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Queens Of The Stone Age To Reissue Three Classic Albums

Eric Alper
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Queens Of The Stone Age To Reissue Three Classic Albums

More than a quarter century since its primal emergence from the Desert, Queens Of The Stone Age has elected to give three of its landmark albums the upscale re-release treatment, including limited edition color vinyl pressings, exclusive new and restored artwork, and more.

First up is the one that started it all: Back in print after a long, long decade, Queens Of The Stone Age’s self-titled 1998 debut album will be resurrected digitally September 22, with a vinyl release date of October 21. Restored to its original track listing and adorned by the long out-of-print original Frank Kozik artwork, the soon to be definitive version of QOTSA’s self-titled ground zero will feature an obi-strip designed by longtime collaborator Boneface and will be available on standard black and limited edition opaque orange vinyl — both available direct from Queens Of The Stone Age, Matador Records, and at discerning independent retailers.

Following on December 9 will be a double shot of Queens Of The Stone Age’s most recent efforts: 2013’s multiple-GRAMMY-nominated, Billboard 200 #1 charting magnum opus …Like Clockwork and 2017’s redefining Villains will both be reincarnated: …Like Clockwork returns newly recut from its original master tapes with alternate artwork and obi-strip from Boneface with a limited opaque aqua vinyl pressing available direct from Queens Of The Stone Age, Matador Records, and at finer independent retailers. Villains is reissued in a special 5th Anniversary package featuring etching, obi-strip, and a brand new poster by Boneface, and as on limited edition leaf-green transparent vinyl available exclusively via Queens Of The Stone Age and/or Matador Records.

Thurles, Ireland’s Bright Falls Share “Dusk” From His Upcoming Kanye/Springsteen-Inspired Debut Out October 28

Eric Alper
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Thurles, Ireland’s Bright Falls Share “Dusk” From His Upcoming Kanye/Springsteen-Inspired Debut Out October 28

Bright Falls has released the new single “Dusk”, the title track of its forthcoming debut LP which will be released on Oct. 28th, 2022.

Thurles, Ireland recording artist Eddie McCormack is the force behind Bright Falls, whose storytelling style features a blend of heartland and alternative rock, combined with early 2000s indie rock.

Musically, the sound elicits The Killers and The War On Drugs, while McCormack’s storytelling and songwriting inspiration comes from the likes of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, John Prine, Neil Young, Jason Isbell, Kendrick Lamar and Kanye West.

Bright Falls opened for Sinead O’Connor & The Stunning at Féile ’19 at Semple Stadium in their hometown of Thurles. This came shortly after the release of their debut EP ‘Logging’ in July of 2019.

The band followed with the release of the singles “The Widows’ Homes” in 2020 and “Cassie (My One & Only)” in 2021.

The new single “Dusk” is a story of heartbreak, longing, and trying to recapture a lost love. It’s a song of great anxiety of what the future holds.

“I wanted to tell a larger story which began from a place of great nostalgia,” said McCormack. This is captured right off the top, with the opening lyrics, “I remember, the scent you wore upon your neck, and how I felt the first time we met.”

The spirited track features anthemic moments in the chorus and bridge, while an arpeggiated bass synth runs throughout, joined by glistening and dreamy synths. Layered guitars and an intricate drum pattern add to the dynamic feel.

Bright Falls’ music is largely driven by nostalgia, and the forthcoming LP “Dusk” expands on that, with a ‘break-up’ theme to which McCormack credits two legendary albums, Kanye West’s “808’s & Heartbreaks” and Bruce Springsteen’s “Tunnel Of Love” as his inspiration.

The single “Dusk” was produced by Martin Quinn & Eddie McCormack and was mixed, mastered and recorded by Martin Quinn at JAM Studios (Aine Cahill, The Strypes) in Kells, Ireland.

Roots Band RUSTY CREEK Are Your Guides On ‘The Road of Life’ With Latest Album

Eric Alper
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Roots Band RUSTY CREEK Are Your Guides On ‘The Road of Life’ With Latest Album

Rusty Creek is a four-piece band that lives and works in the Vancouver area but seem to hail from everywhere. They describe their music as “a mixture of bluegrass, country blues, western swing, Cajun, and anything else we can think of.” Using these elements, they carve out an eclectic original sound they refer to as roots remastered. They are currently celebrating their second album, The Road of Life, released in June of 2022.

Rusty Creek draws from a deep well of influences that, in their hands, sound completely original and yet warmly familiar. Their songs range from the fiddle-driven kitchen party stomp (the aptly named Kitchen Party) to reflective storytelling (Emma). They draw the listener in at every melodic and rhythmic turn.

