I am all about revival lately. Today I am going to revive a series on Canadian releases. I will try to stick to a Thursday schedule on this, but who knows! So let’s rock.
First up is a new album by Canadian power blues duo, The Pack A.D.. Released on Jan 28, it is titled “Do not Engage”. The song I have highlighted is “Big Shot”.
A bit embarrassed on this one. Callan emailed me in August (yes, August) about his new album. He hit me in that period when I was not doing much and now only have gotten to this place in the mailbag. My apologies Callan.
Callan is a Toronto based singer songwriter. He recently released an album “The Fool I Was Before”. A bit country, a bit Alt-Country. I have featured 2 songs off the album. First is a recording off YouTube of “You Do Everything Wrong”, recorded live at his CD release party.
The next tune is titled “A Rose Or An Olive Branch” and is very country. Good voice.
Hayley Sales is a Canadian/American singer songwriter. Born in DC, she moved with her family to Vancouver Island after she graduated the Northwest Academy. The song that I shuffled up is off her 2010 album, “When The Bird Became The Book” and is called “Simple Song”. This is the only video that comes up and is off her YouTube channel. Very good video, homemade and all. Lori and I have spent a lot time listening to this album and her first one titled “Sunseed”. Like her a lot, great light, well written music.
A true classic, I Heard It Through The Grapevine, was written in 1966 by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for Motown. The song was originally recorded by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles. The version was deemed not strong enough by Barry Gordy and given to Marvin Gaye, who recorded it in 1967. Gordy did not like this version either and it was then recorded by Gladys Knight and the Pips, who also released it in 1967. The Smokey Robinson version was not released for many years, and Gaye’s was not released until 1968. as far as covers, wow, diverse groups like CCR and the California Raisins (a TV commercial with Buddy Miles as the vocalist) have given the song a makeover.
Next up, Gladys Knight and the Pips
Third, the classic Marvin Gaye.
These were the basic originals, now we will listen to some covers from later on.
This is the song done by Creedence Clearwater Revival, not the 10 minute version.
And to finish up, a version by the British punkers, The Slits.
We have new number 1’s on both charts this week. We will start with the number 1 song in Canada (as charted by CBC2), “Holding On For Life”, the newest single from the collaboration Broken Bells. Broken Bells is a group headed up by Danger Mouse and James Mercer of the Shins. The tune is basically a Bee Gee’s redux, very reminiscent of their work during the Saturday Night Fever era.
The CKUA album chart has a new leader as well, Colleen Brown and her new EP, Direction 1: Major Love. Colleen is a Canadian folk/pop musician with 3 albums to her credit. The song I have chosen is called Mountain Man. Interesting tune, but, not in my wheelhouse.