Canadian Beacon | Two Hours Traffic, Chest Fever & More New Homegrown Sounds

The fortune tellers predicted we were going to have a blizzard today. As usual, they were wrong. But I did get a flurry of new songs and videos from every corner of the country (and even from some token Yanks covering a bit of classic Canadiana). Dig through them — but remember to lift with your legs:

 


Two Hours Traffic | Keep It Coming

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE:Two Hours Traffic are sharing their first new single in… well, a while. In 2013, the band played their farewell concerts after touring for more than a decade. Five years later, in 2018, they quietly came out of retirement for what was meant to be a one-off performance, and have been playing sporadically since. Most recently, they performed shows in Eastern Canada to celebrate the 15th anniversary of their album, Territory. Their new single Keep It Coming was written during a pretty tough year when ‘keep it coming’ became “a bit of a mantra, as well as a reminder not to worry about every little thing in the future and to trust that you will be able to deal with whatever comes your way,” says Andy MacDonald. Liam Corcoran adds the song has “the kind of arrangement we’ve tried to develop over the years, with lots of empty space on the recording and a focus on the groove and the rhythms. Our friend Dan Griffin (Teen Ravine) added keys and synths which ended up being the glue that made the recording really work.”


Chest Fever | Music From Big Pink

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE:Chest Fever, the alter ego of San Diego rock band Mrs. Henry, kick off their North American tour with a string of February dates in B.C. And since they’ll already be there, Mrs. Henry will be the opening act in support their new album Keep On Rising – A 21st Century Rock Opera. 2025 marks Chest Fever’s third year on the road, and their second time playing Canadian markets. “The group absolutely loves touring in Canada, and we’ve felt such a warm embrace for both our original music and our celebration of The Band’s timeless catalog,” says guitarist Daniel Cervantes. “Every tour we do is unique and tailored to that journey, and fans can expect a show unlike any we’ve done before. As high energy and as high level as you can get!”


Braden Lam | Wide Open (ft. Michaela Slinger)

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE:Braden Lam meets the moment on The Cloudmaker’s Cry, an album that makes good on the promise of this indie-folk wunderkind, with music reminiscent of a bygone era set to lyrics pulsing with the urgency and anxiety of today. Today, Lam shares Wide Open, a duet with Vancouver’s Michaela Slinger. The track, perhaps most deeply indebted to classic country on the album, is a heartbreaker a la Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, detailing a hard time in a relationship on which Lam regrets, and repents: ‘If you wanna try to forgive / I’ll be your window in the morning / Crack me wide open.’ Written by Lam and Slinger in Nashville after a chance encounter, the song delicately explores the one percent of magic that remains through adversity, drawing us in closer and out stronger on the other side.”


Saya Gray | Lie Down…

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE:Saya Gray shares the single and video for Lie Down…, a preview of her debut album Saya, due Feb. 21. Gray continues her meteoritic rise in 2025 with Lie Down… one of her most pared-down releases, putting emphasis on her layered, lush vocals and whimsical, thumping bass line. The track is accompanied by a gorgeous visualizer evocative of film noir and fitting for a ruminative song about death and unrequited feelings. The video was directed by longtime creative collaborator Jennifer Cheng.”


Dayside & Guffchild | Daddy’s Girl (ft. Pope $ilk & Mosez Jones)

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE:Daddy’s Girl the latest single from Montreal artists Dayside & Guffchild, combines smooth pop-inspired melodies, yacht rock production, and fellow Montreal hip-hopper Mosez Jones’ rhythmic rapping. Its sound is vibrant and groovy, yet beneath the funky surface lies a dark, introspective narrative. The song seamlessly blends elements of alternative R&B with rich instrumentation and layered production, a hallmark of the duo’s genre-bending style. Daddy’s Girl highlights the duo’s ability to craft tracks that are simultaneously catchy, introspective, and timeless, creating a fresh sound for alternative R&B lovers. “This track was an experiment in contrasts,” Dayside says. “The sound is fun, but the story it tells is anything but. That push-and-pull is what makes it stick.”


Back Seat Driver | The Mountain

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE:Back Seat Driver’s new single The Mountain is a soulful anthem about facing life’s challenges with courage and self-belief. Formed in 2023, Back Seat Driver are Sam (keys), Gil (bass), Harland (drums), and Dara (vocals), blending neo-soul grooves with roots-inspired storytelling. The Mountain takes listeners on a journey of resilience, culminating in an empowering musical crescendo. The track was born from an older version with a gospel vibe, transformed during a jam session into a groove-driven song layered with soulful elements. Stripped-down but dynamic, the recording showcases the band’s tight chemistry and their commitment to organic musical growth. “This song came together for us really quickly,” they say. “The idea centers around the idea that everyone faces mountains in their life that will come down when we believe in ourselves. It’s our anthem of courage and strength.”


Winterbirds | Boreal

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian folk trio Boreal share Winterbirds, the title track from their sophomore album (due March 7). Singer-songwriters Tannis Slimmon, Katherine Wheatley and Angie Nussey began making Winterbirds in 2023 as the long-overdue followup to their 2014 debut album Winter’s Welcome. While a chilly theme is still predominant on much of Winterbirds, it’s a collection intended to bring joy year-round, with the music presenting a balance of soulful intensity with moments of lightness and celebration.”


