“Mind Reader” by David Vertesi (ft. Jill Barber)

Last week David Vertesi announced his brand new album, and dropped his latest single, “Mind Reader”.

The new track features the lovely voice of Jill Barber, pairing excellently with Vertesi’s own smooth vocals, for a heartbreaking song. Vertesi explains, “Throughout the pandemic, many of my friend's longtime relationships began to crumble. Problems they had ignored for forever seemed to come to a head when they were stuck inside together for the lockdowns. This is loosely based on one of those stories.”

In fact the new album, Fictionalized, is essentially a concept album “on the collective spiraling of the pandemic years”, and aside from Jill Barber, features songs with Jordan Klassen, Haley Blais, and Sam Lynch.

Fictionalized is out February 27 on Tiny Kingdom!

Kirk

“True Love Waits” by Adaline

It’s officially two months until the new EP Hymnal from Adaline is released, and we have a new track from it to celebrate.

Of “True Love Waits”, Adaline says “This song draws inspiration from the evangelical purity culture movement of the 1990s, specifically 'True Love Waits,' which advocated abstinence as a means to honour God. This song explores the underbelly and dysfunction of this kind of teaching.”

As someone that went through Catholic school in the 90s and 2000s, and saw some of the damage and consequences that abstinence-only teaching can do, this resonates with me.
And on top of this it’s a beautiful song with gorgeous vocals and strings to boot.

Christine,

“Nobody Escapes” by Mother Mother

Last Friday, Mother Mother released their latest single, “Nobody Escapes”, but the even bigger news was the tour announcement which included a show here in Vancouver at Rogers Arena(!!)

The new song is the latest off their upcoming album Grief Chapter, and starts pretty chill before descending into a fever dream. Ryan Guldemond explains “we sing cheerily about the indiscriminate nature of death and how, regardless of status, good looks or physique, the reaper comes for us all. The animated video that accompanies our rollicking and blasphemous album opener follows suit, depicting a sinister factory where conveyor belts and machinery crudely sort through freshly fallen souls.”

Check out Grief Chapter when it’s released February 16th, and catch Mother Mother (with Cavetown) at Rogers Arena on June 15!

Kirk

“Lost Without You” by Shred Kelly

I was VERY excited to hear that Shred Kelly was heading out on the road to celebrate the release of their album Blurry Vision.

In February, March and April, the band will be jaunting back and forth across the country, including a stop here in Vancouver on March 29th at the Biltmore Cabaret, with Vancouver’s Hyaenas in support.

And while we wait for that magical day to come, they’ve also released a beautiful and wonderfully fun video for their track “Lost Without You”, that they partnered with cinematographer and animator Kenta Kikuchi from Pender Island to create. Check it out!

Christine

“So What” by JEEN

Want another February release? Then JEEN has good news for you! Her latest album, Gold Control, drops February 2nd, and last week she gave one last tease before its release.

“So What” is a hazy, dreamy tune that JEEN says is about “never-ending uphill battles, and wishing you could freeze time to stay with someone you can’t enough of.”

Check out the lyric video below!

Kirk