aron Brink and Steve Reidell of The Hood Internet used samples of 60 songs from 1990 and mixed them together into one 3½-minute song including (takes a deeeep breath) 2 In A Room, A Tribe Called Quest, AC/DC, Alice In Chains, Bad Religion, Bell Biv DeVoe, Billy Idol, Black Box, The Black Crowes, Boogie Down Productions, The Breeders, C & C Music Factory, Candyman, The Charlatans, D.N.A. featuring Suzanne Vega, Deee-Lite, Depeche Mode, Digital Underground, Divinyls, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, EMF, En Vogue, Enigma, Eric B. & Rakim, The Farm, George Michael, Guns N’ Roses, Happy Mondays, Hi-Five, INXS, Jane’s Addiction, Keith Sweat, LL Cool J, Londonbeat, Madonna, Main Source, Mariah Carey, MC Hammer, New Kids on the Block, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Pixies, Poison, Primal Scream, Prince, Public Enemy, Queensrÿche, Roxette, Salt-n-Pepa, Scorpions, Seal, Sinéad O’Connor, Sonic Youth, Tara Kemp, Timmy T, Tony! Toni! Tone!, Whitney Houston, Wilson Phillips.
Toronto Electropop R&B Artist JORDANA OF EARTH No Longer Going Through the “Motions”
Toronto Electropop R&B artist Jordana of Earth has channeled her intuitively sensual and deeply introspective style into this, her newest single “Motions” — available now.
“I wrote ‘Motions’ when I felt like I was falling for someone,” Jordana of Earth reveals of the track’s inspiration and seeming muse. “I wasn’t sure, though, if I was feeling true feelings of love, or just getting caught up in the excitement of a new person and convincing myself that it was something real.”
‘hold on, wait, in a way I feel like I’m just moving through all of the motions, and that this ain’t true’
“That line is meant to really illustrate a moment where I catch myself before I get too carried away,” she continues. “The song is, in this way, very self-aware, and I paint this picture that my self-awareness and doubt is some sort of gate, wall, or barrier.
“There’s talk about past loves, having been played and fooled by past lovers, and feelings of reluctance to get close to someone just to have that happen again. It’s about that tension that exists between a want for connection and that protective wall that keeps me from intimacy.”
The video’s concept was created from this line of creative processing, and the footage was something Jordana of Earth had a friend shoot on her old 90s camcorder. “This was all during a photoshoot, and I spotted this sort of broken-down tennis court; it drew me in by how vacant and abandoned it looked.
“Before I knew it, I just sort of started dancing and it turned into this whole vibe. In the original audio of the video, you can even hear her laugh and say, ‘are we accidentally shooting a music video?’
“Lol. Yes. Yes, we are.
“But it worked. When I started to see the two pieces — the video and the song — as two halves of the same project, I began to see the fence as a symbol for that barrier of doubt between myself and true intimacy. The location, in being nondescript, displays itself only as being on the edge of something.
“On an emotional level, that’s exactly what ‘Motions’ is about.”
It’s within elements and interpretations of exactly this kind that Jordana of Earth occupies. “My vibe is altogether spacey and, at times, quite dark,” she offers of her intricate aesthetic that weaves elements of fantasy, science fiction, and art history into one multi-sensory experience. “There’s a hushed intensity.”
And it’s not just music; the adroit artist envelops a broad body of photography, video, sculpture, painting and mixed-media fine art work into her repertoire. “I started working with sound as a medium to enhance my other work but, over time, the music evolved into its own practice.”
“Motions” follows five previous singles this year, including her breakthrough debut “Leave The Light On.” Produced by Jeff Crake (DVSN), the track hit over 20,000+ streams on Spotify, and was featured on CBC Radio One alongside her June 2020 release, “Do U.”
