CITY AND COLOUR Releases Most Emotionally Charged, Sonically Expansive Album To Date
The Love Still Held Me Near Out Today
Stream/Purchase HERE
Premieres Video for Title Track “The Love Still Held Me Near”
Watch at 12:00pm ET today HERE
12-song Visual Album Premiere Directed by Michael Maxxis
Watch on April 7 at 3:00pm ET HERE
Virtual Afterparty For YouTube Premium Members
with Dallas Green and Michael Maxxis HERE
Set To Headline Budweiser Stage Toronto on Friday, August 25, 2023
With Ben Harper As Direct Support
[screenshot from video]
“The Love Still Held Me Near finds Green at his most personal and raw, accompanied by textures and arrangements that have gone previously unexplored in his solo work.” – Exclaim!
“Despite dealing with some enormous losses, ‘The Love Still Held Me Near’ shines with optimism thanks to tracks like ‘Things We Choose to Care About’ and the infectious and upbeat ‘Underground’. Brooding numbers like ‘A Little Mercy’ balance the album and act as a snapshot to both sides of the coin of Dallas’ renewed relationship with mortality. That perspective allows this album to become City and Colour’s most accomplished yet.” – Upset Magazine
“When versatile singer-songwriter Dallas Green isn’t busy redefining post-hardcore with the newly reunited Alexisonfire, he performs as City and Colour to offer his most vulnerable, delicate and breathtaking music…” – Alternative Press
“Great art is often born from the ashes of pain, and that’s certainly the case with The Love Still Held Me Near.” – No Depression
“A stirring dose of soul-searching catharsis…” – Louder Sound
(March 31, 2023 – Toronto, ON) – City and Colour – acclaimed singer, songwriter and performer Dallas Green – has released his highly-anticipated 7th studio album The Love Still Held Me Near today via Still Records, an imprint of Dine Alone Records. A video for title track premieres at 12:00pm ET today here. The album The Love Still Held Me Near is a deeply personal and cathartic offering, and the most musically expansive in the celebrated City and Colour canon. Stream / purchase HERE.
“Sonically speaking, the song ‘The Love Still Held Me Near’ was a breakthrough,” recalls Green. “When I discovered that the wandering synth line was intersecting with the jagged guitar harmoniously, I realized It was still possible to be amazed at the wonder of creating a song. It gave me the jolt of inspiration I needed to dig into the ineffable nature of what I was trying to work through emotionally with the songs.”
Directed by Michael Maxxis, the latest video is the fourth instalment of a moody, and formidable cinematic series of videos that accompany every song on the new LP. Says Maxxis, “Dallas’ walls are down on this album, and I wanted to capture that on film.” The series was shot in Detroit, Michigan over 3 days on 16mm film.
The full visual album will premiere at 3:00pm ET on Friday, April 7 HERE. All 12 videos will be shown followed by a YouTube Afterparty at 4:00pm ET with Green and Michael Maxxis in conversation. The afterparty is exclusive to YouTube Premium members HERE.
Green recently announced his return to Toronto’s Budweiser Stage for one night only on August 25, 2023. Joining as direct support is three-time Grammy-award winning artist Ben Harper, with neo-soul artist Katie Tupper opening. The show will notably be Green’s 11th performance at the iconic venue, the most for any Canadian artist with the exception of Blue Rodeo and OVO Festival, and the only independent artist to do so. Tickets are available here.
City and Colour has partnered with PLUS1 so that a portion of proceeds goes to supporting organizations bringing dignity, equality, and access to communities who need it.
Produced by Green and longtime band member and collaborator Matt Kelly, the 12 songs that comprise The Love Still Held Me Near follow the most difficult period in Green’s life, including the tragic loss of his best friend and longtime engineer Karl Bareham in 2019. Mixed by three-time Grammy-winner Jacquire King (Kings of Leon, Norah Jones, Tom Waits, Modest Mouse, Shania Twain and others), the album features Green’s voice louder than ever before, supported by arrangements that are at once delicate and nuanced but also enormously powerful.
There are physical variants available for pre-order here, alongside curated The Love Still Held Me Near merchandise. Each vinyl variant is a 2×12” widespine jacket with spot gold foil gloss and two die cut printed inserts.
City and Colour has amassed a legion of passionate fans worldwide who connect with the depth and intimacy of Green’s songs. The Love Still Held Me Near finds the songwriter revealing more of himself amidst new textures, arrangements and soundscapes not previously heard on City and Colour albums. While it was born out of navigating a trying time, it is an album of hope, redemption and inspiration, taking a trip from the emotional depths through the other side and finding a way to, as the closing track says, “Begin Again”.
Art by: Kit King
The Love That Held Me Near Tracklist
- Meant to Be
- Underground
- Fucked it Up
- The Love Still Held Me Near
- A Little Mercy
- Things We Choose to Care About
- After Disaster
- Without Warning
- Hard, Hard Time
- The Water is Coming
- Bow Down to Love
- Begin Again
2023 City and Colour Tour Dates
May 3 – Grand Rapids, MI – GLC Live at 20 Monroe
May 5 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee
May 6 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
May 7 – Chesterfield, MO – The Factory
May 9 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre
May 10 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue
May 12 – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live! – Indoor Music Hall
May 13 – Richmond, VA – The National
May 15 – Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall
May 16 – Washington, DC – Warner Theatre
May 17 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner
May 19 – New York, NY – The Beacon Theatre
May 20 – Portland, ME – State Theater
May 21 – Ithaca, NY – State Theatre
Jun 23 – Sarnia, ON – Bluewater BorderFest Music Festival
Jun 30 – Arras, France – Citadelle d’Arras
Jul 6 – Madrid, Spain – Mad Cool Festival 2023
Jul 7 – Oeiras, Portugal – NOS Alive 2023
Aug 25 – Toronto, Ontario – Budweiser Stage
Sep 16 – Louisville, KY – Bourbon & Beyond 2023
Photo Credit: Vanessa Heins
About City and Colour
Over the course of seven studio albums, Dallas Green has compiled a canon ripe with songs born of adoration and devotion amassing a legion of fans worldwide and garnering him 4 JUNOs, including 2 Songwriter of the Year awards, plus 1 Triple Platinum, 2 Double Platinum, 1 Platinum, and 1 Gold certification at home in Canada. Alongside these accomplishments, Green has been awarded Platinum-certification for all four of Alexisonfire’s full-length records.
