#musicmonday Artist Feature – Cat Thomson

Hometown: Calgary, AB
Label: 604 Records | Website: http://catthomsonmusic.com

Cat Thomson is a girl on a mission.

With her darkly ethereal vocals and a knack for dynamic arrangements, Cat Thomson is ready to tackle the charts with her debut single, “Sticks & Stones”, set for release tomorrow (October 22nd) on iTunes. The singer-songwriter has been paving her musical path from the moment she started piano lessons at age five to studying opera for five years at Louisana State University on a full scholarship.

Now signed with 604 Records, Thomson is shaping her music with the depth of her voice and lyrical intuition, and this was evident in her performance at Safefest earlier this month. Her full-length debut album, Puzzle, is slated for release in early 2014. I had the opportunity to chat with Cat at Safefest about shooting the music video for “Sticks & Stones”, her songwriting process, and ‘Cassica’.
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asapmusicblog.ca: So in relation to Safefest, which you are playing tonight, what was the first all-ages show that you attended and what was the first legal age show you attended?

Cat Thomson: The first concert that I ever went to that would have been all-ages was actually Britney Spears, and it was the Baby One More Time… concert. I remember I was never a big Britney Spears fan, but we went, and it was so fun! I was in grade nine, I think, when that came out. The first non-all ages show I went to – you can see how the tastes have changed – I went to Three Days Grace at Cowboy’s Bar in Calgary, I was just eighteen.

#musicmonday Artist Feature – Speed Control

Hometown: Whitehorse, Yukon
Label: Independent | Website: http://www.speedcontrol.ca

Speed Control isn’t just any ordinary rock band.

They are a rock band with dedication and big hearts, as they partner with Yamaha Canada in the summer with “RAWK Camps” to provide kids across Canada with music education. With brand new instruments and equipment, Speed Control is able to bring music into smaller communities that lack musical resources.

Lead singer Graeme Peters, bassist Jody Peters, and drummer Ian March certainly have a lot under their musical belts. Not only are they music teachers, but the trio from Whitehorse are also known for their live shows – playing hard and fast. Speed Control released their second album last week, titled F.A.B. and are currently touring Western Canada, with more tour dates to be announced for November and December.

Their live show energy is translated well into their sophomore effort, as it packs a punch straight from the first track, ‘Because I Can’, throughout the remaining eleven tracks.

F.A.B. is available now. The band will be playing at the Fairview Pub in Vancouver on Friday October 11th. Don’t miss out on seeing the hardest working band from the Yukon!

#musicmonday Artist Feature – Van Damsel

Hometown: Kamloops, British Columbia
Label: Independent | Website: http://www.vandamsel.com

Van Damsel has certainly emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the British Columbia music scene.

Originally formed back in 2010 as a death metal project between four friends, Van Damsel has evolved into indie-rock darlings with a penchant for catchy tunes and glorious stage presence. The band is a Top 20 finalist in this year’s Peak Performance Projects – which showcases the crème de la crème of artists in BC. Van Damsel consists of lead singer Mark Ste Marie, guitarist Richard Bregoliss, bassist Matt Bennehan, and drummer Matt Barron.

Van Damsel is starting their October off in a big way with the release their new EP, The Sunshine, Girl, available as of October 1st. Their full-length debut album is slated for release next spring, and if you want to see them live, they will be playing at The Biltmore Cabaret on November 7th as part of Steam Whistle’s Unsigned Indie Music Series.

Their latest music video for the track “Communist”, has the band imagining what it would be like if the world’s most iconic communist figures hung out for a day.

#musicmonday Artist Feature – The Lion The Bear The Fox

Hometown: Ladysmith/Vancouver, British Columbia
Label: Unsigned | Website: http://thelionthebearthefox.com

What do you get when you group together three passionate musicians?

The Lion The Fox The Bear.

Christopher Arruda (the lion), Cory Woodward (the bear) and Ryan McMahon (the fox) formed together last year after realizing their musical goals were leading down the same road. Their intuitions proved fruitful, as the trio are currently a part of the 2013 Peak Performance Project, and are currently in the process of preparing their debut EP, We’d Be Good Men – which is slated for release on October 1st.

