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Justin Time Records Releases Annual Holiday Compilation, ‘Justin Time For Christmas Six’

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Justin Time Records Releases Annual Holiday Compilation, ‘Justin Time For Christmas Six’

Internationally renowned jazz label Justin Time Records signal the start of the season with the return of their annual Holiday compilation, Justin Time For Christmas Six — available now.

Offering a cool slice of styles that blend seamlessly for the season, Justin Time For Christmas Six heralds 11 new and previously unreleased tracks from a multi-talented roster — plus a rosy revival of Katherine Penfold’s evergreen favourite, “Keep Christmas With You.”

Wrapped inside you’ll find Emma Frank’s haunting take on the folk hymn, “I Wonder As I Wander,” while the Susie Airoli Swing Band and Jordan Officer team to offer a nod to Bessie Smith in “At The Christmas Ball.”

Barbra Lica postures Santa as a cat in her sparkling jazzy sojourn, “Santa Claws,” and Ranee Lee delivers a picture-perfect imagine-no-other soundtrack for decking the halls with “Deck The Halls.”

There are instrumentals, too; Oliver Jones stuns with an inspirational rendition of “Bless This House” while Matt Herskowitz wears it all on his sleeve in his heartfelt version of “White Christmas.”

The sixth volume of holiday tunes from the longstanding label also includes features from Ariel Pocock, Carol Welsman, and Angela Galuppo.

“Women lead the way in this collection of singers and pianists from the always-excellent Canadian jazz label,” Top 100 Canadian Blog’s Bob Mersereau says of the release. “It’s mostly made up of the old, reliable numbers done in a mellow, fireside mood, giving that most excellent late-night vibe (for) wrapping the last presents or enjoying an egg nog with just the right amount of holiday cheer in it.”

Folk & Roots Duo TOMATO/TOMATO Are All About the Groove in Their New Single, “Better at Leaving”

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Folk & Roots Duo TOMATO/TOMATO Are All About the Groove in Their New Single, “Better at Leaving”

Canadian folk and roots duo Tomato/Tomato are all about the groove when it comes to their newest track, “Better at Leaving” — available now.

The track is the next to land from their forthcoming album, It’ll Come Around, set for release this November 20th, and features funky drums, bass, and stereo guitars. Motown-inspired strings for good measure keep the song delivering good vibes beginning to end.

“When we began writing for the album, we weren’t quite sure what direction we would be heading,” John McLaggan shares. “We were, though, feeling strong pulls back to our roots.”

For John, that was how he grew up listening to mix tapes his father made for him, complete with generous helpings of The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Buddy Holly, and loads of other early rock n’ roll in between. For Lisa McLaggan, who grew up in Chicago, it was a draw to early influences of Motown and the Blues.

“The direction for It’ll Come Around was solidified when a long-lost family heirloom returned to our lives,” Lisa adds. “In 1974, John’s Uncle David died tragically at the age of 19 in a gas station explosion. John never had the opportunity to meet his Uncle, but he knew they shared a love for the guitar.”

“I’d always wondered what happened to his guitar,” John says. “After we moved into our new home, the 40-year mystery was solved, however: as it turns out, our neighbour had the guitar and generously agreed to a trade!”

Inspired by this connection to his family’s past, John soon finished writing the album on the newly acquired ’64 Fender Stratocaster in their home base of Saint John, New Brunswick.

“It turned out to be the missing piece of the puzzle,” John says. “Everything else just fell into place.”

Recording It’ll Come Around involved a return to Nashville to work with producer, engineer, and multi-instrumentalist Jon Estes. The McLaggan’s spent six days recording the majority of the instrumental parts with some of the city’s finest before returning home to round out the vocals. The final result is a high-energy roots-rock album with a vintage vibe.

Tomato/Tomato have toured nationally as well as to Australia and the UK. They’ve received multiple nominations from the East Coast Music Awards, Music/Musique New Brunswick, and the Canadian Folk Music Awards, as well as awards for Group Recording of the Year, SOCAN Song of the Year, and the well-deserved Hardest Working Artist Award.

Their fifth release, It’ll Come Around arrives at the end of a year where the title’s message of optimism feels both relevant and needed, and follows 2019’s Canary in a Coal Mine, 2017’s Pinecones and Cinnamon, and both of 2016’s So It Goes and I Go Where You Go.

“Better at Leaving” is available now. It’ll Come Around is available November 20th, 2020.

Chicago Rockers bluefront Brace for Emotional “Aftershocks” in Sophomore Release’s Title Track

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Chicago Rockers bluefront Brace for Emotional “Aftershocks” in Sophomore Release’s Title Track

Chicago indie rocker Alan Zreczny and his band bluefront confront the often harrowing reverberations of emotional “Aftershocks” in this, their new single — available now.

The title track from bluefront’s 2019 sophomore album release, the song “was written after I watched a news report about an earthquake and its aftershocks,” Zreczny lays plainly. “It started a process of thinking about the correlation to emotional aftershocks, like the flash of a memory where the whole thing would sort-of hit again.

“The song is my small way to address my own aftershocks and being ‘ready’ to handle them when they come,” he continues. “I realized that the aftershocks could actually feel worse than the shock or the event itself. In essence, I had already made it past the initial blow but now, on top of reliving that, I’m upset with myself because I’m thinking about it again, and it’s affecting me in the same way.

