Hanni El Khatib - You Rascal You

Happy Friday everyone! Enjoy the track below from Hanni El Khatib:



- Bryce

First Single from Wintersleep's new record: Hello Hum

Canadian indie veterans Wintersleep are set to release their third LP Hello Hum on June 12th and the first single "In Came the Flood" was debuted on CBC Radio 3 and the band's website about three hours ago. Head over to wintersleep.com now to listen to "In Came the Flood".

 - Spence

Introducing: Cold Specks

On my drive home to Lethbridge recently listening to trusty CBC Radio 3 I heard this incredible song coming through the speakers of my car. I was blown away, and not just because of the Lethbridge winds. The song was "Holland" by Cold Specks. Cold Speck is lead by Al Spx from Etobicoke, Ontario however currently based in London, UK. And although she is new to me and probably many Canadians, she is already well known and respected in the UK. 

Cold Speck's album I Predict A Graceful Expulsion is due out May 21 of this year, but you can listen to "Holland" right here and download it via Soundcloud. In addition to the new album she is returning to Canada for a tour this summer with Great Lake Swimmers, including dates in Lethbridge and Calgary. Here is the album artwork, tracklist, and tour dates.




I Predict a Graceful Expulsion


 
Tracklisting:

1. The Mark
2. Heavy Hands
3. Winter Solstice
4. When The City Lights Dim
5. Hector
6. Holland
7. Elephant Head
8. Send Your Youth
9. Blank Maps
10. Steady
11. Lay Me Down


Tour Dates:

May 4th - Winnipeg, MB - West End Cultural Centre
May 6th - Edmonton, AB - McDougall United Church
May 7th - Calgary, AB - Central United Church
May 8th - Lethbridge, AB - Southminster United Church
May 9th - Nelson, BC - The Royal
May 11th - Vancouver, BC - The Commodore Ballroom
May 12th - Victoria, BC - Alix Goolden Hall
June 2nd - Toronto, ON -  Danforth Music Hall

 - Spence

Stream: M. Ward - A Wasteland Companion

M. Ward's new album A Wasteland Companion drops April 10th but you can listen to the album in it's entirety now via the First Listen segment at NPR.  Enjoy!

 - Spence

The Tallest Man on Earth - There's No Leaving Now

Kristian Matsson (The Tallest Man on Earth) has announced that he will be releasing his new album on June 12th. You can check out the cover art above and the track listing below:

To Just Grow Away
Revelation Blues
Leading Me Now
1904
Bright Lanterns
There's No Leaving Now
Wind and Walls
Little Brother
Criminals
On Every Page

- Bryce

Record Store Day - Releases

It's here! The official list of Record Store Day Releases.

Happy reading and support your local record store.

The local shops participating in Calgary:

The Inner Sleeve
Sloth Records
Heritage Posters & Music
Melodiya Records

The local shop participating in Lethbridge:

Blueprint 

- Bryce

Beck - Looking For a Sign

New Beck track - check it out below:



- Bryce

Tanlines - Mixed Emotions

On March 20th, which happens to be tomorrow Tanlines will release their first LP entitled Mixed Emotions. I first caught wind of the band with there 2010 EP Settings, where I was not blown away but definitely left with sense of optimism due to Tanlines potential. After giving the new album a first listen I am really enjoying what I hear, and could be that springs album I have been looking for. Give it a listen for yourself over at NPR Music or pick up the album tomorrow on your preferred media.

- Spence

Miss Emily Brown - Wire Wood Wind EP

I recently came across the music of Emily Brown and heard a song called Back to the Woods off her new Wire Wood Wind EP. I have to admit that I was impressed and decided to see what I could find out about her. Here is what her website has to say about it:

A surprise release by Miss Emily Brown, Wire Wood Wind (March 13, 2012) is a candid collection of unheard songs recorded on a spring afternoon in Kreuzberg, Berlin. This EP is a collaborative experiment with producer Martyn Heyne (Efterklang, Gyda Valtysdottir). Miss Brown moves with earnest vocals and creaky autoharp through Heyne’s living breathing landscape of sound. Featuring songs Man On Wire, Back to the Woods and Into the Wind, Wire Wood Wind is a thirteen and a half minute burst of life.

Head over to her CBC Music Page to have a listen for yourself.

Check out her other albums HERE. Happy Friday everyone.

- Bryce

Canadian Music @ SXSW

If you didn't know North America's largest music festival South By Southwest (SXSW) is currently underway in Austin, TX. And if your like me you weren't able to attend. However, thanks to the partnership between Sirius XM and SXSW you can listen to the many great Canadian artists (over 135 of them!) through out the festival. The festivities kicked off with the Canadian Blast BBQ yesterday featuring bands in the banner above. But if you tune into CBC Radio 3 through the day and weekend you will be able to hear Canadian artists as they tackle the stages of SXSW. You can also listen through Sirius XM channel 152 (CBC Radio 3) or 151, which will be playing a little of everything.

Enjoy!

 - Spence

Miike Snow - The Wave (Video)

The most recent video released by Miike Snow features a new single called The Wave and also continues the story that has been told in the previous videos. The new song/video is below for you to watch.



