Dizzy shoot nostalgia-tinged video for 'Bleachers' in Oshawa

By Will McGuirk

Oshawa band Dizzy have released the video for “Bleachers”, the latest single from their album, ‘Baby Teeth.’ According to a Facebook post by lead vocalist Katie Munshaw, “Bleachers” is about her own fears for her younger sister, Beth and the world she is growing up into. The video was directed by Ryan Faist and features Super 8 footage shot by Faist and Beth Munshaw.

We asked Katie what were the fears she had for her little sisr?

She says the track was initially written just before Beth began high school.

“My main worries were wanting to shelter her from all the bad experiences that come along with a life change like that,” Katie says, “Although, when we were brainstorming about the video we wanted to think about bigger picture concerns as well. Political future, social media and how it affects a person who has grown up with it, and the big one that we tried to convey at the end of the video, climate change.”

Baby Teeth is available on Royal Mountain Records.

Christopher Mills shares video for Jim Cuddy's 'Constellations

By Will McGuirk

Christopher Mills has been visualizing the work of Blue Rodeo and its co-founders Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor for many years. There is something I think in the visual world the two singer/songwriters inhabit which has struck within Mills Mills at some deep level and I think he has been circling his own historical moment at the authors say getting closer and further each time. It is a theme in his work with Keelor and Cuddy and it brings out the most lyrical of Mills own work. It may be the connection between the writers, it may be the landscape, it maybe their connection with the land and each other, only Mills knows and its his to chase and its ours to enjoy his journey.

This video is for the title track of Jim Cuddy’s solo album “Constellations” and for your consideration of my commentary here are “City Is a Symphony” from Greg Keelor’s recent solo work, “Last Winter, ” and the double video for Mattawa/ New Morning Sun.

Donovan Woods releases new video and a timely message - There ain't no Next Year

There ain't no next year - another day down, another week gone, you're always just talking about tomorrow - you can't beg steal, borrow or make time. . .  so you make plans and hope for the best. . .

The Standstills release video for 'Wild'

By Will McGuirk

The Standstills make rock with spirit. Spiritually is deep at their core and they have followed that path to one of the scared sites of rock 'n roll, Joshua Tree National Park, for the video for their latest single, "Wild" from their upcoming album 'Badlands'. The director is Jeff Scheven of Black Fawn Films.
Guitarist Jonathan Fox says the idea for the location came from drummer Renee Couture and says intriguingly they are working on a novel which will explain the video and its connection to The Pyramid Code. 
WHUT? as the kids also say. The video is trailer for a book?
Well I can't get my head around that without help. Maybe the answer as some of the kids say is in the desert.

The Arkells champion the peoples of Hamilton in video for 'People's Champ'

By Will McGuirk

Hamilton hometown heroes The Arkells are travelling wide and far but are keeping their love for Steeltown alive nevertheless. If only every city had a team of champions such as these kids, repping their city at every opportunity. But you get back what you give and it much be something sweet the Arkells kats were raised on down there in the once termed Armpit of Canada because they give back and back and back and in their latest video, for "People's Champ", they give back some more and shout our some of their fave locations in the Hammer, bigging up their city yet again. 

The band have a hometown gig coming up - June 23 at the Tim Hortons Fields. The Rally will also see Ellevator, Bishop Briggs and Cold War KIds on the bill.

Mariposa bound Buffy Sainte-Marie wins two 2018 Indigenous Music Awards

By Will McGuirk

Iconic singer/songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie won two awards at the Indigenous Music Awards held May 18 2018 in Winnipeg at the Club Regent Event Centre. The awards were presented during the Manito Ahbee Festival in 19 categories celebrating many different genres from across Turtle Island.

Buffy Sainte-Marie, who will be performing at the Mariposa Folk Festival this year, won for Best Folk Album, "Medicine Songs" and for Best Music Video for "The War Racket."

Go here for a full list of winners -> 

New Chris Mills directed video for BEAMS' 'You Are an Ocean"

by Will McGuirk

I was dreaming of the past, the many times I've viewed a video by Chris Mills, and was wondering about travel, about the position of mobility, moving, transportation in his work; each video seems to encompass a journey, a physical journey, from the wonderous Acorn to his homage to Leonard Cohen, always travelling. Just a thought from Canada's motorcity as I watch this new video for BEAMS, who are on their own journey. Tour dates below.

Tour dates:
Apr 21 Joe Squared- Baltimore, MD
Apr 22 Silent Barn - Brooklyn, NY
Apr 26 Mohawk Place - Buffalo, NY
Apr 27 The Wonderbar - Asbury Park, NJ
Apr 28 In the Soil Fest - St. Catherine's, ON
May 09 CMW - Toronto, ON
May 12 Heartwood - Owen Sound, ON
Jun 09 Kelly's - Bracebridge, ON

Chris Mills, Daniel Caesar, make shortlist for 2018 Prizm Prize

By Will McGuirk

Director Chris Mills' video for Leonard Cohen "Leaving The Table" has made the top ten shortlist for the Canadian music video award, The Prizm Prize. Mills had previously won the 2015 Special Achievement award. Daniel Caesar is nominated for "Freudian, a Visual" , directed by Keavan Yazdani and Sean Brown. The Prizm Prize comes with $15,000 and will be awarded Sunday May 13 at TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto. 

The full shortlist is:
Alice Glass - Without Love (Director: Floria Sigismondi)
Alvvays - Dreams Tonite (Director: Matt Johnson) 
Charlotte Day Wilson - Work (Director: Fantavious Fritz)
Cri feat. Ouri - Rush (Director: Didier Charette)
Daniel Caesar - Freudian, a Visual (Directors: Keavan Yazdani and Sean Brown)
Feist - Century (Director: Scott Cudmore)
Grimes feat. Janelle Monáe - Venus Fly (Director: Grimes)
Jessie Reyez - Gatekeeper (Director: Peter Huang)
Leonard Cohen - Leaving the Table (Director: Christopher Mills)
PUP - Old Wounds (Director: Jeremy Schaulin-Rioux)