City and Colour’s last studio album A Pill For Loneliness – released on Green’s Still Records, an imprint of Dine Alone Records – debuted at #1 on the Billboard Canadian Albums Chart, his 4th consecutive chart-topper in Canada. His previous #1 LP If I Should Go Before You made serious waves internationally debuting at #16 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Chart and #5 in Australia where Green’s LP Little Hell was certified GOLD. In 2014, Green collaborated with international superstar Alecia Moore (aka P!nk) on a new project titled You+Me. The duo’s acclaimed Platinum-certified first record, rose ave., debuted at #4 on the U.S. Top 200 Chart, #1 in Canada, #2 in Australia culminating in memorable performances on The Ellen Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Green was personally invited by Alice in Chains to perform alongside Metallica, Korn, members of Soundgarden, Jane’s Addiction, Nirvana and other legendary artists when the Seattle quartet were honoured as the recipients of the 2020 Founder’s Award from the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPop). In 2022, Green was honoured with the SOCAN National Achievement Award at the JUNO Awards in recognition of his philanthropic contributions to music education in Canada.
City and Colour: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Still Records | Dine Alone Recor
CAM KAHIN ANNOUNCES NEW EP WHEN IT’S ALL OVER
OUT APRIL 6TH VIA DINE ALONE RECORDS
New Single/Video “birds” Out Now
Photo Credit: Fabiana Moreira
Toronto’s Cam Kahin today announced his new EP and debut for Dine Alone Records, WHEN IT’S ALL OVER, will be released on April 6th, 2023; pre-order here. Kahin also shared the brooding, thunderous new single “birds,” which he describes as “the heaviest song I’ve ever written, both sonically and lyrically. It’s a four and a half minute panic attack, collapsing into and out of a screaming, sludgy breakdown. My darkest and most unapologetic song to date.” “birds” arrives with a cinematic video directed by Lebni Thodakee Avitia (Heirmanos), which perfectly reflects the track’s grim and blistering dynamics. “The message of the song is something I can relate to, as I had experienced derealization/depersonalization myself,” explains Avitia. “I wanted to convey that feeling, but also knew that those phases of depression are seen as an evil spirit trying to take over in some religious cultures. I threw that twist in as an homage to some of mine and Cam’s favorite horror movies.”
WHEN IT’S ALL OVER was recently named one of the year’s most anticipated Canadian releases by CBC Music (“one of our favorite new discoveries”), and its announcement follows “compass,” another EP single released last fall to support from FLOOD Magazine (“an electrifying and concise pop song—fans of Cloud Nothings and Joyce Manor rejoice!”), CBC Music, Ones to Watch (playlist), and more.
Kahin grew up in Dunnville, Ontario, a small community with around 6,000 residents, where he always felt like an outsider: he was the only person of color in town, there were no music venues, and what art existed there wasn’t for him. He escaped the small-town doldrums by listening to bands like Cage the Elephant, Biffy Clyro, and PUP. By age 13, he was sneaking out to hardcore shows in Hamilton and Toronto. Those shows pounded an energy and darkness into him that he brings to his music and live performances.
“WHEN IT’S ALL OVER is a depression-fueled coming-of-age story,” says Kahin. “Every month you’re a different person. It’s a lot of feeling uncomfortable, and not knowing what’s stable and what’s not.” His new EP is the sound of life forcing him to the brink of self-destruction, and the pendulum swing of the path back to some semblance of peace. Set against a suite of fuzzy prog garage rock and ear worm guitar sludge, with explosive crescendos that all claw at the weirdness of growing into a world of relentless instability, it’s the sound of music as survival: loud, honest, and desperate to live.
WHEN IT’S ALL OVER EP cover art:
WHEN IT’S ALL OVER EP tracklist:
“compass”
“what are you waiting for”
“in, around”
“try again”
“birds”
“skeleton song”
CITY AND COLOUR SET TO RELEASE HIS MOST EMOTIONALLY CHARGED,
SONICALLY EXPANSIVE ALBUM TO DATE ON MARCH 31
THE LOVE STILL HELD ME NEAR
PRE-ORDER on January 20 at 10am ET HERE
THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED, MULTI-AWARD-WINNING ARTIST PREMIERES
VIDEO FOR NEW TRACK “UNDERGROUND” AT 5PM ET HERE
Directed by Michael Maxxis
LISTEN TO UNDERGROUND HERE
Art by: Kit King
(January 19, 2022 – Toronto, ON) – City and Colour – acclaimed singer, songwriter and performer Dallas Green – has announced the highly-anticipated new album The Love Still Held Me Near will be released on March 31 via Still Records, an imprint of Dine Alone Records. The Love Still Held Me Near is a deeply personal and cathartic offering, and the most sonically expansive in the celebrated City and Colour canon. The record is available to pre-order tomorrow at 10am ET HERE.
Soulful new track “Underground” offers a strong message that life is a gift, embrace every moment while you can. Alongside the single, a new video for “Underground” directed by Michael Maxxis premieres at 5:00pm ET and is the second instalment of a moody, and formidable cinematic series of videos directed by Maxxis set to accompany every song on the new LP. Says Maxxis, “Dallas’ walls are down on this album, and I wanted to capture that on film.”
Watch “Underground” Premiere Today at 5pm ET HERE | Listen to ”Underground” HERE
“The Love Still Held Me Near was born out of unimaginable loss and the subsequent journey through the grief and heartache that followed,” explains Green. “It’s about digging deep down into yourself and attempting to unearth hope and light in the things that can comfort you through those times. For me that has always been writing and recording music, so that’s exactly what I did.”
