Author Archives: Sheldon Lee

JapanDroids Vinyl Re-release ‘Massey F**king Hall’ Delayed

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As per Japandroids Facebook page, the vinyl release of their new 2017 album ‘Massey F**king Hall‘ has been delayed due the the Covid-19 pandemic.  The vinyl release is a live performance from their 2017 tour which heavily promoted the bands third album ‘Near to the wild heart of life’.   For those of you not aware, Japandroids are an extremely popular Vancouver alternative rock band that formed in 2006 and consists of two members, Brian King (Guitar, Vocals) and David Prowse (Drums and Vocals).  A two-piece band that can seemingly create more noise than the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, these two have been doing it for a long time and doing it well.  After they began touring they quickly became known for their extremely energetic performances, sending crowds into a tizzy with their frenzied guitar riffs and thunderous drum beats.  And has been no waning success for the band in recent years, their sound has evolved slightly over the years to something a little less in your face, but success and quality of sound just the same.  Festivals they’ve

performed at include Pitchfork Music Festival, Sasquatch!, Bonnaroo, Osheaga Festival, Roskilde Festival, and Primavera Sound.  The album ‘Near to the wild heart of life‘ was a commercial success landing the duo on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as well as The Late Show with Seth Meyers.  If you haven’t heard them before, well here’s your chance.  This video for the song ‘North East South West’ off of the aforementioned ‘Near the Wild Heart of Life’ has a quite a Canadian vibe to it don’t you think?  With lyrics like “Flayed and gutted, so I’ve got to go, Back home, hungry for a hand to hold, And no matter how much I fan the flames, Canada always answers when I call her name”, I find it particularly charming.


Check out the bands social media pages at:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/japandroids/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/japandroids/?hl=en
Twitter – https://twitter.com/japandroids?lang=en

Buckman Coe – 7PM, Tonight

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For the second consecutive night the Guilt and Company bar downtown Vancouver will be hosting a local artist to perform in front of an excited, socially distant crowd.  Last night they lent their stage to Vancouver’s Katherine Penfold Duo and tonight it’s Buckman Coe’s turn.  Buckman Coe’s style is a blend of soul, folk and reggae which provides his music with

Buckman Coe – Via Instagram

an incredibly original sound.  Buckman, originally born in the United Kingdom, moved to Edmonton as a child, and has since adopted Western Canada as his new home.  With no shortage of Albums or singles to choose from, Buckman Coe can easily have you bobbing your head all the way to and from work.  Buckman is also known for his humanitarian efforts, something which is very closely connected to his music.  The overwhelming feeling of happiness and positivity he exudes throughout his music is easy to engage with and will often leaving you wanting more.  Making appearances in festivals like Mount Beauty Festival (Australia), Music Matters Live (Singapore), Shambhala (USA) as well as countless grassroots festivals all over the planet.  And his efforts haven’t been overlooked, just last year Buckman Coe brought home the prestigious Western Canadian Music Awards: ‘World Musician of the Year’.  As per usual, I’ve decided from all the listening I’ve done today to share with you the track I just kept coming back to, my “so-far” favorite, if you will.

https://soundcloud.com/buckmancoe/not-giving-up

This particular song is a couple years old but I feel it showcases his vocals like none other I’ve heard yet.  I love the way his voice sounds in the song, it’s soft and soothing, yet rich and plentiful.  But don’t let me be the only one to toot this guys horn, check out what others have said:

“If you enjoy the laid-back likes of Ben Harper and Jack Johnson, odds are good that you’re going to love this unrelentingly positive, completely accomplished triumph” – Georgia Straight (Vancouver Newspaper)

“If this were 1973, back when singer-songwriters ruled the earth, with a couple of breaks and a bit of AM radio airplay, he’d be busy chasing gold-record royalty cheques and house-hunting in Laurel Canyon” – Mike Usinger (Music Journalist)

Something tells me this one ain’t going to be easy to get a seat to, so if I were you, I’d get on it.
Check out Buckmans Coes social media info and Soundcloud below:

 