“It felt like it was time to stop, so the first part of the song is about letting go and leaning into something unseen that may not necessarily make sense as a way to make it through. When the big change in the music happens, it’s sort of the challenge: you know the aftershocks are coming, so what are you going to do about it?”

Song three of the album’s seven narrative poems set to spirited melodies, “Aftershocks” marks its own moment on the album’s Richter scale of shimmering melodies and intricate instrumentation deftly demonstrated alongside Zreczny alongside bandmates Jason Steele, Nick Kabat, and Mark Burns.

“I love how the music became more textured as we kept playing it,” Zreczny offers. “And I absolutely love the brushes added during recording; they sort of glue all those textures together.”

The same goes for the song adhering the rest of the album together; it is, after all, the titular track. “The rest of the songs were chosen because they just seemed to fit in and pick up on the theme of emotional aftershocks and what causes them.”

A lawyer-turned-singer/songwriter, Zreczny first picked up a guitar at the age of ten, having grown up in a house always filled with music and music lessons. His love for music and writing remained under the surface while he went to college, law school and grad school, and continued as he worked as both corporate in-house counsel and later at a law firm…

The thoughts about creating music were ever present: “I always thought of being a musician and writing songs as the most fulfilling modes of self-expression. And then, a terrible break-up happened.”

Inspired, Zreczny started writing and hasn’t looked back since. Unless, of course, it’s for valuable songwriting supply, which is the case for Aftershock’s premiere single released earlier this season, “It’s Not Over Yet.” “Looking back, things are a lot more clear,” he reveals, marvelling a bit. “Let’s just say I was in one of those cliche relationships where it’s quite tumultuous and there are more breakups and ‘on-and-offs’ than you can count, or even care to admit…

“Anyway,” he continues, “that’s what’s going on here.”

Aftershocks was recorded at Electrical Audio by Scott Steinman, mixed at GardenView Sound Studio by Scott Steinman for Studiomedia Recording, and mastered by Matthew Barnhart at Chicago Mastering Services; it follows Zreczny’s debut, The Arbor Sessions.

Zreczny and bluefront have performed at Uncommon Ground, The Elbo Room, The Gallery Cabaret, The Red Line Tap, Old Town Art Fair, Subterranean, The House Cafe, and The Cubby Bear, among others, and appeared on WGN Radio and the Chicago Acoustic Underground podcast.

5 Easy Tips Enhance Your Internet Poker Play

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Poker hand ranking 1 of the most valuable and essential parts of the game of poker. Not only is poker rank essential to the game, it one more essential as to if or not you win or lose when in competition against other players. Subsequent poker hand ranks will get you in the winner’s circle with the winning little finger.

In fact, many people can’t handle the swings that are obvious in full-time fun. Whenever you join a table you need to change your character and play most effective game.

The rush of online poker demonstrated to become one of the best things to be released of the web. Good as it was, it is achievable play out of the comfort of this home for those who.

Of course, you don’t try to play poker with idea of how to play online poker. Thus, you always be know recreation play, the rules, a number of strategies while using the you do, you in order to able perform the game well.

Bluffing generally used in poker sport. A player holding a set of cards in no way expose his/her cards to others and tend to pretend  different cards then he/she actually which has. This is called bluffing. Though not only bluffing game is played in poker in fact games, like bluffing, are associated with poker.

A Straight Flush consists of five cards of exact sneakers suit and order. Within the event of a tie, the player with an advanced ranking straight flush is victorious in. This hand may well be the best in recreation considering how the royal flush is extremely hard to.

There are special tools which help you to participate in the poker; these types of simple detailed which can be easily learned with in a couple of days. Perform poker definitely be clear and intelligent to earn the correct in order to win the. The latest poker-online learning soft ware assists you to to make proper calculation and develop the correct switch. This software also assists you to to grasp the next move and play according to it; you can do also track the points of the opponents.

Ties aren’t uncommon in Poker. Time that we have where two players support the same hand, the Holdem ranking is known to break the tie. Sometimes, even kickers or side cards work extremely well in lust like. Kickers and side cards, except for mainly used, can constitute the overall Holdem ranking with the hand.

*Guest Post

Award Winning Folk Collective THE FUGITIVES Mine Archives to Reimagine WWI Trench Songs in NEW Release

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Award Winning Folk Collective THE FUGITIVES Mine Archives to Reimagine WWI Trench Songs in NEW Release

Award winning Canadian folk collective The Fugitives have thumbed through extensive archives to raise and reimagine the past in this, their new album, Trench Songs — available now.

“Trench songs were written by frontline soldiers during WWI,” Brendan McLeod explains of the concept behind the album. “Essentially protest songs, they were often parodies of well-known tunes at the time.”

“The lyrics were all written by soldiers,” co-front Adrian Glynn continues, “but in the same way a black and white photograph or staticky radio speech can create an obstacle for the modern observer, the original music arrangements could have distanced us from the emotions of these 100-year-old lyrics.

