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A source of some fabulous new music last year Big Stir Records begin 2026 with the January 23 release of a new album by acclaimed UK postpunk veterans The Jack Rubies: Visions In The Bowling Alley on CD, Streaming and, for the first time since 1990, Vinyl as well. The band's fourth album and the follow up to their critically-hailed 2024 comeback Clocks Are Out Of Time, the full-length release features the band's recent indie hits “Are We Being Recorded?” and “Greedy” as well as “Phantom” as heard on BSR's 2025 Halloween collection, along with nine more all-new tracks.
The time-tested lineup of The Jack Rubies – Ian Wright (lead vocals and guitar), SD Ineson (guitar, harmonica, backing vocals), Steve Brockway (bass), Lawrence Giltnane (percussion), and Peter Maxted (drums, and also the album's producer) – is exactly the same today as it was four decades ago when the band emerged from the English C86 and postpunk scene, and the new record even sees the return of violinist and honorary sixth member Emma Peters who guested on the debut album and performed live with the band during the early UK tours.
At that time, they won the hearts of fans of college radio and MTV's 120 Minutes with their angular, noir-tinged sound, memorable melodies and sly, literate lyrics, shared stages worldwide with the likes of Katrina & the Waves, The Triffids, They Might Be Giants and Modern English, and delivered two deeply engrossing albums, Fascinatin’ Vacation (1988) and See The Money In My Smile (1990), for TVT Records. Then came the grunge and Britpop years, and the band slept, as life and other exploits took center stage until the unlikely catalyst of the 2020 pandemic led the geographically-dispersed members to rekindle their collaboration with all on board and, miraculously, their original chemistry intact.
The resulting flurry of activity led first to a series of singles (all of them at once of a piece with the band's early work and yet shockingly contemporary in every sense) and ultimately to the 2024 release of their third album, Clocks Are Out Of Time, hailed by rock writers worldwide as not just a return to form but the band's best work yet.
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“G.O.S. (Generations of Strength)” is the powerful new single from rising Plains Cree soul artist LOV. A spiritual and empowering anthem, the song pays homage to the matriarchs who shaped her — from her Kokum and mother to the collective lineage of women of colour who continue to carry strength across generations. Set over a warm, UK-inspired soul groove, LOV’s smoky vocals and heartfelt lyrics call out like a prayer: “This one is for my girlies going through a hard time… you have generations of strength.”
Anchored in her faith and cultural identity, LOV offers a song that blends raw emotion, ancestral pride, and divine feminine energy into one seamless expression. The lyrics are deeply personal, yet universal — calling on every listener to tap into their light and rise through adversity. G.O.S. is more than a song — it’s a message, a mantra, and a movement of healing through music.
This release marks a major milestone in LOV’s journey as an artist. Following the success of her chart-topping single Mama (which reached #1 on the Indigenous Music Countdown in November 2025), LOV has emerged as a compelling new voice in Canada’s soul and R&B landscape. Her recent explosion in social reach — driven by over 2 million Facebook video views in the past month and a growing following of over 85K fans — confirms the organic demand and resonance for her message.
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| Photo - Julia Nikiforova |
In the glow between flames and shadows, between whispering voices and resounding silence, a space emerges where music is not merely heard—it is felt. With “Touch My Love And Die,” Myrkur presents an entry for Dansk Melodi Grand Prix that feels more like a ritual than a song. A piece that draws threads from Nordic mythology, human vulnerability, and cinematic grandeur, gathering them into a moment where darkness is not hidden, but allowed to speak.
“Touch My Love And Die” is a dark, cinematic ballad in which Myrkur’s various musical expressions merge into a new whole. The sound incorporates elements from metal, Nordic folk music, and film scores, recorded in Dolby Atmos with real musicians—from cello, a girls’ choir, and ancient folk instruments to drums captured with more than 40 microphones. A physical, human soundscape in a time marked by speed, artificiality, and distance.
For Myrkur, it is essential that the lyrics remain open and can be freely interpreted by the listener. The past year has been marked by major personal and artistic changes, and the song stands as a culmination of this movement. Recorded in Winter 2025 with Christopher Juul (Heilung), Myrkur describes “Touch My Love And Die” as a work into which “heart, soul, blood, and tears” have been poured—both in song and performance—something she hopes can exist as an antidote to a world dominated by AI and a throwaway culture. A reminder of humanity’s roots, spirit, and resilience.
