NEWSLETTER - March 16, 2023 |
|
|
|
It's the long, slow crawl toward Spring here in Canada, but the schedule for new releases is definitely speeding up. I'm really proud of my client roster at the moment, and I hope you can take some time with all of the fantastic records slated to arrive in the next few weeks. Cheers! JS
|
|
|
|
CHRIS PICCO / Split Down The Middle / March 22
With his new 12-track album Split Down The Middle, Chris Picco is poised to add his name to the roll call of great power pop auteurs, from Todd Rundgren and Big Star, to Matthew Sweet and Teenage Fanclub.
For Picco, a native of St. John’s, Newfoundland, Split Down The Middle is in some ways the culmination of building his reputation over the past 15 years. Over that time, Picco has been named MusicNL’s Male Artist Of The Year, while his former band Long Distance Runners earned several East Coast Music Award nominations and a Juno nomination in 2016.
Crafting Split Down The Middle
with meticulous attention to detail reinforces both the musical and lyrical maturity Chris Picco has now reached, without sacrificing any of the fun and energy that’s always been power pop’s trademark. Whatever side you’re on, Split Down The Middle is the kind of album to bring all music fans together.
BANDCAMP / SPOTIFY / YOUTUBE / EPK
|
|
|
|
MAD ONES / "What It Takes" (Single) / March 24
Straddling the line between grunge and power pop, Mad Ones' new single “What it Takes” is the latest addition to the Toronto trio's combustible body of work, released to coincide with Spring tour dates in Ontario and Quebec, along with a special live stream recorded at The Tragically Hip’s Bathouse Studio near Kingston, Ontario.
The current Mad Ones line-up consisting of guitarist/vocalist Andrew DeVillers, bassist Russ Fernandes and drummer Jesse L. Bellon is coming off a successful Fall 2022 European tour in support of their previous 7” single “Hydra Head,” and the fourth Mad Ones LP, Last Forever, released in 2021 through their own rapidly expanding label Fortune Stellar, whose roster also includes By Divine Right, Ace Of Wands and HotKid.
In addition, Mad Ones albums have featured guest appearances from members of The Sadies and Constantines, and they have performed with the likes of The OBGMs, Teenage Head, PUP, Rusty, Tommy Stinson, The Dirty Nil and so many more. With “What It Takes,” Mad Ones continue to lead the indie rock charge in Canada, while offering a tempting taste of their next full-length album.
FORTUNE STELLAR / SPOTIFY / YOUTUBE / EPK
|
|
|
|
THE HELLO DARLINS / In The Sundust (EP) / March 24
In The Sundust is an introductory sample of The Hello Darlins' eagerly awaited sophomore album, slated for a Fall 2023 release. The new songs were recorded in part at L.A.’s famed United Recording Studios with multiple Grammy-winning engineer Ross Hogarth (R.E.M., Hall & Oates, John Mellencamp, John Fogerty), with mixing done by multi-Grammy award winning engineer, Mike Poole (John Prine, Martina McBride, Robert Plant).
Additionally, the rhythm section for the sessions consisted of A-listers Bob Glaub on bass (Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Warren Zevon) and drummer Chad Cromwell (Neil Young, Brian Wilson, Bonnie Raitt). In all, it was a magical experience for The Hello Darlins’ creative core, vocalist/lyricist Candace Lacina, keyboardist/co-producer Mike Little and guitarist/co-producer Murray Pulver.
Coming off a successful European tour, which included a performance with Lucinda Williams at the Paradiso in Amsterdam, and a showcase at Americanafest-UK, The Hello Darlins embark on a full-scale Canadian tour with Matt Andersen beginning March 24 (see News + Notes below!).
WEBSITE / SPOTIFY / YOUTUBE / EPK
|
|
|
|
KYLE MCKEARNEY / A Traveler's Lament / March 31
As Canada’s biggest breakthrough independent Alt-Country/Americana artist of 2022, Kyle McKearney is poised to reach greater heights in 2023 with the release of his sophomore album A Traveler’s Lament on March 31 via Believe Digital.