“To this, we’ve rewritten new melodies and music in order to more readily access the emotional content of the lyrics, and to continue folk music’s long tradition of reshaping songs over time, the same way soldiers reshaped these songs in the trenches. There are many creative projects that revolve around WWI, but only some centre on soldiers, and it’s rarer still to illuminate their aesthetic spirit, or their anger, caustic humour, and sadness.”

“This album is about how we respectfully remember soldiers while also looking squarely at the futility of the enterprise of war, and the callousness of political and military leaders,” McLeod says. “It’s also about how to remember ‘fully,’ or as fully as possible, and the difficulties of doing that as each passing year pulls us further and further from the past.

“Amongst the parades and poppies and flying flags, I’ve always been troubled by how easy it is for us to forget the humans who endured these horrific battles on the ground were much more than just noble mechanisms of war,” Glynn adds. “It’s my hope that, by breathing new life into these angry, bitter, scared and sardonic words, we honour these soldiers as the people they truly were with all their un-warlike emotions.

“I sing especially for my grandfathers Glynn Roberts and Paul Keryk, and my step-grandfather Harold Jack McMorran. This album is dedicated to all WW1 soldiers who wrote, played, and sang these songs. We think of them when we sing, and hope you do too.”

Other than percussion, the recording of Trench Songs was performed by the The Fugitives’ four current touring members — songwriters Glynn and McLeod, as well as banjoist Chris Suen (Viper Central) and violinist Carly Frey (The Coal Porters). Much of it was captured life off the floor in an effort to capture the energy and spirit of friends and comrades singing together through tough times.

The sentiment turned out to be more timely and prescient than The Fugitives could have foreseen. “During the pandemic, war metaphors abound,” McLeod offers. “We are ‘at war’ with the virus; Heads of States say they are ‘wartime’ Presidents. This album reminds us what vulnerable communities have been forced to endure, during a crisis, at the hands of their government.”

There’s also a movie, Ridge — available online November 11th. Originally scheduled to be a live performance, Ridge was reimagined as a feature film using Cooke Anamorphic lenses and a variety of locations throughout the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts. Through direct storytelling, verbatim theatre, and live music, The Fugitives create a vivid and kinetic ride through history to examine misconceptions and varying perspectives around the battle of Vimy Ridge while probing difficult yet necessary questions about how and why we grieve.

Trench Songs is The Fugitives fifth album release, and follows In Streetlight Communion (2007), Eccentrically We Love (2010), the Top #10-charting Everything Will Happen (2013), and The Promise of Strangers (2018) — the latter of which was nominated for Canadian Folk and Western Canadian Music Awards, and won Best Folk Album from the German Music Critic’s Association. Since their inception 12 years ago, they’ve toured extensively on the national and International stage — including the UK’s Glastonbury Festival — in a show CBC dubs “simply brilliant.”

With songs created at U of BC, Calgary-Based BENT ROADS COLLECTIVE revisit past songs in ‘Volume 5’

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With songs created at U of BC, Calgary-Based BENT ROADS COLLECTIVE revisit past songs in ‘Volume 5’

Every university campus worth its salt has long-fabled legends of yore and, for the alum of University of British Columbia, that indisputable status goes to Bent Roads Tavern.

This year, the storied Canadian collective mined their previously unreleased archives to remaster, reimagine and reissue their previous works. The result is The Legend of Bent Roads Tavern, Volumes 1 – 5 — with Volume 5 and stand-out single “Rainstorm” freshly released now.

First formed in November 2001, Bent Roads Tavern packed local venues like The Gallery, The Pit Pub, Koerner’s Pub, and more to sell-out crowds. They were fixtures on the scene and a fitting representation to an entire class’ — and their own — most formative and explorative years.

For years, band members — including Collen Middleton, Christian Stokkmo, Bradley Dean, Graham Langridge, Lis Campsall, Anthony Lee, Brian Lynch, Jim Riecken, James Cook, and guest musicians Mark Langridge and Heidi Noel Langridge — delivered flashes of protest punk mixed with modern jazz, folk and roots with an “unapologetic sound,” Middleton recalls.

“The Legend of Bent Roads Tavern roughly follows the chronology of the band’s writing, including early recordings of songs by Christian, Graham and myself recorded in a single marathon session between midnight and 6:00 am,” Middleton continues. “We had just performed three sets at The Gallery, which would end up being the last live performance all seven original members of BRT would do together.

“That recording session was the initiation of The Legend of Bent Roads Tavern,” he considers. “The recordings were very crude, though… Limited microphones and mixing capabilities meant there were so many audio issues that made them virtually unlistenable by contemporary standards.”

The cuts offer a glimpse into the band’s inventive improvisation, inimitable chemistry and communication between instrumentalists, and the raw determination of a band out to capture the very essence of that time in their lives. “Before we were pulled apart by the sands of time and untimely circumstances…” Middleton shares.

Last year, Christian Stokkmo passed away at age 38, which was the second passing of one of the original members; Bradley Dean passed away in 2016 at age 33. “Both before their time,” Middleton regrets.

Feeling called to act on their grief, the revival of BRT first sparked in the early days after they learned of Stokkmo’s tragic passing in 2019. “Word travelled quickly and, within a few days, the five of us decided to pay tribute to Christian by re-recording ‘Sweet Mirona,’ one of the songs he wrote and recorded in UBC Basement Sessions in 2003,” Middleton explains. “It was always my favourite of Christian’s songs, but the only recording we still had of it was of such poor quality that I couldn’t salvage it.”