Produced by Green and longtime band member and collaborator Matt Kelly, the 12 songs that comprise The Love Still Held Me Near follow the most difficult period in Green’s life, including the tragic loss of his best friend in 2019. Green poignantly eulogizes him in the stunning opening track “Meant To Be,” which was released in November. Watch the cinematic video HERE.
Pre-orders for physical variants are available HERE. In addition to the standard black, there are 7 exclusive variants available alongside curated The Love Still Held Me Near merchandise. Each vinyl variant is a 2×12” widespine jacket with spot gold foil gloss and two die cut printed inserts. See below for details on all physical variants.
With six studio albums to date, City and Colour has amassed a legion of passionate fans worldwide who connect with the depth and intimacy of Green’s songs. The Love Still Held Me Near finds the songwriter revealing more of himself amidst new textures, arrangements and soundscapes not previously heard on City and Colour albums. While it was born out of navigating a trying time, it is an album of hope, redemption and inspiration.
The Love That Held Me Near Tracklist
1. Meant to Be
2. Underground
3. Fucked it Up
4. The Love Still Held Me Near
5. A Little Mercy
6. Things We Choose to Care About
7. After Disaster
8. Without Warning
9. Hard, Hard Time
10. The Water is Coming
11. Bow Down to Love
12. Begin Again
The Love Still Held Me Near Physical Variants
City and Colour Exclusive (Gold Nugget) – Limited to 5,500
Dine Alone Exclusive (Translucent Tan / Black Galaxy) – Limited to 250
Standard (Black)
Indie Retail Exclusive (Milky Clear / White Galaxy) – Limited to 6,200
BrooklynVegan (US) Exclusive (Black / Blue Galaxy) – Limited to 500
Newbury (US) Exclusive – (Smog) – Limited to 500
Banquet (UK) Exclusive – (Gold inside Milky Clear) – Limited to 500
JB Hifi (AUS) Exclusive – (Black / White Marble) – Limited to 500
Photo Credit: Vanessa Heins
About City and Colour
Over the course of six studio albums, Dallas Green has compiled a canon ripe with songs born of adoration and devotion amassing a legion of fans worldwide and garnering him 3 JUNOs, including two Songwriter of the Year awards, plus 1 Triple Platinum, 2 Double Platinum, 1 Platinum, and 1 Gold certification at home in Canada. Alongside these accomplishments, Green has been awarded Platinum-certification for all four of Alexisonfire’s full-length records.
City and Colour’s last studio album A Pill For Loneliness – released on Green’s Still Records, an imprint of Dine Alone Records – debuted at #1 on the Billboard Canadian Albums Chart, his 4th consecutive chart-topper in Canada. His previous #1 LP If I Should Go Before You made serious waves internationally debuting at #16 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Chart and #5 in Australia where Green’s LP Little Hell was certified GOLD. In 2014, Green collaborated with international superstar Alecia Moore (aka P!nk) on a new project titled You+Me. The duo’s acclaimed Platinum-certified first record, rose ave., debuted at #4 on the U.S. Top 200 Chart, #1 in Canada, #2 in Australia culminating in memorable performances on The Ellen Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Green was personally invited by Alice in Chains to perform alongside Metallica, Korn, members of Soundgarden, Jane’s Addiction, Nirvana and other legendary artists when the Seattle quartet were honoured as the recipients of the 2020 Founder’s Award from the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPop). In 2022, Green was honoured with the SOCAN National Achievement Award at the JUNO Awards in recognition of his philanthropic contributions to music education in Canada.
City and Colour: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Still Records | Dine Alone Records
Includes Performances At Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom on February 18, 2023 and
Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall On February 24
TICKETS ON SALE THIS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2 HERE
Artwork by: Jay Malinowski
(November 30, 2022) – Toronto’s post-punk, world-beat duo Bedouin Soundclash are hitting the road in support of their latest record We Will Meet In A Hurricane. The run kicks off in Victoria on February 16 and features stops at Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall, Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom and Montreal’s Le Studio TD. See below for more details. Tickets go on sale this Friday, December 2. Purchase HERE.
The JUNO and Platinum award winning duo featuring Jay Malinowski and Eon Sinclair recently sat down with Tom Power and CBC q to discuss the new record, the band’s noteworthy career, and longtime friendship. Listen to the fascinating and disarmingly honest conversation HERE.
Co-produced by Malinowski and Colin Stewart (The New Pornographers, Destroyer, Dan Mangan, Black Mountain), the buoyant and soulful tracks on We Will Meet In A Hurricane find the beloved duo digging back into their musical roots, steeped in the border-bending sounds the JUNO award winning and platinum selling band is known for.
Indeed, the parallels to Bedouin Soundclash’s earliest efforts come easy, sounding like a passport crowded with overlapping stamps on every one of its well-worn pages. Sinclair elaborates: “No matter where we are or what’s going on in either of our lives, if one of us picks up an instrument and plays something, everything else kind of dissolves and our shared focus becomes, ‘How can we turn this into something people want to hear?’”
That’s especially true this time around, and while Bedouin Soundclash’s loyal following will surely relish in this return to their roots, the real excitement is in anticipating where the metaphorical stream might once again take them from here.
THE HURRICANE TOUR 2023:
February 16 – Victoria, BC – Capital Ballroom
February 18 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
February 23 – Kitchener ON – The Hub
February 24 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
February 25 – Montreal, QC – Le Studio TD
Photo Credit: Steph Montani
L to R: Jay Malinowski, Eon Sinclair
About Bedouin Soundclash
Formed in 2001 and named after Israeli dub artist/producer Badawi’s 1996 release, Bedouin Soundclash’s debut album Root Fire (2001) received critical acclaim before sophomore album Sounding a Mosaic (2004) sent the band global, culminating in a series of sold-out shows and festival appearances around the world. The album featured the smash hit single “When The Night Feels My Song”, produced by punk-hardcore royalty Darryl Jenifer of Bad Brains, and the band went on to pick up their first JUNO Award in 2006 for Canada’s Best New Group, along with numerous accolades around Europe.
