The Blue Stones (CA) + GLU (US)

Since bursting onto the scene with their acclaimed debut album Black Holes, The Blue Stones have delivered a crowd-thrilling live show that defies the laws of physics, generating an impossibly massive sound from its two members alone. On their third album Pretty Monster, the duo fully capture the controlled chaos and combustible energy of their live set for the very first time.

All while expanding on the potent songwriting and sonic ingenuity shown on Black Holes (a 2018 release that earned them a JUNO Award nomination for ‘Breakthrough Group of the Year’) and its 2021 follow-up Hidden Gems (a JUNO nominee for ‘Rock Album of the Year’).

Despite the colossal growth they’ve experienced since their start playing dive bars in their hometown, the duo instil every track with unchecked passion and a joyfully adventurous spirit. Pretty Monster came to life at an off-the-grid studio in Kingston, Ontario. Lead vocalist/guitarist Tarek Jafar and drummer/backing vocalist Justin Tessier worked tirelessly in preserving the raw vitality of the album’s demos while embedding each song with so many unexpected details. A striking departure from the more atmospheric sound of Hidden Gems (a widely lauded effort that spawned three Top 5 radio hits in Canada), the result is a triumphant body of work that merges the core dynamics of rock-and-roll with the indelibly catchy hooks of pop.