RGM presents The Maple Leaf Roundup #20

February 08, 2021 by Rich Barnard in Acoustic, Classic Rock, Folk, News, Pop, Rock, singer-songwriter, Video, Alternative Rock

Okay Canada, go easy on me. I somehow find myself in February 2021 trying to pick five chunks of hot new music for this feature, having amassed a ruthlessly edited shortlist of around 35. How did this happen, Canada? I can only account for the disappearance of an entire January by weeping before a hand-drawn graph of an alarming home-learning curve. You’ve made me choose, Canada, and it’s been hard. Nevertheless, here I am again, your most loyal of servants, educating the RGM readership on the subject of your latest and loveliest musical works of wonder.

RGM presents The Maple Leaf Roundup #17

September 23, 2020 by Rich Barnard in Acoustic, Americana, Folk, New Single, News, singer-songwriter, Pop, Alternative Rock

And we’re back! Told you we would be. We currently find ourselves inundated with fine Canadian music on a scale that is - wait for it - unprecedented. I assure you, however, we are fully equipped to manage the current surge. Honestly, we are. So, without further facetiousness, here are five more Things You Must Hear from our cousins across the water.

RGM presents The Maple Leaf Roundup #16

September 07, 2020 by Rich Barnard in Alternative Rock, Americana, Folk, News, singer-songwriter, Pop

Canada has produced a mind-melting amount of must-hear music so far this year and, as we reluctantly tiptoe into the autumn months, she shows no sign of slowing down. The leaves outside may be turning, curling and falling but the RGM Maple Leaf roundup is, as ever, bursting with life and promise. The recent harvest has been so rich and abundant that it won’t be long before we come knocking with more, but let us not get ahead of ourselves. For now, just see if these perfectly ripe beauties can’t banish your September blues.

Wayne Hussey and friends issue 'Tower Of Strength' charity single

August 28, 2020 by David Vousden in Alternative Rock, New Single, News, Video

Wayne Hussey has enlisted the help of a host of artists from the Alternative and Goth Rock fields to record a new version of the classic ‘Tower Of Strength’ which is released today (August 28th, 2020) digitally with a physical release on CD and 12” vinyl to follow on October 2nd, 2020. The single features such luminaries as Billy Duffy, Midge Ure, Gary Numan, Budgie and Julianne Regan among many others, all of whom chose a charity to benefit from the single. Full details of all the artists involved, the video for ‘Tower of Strength 2020’ and links to buy and stream the single follow:

FanTracks and DIRECTV to premier never-before-seen 311 Mardi Gras concert

August 10, 2020 by David Vousden in Alternative Rock, Classic Rock, News

An interesting new development for those of us missing live music and in need of our concert fix is available from FanTracks. The newly launched subscription live concert streaming service will give a World Premier to a show by 311 on August 15th, 2020, The HD/4K concert was filmed in February of 2020 during Mardi Gras weekend at The Fillmore in New Orleans. This was one of the last concerts to be recorded before health and safety precautions were put into place regarding live events. FanTracks is premiering this concert to all via their platform and DIRECTV on Saturday, August 15, 2020 at 9pm ET and can be streamed by fans for free with a first-month-free subscription, followed by $1.99 a month. This subscription unlocks a catalogue of shows ranging from classic to modern rock, as well as more features during the concert live streams. The press release follows with loads more details about 311 and FanTracks:

The RGM Inbox June 2020

June 29, 2020 by David Vousden in Alternative Rock, singer-songwriter, Folk, Country

Welcome to the latest instalment of the RGM inbox feature where we shine a light on a range of artists and recent releases you might have missed. With so much music being released daily it’s tough to keep up and there are many, many artists releasing quality music that could get lost in the shuffle. As usual, the RGM Inbox is an international affair with contributions from the USA, North Wales and an Australian based in the UK.

RGM presents the Maple Leaf Roundup #12

March 03, 2020 by Rich Barnard in Alternative Rock, News, Soundcloud, Video, Folk, singer-songwriter

Welcome to the Maple Leaf, the regular RGM column that brings you news of the best sounds emerging from Canada. Since the decade turned we’ve been deluged with music but have meticulously sifted to bring you a carefully curated consignment of Canadian confections. Or something.

RGM presents The Maple Leaf Roundup #11

November 13, 2019 by Rich Barnard in Acoustic, Folk, Pop, singer-songwriter, Video, Soundcloud, Alternative Rock, Americana

If you’re feeling the November chill, there are few better ways to warm your winter-wary bones than to cosy up with a hot cup of Canadiana. The best new bands and balladeers of Canada continue to throw out little sonic gems and, once more, we find ourselves spoilt for choice as we bring you the latest cluster of musical magic that is the Maple Leaf Roundup.

RGM presents The Maple Leaf #10

October 04, 2019 by Rich Barnard in Alternative Rock, Pop, Acoustic, Folk, singer-songwriter, Americana, Country

The summer may have been hot and hazy, long and lazy but that hasn’t stopped the songsmiths of Canada. They’ve been beavering away over there, cooking up more musical missives and sending them eastward. At usual here at RGM, we’ve gathered them all up and sifted through hours of tunes to bring you the very best of the bunch. So, to ease you into the autumn months we humbly offer to you the tenth instalment of the Maple Leaf Roundup.

RGM presents The Maple Leaf #9

July 25, 2019 by Rich Barnard in Acoustic, Folk, Alternative Rock, Indie, Pop

Now, didn’t I tell you we’d be back in flash? The Canadian goodness continues to arrive, an exotic salve for all our little-islander woes, so here we are again with our regular column devoted to the best new music from Canada. Aaron Goldstein’s awesome Espanola record managed to fast-track straight to a full review, hence its omission here but his countrymen and women have provided plenty more to satisfy our Maple Leaf cravings, so, read on and feast your ears on the musical crème de la crème …Canadienne.