The group was founded by old friends Alex Deeth and Peter Callaway. Before long they were joined by bassist Lee Stephens and drummer Leonard Saidman, playing a long list of fretted and slide instruments that Deeth and Callaway have mastered over the years.

Alex Deeth is credited with writing the songs. He sings with an unvarnished charm reminiscent of famed sideman/producer and music legend Jim Dickinson. The sound is familiar, friendly, and a little rowdy. For a band that loves a good time, their professionalism as life-long musicians is also evident everywhere on this record. Each track is well-thought out and provides a solid platform for the song, the instruments, and the vocals.

Somewhere soon, there’ll be a pub where all your dear friends are present and having a great time, while Rusty Creek is on the stage, holding the audience all together, something the whole album strives for, and succeeds.

A SHORT WALK TO PLUTO Embraces The Right To Happiness In “You Are Not The Only One”

Eric Alper
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A SHORT WALK TO PLUTO Embraces The Right To Happiness In “You Are Not The Only One”

Toronto-based four-piece rock band, A Short Walk To Pluto, dissatisfies social norms with a high-energy track about the inability to be emotionally satisfied in a relationship on the electrifying new single “You Are Not The Only One.”

Kicking off with thunderous percussion and a catchy guitar riff, “You Are Not The Only One” is a shot of adrenaline to the ears while being a cerebral commentary on the importance of emotional fulfillment between partners.

“You Are Not The Only One” is told from a first-person perspective to capture the hardship and vulnerability of starting difficult but necessary conversations in a relationship that isn’t fulfilling for all parties. The storyteller in the song is begging their partner to show passion, determination, and commitment to the relationship.

When one half of a relationship seems to be slipping away, the detachment and isolation can cause the unsatisfied party to seek comfort elsewhere, usually from an individual already known in the situation. A concept succinctly conveyed in the lyrics of “You Are Not The Only One,” which takes no prisoners with its relentless honesty.

“Hold me back if you want it
I won’t leave if you’re gonna give me something new
(But you gotta give me something new)
And you know you’re not the only one I see
You are not the only one.”

A Short Walk To Pluto is a Canadian rock band founded in 2018. Their distinct musical style can be described as a sophisticated take on the stadium-filling rock legends of the past. Rhythmically progressive instrumentation and a robust voice presence set A Short Walk From Pluto apart from the rest of the pack.

The band’s soaring vocals are provided by the immensely talented Emma Armstrong. Alongside her is guitar sensation, Max Kaiser, and providing the backbone for A Short Walk To Pluto is musician Danny Moriana, who slaps-da-bass alongside kinetically pleasing drummer Jake Biggs. A Short Walk To Pluto harnesses all of its sonic attributes and uncompromising songwriting ability to create a musical force to be reckoned with. The band should be on the radar of any music fan looking for more than just a catchy tune.

The riveting new single “You Are Not The Only One,” from the eclectic band A Short Walk To Pluto, is available now.

And Now, A Parrot Singing Radiohead’s ‘Creep’

Eric Alper
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And Now, A Parrot Singing Radiohead’s ‘Creep’

Gallagher the parrot sings with his human Chloe Alexander as they performed an acoustic ukulele cover of Radiohead’s Creep.

Chloe says, “Not like you asked for another quirky bohemian girl singing a cover of Creep on her ukulele, but you got it anyways ladies and gents! And this time my parrot is singing with me, so we’re actually making things interesting.”

Rockers THE NORTHWEST Are Looking To The “Shoreline’ For New Single Inspiration

Eric Alper
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Rockers THE NORTHWEST Are Looking To The “Shoreline’ For New Single Inspiration

Sault Ste. Marie, ON’s The Northwest have released their introspective, alt-rock single, “Shoreline” – streaming now.

The Northwest – made up of Wayne Watkins (Vocals/Guitar), Greg Callaghan (Guitar/Vocals), Mike Yak (Guitar/Vocals), Mike Smykacz (Bass) and Marc Santos (Drums) – have been a band for nearly a decade – writing and performing together while inspired by life, the world around them, and the human existence. “Shoreline” acts as the first single of their June 2022 EP release, All In.

“‘All In’ was a challenge for us to take things to the next level,” they say, adding: “In 2019, we received an Ontario Arts Council grant for a recording project, and we knew we had to step up to bat.”

