The Beaches

#1230: 101 Dumpsters: Top Five & 2025 In Review

RECORD STORE TALES #1230: 101 Dumpsters: 2025 In Review

Dear friends and strangers,

As we gather and recall the past year, it is important to remember the many times we have sat here together before.  Most years since 2018 have been years of change.  2025 is no exception.  Always setbacks, losses and triumphs!  Let’s have a look back the good, the bad, and the awesome!

Part the First

2025 represented a personal shift away from writing and more towards videos.  The reason for this is two-fold:

1. The Community changed from primarily writers, to YouTubers.  Whereas I used to do writing collaborations, now I am invited onto YouTube shows.  Collaborations abounded in 2025!  I became a regular on The Contrarians Live, with a total of 27 episodes in 2024-25 (Full list of 27 episodes can be found by clicking here).  Many of these included Martin Popoff – pinch my younger self!  I also did several episodes of Rock Daydream Nation with Peter Kerr, My Music Corner with Johnny Metal, Tim’s Vinyl Confessions with Mr. Durling, Darcyska with D’Arcy Briggs, Grant’s Rock Warehaus with Mr. Arthur, Slogan’s Rock and Metal Extravaganza with Sidney and sometimes Logan, Rock Show Critique with Joey Suto, Off the Charts with Dan Chatrand, and of course, a couple amazing episodes on The Collection with Mr. John T. Snow (more on that later).   The biggest channel I appeared on in 2025 was Pete Pardo’s Sea of Tranquility.  I did two episodes with them, both hosted by Jamie Laszlo.  This has kept me well busy!

2. 50 Years of Iron Maiden.  We debuted on January 10, 2025 and are still rolling with the Maiden!  We’ll be done mid-2026.

It has been an incredible year creatively.  There is a lot to be proud of.  Videos appeal to a different audience than written articles, and so we’ve lost people along the way, but one must always follow their creative muse.  I have been making videos since 1989.  With the tools we have now, it is an old burning passion that is now easy to follow.  There were still written some reviews in 2025, and there will be in 2026, but I must go where the wind takes me.  I’m not fighting it or questioning it anymore.  I’m just doing what I want to do.  Music always finds its way into everything I do.

 

Part the Second

We can’t talk about 2025 without talking about our dive back into interviews!  Lacking confidence, I swore them off a while ago.  Not including people that I consider friends, such as Robert Lawson and Tim Durling, 2025 was primarily dominated by six interviews, in chronological order:

1. Blotto:  Early in the year, I reached out to Blotto about an interview for their new movie, Hello! My Name Is Blotto! The Movie.  To my surprise, I got the whole band and movie director Rob Lichter as well.  This went so well that it created lasting friendships, our own “Blotto” names (Kitchener and Blocko Blotto), and a second interview coming in 2026.  This gave me the confidence I needed to do more.

2. Alan Niven:  Thank you John T Snow from 2Loud2OldMusic for inviting me to co-host his interview with former Guns N’ Roses manager Alan Niven.  It was for his book Sound N’ Fury which has still not come out.  John and I were fortunate enough to read it before “someone” had the plug pulled…and you can certainly guess who is probably responsible.  What a great interview experience this was!  Alan puffed his cigar and answered our questions thoughtfully and with considered wit.  A formidable man who treated us with nothing but thanks and gratitude.

3. Next Up was Bob Cesca from Camp Chaos, though this did not air for a few months after we recorded it, as it was slotted in for 50 Years of Iron Maiden episode 25: Visions of the Beast.  Bob was responsible for those “NAPSTER BAD!” cartoons in the early 2000s, and his love of science fiction and Rush made him one of the easiest conversations we’ve ever had.  Talking to Bob gave us another confidence boost.  I said to Harrison, “We should get in touch with the Blaze Bayley camp…”

4. Blaze Bayley is our proudest achievement to date, collectively and personally.  With very little notice, we were given an early morning recording time on a Monday.  What resulted is an interview that Harrison and I felt no hyperbole in calling “The Best Blaze Bayley Interview You’ve Ever Seen”  From Iron Maiden to mental health to science fiction and punctuality, Blaze was everything we hoped he would be and more.  To say we have interviewed someone from Iron Maiden, is a bucket list item we can check off.  A lifetime of wishes come true.  They say “Don’t meet your heroes?”  Harrison and I both disagree.

