Artist Spotlight

Premiere: Cigar Club Presents Newest Track “COLD”

Cigar Club’s newest track “COLD,” is a raucous thrill ride about loving someone who shows adoration in frigid ways.

The track from the Toronto four-piece has a punk rock energy to it—featuring blistering guitar bends, bombastic drum fills, smooth bass, and vocals that echo The Stooges’ early work. The singer has clearly been hurt and you feel it during the first line—”Maybe it’s true that I’m already your dog” and you immediately feel for the guy trapped in this icy coffin of a relationship. Still, lust rules during this hard alt-rock epic.

The vocals harmonies on “I” and “no” during the chorus are also pretty damn glam rock. Think T.Rex meets a heavy counterpart like Black Sabbath and you’re close.

The drum and bass combo are ridiculously tight allowing the guitar to dive head-first into heavy, chaotic, dimensions of distortion. Also, keep your ears alert for the little two-second bass fill—a highlight of the track.

Then comes the outro guitar solo, which sounds like it was meticulously crafted to bounce off the dark tone of “COLD” perfectly. The solo sounds like it could live on the Era Vulgaris Queens of the Stone Age record and really sends the song home. Yes, “COLD” is a banger of a track and will hauntingly stay with you hours after your first listen.

Though Cigar Club sounds like they have been playing together for nigh on a decade, the young band got its start in 2016 from the mutual interest in guitar maestro John Mayer. The sound quickly shifted into a heavier alt-rock with a bit of blues and soul.

They recorded their debut self-titled EP and started getting traction in Toronto playing live shows in 2019. The EP caught the notice of Billy Talent’s guitarist, Ian D’sa, who invited Cigar Club to play a curated show at the Bovine Sex Club. Cigar Club also recently made it into the semi-finals out of 100+ bands during 97.7 HTZ FM’s 2020 ROCKSEARCH.

“COLD” is the last single, following the previous singles “…Aliens” and “Swimmin’ in Gold,” and “From a Southeast Asian Two Bedroom Condo.” Cigar Club will unleash their highly anticipated full-length, Day, Now, in August. The debut LP promises to be an onslaught of hard rock tunes with a psychedelic, experimental edge.

“It takes the listener through all ends of the music spectrum, from heavy hard rock to soft ambient soundscapes,” Cigar Club says. “We really aimed to display our dynamic ability in this record and I think we managed to pull it off.”

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Album Review

Paul Terry, Aptøsrs & Cellarscape unite on bold new album “Alternative Piano Club”

Combining his three artistic alter egos, Paul Terry presents an awe-inspiring new 12-track album, “Alternative Piano Club,” written in collaboration with Aptøsrs and Cellarscape. This is an album-length voyage of music that blends acoustic, rock, and piano-driven cinematic sounds.

Torn between this complex emotional spectrum, all the while the piano remains at its core throughout. Paul Terry opens his “Memento Mori (Chromogenic Phase)” contemplatively, creating a solemn, reflective mood. Cellarscape’s “Three Years Of Roses“ is warmer, whereas Aptøsrs’ “Questionnaires“ is much more textured as a large, sculptural post-rock.

“Dave’s Theme,” written by Paul Terry, musically expands the narrative with a touch of cinematic elevation that aligns well. “We Shape The Clouds” by Cellarscape is fluffy and heart-warming, “Writers Behind The Curtain” is somber, more narrative. We are all together in “A Place We Made,” an honest, intimate, emotionally grounded space.

The project contains vocal warmth and cultural depth in the song “This Is My Home“ by Silas Miami & Lana Crowster. Proceeding in a totally different direction is the stronger emotional clarity of Paul Terry’s acoustic storytelling on “Any Time You Want To Fly” and “No Sleep Has Come.” Cellarscape presents a wide, spacious atmospheric moment in “Cygnus,” while Aptøsrs ends with “Rust Mountain (Monochrome Piano Version),” a simple gem that brings the project full circle.

The mixing of Sam Okell and Adam Noble, the mastering of Alex Wharton and Robin Schmidt have, in many ways, brought their polish to it while still making it feel human. “Alternative Piano Club” is a work entity, where three musical personalities met and talk mind in the same emotional language.

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Artist Spotlight

LAST ALEX! balances precision and pulse on the electrifying track “Plus 1”

LAST ALEX!, a Chicago-based artist and producer, comes out with “Plus 1,” a high-energy release that combines technical prowess with an undeniable melodic instinct.

LAST ALEX! puts both craftsmanship and creativity on display here. The song’s strength lies in its balance, in detailed execution without sacrificing feeling, and in complexity without losing momentum.

LAST ALEX! doesn’t fully lean into the cold technique or loose emotion, but finds the sweet spot where skill and soul meet. This yields a polished, vibrant, and musically confident track.

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