2009: The Local(ish) Rock Star Elite

Just over a year ago, I posted a cheesy US Magazine-styled list of the ten biggest rock stars in the city, and (relatively) surrounding area. It wasn't meant to be taken too seriously, since such a list would mean that I was excluding hundreds of other worthy contenders, since our city and (relatively) surrounding area is teeming with them. It was also kind of a spur of the moment thing that was initially intended to be sort of a one-off thing. But I've come to realize that people (especially rock stars) love to see themselves on lists. So I figured that I would do it again. Firstly though, a few explanations:

Although there are a few on last year's list that could have easily made the list again this year (Carleigh and Rajiv come to mind immediately), I figured that for the sake of variety I would do up these lists sort of 'Hall of Fame' style, which means that once you're in, you're in. Secondly, there is no scientifical explanation for anyone's inclusion other than you're the first ones that came to mind. I figured that with all of the local shows I attend, if you came to my head that quickly then you must've had an impact. And thirdly, just to keep things in perspective, these are all just the opinions of one man, that man being me. The Jennifer Polk's, Melody Lamb's and Lauren Schreiber's in the city see way more local talent than I do, and would likely be more qualified to make such a list but whatever. I'm having fun. So, without further ado, here's my list of the top ten local(ish) rock stars of the past year.

1. Branko Scekic

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario (well, initially Serbia but...)
Bands: Dinosaur Bones; Serb Superb
What Makes Him A Rock Star:
Although my personal enthusiasm for Dinosaur Bones is a tad more reserved than many, I know a rock star when I see one, and brotha! Branko oozes rock star. He's like the bizarre alien spawn of Frank Zappa and Flavor Flav. Whether he's blasting bass with the Bones, spitting improvised rhymes as the animated Serb Superb, or simply bounding around the audience at someone else's show, he definitely makes his presence known and I have a feeling that every band secretly wishes he was in there's as well.

2. Cameron Jingles

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Bands: The Disraelis
What Makes Him A Rock Star:
Some people are cool without even trying, and if you've ever caught a live show by The Disraelis, than you already know that Jingles (or Ingles depending on which source you read) isn't even interested in trying. He's our city's Lou Reed, and his rebel without a cause demeanor should be off-putting, but for whatever reason, it isn't. More like compelling.

3. Elise LeGrow

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Bands: Whale Tooth; Elise LeGrow
What Makes Her A Rock Star:
She's a firecracker of energy when she performs, and the fact that she can keep that flawless voice of hers in tact while bounding around that stage with an almost unnatural animation, is what makes her the rare case of being a jazz singer that still rocks.

4. Jason Loftman

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Band: The Paint Movement
What Makes Him A Rock Star:
The Paint Movement is the type of band that works so well together as a team, that standing out in such a group is no small feat. But the moment in every show when Loftman wails a solo on that sax is consistently the evening's highlight as he solidifies the fact that this band is doing something that I'm hearing no other band do right now, local or otherwise.

5. Jacquie Neville

Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario (now relocated to Toronto)
Bands: The Balconies; Jetplanes of Abraham (formerly)
What Makes Her A Rock Star:
Jacquie has a unique ability to completely own the stage with phenomenal poise and confidence while making sure that this self assured-ness never delves into arrogance and loss of control. I've seen performers on TV with twice the experience she has lose control of their vocals while getting drunk on their own inflated ego. Despite the amount of devotion that is thrown her way during a performance, Neville manages to avoid all of that while still having the audience eating out of her rock 'n roll hands.

6. Lee Brochu

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Band: The Hoa Hoa's
What Makes Him a Rock Star:
The rock star that plays the part 24/7 usually ends up burning out and/or fading away at the height of his/her success. The rock star with longevity however, lives more of a superhero lifestyle by being a mild mannered citizen by day, and a melt your face off rocker by night. This is what will likely allow supply teacher Mr. Brochu to fall into the latter category as the respected day job is undoubtedly what frees him up to whip a crowd into that psychedelic haze that he does at every show.

7. Paul Banwatt

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Bands: Rural Alberta Advantage; Woodhands, We're Scared
What Makes Him A Rock Star:
It has been consistently noted that the drummer is the backbone of the band. In other words, a bad band can have a great drummer and actually sound pretty good. In the case of the bands that Banwatt plays in, a great drummer can make an already great band sound absolutely earth shattering. Banwatt is currently my favourite drummer in the city (next to last year's #1 rock star on my list) and his ability to take a simple pop song and turn it into something epic (i.e. Don't Haunt This Place) is a rock 'n roll move that cannot be overstated.

8. Matt Bahen

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Band: The Schomberg Fair
What Makes Him A Rock Star:
This speed gospel renegade preaches with an electrified ukulele in hand and manages to convert every crowd member to his lyrical cowpunk methodology. The man is the most down-to-earth type of gentleman you'll ever meet offstage, but onstage, the dude is downright exhausting and with new opening slots for Ron Sexsmith and The Sadies on the horizon, I'm pretty sure that you'll be seeing his name on a few more lists by this time next year.

9. Yann Godbout

Hometown: Montreal, Quebec
Bands: Half Baked; The Sound of Sea Animals
What Makes Him a Rock Star:
It may be a risky move to include a guy whom I've only ever seen once, but the impression he made was very strong and according to some other reviews that I've seen, that one show was not a case of him simply having a particularly good night. The man pulls out every cheesy rock 'n roll cliché the book contains, from swirling windmills to down-on-your-knees Hendrix-isms to run-through-the-audience-like-a-madman jocularity. When it comes to rock 'n roll, originality may be an asset, but sometimes a tried and true cliché is just as much fun.

