It’s been said before that love is a battlefield, and on his latest album Love Versus (out April 7, 2017 through True North Records), Leeroy Stagger comes well armed. The eleventh studio release by the Western Canadian native is also a milestone, marking the first recording made at Stagger’s home studio in southern Alberta. But more significantly, his ever-evolving fusion of roots, rock and pop reaches new heights on Love Versus, resulting in 10 tracks that confirm his status as one of Canada’s best contemporary singer/songwriters.

“Leeroy is one of the most insightful songwriters I have ever come across. He has a gift for distilling complex images, commentary and concepts into brilliantly succinct lyrical one liners,” says Geoff Kulawick, President, True North Records.

It’s not that Stagger needed much more validation; after working with acclaimed producers Russell Broom (Sam Roberts) and Steve Berlin (Los Lobos) on his previous two albums, Stagger teamed up with Colin Stewart (Dan Mangan, Black Mountain, Yukon Blonde) to produce Love Versus, and put together a dream band for the project.  Longtime friend and collaborator Steve Bays (Hot Hot Heat, The Mounties) remixed and ‘reimagined’, as Stagger would say, the title song and single in Vancouver.

The cornerstone was Pete Thomas, longtime drummer for Elvis Costello, who came up from L.A. for the sessions, joining guitarist Paul Rigby (Neko Case), keyboardist Geoff Hilhorst (The Deep Dark Woods), and Stagger’s longtime bassist Tyson Maiko. Over the course of three weeks, they christened Stagger’s new studio, and in the process changed his perspective on his art.

What is most striking about Love Versus overall is the wisdom at the foundation of each track, and indeed, for anyone who has followed Stagger’s career to this point, it should be apparent that this is the album he’s been destined to make. Since first making his mark on the Canadian independent music scene at the turn of this century, Leeroy Stagger has toured the world, both on his own and with the likes of Steve Earle, Pixies, Modest Mouse and Evan Dando. After almost two decades of consistent output, Stagger certainly does have the respect of both his peers and Canada’s music industry tastemakers. However, the addition of Love Versus to his (ahem) staggering body of work opens a new chapter, promising to reach many more ears.

Stagger has also announced a 10-date Western Canadian tour, kicking off March 17 at Panorama, BC and ending in Vancouver on April 22. Dates are below.

Mar 17 8:00pm Panorama Ski Resort Panorama, BC

Mar 18 8:00pm Panorama Ski Resort Panorama, BC

Mar 24 8:00pm St. Basil's Cultural Centre Edmonton, AB

Mar 25 8:00pm The Bailey Theatre Camrose, AB

Mar 26 8:00pm Tavern 1883 Canmore, AB

Apr 19 9:00pm The Queens Nanaimo, BC

Apr 20 8:00pm The Waverly Hotel Cumberland, BC

Apr 21 8:00pm Sugar Nightclub Victoria, BC

Apr 22 9:30pm Commodore Ballroom Vancouver, BC

Murder Murder is a full string band with suitcase percussion who create a unique blend of bluegrass and outlaw country. The new single/video "I've Always Been A Gambler" is the first from their upcoming LP Wicked Lines and Veins which will be released this September.

The track is a fast-paced, dobro-driven song about an angry drifter in a card game who can’t stand the sight of the man across the table from him. While an original tune, it references two classic gambling folk songs - “Jack of Diamonds” and “The Cuckoo." Northern Ontario’s Murder Murder are a full string band with suitcase percussion who create a unique blend of bluegrass and outlaw country. Their virtuosic musicianship and evocative songwriting are backed by a wealth of original and traditional murder ballads.

Murder Murder was one of only 18 bands invited to showcase last February in London UK for the Americana Music Association UK Conference. Most of the band members love playing Euchre. We make moonshine to take on tour and also make the coveted Apple Pie moonshine. The band has a busy summer lined up and is headlining at various festivals. The band was in a horrible accident involving black ice while on tour in Saskatchewan a year-and-a-half ago that destroyed a tour van, trailer, upright bass, other personal belongings (laptop and phone included), and one band member lost the tip of his right index finger. The band has performed in 13 different countries.

Watch "I've Always Been A Gambler" here:

Fans of Canada’s Terra Lightfoot know that the soulful rocker is an astonishing talent. That’s more obvious than ever with today’s reveal of a new video for the lead single off her forthcoming studio album. “Paradise” will be available for streaming and download stores as of today. Lightfoot’s full-length New Mistakes (Sonic Unyon Records) is set for release on October 13, 2017, with pre-orders available NOW.

