Pop Music Bordering Outside the Mainstream - The Gamut

Thank U

2013-02-14T16:44:00.000-05:00

To everyone who reads or somehow stumbles onto this blog, thank you for the support in one way or another. This started initially as a project for a course that I was participating in, and while the intent was to continue with this blog, the subject matter has become inconsistent with my own interests now. I have moved on to another project, one in which will hopefully succeed even thought it's only consistent subject will be me, and what I am thinking and wanting to write. Gulp. Again, thank you for stumbling on to THE GAMUT. I love you, complete strangers.

A

Album Review | Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city

2012-11-02T17:20:00.000-04:00

“I am a sinner who's probably gonna sin again” raps Kendrick Lamar on the second track from his album good kid, m.A.A.d city. It’s a line that sets the tone for Lamar’s second full-length record; a record that details the life, troubles and guilt Lamar experienced growing up in Compton, California.

With the release of his critically-acclaimed independent record Section.80 last year – a concept album inspired by the works of Tupac Shakur – Lamar set the foundation for his sound on good. Now on his first major label release, Lamar creates a motion picture with music, an autobiography of the things he’s witnessed and seen in the life he’s built leading up to the release of the record.

Throughout good kid, Lamar succeeds by his pacing and lyric delivery. Rather than using just rhyme within his songs, Lamar enunciates at key moments, spitting verses out at rapid fire to create his own rhyme. Candid and not willing to censor, Lamar evokes early Marshall Mathers Eminem, with a hint of Lil’ Wayne in the audaciousness of his lyrics, such as in songs like “Backseat Freestyle.”

Lamar’s layering of beats and samples also help good kid excel. The album standout “Poetic Justice” uses a looped female vocal reminiscent of Ludacris’ “Splash Waterfall”. Plus a featuring spot by Drake helps propel the track into a R&B hit, bombastic and ready for urban radio.

The Drake featuring track is also key in cementing the album's theme of remorse and guilt for the things Lamar's done in his youth.

I can never write my wrongs until I write them down for real" raps Lamar, using his song as a chance for repentance and redemption. The message repeats in other songs such as “Money Tree” where Lamar states “the one in front of the gun lives forever,” suggesting that he's been both a witness and a participant of gang violence and how a criminal act resonates in the mind; despite it ending in the moment.

While Lamar is an excellent rapper, good kid also shines in its use of layering beats and samples, ranging from Kanye West, Janet Jackson, Kool and the Gang and even indie duo Beach House. Lamar draws in his listener with well-chosen and well-executed samples that compliment his lyrics and hooks, and allows the message that making mistakes are okay as long as you translate the crime or deed into art, like Lamar tries and succeeds in doing on good kid.

The album ends with a Dr. Dre featuring track, “Compton” an ode to the California city where Lamar grew up. As a lyricist and a story teller, Lamar's album succeeds by holding nothing back, never shying away from being candid, conversational and sincere throughout the record.

Lamar wants his listeners to know about the past he led. With skits, notable samples and a sophisticated arrangement of sounds and beats throughout the record, we see Lamar create a new life for himself using his past experiences to shape it.

Creating art out of pain, guilt and the remorse of his past, good kid remains a satisfying album that reinforces a new name in hip-hop bound to continue rising. This is only the beginning for good kid, Kendrick Lamar.

Podcast | Album Review | Perfume Genius: Put Your Back N 2 It

2012-03-27T20:47:00.002-04:00

(Stereogum/Photo)

In this third five minute podcast from The Gamut's Aristotle Eliopoulos, we'll be reviewing the album from Seattle based musician Perfume Genius, the moniker of artist Mike Hadreas. In this second, more polished album titled Put Your Back N 2 It, released on Matador Records, Hadreas creates an intimate and subtle sophomore. Listen to the review below!

You can listen to and download the episode below!

Alternative Download Link

Show Notes

00:01 - Introduction and welcome

00:33 - Mike Hadreas as Perfume Genius

01:12 - The sound of Put Your Back N 2 It

02:12 - Hadreas' openness as a musician

03:02 - Standout tracks

"Sister Song"
"No Tear"
"Normal Song"
"Hood"

03:57 - Ambition lost

04:23 - Concluding remarks and star rating

04:36 - How to subscribe and comment

(Luke Gilford/Slutever)

WATCH: Perfume Genius | "Hood"

Articles Cited

1) Barton, Laura. "Perfume Genius: 'I've Learned Not to Trust Myself'" The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 16 Feb. 2012. Web. 26 Mar. 2012. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/feb/16/perfume-genius-mike-hadreas>.

2) Slutever, Karley. "Radically Transparent." Slutever. Slutever, 5 Mar. 2012. Web. 26 Mar. 2012. <http://slutever.com/radically-transparent/>.

"The Gamut" introduction music created by Aristotle Eliopoulos, in GarageBand.

Podcast | Album Review | Trust: TRST

2012-03-18T19:25:00.000-04:00

(Arts & Crafts)

In this second five minute podcast from The Gamut's Aristotle Eliopoulos, we'll be listening to the new debut from buzzing Toronto based band Trust, titled TRST, released on independent Canadian label, Arts & Crafts.

You can listen to and download the new podcast episode below!

Alternative Download Link

Show Notes

00:01 - Introduction and welcome

00:30 - What do we know about the band Trust?

01:17 - Trust and their inspirations on TRST

01:50 - TRST as an album

03:03 - Standout tracks

"Dressed for Space"
"Bulbform"
"Candy Walls"
"Heaven"

04:03 - Concluding Remarks and star rating

04:26 - How to suscribe and next podcast episode

(Arts & Crafts/National Post)

WATCH: Trust | "Candy Walls"

Articles Cited

1) Arrazola, Luis-Enrique. "Trust: 'It's the Sound of Rats Running up AÂ mountain'"National Post. Postmedia Network Inc., 1 Mar. 2012. Web. 17 Mar. 2012. <http://arts.nationalpost.com/2012/03/01/trust-its-the-sound-of-rats-running-up-a-mountain/>.

2) Ritchie, Kevin. "Trust: Local Duo Emerges from the Jaze with New LP." NOW Magazine. NOW Communications Inc., 1 Mar. 2012. Web. 17 Mar. 2012. <http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/story.cfm?content=185482>.

