Pat Maloney - Root Rot

1. Good In The Woods

2. Monstera Deliciosa

3. Bruce County Power Trip

4. Move Along

5. Blood On The Mat

6. Jump The Fence

7. Chalice Of The Queen

8. Thanks For Everything

Pat Maloney has released his debut album titled "Root Rot." This album shows the artist in a very folky, narrator sound and style to his music. These songs seem to have a bit of a comical feel to them as well. Pat has a pretty unique sound, and it's hard to find anyone who is quite like him. We however feel like if Fred Penner wrote grown up songs, he'd probably be Pat. He has done a pretty good job on this album.

When looking at the recording quality of this album, the album has been recorded to a pretty solid level. Although it doesn't sound super clear and crisp, it still has a good sound, and you can hear everything. The vocals seem to be over top of the music, so that helps hearing all the lyrics. With the instrumentation, Pat just plays. This album doesn't really have anything here thats going to wow you, or impress you. His playing just works for the style he is playing, but it is pretty basic. Pat can play, you can tell that, just nothing to turn a head.

Now onto the vocals and lyrics. The vocals on this album are pretty decent. He has a unique, kinda quirky way of singing his songs here. Pat can certainly sing, and he does a good job on the album, but there isn't really a wow moment. Pretty decent job though. With the lyrics, Pat goes for songs that are more stories that people can relate to. He has a very honest and regular way of bringing his music to the average person. He has songs about getting into a fight, getting a job and getting out of debt, Canadiana, and more. As touched on before, these are things that the regular listener can relate to, and probably have the same experiences. We feel that he really gets his audience and knows how to connect them. All in all, great job here.

If you are looking for a single to this album, there isn't one, but we really liked Blood On The Mat, so we suggest that one. You can pick your own song and either will give you an idea of this album and Pat Monley's music.

Pat has released his debut album Root Rot, and it really shows off what he wants the listener to know about him and gives a dive into him and his music. This album also gives him something to go out and play. We found that this music wasn't quite something that fits with our tastes and had too much quirkiness to it, but that doesn't mean you won't like it. Give this album a listen to decide for yourself what you think of it.

Genre: Folk/Singer-Songwriter/Acoustic

Release Date: 2013

Location: London, Ontario

Website: http://www.patmaloney.ca

Label: None

Teal Booth - Live Off The Floor

1. The Musicians

2. You Say (Very Far Away)

3. Acoustic Punk Rock Waltz

4. Habit

5. Summertown

6. Forest

7. White Girl

8. Solstice

Teal Booth has released her debut recordings, which are live off the floor. This set of songs shows her in a pretty folky singer-songwriter way. She certainly has that solo artist way, but with a raspy voice that makes her seem older. Teal Booth has a similar sound to that of Serena Ryder, First Aid Kit or even a Feist, so if you like those artists, you could like this music. She has done an alright job here.

When looking at the recording quality of this album, obviously being live off the floor hurts the overall quality and perception you get of the music as a w hole package. This certainly needs some work being its very raw, rough and doesn't really have much production, but that is what off the floor is. The instrumentation is very basic and average, but again that is what the folk genre is all about. We don't really think there is a lot here, but it does show she can play.

Now onto the vocals and lyrics, the vocals on this album are a little bit too raspy and hard to understand the lyrics at times. It has like a chat feel to it at times and just seems to be all over the place. If she just sang at her regular voice, instead of reverberating her voice, it would have such a nice tone. We do think she can sing, we can see it in the songs, just a bit too much and overdone emotion. With the lyrics, she goes for songs about your soul, forests, kinda out there, hippish things. We feel this is for more of an older crowd, so it may not necessarily translate to everyone, but thats okay. Overall, not bad. 

If you are looking for a single to this album, there isn't one, so just pick a song and give it a listen to get the idea of the album.

Teal Booth has made an album that shows off the sound and style she is going for with her music. Her sound and voice isn't for everyone, and we certainly found that out, but with some work, we think it could be melded into something. Give this album a listen to decide for yourself what you think of it.

