Zach Bryan’s set titled album came out at the end of August and topped both the country and rock charts. The record features a few collaborations including this cut deeper on the record, “Spotless.” You’ll notice a familiar vocal as The Lumineers’ Wesley Schultz joins Bryan.
Zach Bryan’s 2024 Quittin Time Tour features a handful of Canadian stops.
March 17 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena March 18 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena November 17 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place November 18 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place November 20 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
Oh I wanna go to that Vancouver show, but tickets to concerts are out of control and Zach Bryan is no different. I’ll check these dynamic prices on the day of the event to see if they come back to Earth.
Spent my weekend with the new solo album from BROCKHAMPTON leader Kevin Abstract. The album is called Blanket.
Abstract is known for hip-hop with BROCKHAMPTON but Blanket is very much an alternative record. In a press tease Abstract said, “I wanted to make, like, a Sunny Day Real Estate, Nirvana, Modest Mouse type of record, but I wanted it to hit like a rap album.”
I had to go on a drive this weekend and had the album going front-to-back, and then back again to a song called “Madonna.”
“Madonna” is a high-cost production that boasts the creative talents of Abstract’s most frequent collaborator, Romil Hemnani, and the top songwriting partners of Harry Styles, Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson. The song is a serious ear worm and knowing that some monsters in pop music were part of it is evident.
When the chorus kicks in, I have the volume cranked.
She’s better off in the club dancin’ how she wanna Do her thing, what she feel, smokin’ marijuana Spend her bands how she needs, she thinks she Madonna She thinks she Madonna, maybe she Madonna
Last Friday an interesting record came across my music listening adventures. The group was called Trans-Canada Highwaymen and the song was called “Theme From the Trans-Canada Highwaymen.” It was a silly song but I clicked on the bio because I was curious about where these guys with an amazing geographical name were from. They were vaguely familiar sounding.
Turns out the group is a Canadian “super group” featuring Sloan bassist Chris Murphy, Odds guitarist Craig Northey, former Barenaked Ladies frontman Steven Page, and The Pursuit of Happiness’s Moe Berg. They came together to record a bunch of AM rock radio staples of a by-gone era.
The boys were aiming to create a record that harkens back to the old K-Tel compilation album. And they wanted to cover all those classic Canadian Content bands that might have shown up CJCH.
The album even has an incredible title and cover, Explosive Hits Vol. 1.
On this album, you’ll hear Steven sing “Undun” (The Guess Who), “Rock Me Gently” (Andy Kim) and “(I Believe) There’s Nothing Stronger Than Our Love” (Paul Anka). You’ll hear Craig sing “Tonite is a Wonderful Time to Fall in Love” (April Wine), “Make My Life a Little Bit Brighter” (Chester), “Heartbeat, It’s a Lovebeat” (The DeFranco Family) and “Can’t Catch Me” (Bim). You’ll hear Chris sing “Lovin’ You Ain‘t Easy” (Michel Pagliaro), “Which Way You Goin’ Billy?” (The Poppy Family) and “Carry Me” (The Stampeders). You’ll hear Moe sing “Pretty Lady” (Lighthouse), “Raised on Robbery” (Joni Mitchell) and “You, Me and Mexico” (Edward Bear).
“We’d been sporadically doing shows for a couple of years and having a blast laughing at each other’s jokes and playing each other’s smash hits. The question eventually arose. ‘What should we do next?’ We knew, whatever it was, it should only include smash hits. It was Chris who said ‘how about Explosive Hits?’. We laughed …so therefore it had to happen. Covid locked us all down so the plan was hatched to each hand pick a few Canadian AM rock radio hits from the very late 60’s and early 70’s. Our AM radios had helped shape our DNA and none of us had strayed too far from our inner child. Our arrested development was going to make this easy. We’d record our parts remotely and they would be aggregated and mixed in the Odds North Vancouver studio. Out of the blue Steven surprised us all with a new song that described our origin story — ‘Theme from TransCanada Highwaymen’. It was obviously an Explosive Hit so we had to throw it on our growing bonfire of Canadian rock heaters. So…four Canadian musical mavens from the 80’s and 90’s sing the Canadian songs of the 60’s and 70’s. Makes total sense. As Moe says, “Don’t think too much about it. Act now”.
OK, yes the band sounds a lot like your Dad and his friends’ cover band that plays a show or two at the local pub or farmer’s market. Let’s leave you with a slice of Haligonian nostalgia. Trans-Canada Highwaymen covering April Wine.
The iconic rock trio Green Day, consisting of Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool, has made an electrifying comeback with their latest single, “The American Dream Is Killing Me.” This song serves as both the opening number and first release from their highly anticipated 14th studio album, titled “Saviors,” scheduled for release on January 19th, 2024, via Reprise/Warner Records.
