Today it has been announced that the Season 1 soundtrack for Yo Gabba GabbaLand!, the much-anticipated revival of the Emmy-nominated cultural phenomenon Yo Gabba Gabba!, will be coming to vinyl and CD on December 6th via BMG, following the recent premiere of the first season of the series on Apple TV+.
The digital soundtrack, which dropped August 9th, has already been covered by the likes of Rolling Stone, Billboard, Stereogum and more for featuring Anderson .Paak, Portugal. The Man, Thundercat, mxmtoon, Local Natives, Lucius, Kurt Vile, Betty Who, Twin Shadow, Ty Segall, The Linda Lindas, Big Daddy Kane, Claud, Cory Wong and Antwaun Stanley, Dayglow, Miyavi, Paul Williams, Prestyn Smith, Reggie Watts, ROMderful, The Drums, and The Interrupters. It’s a perfect reminder why Yo Gabba Gabba! is beloved by parents and children.
“We couldn’t be more excited to bring more Gabba to the world! Music has always been the heart and soul of Yo Gabba Gabba!, and Yo Gabba GabbaLand! is no different,” said Scott Schultz & Christian Jacobs, co-creators and Executive Producers of Yo Gabba GabbaLand!. “The amazing amount of support and interest from the music community we’ve had all these years later fills us with so much joy—it’s going to be so much fun to pass that energy on to kids, families, and existing Gabba fans. With amazing guest artists like Anderson .Paak, Thundercat and The Linda Lindas, the talent lineup for Yo Gabba GabbaLand! is basically our dream list of collaborators. Hope you’re ready to dancey dance – because this soundtrack is one giant celebration of awesomeness!”
Track Listing For “Yo Gabba GabbaLand! Season 1 Soundtrack”
“Yo Gabba GabbaLand! Theme” (w/ Kammy Kam)
“We’re All Connected” (w/ Anderson .Paak)
“Yo Gabba GabbaLand!” (Yo Gabba Gabba!)
“Animals Are Sleeping” (w/ Ty Segall)
“Let’s Get Creative” (w/ Twin Shadow)
“Art Party” (w/ Portugal. The Man & Paul Williams)
“We Are What We Think We Are” (w/ Dayglow)
“I’m So Happy to Be Little” (w/ The Linda Lindas)
“Air Is Everywhere” (w/ Local Natives)
“I Am The Wind” (w/ Betty Who)
“The Water Song” (w/ ROMderful)
“Let’s Drink Water” (w/ Miyavi)
“Come and Play” (w/ Claud)
“Many Sounds, One Band” (w/ Cory Wong and Antwaun Stanley)
“The Beat of the Day” (w/ Big Daddy Kane)
“Outside” (w/ Prestyn Smith)
“The Orange Cat’s Special Time Outdoors” (w/ Thundercat)
“Silly in the Rain” (w/ Lucius)
“King Silly March” (w/ Kurt Vile)
“The Beat of the Day” (w/ Reggie Watts)
“Grow With Me” (w/ Miyavi)
“Ch-Ch-Change” (w/ The Drums)
“I Wonder” (Yo Gabba Gabba!)
“I Wonder Why” (w/ mxmtoon}
“Wonderful Day in a Wonderful Place” (w/ The Interrupters)
Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band have expanded their 2025 European tour run, adding eight new shows to previously-rescheduled dates in Marseille, Prague and Milan. Beginning on May 17 in Manchester, each of the just-added performances will bring Springsteen and The E Street Band to cities they haven’t yet played in 2023-2024 — with new shows planned across England, France, Germany and Spain. On recent tours of Europe, the band has been deemed “a spectacle of unadulterated joy and human connectedness” (The Telegraph) and “the greatest show on earth” (Billboard) — while “reminding us … no one does it better” (The Times). Tickets will go on sale starting with Lille on Oct. 7. A full list of performances and on-sale times are below.