What was first considered a sentimental re-record and slideshow for Stokkmo’s family and friends soon inspired submission to CBC’s Searchlight competition. “I felt that submitting it would give it the chance of reaching the widest Canadian audience,” Middleton says. “Although Christian wasn’t born and raised in Canada, I considered him as ‘Canadian as they come’ given how passionate he was about nature, conservation, and kindness towards strangers, family and friends alike.

“Canada was the inspiration for a number of Christian’s songs written for BRT,” he continues. “Just before starting at UBC, for example, he had completed a month-long canoe trip on the Nahanni River in the Yukon, which was the inspiration for his artwork of the midnight sun — which has become emblematic of BRT.

“So the remaining members wanted to pay tribute to Christian and Brad, and also to this band that came together in a pivotal time in our lives,” he continues. “The Legend of Bent Roads Tavern is as much highlighting the legacy of Christian and Brad as it is a reflection on the life-long pursuit of musicianship of the remaining members.”

The result was a mix of remastered reissues paired with a handful of pared-back, stripped-down solo singer/songwriter versions from Middleton, as well as some new releases such as “Fallow” and “West Coast Wedding.” They arrived in Volumes 1&2, 3&4, and now 5. “With the anniversary of both Brad and Christian’s passing approaching in early November, I wanted to conclude The Legend of Bent Roads Tavern with Volume 5,” Middleton offers. “It features Brad’s bass playing and a recording of Christian’s Monologue, and allows for the chance to really showcase their talents as musicians as well as for us to pay homage.

“This started as a tribute, but with the completion of The Legend of Bent Roads Tavern in sight, I’m realizing this has been a cathartic project for me too,” Middleton reflects. “I have always been so proud of this group and what we accomplished in a short amount of time as a bunch of misfit minstrels at school, away from home, and belonging together in Vancouver.

“We found brotherhood in each other and I realized that one way or another, I needed to put this project together and out there. These songs have been stuck in my head for so long, I needed to ‘finish’ them — we may have started in 2001, but The Legend of Bent Roads Tavern Volumes 1 – 5 are the first official and commercial releases we’ve ever put out into the world as that band.

“With the support of Bent Head fans that have come out of the woodwork and who share those memorable live music experiences with us all those years ago, we’re inspired to continue working on our original music,” Middleton forecasts. “We got together in 2001 and now we’re catching new listeners up on the history of what we think is one of the most elusive corners of the Canadian music and cultural landscape.”

Ottawa’s Grunge Alt-Rockers NeoNera Reevaluate Society’s Misguided “Saviour” Complex

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Ottawa’s Grunge Alt-Rockers NeoNera Reevaluate Society’s Misguided “Saviour” Complex

Canadian grunge alt-rockers NeoNera reevaluate society’s misguided “Saviour” complex in this, their new single and video — available now!

The Ottawa-based three-piece that is Dylan Gunnell, Evan McCluskey, and Stephanie Leger are on a dedicated mission to dismantle the world’s toxic cocktail of conceit, artificiality, perfection and celebrity worship through a heady combination of progressive percussion, driving bass, manic riffs and prescient lyrics.

“Saviour” is no exception as the band unveils a song about “men who believe women need to be saved both from society and from themselves,” Gunnell explains. “The superhero in the video is a man who wants to save, help and support women, but fails because he doesn’t understand them.

“Unfortunately, he’s most men.”

True to the band’s ethos to dig deep within both society’s ails and their own — a direction first heard on their eponymously titled 2017 debut EP, NeoNera — the song’s concept reveals something further…

For a time, “he” was Gunnell, the frontman shares.

“The song is deeply personal for me,” Gunnell expands. “It gets to the heart of who I was and who I am now as a person.

“There are parts of me, and I believe many men, whose actions are captured by the lyrics of the song and the characters within the animation — specifically the monster in the forest. These are things that are hard to admit because it means exploring who you are and asking, ‘am I good?’ ‘Am I a good man?’

“This song was written by a different person,” he marvels. “When I wrote the lyrics ten years ago, I thought I was one of the good ones. I used to believe women could be convinced to accept themselves outside the norms of society to be saved from society’s expectations of them.

“What it really amounted to, however, was trying to convince women to become who I wanted them to be. This is obviously wrong, and it’s something I’ve worked long and hard to change.

“That’s not to say there aren’t times women need support from men, but we should do this by voting to ensure their reproductive rights are upheld, and respecting a woman’s choice for how she wants to be rather than projecting our fantasies, wants and desires on them.

“So am I good now? The lyrics take on new meaning now as I understand exactly what I was. I mean, I knew what I was, but I wasn’t willing to accept it. This is how we grow; part of what I love so much about music and writing lyrics is the ability I have to get these feelings out there — to know where I was, and to remind myself of where I need to be.

Beyond the ‘superhero,’ “Saviours” video is rife with additional symbolism. “The doll in the video is bound in chains of her own making, and is the parallel to the actress in the video,” McCluskey says. “Eventually she breaks her chains, realizing she doesn’t need anyone but herself to be saved.

