Just about everyone in the country gets a stat today, whether you call it Family Day (Alberta, BC, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Saskatchewan), Islander Day (PEI), Louis Riel Day (Manitoba), or Nova Scotia Heritage Day. (Yukon Day is next Friday; I don’t know what’s up with Newfounland, the NWT, or Nunavut. I hope they’ll be okay.) Whatever the case, New Music Friday is here again with some fresh releases.
Singles
1. Gord Downie, The Sadies, and The Conquering Sun, Generations (Arts & Crafts)
We’re coming up on nine years since Gord Downie left us, but he’s somehow able to keep providing us with new music. This time, it’s a live album created with The Sadies and The Conquering Son entitled Live at 6 O’clock. Fans will remember that the three entities released a debut self-titled album back in 2014. This recording–coming February 27 from Arts & Crafts, will feature eight performances taken from four festival dates. They cover Roky Erickson, The Who, Neil Young, The Gun Club, The Stooges, and two songs from that 2014 album, along with this cover of Toronto hardcore legends F-ed Up.
2. Kim Gordon, Dirty Tech (Matador)
Since Sonic Youth broke up, Kim Gordon has been on something of a tear with solo material. Her third solo since 2022 arrives on March 13 and is introduced by this single, which portrays a fight between humans and our future robot masters. AI will soon make corporate suites like the one we see in the video commonplace.
3. Morrissey, Notre Dame (Sire)
This isn’t exactly a new song–Mozzer has been performing this one live (when he doesn’t cancel the show) since 2023. However, this new studio version omits a lyric that was used during live performances. Yes, the song is about the fire in the famous Parisian church on April 15, 2019. Some people were sensitive about the lines “Before investigations/They said, ‘There’s nothing to see here.” Allegations of terrorism?
4. Laibach, Allgorhythm (Mute)
The wonderfully weird Slovenian collective have just announced their first album since 2014. Musick arrives sometime in May (the exact date seems to be missing for now) and is being touted as their “most pop outing to date.” Interesting boast for a band who cut their teeth on being very industrial. I’m sure the Top 40 charts won’t be troubled much by this first single. They couldn’t take it.
5. Papa Roach, Wake Up Calling (New Noize/NDA)
When Papa Roach toured Canada in 2025, they struck a deal with the the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), donating $1 from every ticket sold to support mental health awareness and suicide prevention. The band visited CAMH in Toronto for a behind-the-scenes tour and presented a donation. Now they have yet another single that sounds like their visit made a big impression.
6. Sleep Theory, Words are Worthless (Epitaph)
Sleep Theory was the opening band on Papa Roach’s last Canadian tour. Reviews were good, as they were for the group’s refreshing heaviness. (Many metal magazines concurred.) This the latest single from their debut album, Afterglow.
7. They Might Be Giants, Wu-Tang (Idlewild Recordings)
Who can resist a song with a title like this? John Linnell and John Flansburgh offer another XTC/Squeeze-like pop gem. It’ll appear on an 18-song album entitled The World is to Dig on April 14. I wonder what Wu-Tang Clan thinks? Chuffed, probably.
8. Young the Giant, Different Kind of Love (Fearless/Concord)
Young the Giant’s sixth album, Victory Garden, will be here May 1. This should be interesting because it was produced by Brenan O’Brien, Pearl Jam’s favourite producer, and a guy who has worked with Soundgarden and The Killers, too. This will be their first album since 2022, and the first single is directed at people who desperately need some optimism in these desperate times.
Albums
1. Boy Golden, Best of Our Possible Lives (Six Shooter)
Boy Golden (Liam Duncan), the Winnipeg roots rocker, was not known for sitting still when it came to his first three albums. Now there’s a fourth, never really sits still when it comes to his music. Is he alt-rock? A folky? A country singer? He does like to keep people on their toes. This new album straddles the line between alt-country and folk while also featuring some pretty pointed lyrics recording politics and economic anxiety.
2. PONY, Clearly Cursed (Take This to Heart)
Here’s the third album for this Toronto indie-pop project run bySam Bielanski and Matty Morand. Sam explains the record this way: “Clearly Cursed is directly inspired by their first visit to a psychic at the age of 21. ‘She read my tarot cards and told me boyfriend was cheating on me, That was true. She also told me that I had a dark spirit attachment which she could easily vanquish if I paid her $1500. That was obviously out of my budget so I left and decided I would have to coexist with this dark spirit for the rest of my life.’” Now I’m curious.
3. Story of the Year, A.R.S.O.N. (Sharp Tone)
Born in St. Louis in 1995, Story of the Year is now up to their seventh album and yet somehow manage to maintain the conviction of their post-hardcore ways. Is this more evidence of an emo revival? Linkin Park fans should take notice of this single.
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