You know that new sound you've been looking for?

K-Os - Burning Bridges K-Os’ latest record, Yes!, marks a...

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 01:13:55 -0400

K-Os - Burning Bridges

K-Os’ latest record, Yes!, marks a return to a more traditional hip-hop sound after the more disco-funk Atlantis. I haven’t listened to the whole thing yet, but this is a standout track so far.

Grand Analog - Sittin’ on a Sunday From 2007’s...

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:26:41 -0400

Grand Analog - Sittin’ on a Sunday

From 2007’s Calligraffiti, this is Toronto’s Grand Analog with one of their softer, sadder tracks. One of my favourite Sunday morning songs. Enjoy.

MC Frontalot - Bragadoccio I’m going to see a film called...

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:41:00 -0400

MC Frontalot - Bragadoccio

I’m going to see a film called Nerdcore Rising tomorrow (I learned about it via BoingBoing a few years ago, but I don’t think it has played in Canada before.) It documents the rise of a bizarre form hip-hop called Nerdcore, which seems to be something like the continuation of Weird Al’s “It’s All About The Pentiums” into a whole subgenre, by following the tour of an artist by the name of MC Frontalot. Take a look at the trailer.

I relistened to the guy’s latest record and it’s more fun than I remembered. This track is called Bragadoccio.

Vetiver - Everyday Great little soft-folk song, perfectly sums...

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:36:00 -0400

Vetiver - Everyday

Great little soft-folk song, perfectly sums up how I feel right now.

Top 10 albums of 2008

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 22:26:42 -0500

Everyone’s making a list, so I figured I’d give it a try. I’ve found most of the lists elsewhere to be somewhat biased towards the end of the year, but mine is quite the opposite since I listened to a lot more music early in the year. Well, here goes:

10. Invincible - ShapeShifters

A record I discovered in early ‘09, which blows most hip-hop I’ve heard in recent years completely out of the water. Intelligent, forceful, and articulate. You could argue there’s a lack of catchy hooks or party beats here, but with rhymes this inventive who cares. This isn’t music for a party, it’s music to listen to on headphones and rewind a song 10 times because, damn. This girl is mad smart, and it’s testament to how warped the music industry is that nobody will ever hear of her.

9. Q-Tip - The Renaissance

Ultimately funky, soulful, and start-to-finish excellent. In a way the polar opposite of #10: maybe a bit slim on substance, but enough style to more than make up for it. A great record to throw on in the background of any social gathering.

8. Bob Dylan - Tell Tale Signs

Dylan is so good that volume 8 in a series of bootlegs and unreleased recordings manages to be one of the best records released this year. Some songs we’ve heard before in different forms, and some we haven’t. It doesn’t matter, because they’re all great.

7. Plants and Animals - Parc Avenue

Gotta give some love to the local boys. Phenomenal summer jam-band music: lots of great songs complemented with great playing and a relaxed feel. Also probably my pick for best record title of the year.

6. Girl Talk - Feed The Animals

Girl Talk’s music is incredibly hard to listen to, but I have to give him props both for the statement he’s making and for the undeniable modernity of his music. Worth at least one listen-through, if only for the fun of trying to identify all the familiar samples.

5. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

It took me forever to come around to this record, despite what seemed like everyone in the world recommending it to me. But it’s something amazing. In the past I’ve championed Blood On The Tracks as the ultimate album for feeling miserable to, but even I have to admit that it can be uneven at times (Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts?) For Emma, on the other hand, is a beginning-to-end masterpiece of sadness.

4. Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)

This album is suffused with such a deep and clearly thought-out aesthetic that in a sense it creates its own universe as you’re listening to it. The Healer is my favourite individual track of the year.

3. Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation’s Dark

If you’re one of those people who answers the question “What kind of music do you listen to?” with “Oh, all kinds of things. Everything really. Except country.”, then you owe it to yourself to check this one out. DBT also wins the “best lyric of the year” award with this gem from Perfect Timing:

I used to hate the fool in me
But only in the morning
Now I tolerate him all day long

2. Kanye West - 808s and Heartbreak

I’m as surprised as you are about this one. I’ve always been a bit of a Kanye hater, but I’ll be damned if he hasn’t finally made something just straight-up awesome. Listen to the opening cello on Welcome to Heartbreak and right away you can tell you’re in for something different. The auto-tune may lead to this record aging poorly, but right now it’s the best pop music out there.

1. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

Not much of an artistic statement here, but it’s just too much fun to pass it by. This is the record on the list that I can most easily envision myself listening to regularly in 10 years, and that’s why I’m giving it the number 1 spot.

Invincible - ShapeShifters December blues? Let this little gem...

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:05:22 -0500

Invincible - ShapeShifters

December blues? Let this little gem restore your faith in hip-hop.

The Rural Alberta Advantage - The Deathbridge in Lethbridge From...