The announcement of new 2025 tour dates arrives shortly before the release of “Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band,” a Thom Zimny-directed film coming to Hulu and Disney+ on Oct. 25. Offering the most in-depth look ever at the creation of Springsteen and The E Street Band’s legendary live performances, the official trailer for “Road Diary” was released last week and can be previewed at BruceSpringsteen.net. This month, the band will also travel to Canada for eight more shows beginning on Oct. 31 in Montreal and running through Nov. 22 in Vancouver — which will mark their 114th total show since returning to the road in 2023. They wrapped their most recent U.S. tour with a Sept. 15 homecoming in Asbury Park, NJ — headlining Sea.Hear.Now for “an already legendary live set” (Variety) called “one of the greatest post-reunion shows in Springsteen history” (Rolling Stone).
Credit: Rob DeMartin
Credit: Rob DeMartin
Credit: Rob DeMartin
Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band 2025 European Tour Dates
May 17 – Manchester, England – Co-op Live – On-sale: Oct. 11 at 10am BST (5 am ET) ticketmaster.co.uk
May 20 – Manchester, England – Co-op Live – On-sale: Oct. 11 at 10am BST (5 am ET) ticketmaster.co.uk
May 24 – Lille, France – Stade Pierre Mauroy – On-sale: Oct. 7 at 10am CEST (4am ET) gdp.fr/en
May 31- Marseille, France – Orange Velodrome (rescheduled from May 25, 2024) gdp.fr/en
June 4 – Liverpool, England – Anfield Stadium – On-sale: Oct. 11 at 10am BST (5am ET) ticketmaster.co.uk
June 11 – Berlin, Germany – Olympiastadion – On-sale: Oct. 9 at 10am CEST (4am ET) ticketmaster.de
June 15 – Prague, Czech Republic – Airport Letnany (rescheduled from May 28, 2024) ticketmaster.cz
June 18 – Frankfurt, Germany – Deutsche Bank Park – On-sale: Oct. 9 at 10am CEST (4am ET) ticketmaster.de
June 21 – San Sebastian, Spain – Estadio Reale Arena (Anoeta) – On-sale: Oct. 8 at 10am CEST (4am ET) doctormusic.com/entradas.com/
June 27 – Gelsenkirchen, Germany – Veltins Arena – On-sale: Oct. 9 at 10am CEST (4am ET) ticketmaster.de
June 30 – Milan, Italy – San Siro Stadium (rescheduled from June 1, 2024) ticketmaster.it
July 3 – Milan, Italy – San Siro Stadium (rescheduled from June 3, 2024) ticketmaster.it
Upcoming 2024 Canadian Tour Dates
Oct. 31 – Montreal, Quebec – Centre Bell
Nov. 3 – Toronto, Ontario – Scotiabank Arena
Nov. 6 – Toronto, Ontario – Scotiabank Arena
Nov. 9 – Ottawa, Ontario – Canadian Tire Centre
Nov. 13 – Winnipeg, Manitoba – Canada Life Centre
Nov. 16 – Calgary, Alberta – Scotiabank Saddledome
Nov. 19 – Edmonton, Alberta – Rogers Place
Nov. 22 – Vancouver, British Columbia – Rogers Arena
Qobuz, the French pioneer of high-quality music streaming, launches Studio Student, a brand new offer aimed at students who are passionate about music and top-notch sound. Enrolled students ranging from 18 to 25 years old will be able to access Qobuz’ complete offerings at the discounted rate of $4.99 per month, allowing savings of more than 60% compared to the standard subscription.
Qobuz, the music streaming alternative for young music lovers and audiophiles
Studio Student opens the door to a rich and diverse catalog of over 100 million titles in uncompressed, straight from the studio sound quality (lossless) across all genres, from rock to hip-hop, electronic to indie, jazz, classical, funk, world, folk, and more. Subscribers benefit from unparalleled audio quality, ranging from FLAC 16-bit/44.1 kHz (CD quality) to 24-Bit/192 kHz (high-resolution), plus expert editorial content, diving deep into artists, genres, labels, and more.
