Devin Cuddy: A Musical Maverick with Heart and Soul

 When it comes to Canadian music, few artists can claim a legacy as rich and diverse as Devin Cuddy. A gifted musician, songwriter, and performer, Devin Cuddy is a shining star in his own right. His first album, Volume One, a blend of his love for New Orleans blues and

Jim Bryson Returns Home

 “If it looks like I’ve seen a ghost I just want to go home” -Jim Bryson (Cigarette Thin) It’s 4 a.m. I am awoken by Jim Bryson’s voice singing about ghosts. Below me the snowploughs clatter in the street. Bryson’s new album, Somewhere We Will Find Our Place, has seemingly

One Giant Step for the Tourist Company

 L to R: Swindells, Parry, Levey and Quezada. All photos by Brian Chan photography.  Vancouver’s own The Tourist Company formed in 2013 after camp friends Taylor Swindells (singer/songwriter/multi instrumentalist), Jillian Levey (vocalist) and Brenon Parry (drummer) began playing folk music together. After recording the trio’s first album, Brother Wake Up,

James Leclaire: The Sing-a-Long Sounds of Storytelling and Sorrow

 Album cover by Brett Clarke. James Leclaire’s fourth album, These Weights, combines the soulful storytelling of folk and country music with the anthemic energy of punk, to create a sound he calls ‘dirt country.’ “There is a country twang to it but it’s got an edginess that is a little

The Journey of ‘Five Crooked Lines’

 Finger Eleven has made a bold return to the Canadian music scene with the release of their sixth studio album, Five Crooked Lines. For the new record’s launch, the band has lined up a full summer tour across North America which includes a stop in Ottawa on August 13. Five Crooked

Everything He Plays, Turns to Gold

 Photo Credit: Scarlet O'Neill For more than eight years, Toronto-based singer-songwriter Ben Kunder has been writing and producing music every Canadian can relate to. His long awaited debut solo album, Golden, will be released May 26, followed by a number of shows throughout Ontario and Quebec. One of the tour’s

Catching Up With Singer-Songwriter Amir Brandon

 Photo courtesy of Alyssa Balistreri Since winning the 2014 Singer-Songwriter Mentor Experience, a contest for unsigned Canadian singer-songwriters, what have you been doing? Amir: Writing, performing, making YouTube covers, and writing some more. A lot more! Since last summer, I've been working on a new album with a fellow musician

C’est Up to You

 Photo courtesy of Claude Brazeau It’s that voice. Forget her magnetic stage personality, her glamorous good looks and the fact that you can groove to her tunes in both official languages. Those are all gravy. It’s her voice that’ll get you. If Dominique Forest sings a happy song, you’ll be

Pilar’s Picks: Julie Crochetière

 Canada definitely has talent. I’d love to introduce you to singer-songwriter Julie Crochetière, born and raised in Montreal. Her music tugs deep into your heart and each track has you feeling passionate emotions. Crochetière recently released her fourth solo album Counting Dreams, and you need to give it a listen to! I’m

Sarah Slean: Navigating the Mystery on Land & Sea

 Fifteen years on and Sarah Slean's list of accomplishments is as varied as it is impressive. Slean is something of a modern-day Renaissance Woman. During her career, she's released an exhaustive amount of work: her own albums, collaborations with other musicians, painting exhibitions, two volumes of poetry, acting roles in

Paul Brandt – Getting back to his gospel roots

 Paul Brandt's newest record Just As I Am, released in October, is an interesting departure for this Canadian country star and multi-music-award winner. Just As I Am is a reference to Brandt's gospel roots, and the record is a collection of traditional favorites. If you're not interested in an album with overt Christian

Mother Mother: Back to Basics on The Sticks

 At the peak of digital possibility, for every one artist capitalizing on the technology age, two are cursing its contribution to the demise of good music. For every Rebecca Black, there is a Neil Young – an established artist there to remind us that it didn’t used to be all

David Usher – Ushering in the End of the World

 Songs From the Last Day on Earth is David Usher's eighth solo release since the heady days of Canadian super-group Moist, and seemingly the most sober in terms of subject matter and content. Usher has said that Songs From the Last Day on Earth is a “theme” record in terms of all

Inlet Sound: The New Romantics on the Block

 When young indie crew Inlet Sound ventured to record in the cabins and churches of the Canadian Shield last spring, their escapist recording experience mimicked those of many veteran rockers before them who stole away from the pop of camera bulbs and city noise to achieve musical serenity. Only, Inlet

Red Potion – The New English Words Record

 With the new release Red Potion, English Words become slicker elixir-mixers. (Try saying that 10 times in a row with an alcohol-thickened tongue.) For whatever reasons, Canada’s East coast seems to continually nurture and produce some of the coolest Canadian bands around, whether Thrush Hermit, Eric’s Trip, Rose Cousins, Rich

Lynn Miles – Songs of Love and Truth

 I was fortunate enough to attend a Lynn Miles show at Irene's Pub on Bank Street a few weeks ago. Irene’s Pub is an amazing live music venue. Alex Golota, the owner, recently finished some major renovations to the bar's performance area, and let me tell you, the sound and