by Jane Lambert

VIDEO VOYAGEUR: 3QS WITH GAVIN MCLEOD

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 romantic idea 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.

Keep up to date with Gavin McLeod on his website at www.gavinmcleodmusic.com

Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Music can be streamed on Spotify,Apple Music, and YouTube.

11.07.22

by Jane Lambert

Elizabeth P.W. Shares Her New Folk Single “Brooklyn”

Brooklyn based singer-songwriter Elizabeth P.W. has a new single out now called “Brooklyn.”

A song packed with meaning, “Brooklyn” came to Elizabeth suddenly after the death of her aunt in Manhattan who was involved in a car accident:

“With my Aunt Amy´s death, I had a sudden realization: after over 100 years of Brooklyn being the hub of our family, I was the last living person in the Phillipson family who remained. The chorus of the song popped into my head one day and the rest of the song came soon after.”

With the Americana folk chorus and key instrumental violin and accordion solos, this song is memorable and full of emotion. As a multi-instrumentalist, Elizabeth´s music has been nominated for various composer awards as well as being premiered in films at Tribeca Film Festival, DOC NYC and more.

“Brooklyn” combines various synth sounds with organic instruments like the folk violin to create her signature sound.

Elizabeth released her debut folk album “Haven´t Found It” back in 2019, to much critical acclaim and she has been busy ever since composing music for film scores such as the 2021 NAACP Image Award nominated short film “Gets Good Light”.

Her music influences include Fleetwood Mac, Jackson Browne and Glen Campbell. With such an eclectic sound and great musical talent for both songwriting and performing, we can´t wait to hear more of Elizabeth´s music both on screen and future single releases.

Stay current with Elizabeth Phillipson-Weiner on her Website and social media channels Instagram ,Twitter and TikTok.

Stream music on YouTube , Spotify and Soundcloud

10.10.22

by Jane Lambert

Ariel Arbisser Shares Her New Electro-Pop Single “Rabbit Hole”

Singer/songwriter Ariel Arbisser’s music and performances make her audiences feel seen, heard, and offers a unique glimpse into how she experiences the highs and lows of the world. Her music is raw and passionate, a brand of pop that you won’t find in other artists.

She just released her new electro-pop single, with a hint of funk, “Rabbit Hole,” the follow up single to her last release “Bloodshed.” “The core of this song came to me last year and it’s had a chokehold on me since,” shares Ariel. “Thematically there’s some crossover, but ‘Rabbit Hole’ comes down from the rage-filled fever pitch of ‘Bloodshed’ to this which is a more restrained, sexy, slow-burn. Things haven’t settled yet. The ‘dark side’ is still enticing, maybe even more comfortable than it was before. The full song sonically is true, addictive journey downward.”

“Rabbit Hole” has a contemporary meets retro electro-pop sound, almost like a Sara Bareilles meets Harry Styles. Her voice carries such strength, similar to an Alice Russell or Brandi Carlile, or even an Adele.

Through her lens as a white, Jewish, queer woman, she is transparent when learning out loud and participates in ongoing conversations about mental health, body neutrality, sex positivity, social and racial justice, LGBTQ rights, and more. In a world that’s dangerous for far too many and uncomfortable for almost everyone, she creates a touchstone by creating art, appreciating simple pleasures, and taking dedicated and intentional risks for love.

“With love comes inevitable pain– miscommunication, betrayal, heartache, loss… Allowing yourself to be vulnerable enough to experience love, however briefly, is brave. And it’s worth it in the end.”

Connect with Ariel Arbisser via:
Website / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / TikTok / YouTube / Spotify / Soundcloud

09.12.22

by Jane Lambert

Rising Indie Artist Josiah Mann Shares His First Single “Angel”

Ford Photographs – Nashville Architectural Photographer

Missouri born and raised indie artist Josiah Mann has released his new acoustic indie pop single, “Angel”, released September 1, 2022 from his debut album Grace.

“I wrote the song “Angel” 16 years ago after falling in love for the first time. Prior to that relationship, I had never been in a serious relationship as an adult and really struggled with low self worth. To the outside world, I seemed to be accomplishing a lot with my life but I was super lonely. The song recounts our first night together and the feelings of elation and disbelief that someone so amazing and beautiful would actually want to be with me.”

“Angel” is a love ballad with introspective lyrics and a warm, melodic guitar and piano melody. The song tells a story of love, and the life journey with a vocal strength and vulnerability similar to the likes of John Meyer and Ed Sheeran.

