Museum of Canadian Music

"The bastard offspring of the early punk scene in London Ontario were everywhere. Fans were forming bands that would take the music in new directions. The musicians who had already been part of the local alternative scene and those who wanted to stick around a while, were plotting their next move. Such was the case of '63 Monroe, one of London's hardest working bands. A blend of musical influences and a desire to incorporate image into their vision of a great band quickly set '63 Monroe apart from all other local bands."

Here's the skinny on '63 Monroe. The band originally started out as NFG back in late 1978, early 1979 playing mostly covers, and opening up for their hero's local giants the Demics. The man that started that band is still the driving force behind them, Steven R Stunning.

Soon they were writing and recording their own material, to date the band has officially released three vinyl albums, two singles, and two CD packages. There have been numerous...

'63 Monroe is a story all by itself. Success, tragedy... it was all there. I'd write a book if I had the time. They were more than just another sex drugs and rock n roll story. To their credit they never gave in to the music industry.

The band's name derived from the obvious; that being the beginning of a new legend. It is also a statement showing the member's feelings towards the insanity, excesses and stupidity of the jet set celebrities and of their own demise. Although influences on the band had included the New York Dolls, The Ramones as well as early London (Canada) bands such as the Demics, they were aware of the importance of finding their own niche. The sound was raw, but enjoyable to the punk/metal crossover generation...and for those who understood that the band was approaching alternative music from a different angle, they were a breath of fresh air.
-Danny Napalm

In 1985, the band released their second album, the highly praised Stinkin’ Out the...

A Brief Moment of Glory are an indie rock outfit based out of Montreal, Quebec. Give them a listen. I think you will agree that they have a great sound and the album is definitely a worthwhile listen.

Jordey Tucker: guitars, vocals
Michael Thomas: drums, vocals
Frank C-Gain: lead vocals, guitars, keys

buy the physical copy from the band here: http://abriefmomentofglory.com/

join their mailing list and receive three tracks for free..

A Joint Effort is a very rare psych folk album which was released out of Fredericton, New Brunswick. It was released on Little Records Ltd. and Red Rock Hotel Productions out of the University of New Brunswick. Side one is a more light folk rock side and relies on decent cover tunes; side 2 sounds like a few local browns and some smoke were added to the equation, a bit more rock and garage sound with some fuzz guitar. Only 200 copies were pressed. It is a very rare and sought-after album in the collector market. Interesting take on Oh! Canada. Came with an insert with lyrics. copies have sold for as high as $600, depending on condition.

"There were at least two American bands of this name (see 'Fuzz, Acid And Flowers' for details) but this was a different Canadian outfit of whom little is known. Musically very diverse, the live album ranges from acapella (Battle Of New Orleans) through country rock (Molly And The Tenbrooks, Hitchhikers Dream, Champagne Junction) and even ps...

Out of the crutches of castles, the rags of civilization, came A Neon Rome. Formed in early 1984 they were born into a post punk, cold war world that was artistically void and ripe for the taking.

By the time the Magical Summer of ‘85' rolled around they were the resident band for the popular Elvis Monday's at The Beverly Tavern in Toronto, recording their first album and about to pack the premier Larry's Hideaway for their first truly headlining show. They soon had a solid following in Toronto and other towns along the 401.

Their live shows were wild, provocative and unpredictable. Singer Neal Arbick was the perfect blend of Iggy Pop, Patti Smith and Jim Morrison filtered through his own unique persona. Neal would stay up for days cutting hundreds of gig posters into the shape of a cross and hand painting each one. He would spray paint the band name in strategic locations around town and cover the city with posters advertising nothing but the band itself through...

One of the all-time great Toronto singles, this actually had decent local chart success in early '67. The hit's a high-energy slice of quick-paced freakbeat elevated to greatness by an absolutely stinging lead guitar attack, while the eponymous flipside delivers an insistent mid-tempo jangle built around a haunting chorus. Utterly essential for those who dig classic mid '60s garage sounds. Remastered with a brand new picture sleeve and insert. pressed in a quantity of 300.

buy it here: http://uglypop.bigcartel.com/product/a-passing-fancy-i-m-losing-tonight-45

It may surprise more than a few listeners to learn that "Feminine Endings", the title of D.G. Adams debut album, is a Shakespearean reference. Those who know that Adams has spent the past thirty-three years as a classically-trained actor and Shakespeare teacher will not be surprised. (For the curious: a feminine ending refers to the eleventh, unstressed syllable in a line of iambic pentameter! In poetic terms, the presence of the feminine ending indicates that there is too much emotion in the line to be contained in ten syllables.) In the acting world, D.G is known as Donald Adams, and he now plays leads in films and television.

Since the age of fifteen, Adams has quietly been writing music and lyrics, but only sharing his work with a handful of friends. Fast forward to the year 2000 when he met his best friend Torquil Campbell (of the Montreal band Stars) at Bard on the Beach Shakespeare festival in Vancouver, where both were working as actors. Campbell listened to one of...

First, Frank Manley's interest in Canadian punk drew the allies' story out of obscurity. Frank compiled the book "Smash the State, A Discography of Canadian Punk, 1977-92" as well as several compilation albums. Thank you Frank.

Doug Webster decided to create a band to perform his songs in 1979. The band was called The Allies.

Ed Goodine joined Doug right away. He was the first drummer that Doug talked to. The bass player was Rick. Guitarist Nick Mah showed up as a result of a posting at the Conservatory. His friends thought he should get involved in a new musical genre because it was so different than his classical guitar work.

In order to get gigs the band needed a tape. So the allies recorded one within a month of forming. The "Night in the City" single was released from this session.