Genre: Acoustic/Folk/Singer-Songwriter

Release Date: August 27th, 2012

Location: Hamilton, Ontario
Website: http://www.tealbooth.com/

Label: None

The Raspberry Heaven - When Everything Was Tropical/Halloween Like Wrinkled Magazines

1. When Everything Was Tropical

2. Halloween Like Wrinkled Magazines

The Raspberry Heaven have released a two song EP as their next effort of new music. This effort is very emo acoustic in it's sound. He is a solo artist so this is pretty minimalistic. The Raspberry Heaven has a similar sound to that of a Front Porch Step or a SayWeCanFly, so if you are into either of those artists, you could like these two songs. He has done an alright job here. When looking at the recording quality of the two songs, they sound really low and he seems far away from the mic when singing. If he could get louder and a little more polished, we feel it could help it out more. . With the instrumentation, Michael Handsford has made a pretty standard album. There isn't really anything here to make you take notice, but there is a base to start. He can play, but random drum tracks just didn't go at all with the emo flavor of his song. Now onto the vocals and lyrics. With the song everything was tropical, it has a bit of a weird lyrical content to it, but listening to it, you get the feel it's about someone breaking up with another. It feels like one is done with the other, and these are the words for them. On Halloween Like Wrinkled Magazines, it sounds like he is again singing about someone who once meant something to him, but now it's over. Unfortunately this song is too quiet to get the exact words from it. If you are looking for a single to this album, just listen to both songs, it's only two and they give you an idea of what this artist is about. The Raspberry Heaven have made two songs that just sound really emo and downers. This does give him a little more to go off of in live settings, which probably help the songs more. We aren't really sure what is new here or anything different Michael brings, but it's only the second release, and we are interested to see what this could evolve into. Listen to these two songs to decide for yourself what you think of them. They have since called it quits (R.I.P.)

Genre: Acoustic/Rock/Punk

Release Date: June 13th, 2012

Location: London, Ontario

Label: None

KO - Let's Blaze

1. Rehab [Intro]

2. Moving Mountains

3. Miss U

4. Drunk

5. Capable

6. Radio

7. Bourbon [Crack Song]

8. Rehab [Interlude]

9. Let's Blaze

10. This Life [Punches]

11. Kurt Kobain

12. Good Man, Bad Man

13. The Ballad Of Jimmy Roscoe

14. Represent

KO has released his first album titled "Let's Blaze" As a title, this may throw some people off from listening to it right off the bat, but you don't use this title if you really care. His music has a laid back sound that a reggae artist seems to incorporate in their music while also rapping. It has a bit of a jump from genres, like he isn't quite sure what he wants to do in his music and still trying to find his exact sound. He has a similar sound to that of Kazzer or Bedouin Soundclash or even older Walk Off The Earth. If you mixed those, you'd an idea of the sound. We think it's good, but not a star, hit sound. When looking at the recording quality of this album, the album has been recorded quite well, and sounds great. This album is crisp, clear, and you can hear everything, which makes it one of the bright spots of the album. The instrumentation here isn't anything that is really going to jump out at you, it's more just standard regular playing. He can certainly play, but in this type of music, the playing isn't a huge deal so it won't really affect the overall outcome. Now onto the vocals and lyrics. The vocals on this album are not bad, not holy jump out at you, but not bad. He can sing, and he can certainly do the hip hop thing, and you can hear him quite clearly, but the laid back vocal is what most people like here. With the lyrics, KO sings about drugs, smoking up and stories about bad times/broken homes. This is more geared toward the blue collar working city for sure, so that would be the target for this album. If you are looking for a single for this album, give the song "Capable" your attention. This is the best song on the album, but it doesn't quite give the album a total overall representation for the other songs, so we would suggest listening to another song as well to get the feel of the album. KO has made a debut album that has the smoking, being chill person in mind. This album certainly isn't for everyone, but it does catch a crowd. We feel that once a cohesive album comes out, we can't really say how KO will do. We can't wait to see whats next. Listen to this album to decide for yourself what you think about it. 

