Home Blog Page 828

Joe H Henry Embraces the Wild With New EP ‘Real Things’ and Upcoming East Coast Tour

Eric Alper
-
0
Joe H Henry Embraces the Wild With New EP ‘Real Things’ and Upcoming East Coast Tour

With a voice “as powerful as a freight train” and a soul that carries the weight of his lived experiences, Indigenous singer-songwriter Joe H Henry unveils his latest EP, Real Things—a raw and deeply personal exploration of life’s honest moments. Fresh off nominations for ECMA Blues Recording of the Year, Americana Recording of the Year (NSMAs), and Indigenous Artist of the Year, Henry is set to bring his signature blend of gritty folk, blues, and Americana to audiences across Eastern Canada on his Spring 2025 tour.

Rooted in reflection and resilience, Real Things is a product of solitude and revelation. “I wrote this song last winter, looking out over the Bay of Fundy,” Henry recalls. “I was in a cabin our neighbors graciously offered me—away from the chaos of a house with five kids. It was my first time using this gorgeous guitar SGI sent me as part of an artist endorsement. In that moment, I realized—how did this once homeless, train-hopping, castaway of society find himself here, embraced by love and music?” (Real Things Concept)

From Keep the Fire Burning to Real Things, Henry has continued to channel his journey from a turbulent past into songs that pulse with authenticity. His voice—somewhere between Ray LaMontagne’s smokiness and Steve Earle’s grit—delivers every lyric with the conviction of someone who has been there. Tracks like “Only a Whisper,” co-written with Chris Kirby and Clara Blanchard, and “Bad Dude,” featuring Dave Gunning, pulse with the kind of folk storytelling that John Prine and Guy Clark made legendary.

With drummers Geoff Arsenault and Patrick Murphy, bassists Ron Hynes and Dave Gunning, and engineering by Lil Thomas (Sonic Temple) and John McLaggan (Parachute Mastering), Real Things captures the essence of Henry’s philosophy: to find solace in life’s simplest and truest moments. “Maybe the wilds of our minds feed the tide and keep rivers flowing.” (“Real Things”)

Henry’s Spring 2025 tour will see him perform alongside acclaimed artists like Brian Borcherdt (Holy F*, Dusted) and deliver his own intimate solo and trio sets. With stops including The Carleton (Halifax, NS – SOLD OUT), Trailside Music Hall (Charlottetown, PEI), and the East Coast Music Awards in St. John’s, NFLD, Henry is ready to take the road once again, bringing his stories and songs to audiences ready to listen.

2025 Tour Dates:
April 12 – Lunenburg Folk Harbour Concert Series @ Lunenburg Opera House – Lunenburg, NS
April 19 – East Coast Amateur Boxing Club – Halifax, NS
April 26 – House Concert – Miramichi, NB
May 2 – Sea-Esta House Concerts – Canning, NS
May 7-12 – East Coast Music Awards (Showcasing Artist) – St. John’s, NFLD
May 16 – Paddlefest Music & Nature Festival – Saint Andrews, NB
June 13 – Osprey Arts Centre (Trio) – Shelburne, NS
June 14 – King’s Theatre (Trio) – Annapolis Royal, NS
June 22 – North Mountain United Tapestry – Berwick, NS

 

Bohemian Flute-Sody! Marie-Véronique Bourque Reimagines Queen’s Classic With a Jazzy Twist

Eric Alper
-
0
Bohemian Flute-Sody! Marie-Véronique Bourque Reimagines Queen’s Classic With a Jazzy Twist

Just picture it: Wayne and Garth pile into their trusty AMC Pacer, headed for points unknown to get into some of their trademark hesher mischief. Wayne flicks on the radio, cranks up the volume, and out come the familiar strains of … a flute?

It’s an entirely likely scenario, now that Regina jazz flutist and singer-songwriter Marie-Véronique Bourque has recorded her own version of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Just like the original, her rendition has the power to get any weekend warrior’s head banging—as long as there’s an open mind in there beneath all the hair.