Listen here:

Mann grew up in a family that was always struggling financially, and Josiah was bankrupt at the age of only 25. He was so determined to turn his life around, that he taught himself how to code and began earning a 6 figure salary. By the age of 35, he sold his software company for 7 figures.

After having established himself financially, Mann was then able to develop more of his musical talents and sought to release an album. His debut, “Grace” is a 10 song, self produced collection of songs that reflect on his upbringing and life journey so far.

With an authenticity and fresh talent on the indie pop scene, Joshua Mann is sure to attract a growing fanbase around the world.

Stay current with Josiah Mann on his Website and social media channels Instagram , Facebook and TikTok. Stream music on YouTube , Spotify and Soundcloud

08.09.22

by Jane Lambert

Erika Olson’s “Mamma Ain’t Got No Time” Shines a Light on Her Unique Life of Motherhood

Singer/songwriter Erika Olson has a new single out called “Mamma Ain´t Got No Time,” a folksy pop ballad on the life of a mother. It is a rich and intricate song with descriptive and emotional lyrics and an overall light energy. This song is one you will want to play again and again, with it´s unique folk and country vibes:

“‘Momma Ain’t Got No Time’ was born from a conversation with a dear friend. I’d just started songwriting and was struggling with not having any time to do it. My friend so wisely suggested that I write that song. And so, it began. This was not the first song that I wrote, but it was the first song I wrote in my own voice. I felt like this song revealed who I was and how I saw the world. Yes, life is hard, motherhood is a huge transition, and also it is magical, transformative, and I don’t regret it for a second.

Erika is an American expat currently living in East Sussex, England. She grew up living all over the United States, from New Mexico to Utah, Massachusetts, New York, Virginia and North Carolina.

Having left a busy law career on becoming a mother, and realising she needed to explore her musical and creative talents more, Erika dug deep and started taking guitar lessons. It was then that she could take some reflection time away from raising her three young children, and revel in her creative passions.

“Mamma Ain´t Got No Time” is all about motherhood and its sea of chaos, the ups and the downs. Rooted in the everyday things, Olson is sure to be a witness to her own journey of becoming a mother as well as use her music as a vessel to wake us up to our own precious and unique lives.

Just about to self-release her debut album, Erika has learned that change is her constant and her power.

Listen here:

Stay current with Erika Olson on her website and social media channels Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

Stream music on YouTube and Soundcloud

04.19.22

by Jane Lambert

“One Last Kiss” is the Folk Pop Melody We Want

Emily + Shawn release a new single called “One Last Kiss” and we will play it one thousand times over! It’s a song that celebrates the freedom that comes with putting your foot down and just moving on. It’s reminiscent of the sounds of Gwen Stefani married with Sara Bareillis and The Lumineers, putting their own spin on folk-pop. “One Last Kiss” is infectious and hypnotic. You’ll find yourself singing along in no time.

“This song started out as a slow acoustic ballad, reflecting on our frustrations with the drag of the 9-5 workday. Making music is what we love, but our day jobs are a “necessary evil” in order to put food on the table while we shift our careers from typical corporate and government jobs into the music industry.”

Listen here:

The journey of Emily + Shawn started in college, where they met and fell in love with each other. While Emily began her career in music theater and took vocal lessons throughout high school and college, Shawn was writing and performing his own original music. In college, they were both in a cappella groups, where they started singing covers and making their own music together.

After college, Shawn moved out west for his day job, but he still performed regularly in and around the southern California scene. Once Shawn moved back east, he performed at the Bethlehem MusikFest and had a jingle he co-wrote used for a national Target ad campaign.

After they got married, they started making original music together – our sound and style combines Emily’s love for indie pop with Shawn’s love for classic folk & blues. We have performed in a variety of venues, from small cafes to crowds of over 5,000 people. In 2019, we began working with renowned vocal coach Wendy Parr, and our recently-recorded debut EP is produced by David Baron (Lumineers, Meghan Trainor, Shawn Mendes).

“We like the real stuff – the good stuff. The stuff that takes time and effort and attention to detail. Artisanship. Handwritten notes. Home made cocktails. Listening to records from start to finish. Finding and creating music that brings us in and takes us somewhere.”

Find Emily + Shawn via:
Website // Instagram // Facebook // YouTube // TikTok // Spotify // Soundcloud