The band focuses on the honesty in the music and lyrics behind their soulful folk-rock blend. Upon first listening to their first single, ‘Room 32’, it is evident that the passion is there – from the first strums of their guitars to the trembles in their voices in the ensuing notes.

The Lion The Bear The Fox will be touring Western Canada this Fall shortly after the release of their EP, but if you’d like to see them sooner, the Peak Performance Project showcase will be on Thursday September 19th at Fortune Sound Club.

The Lion The Bear The Fox :: Room 32 from filter studios on Vimeo.

“We’d Be Good Men” EP Release Tourdates:
October 8 – Minstrel Cafe, Kelowna, BC
October 9 – House Concert, Golden, BC
October 10 – Ironwood Stage, Calgary, BC
October 11 – House Concert, Calgary, BC
October 12 – Artery, Edmonton, BC
October 13 – Vimy’s, Waterton, BC
October 15 – The Royal, Fernie, BC
October 16 – Dirty Jersey, Kamloops, BC
October 17 – Char’s Landing, Port Alberni, BC
October 18 – House Concert, Victoria, BC
October 19 – House Concert, Ladysmith, BC
October 20 – House Concert, Nanaimo, BC

#musicmonday Artist Feature – SOPHIA DANAI

Hometown: Langley, British Columbia
Label: The Hastings Set | Website: http://sophiadanai.com

Creativity, passion, and soul. These are the three words that best describe Sophia Danai.

Upon the first listen of her debut EP Wishing Well, it is easy to hear where the influences lie behind Danai’s music, which includes her early exposure to the likes of Billie Holiday and Nina Simone. While the inspiration is clear, Danai’s spin on her own music is just that – her own. From the summertime vibe of “Let It Fly” to the smoky, soulful vocals of “Wish You Well”, Danai’s debut is a solid one. Produced by fellow local talent Chin Injeti, Wishing Well compacts elements from a range of inspirations from different eras and genres.

Wishing Well is available now on iTunes and Bandcamp.

#musicmonday Artist Feature – SEAM

Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario
Label: Unsigned | Website: http://seammusic.com

There’s an element within Seam’s debut EP Sketches that is hard to pinpoint, but it seems to a part of their charm. There’s a sense of youth, of passion, and of dedication to their craft. Best described as “progressive folk-rock” in their biography, these Mississauga boys have been developing their sound for the past two years. The band is fronted by lead singer Sean Sroka with his acoustic guitar, and backed by percussionist Dave Setton, guitarist Jeff Campana, and bassist Ron Miller. Sroka’s vocals draw comparisons towards  the mellow tones of one Jason Mraz, and juxtaposes with the upbeat vibe that the rest of the band provides, intersecting elements of folk and rock.

#musicmonday Artist Feature – THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario | Label: Independent
Website: http://thelittleblackdressmusic.com

The Little Black Dress is more than a piece of apparel – it is in fact a five-piece band from Toronto consisting of Dan Sadowski (vocals/guitar), Kyle Hohmann (keys/synths/vocals), Brian Seligman (guitar), Damian Dobrowolski (bass), and Lewis Spring (drums). The LBD was first brought to my attention a few years ago, when I noticed the connection between Dan and Kyle with fellow Canadian artist Jesse Labelle – as they were part of his backing band while he was on tour. Connection aside, The LBD have built quite the following in their hometown, selling out local shows and with the support of their own fan army.

Their debut album, Spotlight, was released last month – and for an independent release, it is quite impressive and is best described as energetic/pop rock. The material on the album is full of punch, and would translate well towards a live show. Though it was hard to narrow down to pick a favourite track on the thirteen-track album, my top picks are “Call The Paparazzi” and “Radio” – the latter would fit seamlessly on its namesake. The album is currently streaming on the band’s website, which you can check out here.

The cohesiveness of the band, along with Sadowski’s vocals, are certainly the prime features of The Little Black Dress. Though I haven’t seen the band live yet, it is easy to see why they sell out shows, and why they have earned themselves a legion of dedicated fans. Watch out TLBD, the “Spotlight” is on you.