Bourque’s “Fantasy for Solo Flute on Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody” is exactly what the title promises: a one-woman tour de force in which this accomplished instrumentalist performs every element of the rock radio classic, from Freddie Mercury’s operatic vocal lines to Brian May’s iconic guitar solo. All six minutes of it, in one take.

“As someone raised in a francophone family, I wasn’t allowed to listen to Anglophone music during my childhood,” says Bourque, who was born in Québec and earned First Prizes in flute and chamber music at the Conservatoire de musique de Québec. “My first encounter with ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was through my daughter, who sang it with her school choir. I was deeply moved by its emotional depth, its stunning melodies, and its blend of theatricality and sadness.”

So when she was accepted into Pro7ect, a retreat for songwriters and producers held at the legendary Rockfield Studios in Wales, she knew a 50th-anniversary tribute to Queen’s finest moment was what she wanted to lay down. After all, Rockfield is the same studio where Mercury composed and recorded the song back in 1975. She was even booked into his old room, purely by coincidence. Walking in his shoes, however, proved a bit more challenging.

“I had to master incredibly crazy technical passages, fast intervals, dramatic dynamics, and unique techniques like singing into the flute to mimic the electric guitar,” she explains. “The hardest part was delivering the soft, emotional final melody while utterly out of breath and exhausted from the intensity of the preceding passages.”

But she did it, two times straight through, without a single snafu. The second take is the one you hear on the record, with the added enhancement of overdubbed bass flute lines and harmonies, recorded with producer Mario Lepage back home in Saskatchewan.

Rising to a challenge is nothing new for this boundary-breaking artist, nor is reaching across genre lines to enrich the listening experience. Her classical training stands her in good stead as a member of the Regina Symphony Orchestra and the Quarter Tones Flute Ensemble, but it’s her parallel passion for jazz that has enabled her to really make her name. She’s honed her skills at the Carleton University Jazz Camp, Dordogne International Jazz Summer School (France), Ambrose University Jazz Camp, and the Ali Ryerson Jazz Flute Seminars in California; the result is a rich repertoire of original songs and uniquely reinterpreted jazz standards that make up a musical genre she describes as “Metis Jazz.” Both of her albums, Entre Québec & Saskatchewan (2021) and her debut Une porte s’ouvre (2018), were ranked among the top five Best Albums of the Year in Saskatchewan, and her 2021 single, “The Shovel Shuffle,” garnered 13,000 views on her YouTube channel.

A 2023 Trille Or nominee and winner of the National Flute Association (NFA) Jazz Flute Big Band Competition, Bourque was also nominated in the Saskatchewan Music Awards in 2018 and 2021. In addition to her own recordings, she contributed to Will Cox’s A Darkling Shore album (2019) alongside renowned artists like Orlando Harrison (Alabama 3) and Lily Dior. On the live front, she’s opened for jazz legends such as Carol Welsman (2018) and Derrick Gardner (2022), as part of a touring regimen that’s taken her across Switzerland, France, Québec and Western Canada. She’s even done a stint in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police band (she was a police officer for over 25 years).

On May 9 of this year, Bourque will release a full jazz album, in collaboration with JUNO-nominated, Montreal-based guitarist Christine Tassan. But for right now, it’s all about “Bohemian Rhapsody”—and tipping her hat to a certain pop trailblazer who didn’t let categories define him either.

“I sincerely hope that Freddie Mercury is smiling from above at what I’ve done with his iconic song,” she says. “Happy 50th anniversary, Queen!”

Bert Kreischer Talks Kool-Aid, Snoop Dogg, Santa Schemes, and a 5-Day Cruise with His Biggest Fans

Eric Alper
-
0
Bert Kreischer Talks Kool-Aid, Snoop Dogg, Santa Schemes, and a 5-Day Cruise with His Biggest Fans

Bert Kreischer once found out his daughter was smoking pot while he was hanging out with Snoop Dogg. Naturally, Snoop gave him parenting advice. Add in gallons of Kool-Aid, Santa-level lies, and a 5-day cruise? You’ve got classic Bert.

