If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Tess Roby Montreal's Ada Lea, aka musician Alexandra Levy, has a new single out on Saddle Creek that's going to work for those of us who enjoy Saddle Creek releases. "midnight magic" is a surprisingly simple song that is mostly Ada Lea's vocals and keys, but it somehow feels more involved than that. I can't quite explain that since the production is also simple with the focus on vocals and piano. There's some double tracking vocals to create harmonies, but "midnight magic" is a mysteriously upbeat and impactful song that feels more complex than it is. Apologies for getting hacky with this comment, but that's the true magic of "midnight magic." Ada Lea says of her latest single: “I felt like I was taking a leap of faith with this surreal approach—and it felt good to trust that the song knew best. In an artist talk, Margaux Williamson said her new body of work took her 8 years to complete, and said ‘I am constantly needing to...

Photo by Tess Roby Ada Lea is the musical name of Montreal based artist Alexandra Levy. Her latest single, "something in the wind," is a wonderfully odd singer-songwriter track. It's one of those songs that could have been a mainstream track in another universe, but Ada Lea has the song going in such interesting and unexpected directions. The guitars are tuned just off, and you can't quite tell the mood of the song. It's a little haunting, a little upbeat, and a little melancholy. It's probably fitting that "something in the wind" is about love, as love involves all of those emotions, quite often at the same time. It's also both fast and slow, all of which creates this lovely dichotomy of a song. Ada Lea says of her latest single: "I had a dream about this song and remember nothing. There is a constant in everyone’s life, which is the dream. When we recorded the song, Luke, who produced it, suggested we slow it down so Tasy could improvise a...

Photo by Monse Muro The latest from Montreal's Ada Lea (the musical name of Alexandra Levy) is oddly unique. "damn" is mostly a relatively mainstream, kinda folkish singer/songwriter tune. But "damn" isn't really a mainstream sounding song. Despite the song sounding upbeat, there is a sense of melancholy that you just can't seem to shake. Plus, the instruments just sound... off? It's a pretty standard sound, just very slightly tweaked to feel and sound different. That also applies to Levy's vocals. Her voice is lovely and pleasant, except that she has this unique quality to it that makes it not exactly mainstream. This all makes "damn" one of the more almost mainstream but just slightly off to be intriguing sounds of the year. You can watch the video for "damn" below. one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden is due out September 24 on Saddle Creek. You can pre-order/pre-save a copy of the album here . For more ...

Artist : Darren Hayman Album : 12 Astronauts Quick Description : Concept album about history's greatest space travelers. Why You Should Listen : Darren Hayman is good at what he does, but especially when he's invested in the subject. Overall Thoughts : This may be DH’s best solo effort in a long time. This is not to say his output has been bad, but H’s foray into themed albums continues with a release about astronauts to coincide with the moon landing. It has a gorgeous alternate version of the HN single “Alan Bean,” but also legitimately one of the better songs of the year in “Genesis Rock.” For someone at this for over two decades, this is a really and truly wonderful listen and something that everyone should easily enjoy. Recommendation : One of the best of the week. Artist : Grace Lightman Album : Silver Eater Quick Description : Pop with some edge. Why You Should Listen : Grace Lightman sounds really familiar, and yet is completely different than anything el...