5. Rick Hughes from Sword was another big one.  Here is a guy who I have been listening to since 1987; even longer than Blaze by a good margin.  Dan Chartrand and I were both offered Rick, but rather than duplicate each other, we decided to team up.  The subject was Rick’s new solo album Redemption, but we went everywhere with this interview.  Opening for Motorhead, reuniting the band, and writing with Aldo Nova:  we covered it all on this excellent interview with a Canadian metal legend.

6. Tom Harper, known professionally as Harper, was a fun way to end the year’s interviews.  The only thing that can compete with anyone from Iron Maiden is a guy who played on a Kiss record.  Harper played bass on “Shandi”, and had a million stories.  Check out the episode that my mom called the “best ever!”  Even Broadway Blotto agreed!

Part the Third:  Top Five Albums of 2025

The part everyone waits for every year!  There is also an accompanying Tim’s Vinyl Confessions episode to go with my list, but for those who prefer to read… read on!

My music list this year is a delightful mix of genres and bands.  I love that a band well over 50 years old can put out my #1 album of 2025.   On the opposite side of the age gap is a hot young band out of Toronto.  In the middle is a British band that debuted in the early 2000s.  All of these albums are worth checking out, but please note my #1 pick is particularly special.

Here’s to the best of 2025!

5. The Beaches – No Hard Feelings

The Toronto quartet rolls on with another hit-filled new album.  Cutting edge rock & pop from a feminine perspective.

4. Ghost – Skeletá

Another band that simply rolled on with another album full of memorable classics… it’s Ghost!

3. The Darkness – Dreams On Toast

Vying for Album of the Year, it easily could have been Dreams on Toast.  An exceptionally strong album, and easily their best since Last of Our Kind.

2. Harem Scarem – Chasing Euphoria

Another contender for Album of the Year.  Reaching highs not heard since the early 1990s, Harem Scarem have a sound that they have mastered, and they continue to find new ways of writing catchy hard rock.

1. Styx – Circling From Above

When I finally got my hands on the new Styx, I knew immediately that the Battle of 2025 was over – finished!!  New(er) members Terry Gowan and Will Evankovich have brought fresh sounds to the first rock band I ever liked.  That’s three incredible albums in a row from Styx!  Progressive rock and beyond.

Tim’s Vinyl Confessions Ep. 754: Best Albums of 2025

 

Part the Fourth:  Personal Stuff

Another years of highs and lows on the personal front.   My Aunt is in a care facility; she has a hard time remembering us.  We also lost our beloved elder.  Losing Grandma shortly after her 101st birthday was surreal.  She’d had so many health scares and recoveries, that I mourned her multiple times in the last five years before she finally passed.  I was so happy to see her make 101 years.  We saw her on her birthday, and that was the last time we saw her.  I gave her eulogy, and some people say it’s the best public speech I ever gave.  Highs and lows!

There were a ton of big changes and challenges at home in 2025.  Renovations, which I’ve been talking about for years, have finally commenced!  New windows and doors are installed, and more purging of belongings we didn’t need.  I established a home office for working remotely.  That is probably the biggest change at home in 2025.  I haven’t commuted anywhere in a month now.  This has drastically altered my mental health, as I navigate new routines.  Fingers are crossed!

2025 also represented a new personal peace.  Trying to be a better person year after year, I endeavored to put the past behind me and reach out to some old friends.  To my surprised delight, one of them reconnected with me, and we are friends again.  The one that I once publicly said would never talk to me again, has been back in my life for a year.  Another declined my olive branch, but I’ll take this win.   Working towards a more peaceful life is a good goal to have, and it doesn’t mean you can’t still listen to angry heavy rock!  Though I certainly can’t rock physically as hard as I used to.