“The doll represents the modern woman,” he continues. “Open-minded, intelligent, and unwilling to let society, or even those closest to her, dictate who she will be.”

“The monster in the forest represents the unwanted attention women face,” Leger adds. “Perception is everything and, while a man believes he is being romantic, a woman may feel hunted.

“The cat is the corrupt politician who believes they know what’s best for people and uses religion, regardless of whether they are devout or not, for profit and power. The crosses represent an attack on women’s reproductive rights, way of life, and the fight for equality.

“Ultimately, the superhero cannot defeat the cat or the crosses because he doesn’t understand what the doll actually needs in order to be saved.”

“‘Saviour’ is representative of the band as a whole, both in sound and lyrics,” Gunnell says. “We’re living in a neon era where the bigger and brighter, the better.

“As a band, we’re about revealing uncomfortable truths, even those deep within ourselves. We are inspired to write about injustices in our systems, but also look inside ourselves. Because of the writing process, it’s cathartic — it allows us to explore ourselves and reevaluate who we are as people.”

“We know music can only go so far, but our hope is that people will reflect on what they hear. So if the lyrics and images from ‘Saviour’ make you uncomfortable as a man, that’s a good thing — it means you’ve got a chance to be better.”

Leamington’s FRANCINE HONEY Takes Stock of the World in New Double-Single, “Can’t Press Reset” & “2020 Vision”

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Leamington’s FRANCINE HONEY Takes Stock of the World in New Double-Single, “Can’t Press Reset” & “2020 Vision”

Life can change in an instant. That saying has never been more relevant than it is today. In the blink of an eye, our world has been turned upside-down and forever changed by pandemic and protest, political upheaval and climate change, racism and revolution. Thankfully, there are glimmers of light in the darkness: Neighbours who help each other. Activists who campaign for change. And artists who unite us with timely, touching works, like Francine Honey’s new double single “2020 Vision” and “Can’t Press Reset” — available now.

“’2020 Vision’ is a song about what was supposed to happen in 2020,” the Ontario-based singer-songwriter explains, while “’Can’t Press Reset’ is a song that summarizes what has actually happened in 2020 and a transformational call to action.”

Like all of us, Honey had big plans for the year — some that were decades in the making, as she relates in the soulful piano ballad “2020 Vision.” “’2020 Vision’ speaks to working towards a goal in your life and, to many of us, that is retirement,” she muses. “Looking forward to the days when you don’t have to work so hard to earn a living, when you are free to do what you want to do.”

“We are all working towards goals,” she continues. “For me, being a single mother and sole provider for my children, I wanted to make sure I wasn’t a burden for my children and would be able to retire with financial security, and 2020 was the year I had been working towards.

“I had all kinds of dreams and plans for what would happen, what I would do when I retired.”

And like all of us, those goals were instantly dashed when “the world, the whole year and all our plans went down the tubes,” as she chronicles in the gently chugging straight-up Americana folk-rocker “Can’t Press Reset.” “It is a song that speaks of the transformation that is required when more than just a simple fix is needed. Whether it is dealing with a world-wide pandemic, systemic racism, or with situations in your own life where you feel trapped and/or unable to breathe. It is a song that has lyrics with many layers if you are willing to dig down deep into the issues that lie ahead, and the question of what comes next?”

Like most of her work, both tracks are personal yet universal. And while they are unafraid to confront the darkness, they offer a light at the end of our current tunnel.

Cut as always in Nashville with GRAMMY-nominated producer Neilson Hubbard (Mary Gauthier, John Prine, Jason Isbell) and a roster of first-call players — though “Can’t Press Reset” was finished in her home studio after the pandemic hit — the two songs are the latest preview of her upcoming fifth project entitled Unfinished Business. Previous glimpses include the singles “I Carry On” (written with songwriting friend and neighbour, Robert Gray) and “Red Sky,” a gritty and dreamy flight through change released in October 2019.

For Francine Honey, her own flight through life’s changes has been years in the making.

A mother of two, the former federal civil servant is finally living the dream: She has the love of her life, and the career she long denied herself. Little did she know she’d ever be a professional songwriter. Although she’s made music since childhood — “I wrote my first song in 1976” — Honey never dreamed of making it a career. Instead, she studied math and computers, got married, had kids and worked as a project manager. Her life seemed perfect. Then a near-simultaneous breakup and job loss forced her to relocate, find a new career and raise a family alone. Music went on the back burner; she never stopped writing, but songs went unfinished — until her kids fixed that.

“When my 18-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son kept telling me to ‘get a life, Mom!’ they really were showing wisdom beyond their years. After spending time thinking about what my life would be after they left the nest, I realized I had stories to share, and there was still an opportunity for me to at least try and turn my musical hobby into my profession.”

So, she left her federal government job in 2013 to pursue music full-time under her maiden name Francine Leclair. Along the way, the down-to-earth artist has displayed extraordinary dedication to her craft. She self-produced her 2008 debut album An Ordinary Woman in her living room. It was followed in 2014 by Re-Drawn, produced by Lang Bliss in Nashville. The latter includes the song “I Soldier On” and its French partner “Je Vis Sans Limites” in support of the Soldier On fund in Canada. In 2015, she also re-recorded many of her early songs for the EP An Ordinary Woman (In Studio) with Mark Plancke of SharkTank Productions in Windsor, ON.

