You would think the transition into the fall season would come as a sigh of relief with the official expiration of the summer music festival schedule. However, that hasn’t been the case. Between Halifax Pop Explosion and CMJ, I have been stretched across Canadian and U.S. borders these past few weeks. My seemingly endless schedule has come with it’s perks though, as the experience reminded me of the considerable talent we have in our fair country. Halifax in particular showcased Canadian bands from coast to coast, offering sounds that were as vast as the distance between their hometowns. With that being said, I thought I would include some in my recommendations along with some other up-and-comers that have the industry talking!
PS I Love You
The appeal of this band lies on so many factors. A two-piece from Kingston, Ontario, they combine garage-rock with notable punk influences and play with an intensity that you can’t help but pay attention to. PS I Love You exhibits a full band sound that accompanies searing guitar riffs with emotionally fused vocals. Originally they were featured on the B side of a split 7” with fellow Canadian artist and friend Diamond Rings. However, once they released their debut album ‘Meet Me at the Muster Station’ in late 2010, the band gained notoriety amongst the indie music community. Check out their performance of “Starfield”‘ for Canadian music blog Southern Souls:
PS I LOVE YOU – Starfield from Mitch Fillion (southernsouls.ca) on Vimeo.
Paper Lions
This is another band that has been around for a few years but really stood out with the release of their last EP ‘Trophies’ in 2010. We recently started working with them and couldn’t be more happy about it. Paper Lions offers this infectious, upbeat pop-rock sound that really makes you wanna dance. They have been touring extensively since the release of their six song EP just a little over a year ago. Doing so, they have not only perfected an energetic live show but also gained quite the following. While Paper Lions stem from Prince Edward Island, their tracks can be heard on college airwaves, car stereos, and playlists nation wide. They are currecntly touring Canada on the “Rolling Oyster Revue” tour where they bring their oysters from their hometown on the road and are teaching new friends how to shuck! Here is the video for their hit track ‘Lost the War’ off their ‘Trophies’ EP:
Moon Face
With Wolf Parade announcing their permanent hiatus and Sunset Rubdown being temporarily put on the back burner, Spencer Krug had some time to unleash a new project. Moon Face took the music community full force this August when the first-full length album entitled Organ Music not Vibraphone like I’d Hoped was released. Similar to Sunset Rubdown the album is filled with eccentric and synth-fueled organ that accompany swells of unique vocals. This record, while not necessarily for everyone, bursts with the creativity of one of Montreal’s exceptional talents. You can watch the video for the lengthy yet brilliant track ‘Fast Peter’ featured on the LP here:
One Hundred Dollars
Amongst the various country-folk darlings that inhabit our native land, there is something about One Hundred Dollars that’s a little bit different. Comprised of seven members, this Toronto band has more emotionally driven choruses in comparison to the typical rural-inspired love lyrics. Not to mention their tracks offer a complex combination of instruments that maintain a surprisingly up-beat country sound. Their album ‘Songs of Man’, released this year, is both soothing and catchy when you’re in the mood for something less in your face. You’ll see what I mean when you check out their video for “When Sparrows Drop” here:
ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS – Where The Sparrows Drop from Mitch Fillion (southernsouls.ca) on Vimeo.
My selections for this month are quite the mixed bag, as you will find out. I think it shows the amount of diversity were are seeing in Canadian music right now. I hope you enjoy!
As always, thanks for reading!
Sari
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Sari Delmar is president of a Canadian artist development, marketing, and management company called Audio Blood. Delmar spent years freelance writing before moving over to the industry side. Audio Blood has helped kickstart careers for some of Canada’s favourite exports and includes many major and indie Canadian labels on their impressive client list.
For more info visit http://audioblood.com and follow @audiobloodmedia.
