Bruce Springsteen shares new video for "Streets Of Minneapolis"

Watch the video for Bruce Springsteen's "Streets Of Minneapolis" along with a recent performance of his powerful protest song.   

Watch DEVO perform as their Christian rock alter-ego DOVE, the band of love

Mark Mothersbaugh and his DEVO crew favoured lime green suits and visors when performing at DOVE in the late 70s/early 80s.

R.I.P. Canadian screen great Catherine O'Hara, 1954-2026

Sadly, brilliant Toronto-born film and television star Catherine O'Hara has passed away at 71. She'll be greatly missed.

Remembering British jazz great Tubby Hayes on his birthday

Raising a glass to saxophonist/flautist and vibes ace Tubby Hayes with the trailer for "A Man In A Hurry" and a few performances. 

Danko Jones, Zeus @ The Mod Club, Friday

Toronto's mighty Danko Jones return to rock The Mod Club with songs their 12th album Leo Rising. Doors at 7 pm. Get tix here.

Grab a copy of the uncut version of the new Leo Rising album from Danko Jones via Bandcamp right here.

One For The Weekend: YĪN YĪN's "Spirit Adapter"

Check out YĪN YĪN's appearance on KEXP following their video for "Spirit Adapter" off their Yatta! album out now on Glitterbeat.

YĪN YĪN – Spirit Adapter

YĪN YĪN, the highly touted Dutch quartet from Maastricht, have just released their fourth album Yatta! on Glitterbeat Records (available via Bandcamp right here). UNCUT magazine called the band's highly addictive sound "cosmic disco," and while that is a good place to start, the band incorporates a kaleidoscope of sounds and textures, occupying a sonic space somewhere between Khruangbin and Kraftwerk, surf music and Southeast Asian psychedelia, all the while staying close to the pulse and abandon of the dancefloor.

"Spirit Adapter," the first single from Yatta!, is a fervent shout out to the joy of disco nights. While YĪN YĪN are fundamentally an instrumental outfit, the group's bassist Remy Scheren lends his voice to the track, intoning "the room’s alive, the walls are shaking / transform me like a Spirit Adapter." Watch the video for "Spirit Adapter" below. 

The band told us this about the track: " 'Spirit Adapter' started from a self recorded demo - just bass, guitar and drums at home. From there, we pulled out little fragments—beats, melodies, chords—and reshaped them until the track transformed into something completely new. At its core, it carries themes of funk, spirituality, and the strength of the water. Releasing it now, it feels like an opening ritual for autumn — rainy, mystical and euphoric. On the dance floor raindrops evaporate into gaseous party spirits, this autumn, go to your favourite bar, throw your jacket on the pile and conquer the dance floor!"

From the beginning, YĪN YĪN have been devoted to exploring global sounds with an emphasis on getting the dance floor moving – an impulse that reaches its peak on their upcoming album, Yatta!

Across the album, YĪN YĪN specialise in creating the soundtracks to dream journeys, opportunities for the listener to visit places that exist in realms of the imagination.

There’s no shortage of sparks in Yatta!’s blend of dancefloor fillers and laidback soundscapes. Guitarist Erik Bandt explains: “We tried to make a mix of songs that are very energetic, danceable party starters, but also have songs that take you on trips and are more easy.”

“It’s our most organic album to date,” says Bandt. “We recorded together as a team in the studio instead of recording separate tracks for drums, guitar, bass – it’s all live and that adds a certain feel.”

All of which explains the album’s title. Bandt says: “Yatta is a Japanese phrase meaning ‘We did it, we accomplished it!’ After we finished the album, we thought this simple phrase actually ties it all together.”

Drummer Kees Berkers continues: “It also speaks for a more general idea that we, as a band, succeeded to really become a band on a professional level. So, it's also, ‘We finally are true musicians now. We have arrived.’ Basically, we made the dream come true.” 

 

Happy Birthday Bettye LaVette!

Raising a glass to Muskegon-born soul great Bettye LaVette on her birthday with an interview and a few performance clips. 

Lydia Lunch & Marc Hurtado perform the music of Suicide @ Lee's Palace, Feb 13

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Lydia & Marc present the songs of Suicide at Lee's Palace on February 13th. Get tickets right here.      Photo by Heéène Cazes

Here's the scoop...

After the Big Sexy Noise tour Lydia will be reunited with Marc, to perform the Suicide and Alan Vega songs, for the first time in Canada. Watch some recent performance footage below. 