Ottawa’s Indigenous Rocker PaulStar Is Living His Best Life After A Mission To “Find Myself” On New Single
Award-nominated alt-pop / contemporary rocker and producer PaulStar is living his ‘Best Life’ after a mission to “Find Myself” with the release of his introspective and astute new single and same-titled album — both available now.
“This song is about spiralling through dark times, and how you need to find that balance in life,” he shares. “I’m happy to say that music has helped my broken heart heal and that, no matter what obstacle you may face, you just need to keep going.
“‘Sacrifice’ is very relatable,” PaulStar continues. “The message is to keep going, no matter what is trying to hold you back, whereas ‘Shine Brighter’ is a song about haters and ignoring what they say or think about what you’re doing.
“For me, it’s music; there’s always that one person who will say something negative to try and bring you down to their level just to feel better about themselves. To go back to ‘Find Myself,’ there’s an element to this in that song’s meaning as well: jealous people are haters that want to see you fail, but that’s what has to motivate you to keep going with whatever it is you’re working on.
“The song ‘Best Life’ reflects how I live now. There are times when I’ve wanted to give up on what I love — music — but you have to be grateful for all the freedom you have, and all the time you get to spend on creating.”
With those themes at the forefront, titling the six-track EP as Find Myself lands complete. The album’s final two offerings round PaulStar’s layered lyricism together with notes of relationships and love lost in a multitude of ways.
“This is the very first song I worked on in the Fall last year, and it’s about losing a loved one,” PaulStar says of the album’s preview track, “One Last Time.” “It took me a few years to grieve for my grandfather. I had no words to express that grief in a song until that Fall. From there, I included the others I’ve lost as well.
“‘Enough’ is about a relationship, from how you felt when you first saw her and everything working out in the beginning, to how you can’t get over the breakup. It’s about still having feelings, but you can’t do anything about it — the relationship is too damaged and, at some point, you realize you don’t have the same feelings you once had.”
Find Myself marks a step into a new realm for PaulStar — Paul Napash. Nominated for an International Indigenous Hip-Hop Award for Best Producer & Beatmaker, the engineer, producer, and composer helms the record label, PaulStar Entertainment, and has released a series of critically acclaimed singles; that said, Find Myself officially puts Napash on the other side of the desk or stage being the debut EP for his own music.
A member of the Eeyou istchee community, and born and raised in Chisasibi, Quebec, the multi-disciplined Cree artist says he “bathed in music from infancy” thanks to his uncle’s weekly band rehearsals. “I quickly got into how music can act as a unifier within a community. I picked up a guitar at age nine, and realized there’d be no returning on this musical journey.
“I’m trying to go for something that represents the world as I live it, while sharing the best things in the world for me as I sense them,” he adds. “I’m proud of the way I’ve come, but there’s still a lot to accomplish.”
Winnipeg’s Alt-Rockers GLASSREEL Draw a Line in the Sand for New Single, “Ride Along”
Winnipeg’s alt rock-pop outfit Glassreel draw a line in the sand of inter-attached habits and newfound independence with the release of their new single, Ride Along.
“At its core, ‘Ride Along’ is a song about codependency,” Kelly Beaton details. “It’s a song about falling back on a shared past in order to justify present relationships.”
“I view the lyrics as a message to a weak-willed past self,” songwriter Graumann shares. “It’s a reminder to go for it rather than letting the people around you control your life. This message is tempered with a reminder in the bridge to not be too hard on oneself — ‘ride along / it’s okay.’”
Musically, the track sprints through its defiant verses, continually upping the stakes until the chorus vocals surround and abound with an emphasis on the phrase, “all along.” “It illustrates how constantly we’re called upon to make decisions in our lives,” Graumann adds.
A partnership between longtime musical collaborators Beaton and Graumann — with Andrew Workman and Ken Phillips — Glassreel and their 2019 debut EP Unalike has been heralded throughout North America, with features on 100+ radio stations (including CBC and NPR) and a foothold on the !earshot National Top 50 for multiple weeks. Additionally, their music is featured in several episodes of celebrity chef David Rocco’s forthcoming series, Dolce Italia.