Doug took the tape around and was able to get a weeknight show at The Edge. At the time, The Edge was one of Toronto's most well-known clubs. This was a bi...

Amos The Transparent's Debut Release Aug 2007. Named number 1 Album of the 00's by iHEART Music, Everything I've Forgotten To Forget is no mere collection of singles (assuming bands even record albums of singles anymore). It's also a very good album. It flows from one song to the next; it creates and sustains a mood from beginning to end; it just sounds great as a singular, cohesive whole. http://www.iheartmusic.net

Jonathan Chandler: guitar, vocals
Christopher Wilson: drums
Mark Hyne: guitar, Keys, vocals
James Nicol: bass, vocals
Dan Hay: guitar
Kate Cooke: vocals

For any long time reader of herohill, you'll know are quite smitten with Ottawa's Amos the Transparent. We gave them the distinction of #2 on the 2007 Canadian album of the Year list and asked them to open up for The Inbreds reunion show at the herohill Pop Explosion last year. The way Chandler and Wilson melded bedroom pop with anthem ready classic rock was pretty breathtaking, but the thing that made Everything I've Forgotten to Forget stick in my brain was quickly the got to the point and how powerful their statements were.

"The songs are tight, the arrangements crisp and succinct. In most cases, too many cooks spoil the broth and too many guitars spoil the sounds. Huge crescendos are all well and good, but endless meandering that is all too common in today's indie scene is another thing. AtT never wastes a note."

So when Jonathan sent over the songs from the new Amos EP, I was a wee bit excited. My, What Big Teeth You Have is the first new material to surface...

Western spaghetti meets swingjazz and doowop inflected voices, Armistice is a keeper. The EP's first single, "Mission Bells" (available on 45tours.ca), showcases the undeniable magic between Martin and Malinowski's voices. Michael Maxxis directed the video, aptly filmed in the California desert in December (available soon). "City Lights Cry", which begins with Martin's wispy melancholy vocals is driven by El Bronx's fast getaway in the middle of the night percussion beat. "Neon Lights" brings the harmonies in flashback to Lee Hazelwood and Nancy Sinatra fashion. The album also includes Armistice's version of "Jeb Rand", a song originally recorded by Bedouin Soundclash. It finishes off with the haunting strings and piano driven tale of "God Will Get His Man".

Armistice Featuring Mariachi El Bronx

Joby J. Ford - Vihuela, guitar, ukulele, percussions, back ground vox
Jorma Vik - drums, percussions
Ray Suen - Violin
Brad Magers - Horns
Karla T...

Mike Anderson:drums, backup vocals
Spyke Bandito: bass
Marcel Lafleur: guitar, vocals
Chic Parker: guitar
Tuesdai: lead, backup, vocals, tape treatments

Music Arrangements: Tuesdai & Lafleur

Recorded at Cottingham Sound, Toronto, Ontario
Engineered by Tom Atom
Produced by Tuesdai
Graphics. etc by Tuesdai

Photography by Patti Meade (back); Brian Smale (front)

This is the ep originally released by the band back in 1979 on their own Glamatron label. The Ugly Pop re-issue sees the songs flipped so the title track is the B-Side and “Coho Coho” starts out the record. It is a smart idea given the energy to “Coho Coho” is a faster song and as a result stands out because of the energy. But this is the first time I have noticed this crazy effect layered over the entire song. It is like a live wire which is fitting for a band named ARSON. I love the effect.

The song has a particular importance to the band who wrote it after observing an anti-disco rally in Chicago. The crowd was chanting something that sounded like “Coho” and so the band wrote a song about it replicating the chanting part at the beginning of the song.

The title track is a 33 player. It is a longer song and played slower. It reminds me of the DEMICS “New York City” in terms of pace. Rude’s vocals exude an IGGY POP snarl who I have come to learn was an inspirat...

Marie-Pierre Arthur was probably my favorite straight-up (albiet in French) rock act of the whole weekend. [...] a very good songwriter and a skilled musician. I left humming more than a few of her songs.
Bill Pearis, November 2009, Brooklyn Vegan, M for Montreal review

Whatever the style, her vocals are sincere and passionate, her melodies are strong and her songs are tastefully and simply arranged.
Darryl Sterdan, November 2009, Sun Media, M for Montreal review

LA révélation de l'année au Québec, peu importe ce que l'ADISQ en pense.
Olivier Boisvert, décembre 2009, 33mag

Chansons rondelettes et airs caressants, paroles à déguster et mélodies à rêver la tête en l’air, production pointilliste et voix acrobate, Marie-Pierre Arthur est sans doute, tout le monde l’affirme au Québec, l’une des têtes à suivre de plus près ces tous prochains mois. Et l’une des têtes d’affiche les plus évidentes de M Pour Montréal.
Thomas Burgel, 17 novemb...

On Monday, February 6 at La Tulipe, Marie-Pierre Arthur will present songs off her second album to be released via Bonsound Records. The album launch will be open to the public!

Aux alentours is the awaited follow-up to her critically acclaimed self-titled debut album, which led the singer to France. Until then, she offers radio stations a first single, titled Si tu savais, while they patiently wait for the rest.

Si tu savais tackles the subject of relationships: how much of our own selves can we sacrifice on the alter of love without betraying ourselves? Co-written with Gaële, the song finds Marie-Pierre Arthur renewing with the allusive and fascinating songwriting style that made her previous album so wonderful. Produced by François Lafontaine (Karkwa), this first single reveals an album infused with a current indie-folk sound. Promising, indeed!

buy the album here: http://bonsound.com/en/artists/marie-pierre-arthur-54

never heard before rare Canadian punk!

here's the only two studio recorded tracks I have managed to save, there were three alltogether.

