SWOMP

Canadian-born, Nashville-based country artist Drew Taylor is continuing his steady rise with the release of the music video for his latest single “MAKERS,” unveiled via All Country News. The song leans into the slow burn of unexpected chemistry, drawing a vivid parallel between falling in love and savoring a good whiskey, where each moment lingers and deepens with time. SWOMP caught up with Taylor...

Canadian Roots and Soul vocal collective AV & the Inner City are turning inward on their new single, “Dinner With the Lord,” an acapella track that reflects on where people seek comfort during times of uncertainty. Released Nov. 21, the song is a stripped-down acapella interpretation of a composition by fellow Edmonton porch-concert musician Alin Rogoz. It marks the first recording by the grou...

Canadian folk-country band School House will release their new single, Live While I’m Alive, on Jan. 16 across all major streaming platforms, marking the next chapter for the fast-rising group as they prepare for a national tour and their second full-length album. Band member Joel Ryan says the song reflects the tension of modern adulthood, touching on financial stress, self-doubt and the uncertai...

Multi award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter, pianist and broadcaster Laila Biali has earned her first Grammy nomination, landing in one of the ceremony’s most closely watched categories. Biali is nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album alongside Brandi Carlile, Elton John, Lady Gaga, Barbra Streisand, Jennifer Hudson and rising star Laufey, placing the Canadian artist in rarefied company...

HEALTH have never been a band to sugarcoat the state of things, but their new album CONFLICT DLC—out today on Loma Vista Recordings—might be their most direct confrontation yet with the emotional fallout of living online, living overwhelmed, and living through a world that feels permanently tilted toward chaos. The Los Angeles industrial trio have spent nearly two decades expanding, exploding, and...

Canadian rock legends Lighthouse are revisiting one of their most celebrated works with the release of One Fine Morning (Anniversary Edition), arriving Nov. 7 through Anthem Records. The release marks the first time the platinum-selling album has been fully remixed, remastered and expanded. It will be available on limited-edition three-colour-splatter vinyl, sun/moon vinyl, double CD and digital f...

Kula Shaker, the psychedelic rock band that once stood apart from Britpop’s swagger with its mystical flair and sitar-laced guitar work, is preparing to release its eighth studio album, Wormslayer, on Jan. 30, 2026. SWOMP caught up with vocalist and guitarist Crispian Mills to discuss the record. The band, still made up of its original lineup of Mills, Alonza Bevan, Paul Winterhart and Jay Darling...

Thunder Queens, one of Canada’s most exciting young rock bands, headline a hometown all-ages show as part of VENUExVENUE 2025, joined by a powerhouse lineup of rising acts. SWOMP caught up with Lola Hayman (drums, vocals), Violet Bruneel (guitar, vocals), and Clara Magnan (bass, vocals) for an interview to discuss the show and their career. Set for Saturday, Nov. 8 at Lazer Quest (149 Carling St.)...

Folk and Americana band The Unfaithful Servants released their long-awaited second album Fallen Angel on October 17, 2025. Hailed as “Canada’s most exciting Newgrass band” by Seaside Music Festival, the Vancouver Island group has built a reputation for captivating live performances, rich storytelling, and masterful musicianship. Their sound blends elements of bluegrass, traditional folk, and Ameri...

New Jersey-based alternative/pop-punk band Good Damage released their third single, 'Just Alive,' on October 24 — a soaring, emotionally charged track that cements the band’s knack for blending catchy hooks with heartfelt urgency. SWOMP caught up with the group to talk about the new song and their steady climb in the East Coast alt scene. The members say 'Just Alive' captures the tension between s...

Acclaimed indie folk band Great Lake Swimmers have released their much-anticipated ninth studio album, Caught Light, now available on all major platforms. Alongside the full record, the Toronto-based group shared live footage of “For You To Come Around,” filmed at Odd Fellows Hall in St. Catharines, Ontario. The band, fronted by Tony Dekker, will support the release with a lengthy tour beginning O...

Canadian music icon Bif Naked will bring her life story and unmistakable voice to The Royal Theatre on November 12 for a one-night-only event featuring the premiere screening of BIF NAKED: A Documentary, an intimate acoustic performance and a live Q&A. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.) and promises a three-hour celebration of one of Canada’s most fearless and influential...

After more than 25 years together, Finger Eleven are hitting a vibrant new peak. SWOMP spoke with lead singer Scott Anderson about the band’s long-awaited return and the making of their first studio album in a decade, Last Night On Earth, set for release November 7 through Better Noise Music. Energized by the momentum of their 2024 North American tour, the JUNO Award-winning, multi-platinum rocker...

