Arkells-  "Making Due" (Universal Music Canada): Arkells have been steadily climbing to the top of the Canadian rock ladder, and high hopes are held for the arrival of their upcoming fourth album, Morning Report, on Aug. 5. This new single again showcases their combination of surging heartland rock and eloquent lyrics, a pairing a colleague astutely compared to Tom Cochrane. Singer/lyricist Max Kerman explains in a press release that “the song is about people who’ve been left behind. Communities that’ve been uncared for. We have a lot of hopeful songs, but lyrically this is a helpless one. 

"Last summer I’d wake up every morning, have a coffee, read the news and feel a little paralyzed.  Another community would be on fire, mostly because they’ve suffered years of neglect. And then I’d listen to covers of Stephen Foster’s 'Hard Times' on repeat. That song can make you cry. But what I love about writing music is that the melodies and rhythm create an alchemy with the words that can also give you a little bit of hope.”

That is exactly what Arkells achieve in impressive fashion here. Upcoming shows include the Pemberton Music Festival (July 14), Way-Home Festival (July 23) and Rock the Shores in Colwood BC (July 24).