Qobuz Magazine, built into the app, offers hand-picked music selections from a team of music experts, in-depth editorial content including music news, top weekly releases, human-curated playlists, album reviews, and artist interviews allowing for constant new music discovery, and total immersion into a universe for music enthusiasts.
Key components of the advantageous offer include:
One month free trial to discover the Qobuz difference
No commitment, freedom for students to change their mind
60% in savings compared to standard subscription
High quality streaming of over 100 million tracks
Qobuz Magazine: exclusive content to deepen your musical knowledge and complement your listening experience
Easy, quick, and free import of playlists from other platforms using Soundiiz
Hand-picked, human-curated featured releases and playlists allowing for a more personal experience, reminiscent of going to a record store
Qobuz, committed to authentic listening, respectful of musical creation
In a streaming market dominated by international giants, Qobuz stands out for its commitment to sound quality and respect for artists and their work. The French platform has established itself as the reference point for audiophiles and music lovers in search of an authentic listening experience.
“We get tons of requests from students who are looking for a discounted offer, and we are finally able to offer one. Our best-in-class music streaming service appeals to dedicated music listeners of all ages, and the new Student Studio plan makes it even more accessible to a wider range of consumers,” says Dan Mackta, Managing Director of North America and Northern Europe.
Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life is a landmark in the history of music—a double album packed with timeless hits, social commentary, and personal reflection. Released in 1976, it remains one of the most critically acclaimed albums of all time. But beyond its undeniable brilliance, there are some fascinating, lesser-known facts about its creation and influence.
1. It Almost Didn’t Happen
Before Stevie Wonder began working on Songs in the Key of Life, he was contemplating a very different path. In 1975, Wonder considered leaving the music industry entirely and moving to Ghana to work with children with disabilities. Frustrated with the U.S. political climate, Wonder had even started planning a farewell concert. Thankfully for fans, he reconsidered, and instead of retiring, he signed what was at the time the biggest recording contract in history—$13 million upfront and full creative control for seven albums over seven years.
2. The Album’s Delayed Release Came with T-Shirts
While fans eagerly awaited Songs in the Key of Life, the release was delayed multiple times. The original release was set for late 1975, but Wonder kept extending the deadline to perfect the album, working through endless remixes. To keep the buzz alive, Motown launched a quirky marketing campaign, printing “We’re almost finished” T-shirts as a playful nod to the delays. The anticipation only fueled the album’s success when it finally dropped in September 1976.
3. Over 130 Musicians Contributed
Though Stevie Wonder played most of the instruments himself on Songs in the Key of Life, he still had a vast array of collaborators. A total of 130 people contributed to the album, including some of the most revered musicians of the time. Jazz legend Herbie Hancock played on the song “As,” and guitar virtuoso George Benson lent his talents to “Another Star.” But perhaps the most intriguing collaborator was Michael Sembello, who played guitar on several tracks and co-wrote “Saturn” with Wonder. Sembello would later find solo fame with his hit “Maniac” from Flashdance, but his early career was marked by his work on this historic album.
4. “Isn’t She Lovely” Was Never Released as a Single
Though “Isn’t She Lovely” became one of Stevie Wonder’s most beloved songs, it was never officially released as a single in the U.S. Wonder initially intended for the song to stay a personal celebration of his daughter Aisha’s birth, complete with baby sounds at the start. Despite not being a single, the track received massive radio airplay and has since become a classic. David Parton’s cover of the song even made it to the top 10 in the UK charts.
5. Paul Simon Thanked Stevie for Not Releasing an Album the Previous Year
At the 18th Grammy Awards in 1976, Paul Simon accepted the award for Album of the Year for Still Crazy After All These Years and made a lighthearted joke in his speech. Simon quipped, “I’d like to thank Stevie Wonder for not releasing an album this year.” The joke reflected Wonder’s dominance at the Grammys, as he had won the same award two years in a row for Innervisions and Fulfillingness’ First Finale. The very next year, Wonder returned to the Grammy stage, taking home the award for Songs in the Key of Life.
