Vancouver Musician Evan Konrad Releases New Album DENIAL

**Download High-Res Photos** | Photo Credit: Brian Ziff

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'ADDICTED TO STRANGERS' HERE

Vancouver alt-rock musician Evan Konrad is pleased to announce the release of his new album Denial out now on all digital streaming platforms via Lava/Republic Records. Listen here.

Denial is the first of the 5 Stages of Grief, a musical series handcrafted by artist/producer Evan Konrad.

"Each song on Denial takes the listener through the shadows of modern human experience and brings them to light," says Evan. "it's a sonic journey made with the intention to encourage us through the healing and releasing of grief from personal and global consciousness."

Evan was signed to Lava Records by Jason Flom in 2018, prompting a whirlwind of a year in 2019, including landing festival dates at Lollapalooza, Aftershock, Bumbershoot, and Sonic Temple. He also shot and released a video with rock video legend Marc Klasfeld for the single 'Come On Snake, Let’s Rattle' and 'Long Way Out' with video director Hallie Tut.

After releasing 2 singles and videos, Denial was shelved by Lava Records in late 2019 due to creative differences, only to see a miraculous resurrection of the album now in 2022 after some patience and negotiations with the label.

Denial was self produced by Evan Konrad primarily in an Uncanny Valley, a home built studio in Burnaby, BC, as well as at his parents' basement in Abbotsford, BC.

Denial is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide. For more info, please visit evankonrad.com.

EVAN KONRAD - DENIAL
RELEASE DATE: September 23rd, 2022
01. Come On Snake, Let's Rattle
02. Addicted To Strangers
03. (How It Ends)
04. Alone
05. The Long Way Out
06. (Roost)
07. Heroine
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BC Musician Ben Arsenault Releases New Single + Video HOLD ON TO YOU

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LEAD SINGLE FROM DEBUT SOLO LP
SET FOR RELEASE ON DECEMBER 2nd

WATCH/SHARE VIDEO HERE

"Setting his intimate hickory-snap vocals atop a gorgeously glowing union of campfire acoustic guitar, glistening pedal steel, breezy harmonica and cheery organ, Hold On To You would make a fine soundtrack to a summertime road trip..." - Tinnitist

BC musician Ben Arsenault debuts his new single and video ‘Hold On To You' out now on all digital streaming platforms. Listen here.

'Hold On To You’ is the lead single from Ben's debut solo album set for release on December 2nd. Known for his work in Vancouver alt-country/jam band Real Ponchos (as vocalist and guitarist), Ben is now pursuing a solo career in more traditional, roots based country music which he sees as a tribute to the likes of Townes Van Zandt, Merle Haggard and all the great country music singer/songwriters. The sparse and beautiful ‘Hold On To You’ is a fitting first offering with the diaristic desert road trip video laying bare the song’s theme.

“I wrote this song on a road trip in Big Sur and some of the imagery, like the lonely rock in the ocean from the first verse, comes from that,” says Ben. “The subject of the song, what I was holding on to, was originally the wheel of the Nissan Pathfinder I was driving. Then it evolved and became about relationships and how you have to be vulnerable to be supported by love.”

In a lonesome, scraggly drawl, Ben Arsenault sings songs about the road he’s travelled and the characters he’s spent time with along the way. Drawing on experiences from relationships of which he’s had the pleasure and pain of sharing, Ben’s songwriting takes a laid-back look into the conundrum that is human existence. Inspired by the wild mountains and waters of his BC home, and all the open country from Canada to Mexico, his music makes a good driving companion as you’re going down the road.

It was the Grateful Dead that led Ben to discover country singer-songwriters like Merle Haggard, as well as introducing him to bluegrass music. Ben’s first performances were at the Sunday night bluegrass jam at legendary Montreal hole-in-the-wall, Barfly. Although the regulars looked suspicious when he started with the Dead, they accepted Ben when he steered his voice towards the Stanley Brothers and Bill Monroe. He soon became a regular at Barfly and would wander the streets of Montreal, hunting for songs in the Plateau with Gram Parsons in his head.

