My Top 10 Hottest Canadian Bands 2009

Well, it's that time of the year that every Canadian music blogger loves the most: I (Heart) Music's carefully calculated compiling of The Hottest Bands in Canada. Matthew is the head maestro of that high quality music blog from Ottawa and what he does is he asks several of the country's finest music aficionados (and me) for their personal picks of the 10 hottest bands in Canada. He then takes our respective lists and, using a team of highly respected scientists and mathematicians, puts together the final selections. I was flattered to once again be asked to contribute my thoughts.

The two points of criteria remained the same: the bands had to be Canadian and they had to have a particularly "hot" year. As far as how these rules were to be defined was left up to our own discretion. I decided that the first point meant that they had to be in Canada, but I took a slightly different approach to that second point this year. Last year, I basically went with hot = popular, which meant that I included a couple of acts that were not necessarily my cup of meat, but included because they were everybody else's. This year I decided, screw that. I'm an opinionated music blogger and therefore I made the list a little bit more bob-centric. But fair.

This meant that I didn't include the bands I don't like, even if everyone else does (see Gentlemen Reg, Chad VanGaalen) and I also excluded the ones that I sorta like but find incredibly overrated (see Metric, Joel Plaskett, Still Life Still.) There are also the choices that were originally on my list but I opted to leave off in the end since I had a good feeling that they would ultimately make the list just fine without my help (see Great Lake Swimmers, Coeur de Pirate.) This allowed me to give that extra nudge to the not-so-sure-they'll-make-it-without-my-vote bands on my list. (By and large, that didn't work.) Finally, by definition, a band's hotness factor is, of course, not all about me, which means that the band needed to have a measure of significant buzz this year that made them stand out, which means that I also had to leave out a couple of my own personal favourites too, as much as it hurt my feelings to do so (see Fox Jaws, Amos The Transparent.) The only exception to this rule was my number 10 pick, whom I knew would likely not make the list, but I thought that I had a pretty strong argument for their inclusion so there you go.

Which brings us to my personal ten selections. Only a select few made the final cut, but this was a pretty difficult year for limiting the choices to only ten, since the level of quality this year was immense. And here they are:

1. Rural Alberta Advantage- Having reaped praise from just about every noteworthy music source over the last year, both here and south of the border, culminating in the support of the mighty Saddle Creek label, the RAA are now mere steps away from being a household name. Very impressive (although I'm still struggling to believe that Stephen Harper honestly listens to their music.) [Myspace]

2. The Balconies - Their debut album encapsulates a brave form of ambition that most bands save up for their third of fourth album. This means that, in theory, their third or fourth album is going to be the greatest thing ever. [Myspace]

3. Bruce Peninsula - Successfully duplicating a live performance that is amongst the most uplifting anywhere onto a studio recording is no small task, but Bruce Peninsula have done so with ease. [Myspace]

4. Wilderness of Manitoba - Folk bands are a dime a dozen these days, but this band's hotness factor lies in their ability to make a semi-tired genre sound fresh and beautiful again. [Myspace]

5. Ohbijou - Beacons is a reminder that even though life in the city can get pretty ugly at times, there is always an inner beauty to be discovered and exposed. [Myspace]

6. Zeus – They’ve made classic rock cool again. And, most impressively, by covering Genesis’ That’s All, they’ve made Phil Collins (semi) cool again. For these reasons, along with the fact that they're ridiculously good, they definitely get my pick for hottest new Arts and Crafts signing. [Myspace]

7. Whale Tooth – I’ve said it before, but in an indie world that tends to take itself too seriously at times, it’s refreshing to have a band like Whale Tooth around to remind us to have some fun. [Myspace]

8. Green Go – Finally, a dance band with a sound that is both organic and honest. [Myspace]

9. The Paint Movement – Not only have they released what, in my opinion, is the most captivating local release of the year, but they’ve done so with a brass rock comeback that, unbeknownst to most of us, was desperately needed. [Myspace]

10. The Hoa Hoa’s – They may not be hot in the sense that everybody has heard of them, but within the massively overlooked Canadian psych-rock scene, they are the saviors of aural experimentation, simultaneously urging us to gaze at our shoes while floating into a sonic high. Reaping praise from psych legend, the late Sky Saxon, is no small feat either. [Myspace]

[RAA photo above by Patrick Leduc]

No Shame's 100th @ The Horseshoe

featuring Green Go, Ruby Coast, Pick A Piper and The Skeletones Four

It was with grand enthusiasm that I was looking forward to this particular landmark on the local indie music scene. Whether she knows it or not, Lauren Schreiber has been personally responsible for a healthy percentage of my local musical knowledge, having introduced me to some excellent bands by means of her No Shame Concert Series. And this special commemorative show was destined to be pretty special with its inclusion of a couple of established greats along with a couple of new up-and-comers.

