Music News Digest, May 7, 2018

By Kerry Doole

Under the name P Reign, the Toronto rapper made a name for himself and has now changed his moniker to Preme. A new album,  Light Of Day, came out on Friday via BPG/RCA Records. 

The star-studded 15-track LP features collaborations with Offset, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Post Malone, Ty Dolla $ign, Lil Wayne and Y, plus beats by Murda Beatz (Drake, Travis Scott), CuBeatz (Migos, Future), DJ Mustard (Demi Lovato, Rihanna) Dez Wright, (Kid Ink, KYLE.), ProLogic (Bryson Tiller, Justine Skye) and more. Tracks already released from the album combined have over 15 million streams worldwide. Here's his new video.

 – Much Studios’ Mike On Much podcast recently celebrated a milestone with the release of its 100th episode, featuring a special interview with Barenaked Ladies singer Ed Robertson. The podcast was created in 2015 when Mike Veerman, a senior writer/director/producer for Bell Media’s creative agency, joined forces with his friends Max Kerman (Arkells) and Shane Cunningham to take their views on music and entertainment to the digital space.

Over the past 99 episodes, fans have heard revealing interviews with celebrities and leading entertainment industry creatives including Noel Gallagher (Oasis), Camila Cabello, Chad Smith (Red Hot Chilli Peppers), Bobby Cannavale (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle), Danny McBride, Walton Goggins (Hateful Eight), and many more.

–  Postdata is the side project of Wintersleep's Paul Murphy. His new album Let's Be Wilderness will be released May 18th on Paper Bag Records, preceded by new track "Gravity." The record features contributions from tourmates Grant Hutchison and Andy Monaghan (both of Scottish indie rock triumph Frightened Rabbit), plus Wintersleep's Loel Campbell and Tim D’Eon, with additional work from Simone Pace (Blonde Redhead) and production from acclaimed Scottish producer Tony Doogan. Four summer dates have been scheduled, beginning with a show at The Drake in Toronto on May 26.

–  Karl Wolf's new single, “Way Low,” is a song created at Jenson Vaughan’s SOCAN-sponsored Canada 150 Song Camp, held in 2017 in Toronto. The song, co-written by Wolf, Vaughan, Jayson DeZuzio, and Yannis Constantinou, features three-time Grammy Award-winning hip-hop artist Nelly. Its SOCAN publishers are Red Riding Hood Music, Ultra Music, and BMG Rights Management Canada. “Way Low” was released worldwide on April 20, and is the lead single for Wolf’s American debut album this year.

– Vice-President (Operations), Donna Murphy, recently has announced her retirement from the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA, formerly CIRPA) after 35+ years at the organization.

CIMA hosted a reception in Toronto on May 3 to celebrate Murphy's long career. This started in a small independent music company in Toronto, followed by a stint at Earl Rosen & Associates where she worked on behalf of the Canadian Independent Record Production Association (CIRPA), before being hired to work directly for CIRPA and then CIMA. Murphy was also the founding Executive Director of the Songwriters Association of Canada (SAC). We wish her well.

– Newfoundland folk duo Fortunate Ones releases a sophomore album, Hold Fast, on May 25th on Old Farm Pony Records. The pair is currently in the middle of an extensive North American tour as special guests to Alan Doyle. They have also been announced for CBC Music Festival, Winnipeg Folk Festival and Ottawa Bluesfest. Full tour details here. The new track “Steady As She Goes” is dedicated to all those affected by the Fort McMurray wildfire of 2016, especially the first responders. 

– Music PEI has announced the fourth annual Canadian Songwriter Challenge as part of the Canadian Song Conference in Charlottetown from May 23-26. This year the PEI artists selected to participate include Catherine MacLellan, Josh Carter (Calm Baretta), Alicia Toner, Russell Louder, Danny Drouin and The Amanda Jackson Trio. Their pairings are Reeny Smith (Nova Scotia) with Catherine, Shaun LB (New Brunswick) with Josh, Sean Panting (Newfoundland) with Alicia, Steph Copeland (Ontario) with Russell, Shantaia (Saskatchewan) with Danny, and Alexandria Maillot (British Columbia) with The Amanda Jackson Trio.

The six pairs of artists write together for 2 days and record demos. On Friday, May 25th, they present the demos in a unique listening session to the delegates attending the Canadian Song Conference. The delegates include music supervisors, publishers, labels, broadcasters both domestic and international.

Toronto Pride 2018 has announced its music lineup. Headlining artists are Kehlani and Brandy, with other acts including BbyMutha, Elysia Crampton, Chhoti Maa, Dio Ganhdih, Ziibiwan, Top Secret, Montreal’s Hua Li and Säye Skye.

RIP

Tony Kinman, a bassist and vocalist who played a crucial role in California's punk and cowpunk scenes, died on May 4 from cancer, at age 63. His death was confirmed by his brother and bandmate Chip Kinman. The Kinman brothers launched the Dils, regarded as one of California’s earliest punk acts, in the mid-Seventies. The Carlsbad, Calif., trio’s first single, 1977’s “I Hate the Rich” b/w “You’re Not Blank,” remains an influential artifact of early West Coast punk.

Tony, Chip and friend Alejandro Escovedo (now an acclaimed solo artist) then formed Rank & File, which began in New York City before relocating to Austin in 1981. The groundbreaking act was among the first groups to fuse country music with elements of punk, laying the groundwork for the cowpunk and alt.country genres. Rank & File released three LPs for Slash and Rhino Records and taped an episode of Austin City Limits before disbanding in 1987.

The Kinman brothers continued in post-punk synth experimentalists Blackbird (1987-1994) and futuristic western minimalists Cowboy Nation (1996-mid-2000s). Tony produced February’s The American Blues, the debut album by Ford Madox Ford, led by Chip and his son Dewey Peek. Source: Austin Chronicle