Feb 13: Toronto - Lee's Palace

Feb 14: Montreal - La Sala Rossa

Feb 15: Ottawa - Club SAW

Happy Birthday Rick Donmoyer of Warpig!

Cheers to Rick Donmoyer of Canuck heavy rock crew Warpig on his birthday. Check out Warpig's whumpin' debut on Fonthill.  

Midweek Mixdown: Jazzman Gerald's Country Popcorn, Part II

Gerald Short's misleadingly titled "Country Popcorn II" set has nothing to do with country or popcorn. Yep, more rare jazz finds. 

Have  a listen via Mixcloud right here. Watch an interview with Gerald from 2006 below.

Ronnie Self vs. Bill Monroe

In 1957, rockabilly great Ronnie Self knocked out a swingin' version of Bill Monroe's "Rocky Road Blues" recorded in 1945.  

Remembering Elmore James on his birthday

Check out two songs from the classic Elmore James album Blues After Hours on Crown from 1960 and more. 

Watch some rare early footage of the Velvet Underground at a house party

Here's some footage of what could be the Velvet Underground's first public appearance shot by Jonas Mekas for Walden. 

Peter Case previews new My Life To Live album with "Somebody Told The Truth"

Peter Case will be going on tour with his new album My Life To Live although no Toronto date has been scheduled as yet. 

R.I.P. drumming legend Sly Dunbar, 1952-2026

Sadly, legendary Jamaican drummer Sly Dunbar – who helped shape the sound of reggae – has passed away. He'll be greatly missed.

Remembering Swedish jazz singer Alice Babs on her birthday

Raising a glass to Alice Babs with some early footage, performances with the Duke Ellington orchestra and "Been To Canaan" 

Seattle power pop crew Once For Kicks feat. Kurt Bloch share new EP

The new four-song Once For Kicks digital release "The Decade Is Dying In The Air" is out now. Here are two songs not on it. 

You can get a copy of the new Once For Kicks EP along with their many other releases right here. 

Remembering Sleepy John Estes on his birthday

Remembering blues great Sleepy John Estes on his birthday with some rare performance footage and recordings worth checking.

Col. Tom's Swinging Door w/ Doug Paisley & Chuck Erlichman @ Cameron House, Sunday

Toronto singer/songwriter Doug Paisley and pal Chuck Erlichman join Tom Parker and crew at the Cameron from 6-8pm.

Gerard Van Herk's "Martian Kiss" Release w/ Catl, Dusky Thrush @ The Horseshoe, Jan 24

Deja Voodoo's Gerard Van Herk performs songs from his new Martian Kiss LP along with a few Deja Voodoo faves, a couple of 'em played by Dusky Thrush.

Here's the scoop from Deja Voodoo HQ...

Hey, if you can make it to the Toronto record launch this Saturday, here's the Deja Voodoo tunes we'll be doing (after a bunch of stuff from the new Martian Kiss album, and some surprise extras): Too Cool to Live, Coelacanth, If Mashed Potatoes, Big Scary Daddy, Things With You, 3 Men 1 Coffin, My Girlfriend, Cheese & Crackers, and Voodoo BBQ. And maybe Lonely Motel and Blast Off!

Schedule for Gerard Van Herk's "Martian Kiss" release party 

8:30 pm – doors open

9:00 pm – Dusky Thrush (ex-House of Knives) plays Deja Voodoo

9:45 pm – CATL

10:45 pm – Gerard and Paddy

Get tickets for Gerard Van Herk's "Martian Kiss" release party with Catl and Dusky Thrush at the Horseshoe on Saturday (January 24) right here. Also, there will be Deja Voodoo t-shirts available for sale! All sizes in stock, assuming UPS shows up on time. 

Check out a few clips of Gerard in action along with a couple of choice Deja Voodoo covers performed by Dusky Thrush below. 

Happy Birthday Kim Salmon!

Celebrating the Kim Salmon's birthday some performances. interviews and a Smoked Salmon video you may have missed.

That time I ran into Kim Salmon in Memphis

Way back in the 90s, I was surprised to encounter Kim leaning against the bar in an empty Memphis club on a week night Not only was it early in the evening, about 7 pm, but when I asked someone who worked at the venue if there were any bands scheduled for later they shrugged, "I dunno... it's lesbian night." I had no idea whether Kim was in town to record some music or play a show. Who knows, maybe he was just checking out the joint's set-up for a possible gig on the next tour? In any case, odd as it was to see him standing there alone nursing a brew, I was confident it was actually Kim Salmon. There was no mistaking the pink suit and yellow-tinted aviator shades. So I walked over and said, "Hey Kim, what are you doing in Memphis?" After fighting back a reflexive spit-take, he gasped with a perplexed look, "How on earth did you know it was me?" "Hey," I chuckled, "there's only one Kim Salmon!" He conceded with a laugh, "I guess you're right." 
 