There are moments when life tells us it’s time to get up and get out—even if the departure we’re being nudged into is simply a withdrawal from our own outmoded patterns of thought and behaviour.
That’s the personal exodus Toronto alt-rock band Shoemaker Levee is describing on their current single, “Planning Our Escape.” Like a collective Moses leading the way out of a wilderness of malaise, the group issues an impassioned call to leave the spiritual doldrums behind and head straight for something more edifying and enlightened. Something better.
Some days you’re chasing stones
Dazed, amazed, resigned to walk alone
I’m waking it up, I’m waking it up
I’m planning to escape
Out past the ransacked minds
Shaken awake
“You reach a point in your life where you’re forced to face yourself and the choices you’ve made,” the band says. “And you can either let them define you, or you can decide to put a concerted effort into shaping how you want to live the rest of your life.”
For further specifics, the group points to the lyric “I can’t sleep at night/ Because I read the words between the lines,” which they say is “a statement about realizing that a lot is going on under the surface of what we see and read daily.” In other words, you can’t get where you need to go without first lifting the veil that’s been covering your eyes.
None of which is to suggest that “Planning Our Escape” is a stuffy self-help exercise. Far from it, the song advances its motivational sentiments within a musical context that’s fully invigorating and captivating on its own terms. Vocalist/guitarist Kevin Rogers Cobus establishes a mood of introspection and reflection that’s soon blown into the stratosphere by the arrival of some simply massive guitar chords from him and lead axeman Dave Broadhead. As exhortations to free your mind to go, this one is irresistibly catchy and commercial—even with the incorporation of a bridge that relies on some unorthodox, almost jazz-like chord changes that initially threw some of the group’s own fans for a loop. But once they heard what those changes were resolving into, “Everything made sense,” the group relates happily. “And that was indeed what we were going for.”
Though it’s only now being released in a recorded version, “Planning Our Escape” was one of the first songs the band wrote when they returned seven years ago from an extended hiatus, and with a slightly retooled lineup. (In addition to Cobus and Broadhead, the unit is rounded out by bassist Matt Brown and drummer Dwayne Cardoso). First formed in 1998 in their native Newmarket, Shoemaker Levee had been forced to go on an extended leave in 2004 that ended up lasting nearly 12 years due to everything from work and family commitments to far more serious challenges like cancer and addiction.
One upside of that long absence was that they were able to stockpile an estimated five albums’ worth of material, which they’re only now in the process of sharing with the world. The musical data dump began with the well-received long-players Phase of the Days and Another Round, and it continues with their brand-new Between the Lines, a 10-song opus that furthers the group’s reputation for anthemic, introspective rock that has its roots in everything from classical to progressive to alternative to folk. The influences on display are legion and represent some of the band’s collective favourites, including The Tragically Hip, Led Zeppelin, Rage Against the Machine, Nine Inch Nails and Iron Maiden. You can absolutely hear the latter in the interwoven guitar lines that close out “Planning Our Escape,” which the group says symbolize “how our journeys are in part walked alone, in part together.”
The new album was previewed by first single “Hinterlands,” which caused quite a stir when it dropped back in June. The track broke 1,000 streams within a 7-day period and became Shoemaker Levee’s first single to reach over 6,000 streams on Spotify. It also landed in the top 10 on radio stations as far afield as the UK, Australia and Mexico. “Planning Our Escape” is already shaping up to be an even bigger hit, having registered more than 1,500 Spotify listens within its first week of release.
Excitement for the record is at a fever pitch as the band continues its nonstop gigging around the Toronto area and beyond. Engagements at the Schomberg Mug Run and on the Gull Lake Rotary Park barge (to open the Tall Pines Music & Arts Festival) have added to a rich live legacy that has in the past seen the group leave its indelible mark on prestigious venues like the El Mocambo, Supermarket, The Reverb, The Opera House, The Horseshoe Tavern, Lee’s Palace and the Rivoli.
