As always, the three-piece Sunparlour Players were in fine form and snazzy dress for their home-away-from-Windsor homecoming album release show. With much happening on this busy Saturday night in early December there was still plenty of room left in the hall to dance, but the still solid amount of members of the crowd poured out the love to make it a beautiful show. Releasing Us Little Devils it was fitting to open with its opener, Runner, though following it with fan-favourite If the Creeks Don’t Rise was only disappointing in that this song wasn't there to look forward to as the show progressed. The strength of the rest of the catalogue proved itself following this with all sorts of treats including Battle of ’77, O’Captain, and John Had a Bell and a Whistle. Their now infamous version of Thunderstruck didn’t harm matters either. It was the superb new single Green Thumb that capped off the set and led to a raucous ovation that brought the trio back out. They ripped out Dyin’ Today and Red Blood Red of Home and a third in encore, yet these still did not satiate us. We stomped and cheered, for it had been a special performance, and were rewarded with Hymns for the Happy closer, Talk It To Death, that was the final gem from this wonderful group. Seeing a band known for their live performance exceed the lofty expectations they set for themselves by bringing it to a new level is extraordinary indeed.
Harlan Pepper have been growing up quick and putting on mature performances beyond their years. On this night they opened with Reefer, swapped guitars all over the place, and played Wine - making reference to how they’d just recently all come of legal drinking age. A solid rendition of No was performed as well before they wrapped it all up with a classic rock medley. Everyone thought it was be Skynyrd's Sweet Home Alabama but much to our delight it was the Werewolves of London which then melded through a series of other throwbacks. The mature influences shone through in these young fellas.
The Strumbellas were just finishing up, and finishing strong, as I rolled into the Great Hall. There was a whole lot of strumming, banjos and exuberance going on as the seven-piece brought it down in the finale. If the entire set was as strong as what I caught then I totally missed out.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Tokyo Police Club, Born Ruffians, Said the Whale (Phoenix, Dec 9)
Off to an early start at the Phoenix, Said the Whale kicked off the night with their lovable indie pop. Fortunate to have two distinctly great leading vocalists (and presumably songwriters) Ben and Tyler traded back and forth alongside their bass player and female on keys. On this night their happy-go-lucky drummer really stood out, first grabbing attention through his drumstick twirling work on Sleep Through Fire as he used both the regular hard tip and the cushioned soft tip interchangeably for different effects. Despite running through a string of solid songs including recent single Lines through The Gift of a Black Heart, The Light is You, and the magical Camilo, the set never quite caught fire. This may have been the early slot, or the pent up anticipation for sets to come, or perhaps just the band itself. Regardless many in the crowd enjoyed the closing Goodnight Moon, even if it wasn’t accompanied by its album companion Holly, Ontario.
Fronted by Luke and his wonderfully controlled voice the Born Ruffians were back in Toronto and ready to let loose. Adorned in terribly hideous Christmas sweaters for the occasion they rocked through Retard Canard including a badass bass solo from the man with the presence – and the hair. The boys have been tweeting about new material they’ve been writing so it was a nice glimpse at a song about “dancing on the edge of a grave” even if the song never seemed to fully take off and go anywhere. There were classics tossed in too, though these were often at least partially remodeled into new sounds, such as Foxes Mate for Life and What To Say. Hummingbird had a new intro but retained the shout-along “fly away little hummingbird.” Before the finale they included another freshly minted song (Sex 5000? Probably misheard lyrics..) which was also rather slow and shows that the band seems to be continuing their downward spiral that has been happening since their first frenetic self-titled EP release. A shame I say, both for the records and the live show, however slamming out I Need A Life in the fleeting moments showed what they’re still capable of.
Tokyo Police Club curated the night and did a heckuva job with the bill but then were faced with the daunting task of headlining it – meaning they’d better bring it. Out onto the festive stage, complete with gift-wrapped amps and decorated Christmas trees, they trotted, also sporting ugly sweaters, to try to do just that with Favourite Colour off the top. From the get-go it was a love-in on this the second of three sold out nights. The group ran through a laundry list of hits from their catchy albums and even crammed in a new track (“top of the stairs”). Not only that but they included the Kelly Clarkson chart-smasher that they recently covered for their 10X10X10 series, Since U Been Gone, and not surprisingly it went over quite well as two guitarists slid together on their knees mid-song. The biggest reaction must have been when the Phoenix became very un-desert-like and it began to snow upon us. Ending the set strong was Breakneck Speed, Wait Up and finally Your English is Good however it was the festive encore that did us all in. An obviously rehearsed, but still wholly welcomed, rendition of Santa Claus is Coming To Town shut down the night as Born Ruffians, Said the Whale, members of the Elwins and others (numbering 15+ in all) streamed out to partake in the joyous send-off. It was Graham Wright rocking the sax that really made it. Welcome to the Christmas season! (Does an annual tradition await?) Notes: TPC, wrapped amps. Colour. Nature. Liar like me. Happy belated. New, top of the stairs. Spark. Shell. Tess. Slow, hands. Snow. Blast. Since U, double guitar kneel. Breakneck. Wait Up. English, last. Plaster. TPC. Santa Coming, 15 plus, Graham sax, elwin, see green.
