Top Ten 2016 - Year in Review

1. Regina Spektor – Remember Us to Life

If Bleeding Heart was a promise, then this album is delivery on that promise. Expanding on those pitch-perfect vocals and the magical piano fingers, Ms. Spektor has wrapped them in creative and full production. This album has depth and covers a wide spectrum and it hits on all fronts, from singing to storytelling to grabbing you right in the chest and squeezing very hard. Take Sellers of Flowers alone... Even before her live show made me dizzy with wonder this album had already secured its rightful spot here.

2. Donovan Woods – Hard Settle, Ain't Troubled
Donovan is a wordsmith which is obvious even from each 140 characters out of @donovanwoods but when he pairs this with his guitar picking the synergy carries you off and the strings on this album make it transcendental. A devastating romantic, he can express not just one emotion but an array of inner turmoil in a tangible three minutes. It’s not just skill, it’s masterful.

3. Bon Iver – 22, A Million

Even having guiltily read some of the pre-press reviews of the album and the Eaux Claires Festival live debut I was still unsure upon the first listen. Yet, I was compelled to try again. And again. The challenge quickly paid dividends in being a thoroughly engaging and dynamic record. Boundary busting and all the other terms that have surrounded this release, it is without a doubt a true piece of art. Justin, I’d be happy as hell to stay for tea.

4. Basia Bulat – Good Advice

Basia, your confidence is showing and it’s making you glow. That luxurious voice of yours is in top form and the full band backing that you’ve surrounded it with is making my dreams come true. For all the warm feelings I have for each previous album this is the point where all that potential comes together. It’s a breakthrough and I wish for it to break you through so you can continue to push yourself and deliver the goods for ages to come. Thank you for this Good Advice.

5. Pup – The Dream is Over

After screaming along to the self-titled at as many shows as I could get myself to I was entirely resigned to the sophomore not quite living up. And yet I was completely wrong and feel like a dummy for doubting Stefan and co. for even a moment. From the first time I heard DVP to the millionth time I threatened loved ones with “if this tour doesn’t kill you, I will” and those are just the first two tracks of this blast of a record. All the props these dudes are getting are fully deserved. No pressure on that third album, fellas.

6. Wintersleep – The Great Detachment

With the top tier group of musicians in this band it’s no surprise that their output is so consistently excellent. It’s not that they are doing things that are entirely new but more that they do them so goddamn well. Whether building tension, packing punches, or excising demons they are on top of the game. Circumstances have not yet allowed me to witness The Great Detachment live so for now I will put this album on again and close my eyes.

7. John K. Samson – Winter Wheat

Further building my case that John K. is the best lyricist in this country (even with some stiff competition right here on this list) he takes that and wraps a wonderful musical experience around it. His strongest solo effort to date, surely with thanks to a few of his former rock counterparts who play alongside him here. In this post-Weakerthans world it’s reassuring that John will continue to enthral us with each lyric, each line, transporting us around the country in a perfectly worded phrase. I’ll even forgive the grammar on Postdoc Blue’s “so your presentation went terrible” because you wrapped up Virtute, even if it wrenches my heart.

8. Aidan Knight – Each Other

Delivering the full length follow up to Small Reveal that I was fearful might not be coming. Aidan lays this work out with precision and detail that allows it to whisper right where it should and burst just as it needs to. It is a river ride that washes over and engulfs the listener until you find yourself back on the beach, wet yet warm, full and refreshed.

9. Okkervil River – Away

Moving at the pace that Okkervil wants to move. It’s lovely, from the sweeping music to the poetic lyrics, without even realising the fine points I am compelled to return to it over and over.

10. White Lung – White Lung

A roar from front to back, this album is short and strong. Led by the fierce female vocals and that wandering electric guitar it just surges along with the only complaint being how quickly it finishes so you just flip it on again from the start. A real fresh breath.

