Rock/pop singer/songwriter Emily Taylor Hudson picked up all the pieces with this, her latest single — “Hearts We Wanna Break” — available now.
This stand out cut off the LA-based artist’s debut EP, Love Is a Dirty Word, yearns with a grinding sorrow cast amongst velvet vocals and driving rock n’ roll.
“‘Hearts We Wanna Break’ was written about a friendship I thought would last a lifetime, and the brutal feeling of betrayal ripping apart the good between me and someone I loved,” she shares. “This song represents the moment I realized that love is a dirty word.”
Her talents were fostered from an early age, growing up in a creative family with her parents, Cindy Williams (Laverne & Shirley) and Bill Hudson (The Hudson Brothers), and her brother, musician, Zak Hudson.
As far as uber-talented features on the five-track release go, Hudson didn’t need to look far; she got her best friend, musician and lead guitarist, Billy Newsome, to help produce the sound she was going for, and her brother, Zak, to produce the rhythm section. She then called upon J.P. Hesser at Castaway 7 Studios for mixing; it was mastered at Golden Mastering.
“I recorded this album with Billy in his hometown of Pikeville, Kentucky,” Hudson recalls. “It wasn’t recorded in a studio; it was recorded in the dead of winter, up a holler in a Kentucky trailer.
“Billy and I have never had to explain music to each other, and music is most magical when it’s intuitively understood,” she continues, detailing the divine and tacit creative connection. “He is one of the greatest guitar players to ever live.
“From there, my prolific brother Zak completed Love Is a Dirty Word once I got back to LA with his natural and monumental talent on drums and bass. He recorded his portion in a laundry room where his drums were set up. And then, J.P. made it sparkle.
“There was no metronome,” she continues. “This whole release was about the spirit of music…
At 200,000+ Spotify spins across his three breakthrough singles, Canadian pop singer Avry gets mellow for this, his debut music video for ”Back to You” — available now.
The ambient, three-minute pop track not only follows the release of the Vancouver-born, Toronto-based artist’s previously released singles “Close to Me” (2020) and “Running Dance” (2020).
The song begins with the ringing of a phone and an automated voice message for a “not-in-service” number, and it’s not long after that “Back to You” really kicks off into the mellow and relaxing hit unsuspecting listeners and fans are already praising and recognizing it to be.
Avry’s smooth melody and lush vocals are backed by an infectious and consistent digital bass groove, oscillating drum tracks, and sporadic sound samples. The singer/songwriter revealed the instrumental track was created by the Canadian producer, Chiara, and that he heard it while sitting in the passenger seat of his friend’s JEEP. In the span of just one minute, Avry said he had a topline for the beat and rushed back to his home studio to record the first draft of the project that night.
To help complete the song, Avry enlisted Canadian producer Chris Stiliadis to complete all post-production and mastering work and ultimately help bring “Back to You” to “the next level,” he says. Though he didn’t produce the instrumentals, Avry (AKA Connor Anderson), wrote all of the lyrics and the vocal arrangement. He described it as one of the most organically created songs he has ever made, and that “the lyrics came so quickly and naturally.”
Following the initial release of “Back to You” last November, Avry said he immediately had an idea and rushed to set up a meeting with Vancouver-based photographer Muni to see if he would help record a music video. He wanted the film to be recorded on the rooftop of Gastown — a Vancouver landmark — because he felt “Back to You” is “a great representation of the summers in Vancouver and Toronto, and the carefree life we’ve been trying to live among the craziness of the pandemic.”
Before starting his solo career, Avry was — and still is — part of the Canadian music trio 4.0.4, along with group members Noah and Memblem. He wanted to pursue his own career on the side to help expand his discography, network and skill sets.
Waterloo-raised, Ottawa-based indie folk legend-in-the-making, Craig Cardiff, sets out on his latest musical journey with his warm and gripping new single “All This This Time Running” ahead of his new album of the same name — available now.
The three-minute-six-second single is an indirect ode to Cardiff’s long withstanding journey exploring the frontiers of, not only the Canadian, but international folk music realms, while coming back to his roots as a musician. The message is also indicative of our personal journeys we embark upon; always coming back as a stronger, humbler, and wiser version ourselves.