James Hunter shares "Gun Shy" video from new album Off The Fence

James Hunter cut his new album Off The Fence at Daptone's Riverside studio but issued it via Easy Eye Sound. Photos: Jim Herrington

Off The Fence by The James Hunter Six

The James Hunter Six recently shared the music video for the band's lovesick single "Gun Shy" from their new album Off The Fence, out now via Easy Eye Sound. Co-written with singer/guitarist James Hunter and his bandmate Myles Weeks, "Gun Shy" illustrates the tongue-tied feeling of a new crush over a dance-floor-ready groove before ripping into a bluesy sax solo from Michael Buckley. The music video was featured at Relix, who said "Along with the music video’s nature, the song carries a sense of timelessness that might well appeal to Hunter’s 40-year tenure as a high mark of British soul and rhythm & blues." Watch the James Slater-directed video for “Gun Shy” following the Off The Fence track list below. Get a copy of the album via your platform of choice right here: https://ees.ffm.to/tjhs_offthefence. 

Says James Hunter about the new single: "I had heard the phrase 'gun shy' before but didn't know what it meant, although I assumed it had more than a literal application. When Myles Weeks, our bass player, mentioned he had a concept for a song with that title, he outlined the theme as being that of someone being nervously reluctant to declare their romantic intentions. I asked him if he minded if I wrote it, and he graciously said yes. As per my usual 'Thesaurus method' of song-writing, I threw a pile of ballistics-related terms on the table and set about arranging them into verses. Once I'd stuffed them into a spare tune I had lying around, we committed it to tape."

 "Then it was time to make the video," he continues. "One dark December evening, my wife Jessie accompanied me to a studio in a Victorian-era warehouse in Tichborne Street, in the North Laines, Brighton. Our director, James Slater, filmed me prancing about and lip-syncing on a big sheet of paper unfurled from a roller suspended from the ceiling. I had a blast."

Dubbed "The United Kingdom’s Greatest Soul Singer" by MOJO, the British singer, songwriter and Grammy-nominated James Hunter has been a legendary fixture in the scene for over three decades. His eleventh studio album delivers another dose of timeless rhythm & soul and marks 40 years since his recording debut. Featuring twelve self-penned gems, each song is delivered with Hunter’s customary blend of smooth vocal control coupled with heart-worn grit and wit.

From the infectious blues blaster "A Sure Thing" to the beautifully moving "Here And Now" and even a rare duet with his former employer, legendary Irish singer Van Morrison called "Ain't That A Trip," Off The Fence is the perfect amalgam of everything great about Hunter's songwriting, delivery and outlook. He is accompanied by a band of masterful musicians that includes Myles Weeks (double bass), Rudy Albin Petschauer (drums), Andrew Kingslow (keyboards, percussion), Michael Buckley (baritone saxophone) and Drew Vanderwinckel (tenor saxophone).

 James Hunter will be touring in the UK and Europe in early 2026. See a full list of dates below and find more information on his site: jameshuntermusic.com/tour.html

 

James Hunter Six – Off The Fence 

1. Two Birds One Stone

2. Let Me Out Of This Love

3. Gun Shy

4. Believe It When I See It

5. Here And Now

6. Off The Fence

7. Ain’t That A Trip (feat. Van Morrison)

8. One For Ripley

9. Trouble Comes Calling

10. Particular

11. A Sure Thing

12. Only A Fool

LINKS
Medium.com James Hunter chats with Jimmie Soul about Off The Fence

 

The James Hunter Six 2026 European Tour

January 26 – Glasgow, UK @ Òran Mór

January 28 – Newcastle, UK @ The Cluny

January 29 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club

January 30 – Cambridge, UK @ Storey's Field Centre

January 31 – Birmingham, UK @ The Crossing

February 7 – Paris, FR @ New Morning

February 9 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso Tolhuistuin

February 10 – Hamburg, DE @ Knust

February 11 – Berlin, DE @ Hole44

February 13 – Munich, DE @ Ampere

One For The Weekend: "Snow Storm" by The Wayward Winds

Based on the weather forecast, it seems like the right time for this Wayward Winds gem on Rich-R-Tone – check the 12 disc box set!

