8 Tracks

It’s been a while since our last 8 Tracks, so we’ve overdue – time to share some killer new singles from bands we dig! Check out the mini reviews, read about the artists, and turn these tracks up.

Grimelda – “George Thorogood”

Love the energy in this new punk track from Canadian band Grimelda (formerly the Faps). The rest of my day will now consist of me singing “I’m George Thorogood” to myself over and over until everyone thinks I’m insane. That’s the mark of a killer song! From the band: “Their new single “George Thorogood,” named after the American musician, is for living in the moment and rocking out! Grimelda’s aim was to make their own fun version of a radio-friendly rock song that mixes modern, classic, and DIY aesthetics.” 


New Friends – “Waste My Time”

It’s hard not to immediately dig this alt pop gem from Canadian band New Friends. So catchy and upbeat while still holding onto just the right amount of edginess. This band is a new favourite! From The Band: ““Waste My Time” features tantalizing verses with intimate vocals which bloom into the chorus’ breath of fresh air, the feeling of relief after having confronted your problems. It’s a smooth and bass driven piece of alternative indie pop, displaying the band’s confident introspection. “Eat up every word you say, my perception dilates.” New Friends use the analogy of love as a drug to depict crossing over into a state of submission. “Whether true or false, you will still sit there and truly value the other person’s opinion more than your own because that is how deep love can go,” explains the band.”


Jeremy Voltz – “Mountains”

Here’s the latest and greatest from Toronto’s Jeremy Voltz. This time he infuses his singer-songwriter sound with elements of soul, folk, and something else unique his own. From the Artist: ““Mountains” leans into Voltz’s ability to combine indie soul and folk influences. The song was written during a period of frustration with many aspects of society when he dreamt of escaping reality. “Mountains” doesn’t run away from the things that are wrong in one’s life. Instead, it’s a song about running to go find what you’re lacking. It celebrates the beauty and calm that Voltz wasn’t feeling at the time of writing, holding onto the peace found in nature.”


The Blackwater Fever – “Love Is Strange”

Serious grooves, compelling vocals, and an overall sexy rock style make this a stand out song, perfect for fans of QOTSA. From The Band: “With a premise to recreate a song with the same gloomy sentiment of Chris Isaak’s hit Wicked Game, Love Is Strange reaches for that same melancholy aesthetic and encases it in a powerful rock arrangement with visceral guitars and tough driving drums. Portraying a dark dissonance between two lovers. This impassioned and electrifying single, treats fans to another exciting preview to TBWF’s 6th studio album ‘Temptator’, out 27th October.”


Mike Legere – “With You”

Another fantastic indie rock from Canadian Mike Legere. There’s a beautiful simplicity to it, which lets the vocals and guitar truly shine through. From The Artist: “With You is about choosing the painful process of de-coupling, the self-reflection and re-surfacing issues you are forced to face when removing yourself from a long-term relationship. It’s about taking stock of your life and who you are vs. who you had set out to be, re-centering yourself in your own priorities and squaring all the little decisions that led you to where you are, in hopes of growing beyond that place. It was written from within a cloud of grief and uncertainty in the months preceding the end of a ten year relationship.” “With you” is a journey through all of the emotions felt at the end of a relationship. The separation of self from someone you have been intrinsically tied to for a long time conjures feelings of being out of focus, fragmented and melancholic. Reflecting on what could have gone differently and yet at the same time feeling hopeful through that sorrow as you look towards the future.”


TwoMinutesHate – “1312”

Great punk energy here, with female vocals are as gritty and raw as they are melodic. Pair that with the stellar guitar riffs, and you’ve got a kickass tune! From the Band: “As melodic as it is fast-paced, 1312 is as catchy as pop punk gets, but preserves the vitriol and rage of punk rock’s roots. The female-fronted Norwegian up-and-comer TwoMinutesHate brings their debut EP to its conclusion with an explosion of a song, featuring a shout-along chorus, Bad Religion-esque harmonies and an earworm of a guitar riff. With lyrics written by Sama in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, it’s the band’s first step into political territory” 


The East Pointers – “Save Your Lonely”

This mellow pop sound grabs you right from the first note. There’s something hypnotic about the way the vocals mix with the instruments, and when the chorus hits, so does the energy. From The Band: “Koady (banjo, tenor guitar, keyboards), Tim Chaisson (vocals, fiddle, percussion) and Jake Charron (guitar, keyboards), had recorded a couple of tracks in 2021 including the latest “Save Your Lonely”, which is an anthemic folk pop song that calls on artists like Young The Giant, Portugal The Man, and Of Monsters and Men.”


Drama Dolls – “I Hate Your Face”

Here’s some relatable content in a punk rock package. I dig how it goes from a sweetly sung “I hate your face” to the raucous and awesome chorus when they really let it all out. Love it. Get this band on your radar! From the Band: “Holding nothing back, the track opens with “I hate your face” sung calmly over a chugging electric guitar. From there, the track swells into a pop-punk groove that doesn’t quit. The pre-chorus builds-up until it bursts into the chorus with the fury of a thousand suns. Drama Dolls can repeatedly sing the line, “I don’t wanna fight about it,” but the passion throughout the track reminds you to watch your step.”