One thing that I am slowly learning is that years tend to get harder as you age.  We lose people, and you can never predict that the the next year will be a year without funerals.  The last part of 2025 has been dominated by physical pain and anxiety.  Painfully, I am forced to realize that the body breaks down as we abuse it, year after year.  Physically, though I am taking care of myself by trying to eat better, and practice better mental health, my body is betraying me.  New pains become familiar pains.  Some go away for months and surprise you with a return later on, always at inconvenient times.  This year was the year I dropped my cell phones into a dumpster, and took a dive for the worse.  I am still paying for that mis-step.  There are good and bad days for pain.  Today is a particularly bad one.  Healing must continue in 2026.

Part the Last

In these uncertain times, we can only hope things don’t get worse next year.  Nobody can say what the new year will bring, but I do know we’ll have plenty of new music to digest.  New tours, as Journey, Iron Maiden, Guns N’ Roses, and even Rush and Triumph roll into 2026.

I don’t want to end the year on a bummer.  I can’t promise that 2026 will be the “best year ever!” or that I will reach newer and higher accomplishments.  I can only promise that I will continue to follow my creative muses.  I have many creative hats.  I’m a videographer, a podcaster, a writer, a drone pilot, and a cook.  You’ve been with me as I’ve shared my journey, on these subjects and more.  Journey on, I will.  More adventures.  More food.  More new discoveries.  More MUSIC!  Even years ago, when I “quit” writing about music, it still found its way into my work.  Every drone video has a kick-ass soundtrack, and every fictional story I’ve ever written has a soundtrack to it (whether you can hear it or not).  Music has been my life since 1977, when John Williams first opened my ears with the bombastic sound of brass, percussion and strings.  It’ll never go away.

I end this year with a message of hope.

I have learned that nothing is permanent.  The present sometimes feels like it, but nothing lasts forever and soon our new “normal” will be quite different from today.  If I can reconcile with the most unlikely of old friends, then there is always hope.  Hope for the future.  Happy 2026, and let’s continue to break new ground…together.

#1135: The Triumph and the Tragedy – Cottage Weekend June 20-23

“I am inevitable.” – Thanos.  Also my CD shelves.

I couldn’t wait to get my drone in the air when I got to the cottage.  We made it up in good time, all to the soundtrack of the Beaches.  I managed to pick up their first two EPs in Toronto with Aaron the week prior (paying through the teeth).  With very little traffic to deal with, we ran through The Beaches, Heights, and Blame My Ex before arrival.  Then it was time to fly!

We only had two good days for flying, Thursday and Friday.  It started to get rainy on Saturday which made it the proverbial “indoor day“.  Still, we celebrated our three day weekend with great food and excitement.  It was a brilliant weekend for nature sightings.  We spotted plenty of the usual chipmunks and squirrels, but we were treated to a rafter of wild turkeys, who lingered long enough to be filmed.  There was even a curious seagull who swooped in to check out my drone.  We also spotted our unafraid fox, Eric, who strolled directly past us twice without fear or hurry.  I was unable to get my camera out either time, which is a shame.  He was mere feet away.

My Amazon delivery this time was a new landing pad for my drone.  I discovered that landing in the grass was difficult, so the landing pad gives me a flat square anywhere I go.  Amazon showed up during my interview with author Angie Moon on Grab A Stack of Rock, which was funny to me.  Until recently, if you wanted something like that you’d have to wait until you got home to the city.  Now, Amazon can be there next day.  Unbelievable!  For most of my young life there, we didn’t have phones or cable TV.  Now we have wi-fi and Amazon delivering priority parcels in the afternoon.  I cannot say that I mind.  One thing that I used to miss during my teenage cottage weekends was access to my friends and record stores.  Now they’re all there at a touch of a button.