Long-List Considerations

Andy Shauf - The Party

Anonhi - Hopelessness

Aqua Alta - Dreamsphere

BadBadNotGood - IV
Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial

Case/Lang/Viers - Case/Lang/Viers

Drake - Views

Kanye West - Life of Pablo

Frightened Rabbit - Painting of a Panic Attack

Jazz Cartier - Hotel Paranoia

Memoryhouse - Soft Hate

Rae Spoon - Armour

Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool

River Tiber - Indigo
The Strumbellas - Hope

Tuns - Tuns

Funeral for a Friend - Farewell Tour - Institute - Apr 13, 2016

The opening band had five members convulsing around the stage. Their name was Zoax which I believe was meant to rhyme with "hoax" but really rhymed with jokes! (ha) The singer staggered around the room singing into people's faces and then climbed to the balcony to do the same. Only thing was it was a corded mic so the real drama was watching the Tech wrangling wires up to the second deck. Overall they were okay, bit more screamo than I'm into these days, but improved as the set went on.

Shai Hulud just didn't have a melody. I don't know how FFAF said they were all fans before they even met each other and it was their one combined influence. The final song was dreadful and I was waiting for it to pass. My friend, who had tickets for both nights (Casually Dressed was the next night), was wondering how she'd get through them again Thursday but I believe it was Shai's last night on tour.

FFAF compared to these guys sounded crisp and solid. The chugging bass riffs and soaring guitars lit up the audience who had not reacted much previously. A sold-out place - it was packed - but on the opening bars of Hours the pit started and the air changed. The album live was awesome and it brought me back to my red VW Golf on highway 9 between Bradford and Guelph in 2005. I stood too long with my petite friend at the back before giving into the itch to mosh around track five. Some burly, topless men raged - I watched one have his bro yank his meaty arm to pop his disjointed shoulder back into place - but it was all in fun. Wasn't sure what the post-Hours set would be like or if there even would be. The band left and the singer did a solo tune with an electric guitar. It wasn't terrible but it was too slow after the vibe of that album, which already ends with a couple more restrained tunes. He jokingly chided people at the beginning to STFU but it wasn't an actual joke and they still didn't. You know what they did? They clapped along to this ballad - such wankers. Band rejoined and they ripped through a healthy extra half dozen songs, none of which I knew because they weren't Hours or Casually Dressed (for obvious reasons) but sounded alright. I made my way back to my friend and was glad she wasn't annoyed with me for having buggered off. The singer got sentimental about the last night and seemed authentic about it which was nice, however it was made awkward by the "how many of you are coming to see us tomorrow? Well, this isn't for you" introduction. Overall I was pleased that I went never having seen them before and think higher of the band having seen them in their send-off.

Top Ten 2015 - Year in Review

I've always got an excuse for why my musical consumption wasn't as high as it should have been - this time it was a move to the UK at the end of the summer and no real internet connection since then to listen to a lot of new stuff. Regardless I present the best of what I did hear.

Albums/EPs

1. Young Fathers - White Men are Black Men Too
(Scotland)
Shame rattled in my head from the first play and I just had to seek out the artist. It was bold, unique and came with energy in spades. Sure enough the rest of the album lived up to this introduction and I couldn’t get enough. They seem so unique in their swagger – the closest I could liken is an unhinged TV on the Radio. All the ideas seemed to have been tossed in the pot in the studio and only briefly stirred such that there’s a frenetic rawness that makes it exciting time after time. It was stunning to me that this was not their debut, as it just seems so fresh and new, like adolescents bursting with creativity.

2. Purity Ring - Another Eternity
(Edmonton)
I’ll be honest – I thought that Purity Ring’s last album, Shrines, which nearly landed here in 2012 was lightning in a bottle, not to be repeated. How happy I was to be wrong when Another Eternity proved to not just match but be a step up from this Edmonton crew. Doing electro pop the way it is meant to be this is Canada’s answer to Chvrches and frankly this is better.

