This band Possum is absolutely lighting up the garage scene in Toronto right now. There’s a lot of buzz around whenever they are playing so the release of their latest EP came with much delight to many people. The EP titled "Quick Damage" is exactly that. 4 tracks of raw, in your face rock. The EP is quick but you can cause a lot of damage in the short time while listening…quick damage I get it. Possum will be playing Horseshoe Tavern on January 14th for Exclaim’s Class of 2017 Series. Joining them will be New Swears, The Kents, Crazy Bones and the Detours. – Kris Gies

Back in September, Nutrients released their chilled out full-length debut, ‘what tangled webs we weave.’ The album is full of dreamy slacker pop that combines easy listening with deliberate dissonance. It can veer from shimmery to unsettling in a heartbeat, but it still sounds remarkably cohesive. The band clearly set out with a vision when they made the album, fine-tuning their focus with a stream of live appearances in October and November. Watch for more shows in the new year. – David Levy

Barbarosa are a 4 piece indie rock band that started in St.Catharines in 2011. They now call Toronto home and have just released their second album "Eye of the Rabbit". They have a casual sound that is easy to listen to. It’s like indie rock for adults. They have a spanish flair to their sound that make you feel like it’s nicer weather outside. That is definitely the vibes I get from the opening track "Seducer’s Diary." This new album from Barbarosa is available on their bandcamp page and you can be a part of their official release party which goes down on December 8th at Adelaide Hall. – Kris Gies

The Rickaneers have released a brand new single "Modern Love" and no it is not a David Bowie cover. What it is though is a catchy rocker that could have been released in the 60’s…or the 90’s…or 2016! These Toronto fellas did a really good job of recording this song to re-create some 60’s garage sounds but still keep the modern day relevance to the sound. Formerly a 4 piecer looks like Jesse (Guitar/Vocals) and Doug (drums) have taken er back a couple notches and now rock as a 2 piece combo. They will be releasing a record in the new year. The release party is happening January 27th at Junction City Music Hall. – Kris Gies

Toronto is famous for its multiculturalism. It’s a place where the entire world can be found, even when it comes to music. Os Tropies are making a name for themselves as the city’s purveyors of Tropicalia, the unique Brazilian spin on psychedelia. Featuring Brazilian and African rhythms, rock and roll structures, and challenging soundscapes, their new album ‘The Soil’ is an exhilarating trip back in time to a moment of radical musical experimentation. But while their songs are steeped in history, the band still manages to sound current, blending modern lyrical themes and avant-garde textures into the mix. Get the album on Bandcamp. – David Levy

Tasseomancy‘s new video for “29 Palms” is an accurate visual interpretation of the twin sister duo’s sound. It’s colourful, dreamy, and even hallucinogenic at times. It plays like a beautiful journey, albeit in its own creepy sort of way. The uneasiness of the visuals mirror the thick atmosphere of the song, evoking an underlying tension that is never really broken. The song and video are both individually compelling, but they’re much more powerful when combined into a successful merger of dread and comfort. – David Levy

Some songs grab you immediately. Others take their time, which is often most rewarding. Stella Rio’s new single “Don’t Go Away” starts off low key with a simple, pretty piano line. Once her breathy voice enters the mix, the song starts to build into a thing of almost tangible beauty, full of tasteful sounds and authentic emotion. It’s great pop music, pure and simple, but it also makes you feel like you’ve learned something by the time it’s over. – David Levy

The Nursery have called their music “freak pop,” which is a good way to characterize their off-kilter sound. Their music is definitely catchy, but it’s punctuated by noisy outbursts and sudden dynamic shifts. The new video for “Everybody’s Famous,” a track from their forthcoming LP, fits their style perfectly.  It features numerous Canadian impersonator artists acting as celebrities, screaming to be heard from a kitschy stage. It’s an idea that raises questions about originality and the need to be noticed in an oversaturated social world, with an appropriate musical twist. – David Levy

Garage rockers Brenda put a lo-fi psych spin on their jarring tunes. They find a lot of joy in noise and dissonance, but their songs are still catchy in their own burnt out way. Back in April, the band released a couple of songs that introduced us to their frenetic sound. "ICU" is a plucky tune that screeches into a hypno-heavy finale, while “Sally’s Spit” brims with raw, chaotic energy. The band begs to be heard live. Lucky for us, they’re playing a show on December 3rd at the Silver Dollar with Magic Shoppe, B-17, and Dong Vegan.

Do you like extreme sports and fireworks? This new Wine Lips video has it all. Can’t go wrong with some skateboarding and this Toronto garage trio causes all kinds of mischief in their video for "Dead Beat". An absolute ripper track from their debut EP. It’s got a solid rhythm section packin a punch and giving you constant body shots. Meanwhile the guitar is just flippin’ out…If you’re into the California garage scene you’ll dig Wine Lips. Excellent party music. Go see em on Friday at The Central with Jean Daddy and Possum. – Kris Gies

The word Spectre always reminds me of Twisted Metal for Playstation…Anyways, Spectre Hearts are a Toronto band that call themselves trashwave. That’s a somewhat accurate description. Not very trashy though…actually more catchy. They released an EP in September titled "Preludes". "Glass Cannons" is the second track on the album and along with the new wave influences, this track incorporates a funky verse section along with a dreamy pop chorus. Download the EP on their bandcamp page today! – Kris Gies

Dearly Beloved is one of the top bands to come out of Toronto in recent years. They seem to spend a lot of time over in Europe but they have dropped some wildly intense tunes over the years. Main man Rob Higgins sings and absolutely shreds the bass at the same time. They recently released a video for the brand new track "I Tried To Leave". It’s a straight up ripper that would make Josh Homme nod his head with approval. The connection is aleady there as Dearly Beloved have worked with Homme collaborators Chris Goss and Dave Catching in the past. They have had tunes in the past that stretch their creativity more than on this tune but crank this bad boy up and honestly…just giver… – Kris Gies