Armistice

When reading the name of the today's post you probably would not have immediately noticed, but there is new music from Beatrice Martin (aka Coeur de Pirate)!!. Armistice is the collaboration between Beatrice Martin and Bedouin Soundclash frontman, Jay Malinowski. With music and lyrics written, the pair headed to Los Angeles late last summer to record the album at Big Game Lodge with El Bronx. Martin and Malinowski first worked together artistically when Beatrice lent her voice to the track, “Brutal Hearts” on Bedouin Soundclash’s fall release, Light The Horizon. The song was proclaimed a highlight of the album by critics and the public alike. Out of this came the idea to join forces to create Armistice. Beatrice Martin, most commonly recognized as the enchanting Coeur de Pirate, took home 3 Victoires in France and and 2 Felix, including Breakthrough Artist of the Year, in Quebec, for her self-titled debut album in 2009. Selling over 600,000 albums worldwide. It would be too easy to say that all new music by Beatrice is welcome, but at the sound of the EP with five all beautiful songs, it's safe to say that I would 've loved this EP even if I wasn't aware she was part of it! If you take for instance the featured track "Mission Bells" the undeniable magic between Martin and Malinowski's voices. So even if you've never heard of Coeur de Pirate, listen to the featured song or listen to the full EP beneath.

@ Montreal, Canada

♫ Folk Pop

♥ Mission Bells (mp3)

▸ MySpace

+ Full EP Stream

Free Music: Stef Lang

Last year, Stephanie Lang (aka Stef Lang)was featured on here. The post ended with the promise of an upcoming EP, now almost eight months later Stephanie's debut album is about to be released. The good thing is that you can actualy download it now, for FREE!! For the ones not familiar with Stef's music yet, head over to the earlier post, or read the small biography beneath.

I'm originally from a small town (Ladysmith, BC on Vancouver Island). Most people can't figure out my ethnicity, so here's a secret...(I'm half Filipino, half Canadian). At 17, I left small town life and moved to Vancouver to pursue music. The last three years have been spent playing every pub, bar, club, cafe I could weasel my way into, writing over 250 songs to hone my craft, and building relationships with very diverse and talented people. I'm 21 now, just released my EP "Blood and Bravery" via Universal/Hipjoint Muisc, which I wrote, recorded and produced. My full length debut album "The Underdog" is set to drop June 1st 2010

1. The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
2. The Phoenix
3. The Underdog
4. Bend A Little, Bend A Lot
5. Mr. Immature
6. Slave2Love
7. Closet Freak
8. Be Gentle
9. The Other Side
10. Straitjacket
11. Foolish
12. Diamonds (mp3)
MYSPACE | BUY | DOWNLOAD

Julie Rains

Julie Rains grew up in London, Ontario. As an introverted young girl she spent her days collecting little treasures and carting them around in an assortment of bags wherever she went, earning her the name "The Little Bag Lady." Her world was tidy and generally defined by peace, order and knick-knacks. It wasn't until after university when Julie began traveling that she discovered she liked collecting words instead. She began stringing them together, to make pretty things out of them. And, in typical, make-it-happen fashion, Julie decided that while she was at this creative business she might as well sing and learn to play the guitar: a way to hold all those words together. And so now, instead of bundling knick-knacks for her private collection, she bundles songs that can be shared. Her music is honest, inspired by hope, and refreshingly simple.For this new artist inspiration for writing is found in simple things. Be it good friends in her living room or strangers on a streetcar, spending time with people plays a large part in influencing her creativity. Julie grew up playing a number of sports but over time has become especially fond of running. It not only helps clear her head, but it's most often during these times alone Julie finds herself stumbling across catchy melodies and the words to fill them. Over the last few years Julie has grown into a dreamer and her new found dreams and love for words make for a great team when it comes to song writing. She loves LOVE and enjoys finding creative ways to write about it, sing about it, and share it. Julie's other passions include a love of reading, spending time with her 5 nephews and nieces, building community, and helping those in need. She also has a mean right hook when it comes to crochet and a newly budding love for the culinary arts. Julie's debut album "In My Place"was released last summer, and is available over at CDbaby.

