Hamilton, Ontario’s The Dirty Nil are following up on their recently released album, The Lash (July 25, 2025), with a new live record Live At The Dine Alone Store. Featuring 13 tracks that span the band’s discography, the LP features The Dirty Nil in their element.

Live At The Dine Alone Store is available to purchase featuring two variants: DA Exclusive (ltd to 100) / Standard(ltd to 200). Remaining vinyl copies will be available online at dinealonestore.com the following day (November 29th) followed by the digital release this past Friday.

Taken from The Lash, “Fail In Time” is the first cut to be spotlighted from the session. A perfect example of the album’s stripped down, black-and-white approach, “Fail In Time” is raw, loud, and refreshingly bleak.

“We played more shows this year than any other, by far,” The Dirty Nil elaborates. “2025 was a blur, but this show stands out as the day we got to celebrate The Lash with our friends, family and fans. We had some of our favourite local bands play and it nearly brought us to tears seeing all the work that Dine Alone had put into NIL-ifying their headquarters in our honour. The Lash themed cookies were delicious.”

Baja, California-based artist Sia Shells invites listeners to dive deep into their strength and surrender with “Riding The Wave” – an ethereal, ocean-inspired pop anthem that captures the power of resilience, transformation, and trust in the tides of life. Blending her signature mermaid pop aesthetic with dreamlike production and soulful vocals, Sia Shells conjures a sonic spell for anyone struggling to stay afloat.

“‘Riding The Wave’ is all about keeping your head above water throughout the current of life, especially when it pulls you down and it’s hard to see the surface,” she explains. “It’s about resilience, change, and finding the strength to overcome it all while evoking the mysterious and beautiful imagery of the ocean.”

Crafted to mirror the ocean’s ebb and flow, the song’s composition moves between whispering vocals – representing the wind – and a swelling, powerful crescendo that embodies the sea itself. Produced with a touch of nostalgic warmth, the track feels like a safe, familiar space for reflection and renewal. “I wanted a nostalgic feel to the song, so it feels like a familiar, safe space for people to hold onto when they’re feeling like they’re drowning or carried away by the tides of their life,” Sia Shells shares.

“Riding The Wave” continues Sia Shells’ exploration of the mystical and the mindful – a reminder that, like the sea, we are vast, deep, and ever-changing. “Open your arms as wide as the horizon meets the sea,” she says. “You are strong enough to ride the wave.”

American folk artist Dan Pallotta returns with Working Man’s Son, a deeply introspective new album spanning themes of love and loss, childhood experiences that shape us, the dignity of work, and the inner voices that tell us we’re never enough. Anchored by the nostalgic lead single, “24 Kenmore Road,” the record traces the intimate stories of everyday people, reminding listeners of the beauty and heartbreak inherent in ordinary life.

“Working Man’s Son is a collection of songs I’ve recorded over the last 16 months,” Pallotta shares. “Each song is deeply introspective, some directly and some through the lens of characters. It’s about the heartbreaking beauty of the human condition – the inner battles we fight with ourselves that the world doesn’t know about, even though everyone else is struggling with a  battle unknown to us.”

“A construction worker who never felt he was enough because he sacrificed career dreams for his family,” Pallotta continues. “The school bus driver who lost her husband just as they were about to retire. The trash man who sees robotic arms taking away his livelihood and is scared to death of that.”

“24 Kenmore Road” draws from Pallotta’s own childhood in Malden, Massachusetts and the two-family house his parents bought to raise four kids. “I wanted to capture a deep appreciation for the innocence and beauty of the neighborhood community that existed in 1960s America. Sometimes the literal is more poetic than any metaphor – everyone remembers the address of the house they grew up in.”

Recorded mostly in his personal studio, Pallotta captured guitar, vocals, harmonica, percussion, and synthesizers with minimal takes, preserving the intimacy and authenticity of the performances. “Pretty much everything is a first take, even if there are some warts. I wanted to keep it that way. It’s very hard not to get self-conscious on your second, third, fourth takes, and  then you lose the intimacy.”

Ottawa-based singer-songwriter Heliara returns with “I Know That You Love Me,” a refreshingly honest and heartfelt pop track about the beauty and complexity of loving – and being loved by – your opposite. As the newest offering from her upcoming EP Everything’s a Love Song, the single captures the contradictions of real-world relationships, embracing both their joy and imperfection with wit, vulnerability, and irresistible rhythm.