Fans can pre-order the album to be among the first to experience Green Day’s latest musical endeavor. The band premiered “The American Dream Is Killing Me” and another fresh track, “Look Ma, No Brains!” from the upcoming album, during a live performance in Las Vegas, NV at the When We Were Young Festival. Band also rocked a sold-out surprise show at the 800-capacity Fremont which would have been something to witness.
Green Day has also unveiled the music video for “The American Dream Is Killing Me,” directed by Brendan Walter and Ryan Baxley. Video will be posted below.
Since it is all about the much these days as bands transition into t0-shirt and vinyl record brands, fans will have the opportunity to own exclusive versions of “Saviors.” These limited-edition vinyl releases include striking variants like neon pink with neon green splatter and black ice with hot pink splatter, with most available in very limited quantities and pressed only once. Hot Pink galaxy splatter looks cool. And if you really want to annoy your friends (or you inherited an old pick-up truck that still has a deck where the infotainment system would be on a Tesla), maybe you’ll pre-order the cassette tape!
“The American Dream Is Killing Me” holds a special place in Green Day’s creative journey, as one of the last tracks recorded for “Saviors.” Billie Joe Armstrong, the band’s frontman, shared, “As soon as we cut it, we said, ‘Okay, that’s going first.'” He goes on to describe the song as “a look at the way the traditional American Dream doesn’t work for a lot of people – in fact, it’s hurting a lot of people.”
“Saviors” was recorded in both London and Los Angeles, marking the latest powerful collaboration between Green Day and Grammy-winning producer Rob Cavallo. Notably, Cavallo previously worked with the band on two of their most iconic albums, 1994’s “Dookie” and 2004’s “American Idiot.” The release of “Saviors” is perfectly timed just ahead of the 30th anniversary of “Dookie,” which has already sparked celebrations, including a deluxe edition of the album and a surprise show in Las Vegas where Green Day played “Dookie” in its entirety to a sold-out crowd of devoted fans.
Accompanying the release of “The American Dream Is Killing Me” is a visually stunning, film noir-inspired black and white music video. Directed by Brendan Walter and Ryan Baxley, the video features Green Day immersed in a gripping zombie apocalypse scenario, shot against the backdrop of Los Angeles.
Green Day continues to take the music world by storm with upcoming performances. On Thursday, October 26, the band will take the stage as part of Amazon Music Live’s concert series, and on November 19, they will headline the Twisted Tea Grey Cup Halftime Show for the 110th Grey Cup at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ontario. now if my BC Lions can march to the Grey Cup this year, maybe Billie Joe will rock a black and orange jersey on stage.
blink-182 fans are rolling out of bed, sore and with weird new aches, to a new album.
They highly hyped 9th album One More Time… is out today.
This is the first classic lineup blink record featuring Mark Hoppus, Travis Barker, and Tom DeLonge in over a decade. The band has delivered a more mature, introspective take on their classic So-Cal pop punk sound. We’ve already heard the singles “Edging” and “One More Time.” With the release, the band also shared a new single called “You Don’t Know What You’ve Got.” The title alone should tell you that you’ll be hearing another song similar to “One More Time.”
This is not the first reunion from the band. They gave it a go after the near death experience Travis Barker went through when a plane he was flying on crashed during takeoff, killing four people in 2008. Barker suffered extreme second and third degree burns, many surgeries, and mental health trauma. The other survivor from that crash, Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein, a would die a year later of a drug overdose.
The band released the album Neighborhoods and the ep Dogs Eating Dogs during that time. They began recording California during that era but Tom DeLonge left again and was replaced by Alkaline Trio’s Matt Skiba in 2014.
The reunion is feeling a little more real. The band is enjoying a phenomenal resurgence in popularity and the guys at least appear outwardly to be getting along.
The record is a nostalgic trip for sure with call backs to the bands history. It can be pretty on-the nose like in the lyrics to their current monster single “One More Time,” ““I wish they’d told us/It shouldn’t take a sickness/Or airplanes falling from the sky,” where the band touches on Barker’s plane crash and Mark Hoppus’ more recent battle with cancer.
The band starts the record with a third “Anthem.” The previous two being found on a couple of their most popular albums, Enema of The State and Take Off Your Pants and Jacket.
The record also appears to feature a riff off Dogs Eating Dog song “When I Was Young.” The update having the simple title “When We Were Young.” Lyrically the song is similar but might be more of a sequel than an update or re recording to my ear.
There is also a nice mature love song for all you aging scene kids that are still smooshing between hustling the kids to soccer practice and figuring out who is stopping to pick up some groceries after work.
