Cabin Fever Orchestra is Graeme Cornies’ passion project where the lifelong television composer is reversing the usual process; instead of writing music for picture, he is creating visual art posted to Instagram, Twitter and YouTube depicting the feelings and mental states of his music.
“Worn” is the first in a series of collaborations between Cornies and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra (CNSO) to be released this year. “For me, this piece is about feeling worn, but not worn out,” Cornies explains. “It’s about feeling the wear and tear of age and experience, but also the feeling that you have so much left to contribute because of it.” Written and performed by Graeme Cornies (piano) at the end of last summer, CNSO performed their parts in Prague on Halloween of 2023.
Cabin Fever Orchestra explores the forefront of AI and human collaboration with generative art, with Cornies expanding on orchestration ideas he found while working on other visual media, and has served to expand his network of talented instrumental collaborators. Along with his writing partners, Cornies has become one of the world’s most heard composers. The last five years have brought multiple awards from SOCAN and BMI, the Emmy Awards and the Canadian Screen Awards.
The musical project of Dark Mean refuses to slip away for good. The collective has been quietly chipping away in their Hamilton, Ontario studio. Once again they have focused their spontaneous fits of inspiration, typically captured on basic phone apps and wired between Ottawa and Hamilton, into something concrete.
Years of extended hiatuses are nothing new to the trio of Billy Holmes, Sandy Johnston and Mark Dean. That’s how they operate. Incessant file sharing and e-mails, late night Zoom calls, relentless attention to detail, unabashed honesty, and the odd show amidst chaotic life schedules, are just a few ways the band has not only hung together, but continues to release new music.
Dealing with the hurdles of such a spread out band and the march of time, they had this to speak about on their return to music as Dark Mean: In terms of what inspired the song, or the lyrics… umm probably desperation. Feeling so desperate for something to happen while full-well knowing time is not on your side and there is nothing you can do but wait. So the opening of the track begins with this sort of cathartic release “Working hard, killing time. I woke up wrong, just to feel right”. Doing nothing is often harder than doing something, right?
Animals In Denial, guided by the highly versatile Christian Imes, represent a remarkable venture into the realm of alternative music.
Imes’ journey, from receiving his first guitar at 14 to then establishing his own band, shows a strong commitment to artistic innovation and creativity. As a self-taught guitarist, Imes has had continuous musical growth and expanded his skills to encompass synthesisers, drums, and bass guitar. His relentless pursuit of creating innovative sound has resulted in a very diverse and captivating repertoire.
The new single, “Chariot Ride” is a mesmerizing exploration of introspection and inner peace. Rooted in lush melodies and evocative instrumentation, the song demonstrates Imes’ growth as a songwriter and musician.
Inspired by moments of self-reflection and resilience, “Chariot Ride” invites listeners to embark on a transcendent journey of self-discovery.
Musically, “Chariot Ride” shows Imes’ eclectic sensibilities, and seamlessly brings together alternative rock elements and electronica elements, to create a captivating overall sound.
With anticipation mounting for his forthcoming album “ Beyond The Horizon”, set to release in the spring of 2024, this new single release solidifies his position as a visionary force in the alternative music landscape.
Christian, a devoted family man with Asperger’s, treasures his roles as a husband and father of two boys. Their shared passion for jam sessions infuses their days with joy, serving as a guiding light through life’s ups and downs. And its his unique Neuro-divergent perspective that celebrates diversity, empowering those who feel like outsiders to embrace their differences proudly.
A true aficionado of old-school Rock ‘n’ Roll, Christian holds a deep reverence for the 80s and 90s rock era. Influenced by legendary bands such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, and Depeche Mode, he infuses his music with nostalgia while embracing futuristic sounds and AI technology to stay relevant in today’s music scene. Christian’s blend of past influences and modern innovation creates a captivating musical journey that resonates with audiences of all ages.
Working meticulously in his personal studio, Imes often with assistance from his wife Jeanine, imbues every aspect of his compositions with true artistic vision. This DIY ethos empowers Imes to create a diverse catalogue of music that is immersive and captivating.
In 2006, Imes made a significant impact on the music scene with the release of numerous singles and four full-length albums across major streaming platforms. These releases garnered critical acclaim and highlighted Imes’ ability to challenge genre boundaries while maintaining a cohesive sound.
At just 24 years old, Gavin McLeod has already established himself as a seasoned singer-songwriter and virtuosic guitarist in the sphere of indie rock music.
From his early days rocking out on video game drums to gracing the stages of festivals and television shows, Gavin’s musical path is nothing short of remarkable.