Separately and together, Beaton and Graumann have shared the stage with Wintersleep, Said the Whale, Partner, iskwē, Sloan, Land of Talk, The New Pornographers, Tokyo Police Club, Julie Doiron, and more, and have played SXSW and Germany’s Reeperbahn Festival, to name a few. Their respective projects have enjoyed critical acclaim from Chart Attack, CBC, CMJ, exclaim!, and ELLE, and have charted throughout North America.
The newest single from Unalike, which was recorded/mixed by Ryan McVeigh (Boats) and mastered by Philip Shaw Bova (Father John Misty, Feist, Andy Shauf), “Ride Along” amplifies Glassreel’s signature simplicity and sonic clarity, enveloping listeners in the sobering realization that youthful expectations don’t align with adulthood reality.
The video features the EP’s cover art, the handiwork of Winnipeg-based artist Emma Mayer.
Kingston’s Singer/Songwriter ASTRID TANTON Offers “Comfort” with New Single
Kingston, ON’s indie pop singer/songwriter Astrid Tanton shares the view from her perspective with “Comfort,” the premiere single ahead of her forthcoming debut album, From My Eyes — available now.
“‘Comfort’ focuses on a lot of uncertainty and, unlike the name, uncomfortable times in your life,” Tanton muses. “It’s tough to leave something behind that was hurting you because there was some sense of certainty around it, and it’s a common thing for people to sacrifice their feelings for what’s comfortable.
“To me, that’s not okay and never will be.
“Once you can move into the unknown and away from the ‘comfortable’ with your head held high, you always become stronger.”
It’s insights like these that weave the 18-year-old artist’s forthright lyricism with her decidedly unique sound. Drawn to the craft from the age of three, and an honours grad of Rosedale Heights School of the Arts, the Verona-area multi-instrumentalist with a penchant for piano, drums, and guitar has long-embraced music as a powerful gateway to express her feelings and worldview in a relatable, connective way.
“I really wanted to let people into what has shaped me into the singer/songwriter and young woman I am today,” Tanton considers, detailing the ethos behind the upcoming EP. “Each song recalls and explores a pivotal event in my self-growth.”
Music icons who made glasses cool
History is bursting with music icons. Icons who are just as famous for their style as they are for their music. And one of the things that many famous and highly successful musicians have in common, is their love of eyewear.
There was a time when wearing glasses was anything but cool, in fact, if you wore glasses in your youth, you were probably subjected to cruel playground taunts and passive-aggressive comments about how you look better without them. Thankfully, thanks to musicians, celebrities and the advancement of eyewear technology, these days prescription glasses have never been cooler. In fact, they’re the ultimate fashion accessory! These eye glasses from EyeBuyDirect are a testament to that. Stunning styles, beautiful shapes and frames, striking colors, muted tones… all available in different materials with the latest lens technology – it’s no wonder more people than ever are wearing frames.
So, let’s give the trendsetters their dues, here we’ll explore music icons who made glasses cool (first).
John Lennon
Think of any musician who wears glasses, and chances are John Lennon is the first person you think of. His iconic round frames are just as recognized as his songs “imagine” and “jealous guy”, and even after his tragic, premature death his music and style still have momentum today. Those round glasses perfectly complemented his narrow face and his striking features, making the singer, songwriter and peace activist instantly recognizable from his time in the Beatles to his solo career and beyond.
Buddy Holly
There’s something incredibly timeless about Buddy Holly’s style and signature glasses. This pioneer of rock and roll was tragically killed in a plane accident at just 22, leaving behind a promising career and several hits including “That’ll be the day” and “Peggy Sue”. Those thick, square frames were commonplace back in the 50s, however, thanks to the success of TV shows such as Mad Men, they’ve seen a resurgence in recent years which means his musical legacy and his distinguishable style continue to live on.