10. Brad Weber

Hometown: Waterloo, Ontario
Bands: Pick A Piper; Caribou.
What Makes Him a Rock Star:
Being a rock star is undoubtedly a lot of work, and you'd be hard pressed to find someone who works harder on stage than Brad Weber. As soon as he hits the stage, he exudes a hypnotic mystique that cannot be forced nor faked and the second he joins his bandmates in that tribal percussive assault that PaP have been garnering great recognition for, you cannot help but forget about the cares of the day and succumb to his mysterious charm.

Last Year's Ten:
1. Robbie Butcher (Tin Bangs; Nights)
2. Jamie Greer (Golden Hands Before God)
3. Carleigh Aikins (Fox Jaws)
4. Dorian Wolf (Spiral Beach)
5. Patrick Krief (Black Diamond Bay; The Dears)
6. Wayne Petti (Cuff The Duke; Wayne Petti)
7. Rajiv Thavanathan (Oh No Forest Fires; Five Blank Pages)
8. Johnny Maldorer (Les Breastfeeders)
9. Sarah Smith (The Joys)
10. Lonely Vagabond (Maestro of Myspace)

Rural Alberta Advantage / Bahamas / Fox Jaws @ Lee's Palace

Procrastination nearly gave me a swift kick to the head last Friday night, when up until about noon that day, it looked like I wasn't going to get in to the Rural Alberta Advantage's sold out show at Lee's Palace. I don't know why I didn't think it was going to be a problem since, according to a very reliable source, the RAA is currently the hottest band in Canada. Thankfully, I was one of the fortunate ones as I was able to squeeze in at basically the last minute. Sometimes it's kinda cool knowing someone who knows someone.

If you're a fan, (and these days who isn't) then you've likely already read a review of this show somewhere else on the interweb already, but here's a few of my own highlights anyway:

Barrie's Fox Jaws opened the night, and as always, they put on a fantastic show. The band and I have been forming quite the bond as of late, due to mutual admiration for what we do. I love their music, and they love how often I gush about how much I love their music. It's a very special relationship. When I play their music for friends, I'm admittedly greeted with varying levels of enthusiasm, but their live show is one of the few that I have brought friends to that have resulted in blown minds every single time. Obviously there was no room for me to bring friends this time around, but I did run into a couple of them when I was there, and following the show it looked like the Jaws have recruited yet some more new converts. The performance was as high energy as always, the vocals were insane, and the group really benefited from the excellent sound at Lee's on this particular night. Besides all of the great new songs from their latest album At Odds (or Exercises in Separation While United In The Fall), it was nice to hear a couple of the older classics as well, most notably my favorite song My Hands, My Plans, which I swear I saw lead vocalist Carleigh Aikins dedicate to yours truly, even though none of my friends saw it, which leads me to think that maybe it was just in my imagination, but I'm going to pretend that it wasn't, so that I can go on believing that this show was, in fact, the happiest day of my life, next to my wedding and the first time that I tried an apple fritter at Starbucks. (I'm not kidding, have you tried one of those sweet delicacies of death yet? Life altering.)

Photos: My shots of Fox Jaws @ Lee's Palace are on flickr
Myspace: Fox Jaws

Next up was Fox Jaws Nevado labelmate Afie Jurvanen, also known as Bahamas. When I saw him back in February he was still starting out as a solo artist, having only a handful of contacts on his myspace page. Since then, a lot has happened, including the aforementioned indie label signing, as well as the playing of a lot of shows. I remembered liking him back then, but I actually remembered very little else about the show. On the contrary, after this show, I don't think that I'll be forgetting him again anytime soon, although I hope that it's his impressive guitar playing that sticks with me in the long haul, and not some of the other stuff. I have to admit that I wasn't a huge fan of his stage presence and banter. He came across to me as rather cocky, (and not the good kind of cocky), and a lot of the times that he thought he was being funny, he really wasn't. If his attempts at humor were just of the bombing comedian sort, then I'd just feel bad for him, but it was more of the cutting and insulting sort, and I don't really have a lot of sympathy for that. In his defense the audience was littered with an irritating "let's talk during his whole set" vibe, so I understand that it must've been a test of his patience. Also, personal opinions aside, many who were paying attention actually did seem quite taken by him so maybe he actually was funny and my idea of humour is just different than everybody else's. (I also think Dane Cook is the most not-funny guy ever, so there you go.) He eventually got better as the set progressed though and, although it was a case of too little too late, he did actually make me chuckle a bit towards the end. As far as the music goes, the songs were decent enough, though not particularly memorable, but what eventually won me over was his guitar playing. He is an outstanding guitarist, and I really would've liked to see him (hear him) do more of that. Frank Zappa has a collection titled Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar, and I think that nowhere would that sentiment have been more appropriate than during this particular set. Those moments where he stepped away from the microphone towards center stage and wailed away on that axe were the definite highlights for me, and he also gets full marks for closing with a fun cover of Purple Rain. He ended the song after only a couple of verses, so I didn't get to see if vocally he could pull off the "I know I know I know times are changing!" scream or the apocalyptic closing guitar solo, but from what I had witnessed of his talents, I'd imagine that he could have. At least the solo.