@ Canada
♫ Acoustic, Folk, Pop
♥ Unexpectedly (mp3)
▸ Myspace

Free Music: The Wind Whistles

Tom and Liza are the Wind Whistles and they live together in the suburbs of Vancouver, Canada. As an indie folk duo, they both sing and both play acoustic instruments (guitar,bass). Sometimes they play alone and sometimes they bring friends, more times not. They think they sound like a cross of Lemonheads and Violent Femmes while people tell them they sound like a cross of the Decemberists and the Moldy Peaches. Beginning in the spring of 2006, they’ve done the usual artist thing: demo, radio, festivals, tours, friends and lots and lots of shows. In 2007, they have released their first full length “window sills” and try to spread it around as much as they can. That’s why they have decided to re-release their 12-track LP under a creative commons license. Aaahh-records, your new favourite netlabel for absolutely charming music, is very proud to have “window sills” their first release and will do its best to promote the album. In April, Tom and Liza have quit their jobs and headed across Canada with the the Greenbelt Collective, then they will head alone to Europe in May, June, July, August, and back across North America in September and October starting from the East Coast. Annually the Wind Whistles organize the Annually the Wind Whistles organize the celebrated local Beanstalk Folk Festival; a festival in which the ‘Folk’ is a loose term for some of their favourite artists that aren’t rock or too loud. The Wind Whistles are notorious do-it-yourselfers and love to meet generous and creative people that make beautiful things happen. So, please do not hesitate to get in touch with them. Get the FREE album here.

@ Vancouver, Canada
♫ Indie, Folk, Pop
♥ Gold Fever (mp3)
♥ Communication's Dead (mp3)
▸ Myspace
+ Free album "Window Sills"

Stephanie Lang

Hailing from the tiny logging town of Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada, 20 year old Stef Lang is perhaps at first glance an unlikely troubadour. But the unique combination of her mixed heritage coupled with growing up in the remote working town of 7500, provided just the right atmosphere to fuel Stef's youthful pursuit of truthful expression and self-knowledge. This drive to achieve her ultimate expression eventually caused her to pack up her guitar and walk away from small town life at 17 and relocate, on her own, to Vancouver, a city of over 2 million, to chase her songwriting dreams and locate kindred spirits. An extremely prolific writer and performer, Stef now works closely with many diverse and talented musicians in the vibrant Vancouver songwriting scene. This includes vocals on indie boys The Dudes latest record and a co-writing credit for “Dust In Gravity,” which will appear on Delerium’s upcoming album. She is also a participant in the respected weekly songwriting circle known as Hipjoint Throwdown, of which she has become a core member. Stef recently penned a publishing deal with Nettwerk/H-Songs and was accepted to play at The Canadian Music Café during The Toronto International Film Festival, which in past years has seen the likes of Martha Wainwright, City and Colour, Chantal Kreviazuk and Steven Page. Stef Lang is currently writing, recording and producing her 4th studio record in Vancouver. Her brand new EP titled “Blood and Bravery” is set to release Oct.1st 2009 prior to her Western Canada Tour.

@ Vancouver, Canada
♫ Pop, Rock, Acoustic
♥ Give A Little Bit (mp3)
♥ Diamonds (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Twitter

Rock Paper Safety Scissors

Rock Paper Safety Scissors (RPSS) are two girls from Calgary, Canada who sing indie pop songs in perfect harmony. In a way they sound like the acoustic version of the earlier featured linden. "We're not really a big deal but we absolutely love what we do. Our music may not always be the happiest of tunes, but sometimes it is. It's there for you in the dark and it's there for smiling. Each song is written with care, not to mention a few tears, hugs, and laughs along the way." was what they said about their just finished first EP entitled 'Don't Cut Yourself' released not too long ago and available on iTunes. They hope you all enjoy listening to it as much as they did making it. The production of the EP is very simple and basic, but the lyrics are clever and the combination of their enthusiastic voices make it worth a listen. With the willpower these ladies show at their age, it can't mean anything else than this won't be the last we've heard from them.

