Said The Whale have earned their place in the Canadian music pantheon. They’ve won a Juno Award, topped the alternative radio chart, and amassed a devoted base of fans who affectionately describe themselves as “SaidHeads” — all the while maintaining their resolute independent spirit. Now, more than a decade into their career, the Vancouver group are opening their most ambitious chapter yet.   Throughout 2020, lockdowns meant that the band members were at home, away from the relentless touring cycle that had defined most of their 14-year career. Singer-songwriters Tyler Bancroft and Ben Worcester, plus keyboardist Jaycelyn Brown and bassist Lincoln Hotchen, threw themselves fully into working on new material with producer Steve Bays (Hot Hot Heat) at his Tugboat Place Studio, resulting in the most towering, maximalist music of their careers.   “Steve is an incredibly detail-oriented producer,” says Tyler. “We would work until four or five in the morning. Then sleep at his house and work the next day until late into the night. It was exhausting, but each song came to life in such an amazing way with so many layers.”   Stately piano, roaring guitar distortion, giant-sized synths and orchestral flourishes — every moment blooms with bright, vivid sounds and subtle details. But in spite of the grandiose arrangements and go-for-broke production quality, the new songs are, at their core, classic Said The Whale. Lead single “Honey Lungs” is a bright and bubbly anthem, its crunchy rock swagger shot through with frenzied drum fills and sugar-spiked pop singalongs.   Cowritten jointly in the studio by Tyler and Ben, the song’s lyrics address today’s fraught political climate while placing an emphasis on empathy. They wrote it around the same time they dropped off of a festival bill as an act of solidarity with anti-racist groups. “It’s about using kindness as a way to approach difficult subjects,” says Tyler. “As we’re fighting for change, let’s come from a place of trying to understand our fellow human beings.” As the song grapples with violence and social unrest, it culminates in soaring harmonies and a message of hope: “You can find the joy in every agonizing moment of existence on this planet.”   “Honey Lungs” was released March 19 and has charted top-10 at Canadian Alternative Radio. The song was followed up by “Everything She Touches Is Gold To Me” and “Show Me Everything”, two more tracks from the band’s soon-to-be-announced seventh record. Fourteen years into their career Said The Whale are now fully independent (signed to lead singer Tyler Bancroft’s own label) and refusing to bask in success. They’re swinging for the fences and holding nothing back in their relentless pursuit of pop-rock perfection.

“we write songs not bios !!!” dad sports is a three piece bedroom pop band formed in the early hours of the morning, exploring the ottawa suburbs with only friendship and music to guide them. after releasing a slew of singles in 2019, dad sports dropped "name & place" and "out 4 a breather" which instantly caught the attention of spotify and grand jury music. the band's sound is notably lo-fi and soft, yet equally high energy and emotionally potent. the group sets themselves apart by their use of electronic drum machines and softly layered vocals to create a warm and nostalgic sound.