All posts by Alex Cook

Brielle Ansems Turns a Difficult Subject Into Something Beautiful With ‘Hillsborough Bridge’

Not all subjects are easy to talk about, and they’re certainly not any easier to put into song. The key to making great art, however, seems to be going straight at what scares you and Prince Edward Island alternative pop-folk artist Brielle Ansems has done that with emotional candour. “Hillsborough Bridge,” Ansems’ latest single cuts deep with themes of heartache and self-destruction; artfully bearing it all with a raw and touching intimacy. Continue reading Brielle Ansems Turns a Difficult Subject Into Something Beautiful With ‘Hillsborough Bridge’

Ian Sherwood Opens Up the Conversation on Reconciliation With ‘Taking Your Land’

Award-winning songwriter and performer, Ian Sherwood is coming to terms with his own colonial roots and inviting us to do the same with his latest single. “Taking Your Land” is Sherwood opening up a conversation about our collective role in our shared past and future, particularly as a nation. Continue reading Ian Sherwood Opens Up the Conversation on Reconciliation With ‘Taking Your Land’

Malia Rogers’ New ‘Family Song’ Shows How Love Isn’t Diminished Simply Through Absence

“So come what may” sings Malia Rogers on her latest single, “Family Song”. Despite its shared sentiment, it’s a little more mournful than “Que Sera Sera” but that was a song full of hope and expectation. Instead, “Family Song” is about appreciation and resilience, particularly in the face of the inevitable. Continue reading Malia Rogers’ New ‘Family Song’ Shows How Love Isn’t Diminished Simply Through Absence

Loviet Goes in Search of Her Own Voice on Debut Full-Length Album ‘777’

Loviet has never shied away from the fact that her debut full-length album, 777, is a bit of a motley collection. It is, as she says, the theme park to the rollercoaster of her previously released EP, Everyone Know The Thrills When It’s Over. Flush with pop hooks, the album careens through big vibes like Loviet was born to produce hits, but, for her, 777 remains a very experimental album. Continue reading Loviet Goes in Search of Her Own Voice on Debut Full-Length Album ‘777’

Brent Mason Provides His Saint John Neighbourhood With an Anthem on ‘We Are The One’

If “We Are The One” sounds like the title of Sarah MacLaughlan, Sting and Bono’s collaborative effort to bring puppies to the puppyless, in truth, it’s not all that far off. It’s the latest single from Saint John’s resident bard, Brent Mason, championing a far more local cause with a love letter to his community in the city’s Old North End. Continue reading Brent Mason Provides His Saint John Neighbourhood With an Anthem on ‘We Are The One’