3) Miller, Aaron. "Trust TRST AC068." Arts & Crafts. Arts & Crafts Biography. Web. 17 Mar. 2012. <http://www.arts-crafts.ca/artists/pdf/TRUST_BIO.pdf>.

"The Gamut" introduction music created by Aristotle Eliopoulos, in GarageBand.

Podcast | Album Review | Grimes: Visions

2012-03-08T15:40:00.001-05:00

(Stereogum/photo)

In this first five minute podcast from The Gamut's Aristotle Eliopoulos, we'll be reviewing - and even deconstructing - the third studio album Visions from Montreal based artist Grimes, released on independent label 4AD.

You can listen to and download the episode below!

Alternative Download Link

Show Notes

00:01 - Introduction and welcome

00:31 - Who is Grimes

01:07 - Grimes in the "post-internet"genre, internet as inspiration

01:44 - Visions as an album

02:41 - Standout tracks

"Eight"
"Vowels = Space and Time"
"Be a Body"

03:46 - What is Visions about

04:30 - Concluding Remarks and star rating

(John Londono/Rodeo)

WATCH: Grimes | "Oblivion"

Articles Cited

1) Aguirre, Abby. "Out of This World." The New York Times Style Magazine. The New York Times Company, 18 Aug. 2011. Web. 07 Mar. 2012. <http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/18/out-of-this-world/>.

2) Battan, Carrie. "Rising: Grimes." Pitchfork Media. Pitchfork Media, Inc., 16 Oct. 2011. Web. 07 Mar. 2012. <http://pitchfork.com/features/rising/8689-grimes/>.

"The Gamut" introduction music created by Aristotle Eliopoulos, in GarageBand.

Interview This! | Sam Roberts

2012-03-01T19:57:00.000-05:00

Check out my interview with Sam Roberts in the annual magazine from The Medium. Click here to read!

Album Review | The Ting Tings – Sounds from Nowheresville

2012-02-28T20:27:00.000-05:00

You might have heard of The Ting Tings, you've just never heard of The Ting Tings. In 2008, their single “Shut and Let Me Go” became one of those songs that appeared in iPod commercials, movies, television and even got the band a coveted gig on Saturday Night Live. It became one of those songs you'd hear at the mall, the grocery store, maybe that odd time you went to your local dollar store, and you kind of just knew it, but you never really asked who sung it.

Now in 2012, The Ting Tings – made up of duo Katie White and Jules de Martino – return with their second studio album Sounds from Nowheresville, an album that feels like a duplicate of something you've probably heard before, probably in 2009. Sounds is an album filled with songs that you might hear as the soundtrack of an edgy commercial from your local bank, songs that have enough of a generic framework to it that they could be used for just about anything. However, Sounds is also a record that doesn't settle for being just a copy cat. Instead, White and de Martino, not happy with just providing a lesser version of a better song you've heard before, also seem to make sure that no one will dare compare them to someone else if they make an album meant to induce internal bleeding.

There are moments when The Tings Tings' Sounds moves away from imitation to something that just seems like pure parody. Songs like “Give It Back” hint at a production that would make LCD Soundsystem fans gently bob their head, yet when the vocals start, White and de Martino seem to be evoking the sound of The Kills' Midnight Boom but miss all the spunk and genuine ferocity that made Boom a solid album. Here on Sounds, we get White and de Martino doing their best to sing with a snarl and instead just seem to be shrieking because someone – someone who clearly hates ears – told them that shrieking is “punk-rock.”

And that's the problem with Sounds. While White and de Martino might yell, scream and holler, they don't really seem to have any emotional motivation behind their songs, they don't really seem to believe their own message that they're trying to sell.

The yelling only continues with the atrocious speak-singing of “Guggenheim,” a song that tries to sell a broken hearted romance that even when White starts yelling the chorus, sounds more deadpan than anything else on the album. It's a disgusting mess that makes you grit your teeth and wonder, “girl, who let you believe this was good?”

And that's when you see it: that Jules de Martino – one half of The Ting Tings – produced the entire album himself. With Sounds, you get a sense that the band could've used an outsider's perspective. Clocking in at under thirty-five minutes, Sounds feels much longer than it really is, and only shows promise in a few places. Tracks like “Hit Me Down Sonny” feels remotely playful, White almost finding a balance in her vocals between spunky and screechy. The quasi ballad “Day to Day” also holds some potential. But even with these tracks, Sounds from Nowheresville is a telling name, and you almost wish these songs stayed in its fabricated place of origin. A place that feels desolate, dismal and sparse; yet a place that still feels more lively and spirited than this album.

Crossing the Border | Rihanna: Talk That Talk

2012-01-23T12:05:00.002-05:00

Even though this blog's main focus is independent music and artists, every now and then I'll deviate from my blog's goal to talk about types of music that I'm enjoying on the other side of the music spectrum; music that's been labelled as "top 40's" or "commercial." Crossing the Border is exactly that, music on the other side of the indie wall that despite being popular, is still nevertheless good. This week, I'm discussing a not-so guilty pleasure of mine, Rihanna's newest album, Talk That Talk.

Leave it to Rihanna to seize an opportunity. With most of her female pop peers at a loss to provide new singles for hungry radio listeners, Rihanna strikes with Talk That Talk, her sixth studio album in six years and an album providing enough radio filler to keep the masses happy during this pop music drought.

The first single “We Found Love,” a glitzy, Calvin Harris-produced track, and the album's best song, hardly features Rihanna singing. It's chorus, a bubbling instrumental club beat that bursts with a clash into a island-infused dance riff, makes it clear what Talk That Talk is all about: a haven for producers to strut their stuff. With material from big names like Dr. Luke, StarGate, Cirkut, Bangladesh, and the already-familiar Calvin Harris, Talk is a record tailor-made for producers to shows off their best beats.

And show off they definitely do. The album opens with its summery, Dr. Luke love song “You Da One,” in which Rihanna brings her best Caribbean vibes and auto-tuned stutter to the table, and genuinely appears to have some fun. “Where Have You Been,” the album's second track, follows the same dance formula of “We Found Love,” and gives you exactly what you want: glitchy synths, a pounding bass line, and a one-line chorus that won't be rejected by club goers or soccer moms alike. The xx sampling track “Drunk on Love” is also enough to trap indie fans into Rihanna's pop grip.