The Skeletones Four were the first band of the evening and the only one that I knew virtually nothing about. There were also the most difficult band on the roster to pigeonhole into a specific genre. Lead vocalist and apparent mastermind Andrew Collins has created a band that specializes in odd time signatures and intricately crafted instrumental breakdowns that came across to me as the oddly neglected lovechild of Rick Wakeman and Joni Mitchell. Believe it or not, I mean that as a compliment of the highest degree. There is certainly a touch of mathematical pomp in the proceedings, but Godspeed You! Black Emperor these guys are not. To create a style of music that is challenging, yet endearing is no small task but The Skeletones Four pulled it off nicely. Unlike the rest of the bands that evening, they are the type of band that requires concentration and undivided attention as opposed to being a band that you can just shake and dance too. I certainly intend on doing just that once I get around to picking up their works in some sort of physical form.

With due respect to all of the other bands on the bill, Pick a Piper did not only steal the show, they crammed it into their carry-on luggage and boarded a flight to Mexico with it. To describe their set as breathtaking would be a bit of an understatement since their tribal assault of intense percussion actually left me feeling exhausted once they were done. I had seen them before at Rancho Relaxo and was suitably impressed, but with the shoe's far superior sound system backing them up, they were able to showcase a sound that pounded right through you. What I really like about their style is the way that it creeps up on you. They like to start out pleasantly with some subtle melodies and minor hooks before bursting into a heavy drum crescendo that continued to build significantly throughout the course of their set. By the time they played their last song, a couple members had brought their percussion of choice onto the dance floor as they encouraged the crowd to break out whatever percussive toy they could find and participate in this all encompassing blast of sonic exhilaration.

Up next was Ruby Coast. I don't know why I continue to forget this, but the fact that they have some of the craziest fans around always catches me off guard. As usual, they put on a show that was lots of fun and enthusiastic, thanks to the crowds overwhelming encouragement. In reviewing and listening to their music in the past, I have always had high hopes for this band. Although they shared a certain air of familiarity with some of the basic pop stylings of many of their contemporaries, I always figured that these kids were just weird enough to stretch beyond that and create a sound that is more unique and slightly more interesting. Upon seeing them this time however, I guess I have to resign myself to the fact that I currently like them as much as I likely ever will. This isn't a bad thing, since some of their songs are amongst the catchiest tunes I know. But as far as them becoming a band that I'm likely to go out of my way to see, I don't think that's going to happen. That having been said, I don't think that anyone can deny the fact that they put on an excellent show, and as long as their fanbase continues to remain as excitable as they currently are, I'm pretty sure that the band has nothing to worry about.

Which brings us to Green Go. If your goal is to create a frenzied party-like atmosphere, then there really is no better band to end with than Guelph's Green Go. They've got all of the right ingredients for a Friday night: spazzy electro-pop beats, excitable vocals, and stellar stage presence. The fact that they look like they're having so much fun up there just adds to their charm, and the crowd was buying into it hardcore! I find it amazing (not to mention slightly educational) that a band is able to create such a great electro-friendly atmosphere while still displaying a vibe that is equally in debt to all of the great rock shows that I've attended through the years. Vocalist and synth player Ferenc Stenton even jumped onto the floor with his electric guitar and proceeded to work the crowd with all of the moves of rock star 101. The chemistry between all of the band members was equally as electric and the show was filled with such great intensity that I can't wait to see the band again. Being one of the hardest working local bands of the moment, I'm sure that they'll be plenty of opportunities.

Photos: My shots from No Shame's 100th @ The Horseshoe are on flickr
Myspace: The Skeletones Four
Myspace: Pick A Piper
Myspace: Ruby Coast
Myspace: Green Go

I'm literally running out the door right now to go to the cottage for the weekend, so have a good one and I'll post a review of last night's Joe Pernice show at The Dakota Tavern upon my return.