Honey took a few years to work on her craft, studying, exploring and chasing her sound. In 2018, she began working with GRAMMY-nominated producer Neilson Hubbard in Nashville, TN. Honey recorded her full-length album to be continued… live off the floor in six days. to be continued… has received critical acclaim Internationally, and her song “Stay” was a finalist in the 2018 International Songwriting Competition in two categories; Honey’s songwriting was recognized from more than 19,000+ entries around the world, receiving semi-finalist nominations in both the Americana and Blues categories. In addition, “Stay” was a semi-finalist in the 2018 Canadian Songwriting Competition (Folk/Singer/Songwriter). The Austin Songwriting Group in Texas awarded her first-place honours in the Country category for “Stay” and first place in the Singer-Songwriter category for “Can’t Break Through To You” in April 2020, along with five other song placements including third-place honours for “I Carry On” in the Inspirational category.

2019 saw Honey release a few singles, starting with “Flocons de neige sur mes cils,” the French counterpart of “Snowflakes On My Eyelashes.” This was followed by “Chez mon oncle Lucien,” a song written around the Hangman’s Reel that her grandmother used to play on her violin. This song is a traditional French-Canadian song with the memory of doing maple syrup at her Uncle’s farm. The full-length holiday album Take Me To The North Pole was released in December 2019.

Honey’s music has received critical acclaim and sees airplay on CBC, Radio-Canada, BBC, AM800, CTV, SiriusXM, Folk Roots Radio, and more across Canada, the US, UK, Germany, Australia and the Netherlands. Her over 20k+ fans online are very happy she left her government career to pursue music full-time. She performs regularly on-line with her series “Honey In Your Coffee” and streams almost every live venue performance.

Her belief that music gets you through life and her commitment to helping people feel less alone by sharing life through song connects people across the world to support each other. Most recently, her campaign last year to touch those suffering with grief through the holidays with her song and video “Snowflakes On My Eyelashes” and the French counterpart garnered over 1.5 million views, but most importantly continues to connect people grieving from all over the world. It’s no wonder that the stunning video for “Snowflakes On My Eyelashes” was a finalist in the UK Songwriting Contest.

As a graduate of the Berklee College of Music Professional Singer-Songwriter Certificate Program, Honey regularly makes the nine-hour drive from Ontario, Canada, to song-writing retreats in Nashville, where she has been mentored by icons like Beth Nielsen Chapman (who contributes backup vocals to Honey’s “Snowflakes On My Eyelashes”), Mike Reid (I Can’t Make You Love Me), Mary Gauthier (Mercy Now), Verlon Thompson (Boats to Build), Gretchen Peters (Independence Day) and Jonatha Brooke (Put the Gun Down). She is a member of the Americana Music Association, Songwriter’s Association of Canada (SAC), Nashville Songwriter’s Association International, and Canadian Country Music Association, and co-ordinates the SAC’s Leamington & Windsor Regional Writer’s Group, mentoring other songwriters.

Honey has showcased at the Texas Songwriters Symposium four years in a row, NSAI Tin Pan North Festival, Hugh’s Room, the WinterFolk Blues and Roots Festival in Toronto, the Kingsville Folk Music Festival and the Folk Music Ontario conference. Francine’s music and songwriting have not only taken her through Canada and the U.S but to the U.K., Switzerland and Italy.

She continues to co-write with other artists, aiming to have her music recorded by fellow performers and licensed for TV. “If I could get a song on a TV or Netflix series, that would be cool,” she laughs. “But really, I just want to keep going, writing better songs. I’m finally a songwriter and I know I’ll do this the rest of my life.”

LadBaby and Bieber Amongst Favourites to land UK Christmas Day Number 1

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After a hard and unprecedented year, 2020 is drawing to a close, and whilst it’s been the most difficult year many of us can ever remember, there is plenty to feel optimistic about for the new year ahead.

With progress being made with treatment for the pandemic, life could soon return to some form of normality and for music lovers in particular, 2021 could be a spectacular year with a whole host of artists looking set to tour and release delayed albums.

Looking at the short-term, with Christmas just round the corner there’s plenty to get excited about and although you might not be able to head to one of the UK’s famed Christmas markets this year, WhichBookie have put together a guide to a slightly different type of Christmas market: Christmas betting markets!

The guide includes all the odds and info on everyone’s favourite festive events that take place each year, and as the battle hots up for who will take the coveted crown of Christmas number one, the leading contenders have now been revealed.

LadBaby to be top of the tree?

After a stellar year, emerging artist LadBaby is favourite to be top of the charts on Christmas day according to WhichBookie Christmas Betting Markets, while Justin Bieber is also amongst the favourites, currently priced at 8/1 to be top of the tree on December 25th.

As well as current artists, Wham, with their legendary Christmas hit ‘Last Christmas’ also feature on the list of Christmas day Number 1 contenders (4/1 to land the top spot on December 25th) whilst Mariah Carey is being touted to claim the Christmas number 1 crown for 2020 (currently priced at 6/1).