RGM presents The Maple Leaf Roundup #8

July 05, 2019 by Rich Barnard in Alternative Rock, Indie, News, Pop, Punk, Video

It’s been a little while since we brought you news from Canada but that hasn’t stopped it piling up on our digital doormat. So, we’re going to tidy up a few loose ends here and then hit you with another Maple Leaf column very, very soon. The volume and quality of music coming to us from Canada never fails to impress, so - unsurprisingly - we’ve been spoilt for choice as we share our pick of releases from the past couple of months.

RGM presents The Maple Leaf Roundup #6

February 18, 2019 by Rich Barnard in singer-songwriter, Folk, Americana, Alternative Rock, Electronica

After a brief period of winter hibernation our Canadian friends have re-emerged, bright-eyed as ever and begun sending their musical magic across the water to us once again. 2019 looks like it will hold riches aplenty and we feel it our duty to share with you some of the very best new Canadian releases in this, our first Maple Leaf roundup of the year.

An alternative Christmas from <PIG> on charity covers EP

December 22, 2018 by David Vousden in Alternative Rock, Free Download, New Single, News

Christmas is nearly here and by now you’ll have heard all those classic Christmas tunes at least a million times...and that’s just today. In a change to the usual festive programme PIG aka Raymond Watts has released a new EP of Christmas covers by Wham, Elvis and John Lennon. If you like Industrial sounds, or just something a little different, this is pretty cool. The EP is available to stream/download via Bandcamp but please leave a donation as all profits go to International Rescue Committee https://www.rescue.org A link to the release and a video for Last Christmas follows:

RGM presents The Maple Leaf Roundup #5

December 12, 2018 by Rich Barnard in singer-songwriter, Alternative Rock, Folk, Americana, Bluegrass, Pop

The good folk of Canada continue to shower the RGM inbox with their musical missives and we’re delighted to be able to share with you another selection of exciting new tunes from over the water.

RGM presents The Maple Leaf Roundup #4

November 06, 2018 by Rich Barnard in Alternative Rock, Folk, singer-songwriter, Soundcloud, Pop, Acoustic, Americana, Country

Our Canadian cousins are apparently incapable of producing anything other than top-quality new music and October alone has yielded yet another bumper crop of goodies. We’d love to be able to cover more of these acts in an in-depth way but, frankly, we need occasionally to sleep. Nevertheless, carefully curated just for you, we present our latest selection of must-hears from the land of the common loon.

Deer Tick announce 'Mayonnaise ' compilation and November 2018 UK dates

October 10, 2018 by David Vousden in Alternative Rock, Americana, Compilation, News, Tour Dates

Deer Tick are fast becoming a bit of a favourite here at RGM towers. Thanks to a terrific live show earlier this year in London and the two albums they released late last year entitled ‘Vol 1’ and ‘Vol 2’. Most bands would now be putting their feet up but Deer Tick are back with a 13 track collection ‘Mayonnaise’ due Feb 1st 2019 via Partisan which contains alternative versions of tracks from the albums, cover tunes of songs they played on the tour and new material. The guys are also back in the UK for a run of shows in November which is pretty cool. More about the band and ‘Mayonnaise’ follows:

RGM presents The Maple Leaf Round-up #3

September 28, 2018 by Rich Barnard in Acoustic, Alternative Rock, Americana, News, singer-songwriter, Soundcloud, Video

Our latest gathering of Canadian grooviness is, shockingly, an all-male affair. Fear not, though, because two Canadian female geniuses are going to be the focus of imminent full-length album reviews… watch this space. But for now, here is a roundup of the latest Canadian boys making (in our opinion) the bossest noise.

RGM presents The Maple Leaf Roundup #2

July 30, 2018 by Rich Barnard in Alternative Rock, Showcase, singer-songwriter

The great, good, weird and wonderful music of our Canadian cousins keeps popping up in the RGM lunchbox, erm, I mean inbox, so we are pleased to present our latest roundup of the artists from across the water that you ought to include in your daily diet.

RGM presents The Maple Leaf Roundup #1

June 21, 2018 by Rich Barnard in Acoustic, Alternative Rock, Americana, New Single, News, singer-songwriter, Showcase, Folk, Ambient

Arts funding for music in Canada means that there is a very healthy scene for up-and-coming acts. Lots of these artists reach out across the water and we’re always pleased to find their little musical messages-in-bottles washing up on the beaches of RGM Island. There’s something new and exciting there almost every day, little gems glinting on the sand as we walk the dogs along the shore. Sadly, we’re so busy writing daft metaphors we don’t have time to cover everything we’d like to in depth, so we’ve assembled a little roundup of the very best Canadian things that have come to our attention in the last couple of weeks. Keep your eyes and ears on the names and remember you (probably) heard about them first at Red Guitar.

Counting Crows and Alison Krauss confirmed for BluesFest 2018

June 18, 2018 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Alternative Rock, Americana, Bluegrass, Blues, Classic Rock, Country, News, Tour Dates

BluesFest 2018 at London's O2 was already looking like a pretty special few days and now looks even better. Counting Crows are to headline the Sunday night of the festival and they will be joined by Alison Krauss who will also play a full set with The White Buffalo in support. I think you'd have to agree that this is a very impressive line-up for the closing night of BluesFest 2018. Previous coverage of BluesFest can be found here. More about the artists and the festival follows including ticket details: