I went down to Denver last week with my buddy Drooberman to catch three shows by Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit — two at the surpsingly intimate Mission Ballroom, and one at the undeniably iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre. All I can say is, if you happen to find yourself crossing paths with Mr. Isbell sometime in the near future, I strongly suggest procuring yourself a ticket. If you like rock ’n’ roll electric guitar AND songs that pierce your heart and soul, you definitely won’t be sorry. Something else you won’t regret: Checking out this roundup of the latest and great Canadian videos and singles (including a few that dropped while I was on Mountain Time):
The Lightning Struck | In Her Dreams Tonight
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto indie-rock band The Lightning Struck return with Century Storm, their boldest and most focused record to date. Drawing from gnostic philosophy, science fiction, and a distinctly vintage sonic palette, the band paints a picture of modern life’s turbulence through a deeply personal lens. For Century Storm, the band recorded 17 songs, carefully curating the final album to represent the most cohesive, uncompromising version of their vision. Grounded in raw instrumentation, sharp songwriting, and existential reflections, Century Storm is a portrait of a band with a defined identity and a wide sonic reach. The focus track, In Her Dreams Tonight, captures the album’s surreal but grounded ethos while channeling homesickness, alienation, and unexpected optimism through a surf-tinged indie rock lens.”
Ellen Froese | Solitary Song
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Saskatoon songsmith Ellen Froese’s new single Solitary Song sums up exactly where she is right now: “It’s been a weird year — lots of life changes, maybe some ego-death.” Between an ADHD diagnosis and cutting back on some vices, her perspective — as a musician, a lover, a human being — has changed. As soon as Froese starts Solitary Song with a tongue-in-cheek “Everybody, get ready to rock,” you get the vibe of an artist who’s charting her path towards reckless, joyful creativity. Froese had been clinging to the sense that she should be making art in a certain way, and she was never quite doing it right — gritting her teeth and writing daily morning pages, only to skip one day and think, “Fuck, I guess I’m not creative.” But at this point in Froese’s career — four albums and many tours deep — Froese is just trying to reclaim the free-flying feeling of writing “shit-ass songs” as a 15-year-old on her family’s cattle farm. On Solitary Song, Froese’s finding that feeling of just making music for the joy of it — and it is delightful. “It’s like when you step out of a second cousin’s weird catholic wedding — or anywhere you don’t quite feel right—and you get a nice sunbeam, feel a little more yourself, and slide into some kind of clarity and contentment.” Froese says when describing her new work. “I wanted to capture that little moment, a sort of sudden oneness with the universe.”
Georgia Harmer | Take It On
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Georgia Harmer follows recent singles Can We Be Still and Little Light with Take It On: A deep introspection in the form of a slow-burning anthem, with lyrics that untangle her own embedded patterns of thinking — about the ways she’s seen herself over time, in conflict, and in relation to the emotions of others. Her gentle, raw voice carries the song from its bare acoustic beginnings to its softly powerful peak — a refrain of the words “I don’t want to behave,” an ode to her too-careful, younger self. Georgia’s habit of taking on conflict, of being swept into storms, inspires the personal growth traced by the gorgeous arc of this song. “Take It On is about the way I see myself, and the ways I have assumed others see me,” says Harmer. “It’s about the emotional labour of taking on conflict around me — and creating it internally — sometimes for the sake of having something to solve, to worry about, and noticing how that habit has weighed me down. This song is me holding a mirror up and being very honest about what I see.”
Kari Lyn | Heavy Weight
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto-based, P.E.I.-raised singer-songwriter Kari Lyn unveils her soul-baring single Heavy Weight, a thought-provoking indie folk anthem that captures the emotional toll of self-imposed pressure, burnout, and the isolating struggle of never feeling like you’re doing enough. Rooted in the rich textures of modern folk, alternative country, and Americana, the track blends rhythmic acoustic grooves with raw, vulnerable storytelling. Written during a creatively explosive summer, Heavy Weight emerged as a reflection of Lyn’s transition into full-time music. “Everyone knows me as someone who is constantly busy… but the truth is, I’m barely keeping up,” she shares. “That’s what led to the writing of this song.” Originally titled I Can’t Stay, the song began as a story about leaving her hometown, until a pivotal moment in the studio with producer Dan Hosh (Serena Ryder, Arkells) transformed its course. On a whim, Lyn added the track to their session playlist. When Hosh asked why she didn’t love it, his push to rewrite the chorus and bridge reshaped the song and reignited her connection to it.”
Abigail Lapell | Count On Me
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Abigail Lapell releases More Songs About Love, the extended companion to her acclaimed 2025 Juno-nominated album Anniversary. In celebration, Lapell is sharing the acoustic version of Count On Me. A love song about love songs, this stripped-down rendition goes back to basics with sparse, haunting acoustic guitar and harmonies from Great Lake Swimmers’ Tony Dekker. An evocative collection of original love songs, Anniversary was produced with Dekker and recorded at 200-year-old St. Mark’s Church in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Balancing upbeat earworms with elegiac ballads, More Songs About Love adds eight new stripped-down tracks to the collection, including delicate acoustic versions of Anniversary’s standout tracks.”
Chxmeras | Maelstrom
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “If a solar storm was a song, it would be Maelstrom,” says experimental electronic duo Chxmeras of their new single, the latest from their upcoming EP Second Sight. “This one feels electromagnetic and irradiated. It flashes out of some fire-filled core and accelerates the particles around it. When we first started working on the track, it felt like a straight up, ink-black, late night Berlin techno banger. But as we dug in, the track started to glitch, fray, and fall apart — and we leaned into that direction. Maelstrom evolved into its fragmented form and now it feels furious. You can almost hear shards and spikes flying off from it the whole way through, like it could spark a fire everywhere it touches.” Chxmeras are a transatlantic collaboration between U.K./Canadian musician Paul Finlay from England and Vancouver musician Jarrett Martineau. Together, they weave immersive soundscape with angular dub, experimental techno, mutating noise, and bit-crushed beats into a genre-blending, otherworldly experience.”
Norasea | Control
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Vancouver Island electronic duo Norasea unveil their latest sonic offering with Forager — a lush, immersive EP inspired by the natural world and the emotional power of sound. Melding chilled-out atmospheres with intricate sound design, Forager showcases Norasea’s evolution as artists and storytellers, blending deep bass, organic textures, and evocative vocals into something beautifully transportive. “This EP reflects our relationship with the natural world and its influence on our creative process,” Norasea elaborate. “We’ve been falling more and more in love with sound design and telling a story with each track.” The EP’s focus track Control captures that storytelling instinct in full. The track pulses with moody serenity, evoking sunsets, river dancing, and the feeling of being lost — and found — in the music. “It’s about allowing the experience to take control,” explains the duo. “Letting go and feeling truly present in that moment.”
City Builders | Learning To Miss You
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “With her devastatingly honest new single Learning To Miss You, Toronto artist City Builders unveil a raw, cinematic pop track rooted in heartbreak, longing, and emotional release. Shaped by Grace Turner’s deeply personal experiences, the track explores the kind of grief that comes not just from romantic loss, but from the complex mourning of deep friendships. Written alongside acclaimed writing duo Thank You Thank You and her former partner, the song’s emotional weight is amplified by the fact that the final vocals were recorded the very day Grace’s relationship ended. The breakup became not just the backdrop but the heartbeat of Learning To Miss You, making this track one of her most vulnerable and affecting yet. “I wrote this song after running into my ex-best friend at a show,” Turner explains. “Despite everything that went wrong, I suddenly missed him again. Later, when I recorded the vocals, my partner broke up with me right after the session. Those vocals, captured in the rawest moment, are the ones you hear on the track.”
Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira | Midnight
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian Folk Music Award winners Jocelyn Pettit and Ellen Gira share Midnight, the first release from their new album Here To Stay, due June 3. A dynamic Celtic folk fiddle and cello duo, Jocelyn and Ellen fuse traditional and contemporary music styles, creating a powerfully uplifting and soulful performance, weaving a rhythmically driving and textured sound. Complemented by lively stepdancing, they bring life and fire into original tunes, songs, and high-energy repertoire from Scotland, Ireland, North America, and Scandinavia. With Midnight, they offer a captivating instrumental journey that captures the quiet intensity and camaraderie of life on the road. “This track is made up of two tunes — The Final Stretch, written by Ellen as she wrapped up the final stretch of her PhD, and Midnight Ceilidh, a reel I wrote to celebrate the vibrant energy of life on the road,” said Pettit. “We are so grateful for the amazing community and welcoming hosts we meet along our music journey, who help make new places feel like home, and the wonderful conversations and kitchen parties shared!”
