Following the dirty, sleazy chaos of “All We Do Is Party!,” July Talk‘s Danny Miles pivots into anthemic garage pop with his newest single, “Reckless Kids.” Uplifting, rebellious, and nostalgic, the track blends raw energy with reflective lyricism, capturing the freeing spirit of living in the moment while letting go of people-pleasing and external expectations.
“The song is about living life to the fullest. It’s about trying to enjoy everyday,” Miles explains. “I’ve had some huge life-changing events happen in the past couple of years and I think it made me care a little less about what people think about me, and people pleasing in general but in a positive way. It’s been freeing to lose some of that.”
With its title evoking the cinematic cool of The Lost Boys and its hooky chorus begging to be shouted back, “Reckless Kids” is both nostalgic and forward-looking. What sounds like a conversation with others is, in fact, Miles speaking directly to himself, offering an intimate and universal reflection on chasing dreams and claiming joy.
Toronto-based Next Week’s Washing captures the moody resolve of today’s youth in “To Carry On,” their dreamy new single. The track blends richly layered vocal harmonies with the band’s signature guitar ambiance and forthright lyrics, creating an experience that is both atmospheric and assertive, reflecting the best of indie band culture and looking boldly to the future. Summoning the confidence to face life’s challenges both thematically and through its driving, straight-to-the-soul sound, “To Carry On” flies high.
Written as part of their breakout EP, “To Carry On” showcases the band’s nuanced creativity and expansive musicianship. “The song has more vocal layering than any other song on the EP, and we spent a lot of time perfecting it,” they explain. “There’s a tempo change at the end that takes the song in a different direction, giving it a completely new vibe from what’s come before.”
Engineered by Dylan Frankland (Tallies) and mastered by Noah Mintz, the song features backing vocals by Julian Duffy and Rhys Newman, the band’s two guitarists, adding to its depth and distinctiveness on the EP.
Born in the UK, raised in Peru, and now based in Vancouver, BC, rising artist Matías Roden makes a powerful full-length debut with The Verdict – a fearless and autobiographical album that navigates heartbreak, identity, trauma, and ultimately, self-acceptance. With its sweeping blend of synth-pop, worldbeat, and dance-rock, the record balances vulnerability with anthemic energy, inviting listeners into Roden’s deeply personal journey while keeping them moving on their feet.
Recorded at Vancouver’s 604 Studios alongside acclaimed producer Louise Burns (Hotel Mira, Haley Blais), The Verdict reflects Roden’s growth not only as a songwriter but as a performer, arranger, and producer. Many of the songs began as sprawling demos in Logic – often with upwards of 40 tracks – that later evolved into fully realized, meticulously layered pieces of music.
“The Verdict is a summation of a quarter life spent in transience, confusion, chaos, moving across oceans and cultures, coming to terms with who I am as a person, and navigating difficult, sometimes traumatic moments in life,” Roden elaborates. “The terror and thrill of living life on your own terms and leaping into the unknown.”
Do you struggle with self-sabotage? Are you addicted to the drama of personal turmoil? In her buoyant yet bittersweet new single, “Make It Up to You,” Hamilton-based indie rock artist Lisa SQ wrestles with the inner saboteur, the irresistible urge to blow things up, and the hope that there’s still time to repair the mess left behind.
“Make It Up to You” is duking it out with your inner saboteur. “Make It Up to You” is resisting the urge to push the red button. “Make It Up to You” is touching the hot stove, even when you know better. “Make It Up to You” is groveling. “Make It Up to You” is digging out of a deep hole. “Make It Up to You” is one final shot.
Hamilton, Ontario punk rock lifers The Penske File return with Reprieve, a cathartic, high-energy collection of songs about aging, change, and clinging to the light. The album captures the trio’s sharpened bond and renewed creative spark, with lead single “Almost Young” serving as both a thematic and emotional centerpiece.
While “Almost Young” offers one of the record’s most personal and reflective moments, Reprieve is far from one-note. Written in the wake of renewed touring energy after 2023’s Half Glow, the album swings between blistering punk catharsis, brooding rock anthems, and spacious, melodic reflections. The Penske File set out to capture the communal fire of their live show on record, tracking drums, guitar, and bass live-off-the-floor at Halo Studios before layering vocals and guitar overdubs at their longtime best friend and producer, Adam Michael’s Shrimp Studios.
“This record taught me that creating a body of work with my best friends feels like home in a unique and pronounced way that can’t be replicated,” says frontman Travis Miles. “When I can bring something to the rehearsal space that excites both [bass/vocals] James [Hall] and [drums/vocals] Alex [Standen], after all these years, it feels like I’ve struck gold.”