Fronted by Luke and his wonderfully controlled voice the Born Ruffians were back in Toronto and ready to let loose. Adorned in terribly hideous Christmas sweaters for the occasion they rocked through Retard Canard including a badass bass solo from the man with the presence – and the hair. The boys have been tweeting about new material they’ve been writing so it was a nice glimpse at a song about “dancing on the edge of a grave” even if the song never seemed to fully take off and go anywhere. There were classics tossed in too, though these were often at least partially remodeled into new sounds, such as Foxes Mate for Life and What To Say. Hummingbird had a new intro but retained the shout-along “fly away little hummingbird.” Before the finale they included another freshly minted song (Sex 5000? Probably misheard lyrics..) which was also rather slow and shows that the band seems to be continuing their downward spiral that has been happening since their first frenetic self-titled EP release. A shame I say, both for the records and the live show, however slamming out I Need A Life in the fleeting moments showed what they’re still capable of.
Tokyo Police Club curated the night and did a heckuva job with the bill but then were faced with the daunting task of headlining it – meaning they’d better bring it. Out onto the festive stage, complete with gift-wrapped amps and decorated Christmas trees, they trotted, also sporting ugly sweaters, to try to do just that with Favourite Colour off the top. From the get-go it was a love-in on this the second of three sold out nights. The group ran through a laundry list of hits from their catchy albums and even crammed in a new track (“top of the stairs”). Not only that but they included the Kelly Clarkson chart-smasher that they recently covered for their 10X10X10 series, Since U Been Gone, and not surprisingly it went over quite well as two guitarists slid together on their knees mid-song. The biggest reaction must have been when the Phoenix became very un-desert-like and it began to snow upon us. Ending the set strong was Breakneck Speed, Wait Up and finally Your English is Good however it was the festive encore that did us all in. An obviously rehearsed, but still wholly welcomed, rendition of Santa Claus is Coming To Town shut down the night as Born Ruffians, Said the Whale, members of the Elwins and others (numbering 15+ in all) streamed out to partake in the joyous send-off. It was Graham Wright rocking the sax that really made it. Welcome to the Christmas season! (Does an annual tradition await?) Notes: TPC, wrapped amps. Colour. Nature. Liar like me. Happy belated. New, top of the stairs. Spark. Shell. Tess. Slow, hands. Snow. Blast. Since U, double guitar kneel. Breakneck. Wait Up. English, last. Plaster. TPC. Santa Coming, 15 plus, Graham sax, elwin, see green.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Kidstreet, Bocce (Garrison, Dec 16)
Kidstreet had a small-to-medium sized crowd who stuck around at the Garrison for their night-ending performance, and it was sprinkled with a handful of die-hards, like myself, out for a dance. Off the top they didn’t really allow for this – opening with Song which is understandable but then dropping a new track immediately following. A released tune was next as a warm-up but the slower, new song that came next broke that stride again. Finally things began to roll as they downed Old Mil tallboys on stage and cranked things up with the likes of X (X X), Birthday Boy (aka Wild Child), Penny Candy (still impressive) and Spin Twirl (yay!). They were enticed back out to play an encore but I was so busy dancing I forgot to take note of what song it was. Sign of a show accomplishing its goal!
Unfortunately Bocce were just wrapping up as we entered and grabbed our beer. Equally unfortunate was that the three-piece in Young Rival were quite loud but not overly impressive. Their take on Frosty the Snowman didn’t reinvigorate the classic, nor did their take on female-fronted, indie rock. When she dropped the guitar for violin things did improve but I still was not floored.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Top Albums 2011
A helluva year for music in my opinion. Decembers past I've struggled to fill out a Top 10 but not this year! No sir. An explosion of greatness that forced my hand to expand. I suppose taking the train to work really lengthened my music-appreciation time. My intentions weren't for any set number but these twenty-five were all legitimately in my ears and in my head at some point throughout this year.
A late discovery. I wanted to hate this album and some of its terrible and provocative lyrics from the beginning. Yet in the end I couldn't stop spinning it. Even though he put out a new album in 2011, it was this 2010 disc that I kept returning to.