3. Hayden - Hey Love
(Toronto)
From the Massey Hall preview that he delivered of a few Hey Love songs (particularly No Happy Birthday with it’s introduction/explanation) it was clear that Hayden wasn’t resting on his laurels. Often singer-songwriters of his ilk will pen a couple great albums early on that will keep people coming back to see them looking for the classics. Not here, not Hayden. He has pushed the envelope with this excellent effort, proving his often introspective songwriting continues to be on point. In terms of pure music he has made a wonderful album, refusing to clutter he manages to stick to the basics but make them sound oh-so-good; an album that continues to give on repeat visits.

4. Allie X - COLLXTION 1 [EP]
(Toronto/LA)
This may not quite be an album at just seven songs and under thirty minutes but regardless it’s going right here on this list (because it’s my list and I do what I want.) I knew her best from her role as vocalist in Dwayne Gretzky (Toronto’s premier cover band) so this incarnation was foreign, strange and amazing because of it. The first tease I had was a live Hillside Festival set where she wore glasses and tights and although slightly hesitant in this popstar incarnation the promise was there. Next was that (still) weird video for Catch and finally this EP which delivers on the anticipation. Pure pop done right - her voice is strong and dynamic, her music catchy and the production slick. Like Diamond Rings before her hopefully the pop god(dess) schtick will take off!

5. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
(USA)
Carrie and Lowell at first disappointed me, so how did it get onto my top ten? Admittedly I was looking for another Age of Adz which I loved dearly and each of the first seven times I played this it just wasn’t. I even shelved the album for awhile, returning to it on rare occasion when I was feeling mellow. However by perhaps the twelfth time (maybe the time I awoke on a plane to the magic of Blue Buckets of Gold) I began to get it. I’d think “this is actually a really great song” and then the same two tracks later. Before long I would hear a snippet and would crave the rest. So not even a slow burn – more of a roasting, cooling-off period, and now a high temperature broil. It may not be the way to make potatoes but it landed this album right here.

6. Coeur de Pirate - Roses
(Montreal/Paris)
Beatrice came out with a confident pop album, unleashing herself in a big way. Previously her musical profile was primarily ‘lovely Francophone piano chanteuse' but she has blown the doors off of that. Not only is half of the album in english but the tracks have fuller arrangements that boldly embrace the pop realm and thrive because of it. Although her previous releases, including Trauma a disc of english cover songs, were great it seems that this incarnation is what that standout voice was destined for.

7. Peaches - Rub
(Toronto)
Bitch rub! This is the first time that I gave Peaches a chance and have been rewarded. Perhaps I’d written her off as an attention-seeking shock artist which, to be fair, she may be to some degree. But she’s not just that – underneath the onslaught of vulgar language and the graphic X-rated content there are some grimy beats and serious hooks. Refraining from re-recording your voicemail greeting to “can’t talk right now, this chick’s dick is in my mouth” is an ongoing struggle. She challenges everything here and does so in a way that gets tunes jammed deep inside your skull. Killer album that’s going to make me delve into the back catalogue and see what I’ve been missing.

8. Tobias Jesso Jr. - Goon
(Vancouver)
Late to the party on this one – it was all the press after Adele’s release which he co-wrote on that prompted me to finally put this on. Was I happy that I did! Otherwise I’d have missed out on a quiet but strong album full of feelings and keys. Apparently he taught himself the piano for this record out of necessity having left his guitar on the other side of the continent. It would appear that this junior could write a tune with a cereal box and some dental floss. Beautiful, really.

9. Burning Hell - Don't Believe the Hyperreal
(Canada..)
Here Matthias brings his quirky songwriting to the fore in this instrumentally sparse duet album. Along with his partner, Ariel Sharrat, they sing some of the funniest and most charming songs to come out this year. Particularly amusing is the recounting of their first ever meeting in Fuck the Government, I Love You (even the titles are top notch). It may be short but front to back these are catchy and lovely songs. Let me paraphrase a lyric to summarize what you may be thinking: “love songs are dumb… oh yeah? wait til you hear these ones!”

