Middle Kids, Toro Y Moi, Mdou Moctour among artists featured
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Zoon
Slowcity.ca Open Mic with Ben Rogers, Zoon, METZ, Sylvan Esso, Ellyn Woods, Grace Gillespie, Hen Ogledd, and Steven Wilson
By Will McGuirk
Some great tunes today on the Open Mic, musicians are not on stage but they are still working hard creating. In particular we welcome Ben Rogers back. He will be live-streaming an acoustic show from his BC base on Sep 27, 2020. Tickets here. Rogers is a mix of Andy Maize of the Skydiggers, Matt Mays and whole lot of empathy. He has a new video for an older track.
“During this pandemic that has affected us all, we can’t forget those hardest hit. Since the public health emergency there has been an increase in overdoses in Vancouver. This song is dedicated to the people of the streets of East Van who have lost their lives and those who are struggling to survive. They cannot be forgotten or abandoned." - Ben Rogers
First Nations musician Zoon (Daniel Monkman) has released his latest single and video, “Brokenhead,” from his debut album, ‘Bleached Waves’ issued on Paper Bag Records. back in June 2020 The song’s title comes from the Ojibway reserve where Monkman grew up and is a reflection on how he felt leaving family behind.
"I could see my dad and my uncle in the rearview mirror waving goodbye as distance between us grew further and further away. I felt a kind of Triumph and yet a rush of sadness/happiness. When I was recording the guitars, I kept focusing on that feeling." - Zoon
Monster noise-rockers METZ have announced a live-stream performance of their new album, ‘Atlas Vending’ plus they have released their new single and video, “Blind Youth Industrial Park.” METZ will be taking the full album live from the Opera House in Toronto on Oct 15 and 17, 2020. The album drops Oct 9 on Sub Pop and Royal Mountain Records.
“Something that is intrinsic to who we are as people has been taken away. We want, so badly, to find that feeling again, to forget the world for a moment, and share a brand new album that we love very much (plus some oldies) with you” - Alex Edkins
“It’s the centre of the record - a song about being obscured by someone’s loving impression. A mirror on a mirror.” - Amelia Meath
Slowcity.ca Open Mic with Kate Boothman, Jack De Keyzer, Matt Berninger, Austra, Sylvan Esso, Rhye, the Blue Stones, Figure Walking, Flara K,
By Will McGuirk
Kate Boothman, has released her latest single, the brightly breezy “My Next Mistake”. May be just what one needs to hear on this morning, scratch that, it is what you need to hear. Up and at them folks, up and at them.
Blues guru Jack De Keyzer has a new album dropping Sept 15, 2020. "Titled “Tribute” this is Jack’s twelfth album and features twelve original tracks. The first single “Lets Do It” is now available with video by Steven Frank.
Matt Berninger of The National will release his debut sole album, ‘Serpentine Prison’ on Oct 16 2020. The album will be on Book records/ Concord records. The first singe is “One More Second.” There’s a beauty tippy-tapp organ break provided by the legendary Booker T Jones, who also is the album producer.
“I wrote “One More Second” with Matt Sheehy (Lost Lander, EL VY) with the intention for it to be a kind of answer to Dolly Parton’s ‘I Will Always Love You’, or sort of the other side of that conversation. I just wanted to write one of those classic, simple, desperate love songs that sound great in your car”. - Matt Berninger
Austra’s new album ‘ HiRUDiN’ is now out and available on Pink Fizz records. A remix for the track “Risk It” has been released. And its a banger!!
“India Jordan recently put out one of my favourite records in a while (complete with a very on point Tipping The Velvet reference) so I was very honoured they agreed to do this remix. The new track is sunny and euphoric and everything I dreamed it would be!” - Katie Stelmanis (Austra)
Electro-pop duo Sylvan Esso have released “Frequency”, the third single from their new album, ‘Free Love’, coming out September 25, 2020, on Loma Vista Recordings. The song is accompanied by a new video directed and styled by Moses Sumney.
“We had a fantastic and rewarding time collaborating with our friend and fellow North Carolinian, Moses Sumney, on building a visual world for Frequency. He had such a beautiful vision for the project, one that ran parallel to the song's initial source in a way that showed us new spaces it could inhabit. It's a beautiful exploration of being together and apart at the same time – we feel it rings clearly in this moment.” - Sylvan Esso
Evangeline Gentle, photo by Mark L. Craigshead
Slowcity.ca Open Mic with Evangeline Gentle, Rudy De Anda, Daniel Miraldi, Safari Room, Gold Star Gold Star, Sylvan Esso, and OBGMs,
By Will McGuirk
“Hunter Street is lit in that golden glow”
No matter how down one gets music gets one up. All those cycling thoughts hooked onto a passing chord, and whoosh up and at ‘em. Bed laying, the inevitability of staying in bed, in bed, in bed, in bed. . . until hand reaches out, radio clicks on, song fills the room and thoughts change to ideas, ideas to plans, and plans to action. Up and at ‘em. There’s a world to save, one soul at a time, one song at a time.
Fresh Breath
Slowcity.ca Open Mic with Fresh Breath, Eric Bolton, Brandy, Mobley, Ryan Maynard, Sylvan Esso, and Grizzly Coast,
By Will McGuirk
Pump it up we are told, you are not trending they say, your SEO is a no no no, and we say we aren’t bothered, we will get there we say, we are slow for a reason we say but most importantly we are here period, we don’t chase the likes and shares, we just care and if you care too then like and share. So yah when That Eric Alper sent us this track from Kingsville duo Fresh Breath we are all over it like slow molasses.
“There’s a destructive nature, we think, to our collective obsession with social media and hand-held devices on our mental health and well-being. This song is a gentle reminder to be present and live in the moment.” - Fresh Breath
“There has been so much change in my personal life as of late, as there has been globally throughout this worldwide pandemic era, and also in the much needed time for raising awareness and education on racial disparities and discrimination, so for all of this I’m excited about ‘Genesis' and its meaning of a new beginning and moving forward in love and fresh breath.” - Eric Bolton