Potential Polaris Pick: The Luyas – Too Beautiful To Work
Pro: “Too Beautiful to Work” (the album’s title track) is just about the best four minutes of indie pop I’ve heard this year. It’s exactly what you would hope for from a popped-up version of Torngat (french horn and organ man Pietro Amato is in that Montreal three-piece) and Belle Orchestre (Amato again and drummer … Continue reading
Potential Polaris Pick #1: Dirty Beaches – Badlands
(With the first round of Polaris Prize voting rapidly approaching, I’ve decided to post some thoughts here on albums that’ve been tossed around for consideration, in no particular order. If there’s something that came out between June 1, 2010 and May 31, 2011 that you think I’d be a fool to ignore, just drop me … Continue reading
30-Day Song Challenge, Day 5: A Song That Reminds You of Someone
It might be harder to find one that doesn‘t remind me of anyone, so for good measure, I decided to go with something that reminds me of two people. First, former Fast Forward sales rep and all-around awesome lady Liz Collins and I bonded by belting this one out in her car on the way … Continue reading
Holy amazing music: Colin Stetson on La Blogotheque
His just-posted set on gorgeous French video site La Blogotheque seems like as good an excuse as any to bring up Montreal saxophonist Colin Stetson. It’s hard to even find words to talk about Stetson’s new album, New History Warfare, Vol. II (out now on Constellation), without just getting bogged down in superlatives. The guy … Continue reading
30-Day Song Challenge, Day 2: Least Favourite Song
Least favourite doesn’t necessarily mean it has no merit whatsoever — the fact that I still remember this song exists means it must have something going for it, even if that something is a completely unearned pompousness mixed with trite sentiment and yet another rehashing of the “a baby is born every time someone dies, … Continue reading
Jim Bryson interview
A musician’s musician and a songwriter’s songwriter, Jim Bryson has been quietly releasing his off-beat folk rock for over a decade now, in addition to pulling time as a hired gun for acts like The Tragically Hip, Sarah Harmer and The Weakerthans. On his latest, Bryson turned the tables on that latter band, enlisting them … Continue reading
Holiday cheer
I’m giving the Best Things a break for a couple days, but to tide you over, the (presumably) fine folks at The Line of Best Fit are offering a holiday sampler with some incredibly talented folks (including Snailhouse, Woodpigeon with Laura Leif, and Kris Ellestad, whose excellent No Man is Land is still streaming free … Continue reading
Best Stuff Day 17: Albums 5 through 1
Now 30% more authoritative than other best-of lists. 5. Andrew Downing – Silents (Black Hen) Written as a soundtrack for The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Impossible Journey, Downing’s Silents is every bit as angular and expressionist as you’d expect. It’s not music for every day, but put it on next time you find yourself … Continue reading
Best Stuff Day 15: Albums 15 to 11
Telling you what you should be listening to, exactly 50 words at a time.
Best Stuff Day 4: Eye Spy zine
As if Flemish Eye records hadn’t already done enough to solidify a reputation as one of the most consistent labels in Canada (seriously — The Cape May, Chad VanGaalen, Women, Pale Air Singers and now Braids?). Now they go and put out a 36-page full-colour zine with illustrations by Clinton St. John of the Cape … Continue reading
The Consumption 