10. Django Django - Born Under Saturn
(UK)
Altogether catchy. This is my upbeat, slightly quirky, indie pop record entry for the year (see Dodos, Vampire Weekend etc.) These United Kingdom fellas jangle and rock with hooks galore. Sure, by the end of thirteen tracks you may have figured out the formula but that doesn’t stop you from putting it back on two days later.

Other Considerations

Evening Hymns - Quiet Energies
(Ontario)
A very good album perhaps hampered only by my lofty expectations for Jonas. The amplification over previous works – more drums and less ambient swirlings – move him away from the signature sound I adore him for. Not that this is bad by any stretch.

Chilly Gonzales - Chambers
(Canada/Germany)
This album with the Kaiser Quartet is an excellent work that I listen to often. Honestly though, I really enjoy Chilly’s rapping and am disappointed that it’s instrumental (besides Myth Me.)

Grimes - Art Angels
(Vancouver)
"Has Grimes given up her grime and simply gone pop?" I wondered about a few of these tracks on first play (California in particular.)  But as the disc grows it becomes clear that Claire is still instilling her own vibe.

Les Jupes - Some Kind of Family
(Winnipeg)
This prairie band gets little love but they’re doing their thing so well. They’ve carved out a signature sound and press on with it which is by no means me complaining – quite the opposite, in fact.
[Update: Just read the announcement that the band has broken up]

Albert Hammond Jr. - Momentary Masters
(UK)
Knowing he had a gig coming up I decided to give this a spin and was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it…and kept coming back to it. Well-written and catchy, it may not be the best release of the year but it’s worth listening to.

Wavves X Cloud Nothings - Wavves X Cloud Nothings
(USA)
Frankly Cloud Nothings can drum with anyone and I’m probably going to put it on the list.

Last Minute Shoutout

In the new year I discovered Loon Choir's Alway Golden and have been smitten with it leading me to the rest of the album All This and Everything Else which isn't half bad either (and nearly leading me to quit my job.)
(Ottawa)

Chilly Gonzales - Southbank Centre (London, England) - Nov 7/15

Chilly brought his bathrobe, along with his piano, pop sensibility and humour to the large, full Southbank Royal Festival Theatre in London on Saturday evening. Emerging alongside the Kaiser Quartet they exhibited some instrumental cuts from their Chambers album together before Chilly broke the vocal silence and said good evening. From there it was a mix of music, comedy and showing off his 'musical genius' in a variety of ways. This included giving us examples of arpeggios in popular music throughout the times (and what certain songs would sound like without them) as well as conducting his quartet from different perspectives - as a producer using them as a sampler, or as a drum machine. Naturally he included Sample This too. He did rap, such as Supervillain Music and the cleaned up version of The Grudge and as an encore an amalgam of Self Portrait and his own rebuttal (Not) A Musical Genius from stood atop the piano bench. A particular moment of levity came during one of the more serious instrumentals featuring the quartet where from the shadows a man emerged and walked purposefully to the drum kit, stretched, and then delivered one thundering two-handed beat before immediately retreating the way he had come. (The drummer later was made to dance which brought on an awkward moment of forced audience participation that we won't speak of.) It wasn't just the Chilly show though - at one point he took a seat off to the side and instructed his quartet to "entertain me" which they did; payback for the song or two that he did solo while the lights went out on the Kaisers. One instrumental was performed entirely in the dark, leaving us to visualise it ourselves without the newly deprived sense. Plus there was a unique world premier as a writing partner of Chilly's took a mic to centre stage where he rambled about a hotel room with a piano and then sang three somewhat ridiculous songs about the things that may have happened in that room. It was interesting but not the strongest part of the show. Knight Moves, two standing ovations, and one encore later (but conspicuously no bongos) the two hour spectacle came to a satisfying close with the patrons left to gush about the entertainment that was had.

Polaris Prize 2015 - Initial Reaction

Where is Purity Ring? Hayden? Chilly Gonzales? to name a few off the cuff.