The drone footage was exceptional, and made up the bulk of the video for the trip.  And why not?  It’s my new toy and I love it.  It’s so easy and intuitive to use.   It has given me more options for being creative.  I simply could not wait to get home and start editing my new video.

And that’s when disaster struck.

What happened?  Watch the video….

Music credits:

  1. “You’re All Heart” by The Candidates
  2. “Annie Waits” by Ben Folds
  3. “Cash Money” by The Candidates
  4. “Leave You Now” by Gypsy Jayne
  5. “Blind” by Dr. Kathryn Ladano

 

REVIEW: The Beaches – Blame My Ex (2024)

THE BEACHES – Blame My Ex (2024 FACTOR)

By now, everyone has heard the anthem “Blame Brett”, a song named for Jordan Miller’s ex, Brett Emmons of the Glorious Sons.   While we don’t have Brett’s side of the story, from Jordan’s POV, the relationship is to blame for the following “wild” phase.  “So sorry in advance, before you take off you pants, I wouldn’t let me near your friends, I wouldn’t let me near your dad.”  This exceptional single has been an earworm all year, and the band are now reaping the rewards with international touring and an appearance on Kimmel.  “Don’t blame me, blame Brett!” has become a rally cry.

“What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Paranoid” boasts a strong chorus, wicked fuzzy guitars and delectable melodies served on a plate of a great beat and fun lyrics.  “I think I’m becoming a conspiracy theorist…everyone says that love exists, but I think that it’s a myth.”  A great song that screams hit potential.

“Me & Me” plays with tempo, and goes for the accelerator with an 80s sound, and great shouted backing vocals.  One of the strengths of this band is the vocalizing by the band, making it a party atmosphere.  The party continues with “Everything is Boring” and its “ah, ah” vocals.  “Doctor please, just pill me,” sings Jordan Miller to the ADD generation.  The pace slows down on “My Body Ft. Your Lips”, a playful title.  This is a duet with an American band called Beach Weather, and the female/male vocal lines work really well.  Though it takes a minute to catch, this is a great soft, slow burner.

“Kismet” has a speak-sing style on the verses, before the chorus bursts out in exuberant upbeat excitement.  The choruses are great, with a disco flavour and a quick beat, but the verses take some getting used to.  Moving on, “Shower Beer” is a great title.  You may have heard of the concept of drinking a beer in the shower.  “I’ve got fear of missing out, I wanna get drunk and sit up, I need to be talked about,” sings Jordan Miller.

“Edge of the Earth” has proven to be a success for the band, and you can hear why.  This ballad with a beat has passionate vocals, amazing melodies and harmonies, and the right vibe for a summer cruising hit.  That’s followed by a mid-tempo number with acoustic undertones called “If A Tree Falls”, which has nothing to do with the Bruce Cockburn song of the same name.  This is a really pretty pop rocker with a nice little guitar solo that is played for vibe.  The album goes back to high-speed pop rock on the closer “Cigarette”.  “I wanna be your cigarette,” squeals Jordan Miller, on one of the album’s most fun tunes.

Here’s the big problem with this CD.  Two, in fact:

  1. Difficulty to purchase.  The only way I could get this CD was at a show (sold out) or on their website ($15 shipping).
  2. No booklet, no credits, no nothing.  Only the song titles are listed on the back, not even the band members!

This album should be in every store.  It’s a hit waiting to happen.

4.5/5 stars

REVIEW: The Beaches – The Professional (2019 EP)

THE BEACHES – The Professional (2019 Universal EP)

Fact:  Toronto’s The Beaches put out consistently good music.  On their 2019 EP The Professional, they teamed up with big namer Jacknife Lee for production.  The band has grown a huge fanbase opening up for artists like Avril Lavigne, but the truth is they are better than most of the bands they open for.  The Beaches have developed a signature sound early on.  It doesn’t hurt that singer/bassist Jordan Miller has a unique, powerful voice.

