After making one of the biggest breakthroughs on the international Americana scene with their debut album Go By Feel, Canadian country/roots collective The Hello Darlins is gearing up to return with an even more ambitious collection of material for its official sophomore release, The Alders & The Ashes, due early in 2024.

The group, led by Romani-Canadian musician Candace Lacina and world-renowned Hammond B3 player Mike Little, The Hello Darlins consist of some of Canada’s most in-demand session musicians who came together to forge a distinct hybrid of country, gospel and blues.

After three European Tours that included an Americanafest-UK showcase and a support slot with Lucinda Williams at the Paradiso in Amsterdam, as well as a 36-date cross-Canadian tour with blues-roots icon Matt Andersen with sold-out stops at Massey Hall and National Arts Centre along the way, The Hello Darlins are just getting started.

The latest taste of their new music is the single “Don’t You Fall,” an upbeat, radio-friendly track that showcases Candace’s unmistakable vocals. The song delivers a message to persevere through hard times by enjoying the wonder of life, and the love and support of those closest to us. “I wrote it after a dream,” Candace says. “I was watching someone have a conversation with an old tree and they were both saying the same thing to each another: ‘Hold on, friend. You’ve seen so much, but don’t resign, because there is still so much more.’”

The video for “Don’t You Fall” is a playful variation on the same theme. “As a society, we’re so obsessed with preserving our youth, but age is just a relative concept,” says Candace, who conceptualized and created the video based on animation techniques often used in children’s television programs from the 1960s and ‘70s. “Who didn’t love Romper Room, Mr. Dressup, Mr. Rogers, or Sesame Street,” she says. “Kindergarten is the age of innocence and imagination—you never think about getting old when you’re five.”

The Alders & The Ashes will be a double-length album consisting of 17 songs laid down at L.A.’s famed United Recording with multiple Grammy-winning engineer Ross Hogarth (R.E.M., Hall & Oates, John Mellencamp, John Fogerty). According to Mike Little, “You could FEEL the energy of the studio. Music was in the ether, in the walls. It was an honor to be in a space creating our music where so many of our heroes like Linda Ronstadt, Neil Young and The Doors stood—musicians who were part of creating the original ‘Americana’ legacy and sound.”

Additionally, the rhythm section for the sessions consisted of bassist Bob Glaub (Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Warren Zevon) and drummer Chad Cromwell (Neil Young, Brian Wilson, Bonnie Raitt). In all, it was a magical experience for Candace, Mike, and the third member of The Hello Darlins’ creative core, guitarist/collaborator Murray Pulver. Some tracks are reminiscent of Go By Feel—heartfelt and emotional, while others are up-tempo blues, bluegrass, Southern rock-inspired songs that present a more complete picture of the band’s live show.

Candace says, “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 matters.”

Indeed, 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. With millions of streams and three Canadian Folk Music Awards nominations generated by Go By Feel, it all adds up to a lot of anticipation for The Alders & The Ashes—and the full-fledged arrival of a band that proudly represents the “North” within the Americana genre.

From the shimmering opening notes of his first solo recording, many listeners will get a familiar feeling hearing Mark Thackway’s music. One of Toronto’s premiere guitarists, Thackway is best known within Canada’s jam band community for leading two of its pioneering groups of the 1980s and ‘90s, The Other One and Days Of You.

Now, after several years of tending to other aspects of his life, Thackway has returned to writing original songs that display his impressive storytelling ability along with his guitar skills, but this time in an acoustic setting. The initial results are contained on the eponymous Mark Thackway, six songs recorded live off the floor with Thackway accompanied only by his longtime collaborator Steve Himel on upright bass. Out today on all digital platforms, the EP offers a true feast for the ears, especially for fans of Bruce Cockburn and Jerry Garcia’s acoustic work.

“Steve and I got together during Covid lockdowns and threw as many ideas out there on the premise that ‘no’ wasn’t part of our vocabulary,” Thackway says. “We found muses at every turn. Some of the songs we wrote had a connection to Canadian history and some just came out of real life happenstance. For this EP, I tried to pick the best performances, especially songs that best showcased my vocals.”

Indeed, each song on Mark Thackway stands on its own, from the celebratory lead off track “Into The Light,” to the closing outlaw ballad “Owens Valley Gold.” In between, Thackway gives us a seagoing allegory in the form of “All Hands,” a modern love song with echoes of Mississippi John Hurt in “Caeleigh,” and a rousing sing-along in “Me Oh My.” It was all captured beautifully by engineer Kevin Ker and lovingly mastered by Brad Sarno.

“I’m fond of all of these and I play them all the time, but ‘Caeleigh’ is definitely one of my faves,” Thackway says. “A friend posted a picture of himself with his daughter when she was two years old with a comment, ‘the mountains have her now.’ When I read that I thought, there’s a song.”

As for his overall musical evolution, Thackway has become committed to improving himself in all creative aspects, and believes he’s playing better now than he ever has. Performing solo, as well as following the work of more current artists, has played the biggest role.

“My biggest musical inspiration has always been Jerry Garcia, but I also listen to a lot of Americana—Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, the Milk Carton Kids, Hayes Carll. I don’t think I can say any one thing inspired this project. It was more like, it’s about time we got on with it. For the first time in my life as a musician, I’m playing solo a lot and loving it. There is nowhere to hide and you have to come up with new ways to create something interesting.”

It’s clear from this first collection of material that Mark Thackway has done just that, with much more set to come.

