advertisement
FYI

Single Servings, Aug. 30, 2021

On this week’s Single Servings, Cancer Bats go acoustic (again), Domanique Grant gets real, Talleen gets political, and much more!

Single Servings, Aug. 30, 2021

By Jason Schneider

On this week’s Single Servings, Cancer Bats go acoustic (again), Domanique Grant gets real, Talleen gets political, and much more!


 

Mother Mother – The Knack

Release Date: Aug 18

Label: Warner Music Canada

With their new album, Inside, the veteran Vancouver alt-rockers appear to be finally receiving some long-overdue critical attention. This latest single from the record shows that their sound continues to evolve by incorporating some slick, pop-friendly elements that nod to ‘80s New Wave. Mother Mother will be performing at Riot Fest in Chicago, and the Austin City Limits Festival ahead of five hometown shows in December at the Commodore Ballroom.

advertisement

Stream/Purchase here 

Sue Foley – Dallas Man

Release Date: Aug. 16

Label: Stony Plain Records

Ottawa native Foley is now probably better known as a Texas artist, even though she still maintains strong ties north of the border. But the fact is, she’s mastered the distinctive sounds of Texas, and she’s about to unleash them again on a new record called Pinky’s Blues, out Oct. 22. Accompanied by her band that includes Double Trouble drummer Chris “Whipper” Layton, and featuring a new duet with Jimmie Vaughan, the album promises to be another high watermark in Foley’s already impressive career.

Pre-Order here

Cancer Bats – Hail The Acoustic Destroyer (feat. Lindsay Schoolcraft)

Release Date: Aug. 23

Label: Bat Skull / New Damage

Toronto hard rock heavyweights Cancer Bats took an acoustic detour late last year with the EP, You’ll Never Break Us: Separation Sessions, and they’re following up on Sept. 14 with a further five-song Vol. 2. It’s being heralded by this reworking of one of their signature tracks, Hail Destroyer, with assistance from Lindsay Schoolcraft, formerly of Cradle Of Filth. And just to prove again what good guys they are, the band is donating all Bandcamp sales to Water First, a non-profit that is training Indigenous youth to become water purification administrators for their communities.  

advertisement

Stream/Purchase here   

Domanique Grant – Airbrush

Release Date: Aug. 26

Label: Independent

Rising Toronto R&B artist Grant makes an important statement about body positivity on her latest single, written after she faced the wrath of some online trolls. The song’s message, “They wanna Photoshop me, make me the American dream, hash tag Instagram queen,” is sure to resonate with a lot of people. It’s all leading up to Grant’s next full-length release, details of which will be revealed soon.

Stream/Purchase here 

Marie Davidson & L'Œil Nu – Persona

Release Date: Aug. 24

Label: Bonsound

Montreal native Davidson and her band received a ton of international praise for last year’s Renegade Breakdown album, and are following it up with this new single, part of a project called Persona & Other Fiends, combining live performance and video that they will take on the road this fall. Musically, Persona is a deep dive into shoegaze-rock with Davidson’s ethereal vocals floating majestically above the fuzz.

Stream/Purchase here  

Jaclyn Reinhart – Rearview

Release Date: Aug. 17

Label: Independent

On her new EP Sleep With Ghosts, out Oct. 15, Saint John, New Brunswick singer/songwriter Reinhart chronicles a chaotic period in her life in the direct, unflinching style that’s made her one of Canada’s most promising new roots rock artists. That spirit is definitely captured on first single Rearview, a Stones-y rocker that urges us to put the past behind and embrace new challenges. Produced by Tomato/Tomato’s John McLaggan, this track should immediately connect with fans of Sheryl Crow and Tom Petty.

advertisement

Stream/Purchase here

Death Party Playground – Make It Home

Release Date: Aug. 27

Label: Independent

Being a power pop fan has never been easy. Despite boasting some of the best songwriters in the rock and roll canon, it’s never really been taken seriously as a genre. Nonetheless, the true believers carry on, and Waterloo, Ontario’s Death Party Playground are set to re-enter the fray on Oct. 15 their latest EP, The Good Years. First single Make It Home is pure power pop through and through, perhaps with a harder edge but unmistakably catchy. Front man Kyle Taylor is becoming a modern day Matthew Sweet, and anyone who still has Sweet’s classic albums Girlfriend and 100% Fun in rotation will feel the vibes on this track.

advertisement

Bandcamp

12AM – Lights (feat. Pyrex)

Release Date: Aug. 27

Label: Sony Music Canada

Following the previous singles Come Over and Ski Mask, Ottawa-born R&B artist 12AM teams up with the Baltimore producer and rapper Pyrex on the laid-back, head-nodding track Lights, perfect for late summer nights. Produced by Evan Gartner and Mason Sacks, Lights showcases 12AM’s signature melodic approach and illustrates his current L.A. lifestyle that has offered many opportunities that have completely transformed his life.

Stream/Purchase here  

Talleen – Economics

Release Date: Aug. 23

Label: Independent

Montreal’s Talleen are a throwback to the politically charged, early ‘80s post-punk era led by bands such as PiL, Gang Of Four and The Fall. It’s a sound that’s certainly in tune with our current times, and Talleen’s new offering is a powerful commentary on how the world actually works. If this is your sort of thing, be sure to check out their excellent 2018 debut album, The Black Sea.

Bandcamp

Kaitlin Thatcher – Moving On

Release Date: Aug. 6

Label: Independent

Toronto singer/songwriter Thatcher is still relatively new on the scene, but this single shows she has a lot of potential to quickly establish herself as an alt-pop force. Some nice ‘90s-inspired production on this track accentuate all of its melodic components, while never overshadowing Thatcher’s seductive vocals. (Thanks to regular Single Servings reader Paul Corby for the tip!)

advertisement

Bandcamp

advertisement
Shaboozey attends the 2024 People's Choice Country Awards at The Grand Ole Opry on Sept. 26, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Terry Wyatt/Getty Images

Shaboozey attends the 2024 People's Choice Country Awards at The Grand Ole Opry on Sept. 26, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Awards

Shaboozey Jumps for Joy Over Song of the Year Grammy Nomination for ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’

"Let's go!!!!" the country phenom cheered upon learning the news.

Shaboozey has a lot of reasons to dance on Friday (Nov. 8), with the 29-year-old breakout country star nabbing five nominations for the 2025 Grammys.

In addition to best new artist and best melodic rap performance for his “Spaghettii” duet with Beyoncé, Shaboozey’s smash hit single “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” was recognized for best country solo performance, best country song and, last but not least, song of the year. When his name was announced in the latter category Friday, the initially nervous-looking singer — as captured by his guitarist Stephen Musselman and reposted by Shaboozey on Instagram Stories — let out a huge cheer and jumped up from his seat, bursting with joy.

This article was originally published by Billboard U.S.

keep readingShow less
advertisement