On today’s episode we get into The Stereo Division and their latest release, Love is in Motion. It’s airy, watercolour, shoegaze heavy on synths and sex appeal. Check out their music video for Fire Brigade! Dylan digs into how they build a formula and find ways to play within it, and Jess reluctantly admits that a record with little focus on lyrics can wash over you in a great way (and this one did). Perfect pairing to a romantic night in, a quiet meditation or as the backdrop to summer evening by the water. Come see us July 19th at The Hideout for our AFL 2nd Anniversary Showcase and get in the loop!
Episode 56: Switcharoo Tea & Table Talk w/ Yanis and Jesse
Just a few more sleeps until AFL 2nd Anniversary Showcase! On this episode, Yanis joins me for iced tea and takes over as host of Tea & Table Talk. We get into the podcast’s inner workings, how journalism and music criticism influence us as musicians, the upcoming showcase, and I share details of my original projects currently in the works. Come out to The Hideout Wednesday July 19th to hear Yanis and company live (myself included). Get in the loop!
Episode 55: Phill Hood! and the Exclamation
If Great Big Sea was on 1998’s Big Shiny Tunes, you’d get Phill Hood! and the Exclamation. Melodic rock with a maritime accent, their debut release Detour has many ingredients that fuse Celtic alt rock with stunning guitar work and creative musicality. Just in time for Canada Day, this record is full of considerations in identity across our great nation, and would be equally at home on a road trip playlist as it would post-breakup. Catch their CD release LIVE at the AFL 2nd Anniversary show July 19th!
Episode 54: Tea & Table Talk w/ Aerin Fogel
Today’s episode is Aerin Fogel, organizer of VenusFest, who joined me to discuss the revolutionary feminist and female-centric music festival happening September 30th. You could win Venusfest tickets through AFL’s anniversary show July 19th so be sure to come out for that as well. We dig into the gender politics of music today, her various other creative projects and her incredible work as a core pattern/astrology reader.Get in the loop and see you all July 19th!
Episode 53: Don Campbell
Don Campbell’s Sail the Grateful Way is a beachy, sunny, Jack Johnson style pop rock record with more than a a few great guitar riffs and sweet harmonies. A staple of Toronto’s rock scene, Campbell brings a unique positive energy with this album that is refreshing for the season. Be sure to mark your calendars July 19th for AFL 2nd anniversary show and Phill Hood CD release. Raffle prizes now include a gift certificate to The Grand Trunk bar and tickets to the revolutionary VenusFest Sept 30. Get in the loop!
Episode 52: Tea & Table Talk w/ Melissa Kelly
In the tradition of our show, we like to shake things up. My guest on this episode works in every creative field BUT music, and has a unique take on what it means to be female in such varying pursuits. Dancer, stuntwoman, photographer and entrepreneur, Melissa delves into what it took to do it all. Her business Beyouty Revolution aims to help empower women with self-healing and self-love techniques, and she host workshops through a built community online and in special events. Special thanks to Ali Barrie and the Grand Trunk for being our backdrop for this episode, a truly perfect trifecta of strong ladies who get shit done. Check out what they’re both up to, and get in the loop!
Episode 51: The Patterns
Step into the Twilight Zone with The Patterns‘ third release in a trilogy of magic and mystery inspired by the tv series. This pop/punk transplant from the UK now based in London, ON has a lot going for it. If you have yet to get into the sci-fi show, this is a wonderful introduction, though it also serves as a solid companion piece if you’re a superfan like Dylan. Certainly an aural experience to be dug into, so get in the loop! And mark your calendar’s for July 19th!!!
Episode 50: The Return of Return for Refund
An exciting first for the show, we have a new release from a great band we featured last year, it’s the return of Return for Refund, with Lift You Up. True to their hard rocking form, it’s cheeky, raw and as is often the case with second releases, it feels lived in and self-aware. But this record digs deeper into some heavy themes and Jesse’s theory about it being a concept album totally blows Dylan’s mind. Get in the loop, and get stoked for out 2nd anniversary showcase July 19th!
Episode 49: Eclectic Revival
After a great chat with Chris Kerba of Eclectic Revival, we dig into their latest release, Life & Love. It’s a great combination of Celtic influenced alt rock and trad tunes that hits all the bases: wartime ballads, drinking lamentations, sweet harmonies and of course a smooth… saxophone? It’s not your father’s adult contemporary, but he’d probably like it too. Check these fellas out and get in the loop!
Episode 48: Tea & Table Talk w/Chris Kerba
Another great chat with a fantastic musician, writer, actor and comedian Chris Kerba of Eclectic Revival! We dig into the many hats one must wear in creative fields, what it’s like to work with the same musical soulmate for years, and what making a record really entails. Stay till the end for a special EXCLUSIVE listen of Sailing Home, off their new album Life & Love. And come see us this Saturday April 8th at the Libertarian!!!