MARK THACKWAY LIVE:

Nov 17 (Fri) :: Keswick ON :: Kings Tavern
Nov 18 (Sat) :: Toronto ON :: The Gull [Mark T Band]
Nov 19 (Sun 2pm-6pm) :: Newmarket ON :: Old Flame Brewing Co.
Nov 23 (Thurs) :: Toronto ON :: The Gull
Nov 24 (Fri) :: Chatham ON :: Sons Of Kent Brewing Co.
Nov 25 (Sat 4pm-7pm) :: Palgrave ON :: Caledon Hills Brewing Co.
Nov 26 (Sun 3pm-5pm) :: Uxbridge ON :: The Second Wedge Brewing Co.
Nov 29 (Wed) :: Toronto ON :: Noonan's Pub
Nov 30 (Thurs) :: Barrie ON :: Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery
Dec 1 (Fri) Oakville ON :: Moonshine Cafe
Dec 2 (Sat 7pm-10pm) :: Ridgeway ON :: Brimstone Brewing Co.
Dec 3 (Sun 6pm-9pm) :: Barrie ON :: Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery
Dec 8 (Fri 7pm-10pm) :: Hamilton ON :: Clifford Brewing Co. [Mark T Band]
Dec 9 (Sat) :: Toronto ON :: 3030 Club [Ray Robertson book launch]
Dec 10 (Sun 1pm-5pm) :: Port Perry ON :: Old Flame Brewing Co.
Dec 14 (Thurs) :: Toronto ON :: The Gull
Dec 15 (Fri) :: Keswick ON :: Kings Tavern
Dec 16 (Sat 2pm-5pm) Inglewood ON :: Badlands Brewing Co.
Dec 17 (Sun 2pm-6pm) :: Newmarket ON :: Old Flame Brewing Co.
Dec 22 (Fri) :: Ajax ON :: Drums N Flats [Mark T Band / *Very Jerry Xmas]
Dec 29 (Fri) :: Peterborough ON :: Jethro's
Dec 30 (Sat 5pm-8pm) :: Barrie ON :: Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery

When you come from Bolton, Mississippi (pop. 567), the blues is in your DNA. Indeed, it’s the same place that gave the world Charley Patton, Bo Carter, Sam Chatmon and others who, it could be argued, established the blues as a distinct genre during the early part of the 20th century. The spirit of those artists—along with more recent practitioners such as R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough and Jimmy “Duck” Holmes—is ingrained in the sound of Robert Connely Farr.

On his 11th album, Pandora Sessions, singer/guitarist Farr channels the raw energy of Delta blues like never before with 13 songs recorded with his longtime collaborator Jay Bundy Johnson on drums. Unlike their previous work together, Farr approached Pandora Sessions as a clean slate, coming up with new material on the fly in order to convey a sense of spontaneity, as those a century ago often did when putting tracks on wax.

“Typically, I write songs before the recording sessions,” Farr explains. “For this album I didn’t do that for most of it. One thing I’ve noticed studying under Jimmy ‘Duck’ Holmes and playing with some of the elders back home is how songs just show up out of nowhere. Jay and I were really interested in recording sessions where there was minimal writing and rehearsing. We wanted to capture honesty and intuition. What interests me about these songs the most is what they’ve revealed to me—and about me—since recording.”

Farr’s early interest in writing poetry and haikus led him to discover rap music, particularly artists adept at freestyling. Farr says he revisited that approach on many of the songs on Pandora Sessions, such as “Jackson Town,” “Night Train,” “Prowler,” “How Am I,” “Things They Tellin’ You,” “Train Keep Rollin” and “Oh Lord,” all of which rumble with the mystic power all the great Delta blues artists seemed to possess.

Perhaps surprisingly, Farr has been making all of this gritty blues from his adopted home base, Vancouver BC, where he’s lived for over a decade after studying architecture at Auburn University and working at an Alabama non-profit animal shelter. A friend in Seattle introduced Farr to Vancouver’s charms, prompting him to make the move.

It wasn’t until he was settled in Canada that Farr considered making music in the tradition of his home state, a revelation he says occurred during a trip back to Mississippi in 2017 to visit his ailing father. One day they took a road trip through Vicksburg, Clarksdale, Indianola and Yazoo City, ending up at Jimmy ‘Duck’ Holmes’ juke joint in Bentonia. “Jimmy was the only one there,” Farr explains. “We got to talking and Jimmy offered to play some songs just for me and my Dad. That day changed it all for me. I went home, grabbed my guitar and went back. Jimmy started teaching me and it literally brought music back home for me.”

There’s no doubt that Farr does Mississippi proud with Pandora Sessions, on which the juke joint vibes are palpable, from Farr’s fuzzy growl to the sultry grooves he and Johnson lock into. The album also continues Farr’s prodigious output since he survived a cancer scare in 2020. Once recovered from emergency surgery, he released five albums in rapid succession, including the internationally acclaimed Country Supper and Shake It, along with Cherry Ball, recorded live at Vancouver’s Fox Theatre. Farr’s songs have also been heard in the television shows Snowpiercer, Resident Alien and Reacher, and he’s received Maple Blues Award nominations for Songwriter of the Year and New Artist of the Year.

Now with Pandora Sessions, Farr is kicking off 2024 in fine fashion, while continuing to carry on the tradition of the artists who laid the foundation for rock and roll.

After a hugely successful inaugural year, Four Winds Music Fest is back July 12-14, 2024 to present some of Canada's finest artists in its bucolic setting east of Toronto.

Today, Four Winds announces its initial line-up, including Bahamas, Terra Lightfoot, Joel Plaskett, Boy Golden, Great Lake Swimmers, Daniel Romano's Outfit, Logan Staats, Jerry Leger & The Situation, along with others and more to be confirmed.

The festival is also staging a preview concert series, kicking off Sat. Feb. 10 with Terra Lightfoot performing solo at Black Bellows Brewing Company in Collingwood, Ontario (see poster below).

Early Bird festival tickets go on sale Friday, Feb. 2 through fourwindsmusicfest.com.

Staged at the beautiful Riverstone Retreat, just outside of Durham, Ontario, Four Winds Music Fest isn't just about the music. Attendees can also enjoy a variety of other fun activities throughout the weekend, including yoga sessions, children's games, African dance and cooking classes, drum circles, and guided tours of the Riverstone Retreat grounds.

