Kintsugi

 

 

Kintsugi (golden joinery) is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Japanese aesthetics value the wear marks of the object caused by its use and the repairs are highlighted as an art rather than trying to mask them. As a philosophy, kintsugi is embracing the flaws or imperfections as part of the natural life cycle of the objects.

LILLI has been respecting the same philosophy when working on their second album. The songs are real life stories of broken lives joined from pieces to an album. The songs exude life with all its challenges and ups and downs. None of us survives life without physical or mental dents, but we have to learn to appreciate them in the sense of a person's spiritual growth.

The group’s debut album was released in 2020, so the band had time to work on the second album for almost two years. Careful maturation has not been in vain, as the end result is a tasteful, high-quality package. The album contains massive arrangements and captivating stories. The songs move musically on the borders of rock and metal music, which creates a pleasant surprise in the content of the album and carries the album brilliantly from the beginning intro to the last song. As a whole, the album's music is clearly more heavy in style than the band's debut album, but definitely in a good way.

"We are very satisfied with our new album and during the production process we had the opportunity to work with several highly talented keyboard players, such as Akseli Kaasalainen (Dreamtale), Mikko Kujanpää (Memoremains), Antti Simonen (...and Oceans) ja Marko Karttunen.  The visitors bring their own stylish fingerprint to the whole, which brought new drive and musical depth to the songs," says the band's bassist and studio chief Sami Halinen. "Some of the stories on the album are quite brutal human destinies, such as the long journey from Friday to Monday caused by loneliness, or the hard work of the nurses and doctors, especially during the last covid years", the band's singer Lily Black continues.

 https://m.facebook.com/lillitheband/

Mark Ruebery

 

Mark Ruebery is an original songwriter, singer. guitarist and recording artist.

Mark has been writing songs for over 25 years and has performed his material all over the world…..

After graduating with distinction in guitar from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, he recorded his debut album ‘Because of You’ at the legendary Rockfield Studios, Wales. 

The album was promoted by BBC Radio Wales as ‘album of the week’ and five songs were featured as ‘single of the week’. He has had multiple plays on BBC Radio 2 and his videos aired several times on Sky TV. Mark regularly performs his songs live in session on BBC radio and for many other stations.

His second album ‘One Night One Chance’ was recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studios, London. A lifelong ambition for Mark. A song from Mark’s second album ‘One Night One Chance’ was featured on an American pilot TV Series “Do I have a hit Song?” in Jacksonville, Florida. 

https://www.markruebery.com/

Fritz Kahn and The Miracles

 

After a lengthy absence from music, Fritz Kahn and The Miracles return with a stirring new song titled ‘My Baby Star’.

‘Fritz Kahn’ is the pseudonym of the multi-talented musician and composer hailing from Portugal. Born in 1976, Serras began his musical studies at the regional conservatory of Tomar, but following an unsavoury relationship with his music professor, he chose to self-teach – he learned the guitar, harmonica and refined his rhythmic ability on jambés borrowed from the Castelo de Bode Campsite in Lisbon.
The singer-songwriter notes that his pseudonym represents “a fine irony”; the German Jewish doctor Fritz Kahn stood for science (quite the opposite of ‘The Miracles’, which stands for faith). Serras endeavours to find meaning and hope in everything he writes.

The Portuguese musician credits all of the gospel music he has ever heard as motivation for ‘My Baby Star’. He cites the work of some gospel and soul heroes, touting the rousing energy he brings on this track as similar to that of “the great Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, John Coltrane and so on.
“The song means a lot to me,” he says, “because it’s probably where my voice stands out from any other composition I´ve made.”

‘My Baby Star’ was recorded in Lisbon at Namouche Estudios as part of a project orchestrated by Tiago Machado, the producer (and pianist) on the track. Serras says Machado “transformed Fritz Kahn and The Miracles' music into something truly special.” The Portuguese pair worked hard to underpin the album with sound production and creative direction, letting Serras’s stirring voice take centre stage.
Despite his obvious vocal ability, the singer remains modest about his creative process: “It’s hard work – (ninety percent), and inspiration – (ten percent). It's a common thing to say, but it's true.”