In the process, they’ve racked up some pretty impressive honours. Shoemaker Levee have won the Steam Whistle Indie Music Series, achieved second place at the Ticket to Tall Pines Festival contest (in both 2023 and 2024) and headlined the 2023 Gussapolooza Music Festival. Community-minded to the end, they continue to support initiatives like the York Pridefest in Newmarket and the Annual Terry Fox Run in Toronto.
Like their records, their current live shows are allowing them to draw on their thick repertoire of originals both old and new—and, thanks to the versatility and collaborative spirit of the current lineup, something that’s a little bit of both.
“Some of our songs are revitalized versions of songs that were written over 20 years ago, and the lyrics still fit what’s happening today,” they declare with a mixture of wonder and plain old artistic relief.
Then again, who doesn’t need a good escape plan now and then? With all apologies to the Terminator, come with Shoemaker Levee if you want to really live.
A feeling of transition emanates from every note of musical treasure in Francine Honey’s focus single, “Unfinished Business.” And that’s totally appropriate for an artist who’s in the midst of taking stock of her past while charting a bold change in her career trajectory, including announcing her retirement from the road and concentrating on the studio.
Inspired by a dream Honey once had of a timeless love in a canyon, the song explores the themes of destiny, choice and possibilities. But its implications are significantly more personal than that. Her musical vision conjures up memories of relationships that ended badly and finds her wondering if she would ever be find real love. Picturesque lyrical images of canyon dust filling the air and white smoke “rising up in prayer” contribute to an eerie Western gothic in which those ghost riders in the sky may be specters of a now-painful past—or guides into a promising unknown. The song sticks with you long after the final chord has been struck, leaving a sensation of wistful hopefulness that’s the perfect metaphor for where Honey now finds herself as an artist.
“Unfinished Business” is the final track on Rockets in My Boots, Vol II, a mix of new songs and re-recorded gems from Honey’s illustrious catalog. The album marks the second installment in a three-part career retrospective/musical biography she’s been working on since 2018 with Grammy-nominated producer Neilson Hubbard at Skinny Elephant Recording Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. The rewards have already been rich: With the project barely at the halfway mark, she’s won the 2023/2024 Songwriter of the Year Award by the Austin Songwriters Group International, seen the song “Stay” place as a top 10 finalist in the 2018 International Songwriting Competition and been nominated for Best International Female Artist of 2024 by Radio Wigwam in the UK.
Those are just a handful of the triumphs that have been racked up over the years by this internationally acclaimed singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, independent recording artist and record and video producer, who has earned the deep respect of listeners and peers alike for her ability to seamlessly blend genres like Americana, alt-country, folk and blues. A songwriter since childhood, she’s a graduate of the Berklee College of Music’s Professional Singer-Songwriter Certificate Program and has honed her craft under the guidance of some of her idols in Nashville. Since 2008, she’s released a string of acclaimed singles and albums, from her self-produced debut An Ordinary Woman to 2019’s Take Me to the North Pole, which Rolling Stone hailed as one of the top 50 Christmas albums of the year. Three years later, her collection I Carry On drew rave reviews and secured top chart positions in Canada and London UK, while also earning accolades in various songwriting contests. Her ability to straddle not only genres but languages has netted her regular airplay on stations like SiriusXM CBC Franco Country with singles like “Chez mon oncle Lucien” and “Floçons de neiges sur mes cils.”
Making music her full-time gig was clearly a wise move for Honey, who had initially pursued a career in Mathematics and Computer Science that had her working as a Project Manager for the Canadian Federal Government. Along the way, she also had to shoulder the responsibility of raising a family as a single mother.
But even when you think you’ve streamlined your personal path, life sometimes forces you to narrow it even further. As of this year, Honey has elected to retire from touring and concentrate exclusively on her studio efforts. That decision sprang from a variety of factors, from the harsh financial realities of the road to a need to prioritize her mental health. Those are concerns all too familiar to today’s musicians—especially ones of the indie stripe—who may want to look to Honey as an example of how to survive in a drastically reconfiguring landscape.
