Light Blending In – Last Word

Terry Gomes – The Tropical Dream

Terry Gomes is a University of Ottawa music graduate, having studied classical guitar and composition. He has released six recordings altogether. The last three marked a switch into instrumental music fusing World, Latin and Smooth Jazz genres. His newest and seventh recording, “The Tropical Dream”, is a concept album tracing the stages of a tropical vacation. Written while recovering from a slow-healing back injury, it pays homage to his childhood experiences growing up in a Guyanese culture, and to the memories of traveling with his family to the Caribbean.(Cashbox Canada)

Bahamas – Earthtones

Bahamas is back, and this time he’s bringing on the funk and R&B. Yes, while the Toronto-based singer-songwriter (born Afie Jurvanen) netted Juno Awards and a Polaris Music Prize nomination for his 2014 indie folk LP, Bahamas is Afie, his new album, Earthtones, delves into far different genres. Part of that newfound eclecticism comes courtesy of James Gadson and Pino Palladino, a pair of seasoned session musicians best known for their work in D’Angelo’s backing band, The Vanguard, on the R&B legend’s 2014 classic, Black Messiah.(Exclaim!)

Cadence Weapon – Cadence Weapon

An emotive rapper and a particularly thoughtful lyricist, Cadence Weapon is truly fired up on this dynamically produced artistic rebirth. Switching flows up within the same songs, he marries his youthful, wild exuberance with a nuanced maturity, asserting himself by exhibiting complete control over his domain.(Exclaim!)

Gord Bamford – Neon Smoke

It’s not just blowing smoke to say Australia born/Alberta raised Canadian country music star Gord Bamford is a great songwriter. His 24 Canadian Country Music Association awards, his multiple Juno nominations, his two Nashville Country Music Association Global Country Artist Awards and his 22 Top 10 singles – including the #1 smash “When Your Lips Are So Close” – are testament to that fact. It’s just that, regardless of the loyalty Canadian country fans show to the genre, you have to write some pretty good songs to endear yourself to fans the way Bamford has. With a deep and distinct country voice and a catalogue of songs that speak to the joys of the simple life, Bamford has carved out a loyal following that stretches from the rural heartland of Alberta to the sunny climes of the Australian outback.(GoBe Weekly)

Michael Slattery & La Nef – The People’s Purcell

Following up on the success of 2012’s Dowland in Dublin, Slattery has reunited with the musicians of La Nef for The People’s Purcell, a collection of airs and suites by Purcell, reimagined in a traditional folksong idiom. The album is streaming in the player to your left until its Jan. 19 release on ATMA Classique.(CBC Music)

Nir Blu – Monsters

Sarah Cripps – Sarah Cripps

After a five-year gap, Toronto singer/songwriter Sarah Cripps will release her self-titled sophomore album this Friday, Jan. 19. With a half-decade between recordings, the song collection naturally reflects a lot of growth for Cripps, as captured in the brooding first single “Leave Behind.” While her sound still contains a lot of her roots music influences, her current collaboration with producer Dean Drouillard builds on years of extensive touring to create more refined and mature results.
(FYI Music News)

The Utilities – Heavy South