@ Calgary, Canada
♫ Acoustic, Indie, Pop
♥ Skin + Bones (mp3)
♥ Democracy! (mp3)
▸ Myspace

Free Music: Jodi King

In a day and age where the prevailing pop culture loves nothing more than to pit women against one another and provoke confrontation and antagonistic independence, Winnipeg born singer/songwriter Jodi King is a breath of fresh air. Non-confrontational and non-aggressive, Jodi is every girl’s best friend and every guy’s “girl-next-door”. Honest, sincere and intimate, the songs evoke KT Tunstall or Colbie Caillat. Jodi’s forthcoming LP, This Is Jodi King is a modern take on the female acoustic pop album, showcasing Jodi’s vocal and musical talents and refreshing songwriting skills. LP includes collaborations with Kyle Riabko and Colin Munroe. While playing in one of her favorite clothing stores in Toronto, the owner of Roots Clothing. Don Green, happened to be shopping and enjoying Jodi’s music. This lead to Roots offering their unflagging support to Jodi’s musical development; seeing her play in the major Roots stores and selling her CD across Canada. Music is quite simply what Jodi King was meant to do. Jodi is now offering her first EP "Street Lights" as a FREE download, get it HERE.

@ Winnipeg, Canada
♫ Acoustic, Pop
♥ Breathing In/Breathing Out (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website
+ Free EP

Chère Françoise

Armed only with a few instruments and her alluring voice, this chanteuse knows how to fascinate an audience. The Toronto based Swiss singer creates a unique English, French & German cocktail, mixing traditional song writing with a touch of jazz and European flair. Educated as a jazz singer, Chère Françoise possesses an extraordinary powerful and captivating voice. She has performed twice at this year’s Canadian Music Week and in the summer Chère Françoise will return home to tour Switzerland and Germany to promote her debut solo EP. On her tour she will be playing gigs in Berlin, Hamburg, Bern and Zurich, sharing the stage with acts such as Portugal. The Man, The Howling Bells or Sophie Hunger. Where irony meets unpredictability and melancholy says hello to happiness, Chère Françoise’s music comes alive. So don't hesitate and give this talented lady a chance!

@ Toronto, Canada
♫ Acoustic, Folk, Pop
♥ I Am Chère Françoise (mp3)
♥ Milupa The Cat (mp3)
▸ Myspace

Faye Blais

When someone melodically declares, “I wanna show you the inside, so won’t you come in,” you listen. This is the captivating and honest nature of Faye Blais, the Canadian singer/songwriter who has been seen swooning crowds from around campfires in Northern Ontario to the stages of Taiwan, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand for more than ten years. Self-taught from an early age, Blais released her long-awaited debut “First Tooth” in 2005. The independent album, recorded at Hamilton’s Crossfade Studios, characteristically resounds with upbeat odes to the greater things in life and gentle reflections upon her cross-country adventures. She sounds like a mix of Regina Spektor and Canada’s own Feist. This Sudbury, Ontario native and world traveler lead the trio Faye & The Slacks around Taiwan in 2007-08, garnering much attention overseas, and being tagged as “one of Taichung’s most energizing new bands.” Upon arriving in Australia in early 2008, Faye teamed up with pianist/producer Brad Viterale (aka Mr. Bardley) to complete her second full-length release “Two Pieces.” Quoted as “a collection of deep, soulful songs that paint an elaborate masterpiece of life's ups and downs,” this new album takes listeners on a musical journey that shines through in Faye”s honest, true-to-heart nature. Faye, completed both Australia and New Zealand tours over this past year, included performances at Woodford Folk Festival and Port Fairy Folk Festival, astounding crowds with her constant flow of fresh tunes and unique sounds.She is set to perform throughout Australia over the coming months before heading home to tour Canada in August.