Even the albums weaker tracks could be moderately successful singles. “Talk That Talk,” the album's title track, features Jay-Z doing his best rap verse about urinating, while Rihanna's come-hither chorus makes for an entertaining three minutes, even if the song only reminds its listener that there's nothing on this album that even closely resembles the magic of “Umbrella.” “Roc Me Out,” a “Rude Boy” knockoff in almost every way, shows Rihanna can recycle the same song, change the key, and still impress with hardly anyone giving her any grief for it.

Of course, a Rihanna album isn't complete without some filler. Tracks like “We All Want Love,” a cheap ballad packaged between the house beats and sexual vigour of songs that occupy the album feels forced and dull, and “Farewell,” the obligatory closing track feels a little too generic even for a record that sticks so close to the blueprint for a perfect radio hit.

While it may feel Rihanna's Talk is just capitalizing on the need to fill the radio void between LMFAO and Adele, Talk is an album that works well because of its blatant desire to meet mainstream expectations. The album never goes beyond the generic synth-heavy club tracks dominating mainstream radio at the moment. It's a middlebrow, status quo record, and that works in its favour by making sure everything is immediate and accessible even during the first listen. Despite feeling unfinished and rushed at parts, Talk That Talk is destined to provide Rihanna with a few more number one singles. And if it doesn't, given Rihanna's persistence, she'll be ready to win you over next November.

WATCH: Rihanna | "We Found Love"

Album Review | The Big Pink: Future This

2012-01-23T11:49:00.000-05:00

It seemed unlikely that Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell of The Big Pink would fall victim to “the sophomore slump.” Given that the duo's excellent, critically acclaimed debut album, A Brief History of Love was packed with gargantuan choruses and stellar production, Furze and Cordell's second album should've been hard to top, but not impossible given the duo's proven talent. In the Big Pink's second album, Future This, Furze and Cordell disregard what worked well in A Brief History to create an album of inferior quality, something that appears as a cheap imitation of their past work.

On Future, none of Furze and Cordell's hooks explode with the same poignancy or strength as their prior songs. The lyrics of love lost and broken hearts that really resonated with listeners in A Brief History are replaced in Future with lyrics about staying grounded and strong; a positivity that radiates in some of the best stadium rock. However, without the big sound The Big Pink initially created for themselves in their debut, the lyrics sound hackneyed and cliché, preachy rather than inspirational, and even ironic considering it seems the duo lacked their own inspiration when writing these lyrics.

The album really only stuns its listeners in a few places, and when it does, it never fully reaches the same sonic power as some of the weaker songs on A Brief History did. The track, “Give It Up” benefits from its strong production; a glitchy synth line that echoes some influence from nineties trip-hop. The lead single “Stay Gold,” while still underwhelming, works by closely adhering to the formula of The Big Pink's most memorable hit “Dominos.” Enough so that it even might have you raising an eyebrow. Maybe even two.

WATCH: The Big Pink | "Stay Gold"

Future This's weakness comes across as a production problem more than anything. With award-winning producer Paul Epworth by their side (known for his work with Adele and Florence and the Machine), The Big Pink almost have the right stuff for a great follow-up, but the songs that fail the most are the songs that try to be the most ambitious with its production. The album's middle and longest track, “1313,” intends to channel the lo-fi electronic sound pulled off by many great artists, but instead, the production and vocals appear muddled and repetitive, and the track even seems a few minutes too long. With Future, listeners can hear and understand what Furze and Cordell tried to do, but with a great producer like Epworth, the duo never hit the mark like they really should be able to.

With a band that's proven in the past that they can create material that's catchy and innovative, and even ready for the radio, The Big Pink's sophomore effort doesn't seem to aim higher than mediocrity. While many songs on Furze and Cordell's debut were overshadowed by the behemoth success of the track “Dominos” – a standout that deserved the attention it got – the album was still consistently strong. With Future This, not one song stands strong enough on its own to carry the album, and the record itself blends a little too closely together to be consider a strong collective work.

Teachables | How to Discover New Independent Musicians (And Never Download a Song to Your Computer Again)

2011-11-16T20:30:00.000-05:00

I've been telling you guys about some great independent pop music -- and that's all cool and stuff, but what's that saying: "Teach someone to fish and you'll feed them for a lifetime." Well, I've decided I'm gonna teach you to fish, and by "fish" I mean I'm gonna teach you how to find some great music on your own. Also, how archaic is that saying? If anything, I would teach you how to use a phone. So you could learn to order a pizza. And then get fat. Then eat more pizza. Circle of life.

NOW, I'm not trying to be preachy. I just decided it would be cool to share with you guys my favourite way to discover new independent bands and artists. Obviously, there is no perfect method to discover new independent musicians, but this is probably the best/easiest way to do so. In my opinion.

This also works for finding great music as a whole. Including non-independent artists. NOW HAVE I GOT YOUR ATTENTION?!

My favourite way to discover new music is on a little website called Last.fm. Last.fm is one of those social networking sites devoted to discovering music and made specifically for internet users who want to share their music interests with friends. I've been using it forever: creating, maintaining, and deleting past accounts since I was in grade ten; so it's always shocking when I learn that a lot of people have never heard of this site.

Once you make an account on the main page and go through the set-up process, you'll need to download the Last.fm Scrobbler. This piece of software will upload, or "scrobble" the music you've listened to in iTunes, Windows Media Player or Winamp player (Winamp? Get yourself out of 1999 BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE) to your Last.fm account.

Once all your music appears on your profile page, you're then ready to discover some new music. The best part about Last.fm is that it takes what you're listening to, finds similar new artists, and then compiles all the new music on your main homepage so you can see it when you log in. Cool, right?

Ugh, I'm not that impressed.

Depending on what you "scrobble" onto your Last.fm profile, you'll get different recommendations. For example, based on my library of Charli XCX, M83, Washed Out, and St. Vincent, I got Trevor Powers' "dream pop" project, Youth Lagoon...

A fresh-faced, freshwater lake. Para-dise!

