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Yellowknife, NWT’s Singer-Songwriter CARMEN BRADEN Captures Pandemic Confinement with “Menu”

Eric Alper
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Yellowknife, NWT’s Singer-Songwriter CARMEN BRADEN Captures Pandemic Confinement with “Menu”

Study after study has shown that women have borne the brunt of stresses related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Canadian singer-songwriter Carmen Braden’s new single “Menu” — available now — captures the sentiment.

Viscerally, at that.

Every man, woman and child in arms reach wants a piece of me
Like I’m the only bird in a house full of foxes,
chickadee chickadee

“Menu” is sparse and industrial, with dark synth and artfully disjointed beats. Braden speak-sings throughout; her voice, matter of fact.

“Scramble for the door/lock it down, lock me in,” she sings calmly. And that’s what so many of us, to one extent or another, have had to do over the course of the past year: take a deep breath and endure family confinement without going cuckoo, even though the possibility is quite definitely there.

“You’ve got me all carved up like a menu” is the song’s refrain, and early on she gives us an image of meat falling off the bone. “’Menu’ puts forward the idea that someone’s whole being is tied to another’s needs,” Braden said. “I’d say it’s about the grind of day-to-day life. The demands on your physical body, and on your energy, on your time.”

Further, producer Mark Adam helped her shape the song so that it was, in Carmen’s words, “dark and gritty, with a shimmer around the edges.”

The song lurches in some moments, and floats in others — mirroring the emotions and the ebb and flow of demands in a day without defined boundaries. “An internal monologue of someone trying to keep things calm and in control,” Braden says, “while in reality they’re teetering on the edge.”

“Menu” is the second single on Braden’s third album, Seed Songs. “Each song has a core — a ‘seed idea’ — I tried to capture,” Braden explains. “They’re each a kind of vignette: a moment in time; a snapshot of joy or struggle, fragments; phrases; edges…

“Through this past fall and winter of the pandemic, the minutiae and small details of everyday life were my focus. I wrote dozens of these short ‘seed song’ ideas — all connected to moments of beauty I encountered, or struggles of the day-to-day. I strived to share things that may seem ordinary or simple at first, but are actually profound, fulfilling, and nuanced.”

The making of the album, of course, also faced constrictions due to COVID. Braden worked through the writing and recording of Seed Songs all by distance from her home in Yellowknife with producer Mark Adam in Nova Scotia. It had a silver lining. “Working that way meant I brought the music to life with Mark in ways I hadn’t done before,” she says. “Mark encouraged me to embrace the rough while not sacrificing the concise. I also used instruments and technologies that were new for me — guitars, synthesizers. This brought a process of freedom and exploration to the recording process.”

Braden is familiar with the process of exploration. Her debut album Ravens was released in 2017 combining her songs and compositions, and her sophomore offering, Songs of the Invisible Summer Stars, followed two years later as a deep dive into her contemporary works for chamber ensemble.

Among her many accolades, Braden won the Western Canadian Music Award for Classical Composer of the Year in both 2019 and 2020, and received nominations for ECMA Classical Album of the Year (2020), WCMA Classical Artist of the Year (2019), and WCMA Classical Composition of the Year (2017).

Seed Songs, Carmen Braden’s third album, is set for release Fall 2021.

“Menu” is available now.

14-Year-Old Pop Artist ANNA GOLDSMITH Inspires Audiences to “Shine” in Dazzling New Single

Eric Alper
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14-Year-Old Pop Artist ANNA GOLDSMITH Inspires Audiences to “Shine” in Dazzling New Single

While many other 14-year-olds can find themselves nervously transitioning from senior youths to junior adults, Canadian pop and musical theatre artist Anna Goldsmith is here to say she’s in their corner with this, her dazzling new debut single, “Shine” — available now.

Bursting with messages of hope, solidarity, support, and unwavering camaraderie, “Shine” exemplifies the singer/songwriter’s flawless vocals, incredible range, and relatable and inspiring songwriting style with an ease beyond her years.

Having penned it while still only 13 at the time, the Barrie-area artist also worked with fellow songwriter Jennifer Simpson and multi-JUNO Award winning and Platinum-selling producer, musician, and composer Chris Birkett (Led Zeppelin, Sinead O’Connor, Sting, Buffy Sainte-Marie) to bring the sparkling song to life.

Having splashed onto the music scene with a polished readiness, the multi-instrumentalist credits her established and talented tenure in the theatre world; Goldsmith has 13 stage musicals notched, and also appears in the forthcoming indie short slated for the upcoming film fest circuit, Sara Snow and the Seven Dancers.

It was among these starlet-in-the-making experiences that led Goldsmith to both write “Shine,” as well as craft the concept for its accompanying music video; shot in and around Stroud and Barrie — including at the Moving Art Centre for Performing Arts — she enlisted four of her closest friends alongside her creative team, Noah Hollinshead and award-winning writer and director Arianna Grace Goarley (Sara Snow and the Seven Dancers), to put the music into motion on-screen.

In the video, Goldsmith connects with the audience through a playful, yet reflective, and optimistic setting on the school yard with her pals, to a full avant garde stage show, complete with a bedazzled pink pantsuit that’s power is only outshined by Goldsmith’s soaring vox.

When the world seems dark and dismal, we need to turn to the bright lights of artists like Anna Goldsmith; she’s the one shining.

“Shine” is available now.

Multiple JUNO Award Nominees & 3-Time CFMA Winners SULTANS OF STRING Release “Mi Santuario”

Eric Alper
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Multiple JUNO Award Nominees & 3-Time CFMA Winners SULTANS OF STRING Release “Mi Santuario”

Toronto, ON-based NY Times and BILLBOARD-charting global music supergroup Sultans of String have released their brand-new single, “Mi Santuario” — available now.