Hardcore outta Ottawa with a promising EP. True to their word, the self-described influences of DFA79 and Bloc Party (two of my faves of the early oughts) can be heard.
Airplane Boys
Toronto duo with a banging mixtape (a la Drake) and huge potential for a big market. I'd say they should take off, but that'd be a bad pun.
(Follow link for free album!)
Born Gold
Probably a smart name change (from Gobble Gobble), the rumour of their live show won't be lost because of it. Couple that with infectious indie electro that you can shake to and these guys have a good thing goin.
(Follow link for free album!)
Hey Ocean!
This late-'11 album is almost too good. It's pure, polished pop that goes down smooth. You make me wanna make a new dance up!
Humans
I think this EP I found on Spotify was actually from 2010 but I couldn't get enough of it. I hope there's more to come!
- Kids
& Explosions – Shit Computer
Shit Computer hit me from the first time I heard the opener and since that time way back in January (technically a December 2010 release, shh) I still haven’t gotten enough of this album. There is so much going on that I’m sure undiscovered nuances remain. A true soundtrack for the attention-deficit disorder generation this genre-melding piece is unrelenting from start to finish, never sounding tired or derivative (despite deriving 100% of its content from other sources). If you thought you loved Girl Talk but it wasn’t quite spastic enough, check Kids & Explosions.
PWYC Download (ie:$0 if ya want) - Braids
– Native Speaker
Unlike almost anything else out there this young group goes well beyond their years to craft an album that is fresh, creative, intriguing but also wholly enjoyable. There is a slight challenge here but it is worth every effort to get into it. The effects are used at times to the point of confusion as a listener but it is this building and shifting that demands attention and deserves it. A breathy injection of fresh air into the Canadian indie scene. - Library
Voices – Summer of Lust
The promise shown on Library Voices’ Hunting Ghosts and Other Collected Shorts EP was huge, and coupled with their fantastic live shows expectations were lofty for their first full-length. That was why Denim on Denim was actually a disappointment, despite the inclusion of Haunt this House. To me it had the feeling of being rushed through the production phase, as was admitted by the band. A little faith and only a year later the Summer of Lust was unleashed upon us and it was all I that had been dreamt of. Danceable beats, singable choruses, literary references, and overall catchy songs out the yahoo - it has it all. A little patience and the reward is this “pop-as-fuck” gem. - Dan
Mangan – Oh Fortune
Outsiders may not have predicted that this would be the next logical step for Dan Mangan’s follow-up to his long-brooding Nice, Nice, Very Nice breakthrough but now that it’s here we all agree that it was the way to go. A much fuller, orchestral sound that swirls all around his still focal gruff vocals. It hits on many levels. The top-notch songwriting remains and is filled out by the splendid band it was written with. The power of Post-War Blues very nearly matches its incredible live intensity. And just try to listen to Rows of Houses and not be moved by that voice and the strength of the music that sweeps it along. Oh Fortune required slightly more patience than its predecessor but the dividends pay off in time with this new masterpiece. - Imaginary
Cities – Temporary Resident
Another album that is difficult to put a finger on exactly what makes it so gosh darn enjoyable. The lead female vocals are unique and pleasant. The songs themselves are well-written, well-played. The album isn’t in-your-face but it definitely has some weight to it that it carries right through. As a whole there isn’t really a fault to be found and trust me, I’ve listened to it through enough times to know. - Kidstreet
– Fuh Yeah
I didn’t know Kidstreet before they made their veer towards electro dance and it probably would have stayed that way. Suffice it to say that I’m very pleased this trio of siblings made this change so they could produce the X EP that led directly to this very similar debut, Fuh Yeah. (Only complaint is that they did not include the super fun Spin Twirl). It could be argued that their position on this list is unfair as I first discovered their music as an opening act, and it was only after having already been impressed by this show that I got a hold of the recorded songs. That may be true but as fun as their dance parties are there still needs to be substance to the music -that fun needs to translate to disc. Both of these things are here of course, hence why I’ve been dancing to it both in the concert hall and in my bedroom all year. - Classified
– Handshakes and Middle Fingers
Class has been on a long arcing upward trajectory, not only in mainstream popularity but also in quality. Since he’s been on my radar I’ve enjoyed his work though often pulling a selection of repeatable tracks from an album whereas Handshakes strikes deftly off the top and carries this momentum through. Sure he’s had his novelties – Canadian anthem-sampling raps, Choose-Your-Own-Adventure – but here he comes through as adamant and authentic. That Ain’t Classy is perhaps his most commercial sounding song, but the fact that it is so polished is not a knock but a compliment to his beat-making and production skills. Sampling throwbacks like the Danger Bay theme song or giving industry advice are ways for Luke to not only allow his creativity to shine but also to keep the long-player sounding fresh throughout. Kudos to Classified for this album, through and through. - Wildlife