CONTEST: Win tix to No Shame's 100th Show and a copy of Green Go's CD "Borders"

Although there are many great music series, festivals and events in the city of Toronto, very few compare with the excellent No Shame Music Series that has been taking place for a few years now. This a music series that prides itself in not simply giving in to popular opinion, or the fickle musical tastes of the average Toronto-based indie music snob. On the contrary, this is a series that believes in taking risks, thriving on eclecticism, pushing boundaries and uniting different musical palates to converge on the same dance floor. It is a series that has successfully introduced local music fans to bands that they may have never heard otherwise a total of 99 times in a row now. And it is with great pride that No Shame presents its 100th show at The Horseshoe on Friday September 18th for only $10. As usual, the lineup is stellar!

The bands on the bill are as follows:

Green Go are a band from Guelph that specializes in hyperactive sweat fueled electro-pop that is guaranteed to make even the stuffiest slug dance his face off. [Download: Put Your Specs On Boy mp3]

Ruby Coast is a fun band with a knack for combining an addictive blend of shout-heavy power pop with some wickedly catchy new wave leanings. [Download: Ruby Coast's Brittle Bones mp3]

Pick A Piper are a percussive assault of tribal beats that is steeped in vocal precision and soaring melodies.

And The Skeletones Four are a newer band that specializes in a unique blend of soul and prog which combines to create a psych rock experience that is not easy to forget.

CONTEST: Thanks to the kind folks at The Musebox, I've got a prize pack to giveaway that includes the following:

1) two tickets to the show on September 18th
2) a copy of Green Go's CD Borders, which I reviewed over here.

To enter, just send an email to quadb2001 [at] gmail [dot] com with the words "I Wanna Be Shameless" in the subject line, and your full name in the body.

Contest is now closed. Congrats to Karen M. and thanks to all who entered.

CONTEST: Win a Green Go Prize Pack featuring concert tickets and a copy of their latest CD

GREEN GO - BORDERS

My 15 year old self would never have listened to a band like Green Go. You see, dance music and myself have never had a very close relationship through the years. Being a classic rocker in an Oshawa high school (or more accurately classic progger) meant that not only did I not dance, but I didn't go to dances, and I felt that it was my duty to beat up on any guy that did. However being a skinny non-athletic kid who was generally half the size of most of the happy-to-dance jocks in my school made it hard to fulfill the last part of that personality portfolio. Thankfully some years have passed, I've added a little bit of meat to my bones (OK, a lot of meat but sadly not the muscle kind) and I've resigned myself to the fact that my 15 year old self was a bit of an idiot. As much as labels are somewhat necessary in order to describe a band's sound, for the most part I try to listen to music without any premeditated labeling, and that allows me to be more diverse and eclectic in my choices.

I give you that semi-brief personal history factoid as a lyrical means of beating the crap out of my 15 year old self, and openly embracing the fact that my 35 year old self thinks that Green Go's latest release Borders is absolutely amazing! The CD is an accomplished album that will definitely make you dance like a fiend, although the band does so by using organic rock 'n roll instrumentation. I saw the Guelph band last weekend at an in-store showcase, which is never a proper atmosphere to see a band that specializes in hyperactive sweat-fueled electro-pop, but as I had mentioned, they brought the house down. This leads me to believe that their actual live show must be electrifying. In fact, the CD makes it obvious that the band is incapable of doing anything less. One problem that I still have with some of the dancier bands on my radar is that the live show is usually fantastic fun while the CD is usually a boring pile of ''meh." Not so with Green Go. Borders is a grand parade of energy that remains constant throughout the course of the album. In You Know You Want It, they literally shout the command "Don’t hold your breath! Dance ’til your death!" and honestly, the album leaves me with no other option but to do just that. Another thing that makes this album stand miles above others of a similar ilk, is the impressive lack of predictability. Former or current dance music haters know what I'm talking about. The repetitive beats, the predictable vocoders, the unimaginative lyrics. The band does make use of all of these ingredients but never to the point of brain cell-burning nausea. There are magnificent guitar moments, well thought out keyboard and drum parts, and surprising tempo changes. The truth of the matter is that there are very few times in my life that I actually feel like dancing, yet I anticipate that I will still be pulling out this album on a regular basis throughout the course of the year.

