New Music Spotlight with Crown Lands, Nelson Sobral, Cheap Trick, Mallory Johnson & Twin Kennedy, and Nick Jonas
New Music from Crown Lands, Nelson Sobral, Cheap Trick, Mallory Johnson & Twin Kennedy, and Nick Jonas
It’s been a while, but I’m back with a sweet New Music Spotlight.
Heading into the weekend this spotlight is full of rock, with a hint of blues, country, and R&B.
Let’s do this!
Artist: Crown Lands
Hometown: Oshawa
Genre: Rock / Prog
Related: Black Pistol Fire / Monster Truck / Rush
Song: Context: Fearless Pt. 1 / Right Way Back
Notes: If you’re a longstanding fan of Crown Lands, you’ll know that Rush has been a huge influence on the pair. This influence has never been clearer than on the latest two songs. The first new song Context: Fearless Pt. 1 comes with an epic 7:47 long video treatment. The final recording for “Context: Fearless Pt. 1” is an epic, hydra-headed beast of a song, complete with a full-scale, Mandalorian-style sci-fi music video that premiered via Rolling Stone. Crown Lands enlisted Blake Mawson, their collaborator on the Leadfoot video, to help them realize their concept.
The second new song, Right Way Back, is a tribute to Peart that came almost effortlessly. They brought it to Nashville as a rough demo, working out the chorus and writing the lyrics on the spot. “It’s about the feeling of trying to carry on from where your heroes left off,” says Comeau.
Stay tuned, we’ll be chatting via Zoom with Kevin and Cody on Monday.
Links: Web / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Spotify / Apple
Artist: Nelson Sobral
Hometown: Toronto
Genre: Soul / Blues / Rock
Related: Ron Sexsmith, Terra Lightfoot, Cat Clyde
Song: Pendulum
Notes: Nelson Sobral is back with his latest single release, Pendulum. The song exemplifies Sobral’s effortless shift between country, soul, blues, and rock’n’roll, and is ready for delivery on barroom stages across Canada, the United States, and beyond. Co-written with singer-songwriter Mattie Leon (Inside Pocket / Warner Music Canada) who also plays organ on the track and accompanied by the talented Selcuk Suna on horns (a member of The Royal Conservatory’s New Canadian Global Music Orchestra), Sobral plays every other instrument himself on this breakthrough track from one of Toronto’s most brightly shining stars.
“Pendulum is about the kind of back and forth relationship that we’ve all been a part of, but just can’t seem to get out of,” Sobral describes. “We’ve all been in those relationships that we know are no good. Maybe something clicks with the heart, but you’re poison for each other in every other way.”
“Sometimes songs write themselves in five minutes, and sometimes it takes months or weeks or days,” recalls Sobral, penning Pendulum while locked in a moment of paralyzing inspiration. “It just wrote itself: I had to just stop whatever I was doing, and pick up the guitar and write it all down.”
Links: Web / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Spotify / Apple / Bandcamp
Artist: Cheap Trick
Hometown: Rockford, Illinois, USA
Genre: Rock
Related: Triumph / Heart / Eddie Money
Song: Boys & Girls & Rock N Roll
Notes: Cheap Trick are back with another badass single, Boys & Girls & Rock N Roll, in anticipation of the release of their 20th studio album, IN ANOTHER WORLD, out via BMG on April 9. We love how Cheap Trick keeps releasing relevant rock music. They’re a prime example of a band kicking out rock songs, year after year. Someone should tell Adam Levine.
Links: Web / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Spotify / Apple
Artist: Mallory Johnson & Twin Kennedy
Hometown: Yellowknife/Conception Bay South/Nashville/Toronto / Powell River, BC
Genre: Country
Related: Adairs Run / Elle Mears / Grayson Rogers
Song: Wise Woman
Notes: Inspired by their shared experiences as women in a male-dominated industry. The video for Wise Woman features clips of diverse women from across North America, including many women who have been influential in both Mallory Johnson and Twin Kennedy’s lives and careers – their moms, sisters, friends, mentors and colleagues.
“We hope this video makes you feel empowered and brave, because that’s how we felt writing this song. We hope you watch it, we hope you share it, and we hope it makes you call all of the wise women in your life and tell them how much they mean to you.”
Mallory Johnson Links: Web / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Spotify / Apple
Twin Kennedy Links: Web / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Spotify / Apple
Artist: Nick Jonas
Hometown: Dallas, TX USA
Genre: Pop / Rock / R&B
Related: Jonas Brothers, The Weeknd
Song: Spaceman
Notes: Grammy and Golden Globe-nominated artist and actor Nick Jonas released an official music video for, Spaceman. It’s the title track from his new album, which was released today via Island Records.
“The Spaceman era has begun.
So excited to be starting this journey with all of you. I made this album while doing what most of us have been doing during this past year, sitting at home getting used to the new normal and hoping for better days ahead. There are four central themes we will explore on this album… Distance. Indulgence. Euphoria. Commitment.
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