While geographically located in a rural part of Ontario’s province, the band found themselves at a disadvantage in terms of trying to kick start their music career. However, through playing local shows, and the music grant they received, The Northwest managed to utilize the time afforded to them through the pandemic to write an album.

“We utilized the down time to really focus on how to become better songwriters,” says Watkins, adding: “I spent every morning writing something – melody, lyric ideas, chord progression, I would utilize voice memos and later that day listen back while I went for a walk with my dog. Since I also challenged myself to write about real life experience. I think that shows all the way through the album. These life moments were needed to write this album.”

Unable to practice as a group, the band made use of cloud-based software to begin piecing together All In, and its single “Shoreline”. “The song was inspired by an episode of the show ‘Band Of Brothers’,” explains Watkins. “It’s a song about commitment to a cause and banding together to make it through a difficult time and place – It may end but we are going all in to fight another day.”

All In would go on to be produced by Dustin Goodall/Bill Priddle (Treble Charger, Broken Social Scene) at Unsalted Audio in Sault Ste. Marie. Singles, including ‘Shoreline’, were released weeks prior to build anticipation and were subsequently featured on Hockey Night in Canada as well as the Exclaim Eh-List Playlist. “Shoreline” – the band’s first release to radio – charted at #2 for most streams and #3 for most downloads on Play MPE’s Canadian Charts.

And it’s no wonder. The melodic juxtaposition of real-world events, interspersed by the need to fight and survive is a resounding commonality among us all. In the subsequent music video for “Shoreline”, The Northwest cleverly captures these global events through the lens of a polaroid, while promising they are All In. So are we. And one spin in, and you will be, too.

Blues Rockers Blaze Project Stoke Up Some Feel-Good Therapy with “Still Fine”

Eric Alper
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Blues Rockers Blaze Project Stoke Up Some Feel-Good Therapy with “Still Fine”

It’s a simple, universal fact that without our health we don’t have anything. The desire and drive to be alive and thrive is at the center of the powerful and purposeful new single by Canadian blues-rock band Blaze Project. “Still Fine” is available now.

A guitar-driven, super funky ride from start to finish, “Still Fine” is a revved-up testament to the indomitable will to live in the face of tough personal challenges. The song takes a triumphant approach in response to a health crisis too many people will face in their lifetimes.

Try every day to do my best for me
Try every day to do much more for me
Still fine as you see

“‘Still Fine’ deals with cancer, a disease that affects thousands of families,” says the Baie-Comeau, Québec-based group. “Having lived it within the entourage of the band, the song is therapy in itself.”

Rather than focus on the grief and devastation a cancer diagnosis can cause, “Still Fine” underlines the determination, fight and forward thinking of a person who’s ready to tackle this formidable health challenge head on.

“It tells the story of a person affected, who decides to fight and whose great desire to stay alive will lead him back to health and eventually, healing.”

“Still Fine” is one of several tracks on Blaze Project’s second full length release that embrace the positive aspects of life, even through the lens of hardship. The band took the two years of the deepest part of our global pandemic to consciously ‘enjoy this moment’ as they gathered in their practice space and composed the ten songs that make up the new album released last May. “Enjoy This Moment” follows up Blaze Project’s 2018 debut album “Universe”.

“We took two years to compose and refine ‘Enjoy This Moment’ in a positive and playful climate,” notes the band. “The album conveys positive messages and a beautiful energy.”

Recorded mostly live off the floor on analog equipment at Wild Studio in Saint-Zénon, Québec, “Enjoy This Moment” mixes the band’s diverse influences of blues, rock, funk, and indie rock into a warm, rich and delicious sound concoction. The kinetic energy of the band ripping through their songs in a single take is what fuels this project.

“Music is visceral to us,” they explain. “It’s the need to create and share, touch people and make a difference in their day in order to change the negative into positive!”

Blaze Project is composed of vocalist and acoustic guitarist Pat Trudel, guitarist and vocalist Serge Blais, drummer Danny St-Gelais and bassist Jacques Roy. In recent years, the foursome has seen more than their fair share of bad luck including illnesses, deaths in the family and a serious road accident that almost claimed Trudel’s life. All of that galvanized the band into action with passionate, positive momentum to create “Enjoy This Moment”, which has resulted in airplay on 350 international radio stations and a spate of great reviews.

“Our music has become much more emotional, and our vision has become very clear: to pursue our dream, to touch people and to write the best music possible!”