This song features the four core Sultans, as well as an incredibly talented and inspiring special guest Juan Carlos Medrano, who co-wrote the music with the band, and sings his original lyrics, as well as performing on gaita, the traditional flute.

Originally from Cartagena in the north coast of Colombia, Juan Carlos moved to Canada in 2006 as a refugee. “It was tough back home, lack of opportunity for people like me, people that look like me, Afro-Colombian” says Juan Carlos. “We were not comfortable with the system, the rules, and how they treat their people.”

He knew since he was 15 that he would leave Colombia, even though it’s the place he loved most on Earth. “I love the culture; I love the music; everything,” he shares. “But in my head was the idea that I need to leave this place because I want more…

“Internal peace, and being happy doing what I love — that was to go to school, to go to university… To just make it to university was a big deal.”

Juan Carlos likens existence in his home country like living in a concrete jungle, “where you have to survive, where you don’t think about … You don’t plan.

“People like me, people that look like me, we don’t plan,” he continues. “We just live day by day, and are looking for a future.”

In “Mi Santuario,” Juan Carlos expresses in his lyrics how everyone doesn’t have the luxury to utilize the legal immigration process like he did. “I’m screaming ‘run, run’ because the immigration is coming, and they are coming sometimes to kill you, because no one sees anything on the border.”

Now Juan Carlos is an educator after having attended York University to become a teacher, and says “it’s time for me now to give back to this beautiful country.

“Back home, people don’t talk about native people, aboriginal people, or how they struggle inside this beautiful country. So the way for me to pay back [is to] inspire these little kids. And my main goal is to bring music, to bring art together, and give these kids hope.”

“Mi Santuario (feat. Juan Carlos Medrano)” is released in standard stereo as well as Dolby Atmos, and also kicks off a new Friday lunchtime livestream series led by producer Chris McKhool and band members — with Juan Carlos as the first guest; Backstage with Sultans of String is a free series that features in depth connections, behind the scenes footage, fan interactive conversations, up close and personal stories behind the songs with their stories of both struggles and success, and live music.

“Mi Santuario (feat. Juan Carlos Medrano)” is the first single off Sanctuary, the highly anticipated eighth album from Sultans of String, and the second instalment in their Refuge Project. The first, simply entitled Refuge, was heralded as “a fantastic, moving, dreamlike, epic, timely album” by Ken Micallef (Jazz Times, Stereophile, Downbeat), and won many awards including Producer of the Year at the 2021 Canadian Folk Music Awards for bandleader and violinist Chris McKhool.

This ambitious, diverse, inclusive and passionately political album puts the band face-to-face with a VIP roster of global ‘ambassadors’, some of whom are recent immigrants and refugees to Canada, as well as important Indigenous voices. All are masters of world music that communicate with each other through the global language of sound.

Addressing the struggles of life on Mother Earth has always inspired Toronto-based quintet, Sultans of String. On Sanctuary, Sultans of String bring their unique brand of musical synergy and collaboration to bear on 11 songs that speak to the challenges facing the world’s displaced peoples–their stories, their songs, their persistence and their humanity.

Joined by an international cast, some of whom are recent immigrants to North America, the celebrated quartet immerses themselves in the plight of the international refugee on Refuge, and the humanitarian response that should greet everyone in search of a home.

“The larger Refuge Project is centred around the positive contributions of refugees and new immigrants to Canada,” bandleader Chris McKhool explains. “We are bringing in special guests that are newcomers to this land, as well as global talents that have been ambassadors for peace. We wish to celebrate the successes of those who make the journey here, and bring their extraordinary talents with them, in this case music. Each one of us has a remarkable story to tell, and we are excited to share the beauty of these collaborations with you.”

Sanctuary features seven new tracks with stellar performances by Tara and Ahmed Moneka from Iraq, Amchok Gompo from Tibet, Donné Roberts from Madagascar with partner Yukiko Tsutsui from Japan, Algeria’s Fethi Nadjem, Juan Carlos Medrano, Syrian refugee Leen Hamo, Iran’s Padideh Ahrarnejad, Nyckelharpa player Saskia Tomkins. It also includes three stunning new versions of songs off Refuge. These include an astonishingly gorgeous orchestral version of “The Power of the Land” featuring Indigenous performers Duke Redbird and Twin Flames, Turkish mega-pop star Suat Suna singing Hurricane, and flamenco dancer and singer Tamar Ilana singing a version of “Asi Soy” that will rip your heart out.

“Mi Santuario (feat. Juan Carlos Medrano)” is available now. Sanctuary is available this November.

Award-Winning Singer-Songwriter Cynthia Erivo Releases Debut Album Ch. 1 Vs. 1

Eric Alper
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Award-Winning Singer-Songwriter Cynthia Erivo Releases Debut Album Ch. 1 Vs. 1

Grammy, Tony, and Emmy award winner and Oscar nominated singer-songwriter Cynthia Erivo today released her debut album of original music as a recording artist Ch. 1 Vs. 1 via Verve Records. A galvanizing mix of reverential, socially-inspired music, the collection is marked by heartbreak and sadness, but also triumph and growth.

By way of a 12-track journey into her mental and emotional landscape Ch. 1, Vs. 1 is the perfect soundtrack to a still-unfolding talent ready to be seen in her fullness, beyond the stage and screen. A showcase of both Erivo’s vocal stylings as well as her pen—she co-wrote every song—the album is perfectly suited for this moment in culture forever marked by a global pandemic and ongoing racial reckonings. With the bulk of the tracks written and recorded over the last two years, Erivo saw it as “a duty to tell people something.”

