Five New Canadian Bands to Check Out
Canadians have a ton of gloating to do in the recent months with an admirable amount of rock music emerging from the Great White North. From the Glorious Sons having a #1 single in the US with S.O.S (Sawed Off Shotgun), to both them and The Beaches opening up for The Rolling Stones during their recent gig at Burl's Creek Event Grounds in Oro-Medonte, ON. Below are a list of bands that could start seeing similar success given the proper opportunities and exposure.
Altameda
With the rise of 70's revivalist bands hitting the mainstream rock charts, Altameda will have no problem fitting in with the cool kids in town. Their sound has classic guitars, catchy vocals and good songs that make for the perfect summer playlist. Any one of their tunes could be the title track for a summer rom-com movie, as their music gives off those feel good summer vibes. Live, these guys are incredible. Any rock n'roll band that uses a full key board set up throughout their entire set knows what's up. The keys really complete their sound, and provide a throwback experience similar to the days of Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman. Their latest release, Time Hasn't Changed You can be found here, and has singles Rolling Back To You and Losing Sleep. Check out Altameda if you're into The Guess Who or The Sheepdogs.
Howlin' Circus
Howlin' Circus are a Canadian/British combo band that has a sound for everyone. Their music has such a wide variety of sounds and styles that they are sure to please any rock fan in their presence. Songs like When The Summer Comes and Refugee Road, carry a bluesy tone to them with small hints of folk rock. These songs match well together with the presence of acoustic guitars and a killer harmonica track. On the other hand, a song like Run The Wrong Way, gives off elements of the early 80s British punk scene and hold a much more heavy sound. They are currently touring their latest release Run The Wrong Way, with dates in Europe and can be seen back in Canada later this year. Check out Howlin' Circus if your're into The Black Keys or Rival Sons.
Crown Lands
Crown Lands are a personal favourite here on Rock Is Dead, and consist of guitarist Kevin Comeau and drummer/vocalist Cody Bowles. The duo create such a powerful sound that it is hard to image there are only two people in this band. They prove it in their live show too, where they create such a presence on stage, that finishing their set with a giant gong only seems like the proper thing to do. Each member of Crown Lands carry a hefty amount of responsibility in the band with Kevin creating catchy and unique riffs, while also working the bass pedals to ensure their sound is complete. Cody on the other hand, has no problem elevating his vocal game to the next level, while simultaneously working a Neil Peart-esq drum kit. The two have found success on mainstream rock playlists with hits like; Mantra, Waterfall and Mountain and have hinted at new music coming soon. Check out Crown Lands if you're into Rush or Led Zeppelin.
The Honest Heart Collective
The Honest Heart Collective, hailing from Thunder Bay, Ontario bring up strong vocals and loud blazing guitars. Their sound is not like the other bands in this group and don't possess that classic sound from generations past. Instead, The Honest Heart Collective bring in sounds familiar of mid to late 2000s rock. Influences can be heard from garage rocks bands, to punk bands and even some emo bands. Despite their heavy roars, they are able to tone it down quite a few notches and have surprisingly soft and gentle tracks like the hauntingly beautiful, Separate Ways (Acoustic). This rendition of their hit, Separate Ways, brings in a strings sections which instantly elevates the performance. Check out The Honest Heart Collective if you're into The Killers, Kings of Leon, or even Panic! At The Disco.
ROMES
To conclude our list we have the indie Canadian/Irish band ROMES. These lads met in Ireland while studying and decided on a move to Toronto to further their music careers. This band brings soul, pop, rock, and electronic influences together to create a sound clearly their own. Their catchy tunes make you want to dance, clap and sing along to their stripped down lyrics. Up beat songs like Summer Sound and Believe would be great additions to your pregame setlist, whereas a track like In The Wild has more somber and melodic tendencies. ROMES are currently wrapping up some Canadian dates, with a show at the Rivoli, Friday July 12th @ 9pm, tickets can be found here. Check out ROMES if you're into St. Vincent, The 1975 or Valley.