– Strike Hard, Young Diamond
I’ve admitted before that I’m all for a hook – I live for the catch. Pure catchiness wrapped up here leaning more toward pop-Wolf-Parade rather than other local earworm heros, TPC. One of the first up-and-coming Toronto bands (despite having been in the game a surprisingly long time) I dug soon after I “moved to the city” myself. Enough single-worthy tunes packed on this record to have me singing along for months. - Rich
Aucoin – We’re All Dying to Live
How do you capture bouncing under a parachute with Rich Aucoin in the sweatiest dance party this side of Daft Punk? Why invite twenty-two million friends to each add a drip of energy to a pop/dance album for the ages! I don’t know all the intimate details of the production of the album but it is damn near the closest I could conceive of capturing the energy of a Rich Aucoin show on record. In fact it is better than I’d originally imagined. The multitude of tracks stream by in a fun fury and before you know it hundreds of people are chatting in your living room and you’re ready to start this thing over again from the top. Not just a one-man dance party any longer! - Airplane
Boys – Where’ve You Been
Seemingly coming out of nowhere this mixtape has some inexplicable magnetism that drew me back again and again. The sample choices, perhaps obvious but done in respectable fashion, included such megastars as The Arcade Fire and Radiohead but the flow laid atop makes 'em unique. As an introduction to this Toronto-based duo I can only hope that the promise comes to fruition.
Free Full Download! - Hey
Rosetta - Seeds
It is unfair to try and stack this up against Into Your Lungs considering how much I loved that album (see Top Albums 2008). Alas 2011 seemed to be the year for ever-so-slightly lesser second contributions from bands whose previous albums I’d fallen fast for (ex from this list:RAA, Dan Mangan, Arkells, Dodos). Despite this I still really enjoyed this album and spun it a tonne trying to have it attain the Into Your Lungs levels that it could just not quite reach. Seeds is a solid tune. Yer Spring is a friggin’ fantastic song. Bandages was already stellar even before that yearn-for-the-Rock video they created. Need I mention the songwriting on Welcome? Separately or the sum of its parts, this offering still deserves its accolades. - Austra
– Feel It Break
Katie Stelmanis’ voice is a national treasure. In previous incarnations it never seemed to get full exposure but here its operatic quality shines and accentuates her technical abilities. Lose It would be in the running for track of the year, but it is far from the only gem found here.
[Not that those below weren't worthy of a written review, but my intentions were only ten before I scrolled through my library again and bumped two totally forgotten but absolutely beloved records in.] - Architecture in Helsinki – Moment Bends (AUS)
- Rural
Alberta Advantage – Departing
- Arkells
– Michigan Left
- Noah23 – Fry Cook On Venus
- TV
On The Radio – Nine Types of Light (USA)
- Elliott
Brood – Days Into Years
- Dodos
– No Colour (USA)
- Hooded
Fang – Tosta Mista
- Les
Jupes – Modern Myths
- The
Streets – Computers and Blues (UK)
- Sunparlour
Players – Us Little Devils
- Handsome
Furs - Sound Kapital
- Bruce
Peninsula – Open Flames*All artists Canadian unless otherwise indicated*
Discovered in 2011
Chilly Gonzales - Ivory TowerA late discovery. I wanted to hate this album and some of its terrible and provocative lyrics from the beginning. Yet in the end I couldn't stop spinning it. Even though he put out a new album in 2011, it was this 2010 disc that I kept returning to.
Bands to Watch 2012
Birthday Girls
I don't even know what they are specifically up to, but I know that I discovered these in 2011 and hope that more and more people discover them in 2012.
Hardcore outta Ottawa with a promising EP. True to their word, the self-described influences of DFA79 and Bloc Party (two of my faves of the early oughts) can be heard.
Airplane Boys
Toronto duo with a banging mixtape (a la Drake) and huge potential for a big market. I'd say they should take off, but that'd be a bad pun.
(Follow link for free album!)
Born Gold
Probably a smart name change (from Gobble Gobble), the rumour of their live show won't be lost because of it. Couple that with infectious indie electro that you can shake to and these guys have a good thing goin.
(Follow link for free album!)
Hey Ocean!
This late-'11 album is almost too good. It's pure, polished pop that goes down smooth. You make me wanna make a new dance up!
Humans
I think this EP I found on Spotify was actually from 2010 but I couldn't get enough of it. I hope there's more to come!
You can check out my Top Albums lists dating back to 2002 on my previous Vernacular blog
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