Bono of U2
With over 170 million records sold and over 40 years in the music industry, Bono of the Irish rock band U2 is probably just as renowned for his sunglasses as he is for his musical influence. It’s easy to imagine that Bono’s signature sunglasses are simply a fashion statement, however, this trademark look has, in fact, come about due to medical reasons. The U2 lead singer has since revealed that due to issues with glaucoma, he wears tinted shades to alleviate the symptoms. However, that hasn’t stopped the band yet, if anything it’s made him more iconic.
Elton John
One of the music industry’s most energetic performers, Elton John has spent over 50 years in the spotlight and in that time he’s built a career as a singer, songwriter, pianist and composer all with his iconic and instantly recognizable eyewear in tow. With over 250 million records sold, it’s clear that Elton is one of the most successful musicians of all time. Elton’s eyewear has ranged from the extravagance and flamboyance of his earlier years to his signature purple-tinged specs in this latter part of his interesting career.
ERICA EHM and BRIAN BANKS Team Up For Children’s Multi-Platform Series OUTTA THE BOOKS
Each award-winning in their own right, American composer and producer Brian Banks and Canadian author, playwright and ex-MuchMusic VJ Erica Ehm have harnessed the power of music and story with the release of a new children’s series, Outta The Books — including Chapter 1: “A Wicked Competition,” available now.
Reimagining classic fairy tales in a modern, meaningful way, Outta The Books creates a fun and fresh musical take on long-loved fables by showcasing storylines from some unexpected characters — the “extras,” if you will.
The eight-episode Season One run features all-original “StorySongs,” with a new episode available every two weeks via YouTube and digital music streaming platforms.
“The characters from Outta The Books are all familiar character types from the classic tales, they’re just not the famous ones,” Banks explains. “They’re your everyday, run of the mill Fairy, Big Bad Wolf, Witch, Prince…
“Fairy tales can be mirrors to help us all understand our present lives,” Banks considers. “They’re also there to educate all children as to how the world works, so using regular characters to retell classic tales helps show that anybody can do great things.
“And because Outta The Books is a band, we’re also teaching teamwork.
“This project is rooted in musical theatre and designed to entertain, but I have always believed in the power of art to educate and connect,” he adds. “I hope people will see that these wonderful stories are incredibly relevant in the current complex and divided world we find ourselves living in.”
First created by Banks (Michael Jackson, Steven Spielberg, Quincy Jones, David Bowie), Outta The Books is directed by Neil Fisher and written by multi-award winning Canadian author, journalist, playwright, publisher, and songwriter Erica Ehm.
The project taps a noteworthy roster of sought-after actors — including Karl Queensborough and Carl Spencer, esteemed cast members of London, England’s production of “Hamilton.” Additional contributions abound, from character designer Emily Carew-Woodard, editor Johnnie Semerad, costume and prop designer Charlotte Banks, and more.
That said, an inventive multi-platform digi-series was not always the plan for Outta The Books; initially slated to be a theatre production for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the show was adapted to accommodate restrictions put forth due to COVID-19.
As such, scenes across all eight “chapters” were filmed entirely on iPhones, the footage elevated with upgraded microphones and the post-production magic of green screens. Actors completed their own make-up, lighting, and camera work, and Banks, Fisher and Ehm attended each shoot remotely via Zoom from their respective bases in Los Angeles, Liverpool, and Toronto.
“This has been an extraordinary journey, and a very different one from the one I had anticipated,” Banks shares.
Outta The Books’ Chapter 1: “A Wicked Competition” is available now, with new episodes airing every two weeks.
Ranking Lady Gaga’s Most Entertaining Music Videos
The pop star who is best known for her out-of-this-world red carpet outfits has also given us some of the catchiest songs of this generation. Lady Gaga never ceases to drop dazzling hit singles, each one surprising and delighting her fans in some new unique way. However, it would be outrageous to talk about Gaga without mentioning the many music videos that compliment her work. There’s no other artist that quite knows how to put on such a great show, so it makes sense that she has over thirty videos with extensive work and detail put into each one. Let’s take a look at some of the most memorable.