Driven by a deep passion for collaboration with other musicians, Gavin leads his band of brothers, blending the intimate storytelling of 1970s singer-songwriters with the electrifying energy of modern UK indie rock.
With his debut album, “The Constant Astonishment,” produced by industry veterans, Gavin is poised to captivate audiences with his anthemic melodies and captivating lyrics.
His new single “Things We Used To Do” is accompanied by a brand new music video, which was shot at a live show at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto on December 14th 2023.
It features a mix of raw and up close footage from the live show, at what is now a legendary Toronto music venue known for hosting countless influential musicians and bands over the years.
We caught up with Gavin to get the lowdown on the inspiration behind the music video:
1. Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically?
I have been playing live with my band since I was 11 years old. For the first single off of our debut album, it felt natural to shoot the music video at a show, raw and in the moment. There were a million stories this video could’ve told, but ultimately I wanted it to represent the band and the song in a very real way. Recording this song was an incredibly collaborative experience and most of the track was recorded live off the floor with the four of us in a room together.
Recording the music video at a venue was the closest I felt we could get to that original recording session. It was a special night at the Horseshoe Tavern downtown Toronto, and the whole thing was captured and put together beautifully by Connor Scheffler.
2. What was the inspiration behind this video (visuals, storyline, etc.)?
I have always taken heavy inspiration from all of the old bands and artists of the 70’s. Neil and Bruce and Petty, those guys always had some great live music videos that always stuck with me. This music video is our attempt at that classic style, with all of the musicians on stage playing the song in real time. It is a raw and messy and chaotic in certain places, but that is how a live show can often be. We stepped out on stage that night with one chance to nail this video shoot, and we are all really happy with the result. We had a great crew filming us that night, and the energy from the crowd in the room was excellent.
3. What was the process of making this video?
For anyone from Toronto, the Horseshoe Tavern is an iconic and storied venue. Many great bands have graced the stage, and it’s always an honour to play in that room. I had booked this show months in advance, and when we began music video discussions, it made a lot of sense to line it up with this night. After some preplanning with Connor Scheffler and his team, we met up before soundcheck and started shooting some footage.
The video contains shots from soundcheck, the greenroom, and the live performance of the song. To keep everything in time, our Drummer Tyler played the song to a click track, and we tried our best to play as close to the studio recording as possible (which proved to be much easier said than done).
Afterwards, Connor put a few cuts together for us to watch and absolutely nailed the visuals and the flow of the end product. We are all very happy with how it came out.
The synergy between Gavin McLeod and his band shines brightly in this single and Gavin’s vision of capturing the raw essence of their live performances seamlessly translates into the recording process, resulting in a sound that feels both intimate and exhilarating:
“I had the romanticidea of recording the album old school style – live off the floor – just like a show. It was a dream come true”, Gavin says.
“Things We Used To Do” is produced by Ross Hayes Citrullo.
On Lead Vocals are Gavin McLeod, McLeod and Patrick Mills on electric guitar, Gavin McLeod on percussion, Tyler Dewar on drums, and Joey DePaiva on bass guitar.
Jean Caffeine is “the most famous person you’ve never heard of.” Her latest single, “I Don’t Want to Kill You Anymore,” presents a nice tension between the almost punky vocal delivery and sentiment, and the hooky, more sugary retro-pop sound. Co-written with John Kovach (The Eggmen), with Zack Humphrey (Megafauna) on drums and Jon Notarthomas (Faces’ Ian McLagan) on guitar, Poprock Record describes “I Don’t Want to Kill You Anymore” as “hilarious and earworm infectious. Disguised as an homage to early 1960s girl group twee pop…This is one perfect feminist rock and roll statement, both hard-hitting and hooky…Caffeine has produced a 3 and half minute masterpiece.”
It’s accompanied by a brand new music video, featuring a mash-up of footage and stills from a lo-fi band rehearsal in her living room, a gig at Buckminster’s Cat Cafe in Buffalo, silly animal hats worn alongside bassist Angela Tran, and a cemetery in Tlaplan, Mexico City where she took part in a visual arts residency. As a mixed media artist and art educator, Jean Caffeine teaches collage and works with layers, incorporating her artwork into videos where possible.
1. Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically?
This isn’t really my story. I got inspired by something a friend said. But it was so relatable it clicked. Sometime the sky almost seems to gift you and rains down almost a whole song at the point of creation. It was like that with this one. I was working to learn a certain chord progression at the time and everything just fell into place. My friend and sometimes collaborator, John Kovach was helping me learn that chord progression and he is a co-writer on this song. He wrote a verse.