Four Winds Music Fest co-founder Ariana Dalie says, ""I am honoured to be presenting the Four Winds Music Fest for the second year, a process that began in August 2023. We are all about recreating the magic we experienced in our inaugural year, and we are thrilled about the incredible lineup of talented Canadian musicians who will be performing this year. I am also grateful for the opportunity to return to the Elephant Thoughts River Stone Campus. Do not miss the Four Winds Music Fest this summer!"

Ariana's partner Craig Smith, also of the band Ontarians, adds, "Curating a music festival with so many talented Canadian artists has been challenging -- there’s just a lot of artists we want to include. For our second year, our goal is to deliver an exceptional lineup and keep creating the kinds of vibes expected from a summer festival. We’ve done this and we can't wait to see you there!"

With one month to go before the release of their new EP A Nickel For The Fiddler on March 22, acclaimed Yukon-based bluegrass band The Lucky Ones are sharing another preview, "Fools Gold."

One of the group's darker tracks, "Fools Gold" draws from the lore of The Lucky Ones' home territory, telling the story of prospectors drawn to the Gold Rush, and how that dream eventually faded.

A Nickel For The Fiddler was recorded on a hot Tuesday in August 2023, when The Lucky Ones dropped into Ganaraska Recording Co., the studio east of Toronto run by Juno-winning multi-instrumentalist Steve Marriner and guitarist extraordinaire Jimmy Bowskill (The Sheepdogs, Blue Rodeo). Their motive was the time-honored tradition of artists capturing lightning in a bottle while in the midst of a tour, and it indeed proved to be a highly productive day, with the five songs laid down live-off-the-floor now comprising the new EP.

The new collection also marks a fresh start of sorts for The Lucky Ones. Having built up a stellar reputation in their home area, largely through a long-running weekly residency at the ’98 Hotel in Whitehorse, the group is now fully committed to hitting the road and connecting with bluegrass audiences all around the world. A Nickel For The Fiddler is the latest phase of that process, with a further full-length album slated for later in 2024. It also marks the group’s first recording without original member JD McCallen, although they pay tribute to him with “20 Months,” one of his songs that hadn’t found a place on record until now.

As founding member, mandolin player/vocalist Ryan James West, says, “We wanted to pay homage to our roots with this EP, so that’s why we went with the title A Nickel For The Fiddler. It’s also a Guy Clark song, someone who’s a huge inspiration to us, along with Townes Van Zandt, Blaze Foley and Rodney Crowell. So it’s a bit of a tip-of-the-cap to that circle of songwriters, but more so, it’s an homage to our friend and mentor, Joe Loutchan, who had the ’98 Hotel residency up until his passing in 2021. We needed to include a traditional fiddle tune for him, although that led to us add another medley of traditional fiddle two-step tunes. Why stop at one, right?”

With The Lucky Ones’ line-up now solidified around West, guitarist/vocalist Ian Smith, banjo player/vocalist Ryan McNally, fiddler Kieran Poile and upright bassist Jeff Dineley, the group is ready to prove conclusively that you don’t need to be from Appalachia to play great bluegrass. A Nickel For The Fiddler serves as both an encore to the band’s tavern and saloon era, and a harbinger of things to come. But above all, its five songs are as authentic as it gets.

THE LUCKY ONES
A Nickel For The Fiddler

01 Fool's Gold
02 Since The Farm Got Sold
03 Waiting On A Paycheck
04 20 Months
05 Alex & Maureen Two-Step /
Bowin' The Strings

Having established themselves as one of the biggest breakthrough artists on the international Americana scene with their debut album Go By Feel, Canadian folk/country/roots collective The Hello Darlins have returned with an even more ambitious collection of material for 2024, The Alders & The Ashes, available March 1 on all digital platforms and as a double CD package.

Led by Romani-Canadian musician Candace Lacina and world-renowned keyboardist Mike Little, The Hello Darlins are comprised of some of Canada’s most in-demand professional session and touring musicians who came together to forge a distinct hybrid of country, gospel and blues. With millions of streams and three Canadian Folk Music Awards nominations, The Hello Darlins took their show on the road for 187 days in 2023, proving that the band sounds just as powerful on stage as it does in the studio. As individuals, the members of The Hello Darlins are known for backing some of the biggest names in music, and as a band they have paid their dues playing live in other configurations.

Once referred to as a “One-band Americana Festival,” international audiences had the first chance to see The Hello Darlins at the start of 2023 when the band showcased at UK Americana Music Week, along with performing on Canada Day in London’s Trafalgar Square as part of their third tour of Europe. From there, The Hello Darlins joined with their friend Matt Andersen for a 36-date, cross-Canada tour that marked their formal introduction to audiences in their home country. Playing sold out shows in revered venues such as Toronto’s Massey Hall and Ottawa’s National Arts Centre, the Darlins demonstrated they were truly ready for big stages by delivering a tight, uplifting show that highlighted the musical skills of each member.

Often compared to The Eagles, The Band, Bonnie Raitt and classic country acts like Dolly Parton and The Carter Family, it’s impossible not to be moved by the band’s flawless group harmonies and ability to deliver the highest level of musicianship in a variety of styles that encompass the Americana genre. “It’s like having a songbook that doesn’t fence you in.” Candace says. “We love to play everything, and the new album represents our live show. Mike comes from the blues and rock worlds, and my background is in bluegrass and gospel. We were also bottle-raised by folk and country music. But most of all, we really love songwriting.”

That is evident throughout The Alders & The Ashes with standout tracks like “Forgiving Cain & Loving Abel” and “Best Worst Mistake” offering folk-y songs about forgiveness and personal struggle, as well as the down home bluegrass workout “Died with His Boots On,” a true story about Candace’s grandfather. The Hello Darlins have also included some of their signature vintage Soul style in songs like “Better Days” featuring guest vocalist Dave Fenley and “Stranger in the Mirror,” a nod to Lowell George, sung by beloved troubadour Martin Sexton.