Now back on the West Coast, Ben plays and records regularly with Real Ponchos, who, since 2010, over the course of countless tours and three full-length albums, have been building a cult following with their psychedelic-country-soul jams. The Ponchos will likely be seen and heard supporting Ben as he takes his new songs to the stage.

'Hold On To You' is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide. For more information, please visit benarsenault.com.

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Toronto Indie Rock Duo Soft Set Release New Album STILL LIFE

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LISTEN ON ALL DSPs HERE

"With ringing endorsements from so many with the progressive post-punk movement of late, it feels like Soft Set are due to become one of the most talked-about new arrivals on the scene in the months to come. With fresh and inviting energy running the length of this new release, it certainly feels like we are experiencing the dawn of something very exciting." - Mystic Sons

"Harking back to early 90s dreampop, with reverential vocals heightening the timeless feel, this release by Canadian duo Soft Set carries much promise for their new album ‘Still Life’.'" - Electric Sound of Joy

"Offering deeply atmospheric, yet catchy dreamy soundscapes, their music lays down a glowing indie rock vibe shrouded in shimmering instrumentation." - Plastic Magazine

"Guys, this one feels like a daydream to me...a warm and melancholic dream pop record with beautiful guitar riffs, washed out vocals and hazy synthesizer layers." - Indie Tapes

Today's the day! Toronto shoegaze/indie rock duo Soft Set are thrilled to announce the release of their new album Still Life out now on all digital streaming platforms. Listen here.

Soft Set started the roll-out of music from Still Life back in January with the release of the lead single'More More More', followed by 2nd single 'Diamond' in June. Both singles received glowing press coverage and many Spotify playlist adds.

Still Life is Soft Set's debut full-length album and follows the release of their 2020 debut EP Love and Dancing, which was mixed by RIDE’s Mark Gardener at his studio in Oxfordshire, UK (OX4 Sound). Still Life was mixed by Shae Brossard (Arcade Fire, Godspeed You! Black Emperor) and mastered by Slowdive’s Simon Scott and features Mark Crozier (bassist, The Jesus and Mary Chain) on the first track 'More More More'. The shoegaze is most definitely alive and well on Still Life.

"Like our debut EP, Still Life provides the listener with stories of youth and nostalgia and that longing to be loved," says Soft Set's Nathan Athay. "We feel that our music caters to all audiences and we hope everyone enjoys the songs as much as we had fun making them!"

The origin story for Soft Set begins with James Gray and Nathan Athay meeting for the first time in high school in Barrie, Ontario. It didn’t take long in their friendship for them to realize that they had a lot in common, especially their taste in music. Drawing on influences from iconic artists that have inspired them on their musical path—The Stone Roses, The Smiths, My Bloody Valentine, RIDE, Slowdive, Happy Mondays, The Boo Radleys, Mercury Rev—Soft Set’s music runs the gamut from shoegaze to dream pop to 90s Brit pop all behind a hazy, layered wall of sublime sound.

Still Life is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide. Still Life is also available in Limited Edition Vinyl and Digipack CD on Bandcamp. For more info, please visit softsetmusic.com.

SOFT SET - STILL LIFE
RELEASE DATE: September 16th, 2022
01. More More More
02. Mason Tip
03. Still Life
04. Parkas
05. Diamond
06. Your Eyes
07. Love and Dancing
08. Breathe
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Vancouver Musician Clark Graham Releases New Single THE GIRL WITH MOUNTAINS IN HER EYES

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LEAD SINGLE FROM NEW ALBUM SOUTHLANDS
SET FOR RELEASE ON OCTOBER 7th

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“The Girl With Mountains In Her Eyes walks the line between classic Americana troubadourism from the days of Woody Guthrie / Bob Dylan and more contemporary folk-pop, as heard in its stomp-clap beat and darkly ringing, bottom-octave piano chords.” - Tinnitist

Vancouver musician Clark Graham returns with his highly anticipated new single ‘The Girl With Mountains In Her Eyes’, the lead track from his forthcoming album Southlands set for release on October 7th. Listen here.

Packed with classic folk elements and catchy pop power, 'The Girl With Mountains In Her Eyes' is a true pop single filled with anthemic lyrics and raw emotion that blend together to provide a song that feels both hopeful and lonesome at the same time.

