Release Show @ Wise Hall

Listen To First Single >>'No Show':

Vancouver, BC - Vancouver-based country rockers the Real Ponchos are independently releasing their sophomore full-length album To The Dusty World on February 10th and the band will celebrate the release of the album with a rip roarin' hometown show at Wise Hall on release day. See below for full show details.

Real Ponchos’ music is subtle, yet revelatory. Deep grooves buoyed by rugged vocals and burning guitar. Songs inspired by human suffering with a folk sentiment at the core that opens the heart wide with luscious and spacious improvisation, while keeping feet on the floor with tight, soulful rhythm. The band - Ben Arsenault (lead vocals/guitar), Emile Scott (lead vocals/guitar), Emlyn Scherk (drums) and Michael Wagler (bass) - works in the lineage established by those before them, following those who have taken folk traditions into the modern age. And with 2 different lead vocalists, the Real Ponchos are able to embrace non-duality to create sincere and distinctive music that draws many different musical comparisons.

"The most common comparisons we get after shows are probably the Grateful Dead and the Allman Brothers," says Ben Arsenault. "We try to take that classic live sound and couch it in more modern tones, with a spaciousness and rhythm that comes from jazz, Brazilian and African influences."

Real Ponchos released their debut, a self-titled EP, in 2013. They followed that up a year later with their first full length, Since I Let You Go, which received warm reviews from music critics across the country and earned the band a place amongst The Georgia Straight’s Top 10 Vancouver Bands of 2014.

To The Dusty World was recorded at Vancouver's Afterlife Studios in late 2015 by John Raham. The decision to record the new album was instigated in part by drummer Emlyn Scherk’s relocation to Scotland. The band felt they needed to get in the studio to record the material they'd been working on over the past couple of years, before he left the country. The record is, in many ways, a continuation of the sound the band developed and captured with the previous release Since I Let You Go. Whereas that release focused on matters of the heart and loss, To The Dusty World is more inwardly focused on the self and that is especially evident on the first single 'No Show'.

"'No Show' is a transition song," Arsenault explains. "It's about seeing the aimless path of your self-centered life, and longing for something more solid."

To The Dusty World will be available on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers/streaming services on Friday, February 10th. Real Ponchos have plans to tour throughout Canada later this year, for more info and the most up to date tour listings, please visit: realponchos.com

REAL PONCHOS >> VANCOUVER ALBUM RELEASE SHOW
When: Friday, February 10th
Where: The Wise Hall + Lounge (1882 Adanac Street)
Doors: 8:00PM, Openers: James Green Band
Tickets: $15 at the door
Facebook Event Link: http://bit.ly/RealPonchosShow

REAL PONCHOS - TO THE DUSTY WORLD TRACK LISTING
RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 10th, 2017 (Independent)
1. No Show
2. Cherchez Les Femmes
3. Flatline Rose
4. Passing Through
5. Still The Same Fool
6. Stillness
7. To The Dusty World

"From the unlikely urban core of Vancouver comes the next best thing to happen to country-rock, Real Ponchos." - Vivascene.com

"..you’ll be hooked, especially if your iPod includes everything ever recorded by the Gun Club, Waylon Jennings, the Sadies, Johnny Cash, Gram Parsons, and, well, anyone else famous for pushing country forward while respecting its past." - Georgia Straight

FOR MORE INFO: www.realponchos.com
Twitter: @realponchos
Instagram: @realponchos
FB: facebook.com/realponchos

MEDIA TOOLS
STREAM/POST Real Ponchos - 'No Show' here
WATCH/POST Real Ponchos - 'Flatline Rose' live video here
CLICK HERE for album art + high-res press photos (Photo Credit: Tayu Hayward)

The Red Cannons Set To Release Brand New EP On January 27th

Stream The First Single 'Always Something':

Edmonton, AB - Alberta rock group on the rise, The Red Cannons, are releasing their 2nd EP Always Something on January 27th and are celebrating with an Edmonton Release Show at The Rec Room on January 28th. The first single, title track 'Always Something', is going for adds now at Canadian Active Rock Radio.

The Red Cannons is a collaboration between three multi-talented brothers - Evan, Braden and Landon Boechler - from Stony Plain, AB and their long-time friend Jen Perry, from the neighbouring community of Spruce Grove. Since starting out in early 2012, the band's become a rising force in their local music scene and across Canada. In September 2012, they released their debut EP Underneath The Floorboards which garnered 2 singles ‘Underneath the Floorboards’ and ‘Sheepdog’. Both singles received plenty of airplay on numerous radio stations across Canada and The Red Cannons supported their commercial radio exposure with multiple festival performances, sharing the stage with: The Glorious Sons, One Bad Son, The Tea Party, and many more.

The group kept the momentum going over the next few years and quickly became known for a style reflecting strong blues-rock roots, often striking comparisons to groups like The Black Keys, The White Stripes and The Glorious Sons. They were catapulted into the spotlight with a feature in Classic Rock Magazine in the UK in 2013, and were nominated for Group of the Year and Rock Recording of the Year at the 2014 and 2015 Edmonton Music Awards.