The Hello Darlins’ ambitious sophomore effort was recorded at L.A.’s famed United Recording Studios with multi-Grammy winning engineer Ross Hogarth (John Mellencamp, Edgar Winter, Joe Bonamassa, Jewel), and contributions from bassist Bob Glaub (Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, John Fogerty) and drummer Chad Cromwell (Neil Young, Brian Wilson, Dolly Parton). The Hello Darlins were also fortunate to partner for a second time on mixes with Grammy Award winner Mike Poole (Robert Plant, Patti Griffin, Alabama, Dolly Parton, Buddy & Julie Miller).

The title The Alders & The Ashes is symbolic of change and growth. Candace explains, “We’ve been through a lot over the past few years, personally and professionally. There were many new beginnings and a few painful endings, but it feels like a new season and it’s exciting.” The Darlins certainly have a lot to be excited for in 2024 already, with two more tours of Europe on the horizon, and a prime slot at the iconic Tønder Festival, headlined by Rodney Crowell. With 17 new tracks and another album already in the works, The Hello Darlins are definitely ready to see many future seasons of excitement.

The Hello Darlins Live (more dates to be announced):
June 21 :: Calgary AB :: Festival Hall
July 6 :: Cavendish PE :: Cavendish Beach Music Festival

Kingston ON-based rockers Dead Root Revival release The Controller's Exam on all digital platforms, CD and limited edition double vinyl. The sweeping, 11-song collection was produced by David Barbe (Sugar, R.E.M., Drive-By Truckers) at Chase Park Transduction Studio in Athens, Georgia, a move that DRR's creative force, singer/songwriter/guitarist Tom Savage says was a dream collaboration.

He explains, “Our goal with this record was to capture the energy of our live show, and really give DRR fans something special. I think we've achieved that with The Controller's Exam. It was an incredible experience traveling down to Athens to work with David. His experience and palpable enthusiasm for doing things analogue set us at ease, and allowed us to really focus on performing to the top of our abilities.”

Along with Savage, Dead Root Revival is comprised of Tony Silvestri on keyboards, drummer Bonz Bowering and bassist Richard Piche. The Controller's Exam also features mind-bending cover art from Canadian illustrator Jeremy Bruneel.

The heart of DRR lies in their genuine musical chemistry, which draws from many points across the musical spectrum, and sometimes can shift between these influences mid-song. The result is that anyone seeing DRR live can expect a variety of moods, tempos, and dynamics that add up to a powerful concert experience. Although many might know Savage from his more folk-oriented solo output, Dead Root Revival gives him an opportunity to show off a different side of his musical personality—and more importantly to attack the strings of his signature Gibson Nighthawk.

Savage will be doing much more of that as DRR plans to hit the road in earnest in support of The Controller’s Exam and remind us of when music grabbed us by the ears, lifted us up, reached straight into our chests, and stole our hearts.

DEAD ROOT REVIVAL Live:

March 9 :: Kingston ON :: Broom Factory (SOLD OUT)
March 22 :: Belleville ON :: Shrine Hall
April 11 :: London ON :: Richmond Tavern
April 12 :: Toronto ON :: Dakota Tavern (Set Time: 7PM)
April 13 :: Sarnia ON :: Refined Fool Brewing
April 14 :: Oshawa ON :: The Atria
April 26 :: Peterborough ON :: Erben
April 27 :: Bracebridge ON :: Bracebridge Hall
May 11 :: Gananoque ON :: Gananoque Legion
May 25 :: Harrowsmith ON :: Summer Kickoff Music Festival
May 30 :: Ottawa ON :: The Rainbow (w/ Graven)
May 31 :: Wakefield QC :: Theatre Royal (w/ Graven)
June 22 :: Lyndhurst ON :: Furnace Falls Farm

Today, Yukon-based bluegrass band The Lucky Ones officially begin a new chapter with the release of their new EP A Nickel For The Fiddler, available on all digital platforms.

On the heels of two singles, "Since The Farm Got Sold" and "Fools Gold," the group is offering one more preview with "Waiting On A Paycheck," a high-and-lonesome homage to their blue collar roots that can be traced back to Jimmie Rodgers.

A Nickel For The Fiddler was recorded on a hot Tuesday in August 2023, when The Lucky Ones dropped into Ganaraska Recording Co., the studio east of Toronto run by Juno-winning multi-instrumentalist Steve Marriner and guitarist extraordinaire Jimmy Bowskill (The Sheepdogs, Blue Rodeo). Their motive was the time-honored tradition of artists capturing lightning in a bottle while in the midst of a tour, and it indeed proved to be a highly productive day, with the five songs laid down live-off-the-floor now comprising the new EP.

Having built up a stellar reputation in their home area, largely through a long-running weekly residency at the ’98 Hotel in Whitehorse, The Lucky Ones are now fully committed to hitting the road and connecting with bluegrass audiences all around the world. A Nickel For The Fiddler is the latest phase of that process, with a further full-length album slated for later in 2024. It also marks the group’s first recording without original member JD McCallen, although they pay tribute to him with “20 Months,” one of his songs that hadn’t found a place on record until now.

As founding member, mandolin player/vocalist Ryan James West, says, “We wanted to pay homage to our roots with this EP, so that’s why we went with the title A Nickel For The Fiddler. It’s also a Guy Clark song, someone who’s a huge inspiration to us, along with Townes Van Zandt, Blaze Foley and Rodney Crowell. So it’s a bit of a tip-of-the-cap to that circle of songwriters, but more so, it’s an homage to our friend and mentor, Joe Loutchan, who had the ’98 Hotel residency up until his passing in 2021. We needed to include a traditional fiddle tune for him, although that led to us add another medley of traditional fiddle two-step tunes. Why stop at one, right?”