The moving gospel ballad ‘My Baby Star’ is out now on all major platforms. Follow Fritz Kahn and The Miracles’ musical journey.

 https://www.facebook.com/fritzkahn1

Chris Antonik Releases "Trust In Me" From #1 Roots Music Report Canadian Chart Album 'Morningstar'

 

Chris Antonik, whose album, Morningstar, still sits at No. 1 on the Roots Music Report, has released a blues/hip hop hybrid single, “Trust in Me,” something a little different for the chart-topping blues-rock guitarist who has always pushed the boundaries of blues.

 "I wrote this song as a commentary on how toxic, childish, and mean politicians were becoming in the media in the years leading up to the pandemic,” says the Toronto-based musician. “As a single parent, I needed to work extra hard to drown it out and outweigh it with positive behaviour examples for my kids because there was no help from the top.  How we talk to people is important and it's incredible how crazy the world was getting in this respect."

“Trust in Me” features one of the fiercest guitar solos Chris has ever recorded. “Musically, I required this sort of modern, chaotic, industrial-type vehicle to tell my story and to deliver the song's ferocious and intense guitar solo,” he explains. 

The track also includes a beautifully chaotic and mind-bending soprano sax solo by 2022 Maple Blues Award-winner Alison Young. “Sonically, her contribution matches the frustration and confusion of the lyric’s theme, but also has a desert/mystical/Duran Duran ‘Union of the Snake’ vibe,” Chris says.

“Trust In Me” is the fourth single from Morningstar, following August’s release of “Back to the Good”, July’s “Pilgrim,” and June’s “Waves of Stone” (feat. Jarekus Singleton).

All the singles have done phenomenally well on the Roots Music Report, starting with “Waves of Stones,” which landed at No. 1.  Both “Back to Good” and “Pilgrim” also reached No. 1 in Canada on the Roots Music Report’s singles chart.

This kind of reception is nothing new for Chris. Since his nomination for Best New Artist at Canada’s Maple Blues Awards in 2011 based on his debut album, Chris has been delivering innovative and thoughtfully crafted songs that transcend expectations of the genre. His sophomore album, Better for You, was hailed by critics as “the best Canadian blues-rock album of 2013” and “a masterpiece” — with American Blues Scene calling it the “sound of someone taking the blues to a new place.”  His self-produced third studio album, 2017’s Monarch, further expanded the blues’ boundaries into blues-rock, soul and Americana; it was nominated for both Songwriter of the Year and Recording of the Year at the 2018 Maple Blues Awards.

Reviews for his latest album, Morningstar, have been stellar.  All Music Magazine gave it a 10/10, while influential US blues-rock outlet, Rock and Blues Muse, said “Antonik is clearly focused on making music that advances the state of blues/rock and guitar music in general.  He’s got bigger game on his mind and is creating music that will stretch your soul when you hear it. He’s a fully developed artist working on something big. We should all be listening.” 

A few days after its Aug. 5 release, Morningstar charted on the Roots Music Report at No. 4 for radio play in Canada (all genres) and No. 7 in the U.S. (for blues rock). The album also hit No. 1 in Canada on the Roots Music Report, the week of Aug. 13, and No. 20 in the U.S. for blues. 

 

The Whythouse

The Whythouse is back with a new song called Urban Country, This fast paced, fun and energetic song is our 11th studio release this year. Urban Country is the final single released off The Country Files LP. It features a little bit of urban and a little bit of country which is no surprise based on The Whythouse's previous releases.

The Whythouse is a multi-versatile urban collective fronted by Chris Hale alias Plex who hails from Toronto, Canada. This prose fits in perfectly in that pop box as they do in the Country scene and is what has made it a fan favorite with the tracks from their impressive discography going on to amass millions of streams with massive airplay on radio and other digital channels. It seems like everything the band touches ultimately turns to gold and is really proving to be one of the most innovative and creative collectives of its generation. The Whythouse connects with its audience by putting their hearts and souls into their songs while ingeniously investing real-life stories into their lyrics.

 https://www.thewhythouse.com/

 

Multi-Honoured Hamilton, ON Blues Artist André Bisson is in a Total Funk with "Missing You"

 

It’s a sad symptom of the human condition. Sometimes we just don’t realize what we really have until it’s gone. This cornerstone component of the blues gives award winning singer-songwriter André Bisson the foundation for his funky, driving new single, “Missing You” - available now!

The first taste of the Hamilton-based, internationally touring artist’s 9th album, “The Ballad of Lucy Stone”, due out September 30, “Missing You” emphatically checks all the boxes of a killer, scathing blues track with a funkified soul. Bisson’s guitar is meaty and rhythmic, and his voice is primed with emotion and gravelly heartache. The horn section jumps in with searing melodic fills and the super tight rhythm section solidly ushers the whole song along at a pace guaranteed to inspire maximum groove.

“‘Missing You” is about a man who has talked his way out of a good relationship and hopes that it’s not too late to fix it,” says the 2022 Hamilton Arts Award nominee. “There is a revelation that becomes clear: it’s not who we can live with but instead who we can’t live without.”

Some say that loneliness
Lives alongside misery
Till that girl came and saved my soul
I was keeping both company

We’d all like to avoid having them but, regrets are definitely the fuel that drives “Missing You” and makes the song universally relatable.

“Sometimes all the little changes that are asked of us are for our own benefit, to improve our own quality of life,” explains Bisson. ”Sometimes it takes being deprived of that to realize just how truly special our relationship is. The hope is that this epiphany is realized before it’s too late.”

“Missing You” is the first introduction to Bisson’s new album “The Ballad of Lucy Stone”, set for release on September 30. This is the Bruce Mines, Ontario-born, Hamilton-based singer-songwriter’s 9th album release since 2009. That’s a staggering average of a new album every 18 months for the past 13 years from this prolific singer-songwriter and tireless live player. And all that hard work is delivering. Over those 13 years, Bisson has gained notoriety with awards such as Hamilton Blues Awards’ “Male Vocalist of the Year”, “Song of the Year” from Blues and Roots Radio, and he’s been nominated for four Hamilton Arts Awards. He was also selected by the Grand River Blues Society to compete at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee.

“The Ballad of Lucy Stone” is a tribute of sorts to a real, historic figure and builds its theme inspired by her story. Lucy Stone (1818 - 1893) was a women’s rights activist in mid-19^th century Massachusetts. Stone was the first woman in the State to earn a college degree and became a vocal advocate and organizer for the women’s suffrage movement, which eventually led to passing the 19^th amendment which granted women the right to vote in the U.S.

The story of Lucy Stone reflects the theme of this album,” notes Bisson. “The road to change may be difficult, but many things worth doing often are. We must not avoid the obstacles in our lives but instead face them head on. Fear is only a reminder that we are working towards something worth fighting for.“

Bisson certainly exhibits fearlessness and pure joy when fronting his band that can range in size from 6 to 20 members. However, he’s a do-it-yourself artist when it comes to songwriting and arrangements. Much like his previous albums, He’s the sole writer of all 10 tracks on “The Ballad of Lucy Stone” and produced the album. He’s no one-man band in the studio though. While Bisson plays all the guitars and sings lead and some background vocals on this album, he was joined by Jesse O’Brien on piano and keyboards, Mike Rowell on bass guitar, Keagan Early on drums and other percussion, Pat Carey on tenor sax, Gordon Aeichele on tenor & baritone sax and clarinet, Loretta Hale on trumpet and cello, Shawn Moody on trumpet, Rob Somerville on trombone, Lizuarte De Sousa on flute, Kevin Matthews on clarinet, Dan Rodrigues on dobro, accordion and piano, Paul Barna on violin/viola and Theresa Hale-Charters, Quisha Wint and Selena Evangeline on background vocals.

With 13 very busy years of music career building leading Bisson and his band to play sold out shows in Canada, the U.S., U.K. and Europe, he knows the work and dedication it takes to establish and grow in the music biz. 

Big changes do not happen overnight,” says Bisson. ”It is the little actions we take each day that make the difference.” 

Lucy Stone’s reported final words are also words to live by for Bisson and his music.

“Make the world better.”

For Bisson, it’s one great song and one sold out show at a time.

 https://www.andrebisson.ca/

George Dooley

 

George Dooley is a singer songwriter who has been playing and performing for over twenty years. He had always been frustrated in trying to get his songs produced. About two years ago he discovered the virtual world of music production, and he has never looked back. In just under two years, he already has four songs under license with Alcon Sleeping Giant (“ASG”), the music licensing arm of Alcon Entertainment, and another with Figure & Groove, a publishing house out of NY. His reputation as a lyricist continues to grow and his songs are generally fun and include great stories and clever lyrics. His catalog continues to grow, and he hopes his songs bring some joy. He also would welcome the opportunity to connect with recording artists who want to further bring his songs to life.

https://dukesongs.net/