I’m going to bury the lede with this week’s list of songs you must hear. What kind of crazy universe is this where we have a collaboration between Dolly Parton and the frontman of Judas Priest? Don’t just ahead, though. There’s important new stuff here.
1. Gord Downie and Bob Rock, Lustre Parfait
Lustre Parfait (Arts & Crafts)
Recommended If You Like: AI constructions
Earlier this year, the Gord Downie/Bob Rock collaboration—a series of songs created between 2009 and 2017 and existed in myth and legend for years—was released. It’s the most rockin’ thing Gord had done outside The Tragically Hip and has been well-received by fans. A new visualizer video for the title track has been created using Gord’s handwritten lyrics, the album cover shots taken by photographer Matthew Cardinal, and artificial intelligence. Is this a glimpse into the future of music videos?
2. TALK, A Little Bit Happy
Single (Capitol/Range Media Partners)
RIYL: Soulful rock anthems
TALK—a Canadian guy, not a band—released a sublime debut single in the form of Run Away to Mars a few months back. He’s now back with a second single that gives us a better idea of what to expect with a debut album coming later this year. The producer is Justin Tranter who has worked with Imagine Dragons, Fall Out Boy7, and Halsey. This could get very interesting.
3. The Trews, Peace Jam
Single (Cadence Music Group)
RIYL: Music that gets you through hard times
As The Trews set out on a series of summer tours (and get ready for a 25th-anniversary release of their House of Ill Fame album), they have a new single recorded in Hamilton and produced by Mark Howard, a guy known for work with U2, Bob Dylan, The Hip, and Neil Young. The title of the track comes from a regular gig the band used to play at a wine bar in Niagara Falls that became known as the “peace jam.”
4. Dolly Parton, Rob Halford, Nikki Sixx, and John 5, Bygones
Rockstar (Independent)
RIYL: Alternate universes
Remember when Dolly Parton was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and promised to make a rock record? Well, it’s happening. A 30 (!!!) track record will be here on November 17 and will feature everyone from Elton John and Kid Rock to Stevie Nicks and Simon LeBon). Most (21) are covers while nine are originals. This is one of the latter and brings Judas Priest and Motley Crue into the mix. And there’s a guitar solo. What planet is this?
5. Noah Kahan, Dial Drunk
Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) (Republic)
RIYL: Mumford-style banjos
Yes, this album was released in its original form last year, but we now have an extended version (seven new tracks) that contains this fan favourite. When the song was released on Spotify, it racked up 7.5 million listens in just a couple of days. Mumford & Sons would be proud.
© 2023 Corus Radio, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Ad Choices