Photos: My shots of Bahamas @ Lee's Palace are on flickr
Myspace: Bahamas

I had just seen the RAA at the Horseshoe back in July and, with a few exceptions, I don't usually make a habit of seeing the same artist twice within a certain space of time but there were a few reasons why I made an exception for this show. First of all, Fox Jaws (one of my exceptions) were opening. Secondly, the Horseshoe show was littered with irritating and out of place frat boy types and I was eagerly hoping that this wouldn't be the case this time. Thirdly, they seem to play bigger and bigger venues these days, which means if I don't catch them now, the next time could very well be a place like Kool Haus or Sound Academy and I just won't stand for that sort of thing. And fourthly, they're just so freakin' good!

The set of course was as phenomenal as always, with the band displaying that amicable sense of sincere gratitude that makes them so endearing to all of us. From where I was standing, the crowd was significantly better than last time, although I've read reports that seem to disagree. But simply forming an opinion based on those who were in my general vicinity, the crowd was appreciative and respectful. All of the touring and honing of their live show has really paid off in the sense that the band did not miss a step in terms of performance. Nils Edenloff didn't say all that much inbetween songs, but what he did say was worthwhile and enjoyable. He also, once again sang his heart out although it can't be easy to stretch the vocal muscles the way that he does night after night, and his voice did have a noticeable hoarseness that must be due to a staggering amount of performances lately. Amy Cole reminded me that she's much more than just another cute indie rocker, with her backing vocals adding just the right amount of timbre and variety to help these songs move beyond what they would be otherwise. Just like last time though, the star of the show for me was percussionist extraordinaire Paul Banwatt, who really is one of the best out there right now. The way he uses that kit to fill out the empty spaces within the songs helps to solidify their sound in such a way that the percussion really becomes the key distinguishing ingredient. They played almost every song from Hometowns which was great of course, but the highlights were a couple of the newer songs which showcased the fact that, while they definitely have a specific style, the next album is not likely to be a simple regurgitating of the same songs. There was one in particular that I believe they played right after Drain The Blood that sounded especially atmospheric and scrumptious. Nils solo cover of the theme song to The Littlest Hobo was also a nice touch that brought many of the thirtysomethings in the crowd back to their youth.

It looks like the tour is not going to be settling down any time soon as they spend a good chunk of December and January in the States, before settling in Vancouver in February. Hopefully they take a little break at that time and hit the studio to commit some of these new tracks to vinyl so that we can be spinning a second album in the early part of 2010.

Photos: My shots of Rural Alberta Advantage @ Lee's Palace are on flickr.
Myspace: Rural Alberta Advantage

Reviews are also available on Chromewaves, Narratives, Chart and BlogTO.

Bobby B's Top 50 Albums Of The Decade (#35-31)

For ramblings on how I came to compile this list go here. And for commentary on previous selections: [#50-46] [#45-41] [#40-36]

35. Ys - Joanna Newsom (2006)

I get an amazing number of hits to my site from people googling the phrase "I Hate Joanna Newsom", simply because the word 'hate' is in the title of this here blog, and I've talked about Ms Newsom on a few occasions. Of course, they're usually angered to find that when I make reference to her it's always surrounded by flattering phrases that couldn't be further from the idea of me hating her. On the contrary, I love Joanna Newsom! But it's understandable why some might find it hard to warm up to her. There's that high pitched squeaky voice, those meandering 17 minute songs, the preference for harps instead of guitars and not a hook to be found in the lot. But I don't think that you'll find a more ambitious album this decade, and the magical pairing of Newsom and Van Dyke Parks is an otherwordly adventure that begs to be experienced. This album is not made for dancing, nor is it a delightful piece of background music perfect for playing at your next dinner party. This album is a work of art and it deserves to be treated as such. This is an album that demands a listener's full attention as it fluctuates from mellow flowing movements to harsh gothic trajectories, all working together to create a musical number that is simultaneously enticing and unsettling. A challenging listen for sure, but well worth the effort. [Myspace: Joanna Newsom]

34. Hometowns - Rural Alberta Advantage (2008)

Admittedly, I'm still in the throes of RAA hype at the time of preparing this list, so it'll be interesting to see if this album's inclusion will be reflected on with rolling eyes by the time 2020 rolls around, but for now, I still find myself consumed in the glow of this masterful release. The fact that I still listen to the album as much today as I did a year ago when it was first released is a good sign, as is the fact that, despite my penchant for being contrary, I haven't felt the desire to rebel against the current hype, as overbearing as it is getting these days. For now, there's just no denying the fact that this is just simply a collection of great songs from start to finish with not really any duds in the lot. The challenge at this point will be where does the band go from here. A series of great songs this is, but I don't think I want their sophomore to be just more of the same. And as much as we all strive to judge an album based on its own merits, our human nature can't help but be tainted somewhat by future releases (see my #43 pick.) So the pressure is on, but in the meantime, I'm more than happy to enjoy Hometowns for what it is as it sits comfortably amongst my favorite releases of the decade. [Myspace: Rural Alberta Advantage]

33. Glissandro 70 - Glissandro 70 (2006)

My prog loving soul can't help but bask in the glow of this local post-rock amalgam of Craig Dunsmuir and Sandro Perri. This one time collaboration makes good use of the build up approach, with each cut opening with a few loops and repetitious drones before exploding into a series of sounds and styles that incorporate Afro-beats, tribal chants, progressive chord changes and even slight leanings towards electro. The opening song Something serves as a bit of a teaser, with a disjointed looping acoustic guitar being accompanied by sounds and atmospheres before giving way to Analogue Shantytown, which is a six minute piece that opens with a looping harmonica accompanied by a whispered 'shantytown' chant before transforming into an experimental piece that hearkens back to the early 80's period of King Crimson mixed with an almost jazzy vocal before embarking on a celebratory revisiting of the opening 'shantytown' chant that is all encompassing. The album's centerpieces, Bolan Muppets and Portugal Rua Rua are inspirational slices of 'almost' danceable psych flourishes that should appeal to fans of Animal Collective with their odd and challenging arrangements. The album ends with a trance inducing 13 minute track called End West that is pretty close to perfect, and makes me wonder why this collaboration has never bothered to release a sophomore album. On the other hand, why mess with perfection? [Myspace: Sandro Perri]