@ Ontario, Canada

♫ Indie, Folk, Pop
♥ Something's Changed (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

Julie Peel

After many months or even years of checking Julie Peel's MySpace, she finally is going to release her debut full-length album, Near the Sun, September 2009 on American Laundromat Records. Previously featured on ALR compilations including Just Like Heaven (a tribute to the Cure), Gigantic (a tribute to Kim Deal), Dig for Fire (a tribute to the Pixies), and Cinnamon Girls (a tribute to Neil Young), this will be Julie’s first solo full-length release. She counts Aimee Mann, Beth Orton, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell among her influences, and their impact is not hard to discern on Near the Sun. Julie’s lo-fi, guitar-driven pop recalls the likes of Ida, Anna Ternheim, Caithlin de Marrais, and Mirah, but bears her own distinctive indie sensibility and style.
Born in Cannes, Julie was raised between France and Canada, and sings entirely in English on this album. As a child, she tended toward self-determination. Her independent spirit is evident throughout Near the Sun, which Julie recorded, mixed, and produced on her own. Spontaneity was key in the creation of this album, as evidenced by tracks such as ‘Innocence.’ “I composed it and wrote the lyrics in under an hour, and recorded it very quickly right after,” she reveals. “... I guess this song is what represents me the most.” The undeniably catchy track ‘Living in a Movie,’ (one of my favorite tracks on the album) replete with irresistible hand-claps; a sweet and somehow cinematic tune that demonstrates Julie’s capability to craft pop songs at once familiar is just one of the songs off Near the Sun that compels repeated listens. Keep an eye out for Near the Sun, and look for her hitting the road across the US later in 2009!

@ Montreal, Canada
♫ Indie, Folk, Pop
♥ Living In A Movie (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

Wintermitts

Wintermitts contacted me two weeks ago, asking if I would give their music a listen. Fortunately, because I really liked the songs on their Myspace, and last album Heirloom that arrived in the mail later. Their lyrics are both in French and English, combined with great vocals, an accordion, trumpet, flute and even a glockenspiel. Resulting in a addicting mix that will get you humming and singing along.

Since forming in 2005, Wintermitts have delighted and accumulated loyal fans across Canada. Their last album, Cascadia Fault, was released independently in Canada in 2007 to massive appeal, and with their whimsical exuberance they have shared the stage with acts such as Julie Doirion, You Say Party!We Say Die! and Laura Barret. In Autumn 2008, they continue their path of merrymaking, as featured artists at the Western Canadian Music Association Showcase and traveling on a cross-country tour promoting their new album, Heirloom. Boasting a bilingual set and a “musical chairs” approach to instrumentation. Live or recorded, Lise Monique intertwines English and French lyrics with the ease of elementary school girls braiding each other’s hair in Canada’s schoolyards, while the accompanying music pulls you to your feet or keeps your eyes on the stage. Listeners beware: some tracks on this latest Wintermitts effort will cause a head-nodding hypnosis while others still will leave you wishing you understood French, or with the desire to plant a tree in your front yard. To ensure that your love for this band will keep growing long after your initial listen, Wintermitts have committed to affecting a crowd on a platform greater than the width of a stage by including a seed packet for Heirloom tomatoes in with the CD – which can grow in most climates of Canada. Lise Monique says. Heirloom’s CD packaging itself is green-friendly and resembles the design of a seed packet.

@ Vancouver, Canada
♫ Indie, Pop
♥ Accord Mineur (mp3)
♥ Dans (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

Hannah Georgas

Hannah Georgas is a quirky, highly-sensitive, whimsical, and yet extremely serious Vancouver-based singer/ songwriter who will one day win over Jack Black and take his hand in marriage. Born and raised in one of the many suburbs of the T-Dot, she wrote her first song on the piano at the age of 5. In her formative years, inspired by late night summer jam sessions around camp fires Hannah chose the guitar as her primary instrument, and constant companion.