And now with the release of their new EP Always Something on January 27th, it looks like the best is yet to come for The Red Cannons. The group will be looking at performing at select music industry conferences across North America in 2017, along with many Festival bookings and they currently have a Canadian tour in the works.

"We are all about building momentum, embracing our fan base and relentlessly performing," said lead vocalist Evan Boecher. "We're willing to do whatever it takes, so we plan to spend much of 2017 on the road playing shows."

The Red Cannons' new EP Always Something will be available on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers/streaming services on Friday, January 27th. For more info and the most up to date tour listings, please visit: www.redcannons.com

THE RED CANNONS // UPCOMING TOUR DATES
January 12 - Edson, AB @ Sit n Bull
January 13 - Edson, AB @ Sit n Bull
January 28 - Edmonton, AB @ The Rec Room (EP Release Show)

THE RED CANNONS - ALWAYS SOMETHING TRACK LISTING
RELEASE DATE: January 27, 2017 (Marquis Label Services)
1. Dine With Kings
2. Always Something
3. Railway
4. Waiting
5. Howl
6. You're Just A Ghost

The Red Cannons are: Evan Boechler (rhythm guitar / vocals), Braden Boechler (lead guitar / vocals), Landon Boechler (drums / vocals) and Jen Perry (bass / vocals)

FOR MORE INFO: www.redcannons.com
Twitter: @theredcannons
Instagram: @theredcannons
FB: Facebook.com/theredcannons

MEDIA TOOLS
STREAM/POST The Red Cannons - 'Always Something' here (via SoundCloud)
CLICK HERE for album art + high-res press photos

JP Maurice Set To Release New EP Girls On January 13th

Listen to JP Maurice >> 'Shapeshifter'

"Sassy, Pop, and Soulful are his lyrics. Mischievous,Thoughtful & Charismatic define
his personality.” - Fresh Independence

"When you combine hip musicality with heartfelt lyrics, you can't help but write songs that people will be singing all day and listening to over and over again.” - The Cardinal Press

After dealing with some adversity in his life over the last few years, Vancouver musician/producer JP Maurice is working towards a prosperous 2017 with the release of some brand new music! JP Maurice is set to independently release his new EP Girls on January 13th and will celebrate with a release party at The Biltmore Cabaret on January 14th. Click here to listen to the first single 'Shapeshifter'.

After touring across Canada and Europe, and then taking home 2nd place in the PEAK Performance Project radio contest in 2015, a loss in the family turned Maurice mostly inwards and he focused on channeling his emotions into his art. He made the decision to invest in his own studio (Blue Light Studio), which allowed for late night collaborations, producing other artists, and creating endless song ideas. The result is the Girls EP, which sweeps from cinematic pop-noir into slinky neo-soul, all tied together with Maurice’s powerfully emotive vocals. It’s a modern sound that capture timeless sentiments – love, loss, and the twists and turns in between.

The Girls EP is the follow up to JP Maurice's 2013 full-length album The Arborist, which marked his official debut as a solo artist after getting caught in major label red tape with his previous band that went simply by Maurice. The EP features a number of collaborators including producers Russell Broom and Ted Gowans, and it continues where The Arborist left off taking the listener straight back into sexy pop-noir territory.

"I do think I have settled or delved into that sound more," said JP Maurice. "But Girls also sees me sounding a little more optimistic with a song like 'Go' or rockier with 'Goodbye'. The songs were all mostly written or built using the piano as the fundamental instrument which differs from the past when I was using the guitar in that way. There is very little electric guitar on Girls."

JP Maurice will play a handful of BC tour dates and release the video for 'Shapeshifter' in the upcoming weeks. He plans to release his 2nd full length album entitled Boys later this year. The Girls EP will be available on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers/streaming services on Friday, January 13th. For more info and the most up to date tour listings, please visit: jpthemaurice.com

JP MAURICE // UPCOMING TOUR DATES
January 14 - Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore Cabaret (EP Release Show) Get Tickets
January 27 - Kelowna, BC @ Doc Willoughby's w/ Northcote
January 28 - Kamloops, BC @ The Dirty Jersey w/ Northcote
January 29 - Kelowna, BC @ BNA Brewing Co. (Fireside Session)
February 11 - Vancouver, BC @ Blue Light Studio (Blue Light Session)

JP MAURICE - GIRLS EP TRACK LISTING
RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 13, 2017 (Independent)
1. Standstill
2. Go
3. Goodbye
4. Light Switch
5. Big Change
6. Shapeshifter

FOR MORE INFO: www.jpthemaurice.com
Twitter: @jpthemaurice
Instagram: @jpthemaurice
Facebook: facebook.com/maurice

MEDIA TOOLS
STREAM/POST JP Maurice - 'Shapeshifter' here
CLICK HERE for album art + high-res press photos (Photo Credit: Jen van Houten)

Toronto Indie Pop Musician Steve Benjamins Releases Brand New Single Surrender

Watch 'Surrender' Lyric Video Here:

"....like Justin Vernon and Michael Stipe" - Indie Shuffle

"...a massive, massive voice that will leave you stunned." - Fecking Deadly

"Part James Blunt, part Patrick Watson, part Mutual Benefit, and fully unique." - The New LoFi

(Toronto, ON) - Toronto indie pop musician Steve Benjamins is excited to announce the release of his brand new single 'Surrender'. The song is the 5th song to be independently released by Benjamins in 2016 and it follows the release of the incredible track 'The Politics of Me and You', released back in May.