2. What was the inspiration behind this video (visuals, storyline, etc.)?
My friend Katie O’Neill (singer of Star Material) shot some great footage at one of my rehearsals so that was the starting point and she sets the tone. There isn’t much of a story line. I make (and teach) mixed media and collage so I have the practice of putting a lot of disparate pieces together in my 2D work and repurposing things so I applied that principle to this and other videos I’ve put together in iMovie. It’s a kind of “stone soup” process: A bit of this, a bit of that. Although I wish it could do a bit more, I love making videos in iMovie. It’s so user friendly and fun. I’ve enjoyed making hodge-podge style videos for my songs and sneaking my artwork into them. Here’s another one I made for an older song about older days.
First I worked to match Katy’s rehearsal footage with the recording. Then repurposed some live footage that showed me playing with Angela, my bass player on the track because she wasn’t at that rehearsal Katy filmed. This fall, I performed at my cousin in the Catio of my cousin- in-laws’ Cat Cafe. There was a separate “Cat Zone” where you could play with the cats. I asked my pal Mike Trebilcock to film me in the “Cat Zone”. I looked ridiculous pretty ridiculous, so I only used a bit of it.
This winter I went to an art residency in Mexico City. In addition to working on printmaking and collage, and cartooning there, I worked to finish the video. Even though the song is intentionally irreverent, in this time of terrible wars, division, and death I was really reluctant to put out a video that had the words “Kill You” in it. So I’d been procrastinating. When I played around with drawing and layering to bring in simple symbols that were pro-peace and love, I felt better about the messaging. I also took a walk to the local cemetery filmed there. That helped tie things up at the end. And lo and behold, more cats. (only one cat made the edit). I have four cats at home, so they are also a recurring theme.
Jean started out as a scenester, zinester and drummer on San Francisco’s first wave punk scene in the late ’70s. In 1980, she migrated to New York, where she worked at Danceteria where she DJ-ed. While playing in a Velvet Underground cover band at Club 57, she was recruited by Ann Magnuson to drum for Pulsallama, a theatrical percussive buzz band who opened shows for The Clash. When Pulsallama disbanded, Jean joined Clambake featuring Grammy nominee Holly George-Warren. Following a move to Austin, she fronted an alternative country band, Jean Caffeine‘s All-Nite Truckstop.
iskwē | ᐃᐢᑫᐧᐤ (short for waseskwan iskwew, meaning “blue sky woman”) is sharing “A Little Piece,” the sixth and final single from her upcoming album, the starkly honest and textured nīna (out April 12th), produced by 10x Grammy-nominated collaborator Damian Taylor.
“A Little Piece” twinkles with piano melodies and skittering beats, creating a wintry electronic soundscape which gradually opens into its prominent synth line’s exposed refrain.
1. Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically?
Feeling overwhelmed, I was faced with myself alone and the choices I had made over the past several years. With conflicted feelings of longing, remorse, and loneliness, I felt caged by a sentiment I could neither explain nor understand. I was alone. My mind had fooled me.
2. What was the inspiration behind this video (visuals, storyline, etc.)?
I opted to shoot this video myself, stripped down and in the bathtub, washing away as much of the ache as possible. I wanted to demonstrate the vulnerability I felt writing this song, and how personal to my heart the story remains. All of me, unfiltered. It felt appropriate to film and edit the video myself, so that I could touch each and every piece of this story and experience – so people could get a new perspective of how it feels behind my eyes, and in my heart.
3. What was the process of making this video?
I literally set my phone up, propped at an angle I felt comfortable with, and pushed record. I then let the song play several times on repeat, and just captured moment after moment, as I warmed to the camera and sunk back into the lyrics and sentiment of the song. I wanted to show a bit of chaos, the undoing, allowing myself to go from a sleek hair, just climbed in version of me to a more messy, seams coming undone version. The entire shoot took me about 20 minutes – with the edits taking several days of clipping and cropping.
Speaking of the pulsating and hushed tones of “A Little Piece,” iskwē explains the song’s painful and complex inspirations:
Feeling overwhelmed, I was faced with myself alone and the choices I had made over the past several years. With conflicted feelings of longing, remorse, and loneliness, I felt caged by a sentiment I could neither explain nor understand. I was alone. My mind had fooled me. My tears felt endless and yet somehow this new solitude wrapped itself around my sadness like a giant cozy blanket I could not imagine emerging from ever again. A little piece of me had died, yet I found a little peace inside. A little piece of me had died, yet I found a little peace inside.
Modern Mystery 
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