Toronto-based singer Kyla Charter has had an illustrious career as a background singer in the CanCon music machine. Her CV reads like a CBC Radio One playlist, performing with artists like July Talk, Patrick Watson, Rich Aucoin and Alessia Cara. Now Charter is stepping out on her own with her debut album Edible Flowers.
As winter is finally melting into spring and our familiar feathery friends return, live music is also slowly returning to music venues across the city. Not only has it been a long winter, it has been a long two years for local Winnipeg band North Graffiti. To celebrate this return of somewhat normalcy, the band is set to release its album Modern Relics at the Park Theatre on April 9 with opening acts the 12/21 and Mobina Galore.
Self-described as adding “modern flare to a vintage aesthetic,” North Graffiti’s album Modern Relics successfully reflects its musical tagline. Just like the album’s cover, the “punk & roll” local group pulls together the fragments of vintage punk and rock past with present instrumentals.
For the past near-decade, the indie world has been afflicted with the “post-Mac DeMarco malady.” Not that it’s always a bad thing, but for a long time people have been latching onto the watery, chill, bedroom pop style and using the aesthetic to cover up lazy songwriting. It’s refreshing to hear something good in this tired idiom for once. Niall Mutter, through the power of being a smart songwriter, has done just that on his new EP, Pass Me By.
Winnipeg-born singer-songwriter Cassidy Mann does a lot of reminiscing on her new EP, If It’s Not Forever. The songs here are preoccupied with the evocative moments from love affairs that stick with you long after the relationship ends.
Multidisciplinary artist Maylee Todd has had a wild, varied career. Beginning her career as a comedian, she has since branched out into performance art, animation and music. All these elements come together on her ambitious new project Maloo.
March 25 will see the release of Salma Hindy’s debut stand-up album, Born on 9/11. Recorded live in Toronto, Ont., the album will be released through Comedy Records, Canada’s first record label dedicated to comedy albums.
Rainy Day Ritual is the brainchild of Samwauw, or just Sam, a young artist with a lot on his mind.
How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars is indeed a more nocturnal, wistful record than the danceable, brooding Ignorance. The arrangements for these songs float, unmoored by time, carried largely by spare piano work adorned with pillowy ribbons of woodwinds and warm upright bass. This ethereal, minimal production establishes a very direct emotional connection with the listener, highlighting Lindeman’s voice.
Dallas Good, singer and guitarist of Toronto-based band the Sadies, passed away on Feb. 17. As described in the announcement, it was a sudden death of natural causes at the tragically young age of 48.