Watch Aretha Franklin and Tom Jones Trade Soul and Swagger on This Is Tom Jones

Eric Alper
-
0
Watch Aretha Franklin and Tom Jones Trade Soul and Swagger on This Is Tom Jones

Aretha Franklin joins Tom Jones for a powerhouse duet on This Is Tom Jones — from “See Saw” to “Spirit in the Dark,” it’s pure soul magic.

“This Guitar Has Seconds To Live” Captures The Chaos and Glory of The Who in Stunning Oral History

Eric Alper
-
0
“This Guitar Has Seconds To Live” Captures The Chaos and Glory of The Who in Stunning Oral History

‘This Guitar Has Seconds To Live’ by Richard Houghton is an oral history of The Who.

They smashed Rickenbackers, drum kits, hotel rooms and occasionally each other. Never before had a band created such wanton destruction on stage. Never before had a band smashed their instruments into pieces, or used feedback as a weapon to manipulate their audiences. But there had never been a band like The Who before, and no other band has ever brought the same level of danger, excitement, chaos and sheer volume to live performance.

Singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend and bassist John Entwistle started out as The Detours in 1962. Joined in 1964 by Keith Moon, whose explosive drumming style fired the band along until his untimely death in 1978, this is the story of over 380 Who concerts told through almost 700 eyewitness accounts. It charts The Who’s rise from their West London roots to become one of Britain’s top chart acts (with 14 Top Ten hits) and a gig schedule that saw them play virtually everywhere in the UK before conquering North America and the world via mammoth concert tours and attention-grabbing appearances at the Monterey, Woodstock and Isle of Wight festivals.

The Who’s albums Tommy, Who’s Next and Quadrophenia all rank in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The Who’s legacy is undiminished by time. And the sound of feedback runs through this book as fans and admirers of the band recount seeing them in action through a series of fascinating and heartwarming anecdotes and photographs.

John Robb Chronicles 40 Years of Alt-Rock Evolution in “Do You Believe in the Power of Rock & Roll?”

Eric Alper
-
0
John Robb Chronicles 40 Years of Alt-Rock Evolution in “Do You Believe in the Power of Rock & Roll?”

Do You Believe in the Power of Rock & Roll? is a history of alternative rock from John Robb, with the music still ringing in his ears. This collection follows John’s journey from the late 1970s, when he was first caught up in punk’s high-octane thrill, to the present day, via the early days of the rave scene, the birth of electronic and techno, and myriad bands that spun off on their own idiosyncratic paths.

John was the first person to write about Nirvana, he coined the term Britpop, and he documented the Stone Roses’ rise out of Manchester before anyone else was interested. He was at every pivotal gig, and has interviewed every key player in the business, including Jordan, the queen of punk, founding father of new American rock Steve Albini, goth-rock guitarist Daniel Ash, infamous Oasis co-founder Noel Gallagher, and music greats like Lemmy and Poly Styrene.

Few others have witnessed first-hand so many important moments of the last forty years of rock history. Here, they come together to form the essential history of a personal quest to document the ever-changing soundtrack of the modern world.

John Robb is an award-winning journalist, author, TV presenter and boss of the music website Louder Than War. In a forty-year career, John has written for every major music magazine and national newspaper, interviewing thousands of bands from all around the world. He formed the seminal punk/alt-rock band the Membranes in 1977, and still tours with them and as lead singer of his band Goldblade. He has written highly acclaimed biographies of the Stone Roses and the Charlatans, as well the extraordinary Punk Rock: An Oral History.

KISS Turns 50: Martin Popoff Celebrates Rock’s Most Outrageous Band in New Milestone Book

Eric Alper
-
0
KISS Turns 50: Martin Popoff Celebrates Rock’s Most Outrageous Band in New Milestone Book

Fifty years of fire, facepaint, and fist-pumping anthems — KISS were a cultural juggernaut. And now, rock journalist Martin Popoff brings the band’s larger-than-life story to, well, larger-than-life pages with KISS at 50, a beautifully produced hardcover tribute to the most theatrical band in rock and roll.