With The Lucky Ones’ line-up now solidified around West, guitarist/vocalist Ian Smith, banjo player/vocalist Ryan McNally, fiddler Kieran Poile and upright bassist Jeff Dineley, the group is ready to prove conclusively that you don’t need to be from Appalachia to play great bluegrass. A Nickel For The Fiddler serves as both an encore to the band’s tavern and saloon era, and a harbinger of things to come. But above all, its five songs are as authentic as it gets.

Canadian singer/songwriter Emily Triggs releases her new album The Great Escape, an expansive 13-song collection that displays her wide-ranging talent in a whole new way. Listeners have already had a preview with first single and video "Summer In Nevada," an homage to those who witnessed and participated in U.S. nuclear weapons testing during the 1950s and '60s. The song is just one of several that reflect The Great Escape's overall exploration of different aspects of North American culture

There are a few specific reasons why Emily Triggs titled her new album The Great Escape, the main one being that it represents a break from old ways of thinking that the Montreal-born Americana artist says have held her back both artistically and personally. With her new material, Triggs set out to challenge herself by ignoring any genre restrictions, and the result is her most honest and empowering album to date.

The Great Escape was produced by longtime Neko Case collaborator Paul Rigby, who also played a multitude of instruments on the album. Other contributors to the sessions in Vancouver were engineer/multi-instrumentalist Dave Carswell (Destroyer, The Evaporators), bassist Darren Paris (Frazey Ford), drummer Geoff Hicks (Colin James) and engineer Erik Nielsen (City and Colour). By coincidence, one of the studios where they recorded, Afterlife, was near where Triggs’ father Stanley recorded traditional folk songs on a houseboat in the early 1960s, which have since been released as a 3-disc set entitled The False Creek Tapes.

Emily says, “My last album Middletown was about resilience, but sometimes you don’t need to be resilient, you need to change. You don’t have to leave a place, it can be metaphoric; you just have to leave a past version of yourself behind.”

That strength is evident from the first notes of the opening track “London 1969,” inspired by a friend’s story of watching the Apollo 11 moon landing on television as a small child. The song sets a nostalgic tone similar to “Summer In Nevada," while songs like the unyielding “Rough In The Ring” dish out hopeful metaphors to anyone trying to fight back against life’s struggles. There are plenty of purely poetic moments on The Great Escape as well, from the gorgeous “Beautiful August” and “Ask The Birds” to the Irish-tinged “My Son” and closing track “Water Tower.”

The Great Escape is Emily’s third solo release since 2014, she played in various bands up to 2019 and continues to perform as a duo with Lorrie Matheson called The Rosellas. Going out on her own eventually became the most practical move in terms of touring, but it also helped Emily reconnect with the folk music passed down from her parents, and immerse herself in the sounds of Appalachia in West Virginia. That inherited wanderlust has also taken her from Montreal to nearly every region of Canada, all of which she continues to visit as often as possible through her busy touring schedule.

Emily’s aforementioned album Middletown was nominated for a Folk Music Canada Award and a Western Canadian Music Award in 2021, setting the stage for The Great Escape to expand her audience even further, with its clear picture of an artist coming into her own through songs that encompass the full range of emotions, from tenacious to transcendent.

EMILY TRIGGS LIVE:

April 12 (Fri) :: Peace River AB :: Peace River Brewing
April 13 (Sat) :: Valleyview AB :: House Concert
April 14 (Sun) :: Grand Prairie AB :: Grand Prairie Live Theatre
April 24 (Wed) :: Calgary AB :: Pro Arts Society
May 4 (Sat) :: Nanton AB :: Mosquito Creek Music
June 8 (Sat) :: Longview AB :: Good Gal Vintage
June 24 (Mon) :: Toronto ON :: The Local
June 30 (Sun) :: Mansonville QC :: Sundays In The Park
July 1 (Mon) :: Hemmingford QC :: Canada Day Celebration
July 12 (Fri) :: Hemmingford QC :: Friday Night Coffee House
Aug 3 (Sat) :: Camrose AB :: Big Valley Jamboree
Aug 25 (Sun) :: Nelson BC :: House Concert
Aug 28 (Wed) :: Vancouver BC :: WISE Hall Lounge
Aug 30 (Fri) :: Roberts Creek BC :: Roberts Creek Legion
Aug 31 (Sat) :: Powell River BC :: Sunshine Music Festival
Sept 1 (Sun) :: Victoria BC :: Victoria Folk Club
Sept 4 (Wed) :: Vancouver BC :: WISE Hall Lounge
Nov 22 (Fri) :: Calgary AB :: Rocky Mountain Folk Club

More dates to be added! See emilytriggs.com/shows

Toronto indie music legend Kyp Harness releases his 18th album, Kick The Dust, once again confirming his status as one of Canada's most socially conscious singer/songwriters. The album is available on all digital platforms and via Bandcamp. Produced by Kyp's longtime collaborator Dale Morningstar, Kick The Dust presents nine new songs in a stripped down setting, with accompaniment provided by bassist Victor Bateman and drummer Blake Howard.

If you aren’t familiar with Kyp Harness, then you have been missing out on one of the most powerful bodies of work any Canadian singer-songwriter has amassed over the past 30 years. With each new release, media outlets from coast to coast have hailed Kyp Harness as a genius, with Ron Sexsmith calling Harness, “my favourite songwriter... it’s his lyrics that set him apart. They are every bit as powerful as the best Dylan, Cohen and Lennon combined.”

Kick The Dust showcases more of that brilliance through observations of our fraying society, rendered with all the wit, wisdom and just the right amount of folk-rocking flair that Harness’ die-hard fans have come to expect. Standout tracks include the new single "I Know You Now," along with “Prodigal Son,” “Business As Usual” and “Jesus Wept,” all of which demonstrate Harness’s unflinching ability to illuminate the dysfunction at the heart of our society.