The tracks were taken from a 33 year old cassette tape that was full of breaks and drop out. I have stuck it all back together so there are a few snips here and there and remastered it a little to try and restore some of the it's elements. It's very rough. The tracks were recorded in a 4 track studio in almost real time.
-Arthur May

Arthur's Dilemma: The Canadian Punk Band

RW: hi Arthur, can you please tell me how Arthur's Dilemma got started, where were the band members from, what was the Canadian connection, did you tour in Canada, did you live in Canada, if so when; how did you guys meet, etc.

AM: It was my intention to go from the UK straight to NYC but they wouldn't give me a visa as the CIA had a file on me as a suspected lefty. I wanted to get out of London and make a fresh start so I went to Montreal, it was closest and cheapest. I went with only the name of an actor that a girl friend from Montreal who lived in London gave me.

When I arrived I met him and he introduced me to Tony Roman and his girlfriend Annette something (she was a film star.) He had a music promo set up and introduced me to New Wave Productions who were a group of preppies funded by the arts council there.

I wrote all the first material in a few days and they introduced me to Dug Dyer and Ri...

Artok were a Waterloo, Ontario, Canada rock prog metal trio who recorded this three track 12" EP, pressed privately on Kanvas Records JM 8359, in a pressing of 1000 copies.

The band featured Rob Taylor on drums, percussion, vocals; Robi Banerji on guitar, bass pedal Synthesizer, keyboards, vocals; and Chris Tristram on bass.

The album was produced by Bill Mather & Artok at Elora Sound in January, 1983.

The cover artwork was by Rob Taylor.

The band is still selling sealed copies of this album for $55 on their website:
http://www.artok.org/#/vinyl-records/4524819370

The band has recently re-grouped and are working on a new recording 'Above Ground'.
-Robert Williston

Asani ("rock" in the Cree language) is a First Nation and Métis women's trio whose members are steeped in their musical, cultural and linguistic traditions.

Debbie Houle (Cree Métis) comes from one of the founding families of the Elizabeth Métis Settlement, a family whose musical roots go back generations. Her mosom (grandfather) is renowned Métis fiddler Albert Collins and her mother, Violet, played bass for the well known Métis band "Halfbreed" for almost 20 years.

Sarah Pocklington's (Cree Métis) deep interest in Cree Métis culture, musical/vocal styles, and political traditions was nurtured within a family grounded in arts and politics. She was raised in the thriving urban Aboriginal community in Edmonton. Her family attended urban powwows and community gatherings within the city and in many of the surrounding Métis and First Nations communities.

Sherryl Sewepagaham (Cree), originally from the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, was b...

They’ve performed at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Centre; they’ve been nominated for 11 music awards, including a Juno; and now Aboriginal Canada’s answer to Sweet Honey in the Rock has teamed up with Frank Zappa’s long-time percussionist, Ed Mann, to create an unforgettable sophomore album.

Asani (pronounced “US-sun-nee”), the angelic-sounding three-woman chorus from Edmonton, will be touring next month to promote the release of Listen, a stunning collaboration with Mann and Cape Breton Drum Festival founder Bruce Aitken.

Possessed of Sweet Honey’s ability to lift spirits, celebrate their culture, confront racism, press for change and unite people of all backgrounds with their joyful energy and breathtaking harmonies, Asani smashes stereotypes about “Aboriginal music” and makes music that is just plain moving by any measure. Their sophisticated quasi-a cappella arrangements feature soaring crescendos, intricate harmonies, and their own take on traditional-style...

It ain’t easy to put raw, heartfelt, broken-hearted vocals into a moving, vital union with sophisticated architectures of string arrangements, found sounds and electronic wizardry; still less easy to deliver the whole as a pyrotechnic and cohesive pop package in live performance. But Axis of Conversation, an experimental sextet who have been steadily building their reputation for several years as one of Calgary’s strongest bands, make it all look easy.

A band that takes clear joy in performing – and in performing with each other – their pleasure in the music is infectious, and ensures that experimental flights of fancy are always fresh and always in the truest sense of the word, never deteriorating into mere exercise or cerebral posturing. They deliver their songs as ethereal, frenetic, controlled whirls of sound and energy, walking a tightrope of tension between wistful neo-Romantic sensibility and ballsy dance-funk swagger with aplomb worthy of a veteran act.
-from 2...

Axis of Conversation are a unique experimental pop band from Calgary, Alberta. They are one of Calgary's best emerging acts. "Enemies is a quick snippet of what the band does best. Side A, the title track, is a three-minute burst of sound that recalls anything and everything from The Talking Heads to The Strokes. Lead singer Chris dela Torre’s hushed, high-pitched voice is the perfect complement to the frantic energy that swirls around him, singing conspiratorially, “We did it all for the failure of love.” Side B is a clever remix of one of the band’s earlier songs, “The Pull.” Originally a quiet acoustic piece, Morgan Greenwood’s remix inserts a fractured electronic beat and some spacey strings that lend the song a brand new personality. Enemies is a notch in the belt of another promising local band and Axis of Conversation have proven themselves worthy of the early attention."
-from Fastfoward Weekly by Nathan Atnikov
http://www.ffwdweekly.com

You can download "...

Take a look at this album. No one before has accomplished such a feat as telling the history of the Westcoast in song in such a exciting and thrilling way. Stories in song about Emily Carr, ships and trains and a small touch of the First Nation's history. You wont' want to miss adding this timeless album to your collection.

