March 25, 2026
Bring Them Home Listening Post 395. The song is tender and spellbinding, even without reading the translated lyrics. It’s title, 4.5.0., is Ukrainian military code for “All is well,” and it paints a dream trapped in the heart of every parent and every child’s...
March 9, 2026
A River Runs Through It Listening Post 394. To call Le Vent du Nord a study in contrasts would be an understatement. The band’s name translates as “The North Wind,” but for more than two decades it’s been the hottest ensemble in traditional Québécois music, with...
February 11, 2026
Over Ocean and Pond Listening Post 393. Though Matthew Byrne is one of Canada’s finest traditional singers, forces beyond music have in recent years challenged his rhythm. Covid had a cascading effect on gig and recording schedules, and becoming a father curbed his...
January 6, 2026
Amnesty as Art Listening Post 392. On Sains & Saufs (Safe & Sound), Zaz opens with Je pardonne, a declaration of forgiveness: “I forgive from the bottom of my heart,” she sings, with intimacy and grace, “Nothing haunts me, nothing stops me/No hard feelings, no...
December 9, 2025
Sweet Spot Between Extremes Listening Post 391. Värttinä has iconic status in Finnish folk music, and considering the ensemble’s boreal origin it’s no surprise that Kyly, their fourteenth studio album, features themes of heat and cold— expressed in sharp harmonies and...
