt-country group The Goddamsels. “I wrote Big Sky Country while I was out playing in Toronto earlier this year for the second time in two weeks,” Mallory explains. “Don’t get me wrong, I love visiting Toronto, but while holed up in my basement accommodations, I was really feeling the concrete-jungle energy of the big city, which is something I’m not used to being from the Prairies. I missed home, I missed the vastness of Alberta, the golden fields, the mountains I grew up in, and most of all, the big sky. If you’ve spent much time on the plains, you know there’s nothing like a prairie sunset. So this one came to me — an ode to home and its majesty.”
Ryland Moranz | A New Civil War
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Alberta musician Ryland Moranz just released his new album Better/Worse, featuring his latest single A New Civil War. It arrives as a timely and poignant commentary on the cultural polarization and hostility that has taken root in our current society. Known for his ability to blend folk, bluegrass, and Americana with deep personal reflection, Ryland uses this song to address a broader societal crisis: The divisive nature of reactionism and the consequences of rejecting those who disagree. “A New Civil War is a protest to reactionism and a reflection on the consequences of uninhibited othering,” says Ryland. “While conflict is inherent to the entropy of the cosmos, we have entered a cultural era of oppositional fetishism. The desire isn’t simply to be right, but to prove those who disagree devastatingly wrong and foolish. Where do we go from here if none of us can let the other off the hook? And when did we choose to live like this? I wanted to write something that expressed a third alternative to right and wrong. To hope to be right and practise being wrong.”
His His | Cabra
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “His His, the recording project of Toronto artist Aidan Belo, shares the latest single from his EP Good Gold. “Last time my dad and brother were in my dad’s hometown in rural northeast Portugal they built a small boat/barge out of wood, cork tree bark, and brought it down the river that runs through town, just like my dad had done as a kid in the ’70s and ’80s. It was the highlight of the trip for them,” says Belo. “This song is about my father leaving his family in Portugal, moving to Canada in his early 20s to start a new life. My grandfather died when my dad was seven, and being the oldest in the household, he assumed responsibility for his four other siblings, and played a big hand in raising my aunts and uncles, helping his newly widowed mother raise his siblings. This song is about the inevitable guilt of leaving the tight-knit family unit and moving across the Atlantic to start his own family. Perhaps what makes my dad such a great man and father is that it’s his second time being the father figure.”
Dennis Ellsworth | I Can’t Impress You
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Following the success of his 2023 album Modern Hope — nominated for Solo Recording of the Year at the East Coast Music Awards — Canadian singer-songwriter Dennis Ellsworth will return in February with Hardcore Freewheelin’, another collection of his trademark blend of folk and power pop. He offers a first taste of the album with I Can’t Impress You, a breezy yet bittersweet observation of adulthood that once again displays Ellsworth’s effortless melodic gifts. Hardcore Freewheelin’ finds Ellsworth teamed up with producer Jim Bryson (Kathleen Edwards, Sarah Harmer), a collaboration that seems long overdue considering their shared passion for exploring the emotional depths of pop songwriting. On its 11 songs, Hardcore Freewheelin’ sounds carefree on its surface, but along with I Can’t Impress You, standout tracks such as Count To Ten and Keep My Joy expand upon the themes that made Modern Hope a quiet masterpiece.”
Jessica Chaz | Promise Of Sunlight (Lindi Ngonelo Remix)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Singer-songwriter Jessica Chaz is sharing a radiant new remix of her single Promise of Sunlight, reimagined alongside South African jazz pianist and longtime collaborator Lindi Ngonelo. Originally from Durban and now in Vancouver, Chaz brings a global influence to her music, blending her soulful roots with an uplifting message of resilience and hope. The remix is part of Chaz’s Promise of Sunlight Remixes EP, a special collection that features multiple reinterpretations of the track, originally from her 2023 River EP. Written during the depths of the pandemic, Promise of Sunlight was inspired by the belief in new beginnings and the promise of brighter days. With this remix, Ngonelo’s unique blend of groove and live instrumentation helps infuse the song with an organic warmth that speaks to that hopeful message. Says Chaz: “Lindi’s version is a beautiful reminder that even in hard times, there’s light to be found — a message we all need.”
Nathalie King | Within A Dream
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Born to a French/Vietnamese mother and a German father, Toronto singer-songwriter Nathalie King’s music is noted for its cinematic electro-pop and trip-hop style, while her sound expresses deeply rooted themes like mental health and emotional life experiences. She is known for her sultry smooth low voice, reminiscent of the true artists of the vintage jazz era. King is releasing her new six track EP PTSD, which is a healing journey throughout her childhood trauma. PTSD’s lead single Within A Dream brings back dark memories, but also lets King see how far she has come with self-work. “Within A Dream is about the many nights I spent in my bed as a child, sweating and being scared and feeling a ton of anxiety because my parents were fighting or I just got a beating and got screamed at for nothing important in particular,” she says. “This song revisits the tremendous anxiety I felt in my stomach and sorrow as I cried myself to sleep countless times. It’s about the dark memories of my childhood that stored the trauma in my cells and the beginning of generational trauma.”
Victoria Staff | My Whole Life Long
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Born and raised in Toronto, Victoria Staff was always an “anxious child.” The string that connected much of her young life was using music to communicate with family, friends, teachers, and even therapists. Over time, this coping mechanism developed into a passion for music that would lead to her career as an indie-pop artist. Her debut EP Records & Honesty was released in 2023. The followup I Wake Up Smiling 🙁, is about living in the fact that sometimes you’ll be happy, and somedays you won’t and that’s OK. My Whole Life Long is the first song Staff has recorded that isn’t sad. Instead of being a cathartic outlet, it’s about finding the correct words and finding a way to communicate with someone when you’re lost for words. “My Whole Life Long tells a story where both people were in it together as equals. Records & Honesty was about where I was last year, and in contrast, this is all about where I am now.”
Niko Ceci | Outta Control
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “A teen actor, dancer and singer from Toronto, Niko Ceci shares his second single, the propulsive Outta Control. This soulful, piano laden pop and R&B number was inspired by the added pressures that come with being a teenager. “Not only is everything changing for us but we have to manage school, family, a social life and keep our mental health good at the same time,” explains Ceci. “The idea for this song came to me while I was sitting and waiting in an airport. I was on my way back home from holiday break and the reality of life dawned on me. I remembered the school work I had to catch up on, making sure to reply to everyone on social media, exam review was starting and I was freaking out. I thought to myself wow, I could write a song about how I feel right now — and I did.” It’s a song that Niko finds empowering, helping him feel understood. “I wanted to let people my age know that they aren’t alone and [that] everyone has ups and downs.”