...And Pat Grossi's chillwave project, Active Child.

Something I never was as a kid.

Last.fm will show you recommendations for all your songs. That means that one Taylor Swift song you didn't want people to know you listened to, will not only be on your profile, but will result in some grotty recommendations as well. Like this:

Yes, ONE play in my library. When Last.fm recommends something, you listen.

The Scrobbler will also track your media player tracks and add them to your account as you listen to them; resulting in a page of your eclectic musical tastes, and a website that can now recommend friends, new artists, events and concerts to you based on what you give it. Now are you satisfied?

Ugh, can I just go now?

Okay, so Last.fm is great to discover new music, but there's one other thing that might be of interest to you. If you were able to control your ever-rolling eyes for one second, you would of noticed the second part of my post's title. With the growing fascination of moving everything to the cloud - including music - services like iTunes Match, Amazon's Cloud Drive, and Google Music are capitalizing on people with gigabytes of music, yet no hard space to put it thanks to the allure of net books and ultra portable computers. A lot of these online music storage services aren't even available in Canada, and a lot of these services aren't free. Free is always better than $$$. That's just basic math.

While these music services are a great idea, I know a way you can have access to all your music library in the cloud of the internet. Using Last.fm. For free. And I will tell you.

What You Need:
Google Chrome
A Last.fm Account
Last.fm Free Music Player Extension for Google Chrome

1. Install Google Chrome
I was against Google Chrome for the longest time, but once I started using it, I realized it's pretty groovy. In my opinion, all browsers are the same once you get past the learning curve. Chrome is fine, and at this point, it's the only browser that lets you do this, so just lie down and accept it. OK? OK.

2. Make Yourself a Free Last.fm Account & Download Last.fm's Free Last.fm Scrobbler
Make your own Last.fm account on the main page and then download the Scrobbler. Then import all your past listening history from your media player. If this sounds likes déjà vu, it's because I already told you to do this. You just don't listen!

At this point, you should have a new Last.fm profile that shows all your iTunes plays of TLC and Boyz II Men. If you already had a Last.fm account this whole time, then you are ahead of everyone. GOLD STAR.

Now I will get to the good part.

4. Download Last.fm Free Music Player Extension
This is the crucial step that will result in the ability to mimic Apple's iTunes Match service. The Last.fm Free Music Player Extension is a verified Chrome extension offered in Chrome's Web Store. Once you install the extension, there are a few steps that are necessary to link your Last.fm account together with the app in the browser. But after that, you've got access to your entire music library streamed from your Last.fm profile. All you need is Chrome with the above extension.

Once you click the blue play button beside a song on your profile, music will stream from your browser directly. It's embedded in Chrome so even if you navigate away from the Last.fm page, your sweet jams will still be playing in your earbuds.

Last.fm gives you recommendations, concert listings, friends, and with this extension, your entire music library on the go. And you now know this because of me. You're welcome!

Of course, if you are encountering any problems, please let me know in the comments below and I will help you. Everyone should have access to free tunes.

For those of you who figured it out. Enjoy.

Hear This! | Five Great Independent Canadian Artists (You're Just Not Listening To)

2011-11-03T11:03:00.001-04:00

I'm a lot of things: student, writer, blogger... domestic goddess - but what you might not know about me is that for a very long time, I've been a DJ at CFRE Radio; the radio station located within the University of Toronto at Mississauga Student Centre. It's a pretty cool gig, and while I'm currently taking a break from doing my show (it's one of THOSE semesters where you have A BILLION THINGS to do and no time), one of the things people always ask who are interested in starting their own radio show is:

"Do you just play, like, whatever you want?"

A good question.

To which I always reply:

"Well, I do make my own playlists, but for each one of your shows - if you choose to do a music show - you have to play about 35-40% Canadian content."

This is the part in which they reply:

"That sounds so000 hard! What do you play, like, Nickelback and Feist?

While I have nothing against Feist, and only a few harsh things to say about Nickelback, this answer always shocks me. Not because these people I talk to have electrifying personalities (ha), but because people are completely unaware of the amount of great musicians we have in this great, great, GREAT country!

Canada: beaver habitat, America's hat

So, I figured I would write this post to let you know that I mean business! Before I die (or before I go to bed - I haven't decided yet), I will make sure people who read this post know FIVE new CANADIAN artists that they can be proud to play on Boxing Day while thinking about our prime minister and wearing their fave pair of snowshoes. This will be really hard to put together. But I have faith.

And a poutine.

1. BRAIDS

PLAY: BRAIDS - "Lammicken"

BRAIDS, an experimental pop band from Calgary, Alberta, blew people away with their debut album, Native Speaker. Not only was the album shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize in 2011, but the album was lauded with praise for its pop sensibility and its avante garde sound. Songs like the above "Lammicken," opens with a low pulse, and electronic buzz. The subtle vocals of Raphaelle Standell-Preston, accompanied by harmonious backing vocals, startle the listener with its eerie, almost ghost-like presence. The constant pulse of the synth feels like a heartbeat and with Standell-Preston's voice pumping life into the song, it comes alive as a dreamy standout from their debut.

2. DVAS

PLAY: DVAS - "Ambient Room"

While I'm still unsure if DVAS is an acronym for something, this great Disco duo homegrown in Toronto have nothing but potential to be the best dance group of the 21st century. I'm serious. While the sound lands in the realm of disco - a sound that makes you think BeeGees and John Travolta - the two founding members, Jered Stuffco and Darren Veres also incorporate heavy dance and electronic elements into their production. Tracks like "Ambient Room," with its cowbells, handclaps, stuttering beats and undulating soundscape would only make Barry Gib cringe with jealously. Maybe even get him to shed a single tear.

3. Miracle Fortress

PLAY: Miracle Fortress - "Everything Works"

As a pop-rock group populating the colossal indie music scene that is Montreal, Quebec, you have to be good at what you do in order to get some attention. Miracle Fortress is definitely better than just good. With their second album, Was I the Wave?, the group took their minimalist electronic sound and integrated some commercial appeal, all while keeping in mind the cryptic water-evoking feeling of their album's title. Their sound is still just as gentle as a small ripple in a pond, but with the production of songs like "Everything Works" that crafts small hooks in every nook and crevice that isn't occupied by lead singer Graham Van Pelt's voice, there's enough power in the track to knock out the creepiness in Kelly Slater's face. And that's saying something.