Pop Singer/Songwriter OLENKA Has Sweet Revenge In “Happy Birthday”

Eric Alper
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Pop Singer/Songwriter OLENKA Has Sweet Revenge In “Happy Birthday”

Sometimes it’s worth being the bigger person – although it can be very cathartic to get the last jab in at the end of an unhealthy relationship, not so much out of spite, more so for closure. Olenka captures the feeling of sweet revenge in her newest single, “Happy Birthday.”

Relationships can be great – when they go right. However, the problem with there being “so many fish in the sea” is that sometimes you catch one you must throw back. Often, we blame ourselves for making the poor choice, regardless of circumstances or what some would call destiny. There comes a point where, regardless of fate, we must take things into our own hands – and that’s what makes Olenka’s story of love gone wrong so powerful.

“Happy Birthday” recounts a web of lies that a lover has woven to hide a mistress while still being present in their partner’s life. Olenka’s newest single starts with a retelling of finding something you didn’t want to find but deep down suspected might be true.

“I’m all alone / You left your phone / Can’t help but see it / Need to stop but I can’t quit
First hit the gram / What’s with me (damn) / Feels wrong but I have to / This ain’t what I’m used to”

While there may be a stigma around “snooping,” it is important to act as your own advocate in a situation that you feel isn’t being addressed properly by a smooth-talking lover. As our protagonist finds themselves placed in a situation where their partner is not being faithful, she takes things into her own hands – in a satisfyingly subtle way;

“Left him on his birthday / God I chose the worst way / To hurt his sorry – / You know the time will pass
Have a happy birthday / Though I chose the worst day / You know Our time was due / This ain’t nothing new.”

Olenka, always the ally, makes it well known that it’s not always necessarily the mistresses’ fault when it comes to infidelity. She reflects on this sentiment, saying:

“Many women find themselves blaming the mistress, rather than the one who did the cheating. You’re not a man if you can’t hold yourself down & control yourself when temptation arises.”

Olenka is a singer/songwriter who is wholesomely dedicated to honing her craft. Moving to the city of Toronto has set this up-and-coming artist at a breakneck pace, giving her the opportunity to pursue singing, songwriting, and performing live in a way she feels is beneficial to her career.

Growing up in London, Ontario, Olenka was exposed to music early on in her life. Falling in love almost instantly, she found a passion for singing and doubled down on it as she got older. Finding her voice early on (both in the musical sense and the “coming of age” sense), Olenka never had an issue speaking her mind and creating her own music. Eventually, she went on to pursue higher education at Fanshawe College, attending the Music Industry Arts program.

Finding her way into sound engineering and production, she met her musical partner in crime Aftrparty. The due has been producing together ever since.

Restored Footage Of Bob Dylan Rehearsing With George Harrison in 1971

Eric Alper
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Restored Footage Of Bob Dylan Rehearsing With George Harrison in 1971

Peter Stone Brown Archive painstakingly restored the footage of Bob Dylan rehearsing the song “If Not For You” with George Harrison in 1971.

Jay Douglas + Kollage : 17th Annual COMMFFEST Film & Arts Festival Confirmed For Sept 16-18 at St. Lawrence Centre

Eric Alper
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Jay Douglas + Kollage : 17th Annual COMMFFEST Film & Arts Festival Confirmed For Sept 16-18 at St. Lawrence Centre

Date: Saturday, September 17th
Location: St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts
27 Front St E, Toronto, ON M5E 1B4
Times: 8:00p.m. – 10:30p.m
Tickets available here!
Title:   “A Tribute to Blues and Jazz”

Details: An evening of music celebrating Canada’s shared history with the US titled “A Tribute to Blues and Jazz” starring Jay Douglas and Kollage featuring Alexis Baro.

Singer Jay Douglas’ untold musical history is played out on stage with selections from his ground-breaking new album “Confession.”  The album was inspired by his love for Blues and Rhythm & Blues then a new music in post WWII America that was coming out of Memphis and New Orleans. All this music had a big impact on Jay as a young artist growing up in Jamaica and that influence would eventually travel with him to Canada. Jay has been awarded NOW Magazine’s Best R&B Act, the Annual Toronto Reggae Awards’ Male Reggae Vocalist of the Year, and the BBPA Harry Jerome Awards’ G98.7 Entertainment Award.

Kollage featuring Alexis Baro takes the audience on a musical journey back in time to the mid 50’s and early 60’s when new current within jazz emerged in the US called “Hard Bop.”

The new music incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospel music, and blues with an emphasis on a heavy backbeat.

It was this style of music that inspired the original founders of Kollage – Archie Alleyne and Doug Richardson – to form this Canadian musical institution.

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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