“‘The Girl With Mountains In Her Eyes’ is a song that’s inspired by the joy of a new love coming into your life and the regret of letting it slip through your hands,” says Clark. “At it’s core the lyrics talk about the sacrifice it takes in life to follow your dreams, and the personal cost that comes with pursuing your calling. Sometimes we can’t truly appreciate something or someone until it’s too late and they’re gone. The character in the song is left to wonder what might have been if he’d chosen to stay and be with the girl with mountains in her eyes.”

Clark Graham is a BC born singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose work includes 5 albums and 8 singles to date. After honing his craft at a young age in the local Vancouver music scene, Clark relocated to Los Angeles where he quickly made a name for himself as a dynamic performer and songwriter, performing extensively throughout Southern California and becoming a resident figure at the marquee folk venue The Hotel Cafe in Hollywood.

Clark now lives back in Vancouver, where he records in his own studio. His latest effort entitled Southlands, in which he performs all instruments and handles production, is his most inspired release to date.

'The Girl With Mountains In Her Eyes' is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide. For more information, please visit clarkgraham.com.

FOLLOW CLARK GRAHAM:
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Vancouver Musician Dust Cwaine Releases New Single ALIENS IN LA

**Download High-Res Single Art** | Photo Credit: Mily Mumford

2ND SINGLE FROM NEW ALBUM ARCANA
OUT ON SEPTEMBER 23rd

WATCH/SHARE LYRIC VIDEO HERE

"All in all, 'Aliens in LA' is an exhilarating experience and a breath of fresh air. Dust has captivated me, and I can’t wait to hear more!" - Canadian Beats

Vancouver musician/drag artist Dust Cwaine (aka David Cutting) follows up their critically acclaimed single'90's Darling' with the retro-influenced 'Aliens in LA' out now on all digital streaming platforms. Listen here.

‘Aliens in LA’ is the 2nd single from Dust's debut album Arcana, which is set for release on September 23rd. Inspired by Pop Rock bands of the 80s like Mr. Mister and Go West, ‘Aliens in LA’ brings a fresh synth sound that immediately transports you to a late night drive through downtown LA. Producer Josh Eastman’s guitar screeches with catchy licks, while Dust’s vocals speak to an out of touch world resisting the beauty that is being different.

“This is my Fat Anthem,” says Dust. “I spend a lot of time thinking about fatness and how it is so out of rhythm with the rest of the world and how amazing that is; how much power that yields. This song carries that reflection. Lyrically this song came very easy, and Josh’s instrumentation is OUT OF THIS WORLD! The guitar is exuberant, rowdy, and in my opinion more catchy that the vocal melody. The alien metaphor is playful, and the synth is delicious! When we worked on this song, I said I wanted it to feel like you just hopped off a plane at LAX, the sun is setting and you are in a taxi flying down the freeway into downtown LA. Evoking feelings of Pretty Woman, Die Hard, and Clueless, but FATTER.”

The fun and colourful single art, promo photos and lyric video for 'Aliens in LA' were visually created by drag performer, writer, director and producer, Mily Mumford. Says Mily: "I wanted to blend imagery of space including stars and nebulas with palm trees and open roads to give you a sense of a science-fiction LA. The queer colours and prismatic and diffused style of cinematography roots the work in the celebration of the magical nature of queerness and transness. Where we may feel othered, we can create whole new worlds around ourselves.”

Dust Cwaine is a Non-Binary Aromantic, known for their bright and earthy creativity. Dust’s art centers itself in the political nature of queer identity, evoking a sense of belonging and togetherness with their presence in live spaces.

Dust’s music carries inspiration from the alt-rock insurgence of the late 90s and early 2000s, lyrically weaving earnestness with humor, for an emotional familiarity that is immediately disarming. Their debut LP titled Arcana explores themes of fatness, sexuality, death, aromanticism, and sacrifice. Produced in collaboration with Josh Eastman of Helm Studios, the album features Calgary rapper Tea Fannie and production from PLEASEBENiCE and Ashton. Arcana is nostalgia pop navel gaze for grown theater kids.

'Aliens in LA' is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide. For more info, please visit dustcwaine.ca.

FOLLOW DUST CWAINE:
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CLICK HERE for biography + high-res press photos

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