There was so much great material sent my way while I was in Asia for a music conference. Long flights allowed me to go through almost all of them. Here are the survivors of the transpacific cull for the Five Songs You Must Hear This Week.
1. Alexisonfire, Fully Completely
Copies of Old Master Vol. 1 (Dine Alone)
Recommended If You Like: Cross-pollinated Cancon
Alexisonfire has always loved doing covers. The latest (and judging by the title, one of X releases) features the band reimagining songs by The Tragically Hip, Doughboys, Shallow North Dakota, and Rusty.) Vocalist George Pettitt had this to say: “This is like one of those things where you come up with the idea, you say it out loud, and then you never do it. Well, we did it. You can imagine Alexisonfire sitting around backstage with a Bluetooth speaker playing all of our favourite 90s CanCon songs and someone saying, ‘We should do a record of Canadian 90s covers.’ For most people, it would probably end there. Lucky for you, Alexisonfire isn’t ‘most people’. We love fun.” They started with the Hip cover last week.
2. The Sheepdogs, Nobody But You
Single (Right On Records)
RIYL: Hints of things to come
There’s been a lineup change in Saskatoon’s Sheepdogs with drummer Sam Corbett leaving and Jordan Murphy being brought in, making this the first release with the new timekeeper. While there’s no official announcement of an album, this does hint that the band is working towards something in 2026. No surprise that they’re keeping with the southern rock feel. They’re currently on tour with Bryan Adams.
3. The Last Dinner Party, Second Best
From the Pyre (Island Records)
RIYL: Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Bjork
The first advance single from the new album (due October 17) had something of a western twang to it. This one brings back some choir-like harmonies along with a baroque feel and themes of unrequited love. Somewhere Kate Bush is smiling.
4. Tame Impala, Dracula
Deadbeat (Columbia Records)
RIYL: Nosteratu and his peeps
Kevin Parker’s Deadbeat album is set for release on October 17 and this song is obviously timed nicely for pumpkin spice latte season Halloween. Apparently, it was one of the first songs written for the record and will no doubt end up as a groovy dance-floor filler in cool alt-clubs.
5. Catherine Harrison, Nobody Gonna See
Single (Independent)
RIYL: Demands for an end to domestic violence
Not only is Catherine a longtime recording artist, but she also heads up a company called Revelios that works to bring attention to mental health issues in the Canadian music industry. Of this new single, she says “I wrote this song near the end of a relationship where I’d completely lost myself,” says Catherine Harrison. “I’d given away my strength, my agency—felt belittled, weakened, and hopeless. The whole thing came pouring out in one go, like my subconscious finally had enough and demanded to be heard.”
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