Working once again with JUNO-winning producer Russell Broom (Jann Arden, Paul McCartney, Lindsay Ell), the 10 songs on A Traveler’s Lament display the Alberta-based singer/songwriter’s ever-evolving skills at combining country, blues, R&B and rock ‘n’ roll, all driven by his powerful voice and engaging storytelling. It’s all there on the album’s new twangy single, “Rebel Child,” which follows previous singles “Mercy,” “River Rain” and “Grandfather” that have pushed Kyle’s total streams to over two million.
Since the release of Kyle’s 2021 debut album Down-Home, he has received over 21 notable accolades, among them two Canadian Country Music Association award nominations, including Alternative Country Album of the Year, and two Western Canadian Music Award nominations. Kyle was also named a SiriusXM Top of the Country semi-finalist, placed second in Alberta Music’s Project Wild (for which he was awarded $75,000), and shared stages with The Black Crowes, Kip Moore, Our Lady Peace and Dean Brody.
WEBSITE / SPOTIFY / YOUTUBE / EPK
|
|
|
|
DAVID BACKSHELL / Turn Up The Dark / March 31
On his third full-length collection, Turn Up the Dark, Toronto singer/songwriter David Backshell builds on the subtle storytelling that characterized the spare songs on 2015’s Halfsleeper and 2017’s Codeine Dreams.
With the help of his ace collaborators Graham MacDonald and Michael Zahorak on bass and keys, backing vocalists Chantal Sylvestre and producer Remy Perrin—he’s also expanded and amplified his sound. “I’m not comparing myself to Dylan,” David says sheepishly, “but if Bringing it all Back Home was his mix of acoustic and rock songs, that would be my last album, and this one is, like, Highway 61 Revisited.”
From a different angle, Turn Up the Dark is an album of immersive, atmospheric folk-rock gems, on which flux (both conceptually and metaphorically) serves as a sort of guiding force. Backshell used to think that if he could just recapture a particular moment, he could return to being a previous version of himself. Now, he’s not so sure: What if those memories are transformed and reconstituted in the shift from who you were to who you are now?
BANDCAMP / SPOTIFY / YOUTUBE / EPK
|
|
|
|
THE GODDAMSELS / "Sorry" (Single) / March 31
Since the release of their debut EP Wayward Daughter in the summer of 2022, Edmonton duo The Goddamsels—singer/songwriters Mallory Chipman and Frédrique “Freddi” MacDougall—have become one of the most talk-about new voices within the Americana scene. Now, coming off a stellar appearance at the 2023 Folk Alliance International Conference in Kansas City, they are sharing “Sorry,” the latest single from Wayward Daughter, and the EP’s most electric track.
Mallory says of “Sorry,” “It’s pretty standard to write songs from a place of heartache, joy or love, but this one was something different. ‘Sorry’ is a song that wrote itself from a place of frustration, honestly. Frustration with people in power and with the seemingly unbreakable institutions that tend to stubbornly uphold unhelpful traditions in a world where these traditions desperately need re-imagining. It was a really cathartic tune to write, and continues to be a cathartic one to play night after night. The rockier edge to this tune came really naturally as a result of the emotional place I was in while writing it, and that’s made it a really fun tune to play with the band, as a lot of our band mates come from a rock background.”
BANDCAMP / SPOTIFY / YOUTUBE / EPK
|
|
|
|
In the lead up to his new album Almanac -- out April 28 on acronym Records -- DEL BARBER is heading across Canada on a massive tour, kicking off April 4. Ticket info is available HERE.
There's already a nice buzz building for the album, with the latest single "I Told You So" premiering at Holler, and being included on Rolling Stone's Songs You Need To Know This Week.
|
|
|
|
Also heading across Canada are THE HELLO DARLINS, accompanying Matt Andersen. I can't wait for audiences to finally experience the band live!
|
|
|
|
One of my new faves, SAMMY VOLKOV, hits the road in western Canada in April on the strength of his incredible debut album Be Alright! With a voice to rival Roy Orbison, he's not to be missed. I'm not sure who Kitty & The Rooster are, but from the look of them I'd wager they're not to be missed either!
|
|
|
|
I'll wrap up this newsletter again with some personal news. I was thrilled to be interviewed last month by Todd L. Burns for his newsletter Music Journalism Insider. It's not often that I get to talk about my own writing, and my past history as a music critic. If you're interested to learn more about me, CLICK HERE.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Member of the Americana Music Association |
|
|
|
|
|