Influenced by a broad scope of musical talent - from Billy Corgan and his melancholy lyrics to Janet Jackson and her strong sexual desires - Hannah developed her own style, which she continues to fascinate audiences with. She has played a range of Canadian venues, from local cafes in Victoria to the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, and drawn a steady fan-base along the way. Hannah recently won The Music BC Songbird West Singer/Songwriter Competition for 2008 and her debut EP "The Beat Stuff" is due for nation-wide release early in the new year. Hannah opens up her heart and soul with her music and seizes those pure moments you only wish you could describe. Her memorable songs will captivate your heart, put a smile on your face, and a tap in your toe.

@ Vancouver, Canada
♫ Indie, Pop, Alternative
♥ All I Need (mp3)
♥ The National (mp3)
▸ Myspace

Daniel Ledwell

With a voice of quiet assurance and melancholy musicality, Daniel Ledwell offers a first album of original songs, Two Over Seven - seven songs about the bad, bad things that happen to our hearts. Ledwell layers the simple melodies and clean musical lines of his folk- and country-inflected indie pop songs with the expected guitar, supplemented by the evocative tones of instruments from lap steel to banjo, from glockenspiel to cello and keyboard to trumpet. In true indie fashion, Ledwell played and recorded all these elements himself. The orchestral mix creates a sound that moves the melodies beyond their alt-country roots. A native of Prince Edward Island and a graduate of the Fine Arts program at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, Ledwell is now based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he continues to paint and plays keyboards with acclaimed and award-winning band In-Flight Safety. Ledwell gets the best of both worlds in the happening Halifax indie scene: all the interlaced inspirations of playing in a band, and the freedom and flexibility to explore his own voice in solo work. Dan has performed his original songs with many of the lights of the contemporary East Coast music scene, including Julie Doiron, Jenn Grant, Catherine MacLellan, Tanya Davis, Tyler Messick, and Rose Cousins - whose plangent voice lends backing vocals on Two Over Seven. Daniel Ledwell is signed to Emm Gryner’s Dead Daisy Records (DDR), a label he shares with his bandmates in In-Flight Safety and musical friends such as Emm, Royal Wood and rockers Hot One.

@ Halifax, Canada
♫ Indie, Folk, Pop
♥ Daisy, You Are A Liar (mp3)
♥ New Flame (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

Bruce Peninsula

Dreamt up by Misha Bower and Matt Cully in the summer of 2006, Bruce Peninsula has slowly mutated, elaborating on the Alan Lomax archives that initially inspired them and taking a new turn every time a new member or instrument is added to the mix. Since their second show, Bruce Peninsula has ballooned out to include a large cast of hoot-and-hollerers. The band mutates often but the last couple of years has seen contributions from Neil Haverty, Andrew Barker, Steve McKay, Leon Taheny, Kari Peddle, Daniela Geshundheit, Katie Stelmanis, Caseey Mecija, Maya Postepski, Isla Craig and Doc Dunn (the latter two no longer perform with BP but are honourary members for life). The instrumental elements have expanded into new terrain (unlike most folk bands, prog isn’t a dirty word for this band), but Bruce Peninsula’s focus is devoted to the singing, first and foremost. Singing from the gut, singing with gusto, singing the way we were made to sing… The early, simple call-and-responses have given way to more elaborate harmonies and compositions over time, but the teachings of those timeless old recordings from the American south remain in tact. Purists may argue that the blues or folk tradition can’t be properly expressed without an old steel string and a slide, but this band has never been too concerned with trying to crack open closed minds. And so, a march of metalophone, lap-steel, zithers, and bells. Of drums and sticks and any other oddities of interesting and pleasing tone. Voices blaring all the while. Bruce Peninsula have spent the last year travelling through churches and slums to make A Mountain Is A Mouth, their debut LP out now!