4. Dinosaur Bones

PLAY: Dinosaur Bones - "N.Y.E."

Toronto doesn't need another example of its thriving music scene, but it's got one in the band Dinosaur Bones. Not only have the dudes of Dinosaur Bones rocketed to prominence with the release of their most recent release My Divider, but they've also just finished playing CMJ music festival in New York, and have a slew of shows lined up across Canada and the US. With tracks like "N.Y.E." the band continue to create defined tunes with wicked guitar arrangements. And with their live shows that have been defined as "captivating" and "radiant," they continue to build a niche in the growing alt-rock community.

5. The Weeknd

PLAY: The Weeknd - "The Zone (feat. Drake)"

If you haven't heard of any of these artists on the list, this last one might ring a bell. Not only is The Weeknd's Abel Tesfaye getting some serious attention on independent music sites like Pitchfork and Stereogum, but he's also carrying some serious influence in the mainstream hip-hop world. With his innovative use of conventional hip-hop sounds to make groundbreaking music, and his BBF relationship with rap powerhouse/Degrassi alum Drake, it's only a matter of time before Tesfaye breaks through the indie bubble and finally get some airplay on Flow 93.5. With two (free, downloadable) mixtapes under his own self-created XO label, one more blog post about Tesfaye won't hurt. Especially when it's promoting material that deserves the attention.

Now that I've educated you on the bands of our native land, do you have any favourite Canadian musicians of our own? Share your favourite home-grown artists in the comments below!

Music Party Games! | Soundtracking Your Own Revenge Fantasy

2011-10-27T14:16:00.000-04:00

I recently listened to an audio clip from actress, producer, writer, comedian and future wife Mindy Kaling's new book Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (available November 1, 2011). In the audiobook excerpt posted online, Kaling talks about how the only way she can motivate herself to exercise is to create elaborate revenge fantasies in her mind while running on her treadmill.

When listening to the audio snippet, I laughed out loud. Not only because Min-Min (yes, I just gave Mindy Kaling a nickname. I'm sure she's cool with that in some alternate dimension) writes with such wit and charm, but because while I've never made my own revenge fantasy before, I couldn't help but realize how awesome this idea is. As freaky or psychotic as it may sound, revenge has always been one of those TOO-COOL 4 SCHOOL subjects for me, you know? In all the movies I've watched, revenge is presented as cool and sleek. There's just something about being able to live vicariously through a character who gets a chance to give the villain a piece of his or her mind. Especially since in real life, you're constantly getting bombarded with issues that you have no control over.

So, being inspired by Min-Min's own brave choice to share her revenge fantasy, I said "WHY THE HELL NOT!?" and decided to not only craft my own wicked tale of revenge and retribution, but to establish how I would soundtrack this future Razzie winning piece. There are just some great indie songs that I feel would be perfect for my story of love, loss, and butt-kicking. And since this is a music blog, why wouldn't I post it? Staying relevant, people!

Since I'm attempting this for my first time, be gentle. I've chosen to break down the fantasy into five acts. Eat your heart out, SHAKESPEARE!

Let's begin.

ACT I: The Beginning

MY SONG CHOICE FOR THIS SCENE
Charli XCX - "Nuclear Seasons"

It's a wonderful crisp Saturday morning in autumn. My wife Susan (played by the very tolerable looking Megan Fox) pecks me on the cheek, and gently shoves me to get up so we can take our daughter, Abigail (played by Abigail Breslin - she got the part because casting knew it wouldn't be hard for her to remember her character's name - AND because she's great!), to her first ballet recital. I drag myself out from under the warm covers of the bed. Susan, Abigail and I live in a lovely townhouse near Central Park. I enter the bathroom to brush my teeth.

"Daddy!" Abigail cries as she runs to hug me. Abigail wears her ballet outfit: a pink tutu, white tights, and a pink pair of ballet slippers. I hug her back before grabbing my toothbrush. "Hurry up, sleepyhead! We're gonna be late!" Susan calls Abigail from the bedroom.

"Abs!" Susan calls, "I told you, daddy's meeting us at your recital later. Now go downstairs - your breakfast is getting cold!" Susan watches as Abigail runs downstairs. She flashes me a smile. "Can you hand me my cellphone?" Susan asks. I look over to Susan's Nokia flip phone sitting on the laundry hamper of the bathroom. As I hand it to her, I look at the phone's screen. Eight new messages.

"Everything okay?" I ask, flashing her the screen as I hand it to her.

"Yeah." Susan says, furrowing her brow. "I'll take this in the other room. It's probably just work."

ACT II: The Catalyst

MY SONG CHOICE FOR THIS SCENE
Bon Iver - "Michicant"

Later in the day, I pull up to the front of Abigail's ballet studio, only to see police cars and caution tape surrounding the area. Crowds of people swarm around the police tape. An officer in uniform pushes away the crowd. "Nothing to see. Everyone back away! This is an official crime scene," the policeman says. I drive up and immediately recognize Susan's totaled Lexus (ed note: you're allowed to be rich in revenge fantasies; also product placement!) behind the tape. I gulp. I run towards the scene only to see Susan's lifeless body before me. A catch a glimpse of a gun wound in her head. Abigail is nowhere to be found.

Months pass and Abigail is never found. It's a difficult time, or at least with great cinematography, it looks like a difficult time. Bon Iver's "Michicant" plays in the background, and with the dark lighting, cold winter weather and shots of me looking down as I sit at the edge of my bed, the audience would have to be heartless monsters not to cry!

In the months after the murder, I learn that my wife hid a secret gambling problem, resulting in her borrowing money from loan sharks; loan sharks she couldn't pay back. This resulted in her untimely end.

With the help of a rough around the edges P.I. (played by Danny Glover [he didn't even need to audition]) I learn the hit on my wife was the result of JOEY CAPONE: the mob boss of an underground mafia ring.

I'm determined to find my daughter.

I'm determined to find Joey.

I'm determined to get my revenge.