Genre: Reggae/Hip Hop/Acoustic

Release Date: February 9th, 2009

Location: Toronto, Ontario

Website: https://ko-nation.com/

Label: Castle Hill Records

Alex Bien - Deadly & Given EP

1. All Falls Down

2. Deadly & Given

3. The Crimson

4. The Wave

5. Lost Lines

6. Hell To Pay

7. Lighthouse

Alex Bien have released their first album titled "Deadly & Given EP." This album has the sound and feel of a solo acoustic folk artist. We don't really know what to say about him except that we can see this is in the beginning recording for him and at times you can tell he wasn't quite sure the sound he wanted. This album feels like a mix between Grey Kingdom and SayWeCanFly, so if you are into either of those, or that style of music, you could like this album. He's done an alright job here. The instrumentation is pretty simple, with basic guitar/banjo and some synth on a couple songs. He can play, but it also feels like he is still working out the kinks and trying to find himself along with his confidence in his music. Now onto the vocals and lyrics, the vocals on this album are a little different than a traditional singer. He certainly has that very Canadiana and indie style in his singing. Who I think of the most is someone like Fred Penner with the closest voice I can think of. He can sing, but it feels like he starts off too quiet and then at the end verse or line, he gets loud enough to where you can hear what hes saying without having to focus really hard. With the lyrics, Alex sings about pretty basic topics like relationships, and feelings. We would love to hear more complex subject and songs with a bit more meaning in them, but this is an alright start for someone to go with. This is the safe bet for a first offering. If you are looking for a single to this album, there isn't one, so just pick a song and give it a listen to get the idea of the album. Alex has made an album that shows you the sound and style that he wants to go in with his music. We feel if he could get a little more loud in his singing, we could feel it more, but this is alright for a first album. We weren't too big on it, but maybe you will be. Listen to this album to decide for yourself what you think about it.

Genre: Folk/Acoustic/Singer-Songwriter

Release Date: July 9th, 2011

Location: Kingston, Ontario
Website: https://www.alexbienmusic.com/

Label: None

Scotty James - Crazy

1. Wanna Be Loved

2. Do It

3. Crazy

4. Head Over Heals

5. Miss You Good

Scotty James has released his debut EP titled "Crazy". This album really shows off Scotty in an acoustic pop sort of way, with keyboards behind him. He has a very common/standard feel to him as a solo artist. This has a similar sound to that of a Justin Nozuka or Raine Mada, so if you are into either artist, you could really like this album. This album has been done pretty well. When looking at the recording quality to this album, the album has been recorded quite well, although, it does have that typical sound. The instrumentation is quite simple here, although he can play, his acoustic guitar playing is not the focus as much as his voice is. Now onto the vocals and lyrics, the vocals on this album are very polished, but also very much like every singer out there who has been trained and trying to be a solo acoustic act. He can certainly sing, but to us, it seems like the vocals are missing that unique factor here. With the lyrics, Scotty says that they are about a relationship and how being in one, and trying to make it work can be crazy. We agree with that, and notice quite a lot of that running through his debut here. If you are looking for a single to this album, give the song "Crazy" your attention, as we feel this is the best song and will represent the rest of the album the best. Scotty James has made a very good, polished album here, that shows he can certainly do it and has potential. Our one hope though, is that the next album really sets himself apart and shows us more of him and a unique style. We can't wait to see whats next and think this is a great starter album. Listen to this album to decide for yourself what you think of it.

