Tag: canadian music

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I, The Mountain – Wildflowers

In terms of style, I, The Mountain sounds pretty similar to a favorite of T.A.M.: The Strumbellas. That’s not a coincidence though because in addition to being influenced by them, both bands are actually really close. Case in point, Simon Ward (The Strumbellas’ frontman) co-wrote today’s featured song, Wildflowers, with this five-piece band from Kitchener, ON. The song is I, The Mountain‘s latest single and chances are you’re going to love it. It is as infectious as it is uplifting. Vocals are shared between the band’s lead vocalist, Matt, and Allison (keyboard) and they are complemented by the remaining band members with great harmonies throughout the track. I can only imagine how Wildflowers should sound like live but I’m sure it must be great.

I, The Mountain released their debut album just last year at the start of the pandemic but the bad timing didn’t prevent the band from developing a passionate fanbase they call Mountaineers. After you listen to Wildflowers below, I’ll be surprised if you don’t become one as well. With their good vibes and talent, it is impossible not to root for I, The Mountain.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Folk/Indie

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Rebel Kicks – Floating

Rebel Kicks - Floating

Brothers Anthony and Steven Babino have been surrounded by music all their lives. When at least one of your parents is a musician, I guess that’s inevitable. And after growing up watching their father perform live in front of a big band day in and day out, it is completely natural that the two brothers born and raised in New York City decided to explore a career in music as well. Enter Rebel Kicks, their musical outlet with influences ranging from The Beatles and Sinatra to modern indie rock acts such as Young The Giant and Grouplove.

Rebel Kicks started releasing singles in 2018 and even managed to place a few of them in tv shows and festivals but then, of course, the pandemic slowed things down. The silver lining is that this situation also inspired them to write Floating, a song about achieving mental peace that is perhaps their best song yet. It reminds me a bit of the early work of fellow New Yorkers American Authors. It’s a catchy and uplifting tune that will lighten up your mood right away. I hope Anthony and Steven keep up exploring this style of music (which they claim differs from their previous releases), because it suits them extremely well. Check them out below.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative
  • Folk/Indie

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The Strumbellas – Greatest Enemy

The Strumbellas - Greatest Enemy

One of the first bands featured here, The Strumbellas, released a new single earlier this year that is just great. While the band was on hiatus during 2020, lead singer Simon Ward wrote Greatest Enemy as a way to reflect on his internal battles during a rough year that involved a cancelled tour even before the pandemic started. Not only has this song a great message, but it also is anthemic as hell. It’s impossible to listen to that chorus and resist the urge to sing or hum along. What I really love about this tune is that it doesn’t sound like I’ll Wait at all while being just as good. They weren’t just trying to repeat the same formula.

Greatest Enemy‘s music video is worth a watch as well. It was created by Toronto-based animator  Luca Tarantini and it is aligned with the song’s concept of battling your own demons. Watch it below.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative
  • Folk/Indie

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Nate Adamson – Grace

At 5:32, Vancouver-born Nate Adamson‘s debut single, Grace, might appear to be too long but it is not because at 04:06 it switches up a gear and goes from being a good song to an outstanding one. I simply love those guitar riffs that complement the song so well. And did I mention that Nate did absolutely everything related to this song? Besides writing the song, singing and playing each instrument; he also recorded and produced every element using the studio he built from the ground up. Pretty impressive, if you ask me, for somebody who is just starting.

This singer-songwriter started listening to legends like Johnny Cash but later discovered more contemporary acts like Kings of Leon and Phoebe Bridgers, which is what ended up motivating him to create his own music. That being said, Grace reminds me a lot of Duncan Sheik, not just in style but also because of the soothing vocals. A bright song the artist wrote for the daughter he would like to have someday, it brings us hope by telling us that no matter how dire things might look right now, everything will be all right in the end. With more songs like Grace, I could totally believe that.

P.S: Since I wasn’t able to write a post on Monday and Wednesday this week, there won’t be a #ThrowbackThursday entry this week. Hopefully, it will return next time.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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Kat Victoria – Tell Him

Kat Victoria is a young and multifaceted artist that cannot really be tied to any genre in particular. She has released six singles so far and each one of them is different. I mean, one of them is even categorised as freestyle rap. However, the song I’m featuring today, Tell Him, lies in the grey area between alternative rock and pop-punk.

Tell Him is an interesting track with an infectious chorus that I’m sure many listeners will enjoy. I think it’s really impressive what Kat can do pretty much by herself, including shooting a music video for her song (which you can watch below). As her bio on social media pages say, this talented songwriter makes music from her bedroom. I can only imagine what she would be able to do in a top-notch music studio. Definitely, check her out.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative
  • Punk-Rock

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Pony – WebMD

I found it hilarious that Sam Bielanski, the lead singer and mastermind behind Toronto-based band Pony, tweeted –when the band released their latest single– that she had written a song about her favorite website, WebMD. She obviously can make fun of herself and that’s a good quality to have. The song is a great alternative rock jam with an infectious melody and, despite its title, a good message about being independent and not wanting to depend on anyone else in order to feel complete.

According to Pony‘s website, the band’s style is grunge pop, which in a way makes perfect sense. Whatever it is, we need more bands like Pony. Luckily, they recently announced the signing of a deal with an indie label and will release a debut full-length album soon. That being said, the band had been publishing songs and EPs regularly since 2015, so they got plenty of material out already.

Sam even starred, directed, choreographed , shot, and edited the music video for WebMD (the link is below but you might have to go to Youtube in order to watch it due to restrictions from the music label). Or you can also enjoy this tune on the mixtapes below. Whatever you choose, have fun!

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative
  • Pop

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Alanis Morissette – Smiling

In case you missed it because it didn’t receive the same level of attention as Folklore, Alanis released last week her first album in 8 years: Such Pretty Forks In the Road, and I have to say that it’s possibly her best work since at least Under Rug Swept (2002). Rolling Stone criticised the album because it’s not as edgy and rebellious as Jagged Little Pill, but after 25 years, you cannot expect her to be exactly the same person. People change. Alanis got three kids now as well, and that changes your priorities too. This does not mean that she has lost her knack for great lyrics, she hasn’t. It’s just that she aims it differently know.

The album has several good tracks, including Reasons I Drink and Ablaze. Its first and third singles so far, respectively. My favourite, however, is Smiling, which is one of two new songs written for the Broadway adaptation of Jagged Little Pill (I’m not a fan of musicals but that’s one I’d be interested in watching), and also released as the second single off this new album. It showcases Alanis‘ great vocals and got a similar vibe to Uninvited. You can find it below in the Alternative mixtape.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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The Strumbellas – I’ll Wait

The Strumbellas - I'll Wait

Canadian band The Strumbellas had a moderate hit a few years ago with their song, Spirits, yet they remained relatively unknown to the casual listener. Last year, they returned with their fourth album, Rattlesnakes, which included the anthemic folk single you can find below. If you haven’t listened to it yet, you must do it now because its infectiously uplifting melody will put a smile on your face and make you sing-along.

I’ll wait became an instant musical crush for me the first time I heard it. I hope it does the same for you.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative
  • Folk/Indie