Some weeks are loaded with solid Canadian content. This is one of them with four them deemed songs you must hear.
1. July Talk, When You Stop
Single (Six Shooter Records)
Recommended If You Like: Acoustic versions
July Talk is the subject of a very atmospheric black-and-white documentary entitled Love Lies Here. The soundtrack includes this piano version of When You Stop from Remember Never Before, their fourth arrived back in January. The doc started a sting of one-night showings across the country last week in Toronto and will continue until things wrap up in Hamilton on July 7.
2. Danko Jones, Good Time
Electric Sounds (Sonic Unyon)
RIYL: Karaoke (you’ll see what I mean)
Danko Jones keeps it simple: rock hard and rock hard. The second single from the new album (due On September 15) has a karaoke theme and features a couple of cameos from a couple of musician friends. I quote Danko: “ is the song you need to hear when you’re not ready to throw in the towel. It also rocks very very very hard and has a lot of swear words.” Again, why make it difficult when you can keep it simple?
3. Odds, Fall Guy
Time Machine (Independent)
RIYL: 90s CanRock
Odds were one of the most reliable providers of radio singles during the CanRock era of the 90s, a gig that they later parlayed into being the house band for the Vancouver Canucks. They’re now ready with a seventh album co-produced by Steven Page, ex of the Barenaked Ladies. According to the band, this song began as two different tracks that were blended into one (you’ll hear the transition at around 2:40). The new album will be here on August 4.
4. Rezz x Grabbitz, Signal
Single (Hypnovizion/The Syndicate)
RIYL: Crossborder collaborations
Rezz is a DJ and producer from the St. Catharines/Niagara Falls area. Grabbitz is a multi-instrumentalist who lives across the river in Buffalo. You might remember their first collaboration, a 2020 track called Someone Else that had some serious success at alt-rock radio across North America. Also watch for Rezz’s upcoming goth/punk EP entitled It’s Not a Phase.
5. Julian Casablancas + The Voidz, Prophecy of the Dragon
Single (Cult Records)
RIYL: Well, The Strokes, for one…
I’m not horribly optimistic about seeing another Strokes album anytime soon, so the next best thing is new material from the band’s singer and main songwriter. This song arrived via a press release that was written by an AI program that “was given zero prompts.” It starts like this: “The most handsome and interesting band of modern times has returned. More infectious than the case of malware you gave your parents’ computer from downloading pirated music off Kazaa, “Prophecy of the Dragon,” the new single from musical-act Julian Casablancas+The Voidz is here to soundtrack your summer months. You’ll love the hard riffs, poetic lyrics, and rhythmic aptitude.”
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