#musicmonday Artist Feature – HEDLEY

Name: Hedley

Hometown: Vancouver, BC

Label: Universal Music

Download this: Hands Up

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There seems to be an undeniable “X Factor” associated with Hedley that just pushes their originality, uniqueness, and enthusiasm over the edge into quite the stellar package. Time has flown by as it was only over four years ago that Hedley truly came to fruition, and when it comes to the journey they have been on since that time, the boys haven’t looked back and are continuing to make their mark within the music industry. Hedley is back and ready to rock with their newly released album The Show Must Go, which hit the shelves November 17th and has already rocketed up the charts and can be heard all over the radio with hit singles, “Cha-Ching,” and “Don’t Talk to Strangers.”

Named after a small town in British Columbia, Canada, Hedley became the band we know and love today after Jacob Hoggard gained recognition as a solid performer during his rise in TV show Canadian Idol. Hoggard was even picked by many to win the competition but wanted to pursue singing on his terms, true to who he was and what he believed in, unofficially suggesting that fans not vote for him to continue on in the show. Once Jacob was united with Chris Crippin, Tom MacDonald, and Dave Rosin, everything seemed to fall into place for the band to commence establishing themselves as one of Canada’s most popular bands.

To put it lightly, it seems the boys of Hedley are quite eccentric and adventurous, who seem to be the type of guys that anyone would want to befriend, while also having the ability to have an intense and unwavering stage presence to deliver a unique experience for each show. Their songs can be “hard-hitting” in both senses of the word; some of their songs have incredible instrumentals that are hit hard and fast with an upbeat and intense sound, while others are “hard-hitting” with the words and subsequent meanings behind them. There seems to be a lot of emotion put into many of Hedley’s songs, many of which are easily relatable, and no matter how fast-paced the beat is, Hedley has a distinct ability to make listeners feel and believe the truths of their lyrics and bring their songs to life to create new meanings for listeners. With The Show Must Go, Hedley has a fun array of songs with interesting titles including “Sweater Song,” “9 Shades of Red,” and “Cha-Ching,” but equally diverse types of music that provide an acoustic range to the album. From the upbeat and urban “Don’t Talk to Strangers” to the power ballad of “Perfect,” to the fun and bubbly “Hands Up,” The Show Must Go has quite the range within it, but remains true to the distinct sounds of Hedley that most of us know and love.

Hedley’s first two studio albums, self-titled debut Hedley, and follow-up album Famous Last Words, both went multi-platinum and there is no doubt that The Show Must Go will continue on in that tradition. You can grab your copy of The Show Must Go in stores and on iTunes now and be sure to keep a lookout for Hedley to be touring in early 2010 alongside The Stereos and Fefe Dobson and special selected appearances by Faber Drive and Boys Like Girls as well! For more information on Hedley, check out their website: http://www.hedleyonline.com/

SOTD: Amie Miriello – Pictures

“Is it too late to turn around? To leave it all behind you?”

SOTD: David Cook – Avalanche

“These scars we wear remind us the more we change the more we’re all the same”

SOTD: Angel Taylor – Chai Tea Latte

A fitting song for when you want someone you don’t have….

“‘Cause without you my flavor is a little plain. And no one likes plain things”

#musicmonday Artist Feature – MICHAEL BUBLE

Name: Michael Buble

Hometown: Burnaby, BC

Label: Reprise Records

Download this: Hold On
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In just a few short years, Michael Buble has taken the world by storm and become an international household name. His aptitude for revamping and reinventing some of the great songs of the past is uncanny, with his timeless and smooth voice making women, and men, weak in the knees. There are few artists who do what Michael does, and less who have the ability to do it as well as he does. Through Michael’s music, great songs of the past are brought back to life and made new again, opening them up for appreciation from newer generations of listeners. Canada’s beloved Buble is back with his much-anticipated album release of “Crazy Love”, which hit the shelves on October 9th, and is already proving to be one of the biggest hits of the year.

Success on the charts is definitely not unchartered territory for Michael Buble. His self-titled debut album was an instant international hit, levelling out in the top 10 in both the UK and Canada. His follow-up album, “It’s Time,” sold close to 6 million copies and remained on the Billboard Traditional Jazz charts for over 2 years! His third studio album, “Call Me Irresponsible,” debuted at the number one spot in the Billboard 200. After reviewing the numbers three days after its release, Michael’s latest album, “Crazy Love” shot right back to number one on Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart in the USA, while in Canada and Australia, the album went directly to the top spot on the day of release! His album success has led to numerous awards including Juno’s for Best New Artist (2004), Artist of the Year (2006), Album of the Year (2006), World Music Awards, and a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album (2008).

