Songs of the Week: February 17 - 23, 2025

“Save My Life” by Hawksley Workman

New Hawksley Music Alert!

Was pleasantly surprised and equally happy to see that Hawksley Workman has new music coming! Also excited to see that the first track released, “Save My Life”, had a video with none other than Mounties bandmate Steve Bays in the directors chair. That’s fitting as he also co-wrote and co-produced the song - busy man!

Hawksley said the song is “confident, optimistic, and everything we need right now. We wrote this with a sense of urgency.”

Get ready to have the whistling part of it stuck in your head - this one’s an ear worm!

• Christine

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“Daylight” by Basia Bulat

Last Friday, Basia Bulat released her newest album, Basia’s Palace, and dropped the brand new single to celebrate.

“Daylight” is as lush and gorgeous as the rest of the album, with Basia explaining: “I wrote so much of this album in the middle of the night, when it felt like the world of dreams and the ‘real world’ were finding moments to meet. I realized how much I had separated the two and wanted to invite that space between them to get smaller. This song became a way to remind myself to ‘consciously’ invite that energy in more, and evolved into a meditation on showing compassion to yourself through exploring your dreams.”

You can pick up the album now, and watch out for Basia Bulat on tour starting next month, with a stop here in Vancouver at the Hollywood Theatre on April 30th!

• Kirk

Songs of the Week: Holiday Songs 2021

“November” by Kylie V

If you’ve been around here during the holidays before, you may know that I’m not always a big fan of Christmas music… which is why all of my favourites are songs that are not immediately or obviously about the holidays.

And to that end, the new single from Kylie V, “November” seems more of a “seasonal” song. I might not have even thought to include it here if it wasn’t written specifically for the latest installment in the annual Oh! Canada's "Ho! Ho! Ho! Canada" series, curated by Ro Cemm over at The Line Of Best Fit.

Much like their debut album earlier this year, Big Blue (which, spoiler alert, is definitely going to appear on my best of the year list), “November” is a gorgeous song, with Kylie’s heartbreaking vocals driving the slow and melodic opening to a grand finish.

• Kirk

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“Indie Rock Christmas” by Hawksley Workman

Funny enough, Kirk and I presenting you Christmas songs by Canadian indie artists and Hawksley Workman released a song with that very title.

It is VERY “We Didn’t Start The Fire” by Billy Joel, but listing all the things indie rock lovers want for Christmas, and I’m here for it.
(PS Santa, I’d like some Hawksley Workman vinyl, please!)

• Christine

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“Home Alone” by Kandle (feat. Debra-Jean Creelman)

Inspired less by the Chris Columbus classic and more by the likes of Sinatra and Elvis, “Home Alone” sees Kandle teaming with Debra-Jean Creelman for a nostalgic look at Christmases passed.

Kandle & Creelman say: "Inspired by a true story of Kandle’s parents brilliantly tricking her into believing in Santa just a little too long, here is Home Alone! Once again recorded in Kandle’s bedroom and written in about 30 minutes with an acoustic guitar and piano. Like most (semi) grown-ups, we’ve left behind the traditions and trappings of Christmas, that as children we took as an absolute. But the music that was playing during what was most often a harmonious and magical time in our young lives has passed the test of time. “Christmas Mourn”, and “Home Alone”, are love letters to an era of music that has influenced and provided comfort for both of us for our whole lives. Hopefully our songs can soothe a few other weary souls this year."

• Kirk

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“In The Bleak Midwinter” by Catherine MacLellan

Funny enough, when this post goes live, I should be somewhere over the middle of Canada, on my way to Ontario to hopefully have a white Christmas,

This cover of “In The Bleak Midwinter” by Catherine MacLellan, off of her holiday EP aptly named Holiday, is the perfect song to listen to while you sit by the fireside with a warm beverage in your hand.

Check out her original song “Calling You Home (for the Holidays)” as well (it’s got major “Blackbird” vibes).

• Christine

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“Christmas Eve Day” by Matt Mays

“Christmas Eve Day” is a song that Matt Mays wrote a few years back, “out on the cold road. I felt like now would be a good time to release it because so many people have been forced to be apart. Separating love is a fool's errand but somehow, under these strange and extenuating circumstances it feels tougher. Anyway ...Happy Holidays everyone. May we all be together...at least in song!”

The single features some good friends of matt, including Damhnait Doyle, Loel Campbell (of Wintersleep), Matthew Angus (from Fast Romantics), Adam Baldwin, and also some of his friend’s kids!

• Kirk

Song of the Day: November 8, 2019 - "Around Here" by Hawksley Workman

A new track from Hawksley Workman, right before he’s about to kick off the Canadian leg of his tour this November, to support his latest album Median Age Wasteland.

“Around Here” isn’t on that release, and while it’s not a typical song you think you’d hear from Hawksley song-style-wise, his description of it definitely is: “It is a meditation on belonging and the dark, slippery moments when love challenges…when it slips from a feeling into work, into a mission statement of mutual truths.”

Hawksley will perform at the Imperial in Vancouver in a few weeks on November 17th!

Song of the Day: July 28, 2019 - "Italy" by Hawksley Workman

Hawksley Workman released this video for the song “Italy” off of his latest album, Median Age Wasteland, and I am kicking myself that I just got around to posting it as a SOTD now!

The track features Amy Milan from STARS, it was produced by Murray A. Lightburn (The Dears), and the video was by Steve Bays (Mounties, Hot Hot Heat) and Siobhan Williams.

If that can’t sell you on a viewing, I don’t know what to tell you!
You can see Hawksley in Vancouver in November on the 17th at The Imperial!

Song of the Day: September 18, 2018 - "Canoe Song" by Mounties

Just when you thought a band named Mounties couldn’t get any more Canadian, they release “Canoe Song”.

The mega-combo of Hawksley Workman, Ryan Dahle, and Steve Bays are back with a tease for their upcoming album with a song I guarantee will be lodged in your brain for the rest of the day.

Song of the Day: March 16, 2018 - "Burning Money" by Mounties

Put your headphones on and give "Burning Money", the new single from Mounties a listen!

The band (who consists of Hawksley Workman, Steve Bays, Ryan Dahle, and Parker Bossley (and Cary Pratt at least the last time I saw them live)) are finally back with new music!

I haven't found any new info about their sophomore album, or touring, but a new single generally leads to that, so stay...tuned.

Song of the Day: November 14, 2016 - "That's The Way I Walk" by Tommy Hawkins

You may know Thomas D'Arcy from the band Small Sins, or his own solo albums, or being a pretty prolific producer.

You may know Hawksley Workman from supergroup Mounties or, you know, being Hawksley friggin' Workman. 

Well, seemingly out of nowhere the pair has teamed up for a brand new project called Tommy Hawkins, and dropped the first single, "That's The Way I Walk". It's off a six-song EP called Amy, which comes out at the end of the week (Nov 18), and pretty much demands being cranked. Check it below. 

Song of the Day: July 09, 2016 - "Minimum Effort" by Mounties

One of the big headliners of today's Khatsahlano street party is Mounties, who are taking a quick break from working on their second album to play a free show at the stage on West 4th and Macdonald today!

You can/should catch them, rain or shine, at 7pm (before wishing Khatsahlano had invested in a Tube Transport System to get you all the way to Burrard for Hannah Georgas at 8.)