Erivo will make several high-profile TV appearances to celebrate the album’s release including a feature profile on Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist that will air on Sunday, September 19, followed by an appearance on The View on September 21 and a performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on September 22. She also recently delivered stunning performances in support of the new album on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and TODAY’s Summer Concert Series.

Ahead of the album’s debut, Erivo gave fans an early preview of the project releasing several singles to positive acclaim. V Magazine described “The Good,” as a “track that bleeds soul,” while Vulture called it “a buoyant, soulful R&B anthem.” American Songwriter noted Erivo’s “silky” voice on the track “Day Off,” with Entertainment Weekly raving about her “stellar vocals” on the piano driven introspective pop anthem, “Alive.”

Ch. 1 Vs. 1 is a rousing blend of soul (“What In The World,” “Hero,” Sweet Sarah”), heady alt R&B and pop (“Day Off,” “I Might Be In Love With You,” “Alive”) and vulnerable, gospel-tinged ballads (“A Window,” “Glowing Up,” “You’re Not Here”). It features co-writing and production support from Jamie Hartman (Lewis Capaldi, Jennifer Hudson, Celeste), Sean Douglas (Lizzo, Demi Lovato, Jason Derulo), Kaveh Rasteghar (John Legend, Sia), Shakka Phillip (Dua Lipa, Tove Lo), Harold Lilly (Beyoncé, Brandy) and Jack Splash (Alicia Keys, Kendrick Lamar), among others. The Album is Executive produced by Will Wells (Imagine Dragons, Quincy Jones, Anthony Ramos).

Ch. 1, Vs. 1 is more than just a long-awaited debut album of original music from the celebrated singer; it is a sonic declaration of identity and humanity and is a sweeping reintroduction dripping in authenticity and truth.

Ch. 1 Vs. 1 Track List
What In The World
Alive
Hero
The Good
Day Off
A Window
I Might Be In Love With You
Sweet Sarah
Tears
You’re Not Here
Glowing Up
Mama

Tori Amos Makes A Siren Call Across The Waves With The Release Of Her New Album “Ocean To Ocean”

Eric Alper
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Tori Amos Makes A Siren Call Across The Waves With The Release Of Her New Album “Ocean To Ocean”

Tori Amos was never going to enjoy a lockdown. She’s been playing live since she was thirteen years old. She splits her life between Cornwall, Florida, and the road. Her songs are written with the act of traveling and observing. Her last studio record, 2017’s Native Invader, pulled together four impossibly disparate strands – a Tennessee road trip, stories inspired by her ancestors, the ascension of Donald Trump and the slow loss of her mother to a stroke – with an energy and cohesion that made your skin bristle. But without live music, travel, and much at all to observe, Amos had a difficult pandemic; holed up in Cornwall, she hit a place of personal crisis familiar to anyone who suffered during the third UK lockdown – the one in winter, that seemed to go on forever…

Against all odds, that crisis resulted in Ocean to Ocean released on October 29th 2021, Amos’ most personal work in years – an album bursting with warmth and connection, with deep roots in her earliest song writing. She descended to an emotional state lower than she had been to for a long time – but the depths became creative, forcing a return to the kind of introspection she recognized from her debut album Little Earthquakes.

“This is a record about your losses, and how you cope with them,” she says. “Thankfully when you’ve lived long enough, you can recognize you’re not feeling like the mom you want to be, the wife you want to be, the artist you want to be. I realized that to shift this, you have to write from the place where you are. I was in my own private hell, so I told myself, then that’s where you write from – you’ve done it before…”

Written between March and summer this year Ocean to Ocean is a universal story of going to rock bottom and renewing yourself all over again.

In Cornwall she was surrounded by those she loved – her husband Mark and adult daughter Tash and her boyfriend. For a record written within limited surroundings, two things are remarkable – its rich stylistic variation, from tango to wide-screen romance, and the big-heartedness of songs, which run almost like a series of love letters to family both present and absent. It is, in one sense, her most Cornish record yet: the artwork says it all, with Amos shot on the cliffs, and in the caves on the county’s south west shores.

“If you processed troubling things by traveling, that was taken off the table,” she says. “My pattern has been to jump on a plane and go to the States. I would travel just to have new experiences. I had to find a chair instead, and ‘travel’ like I did when I was five – in my head.”

A sense of dislocation, both geographical and emotional, is there in the title track, whose drama takes place on the shores of the UK and the US. It is a song of kinship and love, about holding on to one another through destructive times with a melancholy urgency we’ve heard in Amos’ work from the start.

“I made a commitment to try and look at things in a way that get me to empowerment,” Tori says. “But what is power? Sometimes you are not ready to stand up yet – you have to start from sitting on the ground. We have all had moments that can knock us down. This record sits with you where you are, especially if you are in a place of loss. I am fascinated when someone has gone through a tragedy, and how they work through their grief. That is where the gold is. When somebody is actually at that place, thinking ‘I’m done’, how do you reach that person? It’s not about a pill, or a double shot of tequila. It’s about sitting in the muck together. I’m going to meet you in the muck.”

Since the release of her first, career-defining solo album Little Earthquakes, and her number 1 album Under The Pink Tori Amos has been one of the music industry’s most enduring and ingenious artists, with three top 10 albums and the Global smash hit single “Professional Widow” which remained in the Top 40 for an impressive 15 weeks & has continued to rock clubland for over a decade. Tori has transcended from commercial pop success to using her music to tackle serious issues around female gender, subsequently paving the way for a generation of young female activist popstars. From her visceral depiction of sexual assault in “Me and a Gun” & her post-9/11 album Scarlet’s Walk to her decidedly feminist stage musical The Light Princess, her work has never shied away from intermingling the personal with the political. A noted humanitarian, Tori was the first public voice for RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network), which is the United States’ largest anti-sexual assault organization and continues to be member of its National Leadership Council.

