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Julianna Riolino and Adrian Underhill, “Against the Grain”
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For almost two years now, my favourite song, the earworm I have been unable to lodge from my brain, the little ditty that makes my heart leap for joy every time I hear it (even though I would only hear it for thirty seconds at a time), has been Juliana Riolino and Adrian Underhill’s “Against the Grain,” aka the Subaru car commercial song. I can’t tell you how often, when I bring the song up in conversation, people assume it’s a long-lost classic or a song they should be familiar with. As far as commercial jingles go, “Against the Grain” is peerless. It is immediately evocative and nostalgic and reaches far beyond the confines of its medium. When Riolino announced a full-length version of the song was now available on streaming platforms, I immediately went into five-year-old-Jim-on-Christmas-morning mode (I will let you imagine what that’s like on your own). I don’t know if the full-length version of the song lives up to people’s expectations based on the small, hook-filled sample we’ve been hearing from our TV screens for the past few years. Still, I am ecstatic that it’s out there and exists and shocked that more people aren’t talking about how it’s the absolute perfect uncommon pop song. • Jim Di Gioia
Alanna Matty, “Restless”
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On her single “Restless”, Halifax based musician Alanna Matty sings about doing what we (I) dream about at least once a week: “I packed up my bags and moved out to the east coast, I was running away but I knew that I’d leave things behind”. A folk pop arrangement softens the urge to uproot and take control of one’s own life, despite the sunken cost and expectation to stay put: “I’m not giving up, I’m just changing my mind”. Sounding something like a mantra, “Restless” speaks of self doubt in the wake of constant demand to perform, and the trials of changing pace for the sake of making a dream come true. • Tia Julien
Bonnie Trash, My Love Remains the Same
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Put on My Love Remains the Same by Guelph-based Bonnie Trash and prepare to feel waves upon waves of goosebumps. This recording is the first to feature Emma Howarth-Withers on bass and Dana Bellamy on drums and they play seamlessly with twins Emmalia and Sarafina Bortolon-Vettor as they bring lush gothic doomy post-punky shoegaze-inspired soundscapes to life. The band explores love and loss with poetic lyrics on the two original songs – the heart-wrenchingly beautiful “Kisses Goodbye” and the gorgeously eerie “What Have You Become” which perfectly capture the power and ethereal nature of Sarafina’s vocals. The EP closes with an outstanding cover of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ song “Red Right Hand” performed by the twins. Their rendition captures the haunting and slightly sexy feel of the song perfectly while also adding a layer of ominousness, adding their stamp to it and, in my opinion, surpassing the original. Each of the three tracks on My Love Remains the Same are expertly crafted to not only highlight Bonnie Trash’s power and talent but also to reverberate deep within your very being. • Em Moore
Jonah Yano, Jonah Yano & the Heavy Loop
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On October 4th Jonah Yano released Jonah Yano & The Heavy Loop, a succinct 30-minutes of collaborative improvisation. Despite having a relatively short career run so far, Jonah Yano has an impressive collection of projects, collaborations, and accolades, but what draws me to his music is that it isn’t easily defined as this or that… it’s unstuck. Sheer music. Not to say that all the other musics aren’t music, but there is an apparent intuition and taste for the unknown to his compositions that distinguishes it from genre-based categorization. On Bandcamp, Yano is quoted as saying, “If souvenir is about what I feel, and portrait of a dog is about what I remember or want to remember, then this album is about what I think,” which is ironic because hearing it gives me the blissful pleasure of not having to think. I don’t even really want to write about it… so I’ll just say, go listen and feel something. • Tia Julien
swim good now, “Horse Someday”
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With so many huge pop artists suddenly turning to country, it’s refreshing to see a song mention a horse and there’s no twangy guitar to be found. Jokes aside—swim good now is onto something with this single. I’m not sure what, I think the only words I hear while listening are “if you wanna” and “California.” But the combination of piano, distorted vocals and guitar, a straight forward beat, and lo-fi harp? It all mixes together into an immaculate vibe salad. • Alyssa Gelata
AVERY, US
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“US” by Hamilton-born, Toronto-based AVERY is as heartfelt as it is sophisticated, a slow burn with subtle yet provocative production. With crisp guitar flourishes, panning breath sounds, and atmospheric synths, the instrumental is well crafted to support AVERY’s distinct vocal tone. I don’t know the details of what experiences this songwriter is writing from or about, but I absolutely believe her whole heart is in it. “US” says a lot with a little, and is gripping the whole way through. • Tia Julien
Indian Giver, Dark Legacy III
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Turtle Island-based Indigenous hardcore band Indian Giver come out of the gate swinging on their debut album Dark Legacy III which includes their previously released singles “Soul Wound”, “Blind”, “Blood On The Cross”, and “Purity” along with four new tracks. The band expertly mixes elements from metal and thrash with hardcore punk to create a sound that is wonderfully heavy, blisteringly fast, and extremely urgent. That urgency is reflected in their lyrics as they peel back the false history we’ve been taught to expose the reality of being Indigenous in this country as they take aim at unjust policing practices, talk about the damage done by residential schools and the church, point out the colonial tactics still at play and the hypocrisy present in the government, navigate the digital world, and celebrate their identity. Dark Legacy III leaves no doubt that Indian Giver are one of the most vital hardcore punk bands going today. • Em Moore
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