The follow-up album Street Gospels (2007) earned a ‘Pop Album of the Year’ nomination and ‘Video of the Year’ nomination for the single “Walls Fall Down” at the 2008 JUNO’s as well as three Much Music Video Award nominations for their video for “Until We Burnin the Sun” in 2009.
Bedouin Soundclash released their fourth studio album Light the Horizon in 2010. Produced by King Britt, the album included the singles “Mountain Top”, “Elongo” and “Brutal Hearts” which featured French-Canadian singer-songwriter Coeur de pirate.
The band’s previous offering, MASS, was co-produced by Bedouin Soundclash and legendary Philadelphia House DJ King Britt, along with musical direction from Ben Jaffe of Preservation Hall, ‘MASS’ spans two communities, recorded at Marigny Studio’s in New Orleans with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and in Vancouver at St. James Church with the children of the St. James Music Academy. While pulling from their old catalogue, the band journeyed further into New Orleans jazz, afro-pop, electronic and gospel, reflecting a creative rebirth influenced by the cities and musicians that surrounded them.
Bedouin Soundclash have toured all over the world and have shared the stage with the likes of No Doubt, Ben Harper, Damian Marley, The Roots, The Interrupters, Gogol Bordello, Bad Brains, and Thievery Corporation among many others.
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Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
CITY AND COLOUR RETURNS WITH POWERFUL, CATHARTIC NEW TRACK
“MEANT TO BE”
LISTEN HERE
EMOTIONALLY CHARGED SONG SERVES AS AN ELEGY FOR A BEST FRIEND WHO WAS TRAGICALLY LOST
Photo Credit: Vanessa Heins
(November 18, 2022 – Toronto, ON) City and Colour, acclaimed singer, songwriter and performer Dallas Green, has just released the emotionally powerful new track “Meant To Be” via Still Records, an imprint of Dine Alone Records. “Meant To Be” is the first new music from City and Colour since the acclaimed 2019 album A Pill For Loneliness, and comes following a painful, life-changing loss.
The hauntingly melodic song begins with Green’s affecting vocals slowly swelling into the impassioned refrain questioning destiny following a tragic event. In September of 2019, while the band was on a break during an Australian tour, Green received the news that his best friend and longtime City and Colour producer Karl Bareham drowned off the country’s Gold Coast. While still emotionally distraught, Green was requested to identify his friend at the morgue, a chilling experience he still carries with him. As he puts it, “That was the hardest moment I’ve had in my entire life. It changed me forever.” Combined with navigating personal issues upon his return to his native Canada and a global pandemic, Green was completely overwhelmed and struggled.
As he began to cope, the lifelong songwriter Green had not set out to write about the loss; in his heart and soul he had no idea how he would. But suddenly one day, a line came to him, “the sun kept on rising”, followed by a melody. Green wrote it down and stepped away because it was then that he knew he was on the correct path to honor his dear friend.
Writing “Meant To Be” turned out to be a much-needed pure and cathartic experience for Green. The song is a beautiful, heart-wrenching and fiery elegy that resonates deeply. Listen to “Meant To Be” HERE.
About City and Colour
Over the course of six studio albums, Dallas Green has compiled a canon ripe with songs born of adoration and devotion amassing a legion of fans worldwide and garnering him 3 JUNOs, including two Songwriter of the Year awards, plus 1 Triple Platinum, 2 Double Platinum, 1 Platinum, and 1 Gold certification at home in Canada. Alongside these accomplishments, Green has been awarded Platinum-certification for all four of Alexisonfire’s full-length records.
City and Colour’s last studio album A Pill For Loneliness – released on Green’s Still Records, an imprint of Dine Alone Records – debuted at #1 on the Billboard Canadian Albums Chart, his 4th consecutive chart-topper in Canada. His previous #1 LP If I Should Go Before You made serious waves internationally debuting at #16 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Chart and #5 in Australia where Green’s LP Little Hell was certified GOLD. In 2014, Green collaborated with international superstar Alecia Moore (aka P!nk) on a new project titled You+Me. The duo’s acclaimed Platinum-certified first record, rose ave., debuted at #4 on the U.S. Top 200 Chart, #1 in Canada, #2 in Australia culminating in memorable performances on The Ellen Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Green was personally invited by Alice in Chains to perform alongside Metallica, Korn, members of Soundgarden, Jane’s Addiction, Nirvana and other legendary artists when the Seattle quartet were honoured as the recipients of the 2020 Founder’s Award from the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPop). In 2022, Green was honored with the SOCAN National Achievement Award at the JUNO Awards in recognition of his philanthropic contributions to music education in Canada.
City and Colour: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Still Records | Dine Alone Records
THE DIRTY NIL UNVEIL MUSICAL TRIBUTE
“BYE BYE BIG BEAR”
ACCOMPANIED BY AN OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
Photo Credit: Steph Montani
BAND’S OVERALL STREAMS HAVE SURPASSED 31 MILLION
LINKS: FACEBOOK / INSTAGRAM / TWITTER / WEBSITE / MORE INFO
For the strapping lads comprising Toronto rock trio The Dirty Nil, Big Bear was so much more than a convenience store parking lot they gazed upon from their second-floor bathroom window – the trash-strewn asphalt stage where seemingly every element of the human experience played out like a never-ending theatrical production. Today, they share the ode “Bye Bye Big Bear” in its memory.
Click here to stream “Bye Bye Big Bear” via your preferred platform.
Click here to watch the official music video.
The house was all at once a shared residence, creative commons, and god-forsaken pirate ship, its revolving cast of crewmates armed with instruments, alcohol, and overdriven amplifiers. Indeed, they lived, laughed, and loved there even though no kitschy wall sign from a suburban mom’s Etsy shop told them to.
“We were there through our 20s and having the best time,” shares guitarist Luke Bentham, namedropping some of the transient roommates who spent a few months under the roof with them – members of fellow revered Canadian rock outfits including The Glorious Sons, Attack in Black, Career Suicide, Seaway, and Single Mothers. “It was so conducive to creativity and collaboration. When we turned 30, though, it felt like time to spring from the nest, so we all put our separate plans into motion, and then I immediately started to miss everybody.”
