Luka Kuplowsky – Judee Justin Arthur Mary – EP

Tags

2020, acoustic, Arthur Russell, artist, Canada, EP, EP Review, folk, indie, Judee Justin Arthur Mary, Judee Sill, Justin Haynes, Luka Kuplowsky, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Me For Real, Music, Music Video, Musician, pop, Review, Rock, singer, Single, Spotify, There's a Rugged Road, Toronto, Youtube

Luka Kuplowsky ’s Judee Justin Arthur Mary EP is out today via Mama Bird Recordings (USA) and Next Door Records (Canada).

A collection of re-imagined covers from four of Kuplowsky’s deepest influences.
From Judee Sill’s “There’s a Rugged Road” with a soulful stripped-back homage to the treasured songwriter.

To the dreamy and elegant cover of Arthur Russell’s “Me for Real” and the jazz-inflected Mary Margaret O’Hara cover of “Anew Day” (feat. Bahamas’ Felicity Williams).

For the new EP, Luka Kuplowsky (voice, guitar, harmonica) brought together a collection of his most familiar Toronto players including U.S. Girls and Andy Shauf collaborator Evan Cartwright on drums, Thom Gill (Sam Amidon, Bernice) on electric guitar and organ, the incredible jazz player Josh Cole (Sandro Perri, Martha Wainwright) on bass, and Bahamas’ Felicity Williams for backing vocals.
Together, they’ve taken these songs and re-imagined what they could look like in a truly collaborative process to extract something new from each composition.

Although it may seem like an EP of covers on first blush, this collection is a reverent take with the distinct fingerprints of each of the collaborators throughout.
Taking Arthur Russell’s funky deconstructed pop song “Me for Real” and rendering it into a skipping, syncopated folk song; Judee Sill’s country-gospel anthem is opened up into a grooving, pastoral jam (think Bill Frisell’s “Gone, Just Like a Train”); Justin Haynes’ sincere and sardonic “Child Support” is imagined as ramshackle tropicalia; and Mary Margret O’Hara’s “Anew Day” is paired down to a minimalist gospel-blues for guitar, bass and hand clap.
Judee Justin Arthur Mary EP gets:
/10.

Mike Bertini – Thing Called Life [EP Review]

Tags

2020, alternative, Canada, EP, EP Review, indie, Mike Bertini, Music, Music Video, Musician, pop, Review, Rock, Spotify, Thing Called Life, Vancouver

Previously posted about this artist twice in 2019 on this site.
Vancouver musician Mike Bertini released his EP Thing Called Life on January 28, 2020.
It is five tracks filled with indie pop and blues rock with some added syrupy ballad schmaltz.
Something that would be played on mainstream radio or listen to while doing some errands.
If you like heartbreak, relationships and life in general, this something you should listen to.

Lev Snowe – Someday Soon [EP Stream]

Tags

2020, alternative, artist, Canada, EP, EP Review, indie, Lev Snowe, Music, Musician, pop, Review, singer, Someday Soon, Winnipeg

Today, Canadian dreampop artist Lev Snowe shares his sophomore EP Someday Soon.
Through lush, hazy production that emerged from the confines of limited technology, Lev’s voice swirls in and out of focus creating a surreal, dreamlike state for the listener. His lyrics are a foreign fantasy about needing to travel beyond his home in order to find traces of the next him as he juggles with memories that pull him backwards.

The Sarandons [EP Review]

Tags

2019, alternative, band, Canada, EP, EP Review, Group, indie, Music, Music Video, Musicians, Review, Rock, The Sarandons, Toronto, Worse or for Better

Want to get away from the Christmas holiday music and hear something new before 2019 ends?
The Sarandons was previous posted back in November.
The Toronto band just dropped their self-titled EP today.
The 6 track EP is filled with indie roots rock with some added grooviness to their music.
About the EP:
Damian Coleman on vocals & bass), Edmund Cummings on vocals & keys, Craig Keeney on lead guitar, Phil Skot on drums and Dave Suchon on vocals & guitar create, through a common creative process, nostalgic yet evocative atmospheres that only a perfect interweaving of melodies and lyrics are able to generate. In their words: a “plush roots-rock impressionistic post-twang” sound delivering “melodic laddish beer-soaked holler ballads”.
A brand new experience carefully built by the band to gift the fans with an “enriched and adorned” selection of six captivating pieces. From the strongly instrumental ballad ‘Stormy Endings’, that braces its intense lyrics with a soft guitar, sliding into the country-inspired atmosphere of ‘Continental Divide’, where an obliging (to the me lody) piano seems to rise from an old Western movie’s soundtrack, this EP carries on that catchy flavor of its first single ‘Worse or For Better’.
Overall if you are into upbeat roots groove rock, then you should check it out.
Best tracks:

• Worse or For Better
• Continental Divide
• Stormy Endings

Casa Lagarto – Shed It [EP Review]

Tags

2018, Arturo Portocarrero, band, Canada, Casa Lagarto, EP, EP Review, Group, Jason Barkhouse, Jon Schofield, Music, Music Video, Musicians, Ottawa, Review, Shed It, Travis Kinnear

Finally after being shrouded in mystery.
Ottawa’s Casa Lagarto has finally released their debut EP.
It is called Shred and it is filled with (as they call it) “mirage rock, cactus bop and turkey hop” music.
To me, it sounds like a dirty western rock.
The members consist of Travis Kinnear (Fire Antlers), Arturo Portocarrero, Jason Barkhouse and Jonny Schofield (Ex-The Yips).
Overall Shed It is a solid effort for the band to give them a kick in the scene.
Hope to hear more materials if they release a full-length in the coming months or next year.