@ Toronto, Canada
♫ Alternative, Experimental, Folk
♥ Shutters (mp3)
♥ Steamroller (mp3)
▸ Myspace

Library Voices

Library Voices is a ten piece pop collective from Regina, Saskatchewan. Blending tremolo soaked guitars with analog synths, vintage organs, circuit bent electronics, accordion, saxophone, and glockenspiel, their songs play out like an AM radio jingle; mixing the best of the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, and today. Since forming in spring of 2008, the group has operated at a feverish pace, recording a 3 song demo, recording and releasing a 6 song ep, and are currently in the studio recording a full length follow up. They have participated in several high profile festivals and showcases including Sled Island (Mogwai, Of Montreal, Okkervil River), Regina Folk Festival (Broken Social Scene, The Weakerthans, Final Fantasy), Gateway Festival (Greg Keelor), and Ness Creek Festival. The band has also shared the stage with the likes of Stars and Plants & Animals. Library Voices debut EP, Hunting Ghosts & Other Collected Shorts, offers a clear and concise introduction to the collective. The group's song writing objectives are evident, bridging sophisticated pop hooks and melodies with complex harmonies and anthemic sing along choruses.

@ Regina, Canada
♫ Indie, Pop, Electroacoustic
♥ Step Off The Map & Float (mp3)
♥ The Lonely Projectionist (mp3)
▸ Myspace

Lindi Ortega

Singer/songwriter Lindi was born in Canada to a Mexican father and a Northern Irish mother, a rich heritage reflected in her own exotic beauty and in her songwriting. She grew up listening to the greats of country music (Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton) and the legends of folk and fusion (Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Leonard Cohen). Lindi’s music draws from these influences, mixes in a healthy appreciation of classic old-school pop and rock, and arrives vividly in the present via the dusty back-roads of alternative country, complete with surprising twists and turns. The result is a collection of timeless songs that range from “So Far Gone”, with its brassy, effervescent tunefulness and irresistible up-tempo, to the paranoid, late-night loneliness of “All My Friends”. One of the most magical qualities in these recordings is Ortega’s striking and distinctive voice, one that can soar with beautiful clarity above driving drum beats and blaring horns or assume an intimate vulnerability within the stripped-down acoustic guitar setting of, say, “Dying Of Another Broken Heart”. Lindi’s lyrics are never simplistic. When they are dark, they are never quite despairing, and they are offset with a tongue-in-cheek humor. When they are light-hearted, hopeful and optimistic, there is usually always a warning that things can turn dark again, in the blink of an eye! So far she released two albums and an EP on her own. And after recently signing with Cherry Tree Records her first EP on the label "The Drifer EP" was released.

@ Toronto, Canada
♫ Acoustic, Pop
♥ Lonely Day (mp3)
♥ Dying of Another Broken Heart (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

The Bicycles

Back in 2006, The Bicycles' debut album was one of my favorites that year, full of catchy indie pop songs, never failing to better my mood, or to get me dancing on my seat, now they're back with their second album. A perfect opportunity to introduce this indie pop gem to you. Enjoy!

With the 2006 release of their highly acclaimed, chart topping debut album, The Good The Bad and The Cuddly, The Bicycles were appropriately coined as “pre-pubescent rock”. The cartoon-like troupe have toured North America rousing audiences of both kids and kids at heart with their jangly, melodic and super catchy bubble-gum pop, calling to mind the days of milkshakes and roller skates. And having a reputation for being very hands on and crafty, their merch table is a veritable cornucopia of creativity: various handmade felt B t-shirts, duffle bags made from track pants, little carrying cases for their cds, one of a kind buttons, and the clincher... their interactive DVD board game. This fall, with the release of their sophomore album, Oh No, It’s Love, Matt Beckett, Drew Smith, Dana Snell and Andrew Scott are found sharing duties on song writing, singing and trading off instruments on the fully charged album. At a whopping 19 tracks – The Bicycles are still kings and queen of the 2 minute power pop song, this time a little less twee a little, more rockin’, a touch of heavy heartedness, but still uber upbeat. Chocked full of goodies, Oh No It’s Love, serves up enough sweets to make up for past 2 years of low blood sugar pop!

