POSTS TAGGED : Avid Walker

Farewell Vancouver: Vancouver Connection Playlist

BGVAN

After a couple of extremely fun years, my time in Canada is drawing to a close. As well as taking away no end of fond memories from Canada’s west coast, there is also a long, long list of local musical discoveries.

So, with that in mind and the impending return to Ireland, I decided to create a playlist of some of my very favourite artists/musical discoveries from Vancouver (and the surrounding areas). If nothing else, it will offer a taste of what this part of the world has to offer musically. Included among the 66 strong list are regulars on the blog and podcast, the likes of Kinship, Mesa Luna, Avid Walker, Bousada, The Orange Kyte, Supermoon, Soft Serve, Danny Diggs, Faith Healer, Project Pablo and more. Hopefully you enjoy the tunes as much as I do and it keeps you ticking over till the returns to normal service, once everything is settled after the move.

On that note, I shall leave you with the finest music BC has to offer.

BarryGruff Playlist November 2015

BGNV15

Your regular monthly round up all the blog action, in a nice, neat and handy playlist of tracks featured throughout the month.

November was another busy one, with introductions to A.S. Fanning, exmagician & New Cardinals. There were excellent new singles/EPs from Avid Walker, Anderson, Public Service Broadcasting, Ulrika Spacek, Daniel Avery, CaStLeS, David Harks & Manor. And we had tunes from Globelamp, MMOTHS, Coves, Hinds & Tuff Love ahead of their respective, new and forthcoming albums.

Oh, and there were two new episodes of ‘Millions Like Us’, Justin Beats & I’s new music podcast extravaganza for 604now (if you missed them, check ’em here). You can also subscribe to ‘Millions Like Us’ on iTunes & Podcast Republic or find us on Facebook & Twitter.

Well then, that’s that for another month – listen to BarryGruff’s November 2015 playlist below. Enjoy!

 

Millions Like Us Podcast – Episode #5

Millions Like Us logo (1)

Delighted to once again to share a brand new episode of ‘Millions Like Us’, a music podcast with myself & Justin Beats, in conjunction with Vancouver news & culture site 604now.

A bi-weekly digest of music from metro Vancouver and beyond, the fifth installment has the usual chatter and top tunes, comprised from an eclectic mix of styles and genres. There’s also a chance of winning tickets to see the excellent Joanna Gruesome, in The Cobalt, Vancouver on November 15th – tune into the show and then email your name to millionslikeuspodcast[at]gmail[dot]com – winners be notified before 5pm, Friday, November 13th.

That’s about that then, we hope you enjoy episode #5. You can read more on it here and listen to episode #5 below, and the tracklist (with links) is after the jump. You can subscribe to ‘Millions Like Us’ on iTunes & Podcast Republic or find them on Facebook & Twitter.

Hopefully you enjoy our curated pickings, here’s to good listening.

Episode #5:
Unalaska – ‘Air Transylvania’
Kyross – ‘Fragments’
Queen of Jeans – ‘Dance (Get Off Your Ass)’
Big Harp – ‘Diev’
The Statics – ‘Fake Sorrow’
Soft Serve – ‘Better Off When You’re Gone’
Hippies Vs Ghosts – ‘Three Shadows’
Joanna Gruesome – ‘Psykick Espionage’
White Poppy – ‘Sublimity Form Natural Phenomena’
Avid Walker – ‘Who’s Your Lover’
Soft Haze – ‘Love Song’
Super Furry Animals – ‘Slow Life

 

 

Avid Walker – ‘Who’s Your Lover’

Avid Walker - Photo by Amanda Anderson

Vancouver duo Avid Walker – Jared Langerud and Brendan Bleker – introduced us to their sun-soaked, melodic lo-fi not so long ago with two sublime singles; ‘Sun In Eyes’ and ‘Conversations’.

