Single Servings, Aug. 3, 2021
Among this week’s Single Servings, John Orpheus finds his inner Prince, The Wilderness Of Manitoba continues to push folk’s boundaries, and we finally get to hear Joni through Jimi’s ears.
By Jason Schneider
Among this week’s Single Servings, John Orpheus finds his inner Prince, The Wilderness Of Manitoba continues to push folk’s boundaries, and we finally get to hear Joni through Jimi’s ears.
Sate – When I Let You Go
Release Date: July 23
Label: CLK Creative Works
Whenever Toronto artist Sate unleashes her new album The Fool, it is guaranteed to set the Canadian rock world on fire. Until then, she’s keeping us on the edge of our seats with this track recorded for her previous album RedBlack&Blue, but not widely heard until now. Those already familiar with her Tina Turner-fronting-Black Sabbath attack will not be disappointed.
Stream/Purchase here
The Hidden Cameras – Redemption
Release Date: July 23
Label: Independent
Not much has been heard from Joel Gibbs’ trailblazing indie collective over the past five years, but they’ve just announced that a new album is on the way in 2022, conceived and recorded in Germany. The brief, elegiac Redemption doesn’t offer much of a sense of what the overall results will be like, apart from Gibbs sounding in fine voice. I imagine more surprises such as this are still to come.
Stream/Purchase here
John Orpheus – IG
Release Date: July 9
Label: The Confidence Emperors
The artist also known as Antonio Michael Downing has had a banner year, with his memoir Saga Boy receiving rave reviews and his music finally finding an audience after years of bouncing around genres. It’s all come together on the just released album Saga King, with IG showing off Orpheus’ fun-loving side through some uptown funk topped off with a few juicy Prince-esque guitar riffs.
Stream/Purchase here
Neela – Let It Down
Release Date: July 28
Label: Neela Music
Toronto/Vancouver R&B artist Neela continues to build anticipation for her next EP, Prelude with this track made with renowned Canadian producer Chin Injeti. Her sultry voice is perfectly matched with Injeti’s intimate approach that oozes late-night vibes.
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The Glorious Sons – Hold Steady
Release Date: July 28
Label: Black Box Music
The Juno-winning Kingston, Ontario rockers are sharing another new track ahead of U.S. shows in December, to be followed by an extensive Canadian tour kicking off right after the New Year. Hold Steady finds them going in a funkier direction before it climaxes with one of their patented arena-filling choruses. Not exactly groundbreaking, but still super-charged enough to get you shaking your ass.
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Ada Lea – Damn
Release Date: July 27
Label: Saddle Creek/Next Door Records
There’s currently some hype surrounding Montreal singer/songwriter Ada Lea, who draws a lot of inspiration from the city for her latest album, out this September—the title of which is too lengthy for my lazy fingers to type out. Oddly enough, most of her song titles are only a single word, yet display her meandering use of language that is in sync with her easy-flowing musical approach on songs like Damn. Pleasant enough, but ultimately unconvincing.
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Dooms Children – Psyche Hospital Blues
Release Date: July 28
Label: Dine Alone Records
A couple of months ago, Alexisonfire’s Wade MacNeil shared a preview of this new project that also includes Daniel Romano and his brother Ian (both formally of Attack In Black). Psyche Hospital Blues offers further insight with its straight up hard rock framework, allowing MacNeil to tell a pretty gripping story that opens with the killer line, “My father cried when he dropped me off at rehab.” The debut full-length from Dooms Children is out Oct. 20.
Stream/Purchase here
Leeroy Stagger – Does Anybody Live Here?
Release Date: July 30
Label: Independent
Like many artists based in western Canada, Leeroy Stagger has never received a fair shake by major media outlets across the country, although that hasn’t stopped him from consistently turning out high quality, emotionally resonant records. His latest, Dystopian Weekends, is out Oct. 1 and judging by Does Anybody Live Here?, it will be a heart-breaking affair in the finest Springsteen tradition.
The Wilderness Of Manitoba – The Alchemist
Release Date: July 30
Label: Popguru Sound And Vision
Toronto-based The Wilderness Of Manitoba has been one of Canada’s more interesting folk-rock bands for some time, and they continue to push their boundaries on The Alchemist, the first taste of the album Farewell To Cathedral, due out Oct. 29. Building from a rather complex acoustic guitar riff, it builds to a majestic conclusion through some stellar production and the group’s haunting vocal harmony that manages to eclipse Fleet Foxes’ attempts at outdoing Simon & Garfunkel.
Stream/Purchase here
Joni Mitchell – The Dawntreader (Live at Le Hibou 1968)
Release Date: July 28
Label: Warner Music Canada
It’s been one of the great rock and roll legends: When Jimi Hendrix played Ottawa in March 1968, he made a point of seeing Joni Mitchell, then in the midst of an extended engagement at Le Hibou coffeehouse. Jimi brought his tape recorder and captured the night, although his efforts somehow vanished soon after, eventually turning up in the collection of the late Ottawa music scene fixture Richard Patterson. The tape will finally be heard on the second volume of Joni’s Reprise Years archival series out this October, including this transfixing version of The Dawntreader, originally on her debut album Song To A Seagull. Thank you, Jimi.
Stream/Purchase here