Ebhoni, Toronto’s Bad Gyal Bares Her Soul In New Visual For “iykyk”

Eric Alper
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Ebhoni, Toronto’s Bad Gyal Bares Her Soul In New Visual For “iykyk”

Directed by BBY Chris, the visual for “IYKYK” showcases Ebhoni in rare form as the 21-year old singer/songwriter hailing from Toronto powerfully delivers a flurry of edgy, fashion-forward performance shots, commanding her audience and unapologetically baring her soul.

An abbreviation for “if you know, you know,” the single was first released on Ebhoni’s mixtape “Good Dick & Weed,” a refreshing departure from the current landscape of female R&B heavily influenced by Ebhoni’s Caribbean upbringing. On the track Ebhoni speaks directly to a night where gunfire punctured six bullet holes in the backseat window of her family’s car, and they had to temporarily relocate to her grandmother’s house, where she openly wondered: what if she had been sitting in that backseat?

Putting up walls for her own self-protection, she’s only now beginning to draw from the power that comes from her own vulnerability. “I really have been through so much, and it’s important to show that to help others who might not have that platform.” “IYKYK” takes viewers on a 3 minute and 12 second journey through Ebhoni’s world, boldly sharing her pain, her vulnerability and ultimately her gift.

Praised for her powerhouse talent, Office Magazine predicts Ebhoni “is on a fast track to worldwide recognition.” Earlier this year, Ebhoni released her EP “X,” to critical reception from press and rare groove enthusiasts. In addition to Pitchfork praising Ebhoni for “reclaiming the Toronto R&B crown for women.” HotNewHipHop wrote, “Ebhoni has been one artist to keep an eye out for in the 6ix,” it’s no wonder FLAUNT crowned her “Our favorite new R&B artist.” Tracks like “Rotation” only bolster the rep she’s built as one of R&B’s most magnetic young stars, and with the release of Good Dick & Weed, Ebhoni’s growing fandom will surely only continue to expand.

Yusuf / Cat Stevens Releases ‘Teaser And The Firecat’ 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition Box Set Reissue

Eric Alper
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Yusuf / Cat Stevens Releases ‘Teaser And The Firecat’ 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition Box Set Reissue

Following last year’s 50th anniversaries of the era-defining albums Tea for the Tillerman and Mona Bone Jakon, 2021 will see Yusuf / Cat Stevens celebrate the succeeding album that immortalized his status as a forerunner in the singer-songwriter movement. The 1971 multi-platinum selling landmark record Teaser and the Firecat will be celebrated as a 50th anniversary Super Deluxe Edition box set, due on November 12th 2021 via Island Records/Universal Music Canada, the country’s leading music company.

A previously unheard recording of the Cat Stevens classic and Teaser album highlight “Moonshadow (Olympic Studio Demo, 1970)” is released today. Actually recorded at Olympic before the release of the two 1970 albums Mona Bone Jakon and Tea For The Tillerman this version provides a fascinating insight into the origins of one of the most enduring songs of the 1970s.

Cat Stevens achieved phenomenal success with his early work, but it was Teaser and the Firecat, his third LP with Island Records, that propelled Cat Stevens into superstardom, spawning some of his most unforgettable hits including “Moonshadow”, “Peace Train” and “Morning Has Broken”; songs by a youthful spiritual seeker, wise beyond his years that would lay the pretext for a poignant new wave of soulful troubadours and poets. Later, “The Wind” would see Teaser and the Firecat celebrated anew, rising to prominence following the song’s use in Wes Anderson’s much celebrated film Rushmore as well as the Oscar-winning Cameron Crowe film, Almost Famous. Through his spell-binding gift for songwriting and his introspective vision, Cat delivered a universal sense of hope and peace in Teaser and the Firecat that still resonates profoundly to this day.

Teaser and the Firecat walked tall in what was a year of classic albums and events that would echo down the decades. The 12 months of 1971 was a transitional year in pop culture in which the album joined John Lennon’s Imagine, David Bowie’s Hunky Dory, Joni Mitchell’s Blue, Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers and Led Zeppelin IV as the soundtrack to the momentous 500,000 strong anti-Vietnam war March on Washington D.C., the largest demonstration against US war in history, and the “Fight of the Century” at Madison Square Garden, New York City which saw Joe Frazer hand Muhammad Ali his first ever defeat. With the ‘60s now in the rear-view mirror – The Beatles gone, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin having already passed on, and Jim Morrison tragically joining their number in July ’71 – there was a distinct mood of change in the air. Along with burgeoning heavy rock and the socially-conscious R&B of Funkadelic and Sly And The Family Stone, it was the era of the poetical singer-songwriter. As well as being part of this latter movement, Cat Stevens was himself inspired by it.

Half a century later, Teaser and the Firecat has been given the ultimate treatment in a brand new Super Deluxe Edition set; the most in-depth and definite version of the album possible. Presented in a remastering of Yusuf’s original artwork, the release will include: 41 previously unreleased audio tracks and 21 live video performances on disc for the first time, amongst an entire CD and LP of studio demos and alternate mixes; a stunning 44-page, 12” soft cover replica of the original Teaser and the Firecat book, hand written and illustrated by Yusuf in 1972, and now featuring text in 10 languages; and a 108 page hard-cover 12” essay book, alongside a host of other rarities across 4CDs, Blu-Ray, 2 LPs and 7” vinyl. The set will be presented in a rigid clamshell box and is the latest in a series of boxsets – so far consisting of Back To Earth, Mona Bone Jakon and Tea for the Tillerman – that celebrate the albums in full depth with the direct involvement and direction of Yusuf and his son Yoriyos, who curates and designs each boxset.

