I had to get up at 4 a.m. to drive someone to the airport. So suffice to say it’s been kind of a long day. I think I’m about ready for a nap — but not before I round up the latest and greatest videos and singles from around the country and around the corner. Thank you for flying with Beacon Airlines:
Johnny 99 | Just Like You
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “After giving us the gift of It Can’t Be Christmas a few months ago, Johnny 99 is back with another instant modern honky-tonk classic, Just Like You, a further taste of the new music he’s got up his rhinestoned sleeve for 2025. Johnny 99 is the alter ego of John Sponarski, guitarist in City and Colour, but he has been carrying the torch for classic country music for many years, as heard on the 2021 album Words Left Unsaid. The long-overdue followup is slated for later this year, and Just Like You provides a rousing preview with its two-step twang and pedal steel-driven sound. C&C fans will likely be surprised to hear how naturally Johnny, multi-instrumentalist Matt Kelly, bassist Erik Nielsen and drummer Leon Power immerse themselves in vintage country, with the icing on the cake added by fiddler Michael Cleveland and Georgia Harmer on backing vocals. And like many classic country songs, there’s more going on in the lyrics than the infectious rhythm might suggest. Sponarski says, “Just Like You is an upbeat song, but it has a darker theme at its core. It’s about finding yourself stuck on the hamster wheel, going from one toxic relationship to the next. You’re thinking you’re learning from your mistakes, but you’re really just repeating them over and over again. You’re fully aware of the types of people that are ‘bad for you,’ but they still draw you in. I guess the underlying question the song asks is, when our desires undermine our happiness, why is it so hard to try something new?”
The Human Rights | Roxham Road
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “On their new single Roxham Road, Canada’s roots reggae kings The Human Rights make a powerful statement about the current immigration crisis by acknowledging one of Canada’s most crucial border crossings dating back to the Underground Railroad. Connecting the towns of Champlain, New York and Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Quebec, Roxham Road had provided unregulated passage between the U.S. and Canada up until the mid-’70s. As an “irregular” border crossing, it remained the easiest point of entry into Canada for asylum seekers under the Safe Third Country Agreement between Canada and the U.S. — until 2023, when it was permanently closed. In a collective statement, the bandmembers say, “Roxham Road is a song about people taking the illegal road to freedom. Inspired by our late and beloved keyboardist Bernie Pitters, Roxham Road calls for Canadians to take a moment and reflect on who we are before we close the door.”
Terra Lightfoot | Higher & Higher
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Acclaimed Juno and Polaris-nominated Canadian singer-songwriter Terra Lightfoot has unveiled her chill and folk-tinged new single Higher & Higher. The track is a standout co-write with L.A. songwriter and producer Tyler Chester, offering listeners a breezy and uplifting vibe that mirrors the sunny atmosphere in which it was crafted. Recorded in Los Angeles, Higher & Higher features an all-star band, including Sam Weber on acoustic guitar, Griffin Goldsmith (Dawes) on drums, and Chester on piano and organ. Lightfoot’s impassioned vocals and signature guitar playing are at the forefront, while producer Gus van Go’s mix adds the final touch to this vibrant track. “This song is special to me because it marks my first co-write,” Lightfoot says. ‘Tyler and I worked on this together in his backyard under the sun, and I think that sense of freedom and openness really comes through in the song. It’s about embracing new experiences and reaching for something greater.”
The Wild High | I Wanna Get Paid
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Southern Ontario rock ’n’ roll firebrands The Wild High return with their electrifying new single I Wanna Get Paid, an anthem of desperate optimism wrapped in country-rock grit. With its raucous energy and sharp-witted lyricism, the track confronts the modern-day obsession with instant gratification, echoing the restless longing for success without consequence. I Wanna Get Paid blends the raw spirit of southern rock with a driving, arena-ready sound. Fueled by swampy slide guitars, massive choruses, and an undeniable groove, the song is a bold declaration of hope even in the face of rock-bottom reality. “I Wanna Get Paid is about that daydream of financial freedom without the grind,” says singer-guitarist Jon Harvey. “It’s a reflection on how so many people aspire to exist without effort — just hoping to get paid for being. But at its heart, it’s also a song of resilience, about holding onto hope even when you’re at your lowest.”
Lily Monaghan | Willing To Wait
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Following her autumn 2024 single Mona Lisa, Lily Monaghan is back with Willing To Wait, a song that sees her expanding her sound beyond its traditional singer/songwriter origins. Made in collaboration with producer and multi-instrumentalist Kurtis Schultz in Lily’s hometown of Edmonton, Willing To Wait places her within a full-band context for the first time, with stunning results. With Lily’s enchanting voice at the forefront, the song demonstrates that she’s more than ready to take the next natural step in her musical evolution. She says, “Willing To Wait is meant to encapsulate that feeling of stagnation that accompanies existing in your mid-20s. When I wrote the song, I was hyper-aware of the different life stages my longtime friends and I are all at, despite being the same age. Some have careers, apartments, pets and relationships, while others are full-time students or unemployed. Life takes us in different directions and there is nothing we’re able to do about it. With age comes an inevitable distance within some relationships; Willing to Wait acknowledges this and is a love letter to these people in my life. Declaring that no matter how far away life pulls us, I will always be here and waiting for the day we come back together again.”
Norine Braun | Eye Of The Hurricane
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Norine Braun, the acclaimed singer-songwriter and recording artist, has just released her powerful new single Eye Of The Hurricane. Known for her soulful vocals, thought-provoking lyrics, and versatility across multiple genres, Braun’s latest song captures the resilience of the human spirit in the face of chaos with her eerily prophetic lyrics. Inspired by a real-life story from Florida, during Hurricane Milton — but also a metaphor for our current political storms — Eye Of The Hurricane is a cinematic, alternative track that brings listeners directly into the surreal experience of sitting in the still centre of a devastating storm. The song is based on a text exchange Braun had with a close friend sheltering in place with her husband and friends, sipping wine while waiting for the hurricane to pass. “It was compelling and surreal to be so far apart and yet vicariously experience this incredible event,” Braun explains. “My friend’s calmness and humour sitting literally in the eye of the hurricane struck a chord, and I knew I had to capture that moment in song.”
