James Clarke is a musical madman. Playing music professionally for over 40 years, he has just released his new single “It’s Alright Now,” ahead of his album out later this month. Starting out in punk bands in Ontario, most notably in The Thermals, his journey saw him opening for legendary bands such as Circle Jerks and Black Flag. The single rings a new era for the artists, as it’s bound to be his most breakthrough year yet. The new single, “It’s Alright Now,” is an upbeat rock track about human spirit and the quest for contentment. James Clark Hangover is the moniker of David Clark. After playing in punk bands throughout the 80s and 90s, opening for acts like Discharge, Circle Jerks, Black Flag and more, David took a hiatus and returned to music in the mid 00s as James Clark Hangover.
American Studies debut single “Panama City Blues” takes Larry and the Loafers’ obscure 1960 rock-n-roll track of the same name and turns it into a modern, vibrant, and psychedelic club anthem — engaging a new set of teenagers and college students in much the same way it did in the century prior. Certainly a great first impression into the world, the group are well on their way to becoming a favorite in your ears.
Like “Panama City Blues,” American Studies, the duo of Bryant Saxon and Ryan “Inkline” Howell, works within a collision of styles and sensibilities – both rooted in a love of obscure records. Encouraged by his father, Saxon (who owns and operates the Earth Libraries label), was introduced to the world of record collecting in the mid-90s – particularly the sounds of 1950-60s rock-n-roll and R&B. Howell is a noted musician, producer, and emcee, known primarily for his solo work as Inkline, and as one half of punk-forged hip hop mavericks, Nerves Baddington.
PINEO & LOEB are an electronic music duo who create and play uplifting, funky, high-energy songs. Together they blur genre boundaries, uniting electronic dance, hip-hop, and rock fans. With chart topping remixes, international festival bookings, support from commercial, BBC and CBC radio, and placements on multiple major network television series, PINEO & LOEB combine pure party fun with artistic heights.
Their multiple award-winning DJ sets and shapeshifting live show feature an array of guest performers, from hype MCs to Celtic fiddlers and everything in between. PINEO & LOEB have worked with a variety of artists across many different genres such as Stylust Beats, The Funk Hunters, J Soul, July Talk, The Knocks, Walk The Moon, Ashley MacIsaac, Neon Dreams, Ghettosocks, Rich Aucoin, Kayo, and Quake Matthews. Notable festival performances include Bamboo Bass in Costa Rica, Conexion Beach Festival in Mexico, and in Canada at Valhalla Sound Circus, Future Forest Festival, Curiosity Festival, and Evolve Festival.
PINEO & LOEB have just released their third full-length recording, RADIANCE, on March 8, 2020 on Westwood Recordings in Canada.
With ‘Opening Scene’, SoulNidus’ release the rarest of love songs; one that draws as much emotional weight from the everyday feelings that accompany loving someone as it does from the enormity of love’s impact on every aspect of life.
As lead singer/songwriter, E states:
“It’s not about anyone or any moment specifically. It’s purely about how I feel about love.” For E and Sal, SoulNidus is a fusion of the disciplines each excels in and a byproduct of their creative lifestyle. “We’ve always looked at this as more than a band,” E explains, citing Sal’s contributions musically and as a photographer and designer, which, ever since their first shows at venues like Sneaky Dee’s in the mid-2000s, and in tandem with E’s uniquely personal lyrical sensibilities, has been a driving factor in their work together. E refers to that work as the result of an “addiction to creation” – an addiction that began during his youth in their family’s home, and only deepened after he began sharing his music with others.
SoulNidus cemented their reputation for music that was impossible to pigeonhole with a sound that, while reminiscent of Coldplay, Mumford & Sons, and Nick Cave, was entirely their own. They also expanded on the interplay between their recorded music and visual artistry; self-producing and directing videos for multiple singles.
“Opening Scene’ is a meditation on the blend of frailty and strength that compels us to risk rejection and seek out those connections over and again.
“It’s about loving and the fear of losing what you love, but it’s also about letting go, and dealing with all of that while feeling completely helpless the whole time,” E says. “These aren’t 21st-century problems. They’re not first world problems. They’re universal and, perhaps, one of the few common elements left in the world for us to share.”
Odario releases his epic new single and video “Low Light (In This Space)” for the delight of our ears. Odario is the leader and MC of live hip hop band, Grand Analog. He is also the host of CBC’s national afterdark radio show. He was prominently featured on A Tribe Called Red’s single Ba-Na-Na along with Haviah Mighty as well as the video. He was similarly featured on Ghost Caravan’s single Damn You and, again, in the video.
We had the pleasure of catching up with Odario, to dive a bit deeper into his video and world. Catch it below!
1. Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically?
Low Light (In This Space) is basically about checking your ego at the door before entering a space. It’s about being responsible for the energy you bring into a space. I feel ego is the main issue with our political and social make-up today… and there is far too much negative energy in the fabric. I enjoy the sporadic movement of this song. I like that Low Light feels contained, but has very little structure to it. So I chose to reflect all of that visually. The space provided in the video is contained, but the movement happening inside (by the dancers) has no structure.
2. What was the inspiration behind this video (visuals, storyline, etc.)?
I’ve wanted to work with dancer & choreographer Dammecia Hall for some time now, but never had the perfect song to chop it up with. We’ve been close friends for many years and I’ve always admired the way she listens to my music and interprets it in her own unique way. I’ve always wanted to make a video that allowed dance & movement to define the lyrics. I really appreciate the art of dance… maybe because I wish I was a better dancer. I’m always intrigued with what visual artists see when listening to my music… it usually results into something I never see. For this video, I wanted the dancers to define this song I wrote about the gospel of anger… a hunt for an answer.
3. What was the process of making this video?
I worked closely with cinematographer Lucas Joseph and editor Max Taeuschel. They are brilliant. We all agreed that the visuals should match the high energy bounce of Low Light, but also match it’s sporadic nature. I wanted the dancers to own their space, while being in the moment at the same time, and not be concerned about where the camera is. It was up to Lucas & Max to capture those moments. We went with a raw approach to shooting… no steady cam, no blocking. The stacks of speakers in the video were actually being used, and turned up to the max! It was a loud space that night. And we definitely felt the music when shooting.
Two words describe Jacquie Drew’s latest single “Affliction” best – soft and strong. Although these seem a bit oxymoronic, there is no better definition. To the listener’s ear, the instrumentation and Jacquie’s voice are unbelievably soothing; however when one dials into the lyricism, “I wouldn’t say you’re an addiction ‘cause I don’t want a cure” it’s clear the content Drew is discussing is a deep pull and longing for her love. The powerful word choice shows just how intense these feelings run for Drew. It really is a wonderfully conflicting universe she creates between content and soundscape.
Songs like “Affliction” are a breath of fresh air in modern music due to their rawness. This track is a cleverly arranged masterpiece with a mix of modern folk and a nostalgic sound similar to Fleetwood Mac. Drew did an amazing job preserving the organic beauty by not over saturating the original recording with modern effects.
According to Jacquie, “Affliction asks about commitment – whether one should plunge into something fully, or continue hanging on by the edge. It can be interpreted as a relationship with a person or with a passion, and the similarity between the two.”
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