Alternative Christmas Betting markets

As well as markets like who will claim the Christmas number one, and of course festive sporting betting markets, over recent years novelty Christmas bets have become extremely popular amongst those who fancy a festive flutter. According to the Christmas Betting markets guide, other things people can wager on this year include the chance of it snowing in the UK on Christmas Day, who will win Strictly? And what will be the most watched TV programme on December 25th?

Given that we’re all set to spend more time in front of the telly this holiday season, these betting markets are set to stir up some debate and if you need a steer on how to place a bet with any UK bookmaker then check out WhichBookie where you will find trusted bookmaker reviews, info and more.

 

Building an Impressive Seasonal Wardrobe

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Women’s fashions provide all the basics of a beautiful seasonal wardrobe. As new selections appear on their preferred boutique’s website women can choose options that meet their style preferences and give them everything they want in a seasonal wardrobe. Fall and winter wardrobes include warmer clothing that accommodates cooler temperatures without compromising on style. Women love the new sweater collections and choices that make holidays more festive and offer beautiful choices for all winter and fall activities. Women examine their options carefully and consider all the latest style trends. Reviewing new selections makes it easier to build a wardrobe and get all the elegance of the newest trends in fashion.

Choose the Best Outer Wear for Fall and Winter

Outwear is critical for the fall and winter seasons, and women must choose appropriate styles that will keep them warmer during chilly temperatures. Jackets, coats, scarves, and hats are essentials for a winter wardrobe and provide women with style choices to accentuate their outfits. The options come in a variety of colors and styles. They include heavy coats for temperatures below freezing, and they help women avoid health crises. Women can get clothing at Filly Flair to accommodate all their winter and fall challenges.

Review Jean Styles

Jeans are a staple for all wardrobes, and women will choose from the latest selections. The jeans are available in a variety of cuts, lengths, and sizes. Boyfriend jeans remain a popular choice for women, and boutiques offer these great choices along with bootcut and skinny. Reviewing the boutique’s jean collection helps women find beautiful choices for all occasions.

Choosing Dressier Pants

Dressy slacks and pants are vital for a women’s wardrobe, especially if she works in an office setting. Whether she likes power suits or just a stylish pair of slacks, the boutiques provide elegant selections for workwear that accommodate all dress codes. Women find the slacks in a multitude of colors and styles that are great for coordinating with separates. The pants are available in impressive fabrics that are comfortable and add the right amount of style to any wardrobe. Look book selections could give women wonderful ideas when shopping for workwear or to just add dressier slacks to their wardrobe.

Casual Tops for Any Occasion

Casual tops provide something lovely to wear with dress pants, jeans, or skirts. Women’s boutiques provide a wide assortment of tops for every occasion. Women could find tanks, halters, button-ups, and fun tops for date nights. Each of the separates offers a chance to coordinate with other fashion staples. Reviewing these options could give women inspiration and help them find completer pieces that tie additional ensembles together. Any time that they can create more outfits with their separate’s women gain more versatility and could get more out of their wardrobe.

Buying Dresses That Meet Your Style Standards

Dresses are a must for all fashionistas, and the fashion staples help women coordinate ensembles for casual and special occasions. The vast collection of dresses available through a women’s boutique accommodates a wide array of styles. The dresses feature solids, patterns, and a full rainbow of colors. Women can find beautiful dresses in many fabric selections that are great for their seasonal wardrobe, and some options could extend to the next season with the right additions. Comparing dress lengths, fabrics, and overall styles helps women choose their dresses wisely and stay on point with the latest fashion trends.

Add a Little Bling to Your Wardrobe

Reviewing the latest in accessories shows women how much bling to add to their wardrobe. Jewelry styles are available to add a little something extra to each outfit without overdoing it. Women may find choices that are elegant or just fun and carefree. Women’s boutiques provide exceptional choices for adding a pop of color or completing an outfit with the right statement piece. When setting up their next wardrobe, women should consider what jewelry to wear with each outfit and choose from the selections that coordinate the best. This helps them balance out the look without adding too many pieces. Finding the right balance with jewelry makes women look sophisticated and well-styled.

Coordinate Seasonal Footwear

Seasonal footwear is a must for everyone and provides women with beautiful selections to wear with each outfit. As they match up shoes with each outfit, women build a functional and stylish wardrobe. Style suggestions appear with each item listing on a women’s boutique website, and women could get the total look by reviewing each item in the images. The style suggestions could make it easier for women who aren’t familiar with the latest trends and are taking the first steps to build a new wardrobe. Reviewing each of the footwear selections shows women the best that the boutique has to offer.

Women’s fashions provide all the basics of a beautiful seasonal wardrobe. As new selections appear on their preferred boutique’s website women can choose options that meet their style preferences and give them everything they want in a seasonal wardrobe. Fall and winter wardrobes include warmer clothing that accommodates cooler temperatures without compromising on style. Women love the new sweater collections and choices that make holidays more festive and offer beautiful choices for all winter and fall activities. Women examine their options carefully and consider all the latest style trends. Reviewing new selections makes it easier to build a wardrobe and get all the elegance of the newest trends in fashion.