Best tracks

• Lights Out
• Shed It
• Scarecrow

I’d give Shed It:
/ 10
The EP is available on all streaming platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, Bandcamp and etc!

Spiritual Cramp – Mass Hysteria [EP Review]

Tags

2018, alternative, band, EP, EP Review, Group, indie, Mass Hysteria, Music, Musicians, punk, Review, Spiritual Cramp

A band that you need to look out for in 2018.
It is the San Francisco punk band Spiritual Cramp.
You got to love that band name.
Here is a description:
“The sounds borrow from the past, echoes of late 70’s / early 80’s working class rock and punk, which function on the upbeat, showcasing very bright guitars yet generating darker vocal rhythms and darker patterning.”
Their debut EP is Mass Hysteria.
As mention in the description, it four tracks of that music.
Play it very loud and enjoy it!

Best tracks: All MY Friends Are Out Tonight (Alright), Tenderloin and Wrecking Machine.
I’d give the EP:
/10

Telecomo – For Sale [Review]

Tags

2017, Adam Saikaley, alternative, band, Canada, EP, EP Review, Gary Franks, Group, indie, Music, Musicians, Ottawa, Pat Johnson, Review, Rock, Telecomo

It’s been a year since Ottawa’s Telecomo came out in the scene with their EP “Promo EP”.
Here is a description of the band:
Telecomo is a new three-piece garage rock outfit from Canada.
The group is high energy and the music is earnest.
Each song comes in quick bursts and with a beguiling melodic depth.
Trading metaphors for direct action, Adam Saikaley (Vocals, Guitar) brings a message of sincerity. Backed by longtime friends and collaborators Pat Johnson (Drums) and Gary Franks (Bass), Telecomo is succinct and eager.
Those that weren’t aware, the album was recorded, mastered and mixed by Jonathan Schenke.
He has worked with such acts like Parquet Courts, The Drums, Liturgy, PC Worship, The Men, Dirty Beaches, Frankie Rose and Girl Talk.
Which can explain it has that New York City gritty garage rock vibe to it.
10 tracks (3 from Promo EP got re-recorded) of high energetic garage-grungey rock music with some raw intense lyrics.
Gets you into a rocking dancing mood during the summer time.
Best tracks:

• • Long Gone

• • I Met You

• • Boom

• • No Answer

• • Bike

I’d give For Sale:
/10

Khodara – Billie [EP Review]

Tags

2017, American, artist, Billie, EP, EP Review, indie, Khodara, Music, Musician, pop, Review, singer, USA

EP cover of Billie

I was enthralled by Khodara when I first heard the leading single Billie from the EP of the same name which drops on March 17, 2017.
For those not familiar, she is from New York City and has one EP under her belt that was released in 2016 called Where’s Your Love.
On Billie, the songs are a range from soulful pop to retro 80s new wave pop sound.
She has the vocals of Cults’ Madeline Follin, Lykke Li, Madonna and Phantogram all into one!
She is one of those musicians that makes you really enjoy the music than what is being played on the radio.
Best tracks:

• Billie
• Anxious

I’d give Billie:
/10 Camera flashes!

Stars – Sad Robots [Review]

Tags

2008, Album, Amy Millan, band, Canada, Chris Seligman, EP, EP Review, Evan Cranley, Group, Montreal, Music, Musicians, Pat McGee, Review, Sad Robots, Stars, Torquil Campbell

After seeing Stars play the second night in Ottawa
Which I didn’t regret.
Purchased the tour only EP called Sad Robots which is also out on iTunes for those that couldn’t see them live.
After various times to listening to Sad Robots, I absolutely love it.
I know they have changed their style on In Our Bedroom After The War.
But it just has that theme of sad and loneliness on Sad Robots.
Maintenance Hall, 4 AM is the typical intro but its very sad and lovely at the same time.
A Thread Cut With A Carving Knife is what I call a epic song.
Undertow is very brooding dark with the synth keyboards and the lovely voice of Amy Millan.
Going, Going, Gone (Live Version) I find sounds alot better than Nightsongs. Probably on Nightsongs it sounds like Emily Haines sang it.
14 Forever is the only upbeat song but if you listen carefully on the lyrics. It does have that dark side to it. The song just reminisce of what it felt like being 14.
Sad Robot is the interesting track since Amy sings in French.

What makes Stars great is the dynamic chemistry with Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan.
I can’t think of any band that has male and female singing equal parts or telling it like a story.

I love every track on the album despite what critics say.
Go get it on iTunes or on the Sad Robots site

I’d give Sad Robots:
/ 10