To quote Cardiff himself: “All of the movement and all the activity is only to arrive where we’ve been for a long time — Home.”
“All This Time Running” is a splendid piece laden with nimble frets and melodious keys, accompanied by gentle snares and pleasing plucks of the banjo. The musical elements are serenely aligned with Cardiff’s signature warm, scratched, and mellow voice taking the helm. If the music is the driver, the uncompromisingly human and poetic nature of the lyrics are, undoubtedly, the vehicle for this single.
The single is one showcase of the works featured on the All This Time Running album. The 11 track entry also marks his debut on True North Records.
When reflecting about his upcoming release, Cardiff feels like this collection of material is his most well-rounded and career-defining work to date.
“It’s the biggest thing I’ve ever done,” the humble, soft-spoken father agrees, in a rare moment of pride. “It didn’t start out that way. I didn’t have that scope and scale in mind at the beginning. It just kind of grew that way. It was actually kind of a gift.”
The musician credited COVID for how this latest release came to fruition, while being mindful and sympathetic towards the hardships and uncertainties which the pandemic has caused many the world over.
“I never had time to pause like this before,” Cardiff reveals. “It scared the hell out of me at first. Everything went out the window; we had to rejig and scramble. It was like Mad Max.”
Always being able to find the light in the darkest of situations, he then continues by saying, “It became a positive. We were able to access some players we wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. And the time to sit with the songs and the recordings — that was critical.”
“All This Time Running” is the second single to delight fans and win the hearts of new listeners. The first single, “Yellowknife”, has already received a nomination for Canadian Folk Music Award for Single of the Year.
To say Craig Cardiff is active as an artist is truly an understatement. While All This Time Running is his first album of new material in six years, Cardiff has independently released an astounding total of 25 albums and EPs since his debut release in 1997. He has been nominated for a JUNO award for Roots and Traditional Album of the Year for his 2012 album, Floods And Fires, as well as a Canadian Folk Music Award for Contemporary Singer of the Year, in the same year. He credits the likes of Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Elvis Costello and Leonard Cohen as being inspirations for his music.
Throughout all his time running, Craig Cardiff has played festivals and concert stages, alongside indie icons such as Glen Philips, Kathleen Edwards and Sarah Harmer, as well as Canadian heavyweights such as Hawksley Workman, 54-40 and the late Gordon Downie. The limelight hasn’t quelled his values, as he still gravitates towards playing more quaint venues like backyards, coffeehouses, church basements and prisons in search of that sense of community and connection.
Cardiff remains humble about his achievements and accomplishments. At the forefront, his approach to songwriting has always been about connecting with his audience and nurturing a sense of community. He views his talents as a calling, going as far as to label his artistry as a commitment, even a mission.
“I need to know I’m singing to somebody who connects with my songs,” he says. “The goal is to take a roomful of strangers and bring them together.”
Many performers follow similar approaches, by way of stage presence and audience interaction. Cardiff goes further to build that connection with his attendees on a much deeper and personal level. At his shows, he is known to pass around, what he calls, his Book of Truths. Only for people who wish to contribute, he asks those in attendance to contribute something personal — an admission, a desire, or a secret — that one might be too worried or scared to say out loud. Some of these inscriptions inspire him to write songs. Others compel Cardiff to seek out the contributor personally to offer hope and reassurance. It doesn’t stop there. While on the road, he stops at schools to facilitate songwriting workshops to encourage and inspire children to pursue their creativity.
The second annual Sauga City Music Conference will take place virtually on Zoom over two weeks from March 17 – 26, 2021. The conference is free with registration on Eventbrite.
Featuring two keynote speakers, a webinar and three music panels, the conference will provide tools and advice for emerging and veteran musicians adapting to life during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first keynote speaker is much sought after writer and business consultant Karen Allen. She’s the author of Twitch for Musicians Second Edition: A Step-by-Step Guide to Producing a Livestream, Growing Audience, and Making Money as a Musician on Twitch. Her timely presentation, Livestreaming on Social Media Platforms for Profit, will reveal the revenue generating opportunities on Twitch, Instagram and other livestreaming platforms for musicians. Allen, who also works as a business consultant, has been ahead of the digital curve and her insights are much in demand, especially during the pandemic.
