The Syncopation Rebels are the supergroup comprised of the artists Martha Johnson and Mark Gane of Martha and the Muffins, John Orpheus, Sam Casey and Alex Exists, who have come together to record a special version of “Sound And Vision” by David Bowie. 

“The artists in the Popguru musical community have always thrived on collaboration. It’s in our DNA,” says Popguru Sound & Vision founder Graham Stairs. “To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the company, we decided to record a version of Sound And Vision by David Bowie. Not only is it a great song by a great artist, but the company’s name is a tip of the hat to the song’s title.”

After the song was chosen, the first person brought into The Syncopation Rebels project was producer Mike Schlosser. He had already worked with a number of Popguru artists including John Orpheus, Sam Casey and Alex Exists. The next people invited were Martha Johnson and Mark Gane of Martha and the Muffins who have been great resources to the younger artists. The objective was to involve experienced and emerging artists from the roster.

“Over the years, Popguru has brought me together with many talented people to collaboratively write and record songs,” says Martha Johnson of Martha and the Muffins. “…It felt great to be recording the song with the whole group at Revolution Recording as well as shooting the video in an evening of exuberance at the CNE. After the years of isolation, it was so exciting to be all together singing and dancing our hearts out.” 

Recently announced, Mark Gane of Martha and the Muffins is one of this year’s Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees for “Echo Beach”.

Over the past 15 years, Graeme Cornies has been lucky enough to work on more than 40 TV shows and has contributed to more than 1000 episodes of television with his writing partners at Voodoo Highway Music and Post. The last five years have brought multiple awards from both SOCAN and BMI – recognizing his musical reach both domestically and internationally. Recently, Graeme has been releasing electronic-pop music under the moniker Kodiak Arcade.

The new Kodiak Arcade song, “Another Summer,” asks a question that people often ask themselves: Once the infatuation of a new relationship fades and the spell of newness has worn off, can the relationship bloom again and again over time? Even after you’ve been in a relationship for a long time, that question remains – can we keep falling for each new version of one another as we grow? 

“It sometimes strikes me how irrational it is for me to ask anyone to stay with me longterm if I can’t even guarantee who I will be in 10 years,” Graeme explains about the inspiration for the song. “And it’s the same in reverse. It takes some irrational faith to commit to another person to the point where you are building a life together, to say, ‘No matter who we become as individuals, I will try to love that next version of you too, even after a million minor disagreements, the grind of work life, bills, laundry and groceries.’”

Fake Shape is an experimental band from Hamilton, Ontario. They settle in between a melange of eclectic influences—a little indie rock, some solid jazz flow, and even the odd twang in the vocals. Chester Edington (guitar and vocals) states that “through actively practicing collaboration we [David Baldry (keyboard, synthesizer and flugelhorn), Olivia Brown (bass and vocals), and Mackenzie Read (drums)] are able to write better music.” The resulting music works together as a whole, not in one voice or instrument on the surface, but in juicy layers of well mixed and deeply felt meaningful music. 

Their latest release is “Black Bear,” one of their favourite songs to play live, so Fake Shape sought to capture that same level of intensity and energy. Temperamental and expansive, they wanted to bring attention to the space in between the lyrics and allow the sound to develop. Baldry’s trumpet solo shines, supported by Brown and Read’s instrumentals, and is further complemented by an undercurrent of super fuzzed feedback which creates an uneasy kind of crazed feeling. 

Acclaimed Los Angeles-based band The Americans released their latest video or “Land of the Free,” from the intricate new EP, Strays, today.

“Land of the Free,” is a powerful anthem about homelessness. With a Tom Waits-crooner opening, featuring piano and upright bass, the song falls into a dreamscape of rolling rhythms and shimmering electric guitars. “O’er the land of the freeways,” sings frontman Patrick Ferris, “and the home of the strays.”

The video is a powerful and poignant piece that sheds light on the issue of homelessness in Los Angeles. The video opens with a haunting melody and scenes of people living on the streets, capturing the harsh realities of life without a stable home. Through evocative imagery, the video paints a vivid portrait of individuals from diverse backgrounds who have found themselves in the clutches of poverty and homelessness, highlighting the often unseen struggles faced by those living on the margins of society. As the music intensifies, the video doesn’t shy away from the harsh truths of the issue, but it also portrays moments of resilience and hope, reminding viewers of the strength and humanity that persist in the face of adversity.

The Americans’ “Land of the Free”  is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged exploration of a pressing social issue. The video’s raw and honest portrayal of homelessness, coupled with the band’s compelling performance, makes “Land of the Free” a thought-provoking and socially conscious work of art that strives to make a difference by raising awareness and advocating for change.