ACT III: The Plan

MY SONG CHOICE FOR THIS SCENE
Florence + the Machine - "Shake it Out"

In this montage set to Florence's bombastic track "Shake It Out," I learn the location of Joey Capone's hideout; a trendy Manhattan club named GORGE. Owned by Joey, he uses the club to launder money from his various underground operations.

I plan on ambushing Joey at the club and finally enacting revenge on the family he took away from me. The cinematography for this scene is still dark; the only light coming from the various desk lamps sitting on my TABLE OF REVENGE. I have maps, floor plans, and P.I. Danny Glover helping me along the way. I even have that cliche cork board of pictures and clues held together by thumb tacks and string. The string connects each new clue back to Joey. I am obviously very serious.

As the song gets louder, the camera shoots to various scenes of me working out and training for my future revenge kill. I box; hitting an EverLast punching bag repeatedly, I run on the treadmill; soaked with sweat. I train at the local shooting range; each of my gun shots landing perfectly in the skull of my paper target. I'm like Jean Claude Van Damme in the workout scene from Double Team - except less Dennis Rodman and short shorts. As the song ends, and fades out, a look of determination and certainty falls across my face.

I'm ready.

ACT IV: The Execution

MY SONG CHOICES FOR THIS SCENE

The Knife - "One Hit"

It's a cool April evening. The streets are empty. The pulsing buzzing synths of The Knife's "One Hit" play as the camera pans across the empty, littered streets of Manhattan. As the song's beat builds, the camera moves into Joey Capone's club. GORGE. People dance. Joey Capone (played by the talented Mickey Rourke [I guess this is kind of like Double Team]) walks out from the back room, admiring the various bikini-clad woman dancing in cages suspended over the dance floor. The dance floor shimmers with the club's strobe lights. Girls in tight party dresses dance with men.

The strobe lights flash repeatedly.

I appear. Driving fast among the city highway towards the club. Nothing on my mind but my end destination. My end goal. With my pistol sitting in the back seat, the camera moves onto me. I look different. Time has made me cold. Nothing can stop me. The scene switches back and forth between me and Joey. Me, edging closer to my final destination; and Joey, sitting back, expecting nothing.

Suuns - "Pie IX"

As I make my way into Gorge, the music transitions into Suun's "Pie IX". With the drooping beats slapping together, I slink my way through the crowd into the back room, silently killing each of Joey's bodyguard. I put each man into a headlock and crack their neck. They fall to the floor. I slink further into the back room. Lights flicker. I evade henchmen, ducking low behind crates of martini olives. I kick open the back door ready to face Joey. Instead, there is Abigail huddling in the corner.

"Daddy!" she yells. She runs to me and I hug her in my arms.

HEALTH "Lost Time (Pictureplane Remix)"

Joey Capone appears in the doorway. The music changes. The pictures I've seen of him have not done justice to his face. He is a gruesome man: skinny and sickly, scars across his cheeks, his eyes bloodshot and his cheeks gaunt.

Like I said, he is a gruesome man.

Joey pulls out a jagged knife. I pull out my gun, ready to end this. Joey sprints across the room and knocks my gun from my hands with a swift kick. The gun flies out of my hand.

Abigail screams.

I move Abigail aside. Joey drops his knife. He's ready to fight with some good old fashion hand to hand combat.

I smile.

WE fight. The carnage plays out in a choreographed mess of pulp, blood, screams, and grunts. The tribal drums of HEALTH's track mimic the animal brutality of the fight scene.

As I kick Joey with a fast high kick, his head bends backs as he drops to the floor. Joey's head breaks his fall. His neck snaps.

Joey lies still.

I smile.

Act V: The Final Scene

MY SONG CHOICE FOR THE SCENE

College (feat. Electric Youth) - "A Real Hero"

As I walk out with Abigail in my arms, everything is right with the world again. The screen fades to black, and College's "A Real Hero" slowly erupts into the soundscape while the screen reads "Directed by Stephon Speilbergendorf."

People rise from their movie seats. Applauding. Or asking for their money back. This film hardly earns back half of the production budget and the studio is sued since no one paid for the rights to use these songs.

Fin.

I hope you enjoyed my revenge fantasy! If you weren't weirded out by this endeavour, then I think we have potential to be the best of friends.

If you want to have a bit of fun, write in the comments what your revenge fantasy soundtrack would be. It doesn't have to be elaborate. Just a song or two for each of the below categories. If you are feeling extra sassy, write your own revenge fantasy. With enough people, this can become an official internet party game! e-party 2011, bring the keg.jpg! Make Min-Min proud!

Revenge Fantasy Soundtrack Guidelines

The Beginning: This scene is meant to establish who your characters are. Your song choice works best when it foreshadows the future event that will lead you on your path of revenge, but you can also just choose a song you feel would be a great opening track to your revenge fantasy.
The Catalyst: Exactly what it sounds like; this scene is the catalyst for your revenge. Depending on the revenge - whether it's spousal death, identity theft, wrongful conviction, or someone stealing your Snickers candy bar (BITCH) - the moment that creates your hunger for revenge will vary. Get a song that really establishes the emotion of the scene, or your character.
The Plan: The plan leading up to your moment of revenge is all heavily edited montages: scenes of you researching your target, scenes of you working out and training for your revenge kill, and scenes of you starring at your lost loved one in a conveniently placed picture; turning the frame down because it's too hard to look at their faces, REPEAT as desired. The backing song can be anything, but deep powerful lyrics are preferred. The song needs to be saying exactly what's happening in your character's psyche.
The Execution: You've trained, you've prepared, and now you are ready to enact your revenge! The music must be perfect! This scene will (hopefully) be the most memorable scene of your revenge piece. Make it work and feel free to pick several songs to build up to the climatic finish.
Completion/End Credits: The scene that establishes your success. It's a dark and slow-moving scene that shows you - the hero - walking away, accomplished and fulfilled; your plan for revenge finally complete.

Have fun!

Rising | Three Indie Chicks You'll be Hearing in 2012 (If the World Doesn't End)

2011-10-12T20:54:00.001-04:00

We all know now that the world WILL NOT end in 2012. Contrary to popular belief, the earth WILL NOT be splitting open, there will be NO fiery chasms in the middle of Toronto's streets, John Cusack's screams WILL NOT be the soundtrack to the end of the world, and giant computer generated tidal waves WILL NOT be knocking out any monastery's or lone monks waiting for death ANY TIME SOON.

