Friday, November 2. 2007
Hottest Canadian Bands , 2007 edition
With the end of the year approaching, it's time once again for the 2007 edition of the Hottest Bands in Canada survey.
And in the end, it was close. Even with over 30 panelists and 150 bands receiving votes, it was close. And I'm talking insanely, nail-bitingly, one-point-separating-#1-from-#2, "it could've gone either way if one person had even reversed the order in their ballot" close, with the difference being a ballot submitted about 30 seconds before I went to hit "Publish".
But in the end, there was a winner, and to find out who the Hottest Band in Canada is (not to mention the rest of the top 33), read on after the jump. The rest of the vote-getters will be posted Monday.
And in the end, it was close. Even with over 30 panelists and 150 bands receiving votes, it was close. And I'm talking insanely, nail-bitingly, one-point-separating-#1-from-#2, "it could've gone either way if one person had even reversed the order in their ballot" close, with the difference being a ballot submitted about 30 seconds before I went to hit "Publish".
But in the end, there was a winner, and to find out who the Hottest Band in Canada is (not to mention the rest of the top 33), read on after the jump. The rest of the vote-getters will be posted Monday.
First, the esteemed panel of voters, it no particular order:
Neiles Life, Dave's Live Music Blog, Dan and Sean from Said The Gramophone, Ruhee and Ross from the Rblog, Nat Cap Rock, Bryan and Shane from Herohill, Lauren of Toronto's No Shame Shows, Scene and Heard, David of Torontoist, Jeremy from Midnight Poutine, Chromewaves, Bootlog, Wolves, Hawks and Kites, A Quiet Revolution, Jordan Timm and Aaron Wherry from Maclean's Taste Police, From Blown Speakers, Chris Whibbs and Cam Lindsay from Exclaim!, Sucking A Lemon, Paul from The New Pollution, Just Keep Blogging, Caitlin Crockard from Chart, Trendwhore's"Brockmaster", For The Records, Kelly Bergeron of The Journey Starts Here, Indie Music Filter, Radio Free Canuckistan and Dave Missio from InfoMonkey. And me, too.
They were all asked to submit lists of the top 10 Canadian artists they believed were "hot" in 2007. What exactly defined "hotness" was left entirely up to each individual voter -- as was, for that matter, exactly what constituted "Canadian", which led to one person voting for the Florida-born (but Montreal-residing) Jade McNelis, while another reasoned that even though The Zoobombs hail from Tokyo, Dan Burke brings them to Toronto enough that they must qualify as, at least, honorary Canadians. All these lists were compiled into one long list, with points being given for placement on a list as well as position.
All this led to the following results...
33. The Great Bloomers
They've release five songs. I've only heard each track a handful of times. They are on a label that doesn't even have a web site up and running. They are on my list. That should say something. (Herohill)
Some bands seem born to perform. If Great Bloomers ever went through that awkward banter, downcast eyes, 6 minutes between songs early band phase, you would never know it. They own every stage in the city, and I'm sure the rest of Canada is sure to follow. They astound with subtlety - delicious hooks, stunning harmonies, expert musicianship, songwriting well beyond their years and a wry sense of humour that says we're good and we know it, but we appreciate you for coming, so thanks. Playing rollickin' piano based country-tinged college rock, GB are The Feel Good Band of 2007. That's right - if you see one rollickin' piano based country-tinged college rock band this year, make it Great Bloomers. (No Shame)
They've been around something like 9 months, and they're already this good. I'm scared to think about just how great they could become. (matthew)
Download "Catching Up"
32. Land of Talk
My #1 band from last year drops some notches only because instead of releasing new material they continued to work Applause Cheer Boo Hiss