@ Toronto, Canada
♫ Indie, Pop
♥ What A Fool (mp3)
♥ Green Light (mp3)
♥ Won't She Be Surprised (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

Meaghan Smith

Here's another singer for you, perfect for late evenings and when you're having a retro moment/want to go back to the 20's, 3o's etc.
Meaghan Smith has always been a singer. Her mum was a piano teacher and her dad played bass in different bands. She grew up in London, Ontario, Canada. "When I was a teenager I started playing guitar, but my carefree childhood confidence quickly turned to stage fright. I opted to go to school for animation in pursuit of my drawing, but I couldn’t fight the urge to sing my songs. Eventually I worked up the courage to put on secret concerts for a few friends in the stairwells of the animation building. Someone encouraged me to use the school’s recording studio to make a demo CD. That’s when my love affair with the microphone began. Soon it came time to make an album. I had written a bunch of new songs, I just needed to find someone to produce them. I spent two months in Toronto bringing The Cricket’s Orchestra to life. I am greatly moved by the music of the ’20s, ’30s, and ’40s — times when things were pure and simple — so I wanted the music to recall those eras. We used Mellotron samples in place of a modern band because we loved the quirky, vintage vibe they brought to the songs, and topped it all off with some turntable scratches. The result is an ideal blend of old and new." The Cricket’s Orchestra is now available at her website and iTunes.

@ Halifax, Canada
♫ Indie, Folk, Pop
♥ 5 More Minutes (mp3)
♥ I Know (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

Angela Desveaux

A gifted singer/songwriter, Angela Desveaux's music merges the simple emotional honesty and rich sonic landscape of classic country with the personal focus of contemporary folk and the roots-conscious attack of alt-country. Desveaux was born in Quebec just outside Montreal, but she spent much of her childhood on the island of Cape Breton in Nova Scotia. Cape Breton has a rich history of traditional folk music drawn from Irish and Spanish sources, and the island's distinctive fiddle music had a deep impact on Desveaux. Desveaux also grew up on a musical diet of classic country. When she was ten, Desveaux's family returned to Montreal; in her early teens, when her older brother joined a local rock band, Desveaux followed suit and started singing with a handful of local rockers. Desveaux was drawn back to her country roots; she started appearing at open-mike nights around Montreal and sang with bluegrass bands before joining the Sonny Best Band as lead singer in 2001. However, inspired by Lucinda Williams and Emmylou Harris, Desveaux began writing her own songs and eventually approached Howard Bilerman, former drummer with the Arcade Fire and owner of the Hotel 2 Tango Recording Studio in Montreal, with a demo tape. Bilerman liked Desveaux's music, and helped her assemble a band for a recording project. Brian Paulson agreed to produce the sessions, and Desveaux's first album, Wandering Eyes, was released in the fall of 2006, followed by Mighty Ship in 2008.

@ Montreal, Canada
♫ Acoustic, Folk, Pop, Rock
♥ Sure Enough (mp3)
♥ Shape You (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

Caroline Keating

Caroline Keating's just a girl who likes to tinker on her piano at 2 am and make up stories… although her neighbours don’t appreciate this so much. Other people do. She's selling a 7-track demo at shows. However, I am looking to re-record a lot of these songs, with more OOMPH and Oooos and Ahhh’s. I believe all of these things can be found in good hearts and good instruments. It took some time, but Caroline finally started recording her first full length! She got requests from managers and labels and all that bizness stuff sort of foggied up the connection between the keys and her heart at some point. And she's still so young, so she felt no rush to get into an album unless it was the right time and the right songs. And then it sort of just accidentally happened. She's recording her record independently and it couldn't feel better. She wanted to take 4 steps back from what everyone else was doing, who everyone wanted to work with, or wanted her to work with. So no producer. She knows what sound she wants, and she doesn't want that raw vulnerability to be compromised. It's coming along real good. However, being technologically inept, she needed a great sound engineer and got him. She has been spending the summer writing a lot of tunes. So let's hope for an albumrelease early next year!

@ Montreal, Canada

♫ Acoustic, Minimalistic, Pop
♥ Billy Joel (mp3)
♥ Lusty Dusty (mp3)
▸ Myspace