To sum up, however you want to classify Green Go's Borders, whether it's dance music, electro-pop, post-punk or unequivocally spasmodic mental and cognitive performance stimulant hypersong, the CD is just plain good and regardless of your genre of choice, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

Myspace: Green Go
Download: Put Your Specs On Boy mp3


CONTEST: Green Go are celebrating the release of Borders on Pheromone Recordings at Wrongbar on Thursday April 30th. Joining them for the celebration is The Magic, Everything All The Time and Opopo DJ's. It's a No Shame event, and entrance is $5. Courtesy of Global Recess Records, I've got two free passes to give away, along with a copy of the new Green Go CD. If you want to win this fantastic prize, email me at quadb2001 [at] gmail [dot] com with "I Want To Green Go" in the subject line, and your full name in the body.

Contest is now closed. Thanks to all who entered.

Hooded Fang, Steamboat, Little Girls & Green Go @ Sonic Boom

Yesterday Sonic Boom hosted a pretty full afternoon/evening of free music in honour of International Record Store Day and although I wasn't able to stay for the whole thing, I did catch the first four bands. In the spirit of musical appreciation, diversity was the order of the day with all of the bands bringing something unique to the table.

My vote for most improved band goes to Hooded Fang, whom I have now seen three times in only a few months. I always liked them, but this show really emphasized the fact that they have really progressed from being just another cute amateur local indie act. Their professionalism was very apparent this time around and I was actually surprised at how tight their musicianship has become. The last couple of times that I saw them, I was full of suggestions as to how they can improve, but now I'm beginning to think that they're at a point where, if they want to reach similar levels of success as Los Campesinos! or Architecture in Helsinki, it may actually be within their grasp.

Myspace: Hooded Fang

Speaking of tight musicianship, Steamboat was on next. This band boasts a classic sound that, while not particularly new, is nicely settled in a soulful R&B territory that is not ventured too often these days. The band had garnered some buzz last summer when they shared the stage at The Tranzac with some pretty heavy local hitters like Andre Ethier, Sandro Perri and Alex Lukashevsky, to name a few. Matt McLaren's gruff yet distinguished vocals were impossible to ignore and Steamboat's brand of jammy rootsy soul reminded me more than a little bit of The Band. Besides their original material, they even pulled out an old reggae cover. I think it was a John Holt song, if memory serves me correctly. What I do remember is that it sounded great. At four songs, their set served as more of a preview to what the full show must be like, but it was entertaining enough to make me curious to hear some more.

Steamboat plays The Tranzac with Sandro Perri and Mantler on April 25th
Myspace: Steamboat

In keeping with the "now for something completely different" theme of the evening, Little Girls hit the stage next with a sound that was sure to break everyone's concentration, as well as perhaps a couple of eardrums too. Never before has the description of noise-pop been more apt since this band was definitely noisy. Apparently this was the band's very first show, so understandably the sound was still a little bit rough, but I thought there was some definite potential hidden beneath that ginormous wall of sound. Josh McIntyre had an otherworldly stage presence that was as arresting as it was jarring. And although I thought that the sound system unfortunately buried the melodies a little bit, a sampling of the material on their myspace page indicates that not only are the melodies there, but they are actually very strong. Rumour has it that there has been some significant interest in Little Girls, and it'll be interesting to see where that interest takes them.

Little Girls are playing Rancho Relaxo with The Bitters on May 1st.
Myspace: Little Girls

At that point, hunger was dictating that I should probably think about leaving soon, but more than a few people have been encouraging me to see Green Go, so I told my gut to shut up for just a few minutes and decided to stick around to see if these guys are really all that buzz worthy. As some of you may know, dance music tends to miss me more than it hits me, so based on certain descriptions, I really haven't spent any time with Green Go's upcoming release Borders, even though I've had it in my digital mailbox for a few days now. To my surprise however, this groovy synth-heavy band from Guelph had the ability to crank the excitement pretty frickin' high while in the basement of this record store, which leaves me in complete awe as to what they must be able to accomplish on an actual dance floor. I think part of what makes these guys so appealing to me is the fact that, while their shouty electro funk is certainly designed for summoning up one's inner groove thang, their use of all the standard instrumentation ensures that they do so with an organic rock 'n roll heart. I've listened to their debut a couple of times since seeing this show and the vibe of their live show is not lost on their recorded output. Very impressive.

Green Go is having their CD release party at Wrongbar on April 30th.
Myspace: Green Go

All of my photos of Record Store Day @ Sonic Boom are on flickr.