This Week in Sound: The Juno Awards, Sally Shapiro, The Strumbellas, Rococode, Cold Specks

Every Monday, we round up the most exciting music news happening in Toronto. In this edition: a look the nominees for the 2013 Juno Awards, Sally Shapiro drops a new album and The Strumbellas play at Caplansky’s Delicatessen.

Despite what the Juno Awards might have you believe, Carly Rae Jepsen is not the greatest musician Canada has to offer. Jepsen may have been nominated for five awards, but there are some under-the-radar artists that deserve props too, including The Weeknd, Metric, Japandroids, Said the Whale, Stars, Walk Off The Earth, Great Lake Swimmers, Elliott Brood, The Pack a.d., Bahamas, Serena Ryder, Hannah Georgas, Crystal Castles and Yukon Blonde. While the Juno gods may have made some questionable picks (ahem, a Rod Stewart Christmas record for International Album of the Year?), we’ll be crossing our fingers for those who don’t get as much radio play.


The famously shy Sally Shapiro has a new album out on Feb. 26 via Toronto label Paper Bag Records. Somewhere Else is a wistful electro dream, punctuated with elements of old school disco and new wave dance music. Though her mellow, ethereal voice lends itself well to the electronica sound, Shapiro remains coy; even her stage name is a pseudonym, and she’s pretty much given up on performing live. You can hear her let loose on the new record here, before it drops, and you can attend the album release party in the comfort of your flannel pyjamas.


Local roots-folk mainstays The Strumbellas will be playing an intimate session at Caplansky’s Deli on March 1. The band just released their debut album, My Father and The Hunter, which is up for a Juno award, so the smoked meat sandwiches won’t be the only reason to check out this Friday night gig. Tickets are $10 at the door.


Vancouver indie rock band Rococode announced last week new March tour dates and a new single, which is slated for release on March 13. The band will be playing a doubleheader in Toronto in March as part of Canadian Music Week. Rococode mysteriously released a sneak peek video, and any group that can make “Bootylicious” sound incredibly gritty is okay by us. Crank your speakers for this one.


Cold Specks, yet another Juno nominee, just dropped a brand new video for “When The City Lights Dim.” For those of us who are jaded by the death of what MTV used to be all about, here’s an uncluttered video that shines the spotlight on the music, and devotes itself solely to the beauty that is Cold Specks’ voice.

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