That’s right! Two Midweek Mixdowns in a row! We’re making things happen, even in our bleary-eyed, post HPX2016 state. Enjoy the tunes!
Red Hot Chilli Peppers – “Go Robot”
Say what you will about the Chili Peppers, but they have a great knack for making incredibly catchy tunes, and their latest single “Go Robot” has been playing non-stop around here. It’s a jam loaded with dance-y funk beats, and a simple catchy chorus. Settle in, this one’s gonna be around for a bit.
Steven Tyler – “Piece Of My Heart”
When the news broke that Steven Tyler was releasing a solo country record, an entire legion of music fans and critics alike scoffed openly and loudly. Now that the album is out in the world, and has been for a bit now, it’s not one bit the farce that it was initially made out to be; in fact, it’s a great album loaded with tunes that are perfectly suited to Tyler’s bluesy rasp and howl. There are a couple of covers on the album, but the moment I heard the opening to Janis Joplin’s “Piece of my Heart”, I thought to myself Of Course! It’s a song ideally suited to his vocal talents. If you dig this, check out his album We’re All Somebody From Somewhere.
Hannah Georgas – “Stay” (Rhianna Cover)
Halifax Pop Explosion 2016 recently wrapped up, and there are a lot of music folks in Halifax who are still trying to recoup the hours of sleep that were sacrificed in honour of great music. One of my personal highlights (or would it be two?) was being able to catch Hannah Georgas perform at both the Carleton and then the following night at the Marquee, and she slayed both nights. My first experience of seeing Georgas was at Saint Matthew’s in 2013, and I only caught the tail end of her set (after what appeared to a rousing front row dance party), but I was certainly digging what I heard. Here is her cover of Rhianna’s “Stay”
DREAMERS – “Sweet Disaster”
Recently discovered these cats via a Spotify playlist, and this tune immediately caught my ear. Great pop-infused indie/alt rock sound, immediately radio ready. Would love to hear more from these guys.
Royal Canoe – “Bicycle”
Another act that played the 2016 iteration of the Halifax Pop Explosion, and served as a complete revelation to me. I didn’t know what to expect from a band named Royal Canoe, and frankly I expected something far more acoustic and folky, not a cool, suave electro funk act such as Manitoba’s Royal Canoe. I was ecstatic that I opted to stick around the Halifax Forum to take in their set, as I was definitely converted into a fan of the band.
Now, the worst possible scenario befell the band in Montreal, as their trailer loaded with gear was stolen (Manitoba license plate Z063G) and literally all of their gear is now gone. Keep an eye out, and if you see anything in relation to this heist, please contact the band.