The Burnaby, B.C. native had an interesting start to his musical career, with his grandfather introducing him to the singers that became his idols such as Ray Charles, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. As a plumber, Michael’s grandfather helped his young grandson score gigs in lounges and bars in exchange for his plumbing services. Years later, Michael was invited to sing at Caroline Mulroney’s (yes, former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney’s daughter) wedding, where he happened to meet Canadian great and multi-Grammy award winning producer, David Foster. After seeing Michael’s talents first-hand, Foster knew he had a gem in his sights and helped kick Michael’s career into overdrive. Today, Michael has established himself as one of the elite vocalists on the market, and one who is based out of a contemporary, and jazz genre to boot.

There are many features to Michael Buble that make him so wonderful: there’s the fact he’s a pretty amazing vocalist and performer, his deliciously good looks, his charismatic and infectious personality that is not only down-to-earth, but incredibly funny, the fact he constantly gives back to communities and individuals who can use the assistance, and then there’s his love for hockey, which pushes him over the edge into one incredible package. The Canadian crooner seems to have no trouble winning over audiences, and with “Crazy Love,” that is so far proving to be just the case. His first single off the album, “Haven’t Met You Yet,” has debuted within the top 10 in charts all over the world, and with a pop-edge that steps outside Michael’s comfort zone, fans are excited to hear what the rest of the album has in store. The album is incredibly diverse from the jive-vibe of “Heartache Tonight,” to the moving instrumentals and vocals of “Cry Me a River,” to the beautifully heart-warming “Hold On,” to the upbeat and fun version of “Some Kind of Wonderful.” Crazy Love is in stores and on iTunes now, and look out for Michael to hit a city near you in the coming months. If you want your Buble fix now, check out some of the interviews Michael has already done as a part of his media rounds. He has already hit up interviews on Oprah, The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulus, The Today Show, CNN, Access Hollywood, and Rachel Ray.

To watch Michael Buble’s official video for “Haven’t Met You Yet,” click here:

#musicmonday Artist Feature – DEFAULT

Name: Default

Hometown: Vancouver, BC

Label: EMI Canada

Download this: Turn It On
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It’s hard to believe that Default’s debut album, “The Fallout,” hit the charts over 8 years ago in 2001. Believe it or not, Default is back and ready to rock the music world yet again with their fourth studio album, “Comes and Goes.” Since it has been a while in between albums (4 years due to contractual issues) you might only faintly remember the band. Yet start bringing up titles such as “Deny,” “Wasting My Time,” “Throw It All Away,” “It Only Hurts,” “The Memory Will Never Die,” and “Count on Me,” and you will most definitely remember the great hits the band has produced over the years. As good as the tracks off of their previous albums, “The Fallout” (2001), “Elocation” (2003), and “One Thing Remains” (2005), have proven to be, “Comes and Goes” will undoubtedly prove to be their most versatile and likely most successful album to date.

Fresh out of beautiful Vancouver, BC, Dallas Smith (Vocals), Jeremy Hora (Guitar), Dave Benedict (Bass), and Danny Craig (Drums) make up the fantastic four of Default who have consistently remained a fan favourite on the rock scene since their early days. Prior to having the name “Default,” the boys went by “The Fallout” and fortunately had their demos discovered by Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger who pushed the band to enter the prestigious and well-known Vancouver Seeds contest of 2000. “The Fallout” won crowds over and landed themselves a spot on the sampler CD before opting to make the change to “Default.” The name change has ended up being a successful gamble as Default has proven to be a mainstay on rock radio with the release of their albums as well as on the playlists of audiences all over the world. Two years later in 2002, Default was awarded the Juno for “Best New Group” and wherever the band has travelled, they have won over crowds with their amazing live performances and humble personalities. Lead Singer Dallas Smith has a genuinely soothing yet raspy voice that seemingly has the ability to take any song and make it a hit, and with the help of his band-mates, contributes to Default delivering incredibly powerful performances night after night. With each album, the band has shown increasing maturity and the depth of their lyrics have continued to grow and hold meaning for listeners around the world.

