CMW Preview 2013: Esther Maria

Can you believe that this year's Canadian Music Week is less than a month away? Time flies! This year it takes place across the city with countless talented musicians from all over the world between March 19th-24th. Music Psychos will ensure to provide you an inside scoop of the festivals.

My first CMW preview of the year is Denmark singer songwriter,

 Esther Maria

With the recent release of her new album, The Abyss, Maria has showcased her cinematic portrayal of each story with her profound and plaintive vocal. Her voice echoes with soft-touch guitar jams as if the voice was crafted not from vocal cords, but the bottom of her heart, while her soul is wrapped in a leaf of words. The level of expression that she can bring to a song is superb. 

Watch her music video, Arms Above 

Esther Maria is performing during CMW on Saturday March 23, 2013 @ 8:30PM

Tranzac (Back Room), 292 Brunswick Ave. (19+ All wristbands accepted)

Born Ruffians: Needle

Are you one of the 100,000 listeners who embraced the release of the new single, Needle by Toronto pop rock band, Born Ruffians? The single is off of their new album, Birthmarks, which is set off to be unleashed on April 16th. 

The intro has a Fleet Foxes reminiscent melodic folk harmony, which leads to an intriguing pop sensation. I'm sure that I am not the one one who is dying to hear the entire album and see them at a live!  

Kishi Bashi at the Great Hall on February 11th, 2013

" We've decided to come up to Toronto in the middle of winter and we are so glad that we made it"-excitedly exclaimed K Ishibashi, Seattle born violinist, who leads an experimental pop project,  Kishi Bashi. They'd safely arrived to Toronto in the severe winter weather in the North East region and wowed its audience at the Great Hall on Monday Feb 11th. 

The stage was gradually filled up with smoke prior to the set as a part of the visuals, which created a very artistic feel in the venue. The excitement reached its peak when a blond soft mohawk violinist, lushly dressed up in a black shirt with bold bow tie and spandex, appeared on the stage with two fellow musicians. He instantly started crafting beautiful melodies with his violin and his dreamy voice, while his members sugarcoated it with lively banjo, keys and percussion.

When I listen to the latest album, 151a, I imagined his performance to be created by tons of musicians filling a stage (sort of like a orchestral setting.) Instead, only three talented musicians maneuvered their instruments while K looped layers of flawless violin waves, his mellifluous harmonies and captivating beatbox, which expanded the sounds of the trio to the fullest. When they performed quieter songs, such as Wonder Woman, Wonder Me and I am Antichrist to you, the entire venue was withdrawn to the world of Kishi Bashi, where a pin drop can be heard. On the other hand, the audience enjoyed dancing to the jubilant up-temp tunes, including Bright Lights. "I wrote a song back in 1987 about the Orinoco River..." Jokingly introduced the cover song, Orinoco Flow by Enya,  K sang it as if he put his heart out on the song. He finished his set with a resonant melodic sensation, Manchester, which added the emotive finish to the breath-taking show. 

Kishi Bashi's latest album is called 151a, which is pronounced it as "Ichigo Ichie."-(一期一会) This word means one time in one life time. The concept of the word derived from the world of Japanese tea ceremony- the motto for tea master to make each tea serving unique and special. In this world, it is almost impossible to gather the same people in one room again, especially a big show like this one. The experience of Kishi Bashi was definitely served as Ichigo Ichie, which will always stay somewhere in my memory.

Acres of Lions: Bright Lights

Victoria BC based pop rock band, Acres of Lions  are keeping them hectic, yet excited for the upcoming months. They've recently announced their third album release in the upcoming spring,  two years since they wowed us with their sophomore album, Collections. 

As a sneak-peak of the new release, the band has decided to drop a single, Bright Lights off the album on February 12th. They didn't forget about the fans who’ve been patiently waiting for the new release. You can listen to their single via their Facebook page (All you have to do is to like their FB page.) Go to their page ASAP and add their buoyant song on your playlist! 

Acres of Lions are performing in Toronto on March 21st at Dakota Tavern. (check out their full lists of this Spring tour from their website.)

Old English: Pross & Kahns

Toronto experimental pop project, Old English, has just released their first album, Prose &Kahns on February 5th. It's been a long journey for them to release this album as it took three years while working on the album in six cities, three countries and countless collaborators, totaling twenty people. Starting off in the bedroom of the lead singer, Matt Henderson the band expended its scale to a full band shortly after to pursue their musical path.

Old English has crafted songs which breathe in raw feel, yet it leaves a strong connection to memories at the back of my head with its beautiful melodies and narrative lyrics. They've selected the best 11 song out of 27 tunes written for this new album. You can stream and purchase the album from their Bandcamp site  Check it out! 

The Rest: Always On My Mind

Hamilton based rock band, The Rest, have unleashed their third music video off the record, SEESAW. As the band members have been keeping themselves busy with the series of video releases, where they are going to create a music video for all the songs in the album. This is my favorite song of the album by far! Be sure to check out the beautiful cinematography by the director  Karl E. Richter along with the emotion provoking melody. 

Jane's Party: Til You Got Yours

One of the most exciting parties in Toronto is Jane's Party.-Toronto based pop rock quartet who embrace melodic sensations through their harmonies and catchy chorus that reminds me of classic pop rock bands such as the Beatles and the Band.

Jane's Party spent 2012 playing countless shows in the support of their 2011' EP release. They've recently unleashed a new single, Til You Got Yours. I was all ears to get a taste of their new release and it exceeded my exception by far with less poppy, yet more raw and matured sounds of the new song. This groovy 60's pop song epitomizes their ability to craft the perfect balance of bare-bone harmonies and alluring guitar jams.  It is just a matter of time until Jane's Party will sow their infectious tunes to more listeners. 

Illitry: Goshen

Hamilton alternative/experimental rock duo,Illitry unleashed their first single, Goshen, which is now available on their Bandcamp site.

This song kicks off quietly with a tide of synth verse, then slowly brings the melodic melancholic vocal, which floats in with emotional resonance. The collision of raw feeling and sweet voice sparks as it progresses and reaches the emotional vertex, which was a reminiscent of Death Cab for Cutie. Check it out