In keeping with the mood of the country, this week’s Five Songs list is very much slanted towards buy Canadian with a CanCon content of 80%.
1. Lucky Honey, Setting Sun
Single (Independent)
Recommended If You Like: Songs that acknowledge radio
Let’s start with this Hamilton four-piece who have been around for a while but have only released two singles so far. As a radio guy, I appreciate these lyrics: “I listen to the radio, another day but the air was sweet, and I was looking back at videos of a younger me and I was so naïve.” I can relate. So can a lot of other people.
2. Goodnight Sunrise, Get Worse
Single (Rejection Records)
RIYL: If you feel like sh*t when you wake up
We live in some challenging times where it seems as if the bad guys are winning every day. Toronto’s Goodnight Sunrise can relate. Their new single—an autobiographical one, according to them—captures how a lot of us feel when we open our eyes in the morning. What fresh hell will this day bring? If nothing changes, this could be my song of the summer.
2. The Trews, The Breakdown
The Bloody Light (Known Accomplice/Cadence Music Group)
RIYL: If you’re sick and tired of feeling sick and tired
This is a nice companion to the Goodnight Sunrise track. I quote singer Colin MacDonald: “We spend so much time avoiding the hard stuff, the hurtful stuff, the sad stuff. We distract ourselves with anything we can get our eyes, ears, or hands on. Meanwhile, the darkness lurks underneath, growing exponentially and often manifesting itself in unhealthy ways. Accepting your flaws, failings and shortcomings and loving them all the same; it’s who we are, it’s what makes us human, it’s what connects us.” The album—their eighth—will be out later this year.
3. Sevendials, Zodiac Mortals
A Crash Course in Catastrophe (Cadiz Music/CreationYouth)
RIYL: Catastrophes, obviously
I wish just thinking the other day that we’re about due for some kind of industrial supergroup—and look what we have here. Sevendials consists of vocalist Chris Connelly (Ministry, Revolting Cocks, and others), Mark Gemini Thwaite (guitar for The Mission, Peter Murphy, and Tricky), and drummer Paul Ferguson (Killing Joke). The group is named after a dangerous part of London in the 18th century and certainly lives up to its name. The album will arrive on April 11.
5. Cindy Lee, the full album
Diamond Jubilee (W. 25th)
RIYL: Mysterious bands who are determined to stay mysterious
I’m a little late to the party here, but I absolutely must bring this band to your attention. All we know is that Cindy Lee is the drag alter-ego of Patrick Flegel of the Canadian band Women, who broke up years ago. Diamond Jubilee is a 32-track two-hour album released a year ago. The only way to access it was via a 1990s-looking website after submitting a suggested donation of $30. There’s been no PR campaigns, no interviews, no social media. Still, it was shortlisted for the 2024 Polaris Music Prize last summer. There was a Bandcamp release in October and a physical release (CD and vinyl) happened a few weeks ago. Pitchfork rates it at a 9.1, their highest rating since Fiona Apple’s wildly experimental 2020 album, Fetch the Bolt Cutters. There’s no single, but we can listen to the whole album on YouTube. I encourage you to do it.
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