Gary Dranow & the Manic Emotions, a classic rock band hailing from Park City, Utah, has produced a flagship blues tune called “Day I was Born,” which showcases some of Gary’s best work yet. Unlike most of their songs, this tongue-in-cheek blues tour de force is reminiscent of legendary musicians such as Stevie Ray Vaughn, Van Morrison, and Eric Clapton.

Listen here:

The song provides a retrospective look at the day Gary was born, which he can actually remember. The vocals are smooth and soulful and are accompanied by a beautifully arranged track featuring lush strings, keyboard, and stunning guitar work. The song exudes warmth and comfort while reflecting classic blues and rock traditions and the early stages of Gary’s life.

“We recorded this one live in the studio, and I had a bet with the band that I could play all my solos without repeating a lick. They all paid me $20 when we finished,” jokes Gary.

Gary Dranow turned to music as a coping mechanism for his bipolar disorder and the effects of a stroke after establishing successful business ventures in outdoor sports. The band’s genre-defying collection of songs provides comfort to those who are also struggling.

Gary Dranow and The Manic Emotions are a force to be reckoned with, and they will release all tracks as singles leading up to an early 2023 release of the full EP, Destiny Road. The album features the talents of Sherm Tate on bass and vocals, Marty Steinberg and Jethro DeFries on drums, the brilliant Jerry Manfredi on bass and musical direction, and Tommy Mars on keyboards.

Connect with Gary Dranow and the Manic Emotions: Website // Instagram // Facebook // YouTube // Spotify // Soundcloud

Coming off the hype of her recent release “Under Me,” Lexy Panterra is back with her alluring new single “Depend on You”- now available on all digital streaming platforms. Taking a full 180 from her previous track, “Depend on You” showcases Panterra’s versatile vocal abilities in a slow R&B tune. 

In “Depend On You,” Lexy sings about the intense connection she shares with her lover, but instead of relying on clichéd metaphors and generic lyrics, she uses vivid imagery and poetic language to convey the raw passion and emotion of the relationship. The lyrics are both sensual and vulnerable, exploring the complexities of love and intimacy in a refreshingly honest way.

Being released in two unique versions, Pt.1 and Pt.2, “Depend on You-  Pt.1” is a slow and sultry track, while Pt.2 is a high-energy electronic remix that will make you want to dance the night away. Adding another layer of interest to the song, Pt.2 will be released exclusively as an NFT through the innovative platform Sound XYZ, making it a one-of-a-kind collectible item for fans of Lexy and electronic music scene. As an intimate and provocative R&B track, Pt.1 demonstrates Panterra’s distinctive voice and lyrical word play, alongside Pt.2; a tune perfect for performing her impressive dance skills that have garnered her a  massive following on social media and made her a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.

With this release, listeners are set to experience two versions of a tune that are as bold and innovative as Lexy is as a multifaceted performer, with so much more to come. The track that showcases Lexy’s talent as a singer, songwriter, and producer and with its two unique versions and an exclusive NFT release, it’s a must listen for fans of R&B and electronic music alike.

Toronto’s Velvet Beach have been on an upward trajectory since their debut single release last September. They were honoured to be a part of Exclaim!’s Class of 2023 show back in January and are excited to finally release their debut album The Dream. A culmination of nearly three years of work, The Dream showcases the eclectic mix of dream pop and shoe gaze that has come to define Velvet Beach’s live sound so far.

Of particular note is “Uncertainty,” a driving yet ethereal ballad that pushes the bounds of Velvet Beach’s songwriting so far. Inspired by Kate Bush and “Hounds of Love,” the band wanted to create an homage to her work but that was also distinctively Velvet Beach. The song combines nostalgia, melancholy and the feelings that accompany coping with insecurity. 

Stay tuned for future releases, including live recordings of the Class of 2023 show as well as live off the floor recordings of some of the album’s best songs.

Ways In Waves is the brainchild of Brian Raine, a multi-instrumentalist and music producer originally from Yellowknife but currently living out of Edmonton. With malleable form and the spirit of experimentation at its core, the group began as a live duo before expanding to a five piece live band with Raine picking up vocals as well as guitar and keys parts.

Raine has chosen to focus the sound of the project into a tighter, brighter, more aggressive sound. Combining aspects of rock, art-pop, and electronic music together into a mixture that propels the listener through controlled chaos. “Who In War” uses the previous single “Everything Taken” as a starting point, and pushes the layering of textures and instruments toward an intentional maximalism. The bombastic and surreal build of the song culminates in an explosive cacophony that sounds like a celebration during an air raid. 

Written from the perspective of someone who is perpetually online and begins to think they can change the world all by themselves, ultimately developing a god complex.

Renowned Canadian singer-songwriter, Tara MacLean, wrote “Let Her Feel The Rain” following a breakup at the age of 19 which was deeply affecting. 

“I noticed that I felt numb, and I went and laid outside on the grass at night in the rain, and just let it fall on me. I just needed to feel it, to feel the pain, and then let the rain wash it away. And it did. I wrote this song when I came inside, still wet and muddy. This was the song that made me realize that music was going to save my life,” explains MacLean.

Decades later, MacLean has reimagined the song with layered background vocals and strings evocative of the lush environment which she calls home in the Pacific Northwest.

“In so many ways the song is about rebirth,” says MacLean. When it came time to shoot the video for “Let Her Feel The Rain,” MacLean returned to her ‘nest’ on Salt Spring Island to perform the song, complete with hair and makeup done by her children.

https://s.disco.ac/rdprqqztcoqx

“Let Her Feel The Rain” is taken from Tara MacLean’s upcoming new album, Sparrow, released on March 31st. 

Reimagining 10 tracks from her catalogue, the album is the companion soundtrack to Song of the Sparrow, MacLean’s debut memoir with HarperCollins which is out now, exploring the transformative power of music in her life.