Redanda – “Forlorn” [Listen]
I feel a caution in the wind that forbids me to begin
And when I see you in my dreams, it shows what might have been
I first connected with the dudes of Redanda five years ago (so crazy!) and they became fast favourites of mine. The band’s latest EP, MONA, is comprised of a mix of material the band wrote back then, along with recent creations. And who is Mona, you ask? “The EP title is in honour of a beast of a bulldog called Mona, who was so happy to accompany us during our recording sessions that she proceeded to shit on the floor, piss on some equipment, and generally just walk through drumkits mid-tracking.”
The Crowleys – “L.A. Sunset” [Listen]
And I’m calling out to no one
And no one will reply
This is the first track off The Crowleys (formerly The White Crowleys) upcoming EP and I’m excited to hear more of what they have been cooking up. It’s a groovy six-minute journey with varying tempo and that psychedelic sound the band has developed over the past few years. Catch The Crowleys with Aestrid and The Ferns this Saturday (Oct. 14th) at The Mule Spinner (located inside The Cotton Factory).
LuckyStickz & Marrlow Paisley – “No Justice” [Listen]
I don’t wanna fight no more
I don’t wanna cry no more
Everyday Battle is the debut release by LuckyStickz a.k.a. Dejehan Hamilton, a local percussionist, steel drum aficionado, and music educator. His first single “Magic” is an upbeat, fun-loving summer jam and he follows up strong with this second weightier single, showing a lot of variety before we even dig into the rest of the EP. It’ll be released this Friday (Oct. 13th) with a show at The Gasworks (purchase tickets) which also features DJ Verse One and more specials guests. Listen to my recent chat with Dejehan on 93.3 CFMU.
Devin Bateson – “Things That Haunt You” [Listen]
I know life is meaningless
I’m just a child with tight fists
We know Devin Bateson from the local comedy scene – standup, sketch, as well as work in theatre and film. I’ve always been a fan of Devin’s clever way with words and he puts them to music here, revealing yet another talent on his EP Coyote Mouth, released this summer. It’s articulate, clever, personal, and who knew he could spit a rhyme like that! Devin just followed up with a new release, the mixtape Bee Sighs & Rare Dreams, which brings us this cerebral banger, “Fire On Fire.” (Official bonus track for this Playlist!)
Shanika Maria – “Body” [Listen]
I strayed from the light
But the light never strayed from me
Shanika Maria is one of my favourite new local artists and I was happy to premiere the video for the titled track from her debut EP Childish Games. The singer-songwriter has a beautiful style and the recordings (which took place at HAVN) capture her intimate delivery and emotional lyrics, like we’re right there listening to her perform. Hear our interview and Shanika’s performance live on 93.3 CFMU.
Aron D’Alesio – “Diamond Ring” [Listen]
Diamond ring upon her left hand
She belonged to another man
Young Rival frontman Aron D’Alesio has been working steadily on solo material for quite some time. We’ve heard singles here and there (charting back to 2012 with earlier versions of some of these tracks) and his debut full length was more than worth the wait. It’s a dreamy listen from start to finish. Hear mine and Rachel Connell’s chat with Aron during Supercrawl on 93.3 CFMU.
James Wyatt Crosby – “Pray On It” [Listen]
Sometimes you win
Sometimes you don’t
These things are out of our control
This track from Toronto-based artist James Wyatt Crosby’s debut Twins kicks off the album with a shimmery jam. The rest of the album maintains those catchy hooks and melodies throughout. Recorded here in Hamilton with moon:and:6 (Michael Chambers) and released through local label Maisonneuve Music, James says of the process, “With these songs, we really went down the rabbit hole with each one of them.” Catch the album release show on Oct. 25th at The Casbah with Dizzy Spells and Common Deer.
John Thumb – “Clemetine” [Listen]
The whole universe is inside your head
You know John Thumb (aka John Moran) as a member of The Good Hunters from the always stellar Other Songs Music camp. His self-titled album is technically out on October 20th, but it’s already charting in the Top 5 at 93.3 CFMU and it’s on steady play over here. John dropped out of Hamilton’s music scene – and Hamilton as a whole – a few years ago and headed up north before resurfacing with some new demos. It’s said of the recordings: Underneath the album’s melancholy façade, there is a message of hope. The restlessness that John sings about is not a lament; it is a celebration of the open road and all of its possibilities.
Lucid Lee & Little Child – “The Veil” [Listen]
It’s not easy starting over
Every time you look at me
Now you’ve caught me, I remember
I’m not the girl I used to be
This acoustic rock folk duo is a new musical collaboration for Jo Boudreau and Sarah Ivy Hardy, who started out jamming together at a local open mic where they both worked. They bonded over common musical influences and tastes, which led them to creating songs together. They celebrated the release of their EP Only In A Dream last month at The Casbah. Listen to my interview and a live performance from the duo on 93.3 CFMU.
Nick Pacheco – “Say Something”
If you don’t want me
I can’t do this nothing anymore
Nick Pacheco released his first full length album Back To Here last month, and it’s chock full of catchy pop/rock tunes. Starting out playing gigs around the age of 13, Nick put his songs out there and that helped to shape the songwriter and performer is he today. For this record, layers of recording were tracked to evolve the songs from their singer-songwriter base to making them the full band sound you hear on the album. Listen to our recent chat on 93.3 CFMU.
Christine Leakey – “Frankly Man” [Listen]
Well honey,
I ain’t putting up with you no more!
Singer-songwriter Christine Leakey describes herself as “vegetarian woman making a quirky musical stew…” and her latest album Wanderlust Wishing Well demonstrates just that – one minute it’s a slinky tango-style rhythm like this tune, to jazz elements, to psychedelic, to experimental folk. It’s a whimsical journey from beginning to end. I would file this release with other whimsical local women I love, like Hanna Bech and Juliana LaChance. The album art is also gorgeous, including the vinyl that comes with a limited edition wishing coin.
Terra Lightfoot – “Paradise” [Listen]
We danced the night away
Don’t have to break the chain
That signature stomp kicks in and her unmistakable soulful voice begins to soar, and we’ve got ourselves another Terra Lightfoot banger! This song began as “Thunder,” a popular song from her set at recent shows, which was then reworked to the version it is now. Terra says of the song, “‘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.” Terra’s much-anticipated third album New Mistakes is out now.
