January 7th, 2021

ALERT! ALERT! Awesome Band time!

Poets of the Fall are a rock group out of Finland. I discovered them about 2 years ago, but did not delve into their catalog until this year; and It is extensive (they celebrated their 17th birthday this spring). The music is glorious . The lyrics are meaningful and beautiful, and the accompanying music has depth and atmosphere.

Their first four albums went to number one in the Finnish chart. They are incredibly skillful, and the music shows growth, while still staying true to their own particular style. They have great versatility, and you know I love me some versatility. And their music videos are Art. ❤

They got their start with the song Late Goodbye for Max Payne 2. They also recorded some songs for Alan Wake, under the name The Old Gods of Asgard, and recently My Dark Disquiet can be found in the game Control.

Recently, the band recorded the Alexander Theatre Sessions, acoustic versions of select songs. I have included two of the tracks on this list, and I encourage you to look up the rest because they are masterful.

Because these guys are so amazing, expect to see another post on them, exploring further.

  1. My Dark Disquiet |Youtube
  2. Carnival of Rust (Alexander Theatre Sessions) |Youtube
  3. Love Will Come to You |Youtube
  4. Jealous Gods (Alexander Theatre Sessions) |Youtube
  5. Daze |Youtube

December 25, 2020

Christmas music is a touchy subject. A lot of people hate the chipper pop sentiments, as well as being forced to listen to it from Canadian Thanksgiving onward. So I thought I would give something a little different. These songs are tinged with a slight gothic feel, and celebrate Winter and the Solstice more that just Christmas.

Nox Arcana is a wonderfully atmospheric artist. They have quite a few Winter/Christmas offerings. I recommend them all.

David Arkenstone is a seasoned World Music artist. He is also known for his songs from World of Warcraft, he has many Christmas albums of various flavours (including some celtic ones)

The sad Jingle Bells song went around social media this year, and the artist said on youtube that they record a version of it every year that is a little different each time. With its classical style, it is definitely worth a listen.

  1. Sad Jingle Bells (2019) – Toms Mucenieks Youtube
  2. Forest Lullaby – Nox Arcana Spotify | Youtube
  3. Whispers of Winter – David Arkenstone Spotify | Youtube
  4. Season of Wonder – Nox Arcana Spotify | Youtube
  5. Winter Bourne – Paul McCandless Spotify | Youtube

Dec 10 2020

No real theme this week, just some great songs from my 2020 list on spotify. 🙂

  1. Demons Call – Paddy and the Rats Spotify | Youtube
  2. Meet Me in the Woods – Amarante Spotify | Youtube
  3. Waiting on the Rain – J Boog Spotify | Youtube
  4. Freaks like Us – Sleeping Wolf Spotify | Youtube

July 23, 2020

One thing that I really admire in an artist is their versatility. To be able to express themselves outside of their usual sound. To that end, I wanted to showcase some acoustic tracks that have a sound that is separate from the original plugged in track. I love the way the essence of the song can change with the arrangement and type of instruments used. Some artists choose to make it a whole different song that can stand alone. Sometimes the acoustic versions sounds like a watered-down version of the original. These songs stand in their own right.

  1. Even If it hurts – Sam Tinnesz Spotify | Youtube
  2. Final Masquerade – Linkin Park Youtube
  3. Edie (Ciao Baby) The Cult Spotify | Youtube
  4. Hover (quiet mix) – Trust Company Spotify | Youtube
  5. End of the World – Cold Youtube

July 9, 2020

Usually in my little corner of the world it would be Stampede time this week, if not for Covid. This means rodeos, jeans, beer, and of course, country music. I will not claim to be a country expert, as I really do not dive into the genre very much. However, I do like the sound of Blues Saraceno. They have a country/blues kind of sound that is really classic somehow. The topics for the lyric come right out of a Clint Eastwood movie. I found these guys by accident on youtube, and they are regular contributors on the Dark Country compilations. It may not be strictly country, but it is as country as I get. You may have also heard these songs on various TV Shows as well. Enjoy!

  1. Grave Digger Spotify | Youtube
  2. The River Spotify | Youtube
  3. Devil that You Know Spotify | Youtube
  4. Carry Me Back Home Youtube

July 2, 2020

Today I want to let you know about a great electro-industrial act, Imperative Reaction. I have been a fan of these guys for years, and they are working on a new album at the moment, which I am very excited for.

Imperative Reaction’s sound is not purely the driving industrial guitar-led sound of many industrial groups, however, they are not just the more upbeat EDM either. They combine the two sounds into an interesting combination.

I picked my favourite songs of each of their previous releases to give you a snapshot of the group. Look them up on Spotify or wherever you find your music, and give them a listen. For Industrial or EDM enthusiasts, it is well worth the time.

  1. Scorpio ’06 Spotify |Youtube
  2. Rift Spotify | Youtube
  3. Giving in to the Change Spotify | Youtube
  4. As We Fall Spotify | Youtube
  5. Panic Cycle Spotify | Youtube
  6. Side Effect Spotify | Youtube

June 25, 2020

This week I thought I would give you a snapshot of some of the songs I am listening to right now. Now featuring : 100% More Dinosaurs than before!

  1. Princesses Don’t Cry – CARYS (Pop) Spotify | Youtube
  2. Where Butterflies Never Die – Broken Iris (Rock) Spotify | Youtube
  3. Fire – Barns Courtney Spotify | Youtube
  4. Bones – Emily Finchum (Indie) Spotify | Youtube

June 19th, 2020

Let us dive into the world of music with a literary bent to it today. I picked songs that were inspired by various books or authors. I think it is so interesting when people can take an idea and put their own spin on it. Building something new from the foundations of another is a time honoured tradition in all forms of art. Sometimes people tend to look down on art that they deem too ‘derivative’ of something else, but let’s remember that renaissance artwork is biblical fan art.

Most of these picks are fantasy inspired. There is Game of Thrones, the Witcher, and The Silmarillion, as well as some classics, like Alice in Wonderland, and the Wizard of Oz. The Blind Guardian song is from an album called Nightfall in Middle Earth that is really amazing. Finally, we end with the HP Lovecraft Historical Society’s rendition of “What to do with an Innsmouth Sailor” ( They really are top notch, and will probably get a post all of their own at some point.)

  1. A New Brain – I Fight Dragons (Rock) Spotify|Youtube
  2. Nightfall– Blind Guardian (Metal) Spotify|Youtube
  3. Cheshire Kitten ( We’re all Mad Here) – S. J. Tucker (Indie/folk) Spotify|Youtube
  4. Lullaby of Woe – Karliene (Acapella) Spotify|Youtube
  5. Break the Night – JT Music, Andrea Storm Kaden (Epic) Spotify|Youtube
  6. What do you do with an Innsmouth Sailor – HP Lovercraft Historical Society (Sea Shanty) Youtube