8 Tracks

Let’s get over that mid-week slump with some new tunes to perk up your day, shall we? Check out the mini reviews and words from the artists, then turn up these eight new tracks and find your new favourites!

Slightest Clue – “Zipper” 

The latest from Slightest Clue is a post-punk / alt-rock gem, with fast-paced, frenetic energy and undeniable catchiness. It brings to mind some of the band making my favourite music from the UK currently. From The Band: With their vigorous new release, “Zipper,” the band had a rough idea of what the song might end up becoming, since a big inspiration to get it finished was the idea of playing it live. There’s an electric current that gets all four of them hyped up whenever they play it live together, and they knew that this crazy energy had to be translated into the final recorded track. The lyrics came from frustrations with one’s own mental state, and feeling trapped when you can remember a happy feeling but your brain won’t deliver it when you need it most. The song title comes directly from the initial demo Sean Ries sent, titled “so many zippers” which references the tone of his guitar.

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GOLDRIDGE – “WORTH IT” 

GOLDRIDGE is local musician Andrew Reinhart’s last project – in the new single, he brings big energy, fusing rock and electronic styles to create a compelling new sound. From The Artist: Contrasting between uplifting lyrics and aggressive riffs/percussion, GOLDRIDGE’s debut single, “WORTH IT,” reflects on the dynamic of healthy relationships. It’s about the ability for your partner to open up, inspire you, make you be the very best version of yourself that you can be, and in turn, for you to do the same for them.

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Modern Alibi – “Silver Spoon” 

A fantastic follow-up to Modern Alibi’s debut single, “Silver Spoon” has a moody, alluring style, with compelling vocals and guitar riffs. This tune sounds like an absolute hit. From The Band:“After a great response from their debut single, Modern Alibi has followed up with another live show fan favorite, Silver Spoon. Influenced by alt rock greats such as Arctic Monkeys and iDKHow, the driving minor swing beat creates a dark tone for the lyrical imagery to unfold. The song describes a suitor’s struggle to heed his own warning to others about the powerful allure of an affluent, enigmatic femme fatale.”

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Johnny Aries – “A Tear When You Want To Die”

Next up, we’ve got some killer alt-rock with a subdued-yet-captivating style and melodic vocals. It’s got a catchy chorus and a cool eeriness to the verses. Great track from this UK artist! From The Artist: “I guess it’s a song about betrayal and deception, and the mania that invokes when you’re fully realizing it. I wanted to make something uptempo noisy and manic, to match the lyrics”

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Bealby Point – “America”

“America” by Bealby Point brings about images of a 50’s school dance with its retro vibes – but, with a modern alt-rock twist, it’s ready for a 2023 audience to dive into and love. Perfect for fans of Weezer, Peach Pit, and other garage-rock-meets-indie-pop bands. From The Band: Whilst thinking to their neighbours and cultural siblings in the USA and writing the title “America” first in the studio, the group then crafted the driving emotive track to this inspiration: “images of fighter jets flying over a football field coated in American flags and raging fans all bleeding red, white, and blue flooded our minds which lead to the song becoming an anthem.” The single embodies that vision remarkably well, in a genre that rarely delves into the grandiosity of American culture.. With driving and shimmering pop-rock riffs and a get up and go tempo “America” is a stadium sized song.

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Whale and the Wolf – “Sharp Knife” 

Here’s the latest from Edmonton’s Whale and the Wolf – big sound, lots of intensity; this is a powerful track, with a melodic piano sound that really serves to tie it all together. From The Band:“Sharp Knife” focuses on harmful temptations such as certain relationships, substances, pop culture and social media. Things that seem harmless at first may end up changing over time and become controlling or damaging. The main item that the band drew inspiration from was cell phones. We rarely allow ourselves to be more than an arm’s reach away from a dopamine hit in the form of a notification icon that keeps us coming back for more. In other words, it’s an unlimited gas that fuels the flame of jealousy, vanity and desire.

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Buddha Trixie – “Semi-Pro” 

Fuzzy, fun and frenzied – that’ s the best way to describe the latest from Buddha Trixie. It had me chair dancing, bopping along, and ready for more. From The Band: little punk rock ditty about having almost made it.

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Joan of Arkansas – “Final Girl Semifinalist”

From the first time I heard this track, I was hooked. The frenetic pace, the grittiness, and above all, the unbelievable performance from vocalist Kayla Long. It spoke to my riot grrrl heart, with Joan of Arkansas twisting up genres and heavy styles to – yet again – create a sound all their own. From The Band:“”Final Girl Semi Finalist” started as a writing exercise on that weird pervasive feeling that most of us have in this era: “What if I’m not the star of the show, but an extra in someone else’s movie?” Once you start diving down that rabbit hole of thought, more questions get brought up: Where the hell is the script?, What happened to all those characters who once felt so important but now you can’t quite remember?, Has anyone heard from the Producer? It gets pretty Camus pretty damn quick. That leads to the next question: What if you are actually in a horror movie that just hasn’t introduced the monster yet? If you are, then we all know what happens to 95 percent of the featured cast in those kind of flicks. Not everyone gets to be Neve Campbell, and we have the sneaking suspicion that we are a band full of Rose McGowans.”