32. A Ghost Is Born - Wilco (2004)

Jeff Tweedy's experimental phase hit a whole other level with the release of this one. At first listen, I actually remember saying something to the effect that it was every bit as good as Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and a natural progression from the expanding ideas presented on its predecessor. That opinion has obviously softened since then, but it doesn't mean that this album is not an outstanding achievement in its own write. There are many moments where the album feels as if it has a loose and improvisational feel, which is outstanding considering that Tweedy himself has commented on the fact that every guitar solo and moment of ambient noise was carefully organized and premeditated. The part at the end of At Least That's What You Said, for example, is intoxicating. There are also moments where the band sounds as if they're deliberately trying to alienate, most notably during the wall of synth at the end of Less Than What You Think. This may not be a moment that I always enjoy listening to, but I can't help but admire it to a certain extent. And then there's Spiders (Kidsmoke) and it's incredible jammy feel. The song is over ten minutes in length and yet I still find myself hitting the repeat button whenever it plays. Simply amazing. [Myspace: Wilco]

31. Figure 8 - Elliott Smith (2000)

While it's true that throughout the Elliott Smith catalog there are moments that are more philosophical (1997's Either/Or), more heart wrenching (1998's XO) and more experimental (2004's posthumous release From a Basement On A Hill) , for me no album is more enjoyable a listen than 2000's Figure 8. Smith's passing in 2003 was probably the musical death that I found most difficult to hear, simply because for me, it seemed to come out of nowhere. While it's true that clues of his unhappiness were always prevalent in his lyrics and even in his interviews, I honestly didn't see it coming and I was always looking forward to seeing him perform live. So Figure 8's upbeat and positive feel is just the way that I would prefer to remember him. And I realize that titles like Everything Means Nothing To Me and I Better Be Quiet Now don't exactly scream positivity, but the dreamlike nature of the music and presentation just makes me picture in my mind a person who was relatively happy while he recorded these songs. That's the image that I choose to see whenever this album is playing and it always makes me smile. [Myspace: Elliott Smith]

Tomorrow: Bobby B's 50 Albums Of The Decade (#30-26)

'Sup in November: Ten Picks

I went to a lot of shows in October (including a Shotgun Jimmie instore and an historical Roky Erickson show with The Sadies that I still have yet to tell you about) which means that I think I'm going to chill out a bit for the month of November. I'll still be catching a few, but I'll likely be limiting it to a few of the smaller ones. Still, there's a lot to do, and here are my picks.

For more detailed listings, as usual, go check out Stillepost, Zoilus and Jen's Weekly List (of shows under $10)

1. Monsters of Folk @ Massey Hall
(Monday November 2nd; Cost: $36.50-$49.50 w/$1 of each going to Foodshare)

If you haven't yet heard about this project, (which, if this is the case, where have you been?) this is the name of a new supergroup consisting of Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis, My Morning Jacket's Jim James and She & Him's Matt Ward. Initially I wasn't all that enthused about this project simply because I'm no longer as big a fan of each of these talented artists as I once was. Conor jumped the shark at the time of the truly boring Cassadega. My Morning Jacket's last two albums also left me wanting, and I never really was a huge fan of M. Ward. But the Monsters of Folk self-titled debut is actually really good, providing some of the best material that any of those artists have produced in some time. I've also heard that the show will feature two and a half hours of material spanning all of their respective careers.

[Myspaces: Monsters of Folk; Conor Oberst; My Morning Jacket; M Ward]

2. Postcards / Easy Targets / The Hoa Hoa's / Volcano @ Rancho Relaxo
(Friday November 6th; Cost: $7)

Psych rock is alive and well in the city of Toronto and 4 of Canada's finest are sharing a bill at the mighty Rancho. Montreal's Postcards play a minimalistic blend of 60's jangle guitar psych and Phil Spector-ish pop. The Easy Targets capture a mid-90's psychedelic shoegaze vibe, not unlike the Brian Jonestown Massacre. The Hoa Hoa's are one of the best garage bands in the city who are currently in the midst of releasing an outstanding new CD entitled Pop/Drone/Pedals that would've made Ian Curtis proud. And opening the evening is Volcano, the side project of The Space Between Things' Chris Hobson, which takes a lo-fi approach into the psychosphere.

[Myspaces: Postcards; Easy Targets; The Hoa Hoa's; Volcano]

3. Rural Alberta Advantage / Fox Jaws / Bahamas @ Lee's Palace
(Friday November 20th; Cost: $15)

The RAA are officially the hottest band in Canada this year, and they're playing another hometown show at Lee's Palace which is sure to be well supported. They're being accompanied by a couple of Nevado Records' finest; namely Fox Jaws and Bahamas. Hopefully the RAA's supporters will get there early enough to give the openers the exposure they rightfully deserve, enabling them to find a spot on next year's list.

The RAA are also playing a free in-store at Soundscapes on Nov 17th.
[Myspaces: Rural Alberta Advantage; Fox Jaws; Bahamas]

4. Ume @ The Horseshoe (Tuesday November 3rd; Cost: Free)

I finally got around to listening to the Sunshower EP by Austin trio Ume (pronounced ooo-may and pictured above) and it's pretty spectacular. The songs are tight examples of only the best in melodic power pop, but with an edgy guitar sound that rips right through you. Apparently frontwoman Lauren Larson is a guitarist with amazing shred all wrapped in a tiny little amicable persona which sounds to me like a compelling contrast. They've been labeled a must-see by several reputable sources, and to fulfill that recommendation for free is an opportunity not to be missed.