Steve Benjamins has been making his particular brand of hook-laden, downtempo indie pop since 2013, when he released 2 EPs in one year - Dizzying Heights and Disorientation Man. He followed those up with another EP in 2015 entitled Sightlines, and then in 2016 he decided to scrap the EPs and made the switch to releasing a new single every 2-3 months. His new track 'Surrender' is the 5th song that he's released this year and he plans to keep releasing music this way in 2017.

"I plan to release five or six more tracks in 2017," Benjamin said. "I like it because it lets people follow along— they can hear the music as it’s finished. That just feels like more of a natural cycle."

Steve Benjamins plays almost all of the instruments in his music (piano, guitar, synths, drums, bass) and is the sole songwriter. He loves the process of making and releasing one song at a time, sharing his music so quickly after it's made and getting immediate feedback from the listener. And with attention spans at an all-time low, Benjamins doesn't think he'll be making another full album or EP anytime soon.

"I read once that 200,000 single tracks are uploaded to Spotify each day. That’s a lot of music that people could be listening to other than my music! So if I’m going to ask people to listen to my music, I want to be realistic. A 4-minute single seems like a much more humble and reasonable request than a full-length album."

Be sure to listen to and share Steve Benjamins' new single 'Surrender'. The song is available today on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers/streaming services. Steve Benjamins doesn't have any live performances coming up this year but he is also the lead singer of Toronto band BamBoo, and they play plenty of live shows! For more info, please visit: stevebenjamins.com

FOR MORE INFO: www.stevebenjamins.com
Twitter: @stevebenjamins
Instagram: @stevebenjamins
Facebook: www.facebook.com/stevebenjamins

MEDIA TOOLS
WATCH/POST Steve Benjamins - 'Surrender' lyric video here (via YouTube)
STREAM/POST Steve Benjamins - 'Surrender' here (via SoundCloud)
CLICK HERE for Album Art + High-Res Photos (Photo Credit: Dylan Dejong)

Twin Rains' Debut Album Automatic Hand is out this Friday, November 18th

Listen To Album Premiere @ Spill Magazine

"..splices motivational melodies and despair, creating a sublime mindscape for the listener." - Beatroute

"...feels like the kind of music a Torontonian might play—or listen to—if they suddenly slowed down." - Grayowl Point

..."very modern sounding, skipping over the complete ‘80s fetishization that many other modern dream pop bands rely on, and instead mixing those flavors with something very new..." -Bank Robber Music

(Toronto, ON) - Toronto-based dream pop duo Twin Rains' debut album Automatic Hand won't be released until this Friday, November 18th, but you can listen to the exclusive album premiere now via Spill Magazine. The duo just wrapped up the western portion of their tour last week, which included a packed release show in Vancouver, and are now heading back home for shows in Guelph, Toronto and Peterborough. See below for full tour listings.

Twin Rains is Jay Merrow and Christine Stoesser. The pair met as roommates in 2009 and within weeks were making music together. Their debut album, Automatic Hand, is full of slow to mid-tempo grooves (or 'west coast dance music', as they like to call it), ethereal soundscapes and penetrating poetry. Automatic Hand is about love, but more essentially it's a reflection on the idea that sometimes our hands act faster than our brains and hearts, especially with today's communication technology. Recorded almost entirely by Jay, a self-taught engineer and producer, and produced by Twin Rains, Automatic Hand is the spellbinding result of the duo’s longstanding musical collaboration amidst years of change and introspection.

Automatic Hand isn't even out yet and things are already off to a good start for Twin Rains. After releasing their first single 'Flash Burn' in October, they were added to Rough Trade's publishing roster and the early reviews for Automatic Hand have been nothing short of glowing.

"We're excited by the reception of the album so far," says Christine. "We took our time making Automatic Hand and it was a bit of an insular process, so it's such a relief to see people connecting with the music. It feels really great to finally release it and let everyone hear what we've been working on!"

Twin Rains' debut album Automatic Hand will be available on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers/streaming services on Friday, November 18th. For more info and the most up to date tour listings, please visit: www.twinrains.com

TWIN RAINS // UPCOMING CANADIAN TOUR DATES
November 23 - Guelph, ON - DSTRCT Lounge
November 25 - Toronto, ON - ROM (Friday Night Live)
November 26 - Peterborough, ON - The Garnet

TWIN RAINS - AUTOMATIC HAND TRACK LISTING
RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 18th, 2016 (Independent)
1. Before
2. A Swim
3. Pons
4. Flash Burn
5. Ghost Bird
6. Automatic Hand
7. Evergreen
8. Flood
9. Break The Crown
10. Green Screen
11. After

FOR MORE INFO: www.twinrains.com
Twitter: @TwinRains
FB: Facebook.com/TwinRains