thanks to distribution deals in the US and Europe. When the new album finally hits next year, expect them to shoot back up. (Chromewaves)
Big fan of this Montreal threesome, their debut EP (Applause Cheer Boo Hiss) was one of the more enjoyable listens I had this year. Lizzie Powell's vocals over crunching guitars is hard to get out of one's head. (Shane, Herohill)
Okay, so all the 'cool' kids were into 'em in 2006. But better late than never. Their EP Applause Cheer Boo Hiss is one of the few current Canadian releases I'd bothered to put on my mp3 player. Muscular and melodic at the same time, rock music should always sound this good. (For The Records)
31. The Sadies
Tremendous instrumental talent and a tremendous catalogue of songs that’s been slowly expanding out of their original country nook like a marvelous psychedelic bloom. (NatCapRock)
Download "Never Again"
30. Crystal Castles
Half of their singles are grating and pretentious, much like their anti-image image, but Crystal Castles make me think of Neil Haggerty and Jennifer Herrema during Royal Trux¹s most fucked up days -- that is, with lots of screaming Nintendo samples and nihilistic beats. That¹s enough to make me love anything they do, even with the grating and pretentious material. (Cam, Exclaim)
If blogs were really as influential as people seem to think, these guys would be Daft Punk or something. They're not, but they're still pretty good. (From Blown Speakers)
Playing an entire show with a single strobe light full stop: anytime I looked around me all I could see were flashes of sweaty bodies and sweaty hairs flailing about. It was the most amazing sight. It left me in a daze and I could not wait to see them again, but it might be difficult given that according to their Myspace they are touring the entire world in a hot air balloon of tuff dance music. (Sucking A Lemon)
29. The Luyas
Dark horse of the pack, The Luyas are straight-ahead great. (Dan, StG)
My favourite album of 2007 may well be The Luyas' self-released debut - a record called Faker Death by a girl, a drummer, and a guy who plays french horn. They're three musicians with long histories in Canadian music - in Torngat, Bell Orchestre, the SS Cardiacs, - but this is their best work, this right here, this knitting of influence and feeling with all the mistakes left in. I like to hope that when something's really, really good, it begins to attract peoples' eye; like a stormcloud, a cherry tree, or a really dope bicycle. (Sean, StG)
With jagged hooks and soothing horns, The Luyas emerged this year to growing acclaim after quietly releasing Faker Death. They have shown that they are jubilant and terrified, strange and wonderful, and certainly a band to watch out for in 2008 (when they are planning to release another album). (Bootlog)
Download "Cats In A Bag"
28. Joel Plaskett
The Nova Scotian Springsteen, only a hundred times more fun. At an age at which his generational contemporaries are floundering (have you heard a recent Sloan record?), Plaskett made his best music yet, the infectious and magical Ashtray Rock. And he’s one of CanRock’s foremost entertainers, as well. The total package, here. (Ross, Rblog)
It's been a pretty great year for the Emergency: a Polaris Prize nomination, a wildly successful tour, and one of the best albums to come out of the Canadian independent scene in a long while. I've never met a Joel Plaskett song I didn't like, nor do I foresee it happening anytime in the future - and I expect to hear a lot more out of him yet. (Ruhee, Rblog)
Download "Snowed In/Cruisin'"
27. Junior Boys
Incredibly, it'd be a band from Hamilton that would finally shut up the people who claimed that likeable electronic music was an oxymoron. (Torontoist)
This duo from Hamilton is getting all the right buzz in my opinion, or that everyone follows their output because their albums are so damned good. So This Is Goodbye still sparkles to this day, despite it being about a year old. Also, did you see “In the Morning” being used on So You Think You Can Dance? Delightfully surreal. (Chris, Exclaim!)
