Operators, Kevin Drew, Chad VanGaalen Contribute to Heart & Stroke Foundation Benefit Comp.

BY Gregory AdamsPublished Aug 30, 2016

Operators, Broken Social Scene singer Kevin Drew and the Besnard Lakes are among the Canadian acts contributing to a new benefit compilation for the Heart & Stroke Foundation. Given the title of Taking It to Heart, the first volume of Treeline Recordings' charitable project arrives as a digital download and limited-edition LP on September 30.

The 13-song set features various B-sides, remixes and live cuts from a clutch of Canadian artists. The bulk of these are previously unreleased, though Kevin Drew's "Alberta" had been uploaded to SoundCloud in May 2015 following Alberta's provincial election, and We Are Wolves' "Feed Them" had previously been up for sale in iTunes.

Taking It to Heart begins with an alternate take of Operators' "Shape of Things to Come," which had first appeared on their 2016 full-length, Blue Wave. This version features guest vocals from Perfect Pussy singer Meredith Graves, you can check out an exclusive stream of the Graves-assisted cut down below.

Elsewhere on the set, you've got songs from Chad VanGaalen, Woodpigeon, the Besnard Lakes, Nap Eyes and Duotang.

Pre-orders for Taking It to Heart are on sale now over on Bandcamp. In addition to picking up a digital copy, you can also order a limited-edition vinyl copy on "blood red with black marbling." The physical copies come in a pressing of 500. All proceeds from the sales of Taking It to Heart will go towards the Heart & Stroke Foundation.

In addition to the compilation, there will also be a benefit concert featuring SAVK, Astral Swans, Melted Mirror and Micah Visser. It will take place on October 7 at Calgary's Broken City, and you can get tickets here.

A second volume of Take It to Heart is expected to arrive sometime in 2017.

Taking It to Heart, Vol. 1:

1. Operators - "Shape Of Things To Come" (ft. Meredith Graves)
2. Melted Mirror - "Hungry Shades"
3. Kevin Drew - "Alberta" 
4. Wayne Petti - "Knife Fight Night Life"
5. Chad VanGaalen - "Delicious Plants"
6. Woodpigeon - "Devastating" (Trapper remix)  
7. Pre Nup - "Mickey Mouse Stuff"
8. We Are Wolves - "Feed Them"
9. Duotang - "Reactionaries"
10. Nap Eyes - "The Rooks"
11. SAVK - "Racing Slicks"
12. Noah's Arkweld - "Save Me From Myself"
13. The Besnard Lakes - "46 Satires" (live)

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