I always enjoy promoting Canadian talent, especially if they are from Calgary. Kate came to my attention in January of 2019 and I am just getting around to introducing you to her now. A bit of a brain break.
Kate Stevens is singer songwriter in the story teller vein. She has a very nice voice, reminiscent of many artists, notably a laid back version of Andra Day and quite jazzy. Definitely worth a listen.
If you enjoy the video, her music and her story in an expanded way are viewable here.
Do you know this song?
Or this one?
Both were written by Allee Willis, who passed away on December 24th of heart failure. A prolific writer, she was nominated for a Tony for A Color Purple soundtrack and won a Grammy for the same as well as several other nominations and wins at the Emmy’s, Grammys and Tonys.
A final song you may recognize.
The singer of the iconic song, “The Cover Of The Rolling Stone” passed away on December 31, 2018 at the age of 81. Usually a back up singer for Dr Hook and the Medicine Show, he sang lead for this song and will always be remembered for it.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Visual Single Release: Good Girl FEB 20th, by Vancouver based Singer Songwriter Gena Perala (pronounced Jenna).
Gena Perala releases a haunting new single Good Girl on the 20th of February. Reuniting with long-time producer Chris Gestrin, the two have a powerful connection, moving seamlessly through genres and sounds, creating dark melodies enhanced by Perala’s sultry vocals and intensely honest lyrics.
Good Girl opens with beautiful yet ominous “ooohs” and “ahhhs” setting the tone before getting straight to the point: “She’s too good for you and you know it’s true. I think it’s killing you, instead you’re killing her, murderer, murderer, murderer.”
With a voice that is both warm and chilling, Perala creates a style all her own – soft yet strong. “The song is about an abusive relationship and ultimately how every day my friend stayed in this relationship, it was killing her,” Perala explains. “But it’s important to understand how complicated and wrapped up in our past these situations are, so the song is also about the enabling that went on with the abuse and then my own helplessness and anger around men fucking with women, especially when those women are my best friends.”
The visual single premier is an eerie depiction of the artist floating in water surrounded by darkness and at times drowning. Dancers writhing underneath fabric represent the relationship eliciting visuals as unnerving as they are interesting. “Sometimes we know something isn’t good for us and we know we need to get away but we just can’t. Like there’s a force outside ourselves, the fabric drawing us together or the water drowning us and no matter how hard we try, we just can’t get out, Perala says, shedding light on some of the unsettling yet stunning imagery in the video.
Good Girl is the first of a string of releases Perala plans for 2018. It is bit of a departure from her last album (Exactly Nowhere, 2014): Perala trades in her piano for a synthesizer and her drummer for a drum machine. Good Girl is a minimal down-tempo electronic synth song that flirts with pop elements.
Perala’s upcoming releases will feature more of this electronic sound: “Going into the studio I had very specific ideas of what I wanted and co-produced the songs with Chris Gestrin. I love working with Chris anyway but he was the perfect person for this project since his studio is literally packed with synths and drum machines, a lot of them from the 80’s, he loves that stuff so a great fit for the poppy sounds I was going for. He’s also just really good at making my ideas a reality.” Good Girl leans more towards avant-garde pop but then again, Gena Perala is pretty avant-garde herself.
Listened and shazamed this tune in September 2015. Great funk from the Godfather Of Soul himself, Mr. James Brown. Funky President (People It’s Bad) was released as a single in 1974 and appeared on his 1974 album Reality. Apparently this track is one of his most sampled and the wah wah guitar has been used on dozens of hip hop tracks. Enjoy!!!
