Canadian Music Week hits town tomorrow with performers from all over the world descending on Toronto for five days of live music. For every established act like Blackie & The Rodeo Kings or Jeff Beck that plays to packed houses, there will be many more emerging artists seeking their big break. Here are five names that you may not be able to catch in small venues for long.
Cold Specks
The 23-year old Etobicoke native Al Spx (a.k.a. Cold Specks) has already picked up a huge following in the U.K. for her bluesy, soulful Southern style and bold, confident stage presence.
Brings to mind: A female Tom Waits.
Cold Specks plays Music Gallery on March 22.
Big Scary
The Aussie duo’s eclectic mix of sounds is reflected in both their choice of instruments and the vocals. Tom Iansek and Jo Syme boast a diverse array of piano ballads, instrumentals and straight guitar riffs which, coupled with their contrasting voices, makes for some unpredictable, fun tracks.
Brings to mind: Florence and the Machine, but without that distinct voice.
Big Scary play Lee’s Palace on March 23.
Wintersleep
For a truly Canadian experience at the nation’s music week, you could do worse than this Halifax-based quartet. Their music brings to mind ice fishing on a desolate, frozen pond — even if you’ve never been ice fishing before.
Brings to mind: The Hip seems too obvious, so let’s go with Matthew Good.
Wintersleep play The Rivoli on March 24.
Redgy Blackout
Too often the temptation in music is to break things down into genres. That proves awfully hard to do when you listen to Vancouverites Scott Perrie and Jeremy Breaks, which likely stems from their two very different musical backgrounds (Perrie was a choir singer, while Breaks performed in several hardcore metal bands). What emerges from their pairing, then, is a quirky, intriguing mix of soft and hard sounds with some reggae thrown in for good measure.
Brings to mind: A slightly softer Incubus.
Redgy Blackout play The Sister on March 21.
Joseph Arthur
Arthur is a lyricist in the purest sense, evoking both meaning and emotion through the words in his songs (albeit occasionally at the expense of melody). After enjoying a modest breakout at the turn of the millennium, his follow-up offerings featuring back-up bands lacked the same critical acclaim. Now, he is back to his roots, touring solo to the benefit of his intimate audiences.
Brings to mind: James Blunt
Joseph Arthur plays Horseshoe Tavern on March 22.
Canadian Music Fest, March 21-25, various venues.