There will also be a slimmed down version of the Super Deluxe Edition, including the 108 page book in a soft cover format, along with the 4CDs and Blu-ray, housed in a rigid slipcase. Other 50th Anniversary reissue formats include a 2CD Deluxe Edition, plus 1CD and 1LP Remasters.

The 50th anniversary remaster of the album was mixed by David Hefti on CD and LP, the Super Deluxe Edition also includes a CD of previously unreleased studio material and bonus tracks, an alternate version of the album on LP, as well as a third and fourth CD featuring 23 live performances from 1971. The 50th Anniversary remaster was completed at Abbey Road Studios, and was overseen by original album producer, Paul Samwell-Smith.

The set includes a remastered 7” single of “Moonshadow”, backed with a previously unreleased Spike Milligan narration of the track from the 1977 Teaser and the Firecat animated video. The 50th anniversary edition also includes an exclusive vinyl LP, tracklisted with 5 live performances at Montreux in 1971 and six BBC Recordings, as well as a Blu-Ray disc featuring a restored version of the 1977 animated video for “Moonshadow”, a live performance of “The Wind” from 2020, plus 21 live TV performances.

Also featured in the collection is “Bitterblue²”, a newly recorded and never before heard version of the classic Teaser album track. Yusuf’s rich vocal, sung a full octave lower than the original, imparts a new sense of experience and gravity to the song whose lyrics seem to resonate with a whole new level of meaning: “I’ve been waiting a long time/To be back beyond.”

 

Ahead of the 50th anniversary Teaser and the Firecat celebrations, 2021 has seen Yusuf / Cat Stevens partner with New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Peter H. Reynolds to produce Peace Train, a children’s book celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the iconic song’s original release. Featuring joyful illustrations and the timeless lyrics of the much-loved peace anthem, this hopeful picture book – now a New York Times bestseller itself – continues Yusuf’s commitment to children’s education and shared love for people of all cultures and identities.

Elsewhere, July 2021 saw a special Record Store Day release of the 1971 Harold And Maude soundtrack, featuring iconic songs from Tea for the Tillerman and Mona Bone Jakon alongside two new compositions for the film, “If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out” and “Don’t Be Shy”.

Full format details of the 50th anniversary Super Deluxe Edition box set are listed below.

4CD/Blu-ray/2LP/7” SUPER DELUXE EDITION BOX SET

CD1: Teaser and the Firecat (50th Anniversary Remaster)

  1. The Wind
  2. Rubylove
  3. If I Laugh
  4. Changes IV
  5. How Can I Tell You
  6. Tuesday’s Dead
  7. Morning Has Broken
  8. Bitterblue
  9. Moonshadow
  10. Peace Train

 

CD2: Demos, Alternate Versions, Bonus Tracks

  1. The Wind (Dubville Sessions 2020)
  2. Rubylove (Studio Demo)
  3. If I Laugh (Studio Demo)
  4. Changes IV (Alternate Mix, 1971)
  5. How Can I Tell You (Studio Demo)
  6. Tuesday’s Dead (Studio Demo)
  7. Morning Has Broken (Basing Street Rehearsal)
  8. Bitterblue (Basing Street Rehearsal)
  9. Moonshadow (Olympic Studio Demo, 1970)
  10. Peace Train (Extended String Mix, 1971)
  11. The Day They Make Me Tsar (Studio Demo)
  12. I Want To Live In A Wigwam
  13. Fisherman Song (Studio Demo)
  14. Changes IV (Studio Demo)
  15. Tuesday’s Dead (Alternate Mix, 1971)
  16. Morning Has Broken (Studio Demo)
  17. Bitterblue² (Reimagined 2021)

 

CD3: Live On Air, UK, 1971

  1. Moonshadow (BBC Radio Session, 8th November 1970)
  2. Tuesday’s Dead (BBC Radio Session, 23rd March 1971)
  3. How Can I Tell You (BBC Radio Session, 23rd March 1971)
  4. Peace Train (BBC Radio Session, 23rd March 1971)
  5. Moonshadow (BBC Radio Session, 23rd March 1971)
  6. Bitterblue (BBC Radio Session, 23rd March 1971)
  7. Moonshadow (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
  8. Where Do The Children Play? (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
  9. Longer Boats (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
  10. Tuesday’s Dead (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
  11. Sad Lisa (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
  12. Hard Headed Woman (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
  13. Father and Son (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
  14. If I Laugh (The Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC TV, 5th October 1971)
  15. Changes IV (The Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC TV, 5th October 1971)
  16. Moonshadow (Cat Stevens In Concert, BBC TV, 27th November 1971)
  17. Tuesday’s Dead (Cat Stevens In Concert, BBC TV, 27th November 1971)
  18. How Can I Tell You (Cat Stevens In Concert, BBC TV, 27th November 1971)
  19. Bitterblue (Cat Stevens In Concert, BBC TV, 27th November 1971)
  20. Changes IV (Cat Stevens In Concert, BBC TV, 27th November 1971)

 

CD4: Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971

  1. Intro (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  2. Hard Headed Woman (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  3. On The Road To Find Out (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  4. Wild World (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  5. Longer Boats (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  6. Maybe You’re Right (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  7. Sad Lisa (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  8. Miles From Nowhere (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  9. Katmandu (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  10. Lady D’Arbanville (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  11. Father And Son (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  12. Where Do The Children Play? (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  13. Peace Train (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)

 

BLU – RAY

 

HD 24bit/48kHz audio

Teaser and the Firecat (50th Anniversary Remaster)

  1. The Wind
  2. Rubylove
  3. If I Laugh
  4. Changes IV
  5. How Can I Tell You
  6. Tuesday’s Dead
  7. Morning Has Broken
  8. Bitterblue
  9. Moonshadow
  10. Peace Train