I'm notoriously bad at actually predicting so I won't bother with a specific shortlist but I'd be content with Colin/Sarah, DFA, Caribou or BBNG coming out on top. Probably going to be fr*gging Alvvays..
Absolutely Free – Absolutely Free

ddmmyyyy I should check this out
The Acorn – Vieux Loup

It's good! Not gonna win!
Lydia Ainsworth – Right from Real

?
Alvvays – Alvvays

overrated!
Arkells – High Noon

mainstream but decent
Rich Aucoin – Ephemeral

fun but not prizeworthy
BADBADNOTGOOD & Ghostface Killah – Sour Soul

has a shot because BBNG are excellent and it's unique
Bahamas – Bahamas Is Afie

artist with an ego and decent music
The Barr Brothers – Sleeping Operator

I should listen
Braids – Deep In The Iris

Not a bad album - maybe I should give it another listen
Steph Cameron – Sad-Eyed Lonesome Lady

? (unknown to me)
Caribou – Our Love

Yes! Great stuff.
Jazz Cartier – Marauding In Paradise

The hip hop contingent
Jennifer Castle – Pink City

yawn (haven;t actually heard the album though)
Cold Specks – Neuroplasticity

Not as good as her first
Louis-Jean Cormier – Les grandes artères

?
Death From Above 1979 – The Physical World

VG you make the list
Drake – If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late

Won't be a serious contender like last time but worth being on the long
Frazey Ford – Indian Ocean

Not a huge fan of the artist, haven't heard the album
Tobias Jesso Jr. – Goon

?
BA Johnston – Shit Sucks

Guess I should check this release
Pierre Kwenders – Le dernier empereur Bantou

?
Lee Harvey Osmond – Beautiful Scars

Their second time and I still haven't heard them
Jean Leloup – À Paradis City

?
METZ – II

Not bad - I'll give it another spin
Milk & Bone – Little Mourning

?
Tre Mission – Stigmata

?
The New Pornographers – Brill Bruisers

Good band but their worst album in recent history..
Joel Plaskett – The Park Avenue Sobriety Test

Actually really dug this one from him
Buffy Sainte-Marie – Power in The Blood

Never paid attn, still haven't
Elizabeth Shepherd – The Signal

?
Siskiyou – Nervous

Was bored by older stuff
Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld – Never were the way she was

Cool! Of course it was - it'll be short listed too
Various Artists – Native North America (Vol. 1): Aboriginal Folk, Rock, And Country 1966–1985

?
Viet Cong – Viet Cong

Couldn't get into it despite repeated tries
Patrick Watson – Love Songs For Robots

Agreed, this is quite good but not winning good (especially cuz he's already got one)
The Weather Station – Loyalty

I usually get bored and leave
White Lung – Deep Fantasy

Should check out..
Whitehorse – Leave No Bridge Unburned

Surprisingly liked this - could see it being a popular choice
Young Guv – Ripe 4 Luv

?

? - I haven't heard this album or know much about it or the artist

Flaming Lips - Riot Fest Saturday (Sept 6/14)

The Flaming Lips show had been built up to nothing short of epic in the years since I'd failed to pay attention to them at Sarstock (at this very same venue) during which I'd discovered Yoshimi at the very least. Noticing the massive tanks of compressed gas on the stage earlier in the day I finally got to see them put to work as the confetti began to fly, and not just to the front of the stage but at least fifty meters out into the the air where it rained on and on and down and down for minutes onto the entire crowd who had squished in for the spectacle. Included was a two-person dancing rainbow, a couple magical mushrooms and all sorts of other eye candy in the way of streamers and lights. They stuck around for the opening and the naturally acoustic Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (Pt 1) during which Wayne Coyne had to roll the karate chop back. "I find this really sets the tone for the show and that just isn't going to cut it. 'The name is Yoshimi. She's a black belt in karate.'" He did not stop there as he was the cheerleader the whole time, pumping up the crowd and reminding us that we get back what we put in. Unleashed were 'Fuck Yeah Riot Fest' balloons that bopped over the crowd but only the H survived.