For 5 years we lived together at a house in downtown Hamilton. For 5 years we were sustained by the Big Bear convenience store, located directly across the street. There we were nurtured with sparkling water, protein bars and cigarettes. There we witnessed an untold number of human dramas play out in the parking lot, ranging from the hilarious to the hopelessly sad. For 5 years it was our clubhouse, our pirate ship, our prison. So we say farewell, thank you for everything: Bye Bye Big Bear. – The Dirty Nil
“Bye Bye Big Bear” is a loving musical tribute to that unforgettable time and place, and The Dirty Nil’s first new offering since their impactful 2021 album Fuck Art. On its back, the boys got back on the road, electrifying increasingly packed venues and festival stages with their fiery brand of punk-tinged rock n roll.
The new single is the natural next step from Fuck Art and their 2018 breakout Master Volume – the same blistering power chords, silky-smooth hooks, and oddly charming witticisms distilled into a more potent, harder-hitting product. It’s also the first recorded outing with new bassist and backup vocalist Sam Tomlinson throwing a bit more gas onto Bentham and drummer Kyle Fisher’s musical fire.
“There are things we’ll really miss – and definitely things we won’t – but a lot of it was just that we’d understood that the clubhouse was breaking up, and that unlocked a lot of feeling,” they elaborate.
Only once the emotional scarring of their Big Bear goodbye has healed will The Dirty Nil have the proper emotional capacity to plot what’s next. Time heals all wounds, but for now, it’s just too soon to tell…
“Cam Kahin is an artist on the brink of something special. The Toronto-based
up-and-comer has a singular sound: part alt-rock, part lo-fi, part experimental sludge.” –
CBC Music
Toronto, Ontario-based musician/producer Cam Kahin has joined the Dine Alone Records roster and
today released his debut single for the label, “compass.” Arriving alongside a Lebni Thodakee Avitia
(Heirmanos)-directed video featuring a mix of studio footage and a recent DIY show, “compass” is as
anthemic as it is cathartic. Cam explains “compass” “is a bright, fast-paced song about trying to get the
people around you to recognize your self-destructive behavior.”
Lebni explains: “I’ve known Cam since he was in 11th grade (thanks to my younger brother), shot one of
his first music videos, and stayed friends ever since. To see his growth, and talent rise the way it has, has
been truly amazing. From the very beginning, Cam had always told me he doesn’t know what else he
would be doing in life if it wasn’t music. I think you get a sense of that hunger, passion, and longing when
you watch this video. You also get a glimpse into the beautiful people that we get to surround ourselves
with, which I think is the real success story. Life can be difficult, but I can truly say that music is what
guides Cam through his tough times, and you can hear that within his lyrics. I basically wanted to share
what I think is the beginning of an amazing journey.”
As a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, Cam has been pouring out his experiences
and emotions into his urgent, alt-rock songs since he was 12. Recently named one of the “Top Five
Canadian Acts Shaping Rock” by CBC Music, he’s supported a range of artists, including Cautious Clay,
Inhaler, and The Crawlers, in addition to notable local performances at Mill Street Festival and Hamilton’s
SuperCrawl.
Kahin is next set to play as part of a Dine Alone Records showcase during M For Montreal at Théâtre
Fairmount on November 18th; tickets are on-sale now. Stay tuned for more news on Cam’s first release
for Dine Alone Records in early 2023.
“compass” Single Artwork
Website
Instagram
YouTube
https://dinealonerecords.com/
THE FLATLINERS CELEBRATE 20 YEARS TOGETHER
Image by Riley Taylor
“New Ruin is a total rager of an album; it’s easily the best material The Flatliners have ever created!” – V13
“The Flatliners have cemented themselves as one of the most reliable Canadian punk bands of the last two decades” –
Exclaim!
(August 5, 2022 – Toronto, ON) – Today, JUNO-nominated Toronto punk outfit The Flatliners release their
ambitious sixth studio album New Ruin through Dine Alone Records in Canada. Listen to the album HERE
New Ruin is a shot of pure adrenaline from a band striking out at outdated institutions and ideologies via impeccably crafted pointed lyrics. Produced by lead vocalist Chris Cresswell along with the rest of the band, New Ruin sees The Flatliners attacking each new track with a ferocity and intensity that will surprise even long-time fans. From the monstrously discordant hits that open the album through the de facto thesis statement of “Heirloom,” it’s clear that The Flatliners are angry in a way we’ve never heard before. Recorded at Toronto’s Noble Street Studios and Genesis Sound with long-time friend and engineer Matt Snell, the album sounds both open and immediate, the cumulative effect of two decades performing together.
“New Ruin is equal parts love letter and hate mail, empowerment and embarrassment, hopefulness and despondency. For the first time in a long time, we’re looking out instead of in, and it’s not all pretty,” shares Cresswell. “There’s a new weight to the world now we as people can’t deny, and the only way to make this record was to try to achieve that same feeling in these songs. They’re angry because we’re angry. They’re loud because these are the things we need to be loud about. No better way than through. No brighter way to burn.”
Heralded as ‘the best material of the band’s career’, New Ruin features 11 impressive new tracks including the infectious thought-provoking lead single “Performative Hours”, the melodic punk tune “Souvenir” which was recently featured on Alan Cross’ ‘songs you must hear’ list, the powerfully insightful “Rat King”, as well as, latest focus track “It”ll Hurt.”Cresswell had this to say about, “It’ll Hurt”, “It can be hard to find your place in a world that’s always moving. The growing pains synonymous with carving out a space to call your own usually end up as accomplishments in the rear rear view, but when they’re still in front of you, when they envelop you, it’s a fight you can’t help but feel. For everybody digging in to find what’s truly theirs, to make something their own, the mountain can be brutal. But it’s worth the climb home.”
In support of their new record and the band’s 20th anniversary, The Flatliners will be spending the next few months touring across Europe, the U.S and Canada with Canadian dates in Vancouver, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Calgary in September. The band will return to the road later in the year for December dates in Quebec City, Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto. Dubbed The Holiday Mêlée weekend, the two hometown shows in Toronto will take place on Friday, December 16th at The Great Hall (recently moved from Longboat Hall) for a special full band acoustic performance and on Saturday, December 17th at the Danforth Music Hall. Tickets for all Canadian dates can be purchased HERE and a list of all confirmed dates can be found below.