The second keynote speaker is Alex Kresovich, who will give an equally important presentation titled Rap Music and Mental Health. Kresovich, who is the Roy H. Park Doctoral Fellow at the University of North Carolina Hussman School of Journalism and Media, argues that Rap music is changing, just as the mental health conversation is changing around the world. He is also a Billboard #1 and RIAA-Platinum music producer. Kresovich will outline his research into the changing mental health conversation in popular rap music and explore the implications – good and bad – especially for young people who struggle with their mental health.
This year’s Sauga City Music Conference will include several relevant panel discussions with expertise from music industry and related industry professionals. The panels include: Digital Strategies to Reach a Diverse Audience; Overcoming Challenges Faced by BIPOC Artists in the Music Industry; and Funding Support for Culturally Diverse Artists. Representatives from various funding agencies will share their insights on funding programs.
The conference will also include a special webinar titled Recording at Home…Like A Pro. This timely webinar will be presented in association with the Mississauga Arts Council.
“It is imperative that we support artists who have suffered immensely during the pandemic, especially those who rely on live performances at music festivals and gigs to make a living, says Phil Vassell, the Artistic Director of Sauga City Music Festival and the TD IRIE Music Festival.”
The organizers of the Sauga City Music Conference bring a wealth of experience, having produced the IRIE Music Festival, the Toronto Urban Music Festival and Urban Music Week over two decades. We’d like to acknowledge FACTOR and the Department of Canadian Heritage for their support of this initiative.
Brooklyn-based alt-pop duo K. Sofia are standing in the wake of Valentine’s Day with their cheeky new single (and comedic, innuendo-laden video to match) — “Intimate” is available now.
Throughout the video, K. Sofia can be seen dancing together — with various outfit changes — throughout their apartment. A consistent backlight vignette with a pink glow sets the scene, accompanying sporadic messages such as “You’re sweet,” “Be mine,” “Only you,” and “I’m yours.” The funny and lighthearted creation started out as another one of their “DIY music videos,” according to the group — something they’ve been doing since breaking out onto the music scene last year, to help pass time during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Lead singer and songwriter behind the project, Kristos Sofia — where the group’s name initially stemmed from — recalled the making of “Intimate” in an interview, saying that while he was standing on his balcony in Brooklyn, he heard a song blaring out from a car on the street below and was reminded of how “much more common a lyric about physical intimacy and sexuality is than perhaps anything else in pop music.
“I started playing with this innuendo-filled idea of getting mentally or spiritually intimate with someone — as I do believe that’s what we all actually crave in life and love,” he added.
The track also features a light and playful rap verse from New York City’s very own Dreux, who also appears in the video. On how the pair enlisted him to feature on the track, they revealed he only lived a block away from Kristos’s apartment. The singer continued: “I remember just planting the seed with everyone that in a few months we would have this song called ‘Intimate,’ with a pop/hip-hop sensibility and all the right play on words … and that we’d have to be naked on the album art (sorry).”
The overall vision behind K. Sofia is to build a platform for love and togetherness through relatable human stories through enjoyable music, which highlights “singable melodies, danceable grooves and passionate soundscapes.”
On their relationship together, as producer and singer, K. Sofia agreed: “We’ve known each other for a long time and we’ve lived and died a few lives already, so we create from a foundation of brotherhood and trust … and we write for whoever might need to hear it.”
Along with 2020’s “Heart in Mind,” “Lonely Together,” “Angel” (2021) and their breakthrough, debut single “The Fool,” K. Sofia’s brand-new single, “Intimate,” is available now.
Toronto-based folk quartet Samways acknowledge the work of a late, great Canadian poet in this, their new single, “Untrodden Ways” — available now.
Landing ahead of their forthcoming debut album, the song is backed by a steady bass groove and the sounds of lead songwriter, guitarist and composer Nathan Hiltz’s acoustic, and driven by the beautiful and smile-inducing vocal harmonies of co-lead singers Shannon Butcher, Melissa Lauren, and Jessica Lalonde.
