New Music Monday: Five tracks to warm up your week

New music from Marc Broussard, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Stuck On Planet Earth, Muse, and Death Cab for Cutie

The transition into spring in Muskoka always feels like a bit of a tease, a slow-motion tug-of-war between the receding frost and the inevitable bloom. While we wait for the ice to finally clear and the first true scent of thaw to catch the breeze, the lingering chill provides the perfect excuse to stay inside a little longer with a fresh set of tracks. At Hunters Bay Radio, we know that while the thermometer might be stubborn, the music doesn't have to be. These selections, featured on The Countdown with Aaron Hall every Friday at 6:00 p.m., are the perfect companion for a season that’s finally poised to take hold.

Here are the five tracks defining this week’s New Music Monday:

Marc Broussard – "I'm Going Home"

There is a raw, road-weary soulfulness to "I’m Going Home" that feels immediately timeless. Marc Broussard delivers a vocal performance that sits somewhere between a gospel shout and a porch-side confession, anchored by a steady, rhythmic acoustic drive. It’s a song about the gravitational pull of where we belong, capturing that universal yearning for familiar ground. As the snow finally retreats from our driveways, this track serves as a warm, rootsy anthem for anyone finding their way back to themselves after a long, isolated winter.

Rainbow Kitten Surprise – "Sixteen"

Rainbow Kitten Surprise has always excelled at creating music that feels like a vivid, slightly feverish dream, and "Sixteen" is no exception. The track is built on a foundation of syncopated percussion and those signature, interlocking vocal harmonies that dance around a haunting melodic core. It’s a song that explores the weight of memory and the sharp edges of growing up, delivered with a frantic yet polished energy. It provides a colorful, high-vibration contrast to the grey slush of late March, proving once again that RKS is one of the most inventive forces in indie rock today.

Stuck On Planet Earth – "High Vibration"

Canadian trio Stuck On Planet Earth returns with a gritty, propulsive blast of alternative rock that lives up to its title. "High Vibration" is driven by a thick, fuzzy bassline and a chorus that feels designed to shake the dust off your speakers. There’s a restless, nighttime energy to the track—a sense of searching for a spark in the dark. It’s the kind of high-octane filler we need to bridge the gap between the quiet of winter and the loud, kinetic energy of a Muskoka summer, delivered with the raw edge the band is known for.

Muse – "Be With You"

Matt Bellamy and company take a swerve into a surprisingly intimate, synth-driven territory with "Be With You." While Muse is often associated with interstellar rock operas and thundering stadium anthems, this track finds them leaning into a lush, 80s-inspired romanticism. The soaring falsetto is still there, but it’s wrapped in shimmering electronic textures and a steady, heart-beat pulse. It’s a cinematic, sweeping piece of music that feels like watching a sunrise over a frozen lake—beautiful, slightly cold, but full of the promise of heat to come.

Death Cab for Cutie – "Riptides"

Closing out our list is the first new offering from Death Cab for Cutie in four years. "Riptides" is a propulsive, synth-driven track that finds Ben Gibbard exploring the paralyzing tension between personal reflection and a world moving at an unfathomable pace. Despite its heavy lyrical themes, the song possesses a youthful, new-wave energy and a shimmering production that feels both fresh and familiar. It’s a meditative yet driving piece of music that encourages us to find a way forward through the shifting currents of the season—a perfect companion as we wait for the ice to finally break.

While the season might be taking its sweet time to arrive, these tracks provide the perfect soundtrack to wait out the frost. Keep your dial tuned to the Bay, where the community stays connected—no matter what the thermometer says.

Sources:

• Rockposer
• Consequence of Sound
• MNPR Magazine
• Hunters Bay Radio