Opener “Desdemona” boasts some sharp opening chords because the bass and drum groove takes us to the dancefloor.  Jordan Miller goes falsetto for that vintage vibe.  The guitars cut but don’t dominate.  There’s a fun 80s vibe but with the modern clarity and production that fans demand today.  It thumps!

More 80s vibes on “Fascination” which has an fast tempo Blondie direction.  Short, sweet and upbeat.  Synth drums open “Snake Tongue”, an understated angry pop masterpiece.  Check out these lyrics:

I can’t say I lack for much attention,
‘Cause these creeps come in from all directions,
Getting in my face,
Every single day.

And these:

Stop sending me all your dick picks,
They are boring me to pieces.

Although the Beaches certainly don’t need my sympathy, that kind of behaviour pisses me off.  Have some respect, dudes.  Though the music is nothing but pure uptempo fun, the lyrics bleed reality and it’s awesome.  You can hear why the Beaches are really resonating with kids today.

“Want What You Got” continues the 80s dance direction.  The bottom end just booms.  The chorus slays.  Everything about this song rules.  No weak links. There’s even a heavy breakdown midway through.  This is a guilt-free ode to jealousy, and why not.  When the chorus is this killer, who cares about deadly sins.

The final track “Lame” was a radio hit upon release.  A bit of an anthem, with bite! 70s glam rock vibes all over.  Loaded with attitude and soaring high on confidence, this track attacks!

The Beaches are only going to get bigger.  They’ve been releasing music consistently, including the Future Lovers EP and live tracks on Youtube.  Their next album will be huge, just wait.

5/5 stars

 

Catch the Beaches in Toronto TONIGHT!

 

#770: Encore!

GETTING MORE TALE #770: Encore!

I’ve been avoiding downtown Kitchener for the last couple years.  All that construction (five years’ worth) installing our new light-rail transit system…it’s been hellacious.  But that construction is now over, and the LRT train (called the ION) is running every 15 minutes.  Only two years behind schedule!  And guess where one of the stops is?  Right by legendary record store Encore Records.  Perfect!  No need to worry about parking.

Mrs. LeBrain and I hopped on a bus to the mall, and a few minutes later the train pulled in.  Using the free Wi-fi, I live-streamed myself making goofy faces on our new train.  The ride was quiet and fast since it only stopped a handful of times.  These new trains are lovely!  Now that they are finally running, I can see that the headaches will be worth it.  Clean and quick – I’d use the ION again.  It’s a shame but there are still people who hate the train so much that they would actually like to spend taxpayer money on ripping up the tracks!  What a waste that would be.  Let’s give this LRT a fair shake.

We disembarked the train at the City Hall stop, only a brief walk from Encore.  Not only was this my first ride on the train, but also my first visit to Encore since they moved from their old Queen St. location.  The new store, though not wheelchair accessible, seemed bigger and cleaner.  Old pal Al “The” King was there, happily still slinging the rock for us patrons.

We chatted a bit.  Al really enjoyed working at Encore.  There was a guy that I trained at my old Record Store about 15 years ago.  He left shortly after to work at Encore, and he’s still there!  When you find a place you enjoy working, I guess you stay!

Time to go look at music….

It didn’t take long for me to exceed my budget for the day.  First snag was from the new release rack:  The Beaches’ excellent new EP The Professional, $9.99.  A great recording; it will be getting a few spins this summer.  Next:  the used CD racks.  Plenty of stock as usual.  I came looking for old Styx, but there was no used Styx that I needed.  Instead I grabbed three Scorpions remasters:  World Wide Live (with DVD), Savage Amusement (with DVD), and Animal Magnetism.  $20 each.

Whoops!  I already owned Animal Magnetism.  No big deal; looks like some lucky person will be getting a free copy from me.  I really have to keep track of reissues better.  This is happening more and more frequently as my collection grows.