Nerima | Reverence

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE:Nerima’s latest single Reverence is a striking reflection on the idolization of celebrities and the darker realities that often lie behind the glamorous facade. Balancing pop-punk energy with emotionally driven lyrics, the track combines edgy, dark, and introspective themes that delve into the pressures of achieving dreams and the fear of finding unhappiness despite success. Inspired by vocalist Lexi’s experiences and observations, Reverence explores the complicated relationships fans have with idols. “Reverence is about constantly looking up to the celebrities whose lives you’ve always dreamed of and the experience of hearing about how unhappy they are,” Lexi says. “I wrote it after hearing about the mental health struggles that some of my favorite bands face. While it makes me feel deeply for them, it also fills me with fear that I might one day achieve my dream life, only to find it isn’t what I hoped for.”


CJ Wiley | Don’t Die Charlie

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE:CJ Wiley shares another new single from their upcoming debut LP So Brand New, due Feb. 28. Don’t Die Charlie “is about my decade-long battle with addiction and the grief I still carry for the friends I lost along the way,” shares CJ. “It holds vivid memories, taking me back to high school when everything felt so chaotic, though I didn’t fully realize how dark things really were at the time. There’s a sense of guilt that comes with surviving, knowing how easily it could’ve been me who didn’t make it out. Writing this song helped me make sense of it all. It’s for anyone who’s lost someone and still feels their presence.” Produced by Boy Golden, So Brand New is a journey through the ever-shifting landscapes of identity and self-acceptance. This album explores embracing change and finding comfort in the continuous evolution of who we are. It delves into themes of grief, nostalgia, queer love, struggles with drug addiction, and the rejection of gender performance, while also addressing the absurdity of how expensive it is just to be alive these days.”


Brock Gieger | After Later

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE:Brock Geiger’s latest single After Later is a meditative reflection on the nonlinear nature of understanding life’s experiences. With its avant-pop influences and intimate sonic palette, the track draws inspiration from legendary records like Pet Sounds and Scott Walker 2. Geiger combines introspective lyricism with minimalistic production, offering a poignant glimpse into his forthcoming album Some Nights, due March 18. Produced in the iconic Sound City Studio in Los Angeles by Geiger and Grammy-winning collaborator Will Maclellan (Boygenius, Phoebe Bridgers), After Later features ethereal saxophone swells by Sam Gendel, adding a layer of subversive harmony to the minimalist arrangement. “After Later is about the nonlinear nature of understanding ourselves and our experiences,” Gieger says. “There’s this sense of seeing the doorway to an ending so clearly but still walking further into the maze — clinging to things that might never have been tangible in the first place. The title itself is this playful, nonsensical combination of words that, for me, evokes a kind of suspension in time — a feeling of being stuck in a vague future that you can’t quite pin down.”


Thomas Thomas | One Lone Candle

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The title track of Thomas Thomas’s new release, One Lone Candle is a slow burn love song that highlights a steady, enduring romance. With urgent guitars, sparkly girl-gang backing vocals that call to mind The Supremes, and a throwback production style, One Lone Candle is a love song meant to soar. This was the band’s first time working with producer Graham Lessard (Stars, Barr Brothers), and they pushed themselves to evolve their sound beyond their garage roots, stepping into a more modern pop production while preserving the nostalgic feel central to their music. Says frontwoman Shannon Thomas: “The title of the song is inspired by the unextinguishable candle on a birthday cake and the girlfriend that teases you with her steadiness. I love the image of a candle that refuses to go out, and that’s how I feel about the love we were trying to capture in this song. It’s the slow burn, the one that sticks with you long after the flash of a fiery moment has passed.”


Patrick Smith & Pangea | Endless Construction

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE:Patrick Smith is a Toronto saxophonist who has established himself as a gifted and in-demand musician on the scene. He heads three projects: His quintet, his trio 3-Oh, and Pangea — a jazz fusion group that combines U.K. jazz, neo-soul, R&B, and world music. Their debut album, Pangea: Rebirth, is a bold exploration of global musical connectivity. Its lead single Endless Construction captures the album’s ethos with its unique mix of groove-driven rhythms, compelling improvisation, and a narrative inspired by Toronto’s urban chaos. “I wrote the song Endless Construction after a particularly brutal drive through Toronto traffic — the kind where you’re stuck for 20 minutes,” says Smith. “I was frustrated, but when I came home, I turned that annoyance into music. It’s inspired by a band improvisation from a previous gig and channels the reflective energy I wanted the album to capture.”


Shane Pendergast | Candle On The Sill

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Folk singer-songwriter Shane Pendergast is a Maritime storyteller known for his heartfelt songs rooted in community and tradition. His new album Winter Grace delves into themes of loss and resilience, with Candle on the Sill offering a poignant glimpse into the album’s emotional core. Inspired by the tradition of leaving a candle on the windowsill as a beacon of safety, Shane reflects on the loved ones he has lost. Recorded live with pianist Aaron Comeau of Skyddigers, the track achieves an intimacy that captures its essence. “I like to reference old folk traditions and sayings in my songwriting,” says Shane. “In this song, I use the expression ‘the last hurrah’ to convey the idea of celebrating life’s fleeting moments instead of succumbing to sadness. The last verse especially resonates deeply for me as it recalls a bittersweet night spent with my grandmother, near the end of her life.”