For nearly forty years Dave Baker has been writing and singing songs about his native Westcoast. Raised on Vancouver Island in Nanaimo and Duncan, Dave is eminently qualified to write about the characters, places, and icons that are a part of the history of Canada’s Westcoast. Along the way, Dave has lived in Port Alberni, Squamish, and Sechelt, and now resides in Maple Ridge.

A "Portrait of the Westcoast in Song" is a fitting conclusion to Dave’s long career in music production and song writing. Always keeping his activities in music as an avid hobby, Dave has produced, over a span of thirty years, four CDs and three vinyl albums from which...

Dave Baker, born and raised in Nanaimo and Duncan, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, recorded this, his first album of West Coast folk, in 1973 on Stamp Records.

“It is the ambition of every songwriter to put into words and music his emotions, his experiences, and his way of life. Dave Edmund Baker, a native of Vancouver Island, reveals, in this his first album, a personal sensitivity towards life itself yet at the same time captures the spirit of the West Coast. From the haunting melody of “Kettle Valley Line” to the uptempo strains of “Now and Then”; from the reflective mood of “The Pain Lingers On For Awhile” to the driving rhythm of West Coast Logger Saga – this is Dave Baker…And it is my pleasure to introduce him to you.”
-Gerry Massop, Country Music News

Dave has lived in Port Alberni, Squamish, and Sechelt, and currently resides in Maple Ridge. He continues to record music about the West Coast and Railways.

Recorded at Studio 3, Vanc...

This album in music industry terminology is a concept album featuring some of the best known and loved Canadian railway songs from the pens of several great Canadian songwriters. It has been created for the 'railway buff', the enthusiast who is emotionally moved by the haunting wail of a steam locomotive whistle.

For nearly thirty years, West Coast songwriter and recording artist Dave Baker has been writing and singing songs about his homeland, and many of the characters who played a role in it's history.

His Kettle Valley Line song, recounts a childhood experience that occurred in 1952, when a double headed steam passenger train stopped to take on water late one summer evening, and turned a wide eyed seven year old boy into a lifetime rail buff.

An album for 'rail buffs', history enthusiasts, and great listening.

Emilie-Claire Barlow’s 7th vocal jazz CD the positively stylish “Haven’t We Met?” is an engaging collection of songs. Self produced in Toronto at Doane Leblanc Studios, the 13 track album which was released on March 10 2009 (via her own Empress Music Group imprint and KOCH distribution) is filled to the brim with musical conversations; some reflective, some intimate and some cheeky. Joined by a vibrant cast of Canadian musicians, the disc features Reg Schwager on guitar Ross MacIntyre on bass, Dave Restivo on piano and Davide DiRenzo on drums. What makes “Haven’t We Met?” a record of prominence is its simple beauty. Songs of lust and longing sit side by side songs rushing with pure exhilarated joie de vivre. It’s a collection that snapshots spontaneous dreamers who yearn to fall desperately in love. Emilie-Claire’s dexterity in her pitch perfect rollercoaster vocalese is at its height, surely inspired by an unlocked stream of consciousness that is almost apologetic in its truth. There...

When one is analyzing jazz or jazz-influenced pop, it is important to know the difference between sweet and saccharine. Lester Young, Jo Stafford, Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Nat King Cole, the Ink Spots, and Glenn Miller were quite capable of sweetness; Kenny G, Najee, and Dave Koz, on the other hand, have often epitomized saccharine -- they are masters of artificial sweetness. So where does Emilie-Claire Barlow fit in? The Canadian jazz vocalist is definitely sweet -- very sweet -- but there isn't a trace of saccharine on Like a Lover. Barlow brings an enjoyably girlish charm to this self-produced bop CD, although she isn't a girl.

Born in 1976, she was in her late twenties when Like a Lover came out in 2005 -- and for Barlow, girlish doesn't mean wimpy, thin-voiced, or unswinging. Barlow has an impressive vocal range, and she definitely swings -- she swings whether she is favoring high-speed exuberance on Bob Dorough's "(I've Got) Just About Everything I Need" or getting into...

Emilie-Claire Barlow - Canada's incomparable vocal-jazz jewel - is dazzling the world! Her energetic live performances and exquisite recordings thrill sold-out audiences from Tokyo to Montreal! Emilie-Claire leads her stellar band through innovative arrangements of American-Songbook treasures, rhythmic bossa novas and elegant ballads. Emilie-Claire continues to endear herself to critics, peers and audiences everywhere with her relaxed, polished demeanour, her charming humour, and A VOICE OF UNFORGETTABLE BEAUTY!

The stunning new release, The Very Thought Of You may be Emilie-Claire's most personal album to date. There is an up-close and intimate tone that starts with the gorgeous cover art, and continues throughout this entire recording. The arrangements are fresh and focused, and all her own. Joined by an all-star band (Reg Schwager, Nancy Walker, Kieran Overs, Mark Kelso) and some fabulous guest soloists (Kelly Jefferson, Kevin Turcotte, Bill McBirnie, Alan Hetherington) ...

This is Emilie-Claire Barlow's fifth album and her tone is just gorgeous. Clear diction, impeccable tuning, great scatting; this is my kind of jazz singer. Highlights include her great up-tempo bossa take on "Sleigh Ride". Barlow delivers a killer vocalese lyric on that one. Marc Jordan guests on "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and her "Christmas Time Is Here" is lovely. A winner!