Genre: Pop/Acoustic/Rock

Release Date: 2011

Location: Waterloo, Ontario
Website: http://scottyjamesmusic.com

Label: None

SayWeCanFly - Beautiful Mess

1. Sometimes (Intro)

2. If I Had An Airplane

3. Wavelength

4. Daisy Dew

5. Sand Castle

6. Candle

7. Lucky To Know You

8. Someone Else

9. Honey

10. Complicated

11. In The Shadow

12. Here's My Heart

13. Ta Me I

14. Shallow

SayWeCanFly has released his first album after being released by Epitaph Records. He has named it "Beautiful Mess." This album is quite a bit different from the typical, single, acoustic guitar and vocals we are used to hearing from SayWeCanFly. He uses a bit of electro and keyboard sounds mixed with his acoustic, as well as some vocal effects. This is most prevalent on the song Wavelength. Not really sure what artists the new sound is similar to except maybe The Ready Set, but if you liked the traditional sound, and are into pop, you should really like this.  He has done a really good job on this album. When looking at the recording quality of this album, it has been recorded quite well, and has a sound that goes perfect with the new style he is going for. The instrumentation is the same as you find on his previous albums, nothing to blow you away, but solid enough for good fun songs. Now onto the vocals and lyrics, the vocals are again right on par with his previous works, and in fact we think he sounds the best here. Nice, clear vocals, and a sound you can continue listening to. Braden can for sure sing. With the lyrics, he goes again for songs of love and loss. These are the main subjects in his songs. this is shown on songs like "someone else" and "lucky to know you" as a few examples. We feel his lyrical content, and words he uses have gotten better with each release, and he is up there in his game. Solid job. If you are looking for a single to this album, give the song "Here's My Hear." Your attention as it is the best song on the album, and gives you the best idea of the rest of the songs. SayWeCanFly has again made a solid album about love and loss, that you are going to want to give a listen to. As is with most of the time, we just wish he would tour more and get that music out there. More people need to listen and latch on here. Listen to this album to decide for yourself what you think of it.

Genre: Acoustic/Folk/Rock

Release Date: October 19th, 2018

Location: Lindsay, Ontario
Website: http://www.saywecanfly.net/

Label: PureWolf Records

Trouble & Daughter - Alcohol & Nicotine

1. The Warning Signs

2. If You Want It All

3. Is It Bad

4. The West Coast

5. Rooftops

Trouble & Daughter have released their second album titled "Alcohol & Nicotine." This album has a little more of a raw feel it than the previous album, but still has that sound the band established on the previous album. They have a similar sound to that of a City & Colour with female vocals added into it, so if you like that, this could be a decent album for you. They have done a pretty good job on this album. When looking at the recording quality of this album, it has a decent quality to it while still staying raw. The instrumentation on the album is pretty average as it is pretty much just acoustic guitar. You can even hear what sounds like bottle blowing at one part of the album. This is not to say its bad because they can certainly play. Now onto the vocals and lyrics, the vocals on this album are a little different as they have both male and female unison vocals. We give the vocals a similar sound and style to that of Walk Off The Earth. Everyone seems to be able to sing very well, in a trained style that many, especially in female singers, is quite common. Solid overall in the vocals. With the lyrics, the band goes for songs about being shy and afraid to show your feelings, why you let someone go, relationships, love. They have a lot of male/female relationship songs here. We feel that for anyone that has liked or been in love with someone, they will understand these lyrics and connect to them. If you are looking for a single to this album, there isn't one, so just pick a song and give it a listen to get the idea of the album. Trouble & Daughter have made an album that feels more like just a hanging around the house with an acoustic guitar feel to it. They have a nice sound though and can certainly sing. We hope they get out more and play all over to get more people into their music. Not bad overall. Listen to this album to decide for yourself what you think of it. They have since called it quits (R.I.P.)

Genre: Folk/Acoustic/Rock

Release Date: January 10th, 2013
Location: Mississauga, Ontario
Website: http://www.troubleanddaughter.com
Label: None

Whale Eye - The Good Die Young

1. Tiny Bodies

2. Joy

3. Glasgow Kiss

4. Batting 100 Now

Whale Eye have released their debut album titled "The Good Die Young." This album is one that really hits the solo acoustic, sort of folk music that he does. As a solo artist, this is a pretty typical sound to hear. He has a similar sound to that of City & Colour or a Northcote, so if you like those artists, you could really like this album. He has done a pretty good job on this album. When looking at the recording quality of this album. the album has been recorded quite well here. The instrumentation is something that doen't really catch you, but he can play for sure, it's just he won't blow you away. Now onto the vocals and lyrics, the vocals on this album have been done very well. He can certainly sing and he has that soothing type of voice where you can hear every word he sings. We really like his voice. With the lyrics, he has decided to go for songs about regret, relationships and just stories about himself. We like this sort of style he uses to make songs.If you are looking for a single to this album, there sadly isn't one, so just pick a song or listen to the whole thing, as it is only four songs, then you will know the style of the album. Whale Eye have made an album that is very soft, yet imaginative and has intricate lyrics for the listener. We think that a lot of people could get into this artist, but we are not sure if everyone will be able to quite pick out the exact context of the lyrics. Hopefully he keeps on and plays more shows so more people can find out about him. Listen to this album to decide for yourself what you think of him.

