Windsor, ON indie-folk artist Brendan Scott Friel is a spell-binding singer-songwriter.  Re-inspired to be a musician after a befalling loss in his personal life.  While hurt and confused and low on cash he traveled to Holland to be a busker, and has brought those experiences into his new flame of singer/songwriting for the better half of the last decade.

As part of a collection of songs on his upcoming record that were inspired by the passing of his father, “Simon the Doubter” is a thought provoking and dizzying exploration into thoughts upon tragedy and life’s unanswered and most important questions, leading to a cynical space.

“No weighing souls against a feather / No angry Gods, just bad weather”

Golden Feather is a project that was started by Steve Kiely and Brad Germain, inspired by their love of bands that like to jam and take their listeners on a musical journey. So far, Golden Feather has released the 2022 EP Now & Then (Sonic Unyon Records) and follow that with a full-length live album, Welcome\\Release.

“Just For Now” is a song about fearing that the present misfortune will last, but dearly hoping that it won’t – that it’s just for now. The song features an epic saxophone solo by Murray Heaton, who was a part-time musician for the band before joining as a full-time member recently. The half-time sax solo changes gears completely from the rest of the song, and following that, there’s something about the three chords which oscillate up and down for the rest of the song are subconsciously dissatisfying.

“We’ve always felt that we needed to release a live album to really showcase how we see and play these songs in a live setting,” says Kiely. “Recording a studio album is a great way to capture a glimpse of a moment in time, but we believe that in a live setting, songs should have the ability to grow and change, just as a band does.”

From landing early sync placements on hit shows like Sons of Anarchy and Law and Order, to winning the 2022 USA Songwriting Competition (Jazz), to working with heavy hitters like Grammy Award winning Steve Jordan (Stevie Nicks, Bob Dylan) and David Kahne (Paul McCartney, Lana Del Rey), Brooklyn based singer-songwriter MSB (Micheal Sackler-Berner) has lived a life beyond what any artist could hope for – and yet somehow this is still just the beginning.

MSB’s new album, Borrowed Time, was co-written and produced with long-time friend and collaborator Nick Movshon (Amy Winehouse, The Black Keys, Bruno Mars). Deep into the pandemic, the LP was a lifeline for the two creators as they locked themselves up in a classic New York brownstone studio and channeled their fears and uncertainties of the times. The result is a record that reflects on finding meaning and beauty amidst chaos. 

“Shout Out Loud” was built when MSB was meant to be practicing piano fundamentals. It’s a reminder that stuff under the rug has a way of building up and then breaking you down from the inside if it isn’t handled honestly, loudly, and regularly. 

Miel Azevedo (they/them), is a nonbinary artist and musician hailing from Toronto, and currently based in Montreal. Mostly self-taught, MIEL recorded and produced their debut album Beginnings which was released in 2021. The songs have unexpected changes but mostly adhere to a pop song form with a jazz feel and a warm live band sound. 

Miel Azevedo’s forthcoming EP SOFT departs from the limitations of song form, traversing genres and instrumentation in a unique sound that points forward and backward at the same time. SOFT is a leap in their voice as a producer as well as a composer as they were able to arrange and record orchestral arrangements for the first time. 

Their magical new song, “Healing Tears,” is an expression of their journey in sexual healing and discovery. It came together with the support of two mentors: Kevin Breit (Canadian guitarist for Norah Jones and Cassandra Wilson) and Dave Clark (original drummer for Rheostatics) who each provided guidance during songwriting. 

Miel Azevedo reimagined a queer erotic art project from 2020, to create the music video for this single. Gabriel Lapierre directs MIEL and fellow artist Eddying Jackson to portray a soft queer embrace, a sensual play, and nurturing with room to grow. 

Mark Tegio has just launched his new single “Drunkard’s Jeans,” out via all digital platforms. The track is taken from his upcoming album Marie, due out 6/30.

Mark Tegio is a singer-songwriter, guitar player, and storyteller based in Portland, Oregon. Tegio has been playing music since childhood when his Dad bought him his first guitar in a small shop in Southern California. 

Listen in here:

Thematically, the songwriter’s focus is razor sharp, with his intuitive lyricism intertwining with the overarching themes of the track. The prominent vocals that are laced throughout bring a sense of vibrancy and life into the song which sets the tone for the upcoming release.

Though he played guitar and fronted some bands in high school, his music took a backseat for the meantime while working towards his college degree. After graduating from UC Berkeley in 2017, with a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering, he threw himself into “the drudgery of the 9-5 work week.” Feeling unfulfilled and uninspired, he left that world, solely devoting himself to his music. Living a transient life in a van, playing music had wholly pervaded his being. His first tour with “Smith and Tegio” (a duo formed with his longtime friend Austin Smith) cemented his reverence for the road. Since then, Tegio has been able to scrape together a living as a solo musician, touring musician, and guitarist in multiple country bands in Portland. 

Tegio’s songs include tales of wanderers and outcasts, dreamers and revelers, lovers and losers; all of whom he has been at one time or another. Originally from San Diego himself, Tegio found fellow native Tom Waits to be an early influence. Waits’ fantastical songs of seedy, sordid characters, accompanied by his raspy, guttural voice, inspired Tegio’s writing and singing. When Tegio was introduced to Texas songwriters such as Townes Van Zandt and Blaze Foley, he was quick to adapt some of his favorite aspects of their writing into his own developing style. Townes’ dark, poetic imagery, especially of natural beauty, paired with his lonesome yet hopeful songs, combined with the levity Foley frequently used in songs and Waits’ depictive storytelling, unite to create the holy union of barroom poetry that is Mark Tegio’s sound.