26. Stars
Slightly begrudgingly, since In Our Bedroom After The War frustrates me a little more often than it entertains me. But they’re successful and singular and usually diverting enough. I still find it hard to imagine the music fan who truly loves this band, but they’re good enough to make it on here. (Ross, Rblog)
Sometimes, form trumps content. While In Our Bedroom After The War might not have actually been all that great, their decision to release it online a few months before it was actually available in stores squashed leaks and set an exciting precedent. They weren't the first band to do it, but they were one of the biggest. Radiohead's In Rainbows would take the idea of pre-releasing music online one step further, by letting people actually pay what they wanted for their album, but Stars shouldn't be forgotten for trying to reshape the wheel, if not reinvent it. (Torontoist)
25. Woodhands
I don't dance, and I'm not a fan of dance music, but Woodhands is good enough to make me forget both of those things. (matthew)
Not enough can be said to extol the virtues of this sweat-dripping dance duo...they've got skills. Keytar skills. Vocoder skills. Teeny-tiny keyboard skills. And all of this is the more surprising because Dan Werb and Paul Banwatt appear at first glance to be the kind of boys you take home to your mother, but appearances can be deceiving, and this pair will have you bumping and grinding and pouring sweats like some kind of sweaty grinding sex-starved something. Now how would your mom like THAT? (No Shame)
Stumbling upon these guys by accident when I was DJing a friend's club night, I instantly found my favourite new Toronto band. Dan Werb's slinky keytar thrusts and commanding vocal presence held my short attention span entirely, but the best surprise was the duo's ability to force a chorus into your skull the first time you hear it. Additionally, it¹s not too often you see such a white nerdy dude look so sexy and get everyone in a room dancing with songs even Prince would admit should have been included on a third side to Sign O' the Times. (Cam, Exclaim)
Download "Dancer"
24. Apostle of Hustle
National Anthem of Nowhere built upon the strengths of Folkloric Feel and managed to be more accessible without compromising on the the rhythms and poetic lyrics which made the debut so great. Whiteman seems to be even more comfortable on this release as he refines and expands the Cuban-influence sound he's now known for. (Bootlog)
23. Neil Young
Though he deserves to top any list of best Canadian anything, any year, by simple virtue of being Neil Young, this year he earns it by not only finally beginning to release his long-awaited Archives collections, but by managing to look back while ever moving forwards. (Chromewaves)
Honestly, I haven't even heard Chrome Dreams II yet, but it's Neil Young. (From Blown Speakers)
According to a recent poll, he is responsible for approximately 87 of the greatest 100 records in Canadian music history. (Aaron, The Taste Police)
22. Chad VanGaalen
Even Patrick Watson thought Chad VanGaalen should have won the Polaris. But CVG has been under appreciated for years, particularly here in Montreal (his shows at small clubs rarely come close to selling out). Hopefully the Polaris nomination (and his stunning performance at the award show) brings this haunting and oddball signer-songwriter some much deserved respect. (Midnight Poutine)
Oh Chad. People love you. You channel Neil Young in your own way, you make us laugh, you make us feel special. Your songs make us feel that we’re not alone in this crazy world and your animations are exactly what I was dreaming about the night before. Don’t ever change, you crazy kid. There’s plenty more coming your way. (The Journey Starts Here)
Download "Flower Gardens"
21. Plants and Animals
I said it a few weeks ago, and I'll say it again: if next year's full-length is anywhere close to as good as the With/Avec EP, these guys are a lock to make Secret City 3-for-3 at the Polaris nominations. (matthew)
Secret City Records is 3 for 3 with its latest signing, Montreal staple Plants and Animals. By turns grand and sprawling, delicate and understated, atmospheric and orchestral, Plants and Animals call on heartfelt folksy strumming of Neil Young, the laid back 90's laziness of Pavement, the cool groove of Air, and countless other influences. Having spent the last few months touring with Wolf Parade, Andrew Bird and Polaris winner Patrick Watson, having just returned from Iceland's Airwaves Festival, and now on Exclaim!'s Fall roots tour with The Acorn and Elliott Brood...things are looking up, WAY up for this long-overdue trio. Awesome. (No Shame)
After Miracle Fortress and Patrick Watson, Secret City Records could go Broadway Danny Rose with a ventriloquist act and they'd still be hot. It'll help that P&A are actually reasonably talented. (Jordan, Taste Police)
Download "Faerie Dance"
20. Great Lake Swimmers
Ongiara is beautiful. One of my favourite acts to see in 2007. (DLMB)
There must be something in the water. Great Lake Swimmer's contribution to 2007, Ongiara, is as vast and scenic as the country it describes. Tony Dekker's metaphors run deep. The album sounds like it came from the ground. (Midnight Poutine)