One More Time also features a few trashy punk moments that take me back to Dude Ranchera blink. They have a couple songs that barely clock in at 30 seconds with “TURN THIS OFF” and “FUCK FACE.” The song “HURT (Interlude)” gives me some Angles and Airwaves energy…but in only a minute and half and not 6 minutes like an A&A song.
blink-182, emerged from the Southern California punk rock scene in the early 1990s. Formed in Poway, California, by guitarist Tom DeLonge, bassist Mark Hoppus, and drummer Scott Raynor, the band initially gained local recognition for their energetic live performances and raw, irreverent sound. After a few lineup changes, including the replacement of Raynor with Travis Barker, they found mainstream success with their 1999 album Enema of the State, which featured hits like “All the Small Things” and “What’s My Age Again?” blink-182 played a pivotal role in popularizing pop-punk and skate punk, becoming a cultural phenomenon with their humorous, relatable lyrics and catchy melodies. Over the years, they continued to evolve their sound, achieving enduring influence on the punk and alternative rock genres.
Do you have a favourite song from the album? Post it in the comments.
French electric artist M83 shared a song that was a deep cut from 2011’s Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. The song “Mirror” was originally a hidden song you could download by discovering a download code in the liner notes for the CD. The song was altered issued as a 7″ for Record Store Day.
Since then, the song has been the closer for M83’s live set. The band recently wrapped a North American tour for their latest album, Fantasy, and “Mirror” was how they ended every show.
Anthony Gonzalez, aka M83, said this about the song, “it’s a track that never came out digitally and we close our shows with that song. The response of the audience has been great so far, and it’s an unknown song that deserves to be properly released in my opinion.”
Ugh, I loved Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming so much when it came out. I still fire up that record to this day.
Diverging from the conventional punk landscape they called home, NoMeansNo emerged uniquely in 1979 within the confines of brothers Rob and John Wright’s familial basement. Over the ensuing three decades, the band navigated a dynamic lineup, inked a record deal with Alternative Tentacles, and embarked on a global tour. A steadfast commitment to integrity led them to rebuff numerous mainstream opportunities, ensuring they remained intentionally obscure but garnered the admiration and devotion of a global fanbase, including some who rose to rock stardom.
NoMeansNo: From Obscurity to Oblivion presents the fully authorized oral and visual chronicle of this profoundly influential and enigmatic band, a narrative never before unveiled. Author Jason Lamb secured exclusive access to all four original members, conducting interviews with a myriad of individuals in their orbit, spanning managers, roadies, fellow musicians, friends, and family. The outcome is an exhaustive account, encapsulating the band’s journey from its genesis in 1979 to its retirement in 2016. Complemented by a wealth of previously unreleased photos, posters, and memorabilia, the book offers a comprehensive exploration of the band’s legacy.
For devoted fans, this book is a heartfelt homage to their cherished group, uncovering previously undisclosed details. Meanwhile, for those intrigued by the narrative and impact of NoMeansNo, it unveils a captivating saga of how a punk ensemble achieved musical excellence while steadfastly adhering to a DIY ethos. The band’s influence and significance are immeasurable, and NoMeansNo: From Obscurity to Oblivion stands as the quintessential archive of their indelible mark on the music scene.
Lenny Kravitz is back with his latest single and a provocative music video titled “TK421.” This release marks Kravitz’s 12th full-length album, his first in five years, and a groundbreaking first-ever double LP titled “Blue Electric Light,” set to drop on March 15, 2024, under Roxie Records/BMG.
“TK421” takes listeners on a sonic journey. The track showcases Kravitz’s signature style with ecstatic funk guitars, robotic analog synths, a talkbox, a dancefloor beat, a fiery saxophone solo, and clever references to both Boogie Nights and Star Wars. The accompanying music video adds another layer to the song’s free spirit, revealing a side of Kravitz never seen before. Like mostly being naked and smoking a blunt.
“TK-421” is a reference to a Stormtrooper designation in the Star Wars universe. In “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope,” the character Luke Skywalker, disguised as a Stormtrooper, uses the code “TK-421” to communicate with Imperial officers. The phrase gained pop culture significance and recognition among Star Wars fans. In the context of Lenny Kravitz’s single titled “TK421,” it appears to be a playful nod to the iconic Star Wars reference.
Described in the press release as timeless, explosive, romantic, and inspiring, “Blue Electric Light” is a testament to Kravitz’s enduring artistry. The album was written and recorded in his Bahamas studio, showcasing his mastery of deep-soul rock ‘n roll. “Blue Electric Light” is a passionate collection of songs that not only solidifies his legacy as a genre-breaking trailblazer but also resonates with the energy of the 21st century and beyond.
