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Music Biz Headlines, April 22, 2019

By Kerry Doole

'I am not ashamed': How Montreal musician Florence K is encouraging open dialogue about mental illness

The CBC host hopes her story inspires others to talk openly about mental health. – CBC Radio


Maybe Leafs should've taken 'Drake curse' advice from Italian soccer club

The Canadian rapper was on hand cheering for the Leafs in their 6-4 defeat Wednesday night in Game 4. Another example of his jinxes? – Tanya Casole-Gouveia, CBC Sports 

River of Diamonds’ Touch of life 

Michelle Elrick and Michael Belyea marry poetry and pop with their new project. – Brennan McCracken, The Coast 

CanCon music survivors from Streetheart to Maestro Fresh Wes savouring the new mood in Canada

There’s a lot of old-school CanCon going around these days and, really, why shouldn’t there be? Despite the pejorative connotations often associated with that term in the golden age of CRTC-imposed Canadian-content regulations for radio in the ’70s and ’80s many of the hits from that era have stood the test of time. They haven’t gone away and, consequently, the hitmakers behind them haven’t, either. – Ben Rayner, Toronto Star

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Bad Animal documents the band's changes on Growing Pains, with help from producer Colin Stewart

Growing Pains seems an odd title for the second full-length from Calgary-based Bad Animal—that having everything to do with the group making a successful and seamless attempt to move forward from its beginnings as a loud and revved-up rawk unit. –  Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight

Review: Childish Gambino retells the story of Carnival in Guava Island

The hour-long film wastes costar Rihanna and turns Caribbean history into a breezy and shallow showcase for Donald Glover's alter ego. – Radheyan Simonpillai,  NOW

International

Anderson .Paak loves L.A. What does he do when it stops loving him back?

Anderson .Paak, the R&B singer-rapper-drummer-producer that broke out as a protege of Dr. Dre, is shaken by the death of pals Mac Miller and Nipsey Hussle. –  Gerrick D. Kennedy, LA Times 

Why Joy Division? Henry Rollins examines Jon Savage’s oral history of the post-punk band

Jon Savage’s “This Searing Light, the Sun and Everything Else” documents the formation, brief life and sudden end of the phenomenal Manchester, England, band Joy Division. As brilliant as some of this work is, Joy Division seems to remain in the shadows, just out of reach of critical assessment. – LA Times

City of scales: Plan to boost Auckland's live music scene

Grassroots venues threatened by development and gentrification are at the heart of a new blueprint aiming to make the big-money music sector a consideration in Auckland’s growth. – Chris Reed, NZ Herald

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Why is jazz unpopular? The musicians 'suck', says Branford Marsalis

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Cowboys Fringants
Cowboys Fringants
Cowboys Fringants
Chart Beat

Les Cowboys Fringants Debut ‘Merci ben!’ on the Billboard Canada AC Airplay Chart

The track from the Quebec band enters at No. 30 over a year after its release, picking up steam on the radio airwaves. Ariane Moffatt's “Jouer” also reaches a new peak, marking the second consecutive week with two charting French songs.

French-language music makes its mark on the Canadian charts this week.

Les Cowboys Fringants have made their latest Billboard debut with their song “Merci ben!” which arrives at No. 30 on the Canada AC chart for May 10. The country-folk track finds the band thanking its fans while reminiscing on its beginnings and milestones, from playing small bars to sold-out arenas. The track’s title is Quebec jargon for “Thank you very much!”

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