Alex Maher – The One Man Show

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Today’s featured artist is originally from just outside Toronto, but since moving to Vancouver and establishing his music roots out west, we now consider him one of our own.  Alex Maher is a Multi-talented multi-instrumentalist (Vocals, Guitar, Beatbox, Sax) loop artist.  For those who don’t know, loop artists are musicians that record layer upon layer of different sound using specific hardware devices called loopers, or phrase samplers, and all are done in real time during a performance.  These devices allow artists like Alex to create elaborate melodies and complex beats to compliment his soothing voice.  Having made a name for himself, Alex has opened for numerous big names in the music industry including Weezer, Sam Roberts, Wide Mouth Mason as well as played together with B.C. staples Kyprios, Daniel Wesley, and Vince Vaccaro.  At times, Alex has five other members who perform with him on stage, the Alex Mahar band which consists of Mary Ancheta on keyboards, Paul Clark on drums, Benjamin Parker on electric guitar, Darren Parris on bass, Jess Vaira on background vocals, and Alex Maher on vocals, alto sax, and electric guitar.  Alex toured in 2017 and promoted his EP Aether and was soon after nominated for a Toronto Independent Music Award that same year.  Since then Alex hasn’t stopped, dropping his new EP this year titled Dream Final, a five track list where each song takes you to a different place.  You can mellow out with the relaxing, R&B sounds of the first track titled “Reason” or if something a little more uppity is to your liking, give a listen to track 4 called “Love’s a fire” which is the one I keep coming back to over and over.

Alex always seems to be working on something, if you like what you hear, check out the latest on what Alex has been up to at Alex’s Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/alexmahermusic
Alex’s Twitter page at https://twitter.com/alexmahermusic?fbclid=IwAR3VuiU-BXnl6D66l8jAdSM9SdI2jmkqgmwH0tBSMs2y_8HzGw1gmSmU8n4 
Alex’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/alexmahermusic/

 

The Katherine Penfold Duo – 7PM, Tonight.

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It’s not often these days we actually find shows that we can attend live as opposed to streaming online, but that very opportunity is presenting itself to lower mainlanders tonight.

Katherine Penfold – Via Instagram

Vancouver’s own Katherine Penfold Duo is set to perform at 7pm at the Guilt and Company located at 1 Alexander Street, underground, Vancouver.  A Nova Scotia native, Katherine has been based in Vancouver for a few years now, frequently playing quaint local spots to fulfill her musical prowess.  Over her career she delved into several different genres of music including adult contemporary, pop, and even a little gospel…  but I would say she has truly found her sound now, more than ever, focusing on the two genres she adores the most, Blues and Jazz.  Katherine studied both jazz and classical piano at Brandon University to add to the already impressive range of instruments she plays.  Penfold Duo’s latest album “Sweetest Thing” is more Blues/R&B influenced than any of her other previous releases.  Her vocal range is tremendous, and I feel with this album, she has cemented her status as a must see act within the local circuit.  Don’t believe me?  I’ve listened to this track 10 times already today… Hit the play button, close your eyes, and melt away. 


“Sweetest Thing is a juxtaposition,” she affirms. “I have lots of tattoos and like motorcycles, but all of my music is about love and joy. When you see those extremes side-by-side, it really hones in on how I feel about myself and who I am. I had a cool and quirky upbringing that didn’t really fall into pigeonholes. Everything comes down to heart and soul for me, especially music.”
There is limited space available to take in this show, so if you’re looking for great atmosphere, great food and tremendous music, I suggest you hit up the Guilt and Co. tonight… You will not be disappointed.
For more on the Katherine Penfold Duo, be sure to check out there Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/katherinepenfold/?ref=page_internal
Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/katherinepenfoldmusic/?hl=en

 

 

Peach Pit Announces 2021 Tour

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Peach Pit 2020 Tour dates- Via Instagram

One of Vancouver’s premiere pop bands, Peach Pit has announced they have rescheduled their tour for 2021 with a full list on their website as to where and when they will be performing.  The Major tour will see the band play in Canada,  The United States, Ireland, The United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy to name a few.  Peach Pit is a four piece band consisting of members Neil Smith (Rhythm Guitar and Vocals), Christopher Vanderkooy (Lead Guitar), Peter Wilton (Bass Guitar and Background Vocals), and Mikey Pascuzzi (Drums) Have been together since 2016 and have had a steady rise ever since.  After the bands debut track “Sweet FA” all four members wound up quitting there jobs to focus solely on their music, something we’re all oh-so thankful for. Speaking of “Sweet FA”, take a listen :


They deliver a very distinct sound, Neil Smith’s soft turned raspy vocals will catch your ear.  I can’t quite put my finger on it, but this band reminds me of someone….  Foo Fighters, maybe?  Either way, both of their albums are hard to turn off.  They kind of seem like the friend that just gets you, and never lets you down.  They’ve done their fair share of outdoor events too, landing gigs at festivals like Bonnaroo, Shaky Knees Music Festival, CBC Music Festival, and Capital Hill Block Party in 2019. As for th

Peach Pit – Via Facebook

eir 2021 tour, as stated on their Facebook page, all tickets to previously cancelled dates are good for the rescheduled 2021 tour, just contact your ticket buyer for details.
If one announcement wasn’t enough, the band just posted on their Facebook page that they have a new release coming at midnight tomorrow, with a teaser trailer to boot.