Lady Gaga has won nine Grammy awards including for best album, performance, and song writing.
‘Poker Face’
‘Poker Face’ will go down in Gaga history as one of the singer’s most popular and recognizable songs, and the music video which accompanied its release is undoubtedly owed a huge part of the credit. Adding it to the ranks as one of many great hits that mentions the strategic game in a meaningful way, the song was the world’s best-selling single of 2009.
The lyrics can be summed up as Gaga boasting to the world about others being unable to read her poker face, making it clear that she has mastered the expression’s hidden truth. The catchy, repetitive chorus that we all know and love: “Can’t read my, can’t read my/ No, he can’t read my poker face” will forever be etched into our brains. The hit’s music video was the third of the singer’s career, filmed at a gorgeous mansion in Malibu. Featuring incredible examples of choreography, wardrobe styling, and overall glamour, the video positioned the singer as the superstar of the moment. Even 11 years later, it’s impossible not to dance while watching it.
‘Paparazzi’
The music video for Gaga’s last single on her album “The Fame” was a seven-minute long mini film, and also one of the first videos that used YouTube to create marketing buzz. Without MTV’s censorship, the singer’s creative liberties were unconstrained, and she took full advantage of that. In various interviews since its release, Lady Gaga has said that there are many interpretations of the video but mostly she created it to focus on the lengths people are willing to go to for fame. Oh, and you can’t forget True Blood actor Alexander Skarsgard’s notable appearance.
‘Telephone’
A Gaga favorite much like ‘Poker Face’, ‘Telephone’ follows up the story that was left behind in ‘Paparazzi’ when the singer murders her boyfriend, (played by Alexander Skarsgard). This video is special for many reasons, but watching Beyonce AKA “Honey Bee” break Gaga out of prison is one of the best storylines that any 10-minute video could have. Following a similar theme of violence and with inspiration taken from the famous director Quentin Tarantino, the video combines crazy costumes and dancing to create a signature Gaga production.
‘Born This Way’
Following a similar long-form video format, Gaga delivers yet another jaw-dropping performance with her 2011 release, ‘Born this Way’. It may just be the singer’s most intricate video to date because of its unique storyline in which a new race of humanity is born into the world. Gaga herself gives birth in this video, following her extremely crazy and “out-there” themes. The hair/makeup and costumes make it iconic in typical Gaga fashion.
‘Bad Romance’
There’s no other Lady Gaga video that incorporates all elements of the singer’s talent into one production. Released in 2009 under Gaga’s second studio album “The Fame Monster,” ‘Bad Romance’ combined beautiful acting, incredible choreography, and an impactful plot to create an unforgettable five-minute work of art. Not to mention that skeleton scene wrapping everything up. Simply masterful.
Gaga is already making waves with her latest studio album, “Chromatica” released earlier this year.” Videos for the album, that feature famous names in the music industry like Elton John and Ariana Grande, was curiously shot entirely on a iPhone 11 Pro.
The superstar, no stranger to the stage, has embarked on a total of five concert world tours throughout her career
His House Movie Review
His House is not just a horror movie about a haunted house… it is more than that!
Debutant director Remi Weekes’ His House premiered at Sundance at the beginning of the year, while the movie was officially released on Netflix during the Halloween weekend. The audience waited for the cheap thrills of horror movies and the classic jump scares cliché. But seriously, we did not expect the tension and serious drama happening on screen! This is why we say it is more than the classic haunted house stories that we know of.
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Coming back to His House, the movie addresses much more dire themes that the soul of the deceased returning to the living. Female infanticide tying up with the traditional haunted house and stringing into a cautionary tale of refugee crisis. That’s right, the combination sounds rather creepy… with the cast adding up the cherry on the pie with their on-point acting.