The Flatliners New Ruin Dine Alone Records August 5, 2022
01. Performative Hours
02. Rat King
03 .Big Strum
04. Top Left Door
05. It’ll Hurt
06. Oath
07. Recoil
08. Souvenir
09. Tunnel Vision
10. Heirloom
11. Under a Dying Sun
*Upcoming Canadian Tour Dates
09.08.2022 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre
09.09.2022 – Winnipeg, MB @ The Park Theatre for SOS Festival
09.10.2022 – Edmonton, AB @ Sea Change Super Friendly Music Festival
09.11.2022 – Calgary, AB @ Commonwealth Bar & Stage
12.08.2022 – Quebec City, QC @ L’Anti
12.09.2022 – Ottawa, ON @ Bronson Centre
12.10.2022 – Montréal, QC @ Foufounes Electriques
12.16.2022 – Toronto, ON @ The Great Hall (recently moved from Longboat Hall)
12.17.2022 – Toronto, ON @ The Danforth Music Hall
Bedouin Soundclash Release New Double-Single
“Birds Of A Feather (Feat. Ashleigh Ball)”
b/w “Beyond Four Walls”
NEW ALBUM WE WILL MEET IN A HURRICANE OUT OCTOBER 21
VIA DINE ALONE RECORDS
Stream “Birds Of A Feather” + “Beyond Four Walls” HERE
Announce Darryl Jenifer (Bad Brains) Dub Companion Remix EP Hurricane Dubs
Pre-order HERE
Photo Credit: Steph Montani
L to R: Jay Malinowski, Eon Sinclair
(July 21, 2022) – Toronto’s post-punk, world-beat duo Bedouin Soundclash have released a double-single, “Birds of a Feather” b/w “Beyond Four Walls” today to announce their anticipated new album, We Will Meet In A Hurricane, due out October 21 via Dine Alone Records. Co-produced by Jay Malinowski and Colin Stewart (The New Pornographers, Destroyer, Dan Mangan, Black Mountain), these buoyant and soulful tracks find the beloved duo digging back into their musical roots, steeped in the border-bending sounds the JUNO award winning and platinum selling band is known for. Pre-order / save the album here.
Also available to pre-order today is Hurricane Dubs, a very special dub companion remix 12″ EP from Bedouin’s long time mentor Darryl Jenifer of Bad Brains. The ‘We Will Meet in a Hurricane’ pre-order includes a milky clear w/ black smoke Dine Alone Exclusive 12″ (limited to 100), a Standard Peach 12″, ‘Hurricane Dubs’ Darryl Jenifer remix EP 12″ and CD format. See below for images.
Discussing “Birds of a Feather”, Malinowski notes, “The song is about our enduring relationship in this band. Eon and I met on the first day of school. We never had any intention to play in a band. Like the best things in life, everything just kind of happened, like it had already been written and we were just the players. Our journey has been incredible. I sometimes look at our lives and can’t believe what we got to experience together. Ashleigh Ball sings on this track, and she has such an incredible voice. We were sitting there in the studio and then she pulled out a flute and we all got really mesmerised for a couple hours listening to this dubbed-out flute.”
Regarding “Beyond Four Walls”, Malinowski adds, “This was written in the heart of lockdown—-it’s somewhat self-explanatory; that beyond four walls there is a world happening. The pandemic forced a lot of change. I think it put a spotlight on habits and ways of being that didn’t serve us well. We spent so much time with ourselves that those issues became glaring. I realised over the pandemic I had put up a lot of mental walls of limiting beliefs that had to be confronted.”
We Will Meet in a Hurricane also notably marks the bands return to their home on Dine Alone Records, run by their long-time former manager Joel Carriere. “It feels good to be putting out this record with our old friends there who we experienced so much with in this industry, especially given that this is a reflective album on the past,” says Malinowski.
The seeds of the new album were planted In the spring of 2021 when Bedouin co-founder and bassist Eon Sinclair booked an open-ended trip to join Malinowski at his new home on Vancouver Island with the hope of reigniting their once-prolific creative spark. “We didn’t really have a set agenda,” notes Sinclair. “We’d been sending a few ideas back-and-forth between Toronto and Victoria early in the pandemic, and it was a welcome outlet considering everything that was going on. So even though I wasn’t really sure of what I wanted to do next, I thought I’d go out for six months – maybe come back early, maybe stay longer – just to see where things would lead.”
They quickly settled into a comfortable workflow, riffing and writing through the week at Malinowski’s family home and then heading into The Hive studio every couple of weeks with co-producer Colin Stewart (The New Pornographers, Dan Mangan, Black Mountain, Destroyer) to capture the results. “Working with Colin was incredible,” says Sinclair. Malinowski adds, “He really pays incredible attention to arrangements and how the parts of each instrument compliment the main thing, which is always melody for him. I really loved watching him work through a mix. He’s a true artist.”
Despite it being their first collaboration, there was an obvious and rewarding synergy that contributed to the “back to basics” aesthetic. “There wasn’t a lot of discussion beforehand about limiting things in terms of instrumentation, but I think the way it unfolded was really enjoyable for us – a really powerful sound from basically just guitar, bass, and drums again,” shares Malinowski.
After surveying the finished album, the band called upon producer Darryl Jenifer of Bad Brains to create a small dub companion to three of the tracks. “It had been a while since we had spoken to D,” says Malinowski. “When we got on the phone it was like picking up where we left off. Darryl is a true mentor to us in this industry. He sat with us when we were 18 years old, gave us some tough love and made us sit in the corner until we could play our instruments properly,” Malinowski laughs. “But we are so lucky, beyond the music, to have him in our lives. You don’t get many bonds like that in life.”