Ain’t that peachy!   Keep up with Peach pit on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeachPit/?ref=page_internal And on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peachpit17/?hl=en

 

 

2 Island Artists You Should Be Listening To

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I head to Vancouver Island to profile a few bands that I’ve become familiar with recently, in hopes that you too, will enjoy the fruits of their toe tapping labour.  Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Victoria music scene was taking major strides with studios, promoters, and all sorts of artists alike, putting their Western Canadian touches on their own respective genres.  Today I introduce a few to you.

Starting us off is Neon Steve, a high energy house artist who’s made a name for himself beyond his hometown of Victoria.  He’s a 9 year vet of Shambalah and has played in many other outdoor festivals including Burning Man, ADE, Breakfest, BeatHerder & Envision, and played in 15 countries worldwide.  He has been looked at to remix some of Dance music’s biggest name like Grand Theft, Zeds Dead, and the Stanton Warriors to name a few.

Last year he collaborated with Marten Horger on a track called “You Don’t” which quickly got worldwide acclaim and ultimately got him a deal with Tchami’s Confession Label, and the song “You Don’t” was featured as song of the month in MIXMAG. Listen here:

What’s he been up to lately?  Well, not even 1 hour ago he dropped the new Pleasenations Vol.12 on sounds cloud, what do you think?

Another Band from Victoria on the up and up these days is Wise Youngblood.  A band whos music is a blend of 70’s rock, southern blues, with a touch of that greasy, grungy western panache were so familiar with out here.

The 4 piece band consists of Kyle Stephen – Vocals, Andrew Harper – Guitar, David Buchanon – Bass, and Myles Nowik – Drums.  With Comments like  “These young men are dreamers. And they have the loud and proud, hard rock chops to make their dream significant beyond itself. You’ve got to respect that.” – DC Larson, Iowa, USA… It’s easy to see why their following keeps growing bigger and bigger.  Here’s a song called “Pyromaniac”, Harper’s vocals are the star of this song, with fantastic tempo changes from verse to chorus back to verse.  What do you think?

All of Wise Youngbloods music is available on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/127F9XEA80qkaAd8mPJ7Lk
And follow them on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/wise_youngblood/?hl=en

Meet The Funk Hunters

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The Funk Hunters – Via Instagram

If you’re a fan of House/Electronic Dance Music (EDM), Then you may have heard of this mega popular, local two man group.  Originally from Vancouver, The Funk Hunters are composed two gentleman named Nick Middleton and Duncan Smith.  These two gentleman have been lifelong friends and collaborators, their ability to contribute to each others strengths provides listeners and onlookers with sublime sound and spectacular visuals.  The Funk Hunters have been touring Canada since 2009 and more recently have toured all over the world, performing at countless festivals in the United States and Canada including Coachella, Life Is Beautiful, Lightning in a Bottle, Electric Forest, Osheaga, Outside Lands, Burning Man, and Shambhala.  The talent and sound which these two men exert has resulted in a mass following, and has equated to over ten million streams of their online catalogue.  With their name frequently on the rise, the two keep their ears open to collaborations with other artists such as Peter Bowles (Keyboards), Steven Beddall (Guitar), Cole Graham (Trumpet), Chris Wilson (Saxophone), Tonye Aganaba (Vocals) and Chali 2na (Vocals).  Chali 2na, is a member of the Jurassic 5, a legendary hip-hop crew from L.A. has been quoted as referring to The Funk Hunters as “the selectahs of the century.”[10]

 

Want a taste?  As someone who doesnt delve into House music all that much, I have to say that this particular song called “Soul City” is an easy listen.  A really unique, relaxed vibe with a smooth rock beat throughout.  I really enjoy this one, take a listen.^^^^^
Or check them out for yourself tonight on Twitch!!!  They are performing at 5pm with guests Skiitour and DJ Mary Mac, with donations supporting the SPCA.  For more information on the Funk Hunters, where they are, and where they’re going, check out their website here at https://thefunkhunters.com/

 

Highlighting Two Western Canadian Award Winners.

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SNRK Wins big at Western Canadian Music Awards – Facebook

One of the best parts of this job is the never-ending search for up and coming local artist, and on Friday night the Western Canadian Music Awards crowned some incredible talent from right here in BC.  Snotty Nose Rez Kids or SNRK for short, were one of the big winners on the night, taking home Awards for Best Indigenous Artist of the Year as well as Best Rap Album of the Year (Born Deadly).  The young Hip-Hop duo formed in 2016, and go by the names Yung Trybez and Young D Formed.  Since 2016 they have gained notoriety throughout the Hip-Hop world, having released their fourth album earlier this year.