“Paradise” Spotify Stream | “Paradise” Apple Music Stream

iTunes Preorder | Amazon Preorder | Google Play Preorder | Sonic Unyon Preorder

“Paradise” Video | Album Cover | New Mistakes Track-by-Track

The “Paradise” video, directed by Dustin Rabin (photographer for Paul McCartney, Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, and director of performance-based videos for Billy Talent), sees its premiere via American Songwriter, a publication whose appreciation of all genres of music dovetails with Lightfoot’s own panoramic musical vision.

The artist’s strengths as a songwriter, vocalist and performer, memorably showcased on her last studio outing, Every Time My Mind Runs Wild, are even more evident here. With New Mistakes, Lightfoot offers up something rare: the kind of genuine document that can only come from a road-tested breed of songwriter and performer.

Shot through with the guitarist-vocalist’s powerful, bluesy soul, vivid lyrics and ferocious six-string virtuosity, it’s an unforgettable outing. From the ground-shaking stomp of “Paradise” and wild-eyed energy of “Pinball” that open the set to the psychedelic, gospel-tinged album closer “Lonesome Eyes,” the steeltown native’s third studio record distills her masterful talent to its electrifying essence. She has some heavyweight friends along for the ride, too: Jake Clemons of the E Street Band brings a muscular sax solo to “Hold You,” while “Slick Back Kid” gets tangy slide guitar work from guest vocalist Oliver Wood of The Wood Brothers.

Produced by Gus van Go and Werner F, New Mistakes is a heady journey. As poignant as it is rollicking and vulnerable as it is rowdy, it cruises long and sometimes lonesome highways that lead everywhere from brokedown dive bars and endless prairie skies to mountain ranges and the Mojave Desert.

Terra Lightfoot on “Paradise”

For me, “Paradise” is about letting go of perfection in love. It’s not wrestling with the problems and missteps in our relationships but embracing them. I think it's a more realistic way to look at love and it gives me some comfort to know I'm not standing there with rose-coloured glasses on.  “Paradise” actually started out as a different song called “Thunder” that was a huge hit at our shows. On the last day of tracking the record, I had this crazy idea that I wanted to change the words because I wasn’t happy with all of them, so I set up a pillow fort and a guitar in the tracking room, went to work… and ended up with a new verse melody and completely different lyrics. Gus and Werner liked the new verse so much they said, “Okay, now go write a chorus to match that verse” — and “Paradise” was born!

TERRA LIGHTFOOT ON TOUR

Sept 15 • Fredericton, NB • Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival *

Sept 16 • Halifax, NS • Rebecca Cohn Auditorium *

Sept 17 • Summerside, PE • Harbourfront Theatre *

Sept 19 • Montréal, QC • Club Soda *

Sept 20 • Québec City, QC • Impérial de Québec *

Sept 21 • Sherbrooke, QC • Théâtre Granada *

Sept 22 • Ottawa, ON • National Arts Centre *

Sept 23 • Port Hope, ON • Cultivate Festival

Sept 25 • Peterborough, ON @ Showplace Performance Centre *

Sept 26 • Kitchener, ON • Centre in the Square *

Sept 27 • Kingston, ON • Grand Theatre *

Sept 29 • London, ON • London Music Hall *

Sept 30 • Hamilton, ON • FirstOntario Concert Hall *

Oct 1 •  Allston, MA • Great Scott †

Oct 2 • Brooklyn, NY • Baby’s Alright †

Oct 4 • Chicago, IL • Schubas †

Oct 6 • Madison, WI • The Frequency †

Oct 7 • Goshin, IN • Ignition Garage †

Oct 11 • Winnipeg, MB • Burton Cummings Theatre ‡

Oct 12 • Saskatoon, SK • Broadway Theatre ‡

Oct 13 • Regina, SK • WaWa Shrine Centre ‡

Oct 14 • Edmonton, AB • Winspear Centre ‡

Oct 17 • Lethbridge, AB • Geomatic Attic ‡

Oct 18 • Mission, BC • Clarke Foundation Theatre ‡

Oct 19 • Vancouver, BC • The Vogue Theatre ‡

Dec 8 • Toronto, ON • Massey Hall ‡

* Solo, supporting Bruce Cockburn  † Solo, supporting Whitehorse  ‡ Full band, supporting Whitehorse

Winnie Brave are a husband-and-wife, highway-stormin’, Americana/country-soul duo. They tour in a 1976 Winnebago with their two dogs and two old guitars. Space is tight but they love to log the miles and play their music to folks all across the country. They've recently released their latest album which is entitled, 'Cheap Gin'.

The first song comes in the form of a video for single 'Moonshine' Winnie Brave speaks of their new single ‘Moonshine’ and says, "it is a driving song that is perfect for those wide-open stretches of highways and backroads. The song builds intensity as it moves along the open road, culminating in a great big sing-along that will certainly, have your fingers tapping on the wheel as your destination comes into view. The song was recorded at Catherine North Studios in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. An old church-turned-recording studio nestled in the heart of the steel city.

You can listen and buy the full release 'Cheap Gin' LP here:

https://winniebrave.bandcamp.com/album/cheap-gin

Or alternatively stream 'Cheap Gin' on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/album/4Q4VvfJ0ehuKm6uomgDGzM

The album was recorded at Catherine North Studios in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. An old church-turned-recording studio nestled in the heart of the steel city.

Jamison Isaak has been releasing acclaimed music under various aliases for the past eight years, and today he is returning to his namesake for the release of neoclassical EP1 - a quiet exploration of piano and pedal steel guitar. Whether it’s ambient-leaning synthpop or quiet meditative folk songs, Isaak has created a fanbase around his compelling, melodic and atmospheric works. Heralded as “irresistible” by Pitchfork and “an enchanted tranquility” by NPR, Jamison’s spacious yet intimate releases strike a chord across genres.

Jamison has released under monikers Teen Daze, Two Bicycles, and Pacific Coliseum in numerous styles. For the return to his given name on EP1 he has focused on meditative neoclassical recordings. Recorded between his home studio and Protection Island Recording (with Jonathan Anderson) in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, this EP navigates through four serene piano pieces. Anderson, who collaborated with Isaak on Themes For Dying Earth (Teen Daze), not only provided the blissful pedal steel parts, but also engineered a good portion of the record over one grey, rainy afternoon which is evident in the final version. Music intended for relaxation purposes.

EP1 is released via Isaak’s own label, FLORA, and is available now on streaming services.

Hamilton Folk duo Twin Within has teamed up with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and Hidden Pony Records for a live re-work of their 2015 album Horizontal Lines (released via Hidden Pony). The band collaborated with Chris Ledroit on the re-arrangement who has experience converting indie works to full orchestral arrangements for the Hamilton Philharmonic. Recorded live off the floor in The Great Hall at Hamilton Place, the album is available today on Spotify, Apple Music, and Soundcloud. Watch the performance video for “Night Danger” here.

Twin Within’s original recording of Horizontal Lines featured flute and cello, so arranging for the orchestra was an opportunity to expand on those foundations in a giant symphonic sandbox. The duo, comprised of Steve McKay and Alex Samaras, decided to dream big to reimagine these songs, exploring territory not usually associated with the blue-collar rock/punk bedrock that the Hamilton music scene is usually characterized by. Two of these new recordings ended up standing out the most to the band - anthemic “Two Within” and the ballad “Night Danger”.

“‘Two Within’ is my favourite track from the original release and stands up to the new arrangement. I have never heard an orchestra groove like this in my life. ‘Night Danger’ is a car-crash tragedy living somewhere between the world of Scott Walker and Hector Berlioz. The marimbas are the engine of the car, driving everything forward accompanied by very creepy bass clarinet and pizzicato strings.  Just when the bleakness becomes unbearable, the strings sweep us off our feet and into heaven.” - Steve McKay

The members of Twin Within grew up in choirs, learning piano, and playing in the orchestra. There were also blues, jazz, rock n’ roll, and hardcore bands along the way. The new re-work of Horizontal Lines is a way for the band to bring together the two worlds. They’ll also be bringing the arrangement to a live audience at The Music Hall at New Vision United Church tonight, April 27. Tickets available now.

This album was made possible by Hidden Pony Records with the support of the Ontario Media Development Corporation.

Hailing from the North, inspired by the South, Nate Daviau (pronounced Dav-ee-o) is a Toronto-born, artist and songwriter. Nate is an engaging performer who has a natural and easy connection with people. A Country artist inspired by alt-country greats like Chris Stapleton and Jason Isbell, Nate has broad interests from pop, folk, gospel and jazz which influence his music. Nate’s distinctive voice, meaningful turn of phrase and lyrical ease partner with hook oriented melodies to make his songs catchy and memorable. Nate is also a prolific writer and enjoys collaborating with several artists in various formats and genres.

Listen to the first solo single "Miss Him Too" here! 