You could say that The Beat Goes On finds Emilie-Claire Barlow going back to the future. You see, the Toronto jazz chanteuse’s acclaimed previous two albums, 2007’s The Very Thought of You and 2009’s Haven’t We Met? (both nominated for Juno Awards) drew upon the Great American Songbook and tunes from the ‘30s and ‘40s. Here, she looks forward to the ‘60s for her repertoire, and the result is a charming album that does real musical justice to that most colorful of decades.

The Beat Goes On is the eighth album in a recording career that now spans 12 years, and it is a record of which she is justifiably proud.

The Beat Goes On, Emilie-Claire Barlow’s 8th studio album, finds Barlow diving into new territory as she draws inspiration from one of the most inspired and colourful decades – the 1960’s. The result is a wonderfully varied collection of classic songs given new life by Barlow’s inventive arrangements and signature vocal style. The Beat Goes On is set for relea...

Yank Barry was the lead singer for the Kingsmen from 1968 to 1970. In 1969 while performing with The Footprints, he shared the stage at a concert in Long Island, NY with Jimmy Hendrix. In 1970, he produced the first quadraphonic album at Regent Sound Studios in New York. A year later, he recorded his own rock opera “The Diary of Mr. Gray” to raise money for drug awareness, prevention, and rehabilitation. Known as a rock play set in the 1920's, the story revolves around a psychiatrist who is reading the diary of Mr. Gray, presumably his patient. Mr. Gray had gone mad as a result of drug use. Through the diary, we see the world through the eyes of a madman. The album covered 50 years of nostalgia in the recording industry, including a 78 rpm, a stereo recording, and a quadraphonic recording. The album is now a cult classic.

Yank Barry went on to become one of the world's leading philanthropists, along with his friend and partner Muhammad Ali. Together they have fed over 330,...

If you’ve ever been to Vancouver and spent any time in Stanley Park or on any of the beaches, you’ve probably been forced to side step faux-rastafari, professional sack hackers and devil stick twirlers. God help you if you hang out too long after fireworks or any free concerts.

Thankfully, the tribal percussion and pulsating electronics of Basketball more than make up for all the drum circles and the psychedelic tracers, chanting vocals and Indian influence make the band’s 12″ debut — Maw — a much more spiritual occurrence than the Ras Trent inspired bongo sessions can ever hope to be.

Maw isn’t weed and wasted days; no, the debut 12″ miraculously manages to replicate the band’s underground live sets and capture a moment in time fueled by MDMA, but the songs connect with and inspire the people. This isn’t just about carefree movement, Maw wants to fuel a movement. “Andika” is gritty and the low end is perfect for any of the dank, sweat soaked caves Basketball...

Phenomenally rare, with those surviving near mint copies fetching upwards of 5000 bucks a pop, the 1969 acid rock raver Sussex had its origins in a drug-addled house in Toronto's Annex neighbourhood. As guitarist Marty Roth "recalls" on his blog, "Myself and another friend from schooldays were running a boutique/headshop at the corner of Sussex and Robert. And, every so often...I'd hear a faint blur of something, close to what some might consider music. It was emanating from the basement of one of the houses beside the lane at 57 Sussex Avenue, almost a block away. As it turned out, the guitarist was Gerry Gibas, a close friend who I'd been jamming with while writing original tunes any chance we could. He dropped by the shop during their break and told me to drop over. That's where I met Eddie Thomas Majchrowski, the drummer. His mother owned the house at 57 Sussex Avenue and all the rooms on all three floors were rented out to a mix of students, freaks, druggies and musicians. To my ...

During the 1990s, Barney Bentall's music was a staple on popular radio stations nationwide. With two platinum and four gold albums, a Juno Award and a string of top ten singles to his credit, Barney Bentall and his band The Legendary Hearts were renowned for their standing-room-only live shows. By 1997, seeking a change in perspective, he bought a cattle ranch and walked away. He continued performing, but felt the pull back to a simpler, stripped-down acoustic approach to songwriting. 2007 brought the solo release of Gift Horse, followed by The Inside Passage in 2008. Barney also formed The Grand Cariboo Opry with a variety of musicians as a way to help raise funds for needy residents in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. He is known for his intimate, warm and entertaining performances and storytelling.

In all, Shari Ulrich has released 17 albums – as a solo artist and as part of various groups – which have garnered her two Juno Awards, several award nominations and an ind...

due for release April 2, 2013:

This album had its humble beginnings in mid-2011 and was completed over the course of a year. Ever mindful and attentive to the most subtle and nuanced details, founding band members Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas produced, recorded and mixed at the stalwart Breakglass Studios in Montreal with long time band mates Kevin Laing and Richard White. Eventually mastered by the renowned Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound, this fourth album by The Besnard Lakes’ features heavyweight additions by Moonface’s Spencer Krug and Mike Bigelow, The Barr Brothers’ Sarah Page, the always-enchanting Monica Guenter and the return of Fifth String Liberation Singers’ Choir. The story of the album unfolds its introspection on the endurance of the human spirit during prophetic times as told by a spy or two, maybe more. Each of the eight tracks on the album takes off, coasts, and lands smoothly, with a jubilant slowburn of its own momentum for the benefit of the larger picture....

Big Hank Lionhart and the other members of A Fist Full of Blues, Duane Smith, Ken Kirkwood, Barrie Nighswander, Bill Hobson, and Dennis Meneely have a relationship that goes back to their roots in Stettler, Alberta, having all grown up there in the 60's and 70's.

The members of the band also have been and continue to be members of the legendary Edmonton band Tacoy Ryde. They slip into the Blues and R&B as easy as you please and bring along an edge and special sound that make A Fist Full of Blues much more than your average blues band. The combination of their exceptional musicianship and Big Hank's powerful blues voice provide for a collection of tunes that have you up and dancing from the get go. Big Hank's roots go way back, having cut his teeth on the blues with Hot Cottage back in the seventies and with RCA recoding artists Uncle Wiggly's Hot Shoes Blues Band from the West Coast in the 80's.