“Comes and Goes” hit the shelves on September 29th 2009 and has been receiving rave reviews for the new album and the first single, “All Over Me,” which just after 2 weeks, soared to the top 10 charts on rock radio. The new album presents a wide array of tunes ranging from the high-energy and aggressive “Turn It On” and “Goodbye” to the moving power ballads of “Supposed to Be” and “Show Me.” Since their debut in 2001, Default has sold over 1.5 million albums all over the world and have been certified platinum in both the USA and Canada. Look out for Default to hit a city near you this November as they tour alongside The Used and Three Days Grace.

#musicmonday Artist Feature – THREE DAYS GRACE

Name: Three Days Grace

Hometown: Ontario, Canada

Label: Jive Records

Download this: “World So Cold”

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“3” seems to be a magical number for the band Three Days Grace (3DG), not only is it a part of the band’s name, but it is also the amount of #1 hits the group has had in the Billboard Alternative/Rock music chart, the number of years in between album releases, and on September 22, 2009, album #3 by Three Days Grace, Life Starts Now, is set to be released and will undoubtedly prove to be the band’s best work to date. The album features little tastes of everything from the inspirational “Life Starts Now” to the emotional pull of “Last to Know” to the heavy and exciting sounds of “The Good Life” to the hard-hitting but truthful words in “No More” and “World So Cold.” There is no doubt the band will exceed fans’ expectations with Life Starts Now and together have found a way to show maturity in their music while remaining close to who they really are.

With all of the excitement and anticipation of Life Starts Now, it’s easy to overlook the band’s past successes. Three Days Grace released their self-titled debut album in 2003, featuring the explosive hits “I Hate Everything About You”, “Just Like You”, “and “Home”, while the album went platinum in the USA and double platinum in Canada – not too shabby for a debut! The sophomore album followed in 2006 and dominated the airwaves…literally, as at the end of 2007, 3DG became the #1 rock artist receiving the most airplay in both the USA and Canada, while also being named the #1 rock artist of 2007 by Billboard Music. The album, One-X, had an edgier and more aggressive stance than the debut album, throwing out hits including “Animal I Have Become”, “Pain”, “Get Out Alive”, and “Riot”. Like the debut, One-X went platinum in the USA and double platinum in Canada.

Fans have been restlessly awaiting the album release, but with the big day coming soon, the wait will prove to be worth the pain. Band members Adam Gontier (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Neil Sanderson (Drums), Brad Waist (Bass, Vocals), and Barry Stock (Lead Guitar), are back with a vengeance and with the first single “Break” rising the charts by the day there is no doubt the third album will go platinum just as the first two albums did in both the USA and Canada. The band hails from various areas of Ontario (Peterborough, Norwood, and Caledon), but one of the qualities that distinguishes Three Days Grace from other rock/alternative bands is their ability to write music that touches people all over the world in ways other bands cannot even seem to compete with. Each lyric jotted down is infused with such emotion that truly moves the listener, and Three Days Grace have seamlessly become a band that many people can relate to. There is so much meaning within each song, and the band constantly deals with difficult subject matters, with each track varying from the next. Some say that 3DG is a “dark” band, and while there is no doubt that there is an intense element to the band, the “dark” issues dealt with on songs are much needed and a breath of fresh air in times when other artists are dishing out songs filled with lyrics that are overtly general and seem to be based on a fantasy-filled, nonsensical world. Three Days Grace may have the power to create some of the most universal music of our time with the lyrics that come alive with each beat.

Look out for Life Starts Now to hit the shelves of music stores and iTunes everywhere September 22, 2009. Shortly thereafter Three Days Grace will be touring across the USA and Canada, and if you haven’t heard or seen the band live, be sure to do so as a Three Days Grace concert will no doubt rate as one of the best.

#musicmonday Artist Feature – Faber Drive

Name: Faber Drive
Hometown: Mission, BC
Label: 604 Records
Download this: “G-Get Up and Dance”

Straight out of Mission, British Columbia, the boys (or rather the men) of Faber Drive are tearing up the music scene all over North America. While they tend to be categorized under a “pop-punk” or “power-pop” heading, there is so much more to the music Faber Drive puts out that these titles are not nearly enough to capture the essence of the band. After scoring three mega-hits off of their 2007 debut album Seven Second Surgery, with “Second Chance,” “Tongue Tied,” and “When I’m With You,” Faber Drive is back and ready for the release of their sophomore album, Can’t Keep A Secret.