LINKS
Bear Family Records Historic Sessions: Rich-R-Tone, Folk Star Story (12 CD box set)
Rich-R-Tone Archival Project Listen to Rich-R-Tone recordings via YouTube

Watch Pokey LaFarge's new video for "Pickup Truck"

The song Pickup Truck is taken from Pokey LaFarge's new album Travelin' with Pokey LaFarge. Vol 1 is out today!

Here's the scoop...

"Pickup Truck" by Pokey LaFarge. From the new album 'Travelin' with Pokey LaFarge: Voice and Guitar Vol. I' Limited Edition First Pressing Vinyl 10" EP out January 23, 2026 on Boxer Boy Records / Digital Release Out On February 13, 2026. 

Stream Pokey LaFarge's "Pickup Truck" here

You can get the 10" vinyl EP from DiggersFactory.com right here. 

Video Credits:

Music and Arrangement by Pokey LaFarge

Filmed by Tailwind Media

Edited by Danielle C. Head

 

The first 10" volume of Pokey LaFarge "Travelin' With" EP includes six original vocal/guitar recordings not available elsewhere.

B-Side Wins Again: Satan and The D-Men

Check out the Canuck garage whumper "She'll Lie" penned by Wayne Cardinal singer/bassist of Kenora's Satan & The D-Men. 

Remembering Daniel Johnston on his birthday

Raising a glass to singer/songwriter Daniel Johnston on his birthday with a couple of interviews, performances and more.

Remembering New Orleans songster Snooks Eaglin on his birthday

Raising a glass to Snooks Eaglin with a New Orleans show from '85, some live clips with George Porter Jr. and more! 

Yep that's Snooks (right) tearin' it up with pianist Allen Toussaint (left) in The Flamingos (New Orleans) circa 1953. 

Watch Gurf Morlix perform "50 Years" off his Eatin' At Me album

Check out Gurf's performance of "50 Years" along with a couple of great tunes off his latest album Bristlecone. 

Writes Gurf about his song "50 Years"...

"Here's a live performance of a song I wrote about my time in school. I remember it all. I can't say I enjoyed the experience.  I hope you had a better time. The song is called 50 Years. It's from the album EATIN' AT ME. A lot of it still is eatin' at me."

Get a copy of Gurf Morlix's 2015 album Eatin' At Me via Bandcamp right here. Also, check out "Glimmer Of Hope" and "Suspended In Alcohol" off his latest release Bristlecone available here. 

Remembering exotica pioneer Juan Garcia Esquivel on his birthday

Remembering composer/arranger and pianist Juan Garcia Esquivel with an interview and some of his recordings. 

Cate Le Bon plays the Concert Hall, January 20

Cate Le Bon returns to Toronto for a show at the Concert Hall tonight with Frances Chang opening at 7 pm. 

Here's the scoop...

Welsh singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Cate Le Bon creates psychedelic-tinged art pop with the help of intricate guitar work and an ever-shifting songwriting style. Singing in both English and Welsh, her earlier records opted for a more acoustic sound, while 2022’s Pompeii combines more vivid influences, from ’70s David Bowie to Japanese city pop. Her seventh and latest album, Michaelango Dying was recorded after a difficult break-up in 2024 at various studios in Cardiff, London, Los Angeles and Joshua Tree. It made the year end "Top Albums of 2025" lists for Mojo, Uncut, The Guardian, Record Collector, The Fader and Rolling Stone if that matters to anyone.  

Advance tickets for Cate Le Bon's Concert Hall show are $49.32 and available right here.  Check out a couple of clips from a recent performance and some videos. 

Al Green vs. The Velvet Underground

Al Green just cut a cover of Velvet Underground's Loaded gem "I Found A Reason" for his new To Love Somebody EP. Get it here.

Happy Birthday Mike Belitsky!

Celebrate the 60th birthday of drummer deluxe Mike Belitsky with Country Flash at the Bell & Beacon tonight at 9:30 pm. 

Celebrating MLK Day with saxophone great Nathan Davis

Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. today with three songs from the Nathan Davis tribute album from 1976.

Watch Horace Parlan get down with Dusko Goykovich & Bobby Jones in 1973

Since it's Horace Parlian's birthday, here's his Summit combo with Dusko Goykovich & Bobby Jones in Kongsberg back in '73.

Before They Were Famous: Seymour Stein of Sire Records

Long before signing The Ramones, Talking Heads & Madonna, Seymour Stein launched Sire in '68 with "Something's Gone" by The Jam (from Spokane, WA).  

Happy Birthday R. Stevie Moore!

Celebrating the birthday of home recording pioneer R. Stevie Moore with a couple of clips and documentary footage.