Joel Plaskett – If There’s Another Road
One of the best offerings of Joel Plaskett off his 44-track album, “If There’s Another Road” yearns for older, less-uncertain times.
Melonvine – Confessions
In their track “Confessions,” Melonvine makes confessions of the best type: love. Covering what it’s like to have someone in your life who brings you all the happiness you could need and carrying a fast-paced rock-‘n’-roll sound that could have been recorded during the 90s, the track has a certain uplifting nostalgic feel.
Logan Richard – Everyday
Written years ago as a love song to no one in particular, Logan Richard’s “Everyday” conveys the sweet and timeless sentiment of wanting to spend all of your time with one very special person.
Sleepy Kicks – Jill
Infectious newcomers Sleepy Kicks carefully craft this quarter of their debut album with mystifying energy, resulting in what feels like an almost painfully real dive into a toxic relationship
Sam Wilson – Southern Limbo
Jazz guitarist Sam Wilson casts a playful instrumental piece into our ears as a teaser for her upcoming album, Into a Heart – Part II.
Kiwi Jr. – Undecided Voters
In an effort to encourage every American to vote in the recent presidential election, Kiwi Jr. released “Undecided Voters” to highlight how those undecided voters can solidify the demise of the country as they know it. With an upbeat sound and a lot of low-key dread, “Undecided Voters” shows us just how similar horse racing and presidency can be.
Jon Mckiel – Deeper Shade
“Deeper Shade” would have been a standout track had it not been lost in the weeds of a standout album. It’s better to simply take it as a whole and strap yourself in for the ride as Mckiel proves his brilliance once again.
Kiwi Jr. – Cooler Returns
Described by Kiwi Jr. as “a sprawling survey from the first few bites of the terrible twenties” and acting as “an investigative exposé of recent history buried under the headlines and ancient kings buried under parking lots,” “Cooler Returns” has a lot going on. And though we’re not able to exactly pinpoint what that “a lot” is, we dig it, and we feel it suits 2020 just fine.
Partner – Honey
Partner dish the details on the acquisition of Josée Caron’s guitar, which ‘sounds just like honey going down,’ in their signature brand of witty retro-rock.
Jacques Surette – Everyday
Off the English half of Jacques Surette’s latest album, Jacque Surette II, “Everyday” is an uptempo yet laid-back alternative rock track that expresses a longing for a world or a life more serene.
Dillon Ryan & The Dream Romantic – So Lovely
Dillon Ryan’s “So Lovely” captures it all; his magnetic voice, buoyant melodies and irresistible chorus make for a tune that is just so, so lovely.
Andrea Cormier – Sea Spells
Andrea Cormier’s “Sea Spells” feels like a dream. Soft and luscious harmonies over bright strummed acoustic guitars, it’s ethereal and hypnotic all at once.
Joel Plaskett – Head Over Heels Into Heaven
Co-written with Mo Kenney, “Head Over Heels Into Heaven” kicked off Plaskett’s massive 44-song quadruple album birthday celebration with a single about vowing to follow someone to the ends of the Earth if necessary.
Braden Lam – Forest Fires
This climate change anthem born of Lam’s time in the Yukon, where he witnessed its effects first hand. Luckily for us, what came out of it happened to be pretty damn catchy.
Owen Meany’s Batting Stance – He(art) Attack
Bursting in with a he(art)felt belt, Owen Meany’s Batting Stance takes us on a jaunty ride of art and raw emotion on “He(art) Attack“. Folk-punk ethos collides with tantalizing indie hooks for a poignant sucker punch of feels.
Sluice – Un été sans frontières
As Trevor Murphy’s premiere release of French-first material, his track “Un été sans frontières,” released under the name Sluice, captures the resiliency of the Acadian spirit. Acting as an ode to both the Par-en-Bas region in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia, and the freedom felt by the first Acadian settlers, the catchy track serves double duty as a dance party and history lesson.
Lime Ricky – Fuck Eric Sparrow
Lime Ricky is bringing us way back to 2003 with “Fuck Eric Sparrow.” Paying tribute to Tony Hawk’s Underground by expressing the sense of betrayal felt after players discovered the game’s surprise antagonist, the track even includes voice clips from the game. Fans of the original game will find it easy to scream alongside the track, “yeah, fuck Eric Sparrow! He was my best friend!”
Ariel Sharratt & Mathias Kom – Never Work
We don’t want to blame The Burning Hell’s Ariel Sharratt & Mathias Kom for the entirety of 2020, but releasing an album titled Never Work, the lead single of which was also titled “Never Work,” and then planning an extravagant tour around it, might have been tempting fate just a little.
Matt Mays – Dan n’ Shaniqua
Off Matt Mays’s new album Dog City, which was written from the perspective of a rescue dog, the track “Dan n’ Shanequa” tells the story of the dog’s journey to meet his new adoptive parents. The track’s upbeat tempo expresses the excitement of the dog to see its new home and sweeps listeners up in feel-good energy.
FM Berlin – Packing Your Bags for Nowhere
FM Berlin are masters of cranking out earworms. They’d already been performing “Packing Your Bags for Nowhere” live for a while, but when it came time to officially release this infectious wanderlust-laden hit, it seems just a little unfair to drop it during a year none of us could go anywhere.
Nap Eyes – Mark Zuckerberg
Is Mark Zuckerberg a ghost? It’s a valid question brought up by Nap Eyes about our digital overlord. Is he translucent? Certainly. Does he loom over us? Constantly. Will you catch yourself unexpectedly humming this question? Regularly.
Soap Opera – Be Fine
Urging us to treat ourselves with kindness when overcoming hardship, Soap Opera’s title track “Be Fine” off their latest EP contains all the psychedelic grooviness we would expect from the band. The song reminds us that, when dealing with uncertainty, we must remind ourselves that everything will be fine in the end.
CHIPS – Mystery Love
Before the wild and heady days of the great and glorious Atlantic Bubble, CHIPS released a pop-punk anthem about missing their friends and just being able to see people in general. “Mystery Love” came to us as a timely bop.
Moonwake – Alarming Charm
With an upbeat chorus and dark hooks twisting together throughout, Moonwake’s gleefully-unique style is on full display. “Alarming Charm” showcases the band’s new, more upbeat sound and is nothing short of an earworm.
Les Hay Babies – Almost minuit
Off their new album Boîte au lettres, “Almost minuit” by Les Hay Babies captures the spirit of the ever-mysterious protagonist of the album, Jackie. With the track, Les Hay Babies transports listeners back to the 70s to let them know how it would have felt to be a successful and attractive young Acadian woman living the glamorous Montreal life during that decade.