Hey! May’s band is The Holy Gasp! The most musically important band I’ve heard in quite a spell, The Holy Gasp’s party mix of Afro-Cuban surf punk wizardry grabs you quick and hard, and doesn’t let you go. Check out their refreshing approach to getting a message across with body-moving
Continue readingAuthor: Greg
Things Are Good: Band of the Month: Eytan Tobin
Annnnnd we’re back! February’s Band of the Month is Eytan Tobin. Admittedly, I know very little when it comes to electronic music. But I know what I like when I hear it, and Toronto’s Eytan Tobin‘s blend of hip-hop, dance, and electronic keeps me checking his Soundcloud regularly for the
Continue readingThings Are Good: Band of the Month: O’Hara
Here it is, just in time…. May’s Band of the Month! O’Hara is a Montreal band that is gentle yet poignant with delicately sparse melodies, and memorable vocal hooks delivered with a wistful strength. Placed over slowly blooming, hypnotic progressions of effected guitar and violin, their songs aren’t short but
Continue readingThings Are Good: Band of the Month: SOHN
Hey readers! This months band is SOHN. London born and Vienna settled, SOHN is longing, brooding, and beautiful. Much like Toronto’s current state of anticipation for this winter’s eventual end. SOHN uses powerfully pulsing digital beats with spiralling layers of arpeggiating synth to provide an appropriately intense foundation for the
Continue readingThings Are Good: Band of the Month: Revelstoke
Happy Spring! We made it!! Today’s band is Revelstoke. Revelstoke, inspired by a sleepy town nestled in the foothills of the Rocky’s, and propelled by the influence of the Toronto urban soundscape. His first ep, ‘My oh My’ is a gentle journey through memorable vocal refrains, guitar looping, and occasionally
Continue readingThings Are Good: Band of the Month: Ween
Hi readers, February’s band is Ween! Conceived in New Hope, Pennsylvania by Gene and Dean Ween, Ween has achieved tremendous underground success with a cult following that has taken their music all over the world, yet has never really become well known in mainstream American pop music. Despite being generally
Continue readingThings Are Good: Band of the Month: The Nursery
Happy New Year! This months band is The Nursery. Riddled with unforgettable guitar and synth driven hooks, in an impeccably well organized fusion of soulful, oddball pop-rock and dreamy folk, The Nursery stand alone and defy genres with their upbeat sound. Tied together by lyrical and vocal prowess, their songs
Continue readingThings Are Good: Band of the Month: Dusted
December’s Band of the Month is Toronto duo, Dusted. With sweet, soaring lo-fi, elevated by lonely but hopeful vocal and synth melodies, Dusted is able to combine restful patience and momentum cohesively, throughout the movement of each song. Dusted is a gentle audio journey to accompany the ensuing snowfalls of
Continue readingThings Are Good: Band of the Month: LadyFace
Happy Friday! Today’s Band of the Month is LadyFace. A charming, guitar driven Toronto four-piece, who’s hooks are dead set on having you singing them in your sleep. Chalk full of friendly, fist-in-the-air choral anthems and memorable melodies, LadyFace also exposes a softer side with sweet and sensitive ballads. LadyFace’s
Continue readingThings Are Good: Band of the Month: Craig Brown
Happy Friday, readers. After a 2 month hiatus, Band of the Month is back! Today’s band is Craig Brown. A multi-instrumentalist and producer with a great gift of transforming life’s celebrations, insights, and reflection into song both musically and lyrically. Craig Brown has just released his sixth album, Hysteresis. Colourfully
Continue readingThings Are Good: Band of the Month: Kira May
Friday….What a day! Today’s band is Kira May. A Toronto musician whose hypnotic and soothing loop mastery quiets and captivates entire rooms upon her first breath. Powerful, layered vocal harmonies, and slow, softly haunting melodies keep you listening to every word. And at live performances she’s known to have appropriately
Continue readingThings Are Good: Band of the Month: Most People
It’s July…..Time for Band of the Month! Today’s band is Most People. Soothing, yet energetic, and jam packed with a vibrantly colourful sonic palate, Most People capture attention and lay a landscape your ears could drive for days. Using brightly percussive guitar, and warm, soaring vocal melodies over soft synth
Continue readingThings Are Good: Band of the Month: The Cautioneers
Hello Friday! We made it! As the NXNE music festival has been invoking joyous, creative revelry inside AND outside of venues throughout downtown Toronto over the last three days, we’re now in the thick of it and I’m excited for the second featured Band in the last week. Today’s band
Continue readingThings Are Good: Band of the Month: Human Bodies
This week, I will be featuring two bands as a small highlight of the 1000 plus talented bands from all over the globe performing in Toronto’s upcoming NXNE music festival that runs June 10-16. The first of two bands is Human Bodies. Patient, lush, and explosive all rolled into a
Continue readingThings Are Good: Band of the Month: Bury the Hatchet
Happy Friday……We’ve made it! Today’s band is Bury the Hatchet. This Toronto ensemble translates tales through warm and wordy, infectiously honest melodies spoken by a wide array of instruments such as cello, guitar, clarinet, flute, and keyboard. Poetic and powerfully driven, Bury the Hatchet is a band deserving of an
Continue readingThings Are Good: Band of the Month: Neighbourhood Watch
Happy Friday! Today’s band is Thornhill’s Neighbourhood Watch. Embarking on their third year together, the band has honed a colourfully guitar driven, suburban rock style unlike any other local indie acts. With upbeat tempos and a plethora of harmonious synth and guitar melodies, Neighbourhood Watch delivers an energetic live show
Continue readingThings Are Good: Band of the Month: Patrick Watson
Hello readers! This time I’ve decided to feature a band not so unheard of, but one that has owned so much play time in my headphones over the last several days. Montreal’s Patrick Watson has a prolifically beautiful and articulate way of musically flirting with a marriage of classical and
Continue readingThings Are Good: Band of the Month: Fire/Works
Good Friday, readers! Today’s Band of the Month is Montreal’s Fire/Works. Motivated by the marriage of rhythm and ambiance, this French-Canadian progressive folk duo take a unique spin on organic acoustic instrumentation by adding a tasteful layer of patiently explosive effects to acoustic guitar and banjo. Lead by sweetly engaging
Continue readingThings Are Good: Band of the Month: CRHYMES
Good day readers! This Friday’s band of the month is CRHYMES Soft and poetic, and sonically eclectic, this Toronto 5 piece showcases moments of longing, contemplation, and joy, all within the sweetly short seventeen and a half minutes of their debut ep ‘Our Surprises’. With moods of patience and transition,
Continue readingThings Are Good: Band of the Month: The Jessica Stewart Few
Heya TAG readers, it’s Band of the Month time! Today’s band of the month is The Jessica Stewart Few. A Toronto folk-jazz fusion three piece with trans-continental instrumentation. With a rhythm section of drums and double-bass, and a singer/guitarist/koto player, JSF has a listen-ably diverse mix of progressive folk, jazz,
Continue reading