[Myspace: Ume]

5. Camera Obscura @ The Phoenix (Thursday November 26th; Cost: $20.50)

Although they're not the most animated performers I've ever seen, it's hard to deny the power of the music. Their latest album My Maudlin Career may not be quite as magnificent as their star making turn with 2006's Let's Get Out Of This Country, but it's still pretty sweet in its own way, and it will definitely be securing a spot in my personal best of in '09.

[Myspace: Camera Obscura]

6. Devendra Banhart @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre (Friday November 27th; Cost: $29.50)

As much as I admire this beacon of eccentricity, for whatever reason I haven't heard any of his albums since 2005's Cripple Crow. No real excuse for this other than just simply never getting around to it. I also have never actually seen him live, which is an even bigger atrocite considering the fact that he's apparently a very unique performer. Even more unique and eccentric, from what I've heard, is a room full of hippy, freaky Devendra Banhart fans, the entertainment value in which is also likely worth the price of admission. Sadly, I can't make it to this one either, but I will see him one day, just you wait!

[Myspace: Devendra Banhart]

7. The Swell Season @ Massey Hall (Tuesday November 3rd; Cost: $29.50-42.50)

Unlike some people, I never had the opportunity to catch their surprise intimate show at Dakota Tavern in September, but apparently, although the romantic involvement of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova is no more, the sounds are still as sweet as ever. This means that Massey Hall will be the perfect setting for them to perform not only the hit songs from Once, but also the newer material from their latest effort entitled Strict Joy.

[Myspace: The Swell Season]

8. The Pretty Faces / Maned Young Lions / Born To Busk @ Rancho Relaxo
(Friday November 27th; Cost: TBA)

The Pretty Faces are an incredibly hooky band that used to live in Waterloo, Ontario before settling in Coral Springs, Florida. Their style is right up my alley as it borrows from many of my favourites like Big Star, Elvis Costello and The Kinks. In other words, the perfect power pop band. Maned Young Lions are a band from Orangeville that I only know in a casual way, but I've had the privilege of hosting a show in the past featuring lead vocalist Rayelle Stainton and I can say with absolute certainty that her talent is staggering. If you're looking for something new and accessible, this show comes highly recommended.

[Myspaces: The Pretty Faces; Maned Young Lions; Born To Busk]

9. Amos The Transparent / The Love Machine / Rival Boys / Michou @ Rancho Relaxo
(Saturday November 19th; Cost: $8)

Looks like the Rancho is the place to be this month, as we witness the return of the always entertaining (especially at the Rancho) Amos the Transparent. Joining them on the bill are fellow Ottawans The Love Machine whose infectious high energy rock throughly impressed me at this year's NXNE. As far as Rival Boys and Michou are concerned, I'm afraid I don't really know much about them other than the fact that they are a couple of Rancho faves whose reputation has become quite the buzz of that particular bar.

[Myspaces: Amos the Transparent; The Love Machine; Rival Boys; Michou]

10. Steely Dan @ Massey Hall
(Wed Nov. 25th & Thurs Nov. 26; Cost: $59.50-159.50)

Well, I'll bet you weren't expecting to see this one on my list. There is no band that raises more eyebrows amongst friends when asked to reveal my favourite bands of all time, but these 70's AM progressive jazz popsters settle nicely in the lower reaches of my top ten. 1977's Aja is an album that I actually crave from time to time and when that craving hits me, nothing else will do. My love of The Dan also explains my attachment to bands like Zero 7 and Midlake, not to mention local acts like The Paint Movement and Make Your Exit. Say what you will, but their influence is obvious (at least to my ears) and I'll bet their highly distinguished sounds would sound amazing at Massey Hall.

[Myspace: Steely Dan]

Honorable Mentions:
There's only a few other shows that I'd like to mention. Former Reily vocalist Megan Bonnell (Nov 1st @ C'est What); Dog Day, Immaculate Machine & Balconies (Nov 5th @ Horseshoe); Islands (Nov 7 @ Mod Club); Peter Bjorn and John & El Perro Del Mar (Nov 11 @ Phoenix); Young Galaxy & The Junction (Nov 13th @ Horseshoe); Invasions, Planet Creature & Davey Parker Radio Sound (Nov 13 @ Silver Dollar); Andre Williams & The Sadies (Nov 19th @ Horseshoe); Devo (Nov 23rd & 24th @ Phoenix); Elvyn (Nov 30 @ Horseshoe)

Where I'll Be:
As I mentioned, I'll be sticking with some of the smaller shows this time around. I'm hoping to catch Ume at the 'shoe, and it would be great to see RAA, Fox Jaws and Bahamas again at Lee's. I will definitely be taking in the psychedelic experience at Rancho Relaxo on the 6th, and I'll certainly be back there again on the 27th to support my friends in the Maned Young Lions. Other than that, the rest of the month is a toss up, so we'll see.

Final Notes:
Just one more thing that I'd like to mention: My computer is currently on its last legs meaning that it's running very slow and overheating regularly. This means that a post like this, which would normally take an hour or so to do, has been taking me approximately a billion hours to do. I'm hoping to get something new early in the month, but until then, my posting might me a little bit on the non-existent side. But I will get those aforementioned reviews up as soon as possible, and when the new 'puter is up and ready to go, I'll hopefully be posting a little bit more regularly again, which means a few more recommendations and rants than I have been providing lately. Until then, enjoy the stupidly colder weather.