- Bryce

Zeus - Busting Visions

Late last year I posted the first single from Zeus's upcoming album Busting Visions. The band is getting ready to release the album on March 27th alongside a tour. You can check out a couple more tracks below along with the tour dates.





Spring 2012 Canadian Tour

5/22 Regina, SK // The Exchange
5/23 Calgary, AB // Broken City
5/25 Victoria, BC // The Lucky Bar
5/26 Vancouver, BC // The Biltmore Cabaret
5/29 Nelson, BC // The Royal
5/30 Canmore, AB // Communitea Cafe
5/31 Edmonton, AB // Pawn Shop
6/01 Saskatoon, SK // Amigo's
6/02 Winnipeg, MB // The Lo Pub
6/06 Hamilton, ON // The Casbah
6/07 Waterloo, ON // The Starlight Room
6/08 London, ON // APK Live
6/09 Toronto, ON // Phoenix Concert Theatre

Enjoy,

- Bryce

Jack White - Sixteen Saltines

A new track from Jack White's solo effort has been released and it is entitled Sixteen Saltines. You can stream the new track below.



- Bryce

Record Store Day 2012

Record Store Day 2012 is fast approaching and it is a great day for those who enjoy collecting vinyl and limited edition runs. Although Record Store Day has yet to release their official list, you can head over to the Wax Poetic Website to get a preview of what's coming your way.

The local shops participating in Calgary:

The Inner Sleeve
Sloth Records
Heritage Posters & Music
Melodiya Records

The local shop participating in Lethbridge:

Blueprint

 Happy reading!



- Bryce

Joel Plaskett - Lightning Bolt

The creation of Scrappy Happiness has now matured like a fine wine as the 10th and final track of the album has been released. The new song is called Lightning Bolt and it features driving electric guitars and is the 'rock' song of the album. Clocking in at over 6 minutes it is sure to please your ears.

You can find the new song over on the CBC Music Website.

The past 10 weeks has given listeners a peek into the world of Joel Plaskett and the process through which this album was made. He has created a record that is well rounded and listenable. There hasn't been a track on the album that I find myself skipping.

Congrats Joel, Scrappy Happiness has lived up to the hype.

Check out the other 9 tracks HERE.

Making of Lightning Bolt:



- Bryce

Michael Bernard Fitzgerald - Follow

Over the past 5 or so years Michael Bernard Fitzgerald (MBF) has been steadily growing his fan base across the country. After several full length releases and a couple EPs MBF could be now be considered a force to be reckoned within the Canadian music industry. He recently put on a show at Calgary's Jack Singer Concert Hall which featured over 250 musicians, artists and dancers. These large spectacles, which are put on a couple times a year have been a staple of MBF's formula for some time now. It is nice to see an artist really putting some effort into their craft and creating something that is not usually done.

MBF is set to release a new full length on April 24th entitled Yes. The first single has just been released and it is entitled Follow. The song sticks exactly to what one would expect from Fitzgerald - If you have listened to more than one MBF record you will know what I mean.



Tour:

3/9 London, ON - Forewell Hall
3/10 Toronto, ON - Rivoli
3/14 Antigonish, NS - Golden X Inn
3/15 Halifax, NS - The Grawood
3/16 Charlottetown, PEI - The Wave
3/17 Fredericton, NB - Capitol
3/22-24 Toronto, ON - Slacker Canadian Music Festival
3/29 Sault Ste Marie, ON - Lop Lops
3/31 Winnipeg, MB - The Lo Pub

- Bryce

Yukon Blonde - Tiger Talk

Yukon Blonde is releasing their new album Tiger Talk in March and you can get a preview of the whole album over on Dine Alone Record's Soundcloud Page!

Check out their music video for Stairway below:



Tour:

March

5 – Seattle, Wash. @ Sunset Tavern
13 – 18 – Austin, Texas @ SXSW
22 – Edmonton, Alberta @ Pawn Shop
23 – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan @ Amigos
24 – Winnipeg, Manitoba @ WECC
26 – Minneapolis, Minn. @ Triple Rock
27 – Chicago, Ill. @ Beat Kitchen
28 – London, Ontario @ Call the Office
29 – Guelph, Ontario @ The Vinyl
30 – Montreal, Quebec @ Casa Del Popolo
31 – Kingston, Ontario @ Grad Club

April

2 – Quebec City, Quebec @ Le Cercle
4 – Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island @ Hunters Ale House
5 – Fredericton, New Brunswick @ The Capitol
6 – St. John’s, Newfound Land @The Rock House
7 – Halifax, Nova Scotia @ Reflections Cabaret
10 – New York, N.Y. @ Pianos
11 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ Kung Fu Necktie


 Enjoy!

- Bryce

Joel Plaskett - Time Flies

So now we find ourselves in week 9 of Joel Plaskett's journey that is Scrappy Happiness. Only one more week to go!

This week's track is called Time Flies and you can stream it over on the CBC Music Website .

- Bryce

Andrew Bird - Break it Yourself

Sorry about the writing hiatus everyone.

Today I bring you a stream of Andrew Bird's new album, Break it Yourself. Check it out over on the NPR website HERE.

- Bryce