From their birth in the gritty clubs of 1973 New York to their final flame-blazing farewell tours, Popoff chronicles 50 essential KISS moments. There’s everything from their legendary Casablanca signing to the infamous Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park, from the unmasking era of the ’80s to the diehard devotion of the Kiss Army. It’s a deep dive into one of music’s most passionately followed acts — and every fan will find something to scream “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” about.

What makes this book a standout isn’t only the writing — it’s the visuals. Unpublished photos, gig posters, ticket stubs, and a fold-out timeline bring the KISS experience to life. You can practically hear the pyro explode just flipping the pages. Popoff’s writing hits hard, like a Gene Simmons bassline, with detail, love, and insider knowledge only decades of rock journalism can bring.

If you ever air-guitared to “Detroit Rock City” or painted your face like the Starchild, this book was made for you. KISS at 50 is a monument to half a century of rock and roll history, and a reminder that there will never be another band quite like KISS.

Rik Emmett of Triumph Shares Candid, Creative Journey in New Memoir “Lay It On The Line”

Eric Alper
-
0
Rik Emmett of Triumph Shares Candid, Creative Journey in New Memoir “Lay It On The Line”

From Triumph superstar Rik Emmett comes the thrilling, inspiring story of a life of rock and roll

While describing the impulse driving his life and work, Rik Emmett explains, “I was never in it for the sex and drugs — ah, but the rock and roll. Creativity was, and still is, my it — the truth I bet my life on. It was also, always, about play. The play’s the thing …”

Merging memoir, anecdotes, and masterclasses on guitar, songwriting, and the artist’s mindset, Lay It On The Line offers insight and perspective into the many roles Rik Emmett took on. “It” was always a parboiling, psychological gumbo: and this book attempts to finally share the recipe.

It also includes photos from Emmett’s own archives, plus the definitive, detailed reasons behind why he walked from Triumph — and came back two decades later.

Rock star, it seems, was a character for Rik Emmett to inhabit … a great gig, a catalytic door-opener … it was a role that led to other adventures — and these are the stories he’s chosen to tell.

Becky Buller Releases New Single “Ride On By” Ahead of Covers Album Celebrating Bluegrass Roots

Eric Alper
-
0
Becky Buller Releases New Single “Ride On By” Ahead of Covers Album Celebrating Bluegrass Roots

Dark Shadow Recording is proud to announce the release of “Ride On By,” the new single from Becky Buller’s forthcoming album of cover songs that have shaped her celebrated career. This dynamic rendition, penned by songwriter and wildlife biologist Dick Kimmel, is a longtime staple of Buller’s live shows and now makes its official debut on record.

Originally written as a protest song when interstate construction carved through parts of West Virginia, “Ride On By” made its way to Minnesota when Kimmel accepted a job with the Department of Natural Resources in the early 1980s. There, fate intervened.

“His band most likely performed this song at the Butterfield Threshing Bee that fateful day when my folks were in attendance,” shares Buller. “Dad was mesmerized by the mandolin, eventually bartering carpentry work for lessons from Dick. He introduced my folks to Gordy and Roxy Schultz; together they formed Prairie Grass, the group I picked up fiddle to sing with… and bluegrass music has dominated my destiny ever since.”

Tracked by her current road band—guitarist Jacob Groopman, banjoist Ned Luberecki, mandolinist Wes Lee, bassist/harmony vocalist Daniel Hardin, and Buller herself on fiddle and lead vocals—this spirited track was produced, engineered, and mixed by Stephen Mougin. Fans of Buller’s live shows will recognize the epic “not-so-secret space jam,” a segment that has grown over time and is designed to showcase the ensemble’s collective prowess.

“The arrangement has morphed through the years, most recently to include an epic not-so-secret space jam which gives all of us a chance to show out instrumentally as the hippies dance,” Buller adds. “I’m thrilled it’s finally found a home on this upcoming covers album.”