You can all relax.

BUT, without the promise of a wretched, unpleasant death on the horizon, what reasons do we have to look forward to 2012?

Lotsa reasons.

Not only is 2012 becoming the year of promising new artists, but it's also becoming the year of the indie music chick. Lots of new, sexy, vibrant, buzz-worthy songstresses are bursting onto the scene in the coming year, but there are a few that are really catching the internet's eyes and ears. Shall we see some? No? Well then, go crawl back into your Vivos shelter and stop wasting my time!

Just kidding. Let's move on.

Lana Del Rey

As an up and coming artist gaining relevance on YouTube, Lana Del Rey – the pseudonym of New York singer-songwriter Lizzy Grant – is somewhat of an anomaly. On her uploaded video for her first single “Video Games,” Del Rey splices grainy web camera shots of herself between old vintage home videos, 60's film clips and Super 8 images of Hollywood streets and signs. While the video doesn't look like anything Michael Bay would produce, the editing still appears professionally done and it's a far cry from the many new musicians on Youtube who have nothing but a webcam, a guitar and – if they're lucky – a great voice.

“Video Games,” Del Rey's debut single, rolls out with a soundscape of harps and violins that twinkle before Del Rey cuts in with her powerful and sullen voice that rises and falls in just the right places. The song dazzles, and while sonically, Del Rey's voice echoes the best bits of Cat Power, Fiona Apple, and Tori Amos' back catalogue, it's also a sound that's difficult to imagine without the supplied imagery of the video – or the supplied figure of Lana.

WATCH: Lana Del Rey | "Video Games"

Sky Ferreira

On Sky Ferreira's Wikipedia page, Ferreira is described as a "model, singer, songwriter and actress." Which is true. Modelling in major ad campaigns like Calvin Klein's CK ONE, acting in the music video for Uffie's internet hit "Pop the Glock," and being signed to major label, Capital Records, Ferreira seems to have it all.

Except a radio hit.

Despite the lack of radio success, Ferreira is attracting a lot of underground fans through social networking and the internet. Starting from Myspace and getting signed through her own music profile, many users of websites like Tumblr and Last.fm are discovering Ferreira's retro, eighties pop sound, and jammin' HARD. Even if Sky Ferreira isn't indie by definition, the hipsters are still taking notice.

Despite the "failure" (RADIO failure, not necessarily the same as FAILURE-FAILURE) of her earlier singles, "One" and "Obsession," Ferreira continues to build on her eighties synth vibes. For her latest EP, As If! Ferreira hooked up with eighties hit maker and "Like a Virgin" creator Billy Steinberg for her single "Sex Rules."

If that's not hip enough for you, nothing is. Either way, it's only a matter of time before people start taking notice. With the promise of new material and her debut album being released in 2012, it's only a matter of time before Sky sky-rockets beyond the hidden realms of the internet and onto mainstream radio.

WATCH: Sky Ferreira | "Sex Rules"

Azealia Banks

With comparisons to female rapper of the moment Nicki Minaj coming from every corner, Azaelia Banks, a soon-to-be-signed Harlem-based rapper, is making sure that comparison doesn't stick for long. While both females went to the same La Guardia performing arts school in New York, Banks is taking her time, exploring her sound and making rhymes that rival Minaj's not just in originality, but in versatility.

"Once I sign a deal and get shit in place it's gonna be like

nonstop,

just fucking drilling on music for like, the next five years.

I don't really have any other plans aside from making money [laughs]

If I can say that."-Azealia Banks

From the fast-paced, house music sounds of Banks' newest, internet burning track, "212," to the muted bass that powers tracks like "L8R," Banks is not only playing with her strengths but also playing with her growing fan base by putting all her talent on display. Banks' website biography, as well as a recent Q&A she did with the Village Voice, states that she's currently working on her debut. Raising expectations and some eyebrows, Azealia Banks is here to stay.

Nothing short of an apocalypse can stop her.

WATCH: Azealia Banks | "212"

Hear This! | Five Tracks to Make You Forget Fall is Here

2011-09-24T15:07:00.000-04:00

I've started watching the television show 90210 on Netflix. And I'm hooked. While I wish I could say it's the Tori Spelling version, it's not. It's the flashy new version with the kids who are basically falling apart at The Beach Club because high school is super hard and living in gorgeous Malibu weather doesn't make life any easier.

In fairness, I figured out why I'm watching it.

As I got home from the movies last Friday night (everyone needs to see Drive with Ryan Gosling – best movie soundtrack I've heard in awhile), changed out of my damp, muggy and COLD clothes, pulled on a sweater and booted up my computer to watch a few (EIGHT) episodes of 90210, I came to a startling realization: this show was trying desperately to fill the void of summer in my life.

While the bikinis, beaches, and the various pretty "teenagers" running through golden sands playing tether ball (ed note: I don't think they play tether ball but they really should do that more) was making me feel a bit better, I couldn't help but feel UTTER despair – summer was dying right before my eyes, and there was nothing I could do about it. Autumn is all right, but it's weather that prohibits iced beverages, shorts or outdoor fun. This is the end. Bummer.

As I closed the Netflix tab in Chrome, pulled up my sweater, and opened my iTunes, I thought about creating a new playlist – a tribute, so to speak – to summer. Here are five songs that will hopefully extend the season for AT LEAST another week!

1. David E. Sugar - "Party Killer"

In Sugar's track, the synths bubble, whizz, and stutter with such airiness that it makes me feel like I'm cruising in my imaginary convertible down some sun-drenched boulevard in Beverly Hills. The destination: a cool house party where someone is gonna give me a fun drink and the guy with the long, sort-of dirty blonde hair – that you just know is a gnarly dude – is gonna jump in the pool and splash those three girls with perma-sneers. “MY BIKINI!” the tallest and blondest of the girls will cry, “I'm not supposed to get it wet!” The camera will pan over some skateboarding dudes with backwards hats, flashes of crimped hair and the rippled waves of blue pool water.