[Above Ume photo by Michael Thad Carter]

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]

Rural Alberta Advantage w/ Hooded Fang @ The Horseshoe Tavern

Not surprisingly, it seems that I was not alone in my highly anticipatory excitement over seeing the Rural Alberta Advantage return to our fair city. They've spent the last several months touring across the US in support of the fact that they've been signed to the highly acclaimed Saddle Creek label which means, depending on the amount of promotional support they receive from this label, this could potentially be the last time that we will get to witness this fantastic band in such a cozy venue at such a comfortable rate. This is why it came as no real surprise that the show was not only sold out, but the crowd was significantly more hyper than usual as we welcomed our current hometown heroes back to our favourite venue, The Horseshoe.

As is my usual Thursday night situation, I was unable to catch the first act, The Wilderness of Manitoba, who's music I had become acquainted with earlier in the week when I listened to their feature on the Zygiella podcast. They've got a great sound that boasts a folksy Simon and Garfunkel vibe that I look forward to experiencing live at a later date. The next band however, was one that I've had plenty of experience with in the past few months.

Hooded Fang will never be accused of being lazy. This is the fourth time that I've seen them over the last few months, which in itself is not all that unusual. The fact that I've never made any actual plans to ever see them is what makes this statistic something of note. They are obviously firm believers that 'practice makes perfect', which might be what enables them to accept as many opening gigs as possible. This strategy seems to work well in their case, as I've seen them progress from what I would consider to be a cute yet amateurish band, to actually being a highly energetic and professional sounding pop band. Interestingly enough, I still don't own their EP as of yet, but I'm at a point where I'm recognizing the songs at their shows anyway, and this familiarity helps me to appreciate the band more and more. However, all of this touring and performing, along with all of the many side projects that the band has going on (including the awesome Daniel-led lo-fi project Hut) is bound to tire them out from time to time, and that may be the reason for the general lack of enthusiasm that were displaying on this particular evening. For those of us who are familiar with the songs, the show was still quite enjoyable, but I'm not sure that they were able to garner too many new fans this time around. Hopefully I'm wrong, because they definitely do have the potential to become one of the better party bands that our city has to offer; a fact that became a bit more evident towards the final part of their set.

Photos: Hooded Fang @ The Horseshoe on flickr.
Myspace: Hooded Fang

I mentioned that the general enthusiasm for the return of the RAA was of no surprise to me, but the looks on the faces of Amy Cole, Paul Banwatt and especially Nils Edenloff led me to believe that they were, at least, mildly unaware of just how appreciated they are here in Toronto. Nils made a comment that after performing to various sized venues and performing to crowds of differing levels of appreciation, it was "really great to be back." The sound of relief in his voice made it clear that perhaps not everybody has caught on yet to the wonderment of this talented band, but I'm sure that it's only a matter of time. The chemistry between these three members is the type of thing that doesn't come around that often. Nils was singing with great conviction that was particularly noteworthy in some of the more throat expanding numbers, such as The Dethbridge In Lethbridge. Amy's harmonies added a depth to the songs that enabled them to sound fuller than they would otherwise. And then there's Paul Banwatt. He's the secret ingredient that stretches this band beyond anything else I'm currently hearing on the indie music scene. Several points of reference have been made in describing the RAA sound, many of which are justified. But if you listen closely to what Banwatt is able to accomplish on the kit, you'll quickly realize that his drumming style has a uniqueness that is subtle, yet accomplished. From where I was standing, Banwatt and his kit were directly in my field of vision, and I found it hard to pay attention to anything else while he played. Particularly noteworthy was his drumming in the song Don't Haunt This Place, where he interchanged the beats several times within the song which called for incredible precision, timing and co-ordination on his part. I'm not a drummer so I don't know if it's as hard as it looks, but dang, it does look (and sound) impressive!

For the encore, Edenloff played a solo cover of Eye Of The Tiger alone on the acoustic guitar. The fact that it took a couple of minutes for me to recognize it shows that he successfully made the song his own, with his unique vocals sounding more immediate than ever before. They closed with a new song that I was unfamiliar with that also sounded great.

With significant buzz, positive press and a push by Saddle Creek, the possibilities for what the future may hold for The RAA are tremendous. Being a rather opinionated guy, my standpoint seems to be that there are far too many times when the wrong band seems to get the breaks, while the right band continues on in relative obscurity. I've seen that on the local scene, and I've seen that on the much larger international scene as well. For once, it appears that the right things are happening to the right band. Although the music business can be fickle and unfair, I sincerely hope that, this time, the momentum continues on in this positive direction and the RAA gets the fame and recognition that they rightly deserve.

Eye, NOW, Narratives and even Much Music all have reviews of the show and judging by who I saw in attendance, I'm sure that there are many more to come.

Photos: Rural Alberta Advantage @ The Horseshoe on flickr
Myspace: Rural Alberta Advantage

'Sup In May

As you can tell by the lack of general show reviews in April, the month was a bit of a write-off as far as show goings are concerned. I did see a couple of great ones, but I didn't end up going to any of the ones that I was planning on checking out. Hopefully May will be a little bit more fruitful in that area. So let's stop regretting the past and move boldly forward into the future, shall we?