 

VIDEO

  1. The Wind
  2. Moonshadow

 

Cat Stevens Live In Montreux, Switzerland (2nd May 1971)

  1. Longer Boats
  2. Sad Lisa
  3. Wild World
  4. Katmandu
  5. Lady D’Arbanville
  6. Where Do The Children Play?
  7. Peace Train

 

Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends (Yorkshire TV) (7th September 1971)

  1. Moonshadow
  2. Where Do The Children Play?
  3. Longer Boats
  4. Tuesday’s Dead
  5. Sad Lisa
  6. Hard Headed Woman
  7. Father And Son

 

The Old Grey Whistle Test (BBC TV) (5th October 1971)

  1. If I Laugh
  2. Changes IV

 

Cat Stevens In Concert (BBC TV) (27th November 1971)

  1. Moon Shadow
  2. Tuesday’s Dead
  3. How Can I Tell You
  4. Bitterblue
  5. Changes IV

 

LP1: TEASER AND THE FIRECAT (ALTERNATIVE VERSIONS)

SIDE 1

  1. The Wind (Dubville Sessions 2020)
  2. Rubylove (Studio Demo)
  3. If I Laugh (Studio Demo)
  4. Changes IV (Studio Demo)
  5. How Can I Tell You (Studio Demo)

 

SIDE 2

  1. Tuesday’s Dead (Studio Demo)
  2. Morning Has Broken (Basing Street Rehearsal)
  3. Bitterblue (Basing Street Rehearsal)
  4. Moonshadow (Olympic Studio Demo, 1970)
  5. Peace Train (Extended String Mix, 1971)

 

LP2: LIVE 1971

SIDE 1: Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971

  1. Hard Headed Woman
  2. Wild World
  3. Lady D’Arbanville
  4. Father And Son
  5. Peace Train

 

SIDE 2: Live At The BBC, 1971

  1. Moonshadow (BBC Radio Session, 23rd March 1971)
  2. If I Laugh (The Old Grey Whistle Test, 5th October 1971)
  3. Tuesday’s Dead (Cat Stevens In Concert, 27th November 1971)
  4. How Can I Tell You (Cat Stevens In Concert, 27th November 1971)
  5. Bitterblue (Cat Stevens In Concert, 27th November 1971)
  6. Changes IV (Cat Stevens In Concert, 27th November 1971)

 

7″ SINGLE

  1. Moonshadow
  2. Spike Milligan narration

 

4CD/Blu-ray SUPER DELUXE EDITION

CD1: Teaser and the Firecat (50th Anniversary Remaster)

  1. The Wind
  2. Rubylove
  3. If I Laugh
  4. Changes IV
  5. How Can I Tell You
  6. Tuesday’s Dead
  7. Morning Has Broken
  8. Bitterblue
  9. Moonshadow
  10. Peace Train

 

CD2: Demos, Alternate Versions, Bonus Tracks

  1. The Wind (Dubville Sessions 2020)
  2. Rubylove (Studio Demo)
  3. If I Laugh (Studio Demo)
  4. Changes IV (Alternate Mix, 1971)
  5. How Can I Tell You (Studio Demo)
  6. Tuesday’s Dead (Studio Demo)
  7. Morning Has Broken (Basing Street Rehearsal)
  8. Bitterblue (Basing Street Rehearsal)
  9. Moonshadow (Olympic Studio Demo, 1970)
  10. Peace Train (Extended String Mix, 1971)
  11. The Day They Make Me Tsar (Studio Demo)
  12. I Want To Live In A Wigwam
  13. Fisherman Song (Studio Demo)
  14. Changes IV (Studio Demo)
  15. Tuesday’s Dead (Alternate Mix, 1971)
  16. Morning Has Broken (Studio Demo)
  17. Bitterblue² (Reimagined 2021)

 

CD3: Live On Air, UK, 1971

  1. Moonshadow (BBC Radio Session, 8th November 1970)
  2. Tuesday’s Dead (BBC Radio Session, 23rd March 1971)
  3. How Can I Tell You (BBC Radio Session, 23rd March 1971)
  4. Peace Train (BBC Radio Session, 23rd March 1971)
  5. Moonshadow (BBC Radio Session, 23rd March 1971)
  6. Bitterblue (BBC Radio Session, 23rd March 1971)
  7. Moonshadow (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
  8. Where Do The Children Play? (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
  9. Longer Boats (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
  10. Tuesday’s Dead (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
  11. Sad Lisa (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
  12. Hard Headed Woman (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
  13. Father and Son (Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends, Yorkshire Television, 7th September 1971)
  14. If I Laugh (The Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC TV, 5th October 1971)
  15. Changes IV (The Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC TV, 5th October 1971)
  16. Moonshadow (Cat Stevens In Concert, BBC TV, 27th November 1971)
  17. Tuesday’s Dead (Cat Stevens In Concert, BBC TV, 27th November 1971)
  18. How Can I Tell You (Cat Stevens In Concert, BBC TV, 27th November 1971)
  19. Bitterblue (Cat Stevens In Concert, BBC TV, 27th November 1971)
  20. Changes IV (Cat Stevens In Concert, BBC TV, 27th November 1971)

 

CD4: Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971

  1. Intro (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  2. Hard Headed Woman (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  3. On The Road To Find Out (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  4. Wild World (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  5. Longer Boats (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  6. Maybe You’re Right (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  7. Sad Lisa (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  8. Miles From Nowhere (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  9. Katmandu (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  10. Lady D’Arbanville (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  11. Father And Son (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  12. Where Do The Children Play? (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)
  13. Peace Train (Live In Montreux, 2nd May 1971)