Nate's debut single Carry This Love was released on February 5th and is being played on radio stations across Canada (tracked 112th on Mediabase Country Charts). The second single and his first solo release "Miss Him Too" is now out. In addition to an Ontario concert tour during the summer, Nate will be doing an East Coast Radio Tour and performing at Festivals across Canada. He will also be releasing his debut EP at the end of the summer. Nate is going into his final year at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA

Also find 'Miss You Too' on Soundcloud, Spotify or Apple Music

Nate is a Toronto-born singer/songwriter and guitarist - an engaging performer who has a natural and easy connection with listeners. He's a Berklee College of Music student with a distinctive voice, meaningful turn of phrase, and lyrical ease partnered with hook oriented melodies to make his songs catchy and memorable.

Links: facebook / instagram / twitter

Originating from Kitchener Ontario, Hugo Alley is a high energy indie rock band that has quickly built a reputation for their hard hitting, dynamic live shows and distinctive groove. With influences such as Young the Giant, Bad Suns, The Paper Kites and Sticky Fingers, they blend groovy rhythms, catchy melodies, and experimental guitar textures to create their characteristic sound and feel.

They are currently in-studio recording a second EP, “Point, Place.” Set to release late this year, the album is a step forward and reflects their growth as songwriters. Otherwise, the band has been hitting the road and bringing their live show to cities all across Ontario.

Since the release of their first EP “Therapy”, the boys have gained momentum and had the opportunity to perform in Canadian Music Week (CMW), and play with bands such as The Beaches, Monowhales, Tyler Shaw, Wang Chung, and Lost Cousins.

Originating from small towns outside of Edmonton, Alberta, pop-punk/post-hardcore band Calling All Captains, consisting of Luc Gauthier (vocals), Brad Bremner (guitar/vocals), Connor Dawkins (guitar/vocals), Nick Malychuk (bass), and Tim Wilson (drums), has been manifesting the release of their debut full-length record, Slowly Getting Better, for the past few years and are eager to finally share their creations with the world. 

Slowly Getting Better is a compilation of hardships, persistence, love, and acceptance, and is a thrilling follow up to the 2019 EP, Nothing Grows Here. Calling All Captains' unique sound allows them to dip their toes in both the pop-punk and post-hardcore realms using poppy instrumental elements with a punk-like, aggressive vocal style. 

This album is the largest body of work that any of us have ever put out. It really encapsulates the last 10 years of all of our lives. None of us have ever worked so hard or put as much time into something as we all did for this project. We believe it truly showcases our best foot forward as a band. It was a tough 18 months navigating these uncertain times, but we believe we've come out of it stronger than ever and with the best team we could ever have hoped to build. We hope this album will mean as much to you as it does to us. We're all Slowly Getting Better, together.

Calling All Captains has a fluid dynamic where each member holds an untold responsibility for writing and being an asset to the band. Luc and Connor are the primary songwriters. Brad focuses on the technical elements. Tim concentrates on the beat, and Nick envisions how the songs will perform live and which technical aspects will draw the crowds in. According to Luc, this collaboration "allows the song to be relatable and personable to each member of the band."

Slowly Getting Better is a soundtrack for the struggling yet hopeful people out there. We purposely put "I'm slowly getting better, you can make this happen if you just put in the effort" as the last lines of the record to show people that we're still going through it. Hang in there. We'll all get better together.

Purchase Slowly Getting Better HERE.

Making a name as the biggest breakthrough artists on the international Americana scene in 2021 with their debut album Go By Feel, Canadian country/roots collective, The Hello Darlins are gearing up to return with an even more ambitious collection of material for 2023.

Led by Romani-Canadian musician, Candace Lacina and world-renowned Keyboardist Mike Little, The Hello Darlins are some of Canada’s most in-demand session musicians who came together to forge a distinct hybrid of country, gospel and blues. In keeping with their spirit of collaboration, The Hello Darlins will again feature many other friends and guests, a trait that has lead the band to earn the reputation as “a rootsy version of Broken Social Scene.”

IN THE SUNDUST, tentatively slated for an early 2023 release, will be a sample of the first of a collection of new songs 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). The tracks will also be mixed 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.

The first of these tracks will be made available on Jan 20, 2023 in advance of The Hello Darlin’s performance with Lucinda Williams at Paradiso, Amsterdam and showcase at Americanafest UK. Written by Lacina and Little, the song is called “Better Days” and features country-soul artist Dave Fenley, best known for his performances as a finalist on both America’s Got Talent and as part of Blake Shelton’s team on NBC’s Emmy-winning show, The Voice. The track offers the first taste of their new material with a slow-burning soulful ballad that fully shows off the band’s skills at arrangements, classic instrumentation and unmistakable background vocals.