On the creation of the “Untrodden Ways,” Nathan said: “I tried to channel Joni (Mitchell)’s rambunctious and expressive strumming,” adding that it highlights a “polyrhythmic feeling … which might fit in with Paul Brady — somewhere between a jig and a 1960s songwriter.”
In the same format of their small, yet steadily-growing back-catalogue — and their soon-to-be-released debut album — Samways’ music incorporates lyrics drawn from 19th century Canadian poetry and beyond. It’s composed that way to serve as an homage to the suffering and triumphs of pre-confederation Canada.
The music for “Untrodden Ways,” for example, was written by Nathanm, but the track’s lyrics are based off of the poem of the same name, which was written in 1913 by the late and renowned Kingston-based author and poet, Agnes Maule Machar.
As well as Agnes, Samways’ music has highlighted the works of famed Canadian poets like Bliss Carmen, Susannah Moodie, and E.J. Pratt. The band themselves describe their sonic approach as a marriage of old prose with new musical idioms.
Though the up-and-coming four-piece is not able to tour during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, they’ve performed a number of gigs and festivals over the last few years, accompanied by session musicians Neil Macintosh (drums), Chris Banks (bass) and violinist Mark Fewer.
To help support their upcoming 2021 album, Samways hopes to have the opportunity to hit the road again to showcase the infectious live shows which have had crowds all across Ontario irresistibly toe-tapping along to the percussive and grooving nature of their diverse and colourful folk music. For now, however, they will continue to perform to audiences digitally, across the web.
While Samways is a fairly “young” band and only just breaking out onto the music scene, they’re not holding back one bit. Before even releasing their debut single, or any singles for that matter, they’ve already garnered a large mass of fans and have earned themselves a recording grant from the Toronto Arts Council.
“Untrodden Ways,” the first taste of Samways’ upcoming and untitled debut album is available now.
Let’s be rather honest with ourselves. Doing a complete hairdo for a special occasion is difficult. That is why some of us use a headband wig. Some of us cut our hair, then pin it to a perfect hairdo, and adequately set it with a lot of hairsprays, and then leave curls around. It will take a lot of time to practice these tactics.
Some of us even do bundles with closure. That is why many of us do many practices when dealing with hair updos and use different wigs for a complete, perfect look.
We can always style with lace front wigs to make it look perfect on the right day. If you don’t know how to create an algorithm, and you do not know if the head looks the right way you wish to do so, learn.
With a proper wig, you can style the wig’s whole head or on a mannequin many days ahead of time. It will save you time, and on the big day of the wedding, we are trying to guarantee that every part of the start will look great.
You no longer have to yank your hair, worrying if you will burn the whole forehead or try to wonder if each piece of the hair is done right.
Wig’s will take a lot of complicated guesswork out of making the perfect updos.
What Do You Ask Yourself Before You Pick the Right Updo?
When dealing with things first, pick the correct type of hairdo you currently wish to. Do you need something tremendous or flowing and romantic?
Ask yourself a few questions:
If you currently have natural hair, are you getting hair extensions for the event, or want to do extensions or hair buns to get the right look?
Are you going to wear the wig upwards or downwards?
Would you want curls or straight hair? What type of synthetic wig will be given for pre-curled wigs.
Would you prefer a wig cap that looks natural or something with more volume?
Will you use the current wig, or are you getting a new wig??
There is a proper magical place that will give you a lot of updos inspiration and get you right on the path to getting the right style for the occasion.
Which platform are we talking about? Pinterest!
However, there are a lot of updos that you can find on Pinterest that are rather elaborate. It might be even more difficult for our home stylist experts. If you want to see things you like and are not confident that you can rebuild yourself, you do not have to take the whole wig to the hairstylist.
We can give you the right hairstyle and make sure that you are happy with the wig collection we recommend.
From March 1990, Chet Atkins presents “The World’s Most Famous Unknown Band” in a salute to Ralph Emery, and that band is Glen Campbell, Jerry Reed, and Steve Wariner (guitar); Roy Clark (mandolin), Ray Stevens (piano), Ricky Skaggs (fiddle), Lee Greenwood (saxophone), Steve Gatlin (bass), Barbara Mandrell (steel guitar), and Irlene Mandrell (drums).
