18 April 2022 - Missy Higgins - Secret

Wicked Guilty Pleasures had been running at a breakneck pace for almost two years straight.  So we took a little break.

But we're back now.

And we're going to pull out this song, which was covered by both Billie Eilish and Maisy Stella.  If you are familiar with those covers (and they're on Totally Covered, so why aren't you?!), you'll notice that Higgins sings it in a different key - and the song is actually simpler than those two ladies made it.  There's only a few chords that make up this extremely sparse song (the original recording is only a little less sparse).  

Lyrically, it's so rich and powerful to hear it from the songwriter.

14 April 2022 - k-os - No Bucks

Since I'm doing a bad job at writing this blog, I have to dip into my #MapleLeafMarch candy bag.  So, here you go.

Do you get the feeling that k-os wants to say a different word than "bucks"?

Well, that's not really his style.  The Canadian rapper (born Kevin Brereton) would rather reference hockey pucks than swear.  And his knowledge of self (k-os - get it?) has served him well over his long career.  

So, enjoy Kevin's original sound (there's that k-os again).

6 April 2022 - Cœur de Pirate - Crier Tout Bas

I had this one song, "Crier Tout Bas", that I wrote a long time ago.  It talks about depression; it talks about opening up a conversation with somebody when you're feeling down and low and, I think, after the Paris attacks, that song took a different meaning to me.  I would see people at shows, because, you know, we toured right after that happened, and I would see people at shows comforting themselves in that song, even though it didn't really talk about that. So, I mean, that's the beauty of it, that's the beauty of feeling strongly about certain issues. You know, you get to actually navigate through them through your music without specifically talking about them. - Béatrice Martin

4 April 2022 - Fairground Attraction - Perfect

While writing a bunch of stuff for Maple Leaf March, I stumbled upon a cover of this song by The Stellas, and I went to link to my existing "Perfect" post.

Turns out, I had never posted this absolutely delightful song, ever.  It was a throwback in 1988 when it was originally released, and it has a timeless sound that endures today.  Eddi Reader's vocal is unique, and the band from a different era.

Fairground Attraction didn't last long, mostly because Eddi was just too big a talent to be contained.  That doesn't mean she turned her back on her old songs.... this is a performance from 2020.

1 April 2022 - GAYLE - abcdefu

I spent the last few weeks wishing GAYLE was Canadian.  I mean, it's a really really fun, angry song.  

But at least she spared the dog at the end, right?

Well, 17 year old singer-songwriter Taylor Gayle Rutherford knocked it the hell out of the park with her debut single.  And it all started when a fan asked her to write a song that incorporated the alphabet.  In this version of the alphabet, 21 comes after 6.  

That's all I can say about it.  Let the music speak for itself.

A personal pet peeve of mine is when people say there isn't still good music being made or performed - or that it's all fake.  Here, GAYLE performs an acoustic (clean) version of her hit song - just her and her guitar.

Yes, by the way, there's a "Forget You" version of the song.....

....and there's one that doesn't say fudge.  It says the word (even more).  The eff dash dash dash.

And a demo version.....

 

...and a chill version, which is.... well, it's different. 

31 March 2022 - Lights - Salt and Vinegar

Is it cheating if we do an entire month dedicated to a country and make 1/4 of it about one artist?

Well, Canada should be proud of Lights.  This is a recent single and I couldn't not include it this month. The song is dark and cool and a clear potato chip reference (no indication that All Dressed was an alternate title).

So, anyway, I figured I'd end the month for real with one more Lights song.  

I'm leaving this placeholder for the later acoustic version of this song.  You know it's coming.

31 March 2022 - Alannah Myles - Black Velvet

I've already talked about how packed last March was.  Which is why I had to revisit it.  I just had TOO MUCH material to ignore this. 

I'm gonna have to do it next year, too.  You heard it here first.  We're way overbooked this year.  

I have to say, I originally intended the song I posted on last Valentine's Day to be posted as part of #MapleLeafMarch. However, this song is better known - having spent two weeks at #1 in the US - and considered to be more iconic.  The song won the 1991 Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance and the 1990 Juno Award for Single of the Year. 

The verses bring a sultry blues feeling, with a more rocking chorus.  The song itself being a tribute to Elvis Presley, it makes sense that it would straddle the line between blues and rock.  It has become a Canadian classic.