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NYC ska/reggae legends The Slackers have released a brand new music video for the single "No One Likes the Truth!" The video was directed & edited by Arthur Leon Adams III, with additional camera operation by Kathryn Evangeline Adams, and it was produced by Rock and Roll Creative. This song comes from the NYC ska/reggae legends' latest EP, Money is King.
The 5-song Money is King EP features one cover song and four brand new originals, each by one of the band's different songwriters. "No One Likes the Truth" was written by vocalist / keyboardist / multi-instrumentalist Vic Ruggiero, who has this to say about it:
"they used to say 'do the right thing' as they patted you on the back and poked yer chest at the same time with a stiff two fingers... hen they looked me in the eyes and said it, i knew it was an encouraging threat he 'right thing' wasn't necessarily 'tell the truth' but more, 'keep yer nose clean and keep yer mouth shut and we'll all do fine' don't be a rat, and don't rat yourself out in the process... just play along and keep yer eyes low...if i never saw ya i ain't lying when i say i don't know nothin but it didn't happen that way"
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Edmonton's St.Arnaud, the indie pop project of Ian St.Arnaud, today releases "Love You! (For Real)," the lead single from their upcoming self-titled album, St.Arnaud, due out in April 2026 via Cordova Bay Records.
Delving into the ambiguity of modern social connection, this latest offering explores the bar-side phenomenon of becoming instant "best friends"—those effusive declarations and promises to hang out soon that dissolve by morning. "Love You! (For Real)" takes aim at these superficial, booze-fueled bonds with a wink and a groove, emerging as a white-soul-tinged indie pop track which asks the ultimate question: "When everybody loves everybody, how can anybody love anybody?"
Ian expands on the core concept: "The idea of the song was to wrestle with sincerity, to poke fun at your new friend at the bar, telling you how much they love you (they don't!) and want to hang out soon (you won't!)." He notes that the song found its footing as a white-soul track, a choice that "both gives it conviction and adds to the joke."
Musically, the song plants itself in a groove-driven soul pocket. Its vintage soul foundation, built on jazzy brass undertones and a warm, swaggering rhythm section, creates an earnestness that beautifully contrasts the lyrical cynicism. Ian’s delicate, feel-good vocals float over the arrangement, performing a tightrope walk between irony and genuine emotion.
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| Photo - Robert Georgeff |
After more than two decades of writing, performing, and recording his consistently potent, genre-defying music, acclaimed Canadian singer-songwriter Julian Taylor unveils Anthology Vol. 2, A reflective, expressive, wide-ranging compilation that traces the evolution of an artist who's never confined himself to a single lane. Featuring songs recorded over the span of 25 years, the album captures Taylor’s enduring commitment to storytelling, live musicianship, and emotional honesty. The focus track “Hunger” written by Graeme Williamson is released along with the album, today January 23rd, on all major platforms.
Across Anthology Vol. 2, Taylor re-visits songs recorded in vastly different circumstances, from early-career material with his old band Staggered Crossing, to recent collaborations with the likes of Jim James (of My Morning jacket), unified by recurring themes of love, resilience, kindness, nature, and perseverance. Much of the album was recorded live-off-the-floor, with real instruments, a deliberate choice that reflects Taylor’s belief in authenticity over polish. "It’s really important to venture in all sorts of new directions," he says. "But you should always go back to see where you came from – so that you can forge a path to where you’re going.”
Anchoring the release is the single “Hunger,” a traditional-style folk song with a Celtic feel, written by Graeme Williamson (of 1980s Toronto band the Pukka Orchestra). Taylor was inspired to record the song after it was shared with him by his friend, and Canadian Songwriting Hall of Fame inductee, Frank Davies. “When I first heard the song, it was the lyrics that really struck me,” Taylor explains. “With everything going on in the world right now, hunger remains such a devastating and unnecessary reality. There are people with enough money to eradicate it in 24 hours, but they choose not to. Frank and I decided that we would donate a portion of the song’s sales to the Band Aid Charitable Trust.”
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