If there’s one thing I’ve learned since starting Adobe & Teardrops, I have a weird affinity for Canadian country music. Maybe it comes from my early fascination with The Band? Or maybe it’s just…different? Even the pop country isn’t stuffed with the relentless optimism that American commercial country likes to shove down our throats. But even in the more indie realm, there must be something about the Midwestern plains that inspires a certain existentialism.
These ten artists are by no means the only Canadian country artists I love, nor are they my only favorites — but they’re certainly in my top 10. Drop some of yours in the comments below to see them on a future iteration of the playlist.
- Mariel Buckley — “I Wonder” (Driving in the Dark) — This is my all-time favorite songs from one of my all-time favorite albums. Buckley somehow creates a swirl of ominous chaos, and helps us stay rooted in its center: a queer love that defies all comers.
- Mike Procyshyn — “Houdini” (Good Man, Bad Wizard) — It’s a great album name, and you can learn more about it in my interview with Mike. On Good Man, Bad Wizard, Procyshyn delivers a collection of songs that meditate on the sadness and fragility of life — or perhaps, the sadness that lies within the fragility. Procyshyn explores our faults deeply, and tries to understand how we can soften the edges in them. He delivers them with a tragic vibrato reminiscent of Ben Trickey, carrying the urgency of his message all the way home.
- D’orjay the Singing Shaman — “Grandma Luvy’s House” (D’Orjay the Singing Shaman) — In her self-titled album, trans indigenous artist declares herself a new kind of outlaw. On “Grandma Luvy’s House,” D’orjay creates a warm nostalgia that combines country music, reggae, and gospel. (PS, you should check out my interview with D’orjay in Quench Magazine, where we discuss her five favorite venues in her hometown of Edmonton.)
- Thomas Stajcer — “Spinning Dimes” (Midwestern States) — Stajcer’s proven he knows his way around a pen with his song “Who Will Listen to Country Music When the Trucks Drive Themselves?” On his album, Midwestern States, Stajcer stretches the concept into an album of existential classic country. Anchored by the typical imagery of bungling your way through the bar, Stajcer extends classic country tropes into the realm of metaphor. What if the bar is your life? Or maybe it’s just not that serious. Maybe you really are drinking too much.
- Lydia Hol — “Love & Devotion” (Dreamer of the Golden Dream) — Hol creates a gorgeous dreamscape, painting pictures of forgotten glory with her muscular pop. Her original songs are replete with a brooding presence, similar to Lana del Rey. Her covers deliver old classics with a new set of fangs. To get a sense of where Hol is coming from, check out the music video for her cover of a Cold War-era warning against nuclear holocaust, “A Mushroom Cloud,” which premiered on Adobe & Teardrops recently.
- NQ Arbuckle — “Hospitals” (The Future Happens Anyway) — Yeah, so this one’s another all-time favorite on an all-time favorite album. It’s gotten me through many a hard time. The band announced a new record and released a single in pre-COVID 2020 I believe, so here’s hoping an album arrives once *all this* allows for safe touring.
- William Prince — “Run” (Single) — Following the theme of gentle, gravelly voices, I’ve loved all of Prince’s work. His most recent album, Gospel First Nation, interrogates the relationship between Christianity and traditional pathways in his own upbringing.
- T. Buckley — “Marilyn” (Single) — Tim is the talented older brother of Mariel. Tim’s style is quite a bit smoother, with more of an emphasis on early rock’n’roll: think Chris Isaac but he doesn’t lay it on quite as thick.
- Hot Mondy — “Desert Moonlight” (Single) — I interviewed these gents earlier this week,and I love the intense performance on this song. I’m stoked for the album’s release.
- The Redhill Valleys — “Finish Line” (Single) — I still can’t get past the cleverness and intensity of the band’s most recent single, but I encourage you to check out the rest of their catalogue. Slow, fast, funny, sad, there’s nothing these band can’t do.
I think that following me on Spotify is a thing you can do to make sure you get a new playlist from me every Friday! You can also follow Tuesday Teardrops, a playlist of new and exciting songs that refreshes every — you guessed it — Tuesday! As always, buy music and/or merch directly from the artists because Spotify is a horrible and exploitative platform!You can support Adobe & Teardrops by buying merch or hitting the ol’ Patreon or Ko-fi links!