Single Servings, May 10, 2021

By Jason Schneider

Each week Single Servings brings you a balanced diet of the freshest Canadian tracks, spanning Electronica to Rock, Folk to R&B, and everything in between. Remember to support the artists by purchasing their music or adding them to your playlists!

The Sheepdogs – Keep On Loving You

Release Date: April 30

Label: Warner Music Canada

The hirsute rockers return with another offering that shows their devotion to the Smash Hits of the ‘70s is a little on the nose. Keep On Loving You—a taste of the band’s No Simple Thing EP out May 28—definitely gives off some strong ELO/Orleans vibes for anyone who got their fill of that stuff growing up listening to AM radio. For those who came later I’ll just say, enjoy it as you have a nice day and keep on truckin’. 

Pre-Order here

Paul Jacobs – Christopher Robbins

Release Date: April 30

Label: Blow The Fuse Records

Multi-talented Montreal artist Jacobs creates a kaleidoscopic sound-world on his latest album Pink Dogs On The Green Grass, exemplified by the bongo-(or bong)-driven Christopher Robbins. As essentially a one-man band on the album, Jacobs could be chided for falling down a sonic rabbit hole (if we’re sticking to kids’ lit references), but the overall effect bears repeated listens.

Stream here

BamBII – Truck Riddim (feat. BEAM)

Release Date: May 4

Label: Innovative Leisure

As the centrepiece of the Toronto DJ’s new EP out May 28, Truck Riddim rolls out from a foundation in classic Jamaican dancehall, reinforced by the guest spot from BEAM, also known for his collaborations with Justin Bieber and Skrillex. BamBII’s first new music since 2019 finds her at the top of her game.

Purchase/Stream here 

Vanille – Il Me Dit

Release Date: May 5

Label: Bonbonbon

It’s hard not to instantly fall in love with this charmingly simple cover of The Rolling Stones’ Tell Me, sung en francais by the Montreal dream pop artist, born Rachel LeBlanc. She even chose to work with a Quebec Stones cover band on the track that will appear on the upcoming EP Bonbonbon: 6 morceaux, featuring the label’s six signees covering well-known tunes. I would not at all be surprised to hear this on the soundtrack of the next Wes Anderson movie.

Bandcamp

The Good Lovelies – Dawson

Release Date: May 7

Label: Independent/Fontana North

The trio of Caroline Brooks, Kerri Ough and Susan Passmore has amassed an impressive body of work since 2007 that has earned them a loyal international following. It stands to reason that they’ve had a few songs get put on the shelf along the way, but they’ve rounded up three of them for their new digital EP B-Sides. It’s a wonder why they forgot about Dawson, a beautiful ode to the town in Canada we all say we’re going to get to one of these days.

Bandcamp

Alex Cuba – Hablando x Hablar

Release Date: April 30

Label: Caracol Records

Since making Canada his home in 1999, Alex Cuba has been the most recognizable face of Latin music in this country, helping to spice up the work of other homegrown artists along the way. On his new album Mendó, out May 21, Cuba instead looks outward, showing off the full range of his abilities through collaborations with some of the wider Latin music world’s biggest stars, such as the “Cubano James Brown” Cimafunk on the poppin’ Hablando x Hablar.

Website

Chin Injeti – Golden (feat. Thieves Like Us)

Release Date: May 7

Label: Independent

Vancouver-based artist and producer Injeti has come a long way from his Bass Is Base days of the mid-’90, as he’s now a major force in the hip-hop and R&B world through his work with Drake, Eminem and 50 Cent, along with many other Canadian artists. Golden finds Injeti returning to making music on his own after a lengthy hiatus, with its sparse, meditative sound aiming for what he calls “more expression, less impression.”

Stream here

Belvedere – Chromatic

Release Date: May 5

Label: Thousand Islands Records

Like many bands forced off the road last year, veteran Calgary punks Belvedere instead filled their time recording new material. The results will be revealed May 14 on their sixth full-length, appropriately titled Hindsight Is The Sixth Sense. Chromatic finds them attempting another land-speed record, cramming in as much mayhem as possible into 1:18.

Stream here 

The Human Rights – Peace Gun (protourman remix)

Release Date: May 7

Label: Independent

After sharing Peace Gun back in March as a preview of their album Reggae Strong, due out this summer, Toronto’s The Human Rights have gathered four remixes of the track done by Juno winner Dubmatix, Jim The Boss, Isax and protourman into the Peace Gun Versions EP out now. The extended protourman remix pulls out all the stops, and is recommended to be enjoyed at top volume with the bass cranked.

Bandcamp

Bryce Thomas – Young Lovers

Release Date: May 7

Label: Independent

Toronto singer-songwriter Thomas’s latest album Across The Neuro Seas is a highly personal affair, made during last year’s lockdown. Young Lovers is a bit of a departure from the album’s overall tone, a breezy folk-rock number inspired by the excitement of a budding romance. The track builds nicely, just as it becomes apparent that Thomas is singing from experience.

Bandcamp