In the spirit of Canada pushing back against the US over CUSMA and the whole Lake Ontario silliness, the Five Songs You Must Hear This Week list is 100% Canadian and 80% from indie artists.
1. Ruby Waters, Get a Grip
Single (Wet Records/Stem)
Recommended If You Like: Getting rid of toxic people
JUNO nominee Ruby has a sophomore album coming soon (exact date TBA), which she has been teasing with a couple of advance singles. She describes this one as “an anthem about choosing self-worth over a toxic partner’s games.” I hear you, sister.
Listen on Spotify
2. Nameless Friends, Clara
The Quiet Part, Loudly (Independent)
RIYL: A little history with your music
Nameless Friends is a Toronto-based LGBTQ+ band whose members all perform under pseudonyms (Number One, guitarist Number Three, bassist Number Five, drummer Number Seven, and touring keyboardist Number Six.) This song was inspired by Clara Immerwahr, a brilliant German scientist whose husband was part of developing the use of chemical weapons in WWI. She would have none of that and fought with all her might against her evil husband. Oh, and the video features members of the Hogtown Roller Derby league.
3. TALK, Boomerang
Single (Big Loud Rock/Sony)
RIYL: Concept albums
Still more Canada. TALK (Ottawa’s Nicholas Durocher) continues his Ozzy Moon saga, which has explored different emotional corners of this character’s world. The first three songs were all quite dark and sad, but this track is a lot brighter, happier, and more optimistic. “This is the most fun song in Ozzy Moon’s world.” A very Twenty One Pilots approach, no?
4. The Litres, Armageddon
Single (Independent)
RIYL: 90s alt-rock vibes
The second single from The Litres, a band led by Jordy Birch, the one-time frontman of Vancouvers Pure (think Anna is a Speed Freak and others from the early 90s) has a lot of 90s slacker feels, a sound that seems to be having something of a renaissance on the indie scene. There’s no album, yet, but we’ll hopefully get one soon.
5. Sundayclub, Blue Wave
Single (Independent)
RIYL: The Killers. You’ll hear why.
Making it five-for-five for Canada, we have this Winnipeg band who has already had support from BBC 6 Music, Billboard, Consequence of Sound, CBC Music, and many other outlets. If this single makes you think of the kind of song Brandon Flowers would sing with The Killers, you’re not far off the mark. Or they could be a Next Big Thing out of the UK. But no, they’re from Winnipeg. They still have a few festival dates this year, so you might yet get to see them live.
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