I still wanted some more classic Styx.  I’ve been playing my Styx albums repeatedly.  I needed some more classics to throw in the shuffle, so I moved on to the new CD racks.  There I picked up Pieces of Eight and Crystal Ball.  $9.99 each.  One by one and I’ll get them all.

Continuing through the racks of new stock, I spied two Kick Axe remasters by Rock Candy.  I’ve wanted both these albums for a long time:  Vices and Welcome to the Club, $22.99 each.  I’ve spun through both twice and was impressed with both the music and liner notes.  What an underrated singer George Criston is.  This sparked more Kick Axe purchases later on Discogs and Amazon.  The third album, Rock the World, is coming in the form of another Rock Candy remaster.  And thanks to the excellent liner notes inside Vices, I also tracked down some early Kick Axe on Discogs.  Debut single “Week-End Ride” / “One More Time” from 1981 is inbound!  Also coming, from the same year, is a compilation LP called Playboy Street Rock.  Kick Axe have a live track on that called “Reality is the Nightmare”.  It’s going to be cool hearing those early songs, which had a different singer.

It’s funny about Kick Axe.  One of the first buttons I ever bought for my jacket was Vices.  It only took close to 40 years to finally get the album.

Finally we closed the Encore trip with some vinyl.  A lovely reissue of Alice Cooper’s Zipper Catches Skin, on clear “black smoke” vinyl.  It looks and sounds great, and now I finally have all the Alice Cooper studio albums.

We bid farewell to Al and headed home again on the ION.  Now that the train is up and running, I do believe I’ll be making Encore a fairly regular weekend stop.

5/5 stars

 

 

REVIEW: The Beaches – Late Show (2017)

THE BEACHES – Late Show (2017 Universal)

Don’t waste your summer without visiting The Beaches.

With influences from the Go-Gos through alternative and surf rock, The Beaches have found an intoxicating sound perfect for summer partying.  Their debut long player Late Show is chock full of fun, energetic and catchy songs.  A couple of hit singles (“Money” and “T-Shirt”) are storming the charts, and a Juno win this year has raised their profile considerably.  Armed with an album produced by members of Metric, it is now their time.

Singer/bassist Jordan Miller is the lynchpin.  She can wail but tends to keep it subtle.  The songs swing from slinky to punk.  The Beaches are at their best when delivering sheer hooks caked in attitude.  That’s what made “Money” such a perfect single.  The simple, understated guitar hook works its way into your brain, and it’s topped with a punchy chorus.  The Beaches can write songs.  Most are credited to the four band members.  Some bands are afraid to showcase candy-coated hooks, but The Beaches have the confidence for it.  The hooks are paired with biting rock guitars, keeping the edges sharp.  They never let the pacing slip, and they keep things fun.  It’s right there in the lyrics to “T-Shirt”:  “Don’t take me so serious.  I just like to make a fuss.”

There are plenty of tunes that pack the goods.  “Gold” has a knack for sticking.  Even the slower tunes like “Highway 6” and “Back of My Heart” have an unexpected catchiness. “Keeper” is a like a blast from the late 80s, and “Sweet Life” is a jolt of caffeine at the end.

Get some Beaches into your life.

3.5/5 stars

#664: Heading to The Beaches

GETTING MORE TALE #664: Heading to The Beaches

I’m exposed to a lot of music through the radio.  I am lucky enough to hear roughly seven hours of radio at work every day.  I feel a bit like Milton from the classic movie Office Space.  “I was told that I could listen to the radio at a reasonable volume from nine to eleven.”

I just celebrated my 10 years at my job.  There was always a bit of a battle between staff and receptionists over the radio.  You see, everybody’s desk phone gets the radio piped in from the same station.  It was also the “on hold” music for incoming callers.  When I first started, the station was Chym FM.  That was a downstep from my prior job at United Rentals, who had Dave FM and all the rock and roll that entailed.  But soon enough, my current job switched the station to Dave, after several complaints about the repeat repeat repeat of Chym.