His House tells the story of Rial and Bol, a couple from South Sudan. During the very first scene, the dramatic experience starts, with the couple trying to flee their hostile homeland with their daughter. On their perilous journey across the sea, tragedy strikes again with the death of their daughter. Cut to three months later, when they are assigned a dilapidated old house. Many horror fans out there would get the hint… “An old house with a couple moving in? Sounds like 90s horror!” Not at all… there’s something more. Their social worker advises them to assimilate and not antagonize, ending their conversation with “Be one of the good ones”.
We see two perceptions of a classic haunting in the movie, by our couple. While Bol instinctively goes into denial mode, like most men in horror movies would do, Rial seems not to be bothered at all. As if she were expecting the demons of their past would surely follow them.
Why do the jumpscare cliches work in His House but fall flat in other movies? Maybe other movies would send vibes that the character will just ignore and think that they were hallucinating. But in this one, the characters believe them! And the fact that the movie has already planted the vile seed that there’s a dead daughter already plays with your subconscious.
The director has also made sure not to make everything that scares the audience based around the ghosts. A brilliant effort to show the scare of helplessness when Rial is trapped in a what looks like a labyrinth of alleys in the neighbourhood. The scene evokes the claustrophobic feeling of some while playing with the “what if you are alone in the world” feeling of others.
Jumpscares offer the instant gratification in horror movies for sure. But a good horror movie requires extreme levels of storytelling, so as not to confuse your audience with what is real and not. Remi Weekes uses the different themes to highlight human stories. For His House, the characters are not the victims, they are the survivors. Well worth for any horror fan that seeks some good horror flick!
- Guest Post
These Are the Differences Between Medicare and Medicaid
Health care is a big topic in the United States and one that can be quite polarizing. There’s a lot of debate over government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
If you’re not familiar with these programs, it’s easy to get confused. After all, they have almost the same name! However, at heart, these programs are dramatically different. If you don’t already know, it’s important to get informed about the differences between Medicare and Medicaid.
What does each program cover and who benefits? Read on and we’ll walk you through what you need to know.
Basics of Medicare
Medicare is a program funded by the federal government that provides adults sixty-five years or older with healthcare coverage. Most people over the age of sixty-five are eligible, though an individual or their spouse must have worked at a job and paid Medicare taxes for at least ten years prior to enrolling.
Medicare only covers individuals, not entire families or households. An individual can apply in a three-month window around their birthday in either direction.
There are different types of Medicare coverage that one can obtain. Some cover only inpatient care, while others cover more elaborate things such as outpatient care and prescription medicines.
There are different eligibility requirements for different parts of the Medicare program. You can read more at medicarewire.com.
Basics of Medicaid
Medicaid, on the other hand, is funded by both the federal and state governments. Medicaid programs provide healthcare coverage for families and individuals with very low incomes. Age is not a factor, unlike the Medicare program. It’s all about income.
Medicaid recipients must qualify through a thorough process that occurs every 12 months. Any increases in income are reported while on a Medicaid plan. It is possible for a low-income individual or family to make more money than they are expected to and get bumped off of their current health plan.
The benefits of a low-income family or an individual can obtain from Medicaid programs varies from state to state. Some plans cover nearly all areas of health while others are more limited in what they can provide.
Most plans also do provide behavioral health benefits as well as physical.
Dual Coverage
It is possible for an individual to be covered under both Medicare and Medicaid. It happens more often than you might think. This is known as having dual coverage.
If a person is both over the age of sixty-five and making a low enough income level in their state, they will be eligible for both forms of health coverage.
With dual coverage, Medicare always takes precedence over Medicaid or any other type of commercial health coverage.
The Differences Between Medicare and Medicaid
Navigating the United States health system can be complicated. Understanding the differences between Medicare and Medicaid is a good way to start getting your bearings in terms of how things work.