RGM presents The Maple Leaf Roundup #24
At the risk of repeating myself, I must say that there is an astonishing wealth of Canadian talent out there right now. I use the word ‘wealth’ there, in the Bezos and Musk sense. Seriously though, Canada, it is a bit embarrassing. Unlike the uber-rich, here at RGM we believe that there’s more than enough gold to go round, so we make a point of sharing with you a regular selection of tunes that may not otherwise have reached your ears. I use the word ‘regular’ there, loosely of course (our Canadian office is woefully understaffed at present) but we do our best to see that these musicians do not go untrumpeted. We’re certain you’ll find something to dig here and, when you do, we hope you’ll tell your pals.
We start with a bang, courtesy of Toronto’s Goodnight, Sunrise, whose gleefully energetic ‘Won’t Be Long’ is a sizzling summer smash in-waiting. Penned back in the Before Times, the tune has particular resonance today, as we (hopefully) emerge into the light once more. The duo of Vanessa Vakharia and David Kochberg are joined here by Our Lady Peace bassist Duncan Coutts and drummer Jason Pierce and a little look at the band’s live footage has bumped them straight into my top ten list of Acts To See As Soon As I Get To Canada, which is a real list, by the way. Throbbing with forward-thinking positivity, ‘Won’t Be Long’ ought to be disturbing your neighbours the whole summer long. See to it.
Photo by Nicole Romanoff
For those of you who are simply too hot to rock, I give you farideh, a singer-songwriter from Saskatoon, who has recently released ‘Otherside of Truth’; a little nugget of synth-driven pop magic. The onetime folkster has ditched analogue for digital and the song, produced by Timon Martin (of Kimbra fame), feels like a forgotten Tango-era Fleetwood Mac outtake, with all the original guitars and drums erased by a mischievous mix engineer. Its uplifting message of strength and self-care: “I’ll rescue me/I hope you’ll rescue you” could just inspire you to get yourself out of that rut. Either way, you’ll be singing the chorus for days...
Photo Credit Katie Clarke
We stick with the keyboards as we turn now to T. Thomason, who has recently released a cover of the 1984 Bruce Cockburn track ‘Lovers In A Dangerous Time’. We think it’s a fine update of the song, languidly reimagined as an empowering LGBTQ+ torchsong for our peculiar present. The UK-born, Nova Scotia-raised Toronto resident has enjoyed a string of successes since the release of his debut in 2019, including notable collaborations with Sarah McLachlan and Rose Cousins, among others. Our advice? Keep T. Thomason on your radar.
With a bucketful of JUNO nominations, supports for Bonnie Raitt and David Gray and an iTunes Songwriter of the Year award, Royal Wood is a name that we’re embarrassed to say is new to us. The Torontonian’s new single ‘Say You Will’ more than befits the man’s impressive CV. Wrapping its arms around you like a forever-loved classic from the golden age of songwriting, a more luxuriously arranged and recorded song you will struggle to find. Gargantuan as it is, the string section still somehow allows the warmth and fragility of Woods’ Paul Bradyish vocal to push through. If you like what you hear here, then there’s one hell of a back catalogue to plunder. We urge you to dive in.
We finish with Caroline Marie Brooks and the delightful acoustifolk of her debut solo single, ‘Vitamin’. Brooks may be known to you as one third of the award-winning and beloved trio Good Lovelies (there’s ample plunderage there, too, I tell ya) but ‘Vitamin’, as you might expect, marks a shift in gear and sheen from her main gig. Swimming in ethereal lapsteel and a full complement of hand percussion, the song is focused - albeit blearily - on the magic of the moment, in a life that flashes past all too quickly. Brooks, who has clearly embraced parenthood with the kind of serenity and grace of which I can only dream, allows her solitary voice to carry us through the track’s twists and turns, revealing its cheers and charms. The upcoming debut LP, Everything at the Same Time, co-produced with Jim Bryson, is due on September 24th.
So, while that may be the end of this instalment of The Maple Leaf, I can tell you, dear reader, that there is plenty more where that came from. I will return before you know it, with more riches to share. Until then, stay cool and (obviously) keep it Canadian.
The Maple Leaf is a Rich Barnard production for Red Guitar Music.