“Falling in love with your polar opposite has its beauties and challenges and this song documents the journey of a very real long-term relationship,” Heliara shares. “It may not be your typical love song, but it is a love song nonetheless, infused with the vulnerability, quirkiness and authenticity that typically characterizes my songwriting.”

Originally written and performed live in 2024, the track took on new life nearly a year later when Heliara revisited and rewrote most of its lyrics, sharpening the focus on authenticity and emotional contrast. Produced by Steve Foley at Audio Valley Recording Studio, the final version brings together lo-fi textures and pop polish – a sonic reflection of the song’s dualities.

“Steve suggested adding this cool lo-fi beat to the verses, which gives them such a neat colour before ascending into the more traditional pop beat of the chorus,” Heliara explains. “There’s also this rhythmic ‘push’ in the chords which gives it an energetic, danceable and interesting flow. The bridge has a more hip-hop style beat under it, which provides a marked contrast to the verses and chorus.”
Balancing vulnerability and confidence, the single continues Heliara’s mission to make music that feels real – songs that mirror the full range of the human experience, from messy to magical. “As a songwriter and creative, I feel that my music gives a voice to those who may see themselves reflected in my own humanity, vulnerabilities and struggles,” Heliara says. “Life can be a wild ride, and we are all in it together!”

Vancouver-based harpist, vocalist, and composer Elisa Thorn unveils her highly anticipated album, xiik, a carefully crafted exploration of melody, expression, and generosity in music-making. Whimsical, curious, and intimate, the album blends experimental indie, folk, and ambient influences while foregrounding Thorn’s harp and voice as the guiding instruments.

“xiik reflects a long pursuit of figuring out how to make the harp express melodies without being overly verbose,” Thorn explains. “I’m pretty hell-bent on getting the harp out of the ‘ornamental’ category of music. It’s tough, due to the nature of the instrument, but also because of people’s expectations.”

Recorded over the past eight years, xiik represents nearly a decade of creative exploration, beginning with Thorn’s first carbon fiber lever harp and her desire to create music that is both solo-performable and expansive in the studio. The album was co-produced by David Vertesi, who understood the nuances of the harp and helped capture its warmth and versatility, and features contributions from Dan Gaucher on drums. An alternate take of the record’s “Lullaby” was produced by LA-based ambient artist Tristan De Liege, further expanding the album’s sonic palette.

Album opener “Idle Talk” is a math-folk track inspired by the history of the word ‘gossip’ and the way female relationships have been perceived throughout history. “The earliest known origin of the word referred to a midwife, then to women who supported a new mother during childbirth, then more generally to women who were friends/supportive of each other,” Thorn explains. “Eventually, it ended up being a derogatory term during the Middle Ages and Renaissance times when the patriarchy started to see female friendships as a threat to its agenda.”

“Idle Talk” also showcases Thorn’s experimentation with unusual time signatures and instrumentation. “My favourite part of this track are the drums, played by Dan Gaucher. I’m also proud of my use of melody in this song – I have been working for a long time with getting the harp to express melody in a direct and succinct way and I feel like that really works here. It’s so fun to play!”

Vancouver-based singer-songwriter Debra-Jean Creelman returns with “Bloom,” a captivating single that captures the ache of self-reflection and the bittersweet beauty of personal growth. Blending soulful vocals with plaintive alt-country textures, “Bloom” is a deeply human exploration of honesty, imperfection, and the quiet courage it takes to face oneself.

Born out of a writing exercise with one of her students, “Bloom” evolved from a simple lyrical prompt into a stirring collaboration with longtime creative partner Sean Cronin. The track was recorded live to tape in a barn in Catskill, NY, with Cronin assembling an all-star ensemble of collaborators, including Noah B. Harley (Spirit Family Reunion), Andy Weaver, Adam Brisbin (Big Thief), and Alex P. Wernquest (recording engineer and owner of Basement Floods Record.)

Creelman later overdubbed her vocals in Vancouver with Dave Genn (54-40, Matthew Good Band) & Kendel Carson (Alan Thomas Doyle; Shania Twain), whose fiddle and harmonies add depth and shimmer to the track.

“The goal was to make something soulful that properly reflected my biggest musical influences and had my vocals front and centre,” Creelman shares. “I wanted it to be something that would translate well live – more of an emotional experience for the listener rather than a cerebral one.”

At once intimate and revelatory, “Bloom” finds Creelman at her most honest – wistful yet grounded, with a delivery that feels timeless and true. It’s the first glimpse into her forthcoming  album Little Town (out December 5th), which flows between genres effortlessly – with her distinct vocals, and Cronin’s cinematic storytelling as the thru line throughout.