It’s hard to discount the weight of experience on Harness’ current work, but his worldview hasn’t changed that drastically since he released his debut album, Nowhere Fast, in 1991. Back then he was part a unique community of Toronto songwriters that included Sexsmith, Bob Snider and Bob Wiseman (soon to leave Blue Rodeo) whose approach foreshadowed today’s “alt-folk” scene. Harness was (and continues to be) perhaps its most prolific and versatile member, with a string of albums from 1992’s God’s Footstool, to 1998’s pop-flavoured Houdini In Reverse, to 2002’s epic collaboration with Morningstar's band The Dinner Is Ruined, The Floating World.

“I started to play music to get the songs out of my head and into the air,” Harness says. “As I refined it, my enthusiasms led me to new disciplines, sometimes yelling out and trying to get to a new intimacy. To play music live excites me and is one of the only things that seems real, so I do it whether for a big audience or on a lonely outpost where no one hears. The essence hasn’t changed. I can’t define that essence, but I do think these songs are as close as they can be to it—right now.”

Indeed, the goal of every true artist is to boil their creativity down to its essence, so it’s hardly a surprise that at this point in his evolution Kyp Harness makes music on his own terms, and shares it whenever the need arises. And right now, we should heed the words contained on Kick The Dust as never before.

Those who are intimately involved in the blues music scene have already been captivated by Evan Nicole Bell’s debut EP Runaway Girl, released independently at the start of 2024. But even with this brief taste of her music, it’s clear that the Baltimore-based singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer can’t be confined to a single genre.

Yes, Runaway Girl kicks off with an unbridled version of the Muddy Waters classic “Catfish Blues,” on which Bell shows off her blazing guitar chops. But it's on Runaway Girl’s title track -- available today in a fresh mix on all digital platforms -- that her own songwriting skills are on full display, establishing a pop-soul foundation to allow her powerful, four-octave mezzo-soprano voice to take flight.

It was only a year or so ago that Bell’s social media videos showing her playing songs by other blues and rock heroes such as Albert King, Prince, Jimi Hendrix and Sister Rosetta Tharpe began going viral, leading outlets like Blues In Britain Magazine to praise her melodic vocal style and instrumental prowess. SoulTracks.com went further, writing, “[Evan] mines and embraces the rich history of soul, blues and Americana while at the same time making it decidedly her own.” Her profile was likewise enhanced through a half-hour live session recorded for Baltimore’s NPR affiliate WTMD that included a cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Gimme One Reason.”

That initial praise helped kick open the door for Bell to unleash her creative energy, and her current shows with her six-piece band are not to be missed. Her songs have now been spun on over 100 international radio stations, and she’s even caught the attention of blues-rock maestro Joe Bonamassa, who has added her tracks to his personally curated Spotify playlists.

Evan’s passion for music began in adolescence through studying piano, finger-style acoustic guitar and classical guitar. But that passion skyrocketed in 2018 when her mother gifted her a new Les Paul, which she promptly nicknamed Stormy, and she immersed herself in music theory and the blues—eventually leaving her job as an educator to pursue music full time.

Beyond her musical endeavours, Bell is an award-winning documentary photographer with two solo exhibitions of her work to her credit. She has a B.A. from Duke University and a graduate certificate from the University of California, Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy. Her archived art portfolio can be viewed at evannicolebell.art.

With her full-length debut album in the works, Evan Nicole Bell is poised to fulfil the promise that Runaway Girl has made. Whether you call her music blues, soul, r&b, or some combination of all three, Evan Nicole Bell’s sound will make an immediate and unforgettable impact.

After sharing the singles "Bleed" and "Michigan Nights," Canadian singer/songwriter Chris Gostling releases his latest album Forest City Town Country today on Bandcamp, Spotify and Apple Music.

Forest City Town Country is the long-overdue follow-up to 2016’s Breath, Blood & Tempo, made when Gostling was living in Toronto and maintaining a busy schedule within the city's club scene. However, in recent years Gostling fulfilled his dream of moving to rural eastern Ontario with his partner and establishing a home base for their shared creative pursuits.

Those changes can be heard on Forest City Town Country, recorded with an accomplished team based on Wolfe Island, near Kingston, that includes all-star CanRock keyboardist Hugh Christopher Brown, bassist Jason Mercer (Ani Difranco, Ron Sexsmith), drummer Liam Cole (Kate Fenner, Stephen Stanley), and the album’s co-producer/engineer Jake Bury.

Gostling explains that leaving Toronto ushered in, “a great time of creativity and songwriting. By this past January, I knew I had eight strong tracks ready to record. I wanted to work with Chris and Jake because I really loved the sound they've pulled off with the artists on their Wolfe Island label.”

Along with feeling a sense of satisfaction in recording near his new home, Gostling says that playing shows in the area motivated him to embrace new songwriting approaches that blossomed with the help of his collaborators.

In all, Gostling considers Forest City Town Country a major step forward in his evolution as a singer/songwriter, and his most accomplished work to date. “I think I have moved past a lot of the tropes that we all start with as writers,” he says. “I spent two years taking weekly piano and music theory lessons just before I left Toronto, which was wild after 26 years of being a basically self taught musician. Lyrically I also feel that I have made a lot of progress.

"But my wife Laura is my main inspiration, and my best editor. As a fellow creative, she really pushed me to try things fearlessly, be flexible, and ultimately be confident in what I was committing to. Those are the things that provided the foundation for this album, and hopefully everything I do from now on.”

