News, reviews and more
Welcome to the Maple Leaf, the regular RGM column that brings you news of the best sounds emerging from Canada. Since the decade turned we’ve been deluged with music but have meticulously sifted to bring you a carefully curated consignment of Canadian confections. Or something.
Read MoreIt’s time once again to delve into the murky depths of the RGM inbox. The first edition of this new feature was surprisingly well received so we’re back with part two. Please join us as we share a quartet of impressive releases that reinforce the theory that there’s plenty of great music if you know where to look.
Read MoreThe new decade has only just dawned but the RGM inbox is already full to bursting with great new music from a range of genres. We listen to all sorts of stuff here at RGM and believe that you can’t beat the thrill of discovering new music, so please join us as we delve into the RGM inbox. You never know your new favorite artist might be just a click away.
Read MoreIf you’re feeling the November chill, there are few better ways to warm your winter-wary bones than to cosy up with a hot cup of Canadiana. The best new bands and balladeers of Canada continue to throw out little sonic gems and, once more, we find ourselves spoilt for choice as we bring you the latest cluster of musical magic that is the Maple Leaf Roundup.
Read MoreIt’s been a little while since we brought you news from Canada but that hasn’t stopped it piling up on our digital doormat. So, we’re going to tidy up a few loose ends here and then hit you with another Maple Leaf column very, very soon. The volume and quality of music coming to us from Canada never fails to impress, so - unsurprisingly - we’ve been spoilt for choice as we share our pick of releases from the past couple of months.
Read MoreThe Blue Highways were looking to try something a little different for their second single release. The band wanted to celebrate guitar music and bring back the days when the guitar ruled the airwaves. The band had met plenty of great players on their travels so calls were placed and the result is ‘Play Johnny, Play’ a track that features seven of the best guitar players on the UK Americana scene. Jack Lury of The Blue Highways is joined by CJ Hillman, Henry Senior, Joe Hazell (Curse Of Lono), Lewis Fowler (Two Ways Home), Paul Lush and 12-string wiz Tony Poole. The single is out today (May 31st 2019) and streaming/purchase links follow along with a cool video and loads more about The Blue Highways:
Read MoreOh, Canada! How we are overwhelmed by all your musical offerings! Yes, our cousins over yonder have been working harder than ever since our last Maple Leaf column and here at RGM we have been hand-selecting the very best of the bunch so that you, dear reader, can sample (probably) the very finest in new Canadian music.
Read MoreUK newcomers Morganway are set to release their debut album in the summer of 2019. The first taste of what to expect from the band is available now via their excellent single ‘Frozen In Our Time’. Inspired by the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles the band bring a dash of classic 70s rock to their take on Americana. Morganway are going to be busy this year touring in the UK with many dates already on the books and additional shows will be added along the way. More about Morganway, those tour dates and the video for ‘Frozen In Our Time’ follows:
Read MoreAmigo The Devil’s Everything Is Fine was one of my highlights of 2018. Macabre and gothic but not without humour ‘Everything Is Fine’ is a terrific album (RGM review) and I urge you to track it down and give it a listen. With just a banjo for company Amigo has stripped down ‘Hell And You’ from the album for his Grotto Sessions project and you can check out the video for the track and learn more about Amigo The Devil here at RGM.
Read MoreJosh Ritter will release his tenth album ‘Fever Breaks’ on April 26th 2019 via Pytheas Recordings/Thirty Tigers. The new album was produced by Jason Isbell and features Isbell’s band the 400 Unit. If lead single ‘Old Black Magic’ is anything to go by then April 26th should be added to your diary right now. The press release for the album including more about Josh Ritter and the single ‘Old Black Magic’ follows:
Read MoreOn February 15th 2019 Ashley Monroe will release a five track EP featuring acoustic versions of tracks from her acclaimed ‘Sparrow’ album. Monroe is currently touring in Europe and has two Sold-Out shows booked for Bush Hall in London on January 29/30 so the version of ‘Wild Love’ that is now available will surely just add to the anticipation. More about Ashley Monroe, the video for ‘Wild Love’ and those tour dates follow:
Read MoreRecently signed to Broken Bow Records Lainey Wilson will visit the UK for the first time to play shows at Country Music Week in London later this month. Lainey independently released her debut EP earlier this year and as a songwriter has placed songs with Luke Combs and Kasey Tyndall. If you were lucky enough to grab tickets you can catch Lainey when she opens for Chase Rice at Bush Hall on October 23rd with a further date set for The Borderline on October 27th at the CMW Daytime Hub. More about Lainey including a track from her EP ‘Workin' Overtime’ follows:
Read MoreThe Gary Douglas Band will release their new album ‘Deep In The Water’ on October 12th. GDB deliver heartland rock n' roll and melodic reflection in equal measure with their blue-collar take on the American dream, which is sure to appeal to fans of Springsteen, Mellencamp, Seger etc. One listen to the title track or rousing opener ‘River Road’ and it’s obvious Gary Douglas has something to say about the state of his home country and the world we live in today. The video for ‘Nothing Ever Goes As Planned’ and more about The Gary Douglas Band follows:
Read MoreOur latest gathering of Canadian grooviness is, shockingly, an all-male affair. Fear not, though, because two Canadian female geniuses are going to be the focus of imminent full-length album reviews… watch this space. But for now, here is a roundup of the latest Canadian boys making (in our opinion) the bossest noise.