Yes, they went back to the same well for Ongiara as they did for their first two records but when the water is as silent, still and deep as theirs, there's no reason not to. (Chromewaves)
Tony Dekker and company toured like crazy this year, released a great album, Ongiara and performed an intimate show at a church in Toronto this year. And in the near future they'll be the opening act for some upcoming Feist dates. So they only made #6 on my list but I wouldn't be surprised if they're #1 on yours. (For The Records)
Download "Put There By The Land"
19. The Weakerthans
I may be one of the only ones who still loves this band, but hearing Samson portray a heart broken bus driver or use curling as an analogy for live and love cements his status as Canada's working class hero. (Bryan, Herohill)
A fresh new album (finally) that sees the band playing larger and larger rooms, both in Canada and far beyond. (The New Pollution)
With their loyal following, their “every song is an intriguing story” writing style, and their idea to bring on Jim Bryson, not only have they convinced us Canadians that they are great storytellers, but they are winning over America just as quickly. (The Journey Starts Here)
Ack isn't alone in his love for John K. Sampson's yarns. Unlike a number of people, I'm happy Reunion Tour sounds like their other albums, and if their next album sounds like this one, I'll still be happy. (Shane, Herohill)
Download "Tournament of Hearts"
18. The New Pornographers
Challengers took a while to grow on me, but when it did, it REALLY grew. Definitely their most mature record to date, and their big tour with both Neko Case and Dan Bejar re-injected into the mix didn't hurt either. It's been a good year. (Ruhee, Rblog)
Despite the lukewarm reviews of Challengers from some quarters, I am convinced that their fourth album is their strongest. They took a chance on this showing much more emotional range than on previous releases, showing a more introspective side of the band, while proving that they still can belt them out when they want to. (Bootlog)
Challengers is probably their weakest effort to date, but the first full scale tour with both Neko and Dan is worth celebrating. (From Blown Speakers)
I still don’t believe Challengers quite stacks (crooked?) up to their previous work, although it has grown on me considerably. But this is still generally an interesting science experiment / band, and I never thought I’d hear myself say it, but... give Dan Bejar more songs on the next album. Please. (Rossblog)
Download "All The Old Showstoppers"
17. Ohbijou
I think this band just missed the cut on your list last year. So I'm pushing for their inclusion this year. I'm a sucker for strings. In '07, you could find Ohbijou showing off their beautiful debut Swift Feet for Troubling Times and previewing songs from (what sounds like it will be) a stunning follow up. Ohbijou makes songs that help the moon go to sleep at night. (Midnight Poutine)
More of a slow smoulder of a year rather than fire-y hot as Swift Feet For Troubling Times spread its magic outwards from Toronto but word is getting out. (Chromewaves)
Finding extraordinary beauty in the quietest of moments, the might be the one band who can effortlessly make me swoon and/or bring forth goosebumps. One of those bands who, when they play to the uninitiated, seem to bring forth the response of “Well, that was lovely.” It sure is. (Chris, Exclaim!)
Having seen them live three times this year, they've only got better with each show. They're one of the few bands where the "big band" concept actually makes sense because all the members play a vital role in creating the band's delicate, chamber-pop sound. (For The Records)
Wearing their hearts on the streets of Bellwoods; which might be an avenue in downtown Toronto just off Queen street and by some park where dogs rule the earth, but Bellwoods is a magical place that encompasses everything Ohbijou represents: beautiful music, good pals, and amazing spirit. (Sucking A Lemon)
Download "St. Francis"
16. Jenn Grant
Where Woke Myself Up is a career defining work for Ms. Doiron, Ms Grant puts everyone on notice with a debut almost too good to be a still developing artist's introduction to us all with her Orchestra for the Moon. (A Quiet Revolution)
Currently on tour with The Weakerthans, Jenn has had plenty of buzz this year. And it's well deserved, at least in my opinion. Her beautiful debut album Orchestra For The Moon was one of my favorites this year. (Shane, Herohill)
It's not often that publicists do much good, but when a publicist acquaintance of mine sent me "Dreamer" about a year ago, with a short e-mail explanation of "This girl is unsigned and amazing"...well, that single-handedly made up for about three or four dozen spam press releases. (matthew)
I've mentioned her so many times in the past that I've run out of good things to say. She just released her debut album Orchestra For The Moon and it's terrific. A lot of people say she could be the next Feist...which talent-wise isn't too far off the mark. