Jump to new releases, new music discoveries, or things to read.
Hi! You’re here! Thank you for visiting.
This week was bonkers. Self-employment tends to be feast or famine, and the feasting has been nonstop lately. No complaining.
Read the short pieces this week. The addiction/demonic possession memoir is unforgettable, and the fiction piece about social anxiety and a bad boyfriend was short and powerful.
It’s concert season, and this time of year I always find I’m missing those middle pages of Eye Weekly with ads for shows at local venues. Do you have a go-to for small show listings? I kind of use Songkick/Instagram and a couple of email newsletters but that’s not ideal.
I have a whole spreadsheet of artists I’m planning to check out this summer in Toronto, with three shows next week alone. I picked up tickets to see The Mysterines in Toronto — they were $20, which is surprisingly inexpensive. There are still some available.
I hope you find something you like here, and if you’re inclined, get in touch.
Here is this week’s playlist for Apple Music and Spotify
Want just the essentials in your inbox? OK:
New-ish releases
All of these artists are on this week’s playlist for Apple Music and Spotify
Blog faves
- casual smart released their second single Queen of Hearts, subtle and gorgeous indie rock
- Skorts just released Steal the Night, a psychedelic-ish guitar monster
- Bus Crush released their second single and video: Win Today is slow-burn indie pop
New artists (to me)
- Violet Sands released are you still watching?, a slick throwback bit of electronica
- Maryland was a guest vocalist on the Yasha 96 album – her single Shock Therapy from late last year is lovely
- Beach Bunny released their new single Vertigo – it’s killer
New music discoveries
If you want to hear a song from each of these artists, here’s the playlist for Apple Music and Spotify
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Thomas Powers – A Tyrant Crying In Private
Auckland
Incredible attention to detail and surprising production make Thomas Powers’ debut solo record soar
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Martha Skye Murphy – Um
London, UK
Martha Skye Murphy’s debut feels visceral and downright literary. It’s stunning Instagram | Bandcamp | Youtube There’s a whole lot going on here. I first heard Martha Skye Murphy’s music via this Exclaim! piece, and decided to wait until the whole record came out to really dig into her music. This was the song featured…
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Mysterines – Afraid of Tomorrows
Liverpool
The Mysterines are a little more well-known than the artists I usually cover. Whatever, I love this record
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Cosmorat – Evil Adjacent EP
London, UK
“Life is hard! Let’s dance and scream.” Cosmorat’s EP is of the most eclectic things I’ve heard this year
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Cemento Atlantico – Dromomania
Each listen of Dromomania leaves you craving more — just like the adventures that inspire these tracks
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Been Stellar – Scream from New York, NY
Been Stellar is one of my favourite discoveries of 2024. The debut record lives up to the hype
Books and blog posts
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Weekender – June 28
Weekly review – new releases from old favourites, and a recap of the posts from the past 7 days.
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Let’s Give Out the 2024 Polaris Music Prize: Part Two A: Digression
This is the list of nominees I would have submitted
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Possess Me, Demon, Please by Alexandra Dos Santos
An addiction memoir written by a horror writer. It’s brilliant.
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Carson McCullers: A Life by Mary Dearborn
Carson McCullers wrote what she knew. That’s one of the saddest things I can imagine
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Short Story: Camera Obscura by Amy DeBellis
“She kept catching sight of herself from the wrong angle. (Why were they all from the wrong angle?)”
Till next week, y’all. Don’t be afraid to say hi.