Indeed, the parallels to Bedouin Soundclash’s earliest efforts come easy, sounding like a passport crowded with overlapping stamps on every one of its well-worn pages. Sinclair elaborates, “No matter where we are or what’s going on in either of our lives, if one of us picks up an instrument and plays something, everything else kind of dissolves and our shared focus becomes, ‘How can we turn this into something people want to hear?’”
That’s especially true this time around, and while Bedouin Soundclash’s loyal following will surely relish in this return to their roots, the real excitement is in anticipating where the metaphorical stream might once again take them from here.
Upcoming Show Dates:
07/21 – Uxbridge, ON @ Uxbridge Music Hall
07/22 – Bayfield, ON @ River Road Brewery
07/23 – Sarnia, ON @ Revelree Festival
07/30-31 – Canmore, AB @ Canmore Folk Festival
Tickets for upcoming shows are available here
Single artwork by Jay Malinowski
We Will Meet In A Hurricane track list:
- We Will Meet In A Hurricane
- Walk Through Fire (feat. Aimee Interrupter)
- Something Lost + Something Found
- Longer Days in Shorter Years
- Beyond Four Walls
- Shine On (feat. The Skints)
- Birds of a Feather (feat. Ashleigh Ball)
- Hard Road
- Man from Cascades
- A Torn Jacket with Silver Lining
- Margie, Do Your Best
- Into The Black…
Hurricane Dubs Darryl Jenifer remix EP 12″
Dine Alone Exclusive 12″
Standard Peach 12”
About Bedouin Soundclash
Formed in 2001 and named after Israeli dub artist/producer Badawi’s1996 release, Bedouin Soundclash’s debut album Root Fire (2001) received critical acclaim before sophomore album Sounding a Mosaic (2004) sent the band global, culminating in a series of sold-out shows and festival appearances around the world. The album featured the smash hit single “When The Night Feels My Song”, produced by punk-hardcore royalty Darryl Jenifer of Bad Brains, and the band went on to pick up their first JUNO Award in 2006 for Canada’s Best New Group, along with numerous accolades around Europe.
The follow-up album Street Gospels (2007) earned a ‘Pop Album of the Year’ nomination and ‘Video of the Year’ nomination for the single “Walls Fall Down” at the 2008 JUNO’s as well as three Much Music Video Award nominations for their video for “Until We Burnin the Sun” in 2009.
Bedouin Soundclash released their fourth studio album Light the Horizon in 2010. Produced by King Britt, the album included the singles “Mountain Top”, “Elongo” and “Brutal Hearts” which featured French-Canadian singer-songwriter Coeur de pirate.
The band’s last offering, MASS, was co-produced by Bedouin Soundclash and legendary Philadelphia House DJ King Britt, along with musical direction from Ben Jaffe of Preservation Hall, ‘MASS’ spans two communities, recorded at Marigny Studio’s in New Orleans with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and in Vancouver at St. James Church with the children of the St. James Music Academy. While pulling from their old catalogue, the band journeyed further into New Orleans jazz, afro-pop, electronic and gospel, reflecting a creative rebirth influenced by the cities and musicians that surrounded them.
Bedouin Soundclash have toured all over the world and have shared the stage with the likes of No Doubt, Ben Harper, Damian Marley, The Roots, The Interrupters, Gogol Bordello, Bad Brains, and Thievery Corporation among many others.
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ALEXISONFIRE RELEASE FIRST STUDIO ALBUM IN 13 YEARS TODAY
Stream OTHERNESS Via Dine Alone Records HERE
Watch the stunning video for “Sans Soleil” directed by Michael Maxxis Here
AOF Celebrate 20 Years Since The Release of Debut Album Alexisonfire With Special First Time Front-To-Back Performance of Self-Titled at Born & Raised Concert Event July 3
Photo credit: Vanessa Heins @vanessaheins
(June 24, 2022) – Today, ALEXISONFIRE released Otherness, their long-anticipated and first full-length album in over 13 years. Otherness is arguably the band’s most cohesive and self-actualized record to date, featuring impassioned anthems with earnest and deeply heartfelt lyrics and impeccable vocal and musical performances from the iconic 5-piece. The band’s latest single “Sans Soleil” quickly hit Top 15 at Rock Radio in Canada, and is currently the #1 “Spinburner” at Rock formats as it climbs from #13 this week to Top 10. Guitarist / vocalist Wade MacNeil has described the song as, “…about hanging onto hope during the heaviest times, healing and letting go. Dreaming of a future where all this hurt is behind you.”
The visually stunning, dreamlike video for “Sans Soleil” was shot in New Orleans and directed by longtime collaborator Michael Maxxis who also directed “The Northern” and “Familiar Drugs”. “‘Sans Soleil’ is such a beautiful, haunting, mysterious, and uplifting song, and it immediately inspires a certain type of visual,” explains Maxxis. “The idea was to make something that was opposite of that first flight of instinct that still possessed the same innate spirit. The process we undertook conceptualizing this video was one of the most unique and rewarding of my career.”
Stream Otherness here | Watch “Sans Soleil” here
Otherness features 10 fresh, original songs including the explosive first single, “Sweet Dreams Of Otherness”, previously released banger “Reverse The Curse” and the hauntingly beautiful “Sans Soleil”. The album is produced by AOF and mixed by punk stalwart Jonah Falco (Fucked Up, Chubby and the Gang).
What the press is saying about Otherness:
“Their Greatest Record to date…”- Rocksound
“more melody and rocket fuel than ever before…the band conjures the best essence of ‘90s major-label grunge and textured shoegaze that makes them the coolest guys in the room with the best record collections…” – SPIN
“blistering verses and a melodic chorus, with a rapid pace that never lets up.” – Consequence
“slow-burning, head nod-inducing pace, powered by sharp percussion and churning guitars reverberating throughout…” – Loudwire
“AOF didn’t come back to re-create their early sound. They started experimenting with longer songs and more ambitious arrangements…” – Brooklyn Vegan
“Otherness is arguably the most representatively hard-hitting and confident channelling of Alexisonfire’s stage show the band has ever put to tape.” – Toronto Star
“Alexisonfire have returned as the band their fans have always loved — and they sound as inspired and invigorated as ever.” – Exclaim!
