The year is starting to ramp up when it comes to interesting new releases. Here are five songs you must hear this week if you want to keep on top of things.
1. Hotel Mira, Making Progress
Single (Frontside)
Recommended If You Like: Canadian alt-rock
Vancouver’s Hotel Mira had a good 2024 with a headlining tour of Canada and swings through both the US and the UK. Their latest gig is opening for Our Lady Peace on a cross-Canada tour, which will be followed by another American road trip. This is the first track from a forthcoming as-yet-untitled album due later this year.
2. Puddy, It Has a Name
Demagogo (Independent)
RIYL: Canadian rock with a stoner rock bent
Coming out of Timmins, Ontario (although members also come from Montreal and Whitby), Puddy channels both Nirvana and Queens of the Stone Age vibes with a new album produced by Andy Curran (Envy of None, Coney Hatch). They’re a super DIY unit that seem completely committed to breaking out of Ontario’s north to the rest of the world. If there’s a god, they will.
3. Live Animals, This Ether
Who Gets Hunted EP (Independent)
RIYL: More Canadian rock
Damn, this country has bench strength when it comes to music. Looking for something grungey and melodic? Then here you go. Live Animals, based out of Toronto, have just released a debut single from an upcoming EP produced by Jordan Hastings, whom you might know as the drummer for Alexisonfire, Billy Talent, and Say Yes.
4. Honestav, Hurts to Fall in Love (Use Me)
Single (Rebel/Gamma/The Syn)
RIYL: Heartbreak
Honestav (real name: Avi Freeman) is from Springfield, Missouri, has been pretty prolific since he started releasing songs in 2021, blending influences as diverse as Nirvana, Green Day, Mac Miller, and Noah Kahan. You might already know him from his last single, I’d Rather Overdose. He’s already had more than 110 million streams.
5. David Kushner, Darkerside
The Dicotomy (Virgin)
RIYL: Soulful baritones
Kusher, although from Chicago, has already had hits in Norway, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. The first things I thought of when hearing this song were Hozier and Rag’n’Bone Man. This track comes form a 17-track autobiographical album, which, if consumed as a whole, shows that the keyboardist has had a tumultuous time.
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