Folk, Singer-songwriter
After a fifteen-year hiatus, acclaimed Canadian songstress Tara MacLean has emerged back onto the scene, as she’s joined forces with fellow artist Catherine MacLellan to release “Kiss In December.” The new single tells the delicate story of a winter love and a real life kiss in December that changed MacLean’s life many winters ago.
Earlier this year, MacLean published her memoir, Song of the Sparrow, and its accompanying soundtrack. She has written and recorded six solo albums as well as two albums with Shaye, her JUNO-nominated band. Reminiscent of artists like Florence & The Machine and Lana Del Rey, MacLean’s music is soft, poignant, and moving, and this is especially true of “Kiss In December.”
Alt-Rock, Garage Rock
Brace yourselves for the tale of the strange world of garage rock unit M’Grasker.
The band dubs themselves as “a coven of humanoid meat sacks forged in the Vats of Creation by Dr. Gorp, himself.” Their mission? to rock. However, they are also permitted to roll.
After a sufficiently long gestation period in Dr. Gorp’s humong creation tanks, the lovable lads from lab 7 were able to record and write their new single, “She’s Drugs,” ahead of schedule/budget. “She’s Drugs” is a song about how “love is the only drug we need, except for some of the other drugs we still need.” The track is frenetic and fun, reflecting their wonderfully weird vibe, and if you fancy groups like Ween and Guided by Voices, M’Grasker may be the unit for you.
The band is legally obligated to be happy to announce their third album offering: M’Grasker by M’Grasker. M’Graskorp’s renowned legal team compelled Jesse Turnbull (Taurus Music) and Dave Monks (of Tokyo Police Club) to engineer and produce the album under threat of barely-lethal force.
Folk, Americana
It’s not easy being on the road. Singer-songwriter Allen Dobb knows this perhaps better than anyone, and on his newest single, “Here and Now,” he conveys the complicated feeling and lifestyle that comes with constantly moving and deviating from one’s roots. Yet it’s something the soul is compelled to do.
“Here and Now” is the new single off of Dobb’s anticipated album, Alone Together, which is set to drop in February 2024. The album is a skillfully crafted collection of ten folk and Americana-style songs inspired by different stories, landscapes, and characters the artist has encountered working as a range management specialist in British Columbia. Fans of artists like Lyle Lovett and Jeffrey Focault are sure to enjoy “Here and Now” and the music of Allen Dobb.
Instrumental, Experimental
Montreal instrumental group Caméra has released their serene and cinematic new single, “Le Philtre,” on November 24th. The trio, which is composed of Francois Jalbert (guitarist, composer, and producer), Mélanie Bélair (violinist, arranger, and composer), and Aurélien Tomasi (composer, arranger, and performer), were inspired by the French film Betty Blue, which follows a saxophonist wandering a coastal town.
Their sound, which is similar to artists like Ryuichi Sakatmoto or Angelo Badalamenti, is packed to the brim with playful psychedelia and sensuality, and while their ideas often border on the bizarre, they always seek to find the beauty and the passion in the music.
Featured photo: Tara MacLean // Photo by Deanna Milligan