Completing a hat-trick of terrific singles is new one ‘Who’s Your Lover’; which is also 3 for 3 with the Vancouver based nbd label. It is another elegant example of the pair’s musical mastery, ‘Who’s Your Lover’ is a gentle, bubbling and woozy number. Imbued with a laid-back and super easy-going vibe, owing much to the majestic combination of soft instrumentation and hushed, whispering vocals; it is sweetly melodic and layered with harmonies, it climaxes with a babbling sort of mild euphoria. Magnificent stuff from Avid Walker as usual, who as it goes, are one of this year’s finest new discoveries.

A debut EP is expected soon but there’s no confirmed release date as yet. Until then? Well, there’s ‘Who’s Your Lover’, which you can check out below. And if it is to you liking? You can check out ‘Conversations’ & ‘Sun In Eyes’ here.

 

BarryGruff Playlist September 2015

BGSP15

A now regular monthly feature, whereby we round up all the blog action with a nice, neat and handy playlist of tracks featured during the month.

September was pretty damn good, aside from saying goodbye to summer! We had tunes from Sexwitch, Gwenno, Hinds and The Altered Hours ahead of their respective, new and forthcoming albums. There were excellent new singles from Slow Riot, Tuff Love, BUCK, H. Hawkline, Freedom Fry, Gulp & Miaoux Miaoux. Oh, and their was the launch of ‘Millions Like Us’, Justin Beats & I’s new music podcast extravaganza for 604now (if you missed them? Why not listen to episodes #1 & #2)

Also featured on this month’s playlist are great tracks from Avid Walker, Mesa Luna, Ghost Culture, Boxed In, Anderson & Peaness. So yeah, pretty good alright.

Listen to BarryGruff’s September 2015 playlist below.

Millions Like Us Podcast: Episode #2

Millions Like Us E2 Logo-1

Delighted to share ‘Episode #2’ of Millions Like Us – a new music podcast hosted by myself & craft beer, pastie and fast-food safari enthusiast, Justin Beats – in conjunction with Vancouver news & culture site 604now.

A bi-weekly installment of new tunes, some musings and general chit-chat, with a Vancouver slant, Episode #2 has a very nice blend of music from metro Vancouver, and beyond. Obviously these are still early days and we’re looking forward to developing it further and further, over the coming weeks and months. Not much else to say really, aside from thanks to 604now and we hope you enjoy the show (all feedback, good or bad, is most welcome). Here’s to good listening.

You can read more on it here and listen to episode #2 below, and the tracklist (with links) is after the jump.

Episode #2: 

Nancy Leticia – ‘Bitches’
Noble Oak – ‘Erase Me’
Villagers – ‘Hot Scary Summer’
Nick Diamonds – ‘Specimen Days’
Avid Walker – ‘Sun In Eyes’ –
Wilding – ‘Stuck In The Middle’
Mac Demarco – ‘No Other Heart’
The Courtney’s – ‘90210’
Tuff Love – ‘Duke’
HINDS – ‘Garden’
Sunflower Bean – ‘The Stalker’
Woolworm – ‘Useless’

Introducing: Avid Walker

10999718_610002435769600_5681327767338230523_o

Vancouver duo Jared Langerud and Brendan Bleker, are Avid Walker, a couple pals making sun-soaked, melodic lo-fi pop in a bedroom studio.

The pair’s gentle, laid-back and calming sounds marry summery guitar grooves, effortless melodiousness and gently undulating, atmospheric effects. Latest single, ‘Sun In Eyes’, captures this Avid Walker aesthetic perfectly. It’s bright and breezy, yet there is an air of melancholy woven in, adding an emotional depth as it washes over you with a pleasant ease. ‘Conversations’ is a similarly bright and sunkissed tune, imbued with the same easy-going vibe and is just as alluring. They explore their way through an elegant sound, with a woozy, summery vibe, owing much to the majestic combination of gentle, soft instrumentation and hushed, whispering vocals. Playful but sincere, vulnerable yet confident and simplistic yet stylish; both tracks are catchy as, and will have you reaching for repeated plays.

Having released two sublime singles with nbd label this summer, a debut EP is expected through the Vancouver based soon, but there’s no confirmed release date as yet. Until then? Well, there’s ‘Conversations’ & ‘Sun In Eyes’. Check them out below.