 

BLU – RAY Teaser and the Firecat (50th Anniversary Remaster) HD 24bit/48kHz audio

  1. The Wind
  2. Rubylove
  3. If I Laugh
  4. Changes IV
  5. How Can I Tell You
  6. Tuesday’s Dead
  7. Morning Has Broken
  8. Bitterblue
  9. Moonshadow
  10. Peace Train

 

VIDEO

  1. The Wind
  2. Moonshadow

 

Cat Stevens Live In Montreux, Switzerland (2nd May 1971)

  1. Longer Boats
  2. Sad Lisa
  3. Wild World
  4. Katmandu
  5. Lady D’Arbanville
  6. Where Do The Children Play?
  7. Peace Train

 

Out Front: Cat Stevens And Friends (Yorkshire TV) (7th September 1971)

  1. Moonshadow
  2. Where Do The Children Play?
  3. Longer Boats
  4. Tuesday’s Dead
  5. Sad Lisa
  6. Hard Headed Woman
  7. Father And Son

 

The Old Grey Whistle Test (BBC TV) (5th October 1971)

  1. If I Laugh
  2. Changes IV

 

Cat Stevens In Concert (BBC TV) (27th November 1971)

  1. Moon Shadow
  2. Tuesday’s Dead
  3. How Can I Tell You
  4. Bitterblue
  5. Changes IV

 

2 CD DELUXE EDITION

CD1: Teaser and the Firecat (50th Anniversary Remaster)

  1. The Wind
  2. Rubylove
  3. If I Laugh
  4. Changes IV
  5. How Can I Tell You
  6. Tuesday’s Dead
  7. Morning Has Broken
  8. Bitterblue
  9. Moonshadow
  10. Peace Train

 

CD2: Demos, Alternate Versions, Bonus Tracks

  1. The Wind (Dubville Sessions 2020)
  2. Rubylove (Studio demo)
  3. If I Laugh (The Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC TV, 5th October 1971)
  4. Changes IV (Studio demo)
  5. How Can I Tell You (Studio demo)
  6. Tuesday’s Dead (BBC Radio Session, 23rd March 1971)
  7. Morning Has Broken (Basing Street Rehearsal, 1975)
  8. Bitterblue² (Reimagined 2021)
  9. Moonshadow (Olympic studio demo, 1970)
  10. Peace Train (Extended String Mix, 1971)
  11. The Day They Make Me Tsar (Studio Demo)
  12. Fisherman Song (Studio Demo)
  13. I Want To Live In A Wigwam (Morning Has Broken B – side)

 

1 CD 50th ANNIVERSARY REMASTER

  1. The Wind
  2. Rubylove
  3. If I Laugh
  4. Changes IV
  5. How Can I Tell You
  6. Tuesday’s Dead
  7. Morning Has Broken
  8. Bitterblue
  9. Moonshadow
  10. Peace Train

 

1LP 50th ANNIVERSARY REMASTER

Side 1

  1. The Wind
  2. Rubylove
  3. If I Laugh
  4. Changes IV
  5. How Can I Tell You

 

Side 2

  1. Tuesday’s Dead
  2. Morning Has Broken
  3. Bitterblue
  4. Moonshadow
  5. Peace Train

Jann Arden Announces Jann Arden On Stage! – A Live Album, Out October 22

Eric Alper
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0
Jann Arden Announces Jann Arden On Stage! – A Live Album, Out October 22

Today, multi-platinum award-winning singer, songwriter, actor and author Jann Arden announces the release of her live album, Jann Arden On Stage!. The live album will be available exclusively on all digital platforms October 22, 2021.

Recorded this past Spring during Arden’s livestream event, Jann Arden On Stage! will feature live versions of some of Jann Arden’s biggest hits, a cover of The Cure’s “Lovesong,” and share a first-time performance of her interpretation of Paul McCartney’s “Lavatory Lil” which is available now. See below for full tracklisting.

Jann Arden commented on the upcoming digital release: “Making this live stream special was such an uplifting experience. It was recorded smack dab in the middle of such an uncertain time. It was hard not to feel guilty about being together IN PERSON to make music again, but at the same time, our goal was to cheer people on and give them a bit of damn joy! When I listened back to this a few weeks later- I was struck by just that- a sense of joy and well-being. Music continues to be a bright light for human beings all over the planet. I hope you find a bit of joy in these new recordings too.”

Jann Arden On Stage! Tracklisting:
1. Sleepless
2. Little Bird
3. Lavatory Lil
4. I Would Die For You
5. Love Song
6. The Way Things Are Going
7. Insensitive
8. The Sound Of
9. Good Mother

Serena Ryder Named 2021 Allan Slaight Music Impact Honour

Eric Alper
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0
Serena Ryder Named 2021 Allan Slaight Music Impact Honour

Canada’s Walk of Fame announced today that six-time JUNO Award winner and platinum-selling singer-songwriter Serena Ryder is the 2021 recipient of the distinguished Allan Slaight Music Impact Honour presented to a remarkable musician, duo, or group that continues to make a positive impact with their talent and benevolence in the field of music. Canada’s Walk of Fame is grateful to the late Allan Slaight, Canada’s broadcast industry trailblazer and generous philanthropist, and proudly continues the legacy of this honour, which was established in 2010.

Through her journey of self-discovery – detailing despair, heartbreak, hope, joy, and love in her lyrics – Serena is just as passionate about her music as helping others find their path to mental wellness. She joins past Honourees, including Alessia Cara, Jessie Reyez, Drake, Melanie Fiona, Shawn Hook, Brett Kissel, Carly Rae Jepsen, Shawn Mendes, The Weeknd and Nikki Yanofsky. Serena will be presented the honour during Canada’s Walk of Fame Awards Gala at Toronto’s Beanfield Centre on Saturday, December 4, 2021. A special broadcast will air at a later date on CTV.