A 10-time IBMA award-winning Bluegrass artist, Becky Buller made history as the first-ever artist to win in both instrumental and vocal categories in the same year at the IBMA Awards, and is also the first female to claim IBMA’s Fiddle Player of the Year. She moonlights as a member of the all-female supergroup The First Ladies of Bluegrass, recently honored at the Country Music Hall of Fame with their own exhibit. Buller fulfilled a dream in 2021 by making her Grand Ole Opry debut. Her songwriting achievements extend to Grammy Award-winning albums by Molly Tuttle (2023), The Infamous Stringdusters (2019), and The Travelin’ McCourys (2018). In 2023, she was inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall Of Fame.

The Lil Smokies Release Final Album Break of the Tide and Embark on Farewell Colorado Shows

Eric Alper
-
0
The Lil Smokies Release Final Album Break of the Tide and Embark on Farewell Colorado Shows

The Lil Smokies’ high-energy acoustic music has evolved into its own distinctive sound. Since their last album, Tornillo (2020), the band returns with two new members, bassist Jean Luc Davis and banjo player, Sam Armstrong-Zickefoose, adding to the core trio of dobro player Andy Dunnigan, lead guitarist the Reverend Matthew Rieger, and fiddler Jake Simpson. To showcase the new sound and augmented quintet lineup, the band has released a brand new album Break of the Tide, available now via Americana Vibes.  Break Of The Tide will also mark the final  album release of the band’s career with 11 new songs to close out their cherished discography.

Returning to Texas (where they recorded Tornillo), The Lil Smokies cut Break of the Tide at a Dallas-Fort Worth studio with local producer Robert Ellis, the album title representing, according to Andy, “a turning point, a pivot… the old world vs. the new world. It’s like a bug set in amber, an artifact from that period of time. We didn’t drown under the tide.”

“One of the biggest differences between this album and Tornillo is we hadn’t played these songs live before we recorded them,” added Jake. “These tracks really took shape in the studio. For the most part, we used whole takes, rather than overdubs and edits.  It’s a vibey record.”

The album finds the band expanding beyond the bluegrass genre with a spacious, airy, contemplative set of “more introspective, nuanced” songs which slow down to reflect the wide-open spaces and natural beauty of the state where they first took shape. The first single, “Montana Flower,” according to Simpson, is a love song to a local girl from Whitefish, comparing her beauty to the geographical marvels of the area, including Big Mountain.

“That’s the imagery that was going through my head when I wrote the song,” acknowledged Jake. “There’s a lot of mystery in Whitefish.  It’s an interesting mix of people there from all over the world alongside the locals who have been there forever. Lots of cosmic energy keeping an eye out for my love when I’m not there.”

Another Simpson-penned track, “Keep Me Down” offers the touring musician’s lament of choosing between what you left at home and the call of the road. “It’s a real love-hate relationship,” laughed Jake. “I’ve been doing a lot of therapy on this issue, and I think I’m improving in that area.”

Rev’s “Sycamore Dreams” is “a break-up song about sometimes love alone isn’t enough” to keep a relationship together (“It shines on paper/Torn from the start/Frayed at the seams”). “There are divine forces that are sometimes out of our control,” said Rev. “And sometimes you have to trust and surrender to them.”

“Fire in the Rain” is a Dunnigan-penned folk song that offers a vocal homage to one of his favorite singer/songwriters in James Taylor, evoking his similarly titled “Fire and Rain.”

“My father played his records for me when I was just three years old,” said Andy.

“This is a more pensive, delicate record than we’ve done in the past,” explained Rev. “It’s about being able to turn to art to deal with hardship, the encouragement to know we’re not alone in this. It’s about looking to the future, figuring out a way to move ahead.”

Added Andy, “We’re just more confident in ourselves as songwriters now. We don’t have anything to prove at this point. We’re comfortable where we are as a band.”

“We’re older, but maybe not wiser,” joked Rev. “This is who we are right now.”

1...827828829...3,060Page 828 of 3,060

Follow us on Instagram @thatericalper

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

Popular posts

Popular category

© Copyright - That Eric Alper