The good news for all of them is that Honey has plenty of other exciting avenues to explore. (Saying farewell to the stage didn’t exactly extinguish the Beatles’ career, now did it?) She’s already fielding invitations to write and record for the film. And she maintains a very active fan community online, thanks to her widely viewed livestreams. Mostly, though, she’s finding herself energized by the opportunity to focus fully on creating music from the studio, a shift she anticipates will bring a new, even more introspective dimension to her work.
There’s plenty of wind in those sails already. In 2024, Honey was invited to join the prestigious, Austin-Texas-based Next Level Music Group, which has given her the chance to write alongside some of Nashville’s top hitmakers. Meanwhile, during her mammoth Rockets in My Boots retrospective project, she also found time to record a new, 10-song album—live off the floor—in Austin with co-producer Gabriel Rhodes (who co-wrote seven of the tracks). The album, A Place in Time, will be previewed in November by the release of a holiday-themed single, “Christmas, What Took You.”
“I just want to keep going, writing and producing remarkable songs,” Honey says. “I am a songwriter and storyteller. I know I’ll do this the rest of my life. This is my legacy, helping people through life one song at a time.”
Whether it’s work-related or relationship-related, temporary or permanent, losing someone near to you affects you. And adult contemporary singer Katie Ditschun has exemplified that feeling of loneliness with the gorgeous, reflective “In Your Arms.” It’s a song she delivers with a tenderness and fragility that makes you take note of those you’re missing and need to touch or touch base with again.
“‘In Your Arms’ is a song for anyone who is having a hard time because they’re missing someone dear to them,” Ditschun, now based in Alexandria, Ontario, says. “They may be physically absent, or perhaps emotionally absent. They’re not where or who they were before. ‘In Your Arms’ captures that sense of deep longing to regain what has been lost.”
The song features a beautiful, sincere, and spine-tingling delivery by Ditschun accompanied by her piano styling. Meanwhile, guitarist Justin Duhaime provides subtle guitar work on “In Your Arms,” which is fleshed out by bassist Norman Glaude and drummer Valeriy Nehovora. It’s a single that brings to mind the work of legends like Carole King, Carly Simon, and Sarah McLachlan and delivers a powerful feeling in a lyrically economical fashion. It’s a perfect adult contemporary pop song about a timeless, universal topic.
Woke up this morning, sun on my face
Your voice echoing all over the place
My head on the pillow, you whisper in my ear
That’s kinda funny, cause you’re not here
And I’m wondering where you are
And I’m hoping you’re not far
“When I wrote ‘In Your Arms’ I was in a place of deep grief,” Ditschun says of the song she co-produced with Normand Glaude. “My world had changed. I felt alone and wanted relief from that grief. The metaphor of being held once more by the person who could make all these worries, and all that strife fade communicated this feeling perfectly. While this song is about missing someone, it carries a message of hope. The person in this song is both alone and lonely, but they have the comfort of their memories and hope that they won’t stay alone and lonely forever.”
Ditschun also says “In Your Arms” touches on the feeling of hoping to turn back time or wanting to “press a reset button and make it all go back to the way it used to be.” Judging by how clear and concise the message is in the song, it’s apparent that those feelings of longing will immediately come to the fore in the listener’s mind.
Ditschun, who has a video for “In Your Arms,” says she aspired to write the single “with the purpose of breaking your heart!” The single, recorded, mixed and mastered at Morning Anthem Studio in Cumberland, Ontario, is the lead single from her EP entitled There Will Be Flowers which will be released in parts.
A graduate of the Berklee College of Music who released her debut album Spare Skirt in 2018, Ditschun says “In Your Arms” contains a “nakedness” and “unmistakable vulnerability” she wanted in the song. “‘In Your Arms’ is not for the weak of heart,” she says. “And playing it live, I’ve seen it break people’s hearts, right in front of me.”
It’s a single that emotionally, vocally, and musically will leave you realizing that absence indeed makes the heart grow fonder.
