Joel Plaskett – Through & Through & Through

Joel Plaskett is a musician from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.  His latest single, “Through & Through & Through” from his third solo album “Three”, showcases his unique east-coast sound that many grew to love with his bands Thrush Hermit and The Joel Plaskett Emergency. Clever, catchy, and distinctive – it doesn’t get much better than this. You can currently check out this song on Joel’s MySpace page.

Garou – Stand Up

Garou is a French-Canadian singer from Sherbrooke, Quebec. Until recently, his music was entirely in French. His English debut came on May 6th, 2008 with the album “Piece of My Soul” on which he teamed up with a number of well-known songwriters. The song I refer to here, Stand Up, was written by Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20 fame (when you hear it, it has Rob Thomas written all over it). Garou snatched this song up, put his hoarse voice to it, and the result was a fantastic first English single. The song is currently streaming on his MySpace page.

David Usher – Wake up and Say Goodbye

Front man for the mid-90′s Canadian grunge band Moist, David Usher recently released his 6th solo album, Wake up and Say Goodbye. A departue from his early Grunge work, David Usher’s solo stuff is mostly Rock – both plugged in and unplugged. The title track from his latest album is probably one of the best songs he’s ever done. His MySpace page doesn’t stream this song specifically, but there are a few others from the album that are also worth a listen.

Amie Miriello – Disarm

Remember way back in “the day” when The Smashing Pumpkins released Siamese Dream? Remember that song, Disarm? It was an awesome song. Ever wonder what would happen if you took a female singer with a hint of country twang, armed her with an acoustic guitar, and told her to cover The Smashing Pumpkins? No? Me neither. But that’s exactly what has happened with Amie Miriello. She’s taken what was already an awesome song and brought it to the next level, if that’s even possible. Her cover is a must-listen on her MySpace page. And beware – her smile just may disarm you.

Paper Lions – I’m On Fire

A rock/pop foursome from Prince Edward Island, Canada, Paper Lions (formerly The Chucky Danger Band) have an unrivaled stage presence when putting on a show. Their energy transfers seamlessly to the crowd, making for an incredible performance every time. If you ever have the chance to see these guys live, don’t pass it up. You won’t be disappointed. I recommend checking out “I’m On Fire” or “Travelling”. Both songs are available on their MySpace page for streaming (as of the time of this posting, anyway). They’re also available on iTunes and can be found on the Paper Loins’ self-titled album.

Shinedown – Second Chance

From Shinedown’s debut album “The Sound of Madness”, Second Chance is making waves through my playlist at least. An inspirational song to get you through the rest of the winter, and a perfect lead in to the new season coming. Second Chance is getting massive hits on Shinedown’s MySpace page as well, approaching 18 million plays at the time of posting. Definately worth a listen or two… or three… or…

Metric – Gimme Sympathy

Metric’s “Gimme Sympathy” has to be one of the catchiest songs on their latest album, Fantasies. While the album itself is very strong, Gimme Sympathy is a stand out among the tracks for me, and has quickly made it’s way into my “Top Played” playlist. Check it out and ask yourself, “Who would you rather be – The Beatles or the Rolling Stones?”