The opportunity to work together as a band is the fulfillment of...

Originally released circa 1968 in an edition of 500 copies, the lunacy contained within the grooves of this Canadian mindfuck is perched somewhere midway between the outwardly bound trajectories of their contemporaries in both The Nihilist Spasm Band and Intersystems, with intuitive and screw-loose outsider psych improv moves crashing headlong into lividly blurted sound poetry in a way that also calls to mind the touched-in-the-head maneuvers of Fire & Ice, Ltd (not to mention a raft of contempo freak folk practitioners...). Bissett is far better known as a poet (phonetische and otherwise) than musician and his spew here is what really tugs this in the direction of the aforementioned head cases in Intersystems.

In the entertainment industry, it has become all too common to replace one’s given name with an alluring alias. One artist who is in no need of a sizzling pseudonym is Calgary native Matt Blais. Blais has one of those names that is tailor-made to be lit up on a rock ‘n’ roll marquee as it rolls smoothly off your tongue and sticks in your head, much like he anticipates his latest tunes will. As he gears up to release his first full-length album, this is one musician who is ready to set the local scene ablaze.

“It’s going to be called Let It Out. I thought it was appropriate. I don’t know how other people write songs, but I try to hold in a song as long as I can and I won’t put it down on paper until it has to come out. I’m also a huge fan of Feist and hers is Let it Die. There is a lot of good ‘Let It…’ records and I hope this makes the rank or at least comes close.”

Just how did Blais begin his musical career? It is a whale of a tale – a whale named Willy, to b...

One of our favorite bands from north of the border, Canada's The Blue Voodoo, are back with a solid slab of irresistible party blues with the release of "Back To The Shack." It's a cool amalgam of blues, roots-rock, and a little bit o'soul in the mix. These guys have a unique sound forged from playing together for quite some time, and writing all their own material. They consist of Ted Tosoff on guitar and vocals, brother Bryon on keys, Rick Dalgarno on slide, dobro, and vocals, Kelly Stodola on drums, Gerry Berg on bass, Dave Hoerl on harp, and horns courtesy of Paul Wainwright.

Check out the rockabilly-ish tale we can all relate to, those "Monday Morning Blues." "Suitcase Blues" is a lowdown slice of life concerning a lover who's leaving, with a really cool slide break and a vocal reminiscent of vintage Johnny Winter. "Somewhere Else Instead" is driven by the funky horn section, giving it an old-school Stax feel. We had two favorites, too. More great slide work and solid ...

The latest album from the Blue Voodoo is "Outside Looking In" 12 smoking tracks of "Multi Genre" Blues/Rock.

Recorded in the first half of 2011; the Blue Voodoo line up is:
Rick Dalgarno: Songs, guitar, vocals
Ted Tosoff Songs: guitar, vocals
Gerry Berg: bass
Mike Michalkow: drums

Guests:
Paul Wainwright: sax
Dave Hoerl: harp
Dan Ross: guitar, keys, strings
Kelly Stodola: drums.

The range of music goes from the Son House Style of "Hightailing" (track 6); The Gary Moore tribute of "Blame"(track 11); to the uptempo harp and horn fueled Chicago Blues of "Can't stay here no More". This CD has something for every music fan.

Turning To Wave

The new album, Turning to Wave, was recorded in Edmonton, Alberta once again and features some of the city’s best musicians: James Murdoch adds the ear candy; Nathan Carroll strums and plucks the catchiest of guitar hooks; and F&M lends some golden background vocals. Alberta native turned Nashville resident Chad Melchert plays solid yet emotive drums, and from Deon’s current home (Calgary), Jon Nordstrom adds his soft touch on bass.

The way most romantic men fall in love with a girl after the first kiss, Deon seems to have fallen in love with cities over the past 3 years; while listening to this album you will find yourself yearning for a vacation “if for only two days”. His enthusiasm for New York, Vancouver, Toronto, and Sausalito is infectious, to say the least.

Much of the album was co-written with James Murdoch (who also acted as producer) and when comparing Deon’s earlier albums to this one, it’s safe to say Murdoch’s presence a...

You'd think that moving from small-town Alberta to big-city Edmonton to pursue music would be enough to steel your resolve, would be proof positive that you have what it takes to step out of your comfort zone—a necessary trait if your aspirations are bigger than campfire crooner. But life has a one-step-forward-two-steps-back quality, and the things that we learn about ourselves are often by repetition.

Although singer-songwriter Deon Blyan managed to carve his name into the Edmonton scene within a couple years of moving here in the mid-'90s, it wasn't until he moved to Calgary a couple of years back that he was able to see the world of possibility.

"I moved to Calgary because I felt kind of like a chapter of my life had ended in Edmonton and I kind of wanted a change," Blyan explains over the phone from Calgary. "Edmonton is a great cocoon where you can play and get a lot of support and really hone your skills. I look back on it now and I see that if I hadn't m...

Bone Orchard were a very short-lived band from Coquitlam, British Columbia that played a few local gigs in the early 90's. They recorded a few tracks on tape and shortly thereafter seemingly vanished. Their big tune was Mind Pollution, written by Kevin Williston. Those fortunate enough to see them play at the Starfish Room were lucky to get out of that place alive. hard loud grunge. heavy bass. long live Bone Orchard.