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:08:00 -0500

The Rural Alberta Advantage - The Deathbridge in Lethbridge

From the confusingly named Rural Alberta Advantage (they’re from Toronto) comes this desperate-sounding rocker. Maybe the vocals are a little over the top, but you’ve got to love those drums.

Au Revoir Simone - The Lucky One (Snow Club remix) From the...

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:31:20 -0500

Au Revoir Simone - The Lucky One (Snow Club remix)

From the recently released remix album Reverse Migration, here’s Snow Club’s take on the already-excellent song The Lucky One.

Woo Ha (via ThaGeNeCySt)

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:57:32 -0500

Woo Ha (via ThaGeNeCySt)

Final Fantasy - The Butcher From 2006 Polaris Prize winner Final...

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 15:56:14 -0400

Final Fantasy - The Butcher

From 2006 Polaris Prize winner Final Fantasy comes this cute little song, with a somewhat disturbing video. Enjoy.

Marching Band - Everything Someone please explain to me why...

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 12:47:51 -0400

Marching Band - Everything

Someone please explain to me why Swedish indie-pop is so damn good? In case you’re keeping score, in recent years that Northern European nation has given us the admittedly overplayed Peter, Bjorn, and John, the excellent I’m From Barcelona, and the king of kitsch himself, Jens Lekman (Kings Of Convenience, though also excellent and Scandinavian, are from Norway). Now, with Spark Large, the excellent debut album from Marching Band, I’m beginning to get suspicious: is there some diabolical mastermind hook-crafter working in a secret underground lair miles beneath the permafrost?

Well, no matter how they do it, I suppose we’d better just enjoy it. Here’s Marching Band, with their song Everything.

Al Green - Lay It Down When I asked a friend of mine recently:...

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:20:02 -0400

Al Green - Lay It Down

When I asked a friend of mine recently: “Have you heard the new Al Green record?” he looked at me like I was crazy. But take a listen and tell me this isn’t a damn great soul song, on par with the classics of the genre. Has he still got it? In spades.

The Veils - Calliope! One of my favourite discoveries at Osheaga...

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 23:23:00 -0400

The Veils - Calliope!

One of my favourite discoveries at Osheaga in 2007 was this band, The Veils. They’re originally from New Zealand but are now based in London, and their most recent record, 2006’s Nux Vomica, is a fascinating blend of upbeat chamber pop and dark, creepy alt-country, somehow held together by singer Finn Andrews’ desperate-sounding wail.

This song, Calliope!, is one of the brighter songs on the album. Enjoy.

Finn Brothers - A Life Between Us Nothing like a dose of warm,...

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 23:28:00 -0400

Finn Brothers - A Life Between Us

Nothing like a dose of warm, comforting pop harmonies to ward off the autumn chill. From the 2004 record Everyone Is Here.

The Go! Team - Ladyflash The lead single from The Go!...

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 22:35:00 -0400

The Go! Team - Ladyflash

The lead single from The Go! Team’s debut album, Thunder, Lightning, Strike, is a wonderfully curious blend of indie-pop melodies, and old-school dance and hip-hop vibes.

Paolo Nutini - Loving You For a little bit of cognitive...

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 10:21:00 -0400

Paolo Nutini - Loving You

For a little bit of cognitive dissonance: listen to this, and try to keep in mind that Nutini is a scrawny white 18-year old (well, at the time of the recording) from Scotland.

Explosions In The Sky - Your Hand In Mine Haven’t posted...

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:18:51 -0400

Explosions In The Sky - Your Hand In Mine

Haven’t posted in awhile, as it’s been quite a week up here in Montréal. To make up for it, here’s one of my favourite songs. It’s beautiful beyond words, and for an instrumental piece it bears its title perfectly.

The Parlor Mob - Can’t Keep No Good Boy Down Sandwiched...

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:58:32 -0400

The Parlor Mob - Can’t Keep No Good Boy Down

Sandwiched between a disappointing set by Sound and Fury and the overloud bombast of Australian rockers Airbourne last night at Le National was a little gem of a set by Jersey blues-jam-stoner-rock band The Parlor Mob. This is one of their more acoustic, bluesier numbers. Cop it.

Shad - The Old Prince Lives At Home Let it not be said that...

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:27:37 -0400

Shad - The Old Prince Lives At Home

Let it not be said that newsound isn’t on the cutting edge: this video was released onto the intertubes this very morning. Shad (full name Shadrach Kabango) is one of the Great White North’s most talented rappers, check him out at Pop Montréal on October 3rd.

Los Campesinos - You! Me! Dancing! Just in case you needed one...

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:03:00 -0400

Los Campesinos - You! Me! Dancing!

Just in case you needed one more piece of evidence that Arts & Crafts can do no wrong, here’s a great little cheerer-upper by Welsh indie-pop ensemble Los Campesinos!