#musicmonday artist feature – ANDREW ALLEN

Hometown: Vernon, BC | Label: Epic Records/Sony Music
Website: http://andrewallenlive.com

The first time I encountered Andrew Allen was when I looked up the opening act for The Script’s US tour last Spring. He scored some preliminary brownie points when I found out he was from British Columbia. I missed out on seeing him on that particular tour, but was lucky enough to see him play a show at The Media Club last month. Despite losing his voice prior to the show, Allen definitely proved his musicality that night, and it ended up being a memorable night for himself and those in attendance.

Allen’s easygoing nature translates seamlessly into his songwriting and into his songs. It comes as no surprise that Jason Mraz and Jack Johnson are among some of his influences, as comparisons can be drawn between the three artists in terms of musical style. Despite the comparisons, Allen’s live performances prove that he can hold his own, and he has a full resume to back this.

His latest video for his single, “I Want You”, was filmed right here in Vancouver and stars his lovely wife Julia. Talented, genuine, and adorable? Definitely a triple threat. Allen will be playing a sold-out hometown show in Vernon next Saturday, and following that, will be supporting Dia Frampton on tour.

Listen to: I Want You

#musicmonday Artist Feature – JAKALOPE

2010 has been a pivotal year for Jakalope. Only a few weeks ago the band released their latest album, Things That Go Jump in the Night, and have had a busy year touring, with a recently announced late December addition to that list here in Vancouver alongside Marianas Trench. Jakalope was also one of the featured artists to appear on the recently released A 604 Records Christmas, with the single “Frostbite Kisses”. asapmusicblog.ca got the chance to go one-on-one with Dave Ogilvie of Jakalope to discuss the new album, the addition of Chrystal to the band, favourite Christmas memories, and more!

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A: Just a few weeks ago you guys released your latest album, “Things that go Jump in the Night”. Tell us a little about what we can expect from this album?

D: I think you can expect to hear some great new music that you haven’t heard before, and here’s sort of a culmination of the last 2 and a half years of my life. It’s something that I’m very proud of in that it’s a new sound for us, and it’s something that is definitely an evolution of what we’ve done before.

A: Why did you choose to go with that specific title?

D: I’ve always tried to have titles that have had something to do with the whole Jakalope concept that I came up with. One day I was just thinking about the whole rabbit aspect of it, and the creature aspect of, and kind of a scary aspect of it, and that seemed to represent everything I was looking at. And it was a lucky little play on words, it just seemed to fit really to the whole project, and to the aspect of how some of the music is as well, where I would love to get people up and dancing with us.

#musicmonday Artist Feature – MY DARKEST DAYS

It’s not easy to make it in the music industry, especially as a quartet in the rock genre when there are so many others vying for the same position. When you’ve got an outpour of support from industry professionals, it does give you a celebrity push, and when you’ve got the likes of Three Days Grace, Zack Wylde, Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger, and Ludacris… yes, that would be the rapper and label-mate Ludacris, it becomes a little easier to break the threshold. That alone doesn’t guarantee success, and fortunately for Canadian band My Darkest Days, they’ve got the talent, the drive, and the sound to make it far, and to do so for a while.

The band consists of members Matt Walst (Vocals/Rhythm Guitars), Brendan McMillan (Bass/Back Vocals), Doug Oliver (Drums/Back Vocals), and Sal Coz Costa (Lead Guitar/Back Vocals). You may recognize the last name of Lead Vocalist Matt Walst, who is the younger brother of Three Days Grace Bassist, Brad Walst.

Their first single, “Porn Star Dancing” was one of the most downloaded songs in Canada soon after its release, and since that time, their debut album, self-titled, My Darkest Days, has been consistent on iTunes and in stores. The album features a good balance of throw-caution-to-the -wind, all-out rock songs, and songs that are both lyrically and instrumentally precise for those tougher times in life and love. We featured “Porn Star Dancing” as our SOTD, you can watch it here.

For movie-goers out there, the soundtrack of Saw 3D features the single, “The World Belongs to Me” by My Darkest Days! My Darkest Days is currently on tour with Papa Roach and Skillet. Be sure to check them out in a city near you, or check out the band’s official website for more information: http://www.mydarkestdays.com/