Kevin Williston: bass, lyrics, music
Clayton Leopkey: vocals
Juan Kent: guitars
Tim Chudyk: drums

Hyper rare early new wave rock from several members of the Racicot family, with additions …music bred from the wheat fields of sunny Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada, and chops earned and learned on the hotel bar circuit in Western Canada.

Corey Hildebrand left Border a while after the record was released, and was replaced by another Saskatchewan boy, Lincoln Foster. With Foster in the line-up, the band later re-branded itself as "Life on Earth" and continued to play the bar circuit in Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC. They stopped touring the late 1980’s after several engagements on the west coast. The band had re-labelled their Border single with the Life on Earth name, and used it as a demo item to promote upcoming engagements.
-with notes from Robert Williston and D. Degenstien

Corey Hildebrand: guitar
Len Racicot: percussion
Leon Racicot: bass, vocals
Lyle Racicot: guitar, lead and background vocals, guitar solo
R.J. Smart: keyboards,...

Borealis recorded the album ‘Sons of the Sea’ at MUN Radio in St’ John’s, Newfoundland. It was the first album recorded in any of the Atlantic Provinces and the first all-original material by any Newfoundland group. There were likely only 500 copies of this album pressed. Currently changing hands at $600 for near mint copies, the album also represents the most valuable commercial recording by a Newfoundlander artist or group.

The album features some great keyboards and great guitar riffs throughout, with hints of fuzz guitar, psych and garage – all in all an outstanding listen start to finish.

Thanks went out to “Mighty Mouth Mac Bareftoot, Doc Feeney (recording genius par excellence), Memorial University Security Guards, Len White, Nelson Squires (and his dark room). Tony Kent (yet another Newfie genius).

The album “Sons of the Sea’ was re-issued on Void Records VOID 23 on blue marble wax in 2001 and again on CD on Beatball Merry-Go-Round Records BMR...

Definitely worth a listen, great collection of songs with strong arrangements, awesome vocals and well versed lyrics.
-Emiliano Aguero Martinez

It’s really unfortunate that there aren't more tracks, Ms. Borromeo's is smooth and sultry and her sound can really set the mood for a quiet night in. I would definitely recommend this to anybody who into a soulful, lounge music! At the very least, take a moment to check out the preview tracks of this wonderfully talented, keyboard player, singer, and songwriter.
-rilstylez

download the album for free here: http://joannaborromeo.bandcamp.com/album/through-the-dark

Joanna Borromeo is not playing around. The young Calgary native definitely shows what shes got on her new album Kaleidoscope, which releases on March 26th.

From front to back the album is a great listen. It features excellent instrumentation that gives the entire album a living breathing feeling. Borromeo’s experience as a pianist certainly makes the album more personal and intimate. I liken the experience to sitting front row at a live show. The tracks are laced with earthy tantalizing vocals.

The aptly named album does a fantastic job of effectively tying together an array of moods while maintaining a cohesive feel.

The opening track “Move Mountains” is absolutely fantastic. The drums are crisp and heavy, the keys are groovy and you cannot help but fall in love with this woman’s style. As soon as the beat drops you will find yourself nodding your head, and the Rhodes takes it from there.

The rest of the album did not disappoint.

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It took me more than a moment to decide how to pronounce the title of this album the first night I played it on the radio. I wondered about the second word of the title, but after a very long pause, I remembered that Bob hails from British Columbia and that the second word is the postal code for the island he lives on. So without undo embarrassment, I let go with the first track, "Sulphur Passage," and for the next four minutes sat there stunned by one of the most brilliant and wonderful rallying songs I'd heard in more than a decade.

At 50, Bob Bossin refers to himself as "Old Folksinger," and to be truthful, he has been around for quite a long time. If you haven't been paying attention in recent years you could have imagined that he was just starting his career, but he's actually been around as long as fellow Canadian Gordon Lightfoot. Gabriola V0R1X0 is his first album in fifteen years and is the product not only of a folk-music master but also of the angels -- hundreds,...

les Breastfeeders nous font le coup de la maturité sur Dans la gueule des jours. Enfin... Si on entend par «maturité» le fait de comprimer l’ensemble du chemin parcouru sur 13 titres endiablés et accrocheurs, de ne jamais abdiquer ni faire de compromis et de trouver le moyen de se renouveler fiévreusement dans la plus totale cohérence, on peut le dire comme ça.
J.P. Tremblay, Nightlife Magazine, Février 2011

English Canada prepare to meet Quebec's best-kept rock'n'roll secret. No matter what language you speak, Les Breastfeeders' tight musicianship and magnetic stage presence cannot be denied...
Sofi Papamarko, Exclaim

... Thankfully, attention-grabbing bands like French-Canadians Les Breastfeeders make one forget one's foreign language purgatory. Despite the communication barrier, these Montreal-rooted miscreants succeed with ceaseless energy, blendin mod-punk, yeye and lusty garage-pop to yield a bouncy, guitar stroked throwdown. Not since the '80"s ...

It was amidst a dizzying flurry of questions on the nature of Time that the third opus by Les Breastfeeders, Dans la geule des jours, came into being. In stores March 8th via Blow The Fuse, the album grafts philosophical inquiry onto a backdrop of hard-hitting rock’n’roll. The band has envisioned the 13 tracks as tableaux representing each of them in the face of temporality, a concept developed by humans that brings with it a great many questions – is Time a fabrication of the mind, or is it intrinsic to nature? Here we have a pulsating rock album laced through with an elaborate and expanding idea; an album in which, as always, Les Breastfeeders shuffle the deck of their influences in an attempt to distance themselves from the clichés that bedevil certain musical genres.