Read MoreTenille Townes will be in the UK in October 2018 for Country Music Week playing the CMA Songwriters Series and opening for Drake White (More CMA info). To coincide ‘Somebody’s Daughter’ the first video from her upcoming Jay Joyce produced album is available now. The album is set for release in 2019 via Columbia Nashville / Sony Music UK and you can check out the video for 'Somebody's Daughter' here @RGM along with more about Tenille Townes and those all-important tour dates.
Read MoreBenjamin Folke Thomas will release his new album ‘Modern Man’ via Aveline Records on November 9th. Regular readers of RGM will remember Benjamin as we reviewed his last studio album ‘Copenhagen’ back in 2017 (review link) with Rich Barnard claiming it featured “A diverse and very thoughtfully arranged set of songs”. If ‘Tasteless and Complacent’ the first single from the album is anything to go by then ‘Modern Man’ should be well worth seeking out. Benjamin Folke Thomas is currently on tour playing solo shows with John Murry and will embark on a run of headline shows with his full band on November 21st. More about Benjamin Folke Thomas, the video for the new single and those tour dates follows:
Read MoreAugust 10th (please note new release date due to manufacturing issues) will see the release of the third wave of Saxon reissues with three more albums getting the deluxe media book/swirl vinyl treatment. The late 80's found Saxon in transition as the band line-up evolved and the 'Innocence Is No Excuse', 'Rock The Nations' and 'Destiny' albums are now ripe for re-evaluation. Once again these releases benefit from deluxe media book packaging for the CDs and impressively colourful vinyl (check out 'Rock The Nations'). The CDs will feature a host of bonus tracks including B-sides, demo and live tracks. A little more about Saxon, pre order links and track listings follow:
Read MoreCurse Of Lono will release their sophomore album 'As I Fell' on August 17th, 2018. The album is the eagerly anticipated follow up to their universally acclaimed 'Severed' release from 2017. The album was recorded in Hackney, London and at Rancho V in Joshua Tree National Park, California (surely the ideal location for the band to turn their cinematic songs into a reality). As a taster for the new album 'Valentine' (available now from your preferred digital platform) is an intoxicating mix of mid-tempo, almost, glam rock stomp, menacingly distorted bass and dirty guitar tones all underpinning the harmonies. This is really good stuff and bodes well for the upcoming record. Please read on to check out the single and learn more about Curse Of Lono's plans for 2018 which will include their first headline tour:
Read MoreGIVERS from Lafayette, Louisiana turned up in the RGM inbox this morning and really brightened my day. The band have been around since 2008 and 'Collide' is the first single from an EP due this summer on Glassnote Records. This is really cool and has a fantastic video to match (not sure about that dog tho). The track was produced by the hottest producer around Dave Cobb (Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton, Old Crow Medicine Show) and Eric Heigle (Arcade Fire, Lost Bayou Ramblers) and incorporates all manner of Louisiana, New Orleans and Nashville influences with Afro-Pop rhythms and a dash of Art-Rock and it works beautifully. More about GIVERS and the video for 'Collide' follows:
Read MoreThe Ashley McBryde train has well and truly left the station and there's no stopping the singer-songwriter. Fresh from huge acclaim for her performances at C2C this year, and the recent 'Girl Going Nowhere' record, it has been announced that Ashley's October headline show has been upgraded and moved to Islington Assembly Hall on October 10th. Original tickets are still valid with the additional tickets on sale from 9.00 AM on Friday 20th April. This show follows a run of UK dates with Luke Combs including back-to-back nights at Shepherds Bush Empire. Everything you need to know about Ashley McBryde follows:
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