01 Alice (Winter Is All But Gone)
02 Bleed
03 The Lesson
04 Hardened Hearts
05 Quarter Killing Time
06 Michigan Nights
07 Punk Rock Noises
08 Colder Without You

Since releasing his latest album Make Way For This Heartache over the summer, Ben Arsenault has quickly become one of Canada's most vital new voices within the international Americana scene. That momentum is sure to keep building with the album's new single "Grand Forks," which encapuslates the album's vintage vibes while showing off the Vancouver-based artist's classic vocal style.

Make Way For This Heartache was produced at Vancouver’s Afterlife Studios and features an all-star cast of Canadian and American musicians, including pedal steel maestros Caleb Melo and Scott Smith, City & Colour band members Erik Nielsen, Matt Kelly and John Sponarski, along with drummer Leon Power (Frazey Ford) and singer-songwriter Marin Patenaude adding harmony vocals.

In essence, Make Way For This Heartache sums up Arsenault’s musical journey to date. It began about 15 years ago when he made his first impression as singer/guitarist with Real Ponchos, Vancouver’s long-standing psychedelic country-rockers, but Arsenault’s interest in country music started early through exploring his grandfather’s record collection that included Hank Williams, Ray Price and Lefty Frizzell. One of his strongest childhood memories was hearing his father sing Hank Sr. songs while they walked in the woods to let bears know they were coming—something that Ben still does to this day.

Later, Arsenault moved to Montreal where he first took to the stage and found his voice at Barfly’s Sunday Bluegrass jam. But as the lure of the bright lights began to fade and a longing for the wilderness of the west coast set in, Arsenault dug deeper into classic country, at first through the Grateful Dead’s covers of Merle Haggard and Marty Robbins songs, which encouraged him to throw the doors of interpretation wide open, and led to the formation of Real Ponchos.

It’s all come together on Make Way For This Heartache, a soothing balm for broken hearts and unfulfilled dreams. The truth and hurting that the record embodies is as old as humanity. “These are all songs that I love to sing, and many of them I have been singing and performing for years,” Arsenault says. “They’re songs that have stood the test of time; songs that have become less about the experiences in my life that inspired them, and more about life itself.”

Ben Arsensault's Make Way For This Heartache is available now via North Country Collective, and on all digital platforms.

After sharing several singles over the past few years, Justine Giles has compiled those tracks into her new EP Another Chance, which will be officially released on Oct. 25. It can be pre-ordered now at Bandcamp.

Another Chance encapsulates the past four years of Justine's creative journey in five heartfelt and beautifully constructed songs, re-introducing her as a powerful Canadian voice within the global singer/songwriter scene.

In late 2019, Justine packed up and moved from Toronto to Calgary, carrying big plans along with her guitar. Of course, within a few months those plans had to be put on hold, but it didn’t stop Justine from building a foundation of new musical ideas, along with new connections to bring them to life.

Recorded at Calgary’s Evergreen Sound with producer and multi-instrumentalist Mark Troyer, Another Chance boasts arrangements that span cinematic lushness to poignant intimacy, all to complement Justine’s deeply affecting voice and lyrics. The song titles themselves almost say it all—“Save Myself,” “A New Adventure,” “Before It’s Too Late,” and of course the title track, presented in both full-band and acoustic renditions.

Justine cites Maren Morris, Kacey Musgraves and Tenille Townes as artists who have inspired her most recently, adding to the messages of female empowerment that have always been present in her work. Originally from Sudbury, Ontario, Justine self-released her debut album Shine in 2014, and within a few years was named the Northern Ontario regional winner of CBC’s annual Searchlight competition. Moving to Toronto, she participated in Canada’s Music Incubator (CMI) program, while performing often in the city, and being featured on CTV’s The Marilyn Denis Show.

Once in Calgary, she quickly became a prominent member of that city’s music community, performing at many events and partnering with the National Music Centre to create programs for young people. She was also recently named Solo Artist of the Year at the 2024 YYC Music Awards.

“These past several years have really been about me getting out of my own way and learning how to let my guard down, both when I’m writing and performing on stage,” she says. “Making this EP was a little scary, but I always take that as a good sign because it tells me I’m growing. I want things to cut deep and my music has always been about authentically expressing my deepest feelings.”

Justine Giles / Another Chance EP release show
Friday Oct 25 :: Calgary AB :: King Eddy [Tickets]

Having released her latest solo album, Songs To A Wild God, a little over a month ago, Canadian singer-songwriter Mallory Chipman is sharing a video for the live-off-the-floor recording of its powerful closing track, "Big Sky Country."

Featuring a 13-member chorus, the song pays tribute to Mallory's Alberta home—a place she has been increasingly missing due to her busy touring schedule, both as a solo artist and as co-leader of the alt-country group The Goddamsels.

"I wrote 'Big Sky Country' while I was playing in Toronto earlier this year for the second time in two weeks," Mallory explains. "Don’t get me wrong, I love visiting Toronto, but while holed up in my basement accommodations, I was really feeling the concrete jungle energy of the big city. It’s something I’m not used to, being from the prairies. I missed home, I missed the vastness of Alberta—the golden fields, the mountains I grew up in, and most of all, the big sky. If you’ve spent much time on the plains, you know there’s nothing like a prairie sunset. So this song came to me—an ode to home and its majesty."

Songs To A Wild God is available now on Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music.

Powered by her multi-octave voice, the sound of Songs To A Wild God ranges from cinematic folk-rock to intimate spoken-word observations. Aiding Mallory in her role as producer are her longtime engineer at Edmonton’s Riverdale Records, Scott Franchuk, along with multi-instrumentalists Brett Hansen and Nico Humby, drummer Jon Guenter, bassist Connor Walsh, saxophonist Mark DeJong, and vocalist Esther Forseth.

While Mallory has often leaned on her formal musical education in previous releases, she says that this time she wanted to rely solely on her gut and intuition. The results speak for themselves, as Songs To A Wild God hearkens back to a time when artists like Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, and Sarah McLachlan built their reputations through a deep musical connection to nature.