Alexisonfire – alongside City and Colour, Dine Alone Records and Live Nation Canada – recently announced a must-see 4-day concert event that will take over Montebello Park in the band’s beloved hometown of St. Catharines, Ontario from June 30 to July 3. In celebration of their 20th Anniversary, AOF will be giving fans a special treat by performing their self-titled debut album front-to-back for the first time ever live on Sunday, July 3. This will be the only opportunity to catch Alexisonfire perform in Southern Ontario in 2022.
Tickets for the Born & Raised Concert Event are available via ticketmaster.ca. Alexisonfire and City and Colour have partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 from every ticket sold will be donated to the Indspire Building Brighter Futures Scholarship program.
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A continuous thread through the fabric of Alexisonfire is the state of otherness. Otherness drew us all to spaces where a band like this could be formed. We attract the type of individuals that have all felt the sensation of being strange or unique. Perceived or otherwise, otherness has followed us through childhood, adolescence, and into our adult lives. It drives our tastes and proclivities. It bonds us with ourselves and others. And make no mistake, even at our most domestic and mundane moments, we are true outliers. – Otherness mission statement
For those who need a refresher, AOF released four hugely successful studio albums, all Music Canada Platinum-certified: Alexisonfire (2002), Watch Out (2004), Crisis (2006), and Old Crows / Young Cardinals (2009). Crisis debuted at #1 on the Top 200 Soundscan (Canada), and Old Crows / Young Cardinals debuted at #2, and charted at #9 on the US Billboard Independent Album chart. The number of albums made outside of Alexisonfire by different band members over the years – including City and Colour, Dead Tired, You+Me, Dooms Children, and Billy Talent – could fill several record store bins.
Alexisonfire produced Otherness themselves in roughly a week. They kept it a “family affair,” working closely with folks who’ve been with them for years. Writing took place at the Dine Alone Records clubhouse. The album includes organ, keys, and pedal steel from Green’s longtime collaborator Matt Kelly. Jill Zimmerman and Darren “Jeter” Magierowski (who is also Steele’s cousin) engineered, at Jukasa Recording Studios. The idea of the strength of diversity and the power of the outsider expressed in the album’s mission statement surfaced early in the process.
AOF stayed at the studio and fully lived in the record. “Because George, Dallas, and I all sing, we wrote our own lyrics in the past. This time, we all wrote for each other,” MacNeil explains. “We shied away from that before. If I wrote something very personal, maybe George would’ve felt uncomfortable singing it. This time around, that didn’t even enter our minds. We worked to combine our voices rather than just pick our individual spots. Whatever suited the song the best.”
As Revolver Magazine noted in 2019: “It’s hard to overstate the influence Alexisonfire had in post-hardcore through the mid-2000s, their combination of singing and screaming setting the blueprint for many artists to come.” Five guys playing aggressive rock (with no less than three of them singing and screaming) grew to a hockey-arena headlining phenomenon while pushing and pulling between spirited guitar leads, melodic might, and emotional weight.
“As much as we love playing the old songs, we don’t want to be a nostalgia act. The only reason to come back is if we feel we still have something to say,” Pettit insists. “We spent so much time on the road thinking that if we stopped, people would lose interest. But when we went away, it only got bigger. We all carved new paths for ourselves, so coming back to Alexisonfire is a purely enjoyable creative venture. Something special happens when we get in a room together.”
“The biggest difference is the space we are all in,” adds MacNeil. “We were all really thrilled to make a record, and it was such a respite from what was going on in the world. It felt like life could be beautiful. We were supportive of one another. Everyone was in such a good mood. It was such a treat to be able to do it again.”
Otherness Tracklist
01. Committed to the Con
02. Sweet Dreams of Otherness
03. Sans Soleil
04. Conditional Love
05. Blue Spade
06. Dark Night of the Soul
07. Mistaken Information
08. Survivor’s Guilt
09. Reverse the Curse
10. World Stops Turning
2022 Tour Dates
July 2 – Born & Raised Concert Event – St. Catharines, ON (w/Billy Talent, Hot Water Music NOBRO)
July 3 – Born & Raised Concert Event – St. Catharines, ON (perform self-titled debut LP) (w/Pup, cleopatrick, The OBGMs)
July 13 – RBC Bluesfest 2022 – Ottawa, ON (w/Sum 41)
July 14 – MTELUS – Montreal, QC (SOLD OUT) (w/Metz)
July 15 – MTELUS – Montreal, QC (w/Metz)
July 16 – Festival D’éte – Québec, QC (w/ Rage Against the Machine)
July 21 – Roadrunner – Boston, MA
July 22 – The Filmore – Silver Spring, MD
July 23 – Pier 17 – New York, NY
September 14 – House of Blues Cleveland – Cleveland, OH
September 15 – The Fillmore Detroit – Detroit, MI
September 17 – Riot Fest 2022 – Chicago, IL
September 23 – Furnace Fest – Birmingham, AL
October 4 – Hollywood Palladium – Los Angeles, CA
October 5 – The Warfield – San Francisco, CA
October 6 – Aftershock 2022 – Sacramento, CA
October 8 – SOMA Mainstage – San Diego, CA
October 9 – House of Blues Anaheim – Anaheim , CA
October 14 – The Great Hall – Cardiff Uni Students Union – Cardiff, UK
October 16 – Manchester Academy – Manchester, UK
October 17 – Barrowland Ballroom – Glasgow, UK
October 19 – O2 Academy Leeds – Leeds, UK
October 20 – Brighton Dome Concert Hall – Brighton, UK
October 22 – O2 Academy Brixton – London, UK
October 23 – O2 Guildhall Southampton – Southampton, UK
October 24 – Trix – Antwerpen, Belgium
October 26 – Columbiahalle – Berlin, Germany
October 27 – TONHALLE – Munich, Germany
October 29 – Ziltphilharmonie – Hamburg, Germany
October 31 – Palladium Cologne – Cologne, Germany
November 1 – Tivoli Vredenburg – Utrecht, Netherlands
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