Written during a time of grief, the message of “Better Days” is about finding hope while enduring challenging times, or in Candace’s words, “It’s about trusting the sunlight will eventually return after the storm.” She adds, “We haven’t changed as people or artists, but our hearts have grown so much in the past year. Among some of the excitement and joy, we’ve also had quite a few challenges and heartaches to process, such as losing loved ones and overcoming other hurdles that life presented. That’s where music really mattered and carried us through.”

According to Mike, “The new music was written over a month at the start of 2022. Candace wrote about 32 songs in the first 2 weeks of the year and at first I thought she was joking, but since the first tours of the year were on hold due to the pandemic – it was a great window to just buckle in and make another album. We ended up recording two albums worth of material.” Of the music currently underway, some are reminiscent of Go By Feel – heartfelt and emotional while others have a bit more of an edge. “There are some up-tempo blues, bluegrass, and southern rock-inspired songs that I think present a more complete picture of the band’s live show,” says Mike.

As for how they wound up in L.A., Candace explains, “We had a call with a great studio agent who loves Americana music and he liked our album. He invited us to record at United and the timing was perfect because we had all the material written and ready to go. It was honestly like being on hallowed ground there. You could FEEL it in the ether, in the walls. It was just incredible to be in a space creating our music where so many of our heroes like Linda Ronstadt, Neil Young and The Doors stood who were part of creating the original Americana sound.”

With well over one million streams and three Canadian Folk Music Awards nominations generated by Go By Feel, it’s safe to say there’s a lot of anticipation for more music from this supergroup.

So, for those who have yet to hear them, who exactly are The Hello Darlins?

The seeds of the band took root in 2016 when Candace and Mike crossed paths again after first meeting at a recording studio years earlier. Once reconnected, they soon found themselves making music together in between their work with other artists, an impressive list that ranges from Shania Twain to Charlie Major, The Road Hammers to George Canyon as well as the late B.B. King.

In short order, the couple began inviting others within their circle to participate, including for Pulver (formerly of Crash Test Dummies), Clayton Bellamy (The Road Hammers), Matt Andersen, Dave and Joey Landreth (a.k.a. The Bros. Landreth), Russell Broom (Jann Arden), and ace fiddler Shane Guse.

On Go By Feel, this incredible collection of talent has carved out a signature sound in Americana like no other, from the heart-wrenching ballads “Aberdeen” and “Prayer For A Sparrow” to the classic country-rocker “Mountain Time” and the album’s soulful title track.

Making music influenced by times of joy and sorrow is natural for Candace and Mike, as both come from families with long musical traditions within Canada. It all adds up to The Hello Darlin’s preferring to add “North” to the Americana genre, a more than symbolic gesture that’s in line with a musical vision that continues to evolve with their upcoming releases!

Velvety-voiced keyboardist Elizabeth Shepherd arrived on the international scene in 2006 when her debut album Start To Move was voted one of the top jazz albums of the year by listeners of the influential Gilles Peterson Show on BBC Radio Worldwide. Since then, the Montreal-based soul-jazz innovator has established herself as one of the most alluring and imaginative artists on the scene today.

A classical pianist who came to jazz through her love of old-school hip-hop, Elizabeth has been hailed as “a jazz virtuoso blessed with a pop sensibility” (Real Detroit Weekly) and praised by critics worldwide for her arrestingly original writing and soulful delivery. Alongside Esperanza Spalding and Robert Glasper, she is among the new wave of jazz-influenced musicians bringing the art form to a younger generation of music fans. The six-time JUNO nominee (Canada’s GRAMMY Awards) and two-time Polaris-Prize nominee has released seven widely acclaimed records, featuring collaborations with such musicians as Lionel Loueke and UK producer Nostalgia 77.

She has toured extensively in North America, Europe, Japan and Mexico, selling out shows from the Cotton Club (Tokyo) to The Jazz Cafe (London, UK) to the Northseas and ELBJazz Festival. She has shared the stage with such great diverse acts as Christian MacBride, Victor Wooten, Spankie Wilson, the Quantic Soul Orchestra, the Five Corners Quintet, Bonobo, and was also personally invited to open for Jamie Cullum at a sold-out Hollywood Bowl show.

At heart, Elizabeth is an improviser, playing off of whatever is around her. During the pandemic, she suddenly found herself stuck at home with nobody to create with. Having to find another way to ride her creative wave, she improvised. Elizabeth took inspiration from sounds around her – typewriters, garbage cans, records skipping, birds, people talking – you name it. She then wove them into snippets from old recordings of jams with friends, turned stuff upside down, added layers and synth parts, and came up with the new full-length album, THREE THINGS.