At the core of Songs To A Wild God is the work of Tom Hirons, whose poem "Sometimes A Wild God" has become a touchstone for many artists seeking to reconnect with the natural world. If such a piece of writing could have a soundtrack, Mallory Chipman’s new album would be the perfect complement.

“I used to try to fit myself into a box,” Mallory says. “I would constantly ask myself: What would be most marketable? Will the audience be confused or reject me if I hop from genre to genre? Will people roll their eyes if I sing over and over about what I believe in? In making this album, I learned that I am a product of my influences—and that’s not something to escape but rather embrace. I have felt myself become liberated from industry expectations and free to journey wherever the art takes me. That’s why I believe this album to be my best work yet.”

Today, Canada’s finest roots reggae band The Human Rights has announced the March 7 release of its fourth album, One People, another testament to the group’s tireless mission to spread good vibes along with good grooves.

That’s all present on the album’s first single “Life Is The Thing” – available now on all digital platforms and Bandcamp – which The Human Rights’ co-founder and lead vocalist Friendlyness describes as, “A new track with a classic sound, and a message of hope for all. No matter what ups and downs we're going through, it's good to recognize that life is the greatest thing of all. Must be lived and can't be bought!”

The Human Rights are certainly entering 2025 with a lot of positive energy. The end of 2024 marked over 250 festival and club shows the band has played across Canada and the U.S., with a recent highlight being a Canadian opening slot for The Black Crowes. The Human Rights will be back on the road in Canada this spring in support of One People (SEE DATES BELOW).

The Human Rights first came together in 2007 around the talents and vision of Friendlyness, a Toronto Reggae lion who had previously worked with Big Sugar, Culture Shock and Truth And Rights. He was joined by drummer Eric Woolston (Maylee Todd, The Hooded Fang), versatile bassman Tyler Wagler and keyboardist Bernie Pitters (Toots & The Maytals, Hit Squad), who sadly passed away in 2023. One People carries on Pitters’ loving memory, and his spirit continues to propel the band forward.

The Human Rights quickly established a reputation while showcasing their original material while opening for the likes of The Wailers, Gregory Isaacs, Beres Hammond, John Holt, Freddie McGregor, Sanchez, and other top international Reggae artists. In 2014, much-loved Toronto vocalist Tréson (who has recorded with the likes of Black Uhuru, Spearhead, and Mykal Rose) joined the band, giving The Human Rights a distinctively powerful two-man front line that seamlessly moves between modern roots Reggae, lovers rock, soul, R&B and dancehall vibes. After Bernie’s health began preventing him from touring, Canadian keyboard legend Dave Jackson stepped in. The Declaration of Human Rights horn section is the musical icing on the cake featuring members of The Heavyweights Brass Band, Kune, and Shout! The Band.

After making their debut album One Thing in 2010, The Human Rights worked with Big Sugar’s Gordie Johnson on their 2016 self-titled collection that solidified their sound both in the studio and on stage. That energy was carried forward on 2021’s Reggae Strong (2021) which Amplify Music Magazine described as, “their finest album to date, while once again proving Reggae’s ability to unite and inspire everyone struggling to get through tough times.”

Expect more of the same from The Human Rights on One People, an album that arrives just when it’s needed most.

Today, Canada’s finest purveyors of roots reggae, The Human Rights, officially release their fourth album One People, and kick off an extensive tour of Ontario and Quebec with a hometown show in Toronto at The Rivoli (see dates below). One People is available at Bandcamp and on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.

On One People, The Human Rights continue their mission to spread good vibes through good grooves, but like their reggae forebears, songs on One People also contain strong political messages, such as the current single "Roxham Road," which addresses immigration issues.

One People is dedicated to Bernie Pitters, acknowledged as one of the godfathers of Canadian reggae, who played keyboards in The Human Rights from their formation in 2007 to his death in 2023. The band has channeled Pitters' indomitable spirit into One People, making it one of the finest reggae albums to be produced in Canada in recent memory.

The Human Rights certainly entered 2025 with a lot of positive energy. The end of 2024 marked over 250 festival and club shows the band has played across Canada and the U.S., with a recent highlight being a Canadian opening slot for The Black Crowes. Along with their current tour schedule, more summer dates are expected to be announced soon.

***

The Human Rights first came together around the talents and vision of Friendlyness, a Toronto Reggae lion who had previously worked with Big Sugar, Culture Shock and Truth And Rights. He was joined by drummer Eric Woolston (Maylee Todd, The Hooded Fang), versatile bassman Tyler Wagler and keyboardist Bernie Pitters (Toots & The Maytals, Hit Squad).

The Human Rights quickly established a reputation while showcasing their original material while opening for the likes of The Wailers, Gregory Isaacs, Beres Hammond, John Holt, Freddie McGregor, Sanchez, and other top international Reggae artists.

In 2014, much-loved Toronto vocalist Tréson (who has recorded with the likes of Black Uhuru, Spearhead, and Mykal Rose) joined the band, giving The Human Rights a distinctively powerful two-man front line that seamlessly moves between modern roots Reggae, lovers rock, soul, R&B and dancehall vibes. With Bernie Pitters' health preventing him from touring, Canadian keyboard legend Dave Jackson stepped in. The Declaration of Human Rights horn section is the musical icing on the cake featuring members of The Heavyweights Brass Band, Kune, and Shout! The Band.

After making their debut album One Thing in 2010, The Human Rights worked with Big Sugar’s Gordie Johnson on their 2016 self-titled collection that solidified their sound both in the studio and on stage. That energy was carried forward on 2021’s Reggae Strong (2021) which Amplify Music Magazine described as, “their finest album to date, while once again proving Reggae’s ability to unite and inspire everyone struggling to get through tough times.”

The Human Rights deliver more of the same on One People, an album that arrives just when it’s needed most.