After the mushrooms and rainbow went offstage they were replaced by a couple caterpillars mid metamorphosis to butterflies, and a shining sun - plus a couple of alien blow ups (It doesn't have to make sense.) Wayne reemerged in an anatomic "body"suit that was then covered in silver tin foil streamers before his famous party trick - the hamster ball. Inside this huge ball he crossed atop the crowd and nearly came to my position halfway back, a showman the entire time. Following this was an odd bit on a raised platform where he was coddling a fake child with video projections of running women and the strings of lights still all over the stage. It gave a moment to notice the six-piece band, including a standing and a seated drummer, who were playing through all the nonsense of the show.

Their signature song for damn good reason is Do You Realize? and it was live rendition rung out in all of its epic glory, with Wayne unnecessarily asking us to help him belt it out. This could easily have brought this bold spectacle to a close but the cover of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds felt like an bonus shot, as Wayne was back up on the raised platform and each time the chorus came around the ridiculous strobe lights would strobe and the confetti overtook the sky yet again. Woo - a whirlwind. "Incredible" was the word that was falling off everyone's lips.

Hey Rosetta! and Stars - Danforth (Feb 12/15)

Hey Rosetta!

Disclaimer: As if Hey Rosetta weren't already one of my favourite Canadian bands they went and put out a disc to rival all others last year and this was my first time to experience it live.

The performance was brilliant, a perfect weight of new and old, soft and hard, build and break. It can take years and years for bands to reach this height and Hey Rosetta has been at it for quite awhile now and having started strong seem to only be improving. What a spectacular show through and through. Although it seemed like it was supposed to end earlier, technically being an opener, it just kept going as if it were a double bill. That really wasn't a problem especially considering when I first saw these two on the same bill (Feb 2010, Vancouver) Torq came out so impressed that he stated "well that's the last time those guys open for us" predicting that they were going places.

Tim is the focal point of the group but let's be honest - all seven musicians are extremely skilled in their own right. From the intro that led into Second Sight's cleverly titled opening track Soft Offering (For the Oft Suffering) with its percussion and keys into the next album cut, Gold Teeth it was on. Utilizing a second reverb mic Tim also used the acoustic for this. Breaking into the back catalog with a surging rendition of Yer Spring that had a badass bass line and extended outro they then dialed it in with an acoustic What Arrows, also changing up their instruments halfway through the tune. Seeds was the next effort before they came back with a Second Sight highlight in Neon Beyond that I assumed would be the closer due to its crashing ending. I was far off though as Cathedral Bells showed off both acoustic and electric guitar solos before the absolutely stunning Harriet - my personal new favourite even before this hair-raising rendition. They weren't done as the rollercoaster of Red Heart totally brought it down but no! there's more! Kintsukuroi truly was the set closer. And boy, oh boy, what a set!

Stars
Yet again Stars reminded me why I have practically lost count of their shows that I have attended. With confidence and charisma they charmed their way through a dazzling set, they have which experience to know the sweet spot between new tracks and old faves. I may not be over the moon about their latest release, No One is Lost, but it translated better coming direct from their fingertips and mouths. Actually Trap Door, the current radio single, hadn't really caught my attention until I stood in front of Torq laying it bare and with rapt attention realized its strength. When they pulled out perhaps their marquee Elevator Love Song from breakout Set Yourself on Fire, the he-sang, she-sang still hit all the emotional cues while the weird bass line made it just different enough to be extra interesting. Some of the strongest moments came from their Bedroom album which I recently revisited on vinyl and think despite liking it on initial release that I have been undervaluing it since. Take Me to the Riot is a fantastic call to arms while Up in our Bedroom was also endearing. Torq didn't spout off too much which is almost a disappointment for no matter what he says he is thoughtful and passionate and entertaining. (I was waiting for a 'Fuck Harper' that didn't arrive.) The set was brimming and bright and while the encore was compact it was still great and what Stars fan doesn't want to relive their breakups courtesy of Your Ex Lover is Dead?