Choose the Best Outer Wear for Fall and Winter

Outwear is critical for the fall and winter seasons, and women must choose appropriate styles that will keep them warmer during chilly temperatures. Jackets, coats, scarves, and hats are essentials for a winter wardrobe and provide women with style choices to accentuate their outfits. The options come in a variety of colors and styles. They include heavy coats for temperatures below freezing, and they help women avoid health crises. Women can get clothing at Filly Flair to accommodate all their winter and fall challenges.

Review Jean Styles

Jeans are a staple for all wardrobes, and women will choose from the latest selections. The jeans are available in a variety of cuts, lengths, and sizes. Boyfriend jeans remain a popular choice for women, and boutiques offer these great choices along with bootcut and skinny. Reviewing the boutique’s jean collection helps women find beautiful choices for all occasions.

Choosing Dressier Pants

Dressy slacks and pants are vital for a women’s wardrobe, especially if she works in an office setting. Whether she likes power suits or just a stylish pair of slacks, the boutiques provide elegant selections for workwear that accommodate all dress codes. Women find the slacks in a multitude of colors and styles that are great for coordinating with separates. The pants are available in impressive fabrics that are comfortable and add the right amount of style to any wardrobe. Look book selections could give women wonderful ideas when shopping for workwear or to just add dressier slacks to their wardrobe.

Casual Tops for Any Occasion

Casual tops provide something lovely to wear with dress pants, jeans, or skirts. Women’s boutiques provide a wide assortment of tops for every occasion. Women could find tanks, halters, button-ups, and fun tops for date nights. Each of the separates offers a chance to coordinate with other fashion staples. Reviewing these options could give women inspiration and help them find completer pieces that tie additional ensembles together. Any time that they can create more outfits with their separate’s women gain more versatility and could get more out of their wardrobe.

Buying Dresses That Meet Your Style Standards

Dresses are a must for all fashionistas, and the fashion staples help women coordinate ensembles for casual and special occasions. The vast collection of dresses available through a women’s boutique accommodates a wide array of styles. The dresses feature solids, patterns, and a full rainbow of colors. Women can find beautiful dresses in many fabric selections that are great for their seasonal wardrobe, and some options could extend to the next season with the right additions. Comparing dress lengths, fabrics, and overall styles helps women choose their dresses wisely and stay on point with the latest fashion trends.

Add a Little Bling to Your Wardrobe

Reviewing the latest in accessories shows women how much bling to add to their wardrobe. Jewelry styles are available to add a little something extra to each outfit without overdoing it. Women may find choices that are elegant or just fun and carefree. Women’s boutiques provide exceptional choices for adding a pop of color or completing an outfit with the right statement piece. When setting up their next wardrobe, women should consider what jewelry to wear with each outfit and choose from the selections that coordinate the best. This helps them balance out the look without adding too many pieces. Finding the right balance with jewelry makes women look sophisticated and well-styled.

Coordinate Seasonal Footwear

Seasonal footwear is a must for everyone and provides women with beautiful selections to wear with each outfit. As they match up shoes with each outfit, women build a functional and stylish wardrobe. Style suggestions appear with each item listing on a women’s boutique website, and women could get the total look by reviewing each item in the images. The style suggestions could make it easier for women who aren’t familiar with the latest trends and are taking the first steps to build a new wardrobe. Reviewing each of the footwear selections shows women the best that the boutique has to offer.

Purses for Style and Utility

Finding the right purses helps ladies get the right bags for everyday use, date night, and even shopping. Each of the selections offers utility and style for women and gives them a great choice for completing an outfit. The images of each purse show how stylish each selection is and inside the purses. These details help women decide if the handbag will accommodate their needs. Some women need larger purses to carry all their daily necessities, and others may want smaller purses that hold just a few times. The purpose is to find an appealing purse that offers everything women want in one selection.

Women’s fashions present them with sophistication and a chance to create unique looks that meet their style preferences. Each season, women’s boutiques release season-appropriate options that are stylish and meet the latest style trends. These selections include a full collection of separates that coordinate to make many looks, and they give women an opportunity to be fashion-forward. When building a wardrobe, women add dresses, pants, and tops that coordinate well together and give them beautiful looks. Footwear is essential for a seasonal wardrobe and offers style and comfort. Reviewing all the new arrivals for fall and winter helps women build their best seasonal wardrobe.

Finding the right purses helps ladies get the right bags for everyday use, date night, and even shopping. Each of the selections offers utility and style for women and gives them a great choice for completing an outfit. The images of each purse show how stylish each selection is and inside the purses. These details help women decide if the handbag will accommodate their needs. Some women need larger purses to carry all their daily necessities, and others may want smaller purses that hold just a few times. The purpose is to find an appealing purse that offers everything women want in one selection.

Women’s fashions present them with sophistication and a chance to create unique looks that meet their style preferences. Each season, women’s boutiques release season-appropriate options that are stylish and meet the latest style trends. These selections include a full collection of separates that coordinate to make many looks, and they give women an opportunity to be fashion-forward. When building a wardrobe, women add dresses, pants, and tops that coordinate well together and give them beautiful looks. Footwear is essential for a seasonal wardrobe and offers style and comfort. Reviewing all the new arrivals for fall and winter helps women build their best seasonal wardrobe.

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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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