Canadian country artists Antonio Larosa and Taylor-Rae have joined forces on a soaring new duet, Hearts Don’t Break, released on October 10, 2025. The emotional track, co-written with award-winning songwriter David Borys, captures the fragile moment between love fading and letting go — a theme both singers say hit close to home. In an interview with SWOMP, the pair discuss the new track. “I’ve alw...

Multi-award-winning country group Hunter Brothers will bring their signature harmonies and high-energy performance to Chatham next month as part of the second leg of their 'Homegrown Nights 2025 Tour'. The band will take the stage at the Kiwanis Theatre on Nov. 7 with special guest Dayna Reid. SWOMP caught up with Ty Hunter to discuss the show, the overall tour and the career of the band. The tour...

Canadian songwriter, producer and performer Eddie Schwartz — best known for penning Pat Benatar’s 1980 hit 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot' — is stepping out from behind the scenes with his own full-length studio release Film School, arriving November 12, 2025. SWOMP caught up with Schwartz to discuss the project and his career. Schwartz, whose songs have been recorded by artists including Carly Simon...

Canadian rock band Sloan have released their fourteenth studio album, Based on the Best Seller, available now via murderecords / Known Accomplice. The JUNO Award-winning quartet continues its tradition of creative equality and timeless power-pop craftsmanship with a collection that blends diverse songwriting voices into one unmistakably Sloan sound. SWOMP caught up with guitarist Patrick Pentland...

St. John's, Newfoundland artist Rachel Cousins has released her third studio album, What Hasn’t Killed Me, out October 10, 2025. SWOMP caught up with Cousins on release day to discuss the record. Known for her soaring vocals and polished pop sound, the Newfoundland-born singer-songwriter takes a bold new turn with this project, stepping away from pop precision to embrace the more fluid and reflect...

Acclaimed Canadian singer-songwriter Suzie Ungerleider is taking her latest album, Among the Evergreens, on the road this fall with performances across Ontario and Quebec. Released June 6, 2025, via MVKA, the album has earned international praise for its lyrical depth and emotional honesty, marking a powerful chapter in Ungerleider’s evolution as an artist and storyteller. SWOMP caught up with Ung...

Nearly five decades after emerging from Mississauga’s rock scene, Triumph will be honoured at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Legends gala on Oct. 17 at Toronto’s Meridian Arts Centre. The hard rock trio — guitarist Rik Emmett, bassist Mike Levine and drummer Gil Moore — will be inducted by fellow Canadian rocker Tom Cochrane, recognizing a career that carried arena-sized ambition and melodi...

Montreal singer-songwriter Chiara Savasta brought her dreamy, reflective pop sound to the Colliding Tides Main Stage on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, closing out the final day of Sommo Festival in Cavendish. Savasta, who grew up in the suburbs of Montreal, has built a reputation for her emotionally resonant songwriting and unfiltered portrayal of early adulthood. Her lyrics often explore the tension bet...

Canadian duo Brooks & Bowskill took the Colliding Tides Main Stage on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, closing out the final day of Sommo Festival with a warm, roots-infused performance that blended folk, country and rock and roll. The Cobourg, Ont. pair — made up of husband-and-wife musicians Brittany Brooks and Jimmy Bowskill — sat down with SWOMP after their set to talk about life, love and the musi...

Toronto singer-songwriter Charlie Houston performed on the Sandbar Stage on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, closing out the final day of Sommo Festival in Cavendish. Before her set, Houston sat down with SWOMP to discuss Big After I Die, her debut full-length album released earlier this year through Arts & Crafts. The nine-track record is an exploration of transition, self-discovery and the anxieties...

Toronto rockers Ichi-Bons tore up the Sandbar Stage on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, closing out the final day of Sommo Festival. The band, known for their high-energy performances and their 'reckless rock ‘n’ roll revival' sound, spoke with SWOMP ahead of their set: Drawing inspiration from obscure surf, garage and rockabilly 45s, Ichi-Bons say their sound blends the grit of a raunchy vinyl DJ with the...

Halifax indie/emo band Customer Service were the first band to grace the stage on Day #2 at Sommo Festival 2025, kicking off the final day on the Sandbar Stage on Sunday, Sept. 14. Named one of Exclaim! magazine’s favourite emerging artists of 2024, Halifax indie/emo band Customer Service has been on a fast rise since forming in the spring of 2021. The quartet — Matt Cheverie (they/them, rhythm gu...