Kravitz’s versatility shines through on the album, where he wrote, produced, and played most of the instruments himself, alongside longtime guitarist Craig Ross. The result is a compelling 12-track offering that captures the essence of his groundbreaking career while embracing the spirit of contemporary music.
Lenny Kravitz has consistently soared to chart summits, establishing himself as a musical powerhouse with enduring chart success. His ability to seamlessly blend rock, funk, and soul has resonated globally, earning him an impressive array of chart-topping hits. From the infectious grooves of “Are You Gonna Go My Way” to the soulful anthem “Fly Away,” Kravitz’s chart trajectory reflects not only his artistic versatility but also an unwavering connection with audiences. With multiple Grammy Awards under his belt and a string of Billboard chart triumphs, Kravitz’s chart success is a testament to his timeless sound and enduring influence in the music industry.
As Kravitz unveils more from the luminous world of “Blue Electric Light” in the coming weeks, fans can anticipate a continued exploration of his unparalleled contribution to music, art, and culture.
Nova Scotia-based singer-songwriter Lawrence Curry has recently unveiled his debut album, “I Sail To Thee,” which is now available. Demonstrating a full-bodied voice and expert guitar skills, Curry’s album is elevated by his exceptional storytelling ability—a tribute to his Celtic heritage.
Throughout the LP, Curry draws inspiration from real-life narratives and personal experiences, weaving unique and compelling stories track by track. Influenced by his journeys through Scotland, Curry showcases his storytelling prowess in the atmospheric closing track and first single, “Of Which Mortals Only Dream.” The song recounts the rescue of a shipwrecked mariner, with its melody intricately mirroring the story’s progression. Starting with enigmatic guitar picking, the listener is drawn into the sensation of being lost at sea, and as the narrative unfolds to reveal a rescue, the music transforms with steady strumming, percussion, and a gentle groove, creating a sense of safety and discovery.
The genesis of “Of Which Mortals Only Dream” occurred during Curry’s travels but found its way onto paper during the pandemic. A seasoned musician who began playing the guitar and crafting folk songs at the age of fourteen, Curry’s musical journey has evolved over the years. After a brief hiatus, he returned as a semi-professional composer and sound designer, but his intrinsic desire to write music and share stories never waned. The pandemic became a catalyst for creativity, giving rise to most of the tracks on “I Sail To Thee.”
Reflecting on this period of self-reflection, Curry shares, “I realized during the pandemic, with all that time for self-reflection, that life is too short and fragile not to do what you love and be who you are.” This realization fueled his dedication to his craft. The 9-track album is a tribute to his identity and those who have shaped him. Woven with elements of his personal journey, Celtic heritage, experiences in Ireland and Scotland, and love for his wife, the album encapsulates the history of his home province. It seamlessly intertwines the past and present through tales of yearning, resulting in a musical journey that transcends both oceans and time.
Curry’s aspiration is for each song to linger in the listener’s memory long after the music ceases—a testament to the enduring power of his storytelling and musical artistry.
Thrice’s classic, The Artist in the Ambulance came out back in 2003 and is custom, the band will be touring the 20th anniversary. They also re-recorded the record featuring a buffet of guest vocals.
“The question has to be asked: Why would we re-record a 20 year old album, let alone one that is widely beloved and arguably our most well-known. I think the core of the answer is that it simply sounded fun and we were curious,” shares Thrice vocalist Dustin Kensrue. “We know that playing the revisionist is a dangerous game, so we were always a little uneasy about trying to go back and mess with something that people loved, people who had none of the hangups about the record that we did. But, since we decided to do this anyway, we tried to let that wariness guide us in how we approached the record, and in the end we decided to make very minimal structural changes.
“At the end of the day, what we wanted the record to sound like for fans is that somehow one of their old favorite records got a new lease on life, but that it hadn’t lost its soul or turned into something else. We hope you enjoy revisiting The Artist In the Ambulance.”
That’s nice. As a recovering hipster myself, I enjoy the aged up vocals.
The band is touring, but no Vancouver show. C’est dommage. I’d have to brave the I-5 and hit Seattle.
Back from a family trip to Whistler to celebrate my wife’s 40th birthday! Fun times. We didn’t have Thrice banging on the stereo on the drive up. It was enough to keep the kids from dominating the playlist with songs heard in Roblox YouTube videos.
The audacity of my kids thinking they get to pick the music on a road trip.
When I was a kid, we listened to the same 8 Johnny Horton and John Denver songs on a dubbed cassette on the 7.5 hour drive to Quesnel aNd We LiKeD iT.