“Being recognized for my work as a mental wellness ally through the Allan Slaight Music Impact Honour means the world to me,” stated Serena. “I am honoured to continue the late Allan Slaight’s dedication to effect positive change, and am so touched to share this with so many incredible musicians who have been using their gifts for the greater good of the world. I promise to do everything in my power to continue to be of service to anyone who wants to keep walking the path to wellness through music and community.”

Toronto-based vocal powerhouse Serena Ryder is a platinum-selling artist, JUNO and Canadian Screen Award winner. Her newest album, The Art of Falling Apart, invites listeners to join her mental wellness journey and helps us understand the importance of sitting with the uncomfortable moments and the wisdom in their messages. As an ally for mental health, Serena has travelled across the country sharing her keynote message – which share’s the album’s name – and released an animated version to inspire and reach audiences worldwide. She was awarded the Margaret Trudeau Mental Health Advocacy Award in 2018; and during the COVID-19 pandemic, Serena launched The Art of Wellness, an interactive series designed to help fellow artists and creative professionals manage stress and find balance within themselves.

On behalf of the board of directors of Canada’s Walk of Fame, Randy Lennox said, “Serena continues to be her authentic self, through the accolades, awards and music success, allowing us into her experiences, heartbreak, joys and passions – including being a champion for mental well being. We’re proud to recognize her work in the community, with artists, youth, and other charitable organizations supporting mental health, and can’t wait to shine the Canada’s Walk of Fame spotlight on her incredible career and impact.”

Lennox continues, “Allan’s impact on the music industry was profoundly transformative; through his many philanthropic endeavours including establishing the Allan Slaight Music Impact Honour, his legacy will continue to inspire today’s stars and tomorrow’s changemakers for generations more.”

“Serena exemplifies all of the values and qualities that my father Allan had in mind for this special honour. She is an incredibly talented singer-songwriter who leads with compassion and empathy, which is why she is able to connect so deeply with her fans and invite dialogue and hope. On behalf of the entire Slaight family, I congratulate you on all of your achievements, and know that you will continue to be an inspiring voice in the important conversation of mental wellness,” said Gary Slaight, President and CEO, Slaight Communications.

JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE: PARIS ‘67 out for Record Store Day

Eric Alper
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0
JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE: PARIS ‘67 out for Record Store Day

Dagger Records is proud to release Jimi Hendrix Experience: Paris 67 for Record Store Day (November 26). This 150-gram red-and-blue colored vinyl LP presents the original Jimi Hendrix Experience lineup–Hendrix, bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell in peak form at the famed Olympia Theater in Paris on October 9, 1967.

This live recording documents Hendrix’s triumphant return to Paris almost one year to the date of their 1966 showcase as a burgeoning support act for Johnny Hallyday. Now in place of Hallyday’s audience were more than 14,000 screaming Jimi Hendrix Experience admirers. In his own inimitable fashion, Hendrix graciously acknowledged his audience for their early support. “Thank you very much for last year, for letting us play here,” prefaced Hendrix before starting “The Wind Cries Mary.” “Instead of booing us off the stage you gave us a chance, so thank you very much.”

These recordings capture the verve and exuberant spirit displayed by the group. Jimi kicks off the performance with a rousing “Stone Free,” known to his fans as the flip side of his debut single “Hey Joe”. “The Wind Cries Mary” finds Jimi in fine voice, showcasing his deft touch with slow ballads. The raucous “Catfish Blues,” Jimi’s unique hybrid of Muddy Waters’ classic “Still A Fool,” was another early-stage favorite of the Experience.

For the first time, tracks from this Paris concert that were previously only available on The Jimi Hendrix Experience box set from 2000 (aka the purple box) are re-integrated with several other tracks recorded that night, making Jimi Hendrix Experience: Paris 67 the most complete official release of the October 9, 1967 set to date.

Dagger Records was founded by Experience Hendrix, L.L.C. in 1998 as an ‘official bootleg’ label, providing fans throughout the world with additional live performances, home demos and studio recordings not issued on commercial albums. With over a dozen vinyl and CD titles to date, the imprint is an invaluable resource for devotees who want to dig deeper than the standard Jimi Hendrix catalog. Apart from special, limited edition vinyls such as this release, Dagger titles are not available in retail stores or via digital services such as Amazon Music, Spotify and Tidal but only via jimihendrix.com.

Titles in the Dagger series are intended to provide Hendrix’s fans with new appreciation and insights for his songwriting explorations, found on each of Dagger’s Morning Symphony Ideas (a collection of 1969 and 1970 demo recordings), Hear My Music, and Burning Desire. The live albums in the series include historically significant events such as his final concert at the Isle Of Fehmarn on September 6, 1970 and March 1968 Capitol Theater performance captured on Live In Ottawa that Jimi himself recorded. Dagger also offers a peek into Jimi’s pre-Experience days as a member of Harlem-based R&B musician Curtis Knight’s band with Live At George’s Club 20 1965-1966 and No Business: Curtis Knight & The Squires: The PPX Sessions, Volume 2.

These informative ‘bootleg’ releases are properly annotated, complete with photos, liner notes and the best possible sonic quality available and offer invaluable exposure to Hendrix’s musical mastery.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Paris 67 tracklist
Side One
1) Stone Free
2) Hey Joe
3) Fire
4) Catfish Blues
5) The Wind Cries Mary

Side Two
1) Rock Me Baby
2) Red House
3) Purple Haze
4) Wild Thing

Compilation produced by Janie Hendrix, Eddie Kramer & John McDermott for Experience Hendrix, L.L.C.

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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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