Tonight, Friday May 1st, is the CD release party for Black Diamond Bay's new long player entitled Calm Awaits. I've said it before and I'll say it again: if you haven't yet seen Patrick Krief wail a guitar, than you are seriously missing out. Seriously. The openers are pretty solid also, they being The Dress Whites (best pop band in the city) and Make Your Exit. The show's at Sneaky Dee's and the cost is $7. [Myspace: Black Diamond Bay; The Dress Whites; Make Your Exit]

Saturday May 2nd also showcases a pretty awesome CD release party, this one for Great Bloomers Speak Of Trouble. They're playing with Sports: The Band; Gavin Gardiner and the Cutting Edge and Modernboys Moderngirls. Sounds awesome! The show's at The Horseshoe and tix are $8 adv/ $10 door. [Myspace: Great Bloomers; Sports: The Band; Gavin Gardiner (Wooden Sky), Modernboys Moderngirls]

If you're in the mood to get your female fronted rock on, then there really is no better place to be on Thursday May 7th then at The Phoenix to see The Kills, who are still promoting 2007's Midnight Boom. Tix are $18.50 adv. $20 door. [Myspace: The Kills]

If local rock in a more affordable price range is your thing, than you may wish to check out Arietta's show at The Horseshoe, where they are celebrating the release of the new full length Migration. This is also on Thursday May 7th, and the cost is $7. If you're unfamiliar with them, they're streaming the entire album on their myspace page. [Myspace: Arietta]

A couple of years ago, Sweden's Loney Dear put on one of the most enjoyable shows that I've ever seen. Emil's great music was only emphasized by the fact that he also exuded enormous amounts of charm, charisma and hilarity. Well, on Friday May 8th, he's back again playing The Rivoli and if I can recommend one show, this would be it. To sweeten the pot, Headlights from Illinois are opening for them, and although I've never seen them live, I can vouch for the fact that their music is totally on par with Loney Dear. Rest assured, this will be an amazing show. Tix are only $10. No excuses my friends. [Myspace: Loney Dear; Headlights]

I'm finding this hard to believe, but The Vaselines are playing their first ever show in Toronto on Friday May 15th at Lee's Palace. They are an absolutely legendary indie pop band from Scotland that Kurt Cobain has sung the praises of on more than one occasion. Tix are $29.50 advance. [Myspace: The Vaselines]

The legendary Leonard Cohen plays Copps Coliseum in Hamilton on Tuesday May 19th. Tickets are $49.50-$250.00. [Myspace: Leonard Cohen]

I already have my ticket to see The National (pictured above) at the truly dreadful Kool Haus on Thursday May 21st. I'm obviously looking forward to this since The National are all kinds of amazing, but if I had paid more attention to the fact that it was on a Thursday night at Kool Haus, I likely would have thought twice about going. I'm going to be getting there a little bit later, which means I'll likely be standing near the back, which means I won't be getting any worthwhile pictures for this one, which means I'll be grumpy. Ah well, at least they're awesome. Tix are $24.50 but I think they might be sold out. [Myspace: The National]

The pretty ladies in Au Revoir Simone bring their ethereal keyboard pop to Lee's Palace on Thursday May 21st. Tix are $12 adv. [Myspace: Au Revoir Simone]

My favourites Amos the Transparent are playing The Horseshoe on Friday May 22nd with Whale Tooth, Make Your Exit and The Lovely Killbots. I am soooo there! Cost: TBA [Myspace: Amos The Transparent; Whale Tooth; Make Your Exit; Lovely Killbots]

Which brings us to this year's Pitter Patter Festival. I still haven't really settled on what I'm going to be seeing myself, but the early version of my schedule is looking like this:

Thursday May 28th: If I go out at all on Thursday, I'll likely settle at The Neu+ral where I can check out Hunter Eves (11pm), Left Of Zero (12am) and First Person Shooter (1am). Left of Zero I've seen before and really like. I'm mildly familiar with the electro punk of First Person Shooter and the progressive sounds of Hunter Eves intrigues me. I don't know anything about the openers First Noise Than Silence (10pm), whom I can't even find a myspace page for.

Friday May 29th: There's a lot of good choices on Friday including Black Hat Brigade at El Mocambo (12am), Burn Planetarium at El Mocambo (10pm), The Miles at The Boat (12am) followed by Spiral Beach at The Boat (1am) and there's also Silver Speakers at the Oxford Hotel (10pm). Since I've seen most of those artists before, I think I may go over to Bread and Circus to catch Megan Hamilton and the Volunteer Canola (12am) followed by Entire Cities (1am). Never seen Megan (love her!) and it's been a long time since I've seen Entire Cities.

Saturday May 30th: I am definitely going to be planting myself at The Embassy to see the 60's inspired rock of The Abbreviations (10pm); the pop delights of Nich Worby (11pm), the 90's alt-rock of Cedar (12am), and it'll be great to see if I finally get out to see my beloved Hoa Hoa's (1am), who I continue to miss on a regular basis for some reason. Hopefully not this time.

I likely won't be getting out on Sunday, but there are a few acts playing that night, not to mention the fact that The Boat is hosting some all ages afternoon events on both Saturday and Sunday. The entire festival is pay what you can, and you can see a pdf of the whole Toronto schedule here.

And finally, I'd just like to send out a hearty congratulatory message to the guys and gal of Rural Alberta Advantage who have just been signed to the highly influential Saddle Creek Records. I wish them all the success in the world and one would definitely be hard pressed to find a more deserving set of semi-locals (by way of Alberta, of course.) Frank at Chromewaves gives his thoughts, and the story has also been throughly covered at Pitchfork, ChartAttack, Exclaim, and Radio Exile. [Myspace: Rural Alberta Advantage]

The photo of The National was taken by Rachel Been for Spinner.com

2008: The Songs

Coming up with a list of ten great songs is significantly more difficult than coming up with a list of ten great albums for the simple reason that a study of the most basic mathematics suggests that songs usually outnumber albums by about 50 to 1. (OK, I randomly pulled that number out of a hat but I think that I've made my point...) Unlike last year's list however, there was no one song that really stood out above the rest for me. Therefore all eleven songs this year are basically tied for first place and the basic thing that they all have in common is the fact that they consistently forced me to use the repeat button on my mp3 player of choice.