This went back and forth, back and forth, between Dave and Chym.  Some clients who were on hold would tell me, “I was really enjoying your AC/DC there.”  The receptionist really hated Dave, though.  One afternoon she switched us over to a new country station.  (That ended swiftly!)   Eventually I determined the best course of action was for me to turn off my phone radio, and just bring in my own.  So that’s what I did and for the last many years I’ve had my own radio tuned to Dave.  I’m happy that this small luxury is accommodated.  Rock and roll ain’t noise pollution.

Dave introduced me to many bands that I love today.   The Arkells, Monster Truck, Greta Van Fleet and July Talk are just a few from the last couple years.  I’m really grateful I get to hear great music every day.  The good bands more than make up for the Nickelback, Three Days Grace, My Darkest Days, and other assorted shit they’re forced to play.

The other day, a younger guy at work named Leo came up to me and asked, “Have you heard of the band The Beaches?”

“No,” I answered immediately.  “Let me Google them.”

I pulled them up, had a look at the four women that make up the band, and read a few blurbs.  “Undertook a tour in 2011 opening for Allstar Weekend” was the line that jumped out, and I said simply, “Yeah, they suck.”  Leo laughed that I could know such a thing in 60 seconds of Googling but my judgement had been declared.

I continued reading.  “Album was produced by Emily Haines and James Shaw of Metric.”  Metric?  Hey, they’re cool.  They probably wouldn’t produce shit.  I approached Leo and told him of my new research.  I re-opened the case of The Beaches.

Time goes by.  A song comes on the radio.  “Here’s ‘Money’, by The Beaches, on Dave Rocks,” said Craig.

Holy shit, The Beaches on Dave Rocks?  I put down my pen and listened.  It was a song I already knew and liked, but couldn’t remember who it was by.  I assumed the singer of “Money” was a guy.  Somebody with a high voice, like the guy from Royal Blood, maybe.  It turns out, I already liked The Beaches.  A band that I declared “sucked” after looking at a Wikipedia page.

Well, fuck me!

That should teach me about judging bands by appearances (a lesson I should have learned decades ago).  Double dumb-ass on me.  I didn’t even guess the gender of the singer correctly, while declaring that they sucked, also while already liking their single.  Triple dumb-ass on me!

So who are The Beaches anyway?  Toronto sisters Jordan and Kylie Miller are on lead vocals/bass and guitars respectively.  They were joined by friend Eliza Enman-McDaniel on drums, and a guitarist named Megan Fitchett.  They formed a teen pop rock band called Done With Dolls (a pretty cool name for an all-girl teen pop band) and it was actually they, not The Beaches, who toured with Allstar Weekend.  This early Done With Dolls incarnation does not resemble the band they transitioned to.  In 2013 Fitchett left and they took on double threat Leandra Earl (guitars/keyboards).  They evolved into a sleeker garage rock band.  Their image became cooler with a 60s and 70s-inspired evolution.  Yet they still have bite.

Check out that irresistibly simple guitar riff. The backing keyboards of Leandra Earl give it some depth, and then the chorus jumps right out. With tunes this good, Jordan Miller won’t have to worry about making money. It’s gonna happen.

Unlike my crush on Avril Lavigne 15 years ago, nobody can accuse me of liking The Beaches just because they’re attractive.  Turns out, I liked them when I thought they were dudes.

The title track to their debut LP Late Show is real punk rock, via Debbie Harry and the Go-Gos.  It alleviates any question that these girls will kick your ass.  They will indeed, and you will like it.  It really is easy to like these energetic tunes.

Don’t be surprised if you hear more about The Beaches as summer approaches. Their music sounds like a good fit for summer action, whether in your car or at a party. The buzz is building. They were nominated for Breakthrough Group of the Year for the 2018 Juno awards, taking place this Sunday (March 25). Keep your eye on The Beaches and wish them luck at the Junos!