They are currently on tour in the United states with a stop in New York tonight.  Check out their single “Real Deadly” below.  I’ve had this one on repeat for a couple hours now.  Want to know more about what SNRK are up to?  Check out there social media pages at the links provided.


https://www.instagram.com/snottynoserezkids/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/TheRezKids?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Vancouver’s own Krystle Dos Santos scored the award for Best R&B Album for her album Bloom/Burn.  Krystle, who grew up in Edmonton, is a formally trained musician, and that couldn’t be more apparent after listening to her latest award winning album.  The album is rich with blues, jazz and soul undertones and I couldn’t help but think of Amy Winehouse mixed with Etta James as I made my way through the track list.  It’s a truly fantastic album that will leave you wanting more.  Intrigued aren’t you?  Well then take a listen to Krystle’s stellar track off of her Bloom/Burn alum titled “Buried Alive”


Bloom/Burn shows off the incredible versatility in Krystle’s voice, with range many can only dream of.  From a raspy whisper to a heart wrenching howl it’s an album and an artist you may just find yourself coming back to. For more updates on Krystle’s latest happenings be sure to follow her at her website for updates.at https://www.krystledossantos.com/

Lonesome Town Painters Coming to a Laptop Near You

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When I say Vancouver, you say…  Bluegrass? That may not sound right, but it certainly is correct.  The Lonesome Town Painters are a music group that plays authentic southern bluegrass music and produces is all north of the border to the delight Canadians from coast to

coast.  The Four-piece group consists of Patrick Bartel (banjo, vocals), Fred Beach

(bass, vocals), Angelo Eidse (guitar, vocals), Jeremy Freeman (mandolin, vocals).  This band, and their charming, toe-tapping melodies will transport you back

 

to the early 1900’s when bluegrass, or Mountain Music as its also called, started getting real play around the southern USA, and the Lonesome Town Painters encapsulate that sound perfectly.  The have collaborated on songs about Relationships, Love, Prison, Heartache and more… This is the kind of music you can enjoy during a relaxing night around the fire with friends, or, with there numerous gospel tracks, on the way to church with the kids.  They seem to have a little something for everyone and you’ll be hard pressed not to smile when you hear their beautiful melodic voices.  On their most recent album titled “Play and Sing Bluegrass Music” is one of my personal favorites called “Go Ahead & Hurt Me”, a quick paced track with lyrics as catchy as the instruments there sung over.  Take a listen here:

But why stop there?  This next one is probably my favorite.  A much slower song, full of beautiful banjo and mandolin picking that when I close my eyes I swear I’m in Kentucky.

These boys are real deal southern bluegrass and well worth the listen.  What’s that?  you want more?  Well tonight the Lonely Town Painters are performing live via zoom, an event put on by the Pacific Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Society, and your welcome to join.  The show runs from 7:30pm to 9pm, be sure to check them out, you won’t be disappointed!  Click Link below for performance details.

https://www.pacificbluegrass.ca/Events

Local Boys Come Up Big At CCMA’s

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The Washboard Union – Instagram

It was an exciting night for BC’s country trio “The Washboard Union” as they received their third consecutive nod as Group of the Year at last nights Canadian Country Music Awards.  The group consisting of members David Roberts, Aaron Grain and Chris Duncombe also walked away with the Roots Album of the year for their album Everbound.  In response to their exciting evening the band sent out this Facebook Statement “This is the most incredible feeling. We just won Group of the Year for the third year in a row. Thank you so much Canadian Country Music Association for this award. Thank you Trina, Mindan, and Tonya the 3 most powerful women we have ever known who we could not do this without. Thanks to our amazing team Warner Music Canada Sakamoto Agency and our incredible band, producers and crew. We cannot tell you how amazing this feels right now. We love you and miss you all so much now”.  To celebrate their big night the trio will doing a concert via Facebook live this evening starting at 5pm, Its an hour long show and giveaways will be included, don’t miss out!

Dallas Smith – Instagram

But BC’s country chops didn’t stop flexing there, not surprisingly, Langley native and international super star Dallas Smith took home some hardware as well.  Smith walked away with the most coveted award of the evening, that being the T.D. Performer of the Year, as well as Top Selling Canadian Album of the Year for The Fall and Top Selling Canadian Single of the Year for Drop.  Earlier this year, Smith became the first Canadian to ever have 9 consecutive number ones singles after releasing his last single “Like a Man”.  But Smith’s priorities remain close to home these days, as him and his wife are expecting their second child come November.