Dans la gueule des jours has, beneath an avalanche of decibels, a strikingly literary lyrical content. Written for the most part in the early morning, the album’s lyrics comprise a joyous and poignant hymn ...

"…Les Breastfeeders pourraient bien avoir signé leur Hard Day's Night avec Les matins de grands soirs. Roche et roule!"
André Péloquin, Ici

… ce sont les Breastfeeders qui m’ont jeté sur le cul... Complètement allumés, Les Breastfeeders se sont lâchés lousse, nous balançant avec furie et pas mal de plaisir leur rock n’roll garage teinté de pop 60’s et de yéyé franco.
Patrick Baillargeon, Ici

…ce premier compact prend des allures de greatest hits.
O. Robillard-Laveaux, Voir Montreal

Les Breastfeeders c’est l’incarnation du rock‘n’roll.
Philippe Renaud, La Presse, Montréal

…ce disque se laisse écouter du début à la fin et on en redemande.
Jonathan Tabib, Longueur d'Ondes

Véritable bouffée d’air frais dans une culture de puristes, le sextuor montréalais prend le rock garage des années soixante par la nuque et lui fait avaler de grandes gorgées de pop des années 80 et de punk, sur ce premier album réussi...

Vancouver area-based quartet The British Columbians are a breath of fresh air. While their music is an incomparably unique union of very diverse backgrounds that results in a mixture of old school blues-influenced stompy rock ‘n’ roll songs (heavy emphasis on the roll), with songs that are haunted, wooden and pastoral, one must understand how their outlook and passion fuels this creativity and originality. It is their grassroots approach to making music for music’s sake that is seeing them blossom as one of Canada’s few truly authentic acts.

“We’re passionate about there being integrity in music,” states Moran matter-of-factly. “I feel like if you have a gift to play music, you should use it and it should be sincere. Those are the bands that we gravitate towards and love: the ones who are genuine. And the first time you hear those bands, you connect with them.”

For The British Columbians, those connections have been coming fast and strong thanks to their heartfel...

Founded in the mid-'60s by vocalist Fraser Loveman, guitarists Greig Foster and Mike Gorgichuk, bassist Joe Colonna and drummer Robbie Jeffrey, the Ontario-based British Modbeats played covers of British Invasion groups such as the Rolling Stones and Spencer Davis Group and posed as true Englishmen. Red Leaf Records signed them and released their 1967 album, Mod Is the British Modbeats.

As their name suggests this Toronto, Ontario, outfit were heavily influenced by the British mod movement and dressed in the latest fashions set in London's Carnaby Street. This is largely explained by the fact that the band's vocalist and leader Fraser Loveman was British. A professional dancer, he had previously choreographed mod dance routines for himself and two Go-Go Girls. They started out in Ste. Catherine, Ontario, in 1963 and were discovered by Ronn Metclafe who was the managing director of a night club there. By 1966 they had become the house band at the Castles Club in Ste. Catheri...

Here are two previously unreleased tracks, recorded at the time the original album "Mod Is" was released, but were not included on the album. "Frustration" was written by Howard/Blaikley (Alan Blaikley & Ken Howard), the UK songwriting team who composed numerous British Invasion hits. "Love of the Loved" (Lennon/McCartney) was originally recorded by The Beatles in 1963.

After the Modbeats, Fraser Loveman formed The Fraser Loveman Group. "They were the most advanced musically with Dave Burt (Merryweather/Cano), Jhn Ord (The Paupers), and Doug Cartet (King Bisquit Boy). It was like a first super group. Metcalfe wanted that band so badly. That was one reason he wanted The Modbeats plus Fraser Loveman. They refused him.", says Loveman. Loveman went on to form the short-lived The Village S.T.O.P. with Paul Marcoux, Jim Hall, and Nick and Steve Urech. The Village S.T.O.P. produced only one single, recorded in 1969 on Ruby Records. There are other unreleased tracks. "Niagara bands...

History has been ravaged by the destructive force of war, and those who left their footmarks on scattered battlefields are anonymous whispers of dust.

But through discovered newspaper clippings, hysterical round-the-clock television sound-bites, and one-on-one meetings with their living lineage, Jon Brooks gives voice to Canadian soldiers and their experiences abroad.

“Ours and the Shepherds,” named for a passage spoken by Dorothy Day (founder of the Catholic Worker Movement) is a peaceful collection of folk compositions with a heart that weeps for the pain and loss that war leaves in its tragic wake.

The album opens and closes with the two-part, “Jim Loney’s Prayer.” James Loney was an activist with the Christian Peacemaker Teams in Iraq who was kidnapped along with three others and became the subject of a widely known hostage crisis.

An anti-violence advocate, Loney did not have any ill will towards his captors, and refused to testify ...

Jon Brooks' latest CD features an ominous title - "Moth Nor Rust" - a phrase taken straight from new testament scripture - and equally ominous artwork entitled "Out of the Cave: Series III". These touchstones point to a serious disc, indeed. But like so many a biblical phrase, there are hints of horror and damage but also hope and joy. Brooks elegantly rails against the injustices of our times, but this is no easy cynical blast of anger. Brooks' music features pretty melodies and soft picking guitar which are set against a gruff gravelly voice and syncopating guitar beats. Black and white, good and evil, love and hate, yin and yang - it's all there. Brooks is clearly a fan of contrast, and this disc does a fantastic job of capturing these elements.

"War Resister" sets the stage for this dynamic tension: the first person narrative comes from a soldier, proud and mighty: "...Yeah we don't know why we do what we do, it's just breathe, trigger, squeeze. And I was trained to ki...