False Starts

Today on False Starts we're joined by Lee Rose of Ace of Wands. Forged and led by the vision of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Lee Rose, Toronto band Ace of Wands is known for their explosive and charismatic live performances, astonishing musicianship, and gothic-rock aesthetics. Evoking the art-rock of PJ Harvey, the orchestral-pop of Kate Bush, and alt-rock fuzz of Nirvana, Ace of Wands creates a fantastical and immersive world of yearning, dread, euphoria, and insight. With lead vocalist Lee Rose alternating between violin and guitar, while simultaneously playing synth-bass foot pedals, joined by Anna Mernieks on guitar and Jody Brumell on drums — together, Ace of Wands defines the essence of Dream Rock. 

Amelia Maxwell is a Toronto-based musician. First and foremost a songwriter, she gravitates to indie-rock music, pairing melodic resolution with idiosyncratic lyricism that deals with queerness, grief, nostalgia, and disaffection. She performs her original music with drummer Robyn Bond and bassist Steven Noronha. Last year, Amelia released her debut EP, Lap Dog, and the band has toured it across Ontario and other parts of Canada. Recently Amelia put out a song and video for her single Tough Love, and performed at this year’s Juno Fest. 

With Violet is an East Coast alt-pop band hailing from St. John’s, Newfoundland, blending infectious pop hooks with rock sensibilities and funk-inflected flair. Since reforming in 2021, they’ve captivated audiences with dynamic live shows and a fresh, genre-defying sound that’s earned comparisons to Glass Tiger, Arkells, and Lake Street Dive. The band—Sarah Newell (Vocals & Saxophone), Pete (Vocals & Keyboards), Matthew Cadigan (Guitar), Spencer Fitz (Bass), and Hunter Madden (Drums)—has quickly become a mainstay in Newfoundland’s music scene. Winners of the 2025 Music NL Pop Group of the Year award, the band continues to build on the success of their debut full length album, Saturday Nights In Your Sunday Best, which passed 30,000 streams and charted at #2 on college radio. They’ve played major festivals like Iceberg Alley and George Street Festival, opening for acts like The Beaches, Tokyo Police Club, Walk Off The Earth, Down With Webster and Barenaked Ladies.

Today on False Starts we're joined by the incredible Dumb Crush. In a world whose signals grow louder and louder, a place that only provides questions, Dumb Crush has found a cure for what's been tearing us limb from limb, and heart from heart.

Today on False Starts we're joined by tongueshy. Blending raw folk honesty with a punk edge, Canadian singer-songwriter Jazeen Hollings channels heartbreak, self-discovery, and loneliness into her project, tongueshy. With confrontational lyricism, punchy acoustic grit, and meditative riffs, tongueshy draws influence from Nirvana, Courtney Barnett, Marika Hackman, and Medium Build.

On this episode of False Starts we're joined by Jeff Cancade of Devours and The Golden Age of Wrestling. Devours is the dark synth-pop project of Vancouver-based DIY musician Jeff Cancade.Across five acclaimed underground albums, including 2023's Polaris Prize-longlisted Homecoming Queen, Devours has written confessional and confrontational electronic music about masculinity, body image, gay politics, and inner-city queer existence. They have toured Canada and the US, received coverage from Vice, CBC, Exclaim, and the Globe and Mail, and have performed at festivals such as SXSW, Treefort Music Fest, Sled Island, JunoFest, Vancouver Jazz Fest, and more. Accompanied by David Prowse (Japandroids) on drums, Devours released their highly anticipated fifth album Sports Car Era in 2025, culminating in a flurry of buzz, festival slots across Western Canada, and sold out shows in Vancouver. 

evvvie is the musical project of Toronto-based tour photographer-turned-musician Evie Maynes. evvvie’s debut EP, How To Swallow A Lie is a love-letter to evvvie’s early 20’s and the pendulum of emotions that came with them: from lust to love lost, unfiltered confidence to debilitating anxiety, and complex introspection to light-hearted barking. The EP explores and expands evvvie’s sound of nostalgic melodies and shimmering dream-pop aesthetics, topped with a healthy dose of early-2000’s inspired grunge.