Sugar's youth-riddled voice soundtracks this scene, and to me, Sugar's vocal delivery makes me think of the rebel with a heart of gold in a John Hughes movie – all he has is his punk attitude, a jean jacket, and a catchy synth loop. A perfect summer song.

2. Annie - "I Don't Like Your Band"

In this standout from Norwegian songstress Annie, the track loops, stutters and rumbles with the same fun and youthfulness presented by Sugar, yet Annie's thin and processed vocals conjures up the best of Stacey Q, Swedish indie star Robyn, and Madonna on acid. Annie's mocking insults about not liking her boyfriend's band is delivered with such coyness – as if she's swaying to her own harsh criticism. But she's not trying to be mean, she's just being honest!

The song's sunny energy feels right for a trip to the beach or just cruising with friends – it almost seems Annie is using these fizzy, carbonated synths to show her boy and his band what a good pop song should be about. If only all harsh criticism about music could be in itself a winning pop song.

3. Washed Out - "Echoes"

Washed Out's Ernest Greene is good at making music to chill to. In this standout from his debut LP, he captures the ambiance of summer night life – drinking beers in your best friend's backyard, dangling your bare legs off the pier, or just hanging on the patio of your favourite restaurant – the track just works. The cymbals buried beneath the track clash together like ocean waves hitting shore rocks; a beach bon fire filling the shore air with smoke while you run through sand.

Greene's song works like an imagist poem – the instruments painting a picture of the perfect summer night. It's a track that pulsates and moves with ease, and while listening to the song in isolation reveals an intelligent and sophisticated production, the track is also able to lay low in the background as it soundtracks an evening with friends; making you feel as cool as a night summer breeze.

4. Sleigh Bells - "Kids"

Brooklyn based band Sleigh Bells are known for their ability to use audio distortion to create slick, catchy pop. The harsh audio buzz juxtaposed with precision against Alison Krauss' soft voice creates a catchy yet original body of work. In this track, originally titled "Beach Girls," the band bottles the energy of a trip to the beach, splicing in distorted dialogue to make a track you just want to blast from a stereo as your skin burns and blisters near the foamy ocean water – the redder the better, the louder the better.

5. Kisses - "Midnight Lover"

Summer lovin' doesn't always happen so fast; especially if you're Jesse Kivel from the band Kisses. In this track, Kivel moans for his unrequited summer lover – but he's not asking for anything outrageous. Kivel coos "I would like to take you out for a nice steak dinner, just me and you," and with this line, we get a sense of summer in its most maturest form: romance. Midnight walks on the beach side, or through the city – the sun gone and the air cool. Light sweaters and laughter; all worries melting away like a child's ice cream cone.

Kivel highlights one of the best, and sometimes underestimated parts of summer: the summer fling – something that can never last, but something you can always remember. The softer part of summer exposed, and finally, somebody chose to embody the feeling through song.

What do you think? Are these songs enough to fight off summer withdrawal? Choose your favourite in the comments below!

Album Review | St. Vincent: Strange Mercy

2011-09-21T20:46:00.000-04:00

PLAY: St. Vincent | "Chloe in the Afternoon"

The cover for St. Vincent's new album Strange Mercy – a milky white latex-looking sheet stretched thin over the mouth of a screaming model; possibly St. Vincent herself, the moniker of Texas native Annie Clark – dances closely to the edge of obscurity.

However, after I finished listening to the album, I realized the image is actually quite telling of Clarke's music. It captures the sonic tension and conflict that encompasses the sound of Strange Mercy.

In the first five seconds of the opening track, “Chloe in the Afternoon,” the song begins with the delicate whiz of synths. Clark's voice coos affectionately and passionately – her voice radiates warmth. This sound is soon disrupted by distorted bass guitars creating a feeling of anxiety in the piece – as if something is about to go wrong.

"My own heels heal my hurt. Go slowly. Feel your floor." - "Chloe in the Afternoon"

With this moment, Clark's voice edges closer to devastation. Her voice teeters and wavers as she tries to hit notes her thin, yet sweet voice almost doesn't allow her to hit. These higher notes add to the uneasiness to the song – as if she is almost gasping for air. The aggressive guitars suffocate the lyrics and Clark's voice gargles – almost as if she's drowning. The song soon ends with the same distorted guitars that opened the track, except now the instrument only spews out a few final notes before the song closes to a climatic finish.

To me, “Chloe” stands as a representation for the dramatic tension that most of the songs on Mercy tend to have. The songs' swooping strings and silky synths lay down the foundation for Clark's songs, while the distortion from her bass guitar – an instrument that appears immediately in “Chloe” and recurs repetitively throughout the rest of the album – often suggests as if something violent is bubbling right underneath the surface.

WATCH: St. Vincent | "Cruel"

“Cruel,” the second track on the album opens once again with Clark's honey-dipped voice, and follows a similar formula to the track that played before it. The strings of the backing orchestra rise and fall with Clark's voice. The lyrics are delivered by Clark with poignancy and tragedy. The buzzing guitars vibrate once again beneath the complicated soundscape.

"They could take or leave you, so they took you then

they left you." -"Cruel"

I think the contrast of Clark's anxiety-ridden guitars and the lush strings and horns that surround her voice work well to create a thematically strong album, yet there are moments where I wished this tension that's boiling, simmering and gargling underneath would eventually come out to the surface.

Much like the mouth on the cover of the album that suppresses a scream, I feel St. Vincent's songs themselves seem to be suppressing something as well. A darkness and trauma underlies the sound, and while I wished this would lead to a violent climax where these sounds would emerge completely, this tension comes across with precision and accuracy, and we understand that these songs have been arranged carefully; they've been built up from a basic structure in order to create this complex, calculated collection of music.

As much as I would like to see Clarke's seething emotion come out as the musical equivalent of a diva-like hissy fit, I can understand why she doesn't want to showcase her emotions so blatantly. Clark's use of juxtaposition makes for an exciting and refreshing album; a challenging work that hints on its themes, rather than stating everything at surface level. Which is no doubt impressive. Strange Mercy is vibrant, consistent, yet still unpredictable because of Clarke's choice to layer sounds together. No one's calling uncle – not yet. Show no mercy.