Toronto Indigenous Blues artist D.M. Lafortune continues to revisit her stellar Beauty and Hard Times album with the latest single “Where Are All The Children?” It’s a song which is wide-ranging, universal and addresses the injustices, wars and conflicts from the Middle East to Central America and beyond. But it also speaks to the tragedy involving Canadian residential schools and the horrific abuse indigenous children suffered in such institutions.
Many miles from home, we are taught in your fine schools
Where the history books are a weapon, not a tool
In many voices, we try to understand what has come upon this land
Many good-intentioned Christians tell us children you must listen or they kill us
With their kindness in God’s name, they terrorize us
“Where Are All The Children?,” written by Lafortune and found on the forthcoming 25th anniversary remastered version of Beauty and Hard Times, is a narrative in the vein of early Bob Dylan, a winding story which speaks to moments in history where people endured trials and tribulations at the hands of those in power, be it governments or a country’s military or organized religion. Bombings, shootings and terrorism is not a world for any children to live in. Above all, the song reminds us that all of us at one point or another were children. So, it’s imperative to “stop raising children to kill.”
Led by Lafortune’s powerful delivery, the song has a lovely slow-gallop feeling to it thanks to drummer Rob Greenaway and percussionist Rick Lazar. Bassist Bryant Didier and keyboardist/accordionist Denis Keldie accent the song’s core perfectly. Guitarist Neil Chapman, who has known and collaborated with Lafortune for over 50 years, provides some gorgeous electric guitar solos as Lafortune speaks about the “madmen who will never tire.”
Lafortune, who has performed the song at various events and venues including Toronto’s Free Times Cafe, saw the album lauded by Indigenous outlet Windspeaker. The publication described the album in 2013 as “an overall musical masterpiece that will demand you listen to it over and over before you truly comprehend how good it really is.” The original issuing of the record also resulted in the Maple Blues Society awarding her a Harry Hibbs Award for Perseverance in Music and Songwriting.
Reared by a white family after being taken away from her Indigenous mother, Lafortune endured a troubling childhood, which makes material such as “Where Are All The Children?” so authentic and persuasive from its vivid beginning to its sobering, haunting conclusion. A 2015 video for the song released by Lafortune captures the lyrical vivid through residential schools, the Oka crisis, the 1954 coup in Guatemala, Wounded Knee and Hiroshima among others, “illustrating the global reach of humanity’s inhumanity.”
Although 25 years old, a politically and socially relevant song such as “Where Are All The Children?” is bound to find a new audience given the current geo-political situation. It’s a passionate track concerning universal injustice.
Clutching onto a doomed relationship until your fingernails start to crack is a feeling a lot us can all too easily recognize. But nobody can convey the sensation of dangling from a high precipice of the heart quite like Avalon Stone, the consistently astounding post-grunge heavy rocker who’s rendered just such a predicament in typically dizzying style on her new single, “Cliffhanger.”
Drawing a picture of imminent romantic freefall that’s equal parts despair and acrophobia, Stone casts herself in a position in which there’s simply nowhere to go—whether up or down.
You step toward me
I take another one back
Cant see the water below
But I hear the waves crash
Broken by battle
Bruised to the bone
Will I end up on this bed of stone
Cliffhanger
Waiting for the fall
Do I let go or hang on
Cliffhanger
Clinging to the wall
Didn’t know I’d been here so long
In a paradoxical approach to musical arrangement that’s become nearly synonymous with her genius, Stone has elected to express that deep unease in a way that’s anything but ambivalent. If you slowed down “Cliffhanger” a bit, its dramatic chord changes and minor-key melody might make it a classic torch song. Instead, she’s chosen the path of no compromise, keeping the song a hard-charging rocker that’s driven by the pummeling rhythms of drummer Tyler Shea and bassist Donovan McKinley and the string-skipping rifferama of guitarist Caleb Bourgeois. The key ingredient, of course, is Stone’s own trademark, Fiona-Apple-if-she-could-kick-your-ass voice, which elevates the track to the same wuthering heights she’s singing about. By the time the oxygen-infused chorus kicks in, you feel like you’re listening to the main-title number of a James Bond movie nobody’s gotten around to writing yet.