Accountant's Dream by Entire Cities (from Deep River)

There is no other song this year that so perfectly captures the essence of a band's live show than this one. It makes good use of the never ineffective build up process; beginning with a subtle and unassuming acoustic guitar before exploding with screams of joy and celebration. And what's most amazing is that I'm pretty sure that the song is simply about getting money wired, no?

Download: Accountant's Dream mp3

Care For Some Whiskey? by Leerone (from Imaginary Biographies)

This year saw more of the rise of the prolific female singer/ songwriter, some very good, and others very run of the mill. Leerone stood on her own in the sense that she chooses to lace her poetic personal whimsy with experimentation and fantasy. This song emanates a ray of light that leaves me feeling celebratory.

Download: Care For Some Whiskey? mp3
Photo by Alisha Blanchard

Kim And Jessie by M83 (from Saturdays = Youth)

Originally Graveyard Girl was my M83 pick for this list, but upon repeat listens I find it increasingly more difficult not to cringe at the lyrical references to Molly Ringwald in that song, as great a song as it is. K&J does just as good a job at evoking the feeling of a John Hughes movie, without sounding as forced. A lot of bands emulate the 80's, but the beauty of this song is that it sounds like, totally authentic, y'know?

Video: Kim and Jessie on youtube

The Old Prince Still Lives At Home by Shad (from The Old Prince)

For the first time in history, hip hop makes an appearance on one of my year end lists. (The lists themselves predate the blog by several years.) I'll admit that I don't really know what differentiates the good hip hop from the bad hip hop but I do know a good pop song when I hear it, and this is one of the good ones. Besides the fact that the song rings eerily true for many, Shad's rhymes are dope, particularly when he 'spits the verse' accompanied by only hand claps at the end of the song (due to not being able to afford the rest of the beat.) Funny song, and even funnier video.

Video: The Old Prince Still Lives At Home on youtube

Jodi by The Dodos (from Visiter)

I'll admit that having my wife's unique name in the title likely caused me to pay more than the usual attention to this song, but ultimately it was the fact that it was such a sonically pleasing bluegrassy freakfest that I knew I had to add this one to the list. The song's intricate guitar work forcefully attacks you and the build up crescendos in a way that literally leaves you feeling exhausted once the song is over.

Download: Jodi mp3


Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? by She and Him (from Volume One)

There are way more actress-turned-singer failures than successes out there but whoever decided that Zooey Deschanel should team up with M. Ward should be awarded a medal. This song shuffled its way into my saccharine filled sixties lovin' heart, and Zooey's voice is a breath of fresh air.

Download: Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? mp3

Don't Haunt This Place by Rural Alberta Advantage (from Hometowns)

This is one of the more subdued songs of the album, but it maintains a steady pace that is accompanied by a cool stuttered drum sound, cello, organ and male / female vocals that keep the song moving along with an affection that is impossible to ignore.

Download: Don't Haunt This Place mp3

Nothing Ever Happened by Deerhunter (from Microcastle)

A unique amalgamation of Velvet Underground haziness coupled with the pop sensibilities of Echo and the Bunnymen, this song is more infectious than the musical tag 'ambient punk' would lead you to believe. A solid jam.

Download: Nothing Ever Happened mp3

Vagabonds by Gary Louris (from Vagabonds)

There are several alt-country releases this year to have garnered more praise then this one by the former Jayhawks frontman, but as far as I'm concerned, this Dylan pastiche has 'instant classic' written all over it. Epic.

Video: Vagabonds (live at Southern Theater) on youtube

Furr by Blitzen Trapper (from Furr)

The trap boys can get pretty intense at times, but the title track from their excellent September release showcases a softer side of their sound. This song is folk music at its finest, with its sublime and intelligent lyrics proving to be a welcome companion to the song's simple, yet beautiful structure.

Download: Furr mp3
Neighbourhood by Ruby Coast (from Projectible Collections)

And this song features my favourite shout along moment of the year. I don't care where I am, if this song is playing on my Zune, I'm shouting "Take it all back! We don't want that!" at the top of my lungs. Seriously.

Download: Neighbourhood mp3
Photo by Kid With Camera

Other honoroable mentions:

123 My Friends by Jon McKiel (from The Nature Of Things)
I've Been Asleep For A Long Long Time by Hey Rosetta! (from Into Your Lungs)
White Winter Hymnal by Fleet Foxes (from Fleet Foxes)
Small by Portishead (from Third)
Stardust by Clouds That Look Like Things (from Hat Factory EP)
Golden Age by TV On The Radio (from Dear Science)
Lights Off by The Dears (from Missiles)
Love Is Impossible by This Is Ivy League (from This Is Ivy League)
Down In The Basement by Sloan (from Parallel Play)
The Most Beautiful Girl In The Room by Flight Of The Conchords (from Flight Of The Conchords)

and Dark Regrets by Schuman The Human (from Showtime For Schuman)
[this one actually came out in 2007 but I didn't hear it until this year and I really wanted to mention it because it's an amazing song that I think most people haven't heard.]
Download: Dark Regrets mp3