Sam Ostler’s new single, “Lights,” then. It unfolds less like a sudden, intrusive glare and more like the slow, determined burn of a really good stage light finally finding its mark after a prolonged blackout. It’s pop, yes, vibrant and undeniably contemporary as advertised – clean lines, clear intentions. Yet, there’s a certain satisfying heft beneath the melodic uplift, a feeling that these notes...

Alright, let's talk about "I'll Never Find Another You" by Partners In Crime. These fellas from Toronto, Colin Whiteford (guitar and vocals), Doug Pegg (drums and vocals), Gene Falbo (bass guitar), and Terry Gadsden on keyboards, apparently go way back to grade school in Scarborough. I've often wondered if my old desk buddy, Barry, is making killer tunes these days – probably not, Barry’s...