It’s all in a day’s work for this preternaturally gifted native of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, who at age 10 attended a School of Rock camp and was performing professionally within the year. Having passed up a university education to pursue a full-time career in music, she’s spent the ensuing near-decade playing on more than 300 stages in Ontario and the U.S., in everything from bar gigs to festival appearances that have attracted crowds of 15,000 and up.
An even bigger audience latched onto the first singles from her debut album, Chained – a bracingly mature and unflinching exploration of inner darkness and hoped-for liberation that will be fully released this winter. Those qualities have been in abundance on previous singles like “Forget You,” a deceptively defiant-sounding portrait of a toxic relationship that’s logged more than 200,000 streams worldwide; “Harder,” a mournful acknowledgment of the crippling effects of depression; and “Shaking Me Up,” which portrayed two people amplifying each other’s worst traits: uncontrollable anger and profound sadness.
Confronting difficult emotions is a challenge Stone has consistently refused to shrink from. She responded to the widespread disorientation and alienation of the 2020 pandemic by hosting a series of socially distanced outdoor concerts that became a popular livestream. That in turn gave her the idea for Music for Mental Health Canada, a nonprofit that raises money through events like Rock the Halls, a platform for local musicians to perform originals and custom arrangements of holiday songs. Watch for this year’s dates.
Next on her concert calendar is Oct. 18 in Sarnia and an Oct. 25 Halloween show at the world-famous El Mocambo club in downtown Toronto—site of a history-making 1977 engagement that proved pivotal in the rejuvenation of the Rolling Stones. Avalon Stone, of course, needs no shot in the arm at this thrilling point in her creative genesis. She may sing of cliffhangers, but the trajectory of her career is plain to see: onward and upward, into ever-friendlier skies. Why bother looking down?
Returning from his first European tour, Hip-Hop artist Pimpton is thrilled to announce the release of his double-A side single, featuring the songs “Real Love” and “Swang featuring Snotty Nose Rez Kids.” These singles are an exciting follow-up to his single “Moonroof,” which made a big splash in the Spring of this year.
With his distinctive blend of Caribbean roots and hip-hop style, Pimpton is a musical force to be reckoned with. His latest 17-track album, Kcmkv3, out now, is a testament to his energetic style and introspective lyrics. As he puts it, this album marks a significant evolution in his artistic journey, promising a fresh and captivating musical experience for his fans.
Pimpton has noted that his music is often geared toward Cannabis-friendly fans, and “Swang” fits right into his signature style. Pimpton’s eclectic flow draws you in right away. The song is a collaborative effort between Pimpton, Young D and Yung Trybez from Snotty Nose Rez Kids. This hard-hitting track with a futuristic sound takes your mind on a trip. His loyal and new fans are in for a treat with this tune.
The second single, ‘Real Love,’ holds a profound, personal significance for Pimpton. The song, originally a poem he penned as a child, poignantly explores the authenticity of love amidst conflicting beliefs and actions. With its smooth, melodic beat and heartfelt lyrics, ‘Real Love’ is a relatable and emotionally stirring song that showcases Pimpton’s vulnerable side, sure to resonate with his listeners.
Rapper Pimpton was born in Trinidad & Tobago but grew up in Saskatchewan, making him one of the first-known rappers from that area. He has performed over 500 shows across North America, including well-known events like SXSW, JunoFEST, BreakOut West, and Canadian Music Week. In his illustrious career, he has shared the stage with greats such as Wu-Tang Clan, Young Jeezy, Warren G, Rich the Kid, Roy Woods and more. In 2020, he wrote, directed, and released a visual album titled “TUNNELZ,” which earned him a 2021 WCMA award for Video Director of the Year. He has music videos in rotation on MTV and MUCH and has sold over 20,000 copies of his albums independently.
The double-A side singles “Real Love” and “Swang” are now available on all major streaming platforms. Pimpton’s ability to connect diverse audiences through his innovative musical styling makes this project a must-listen for his devoted fans and those who love great music.