Faber Drive is part of the surge of great Canadian artists and bands that entered and exploded onto the music scene in the mid-2000’s, and as such have already toured with bands such as Hedley, Marianas Trench, and Simple Plan. However, there is a distinct quality that separates Faber Drive from the rest of the pack, not only with their unique ability to make listeners want to literally get up and dance while also feeling emotions with their heartfelt lyrics that deal with issues ranging from finding and losing love to overcoming abuse, but also with their natural likeability that translates internationally and with a dose of simplicity that make them an easy band to relate to. Their newest single off the yet-to-be-released album, “G-Get Up and Dance” has been a summer hit and is rising up the music charts by the day. The much anticipated Can’t Keep A Secret, promises to deliver huge hits and will feature collaborations and songs co-written with Chad Kroeger (Nickelback, 604 Records), Brian Howes (Hedley, Hinder, Daughtry), and Pierre Bouvier (Simple Plan) among others.

Faber Drive’s road to success is quite an interesting and inspirational story, and the successes they have had and will continue to have in the future, are a testament to that story. Before the birth of the band, now lead singer Faber taught guitar and drum lessons in Mission, and fittingly one of his first drum students was the highly talented Red Bull. After maintaining a close relationship for over three years the boys decided to form a band together and the rest of the pieces seemingly fell into place. The band, which back then went by the name “Faber”, submitted a song to Vancouver’s rock radio station, 99.3 The Fox’s “Battle of the Bands” or Vancouver Seeds competition. Their song “Sex and Love” was chosen as one of the 20 best submissions out of over 500! After some live duels with other bands, Faber took home the title of the #1 band in Vancouver in 2005. Vancouver Seeds, or Battle of the Bands, has been billed as Canada’s #1 independent talent competition with a history spanning over 30 years and past winners including greats such as Matthew Good, Nickelback, Default, Bif Naked, State of Shock and more. Of course nothing stays the same for long, and as some of the original members went on to other endeavours, Red Bull included, new members were added to the mix and now Faber Drive is seemingly stronger and more united than ever. Together, band members Faber (Lead vocalist/Guitar), Krikit (Bass/Back Vocals), JP (Lead Guitar/Back Vocals), and Stricko (Drums) are pushing for an early November 2009 release of their follow-up album Can’t Keep A Secret, and with the first single, “G-Get Up and Dance” dominating airwaves and music charts, there is no doubt fans wish the date would come much sooner.

#musicmonday Artist Feature – Thornley

Name: Thornley

Hometown: Toronto, ON

Label: 604 Records

Download this: “Another Memory”

Continuing on with last week’s theme, we feature another wonderful Canadian artist making the nation proud, Thornley. Lead singer Ian Thornley is no stranger to the music scene, but after minor stints with other bands such as Big Wreck, joined Chad Kroeger’s 604 Records in 2004, and hasn’t looked back since. After the band’s debut album, Come Again, went gold in Canada, fans were left thirsty for more. The thirst lasted five years before the band released their much-anticipated sophomore album during this past year, Tiny Pictures, which has already exceeded expectations and continues to rise in the charts.

Band members Ian Thornley (vocals, lead guitar), Cale Gontier (bass and vocals), Eric Paul (drums and vocals), and Patrick Benti (guitar and vocals) are a fresh sound in the alternative/rock scene both in Canada, and internationally. While they seem to have the world at their fingertips, there remains a unique grassroots feel to the band, exemplifying their journey to the top and the modesty that they achieved their success with. Unlike many other bands that produce replicas of their past work, Thornley’s Tiny Pictures varies from the debut Come Again as less hard-hitting, but equally as enjoyable. Their first single off the new album, “Make Believe,” rose to the top of the charts throughout North America and continues to receive airplay today, and with the meaningful lyrics put into tracks such as “This Is Where My Heart Is” and “Another Memory,” there is no doubt that this album will boast multiple hits as well.

Thornley is currently touring around Canada, and will be a featured performer at this year’s Summerblast 2009 in St. Thomas, Ontario. If that isn’t enough, Thornley will be the special guest for Kid Rock at the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto this September, which is only one small stop in the many amazing shows to come.