{"id":2471278,"date":"2026-06-22T22:49:49","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T22:49:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2471278"},"modified":"2026-06-22T22:49:49","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T22:49:49","slug":"new-music-monday-northcote-embraces-heartbreak-on-new-album-to-cherish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/new-music-monday-northcote-embraces-heartbreak-on-new-album-to-cherish\/","title":{"rendered":"New Music Monday: Northcote embraces heartbreak on new album \u2018To Cherish\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Victoria and Vancouver Island have a lot of musical talent, and Victoria Buzz wants to highlight some of the best and brightest local artists and bands.<\/span><\/p>\n

Every Monday, there will be a fresh \u2018New Music Monday\u2019 article to help people find and support local artists and bands that are up-and-coming, well established or hidden gems!<\/span><\/p>\n

For this endeavour, Victoria Buzz has partnered with our good friends at <\/span>CFUV 101.9 FM<\/b><\/a>, UVic\u2019s campus radio station, to find and select the musicians and bands for this regular column.<\/span><\/p>\n

To date, there have been 81 New Music Monday features published through this collaboration.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This week, <\/span>Northcote<\/b><\/a> is the New Music Monday highlight!<\/span><\/p>\n

Northcote is the moniker of internationally-recognized Matt Goud, who has just embarked on a cross-Canada tour in support of his latest studio album, <\/span>To Cherish<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Goud has been making music for 17 years with this project, and in recent years has worked with his partner in creative pursuits, Stephen McGillivray, who plays guitar and tours alongside him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It all began for him after Means, Goud Saskatchewan-based hardcore punk band, broke up in 2008. It was then that he started the project Northcote, and quickly gained the attention of some of the biggest names in the punk-expat folk music scene, including Frank Turner, Chuck Ragan and Tim Barry.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Goud moved from Regina and ended up in Victoria after being somewhat transient in his 20s, touring and balancing his priorities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here he has found a home and continues to balance work, life and music.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>last time Victoria Buzz spoke with Goud<\/b><\/a> about Northcote\u2019s progression and evolution, he said he looks back upon his career up until now in seasons.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Wholeheart <\/span><\/i>and [<\/span>Jam Spot Kirtan<\/span><\/i>] was definitely a spiritual season of my career\u2014probably just coping with the pandemic and changes in my life,\u201d Goud told Victoria Buzz.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Following the release of those two albums, Goud said he sees himself as being in a new, fresh season now.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He added that the last few years have been difficult at times as he was going through a divorce. <\/span>To Cherish <\/span><\/i>was written during this time as a way to honour his 15-year relationship and all that it meant to him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe material is kind of more melancholic, or like a love album, but at the same time sonically, I wanted it to be very assertive,\u201d explained Goud.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe lyrics are definitely about the end of my long relationship and kind of paying homage to that, and the strumming makes it feel cathartic, so it feels really great to play.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Northcote recorded <\/span>To Cherish <\/span><\/i>with Jesse Gander, a producer in Vancouver, and Goud says that the recording experience gave them a lot of inspiration to make the record as energetic as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt makes us sound like who we are,\u201d said Goud. \u201cHigh energy, but we could also fit in at a folk fest no problem.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

This recording experience, coupled with coming off a European tour supporting punk legends Hot Water Music and Dave Hause, gave Northcote the energy they needed to push through and really give it their all with this latest record.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He added that <\/span>To Cherish <\/span><\/i>feels like it\u2019s setting Northcote up for success in what comes next for himself and McGillivray.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Highlight Track \u2013 \u201cTangled Strings\u201d<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Though \u201cTangled Strings\u201d was not a single from <\/span>To Cherish<\/span><\/i>, Goud believes it encompasses the themes of the record well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think the story might be relatable since we\u2019re kind of in a romantic mood here,\u201d Goud laughed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfter my separation, it took me a second and then I got some counselling and started dating again.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He recalled going to Vancouver with a date for a concert for the first time since his separation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe went to see Misery Signals\u2014very romantic, right,\u201d he laughed again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe song is just about what it\u2019s like to start loving other people after a long marriage. With the thought of the person you loved before kind of still present, where the different seasons of life are kind of blending together in a Venn diagram.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Goud added that one of the song\u2019s lines is about just sitting at the bar with his ex-wife, post-marriage, just talking about all the good times they had together.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very sad, but I think people can relate to that,\u201d said Goud.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He noted that sentiment is a big part of what this record is about.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI went to a yoga class where the instructor said \u2018Be grateful for all the good things in your life,\u2019 and I was like okay, that\u2019s easy, but she also said \u2018Be grateful for all the difficult things,\u2019 and that was really powerful to me,\u201d he continued.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat was a big push of the album, savouring the heartbreak feelings.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Check out \u201cTangled Strings\u201d from Northcote\u2019s newest album <\/span>To Cherish<\/span><\/i> below:<\/span><\/p>\n