Ambre Ciel | Eau Miroir
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Recently, Ambre Ciel announced her debut album, Still, There Is The Sea, and shared its first single, The Sun, The Sky. Today, she shares Eau Miroir, a dreamy neo-classical pop movement co-produced with Pietro Amato (Patrick Watson) and orchestral arrangement assisted by Owen Pallett. Eau Miroir conjures vivid images of sunlit reflected oceans. Piano melody ascends and descends like waves, to the lexical field of the lyrics, with vocals mirrored in perfect harmony. Ciel is a composer, violinist, pianist and singer who hails from Montreal and is a purveyor of dreamy, expansive, spacious pop music. Ambre, who sings in both French and English, hails from a family of singers and artists. “I started my journey learning violin at six and began experimenting with pedal effects and looping melodies later on,” she says. University followed with a focus on composition and recording. “That’s when I started exploring composing and songwriting more deeply — both the world of sounds in itself and songs built mostly with layers of violin and voice. It was also during this time that I returned to my ‘first’ instrument, the piano, which opened more harmonic possibilities.”
Joshua Joyce | High Tide
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto singer-songwriter Joshua Joyce has released his debut album A Tender & Violent Nature — a collection of poetic, melancholic, and soul-searching folk songs exploring the tension between past and present, tenderness and turmoil. Anchored by the stirring focus track High Tide, Joyce’s first full-length effort marries literate songwriting with sparse, cinematic arrangements. From the dusty edges of Americana to the windswept intimacy of alt-country, A Tender & Violent Nature explores the uneasy dualities that define us. “It’s a record about provenance, about forgiveness, about making peace with what and where you come from,” Joyce explains. “Sand and gravel, so to speak.” Written during a particularly introspective period in 2024, High Tide was the very first song penned for the album, and laid the thematic groundwork for what would follow. “In the interest of keeping things fun and sexy, I had a few months where I’d been thinking quite a lot about dying,” Joyce says with a wry smile. “High Tide is what fell out of those inquiries.”
Cabin Fever | Devil Is A Friend
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “What began five years ago as three friends jamming around a campfire has now blossomed into Cabin Fever, Canada’s latest contribution to the Americana music scene. Comprised of Kyle Faulkner on guitar and vocals, Jessica McKay on upright bass and vocals, and Colin Jolly on mandolin, Cabin Fever are primed to make a lasting first impression with a five-song debut EP entitled It’s Only Forever. For the trio, it’s never been about sticking to the rules, but instead writing original songs that can connect with roots music fans of all stripes. As Kyle explains, “Craig began jokingly using the phrase ‘Remember, it’s only forever,’ whenever we found ourselves debating any musical decisions. The more those words sunk in for the three of us as we lay down take after take, the more we started to see how they connected to the songs themselves. The memories we recall are forever, the troubles we sometimes face can feel like they’re forever, and good relationships have a promise of forever, while bad relationships can sometimes seem to threaten it. I think all of the songs contain these elements in one form or another.” That’s certainly the case with Devil Is A Friend, a minor-key stomp loosely inspired by The Grateful Dead. “I tried to put myself in the shoes of a character who uses the chorus, ‘Devil is a friend of the working man,’ as a kind of mantra,” Kyle says. “This character’s past life just kind of poured out onto the page. When my mother is in the audience, I especially feel compelled to assure the audience that the opening line — ‘When I was a boy my momma left home’ — is pure fiction.”
Yawn | Coloured Lights
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Julia McDougall’s project Yawn unites her far-ranging sensibilities into a supercharged core of misty dream-pop and electronic haze. Today, she shares the latest single from her upcoming debut LP, Wish I Could’ve, due June 13. Coloured Lights is a “party song for existentialists,” says McDougall. “It’s a song dedicated to the lonely and the weary, for everyone who’s ever wondered if they might always be alone — even in a crowd. In the song we meet some familiar characters at a party; the loud guy joking and telling stories on the balcony with a lit cigarette in his hand, the best friend who knows something is wrong. Ultimately, we realize that some things never really find a resolution — you can be left questioning the same things forever and sometimes there’s nothing else you can do but dance.”