Both “Land of the Free,” and Strays is an impressive demonstration of the band’s ability to reinvent rock & roll through the prism of early folk and blues. Patrick Ferris (vocals/guitar), Zac Sokolow (guitar), and Jake Faulkner (bass) deliver an album that lands somewhere between Bruce Springsteen and Nathaniel Rateliff. Over the last several years, they’ve backed Nick Cave, Lucinda Williams, Ashley Monroe, and Devendra Banhart, and joined Ryan Bingham on four national tours. They worked closely with Jack White and T Bone Burnett, joining Nas, Elton John, and Alabama Shakes in the PBS/BBC primetime series American Epic. They have appeared on The Late Show (CBS), and their music was featured in the films Texas Killing Fields, A Country Called Home, Little Glory, and the TV series No Tomorrow.

“Land of the Free” by The Americans is not just a music video; it’s a rallying cry for change and a testament to the power of art to shed light on crucial social issues.

WIESINGER’s motto is Fun Music for Fun People. Despite being located in the rural county of Barrhead, WIESINGER is quickly carving a name for themselves as being one of the hardest working and catchiest up-and-coming pop rock acts in Western Canada. While only having begun releasing songs in early 2022, they have already performed alongside Tyler Shaw, The Royal Foundry, Martin Kerr, Jon Bryant and many more amazing acts.

The trio consist of husband and wife duo Justin (lead singer/bass/keys/songwriter/video guy) and Chelsey Wiesinger (drums/percussion/samples) with Daniel Bellerose on lead guitar. Numerous songs on their sophomore album, Stuck in Your Head, are based on experiences from Justin’s award winning memoir The Childlike Heist (2019). He dealt with mental health struggles for much of his young adult life and used a few songs from those seasons, as well as newly penned ones, to help share hope and his journey of recovery with listeners.

There’s freedom in laughing at yourself and choosing to get off the couch and live your life. The record’s lead single, “Sitcom,” tackles the realization that we are characters living our own story – we don’t have to be stuck living through a character on television. 

1. Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically?

The story behind the song is how we wake up one day and realize we’ve spent most of our “free time” loved on the couch. We vicariously live our lives through this idealized fictional characters we identify with on television screens. We avoid living our own story cause there’s always risk and danger when we choose to step into the unknown. I want the listener to “get off the couch, don’t hold your breath” and be inspired to go live a life of meaning. For most of my young adult and adult live I’ve lived collectively physical copes of my favourite movies. I’ve only recently realized the consequences of the meaningful stories and moments I’ve missed out on that I can never get back.

2. What was the inspiration behind this video(visuals, storyline, etc.)?

This concept sort of came by a whimsical accident/surprise. My friend owns a thrift shop in the small town we live near to, and he was complaining how nobody buys VHS tapes – and he asked for my help. I died I could take them off his hands and try to sell some of them at a vintage retro market I was helping out on in town. Much to my dismay not many titles were sold so I was stuck with 300+ VHS tapes. I had the image of me lying in a sea of videos of tapes in the music video – so I taped my monopod to the highest level of my ladder – and the rest is history. Yes I shot and edited and directed the video all by myself.

3. What was the process of making this video?

Being I shot it myself with no camera guy I had to use fixed off shots on tripods etc and the vertical shot on my ladder. I shot in 4K and added digital pans/zooms/rotations to give it some movement. It’s hard to notice we didn’t have a team working on the video. I’m thrilled with how it turned out!

“Raw” marks the debut album of Irish indie rock artist Tadgh Billy King, inviting us into an adventure of sound.

This album is a profound exploration, weaving introspection, retrospection, and thought provoking themes about contemporary society. King’s music effortlessly moves between layers of heavy guitar and moments of ethereal serenity. 

The title “Raw” encapsulates the peculiar aspects of today’s world. Tracks like “Sit and Wait” and “I’ve Heard this all Before” provide Tadgh with a platform to voice his frustrations about the state of the world, particularly from the perspective of his generation. His lyrics reflect a society that may not always give credit where its due to the ideas of the younger generation. 

Tracks “Breathe Out” and “The space in between” offer Tadgh an alternative space to explore his thoughts on the complexities of human relationships. “Raw” is much more than just an album; it’s a viscerally cathartic musical experience that delves deep into the emotional core. 

King’s artistic journey so far is testament to this introspection, creating a musical landscape that defies easy categorisation. He draws inspiration from a wide range of influences including icons like Bauhaus, Joy Division, and Nirvana, as well as contemporary Irish acts such as Fontaines D.C. and The Murder Capital. King’s sound, then, spans post-punk, goth, hardcore and math-y punk. 

His background as an actor, writer, and composer for theater, alongside his classical singing training, infuses his music with a rich, baritone driven depth. 

His upcoming album“Raw”, is the product of an artist dedicated to creating music that resonates authentically with his soul. In a world where musical compromise is all too common, Tadgh Billy King’s unwavering commitment to his craft is both inspiring, and promising. As he aptly puts it: “Thankfully, the songs keep coming.” 

Keep up with Tadgh Billy King on his Website. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

Stream music on Spotify.