Genre: Folk/Acoustic/Singer-Songwriter

Release Date: May 29th, 2014

Location: Niagara On The Lake, Ontario

Label: None

Corbin Giroux - Nothing

1. 71

2. Walls

3. Hopeful

4. 6 A.M.

5. This Year Brought Out The Worst In Me But It Helped Me

6. August 31st

Corbin Giroux has released his debut solo album titled "Nothing" This album shows off the young singer/songwriters talents. He has a very emotional acoustic feel to his music and is very passionate about the words he is singing. We feel like he has a similar sound to that of a SayWeCanFly or a Koji, so if you are into that type of music, this could appeal to you. We think this has been done pretty well. When looking at the recording quality of this album, the album has been recorded decently, but the vocals could of used a little more production on them. The instrumentation on the album is pretty basic, as he is a solo acoustic artist. He can certainly play, but it's nothing that will really turn heads. Now onto the vocals and lyrics, the vocals on this album are a little quiet and what people would consider emo, so they are a little hard to hear everything clearly. Corbin seems to be louder at the beginning, but trail off towards the end of the sentence. He can certainly sing and has a nice style though. With the lyrics, Corbin seems to go for very sad sounding and feeling songs that make you feel like he was in a hard place. We hope this was some relief for him and that others were able to relate to his lyrics. We think this was a pretty good job overall. If you are looking for a single to this album, there isn't one, so just pick a song and give it a listen to get the feel of this album. Corbin Giroux has made a debut album that feels very real and that he put all his emotions into it. We think this has some potential, he just needs to get out there and play more. Listen to this album to decide for yourself what you think of it.

Genre: Acoustic/Rock

Release Date: August 20th, 2014

Location: Hamilton, Ontario

Label: None

Marcio Novelli - It's Not An Excuse, It's A Reason

1. Siren Song

2. Holding On

3. Doctor, Please

4. Remember Love

5. S.A.D.

6. This Song Is Not For You

7. Eyes Wide Shut

8. Recover

9. In The Mourning

10. Walking Proof

Marcio Novelli has released his third album and first full length album titled "It's Not An Excuse, It's A Reason." This album continues on with what Marcio was doing on his previous albums, it just expands and electrifies it a little more. He has a pretty regular rock sound that almost anyone can get into. We feel that Marcio has a similar sound to that of a Serial Joe or any real solo rock act, so if you like solo rock acts, you could probably like this album. He has done a pretty solid job on this album. When looking at the recording quality of this album, the album has been recorded to a fairly decent standard. The instrumentation is nothing above the ordinary. You will have heard music like this before, but he can play for sure. We feel his style is not really meant to be crazy, just good clean music, so this works for him. Now onto the vocals and lyrics, the vocals on this album are quite good. He has a nice, powerful voice that carries well on this album. Marcio's voice is also really clear so you can hear everything he is saying, great job. With the lyrics, Marcio Novelli goes for messages of being sad, down and trying not to say something you shouldn't. He also sings about pain and hoping that by writing about it, he can get rid of it. Marcio writes very honest lyrics and we can really get a view into his life through this music. We think he does a very good job at song writing on this album. If you are looking for a single to this album, give the song "Doctor, Please" your attention as it really has a nice sound and great honest story to it. We think this song will also give you the best feel to the rest of the album. Marcio Novelli has made his first full length something to be proud of. This album has a nice sound and very strong songs on it. We think he did a great job, now he just needs to get out and do more shows. Listen to this album to decide for yourself what you think of it.

Genre: Rock/Alternative/Acoustic

Release Date: December 16th, 2012

Location: Hamilton, Ontario

Website: http://www.marcionovelli.com/

Label: None