Argentinian darkened synth pop duo Vomiting Bunnies breaks the shackles of uncertainty with their cathartic new single “Too Late” — available now.
While the world lies in a state of uncertainty, to say the least, “Too Late” is a marriage between their dark synth pop sound and the emotions surrounding society’s temporal state to deliver something all too relatable and hauntingly atmospheric.
Providing insight into their most recent single, members Vale (Valeria Curcio) and Jörg (Jorge Singh) say “‘Too Late’ is about those moments in life when it turns difficult to deal with ourselves; when we feel stuck, frustrated, or tormented by our own thoughts, and we find ourselves caught in a loop from which it feels impossible to escape.
“Last year was full of changes, a roller coaster of emotions, full of ups and downs due to everything we have experienced, and everything we have had to put on hold due to quarantine,” they continue. “But for us, it was also a year of much inspiration, creativity, catharsis, and growth that we managed to transform into art through our music.”
The single was mixed and mastered by Ana Laura Castro Borsani and Sebastián Admetlla at Fauna Cósmica Studios based in Buenos Aires. The cover art was designed by Jörg himself, from the artwork “Construcción en caos”.
With Vale and Jörg each having backgrounds in audiovisual arts, they come together creating a sound that is fundamentally synth pop, with a dark and groovy trip-hop twist. From Jörg’s programming and harmonies to Vale’s silky voice and chilling tone, “Too Late” accomplishes all that it intends to capture, bringing the feel of the track’s themes surrounding depression and its emotional by-products full-circle.
“Too Late” is a musical expression of what one experiences in the throes of deep depression, which is a relatable state of mind for many worldwide. However, while the pandemic has been the ending point to many endeavours, it’s during this fragile period in time where Vomiting Bunnies began. They have released seven singles since the beginning of the pandemic, including: “Mr. Brightside,” “Hate Me,” and “La vie en bleu,” among others.
Brazilian hard rockers Pentral have unleashed the video for the pummelling and prescient new single “Silent Trees” — available now.
The song — which features a radio edit and a seven-minute extended cut — lands ahead of their forthcoming debut album, What Lies Ahead of Us, set for release this May.
Pentral translates to ‘spirit’ in Latin and, according to the band, was chosen to help signal the premise of the message contained within their sound: the overall need to transcend the “material world” through the power of music — without losing connection with reality and human frailties.
With over 440,000+ streams across platforms and rising, the breakthrough three-piece act consists of bassist Joe Ferry, and brothers — drummer Vagner Lima and lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Victor Lima.
As the mastermind behind the music, Victor describes “Silent Trees” and the album, What Lies Ahead of Us, in completion as a “declaration,” which was conceived long before the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic swept the world off its feet.
The narrative of the record in its entirety follows the story of a man and a woman who endure trauma and turmoil before they are gifted with a child — and “Silent Trees” serves as the beginning of the tale.
“The couple lives in the woods and gives birth to a child among the threat of ‘the beast’ — which is pretty much the human being itself — interested in destroying the rainforest, and making money,” Victor shares. “The woman has premonitions about a sad ending and, eventually, they have to run to survive as the invaders arrive.
“It fits the current reality we’re going through,” he continues. “This pandemic is the outcome of the unfriendly way we’ve been treating our environment — and ourselves, as well — and it serves to expose our insensitivity, our lack of empathy [to the world].”
The album art for What Lies Ahead of Us was created by the great Canadian artist Heidi Teillefer, and is described by Pentral as a visual representation of each one of the album’s 10 songs.
Pentral have been gathering a worldwide audience as a result of their original music, plus their modern take on various classic rock songs via their burgeoning YouTube channel; covers of Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir,” Queen’s “Who Wants to Live Forever,” and The Beatles’ 1967 classic “A Day in the Life” pepper their platform as the band credits them as some of their biggest shared influences.
Pentral’s highly-anticipated debut album What Lies Ahead of Us will be available May 7th, 2021 through all major streaming platforms.
