Zach Coopz shares his five picks of the week
Brrrr. Is anyone else feeling the weather in Canada this week? Wow, is it ever cold outside? Hopefully, you’re not watching this video out there. You’re probably sitting there, all warm and cozy. Are you ready for this new edition of Zach’s Picks Of The Week, with the best-chosen articles from Canadian Beats Media? Perfect, I thought you were here for that today. That doesn’t necessarily mean they will be your favorites. It’s just what I have picked. You’ll have all the freedom to go and explore the rest of our amazing new content when you finish this article. But luckily, we have the following video presented below this post, showcasing a clip of each recommendation. The link to all the articles featured can be found in this post today, so be sure to read to the end. But now, let’s get started with this week’s exciting list that I chose.
Five
Making our way into the new music takes us to an emerging post-hardcore band from Toronto. Conversation just dropped their album, Honesty, on all streaming services, and it is a re-release of their previous two EPs. But it also includes an unreleased track, “As The Oceans Moved,” which is their latest single. The album is produced by Sam Guaiana, who’s worked with bands like Silverstein, We Were Sharks and Rarity. Conversation strikes a balance of thoughtful post-hardcore and melodically measured alternative rock in their new EP, Honesty. Please do yourself a favour and go and listen to it over on Canadian Beats here.
Four
Taking our next spot this week will be a heavy-hitting, aggressive and fun band from Fort McMurray. Supermodel Taxidermy takes skate punk, hardcore, and thrash to the next level with loud riffs, catchy lyrics, and infectious energy. They released the EP A Whorer Story in January, but they’ve returned with a new, standalone single. The latest track, “Blood Painted Dash,” is ready to make your ears pop! Find it now and all your favourite streaming platforms. The band expects a solid reaction from their fans as it’s a continuation of what their last record built on. The band strives to create entertaining stories, writing hard-hitting riffs and beats, and providing shock value in their topics to write about. Check out our Five Questions With Supermodel Taxidermy here.
Three
Moving on, we have an indie folk-rock singer named Taylor Simpson to introduce you to. His latest EP, New Sights in A Familiar Place, came out on November 18th, following on the heels of his full-length debut album. You can find both of these records when you search for them on all streaming platforms. While the Toronto native’s debut album showed his earlier life experience, this latest EP was recorded at Stone Roof Studios in Woodbridge and had a more immediate focus. He was finding ways to negotiate the pandemic, new relationships, and fresh losses. Be sure to go and check out Tayler’s new EP and see the video for his new single, “Lies Beneath,” here.
Two
Alberta-born Métis singer-songwriter Cynthia Hamar will take the second top spot on our list. She’s returned to the spotlight with her fourth album, Joint & Marrow (released on September 23 via Neon Moon Records). She is now sharing a nostalgic music video for her highlighted track from the album, “Where Your Love Lives.” It’s a lyrically and sonically inspired Nick Cave track that draws bittersweet feelings of years past—augmented by a music video that is a collage of old VHS home videos. The video was directed by Korban Hamar and was edited by Jessica Lowe. You can enjoy the video when you visit the article here.
One
I think it’s now time for our final spot of the week to be announced and presented to you. This one will be a new jazz album from the incredibly talented duo Alex Bird and Ewan Farncombe. The pair’s new album, Songwriter, emanates delightful stormy sonic landscapes and dark tones that you would only feel at specific points in your life. This will be the third album in which vocalist Alex Bird and pianist Ewan Farncombe have collaborated on their singular talents. This album reflects deeply on humans’ full spectrum of moods, and some use the act of writing songs to express those moods. You can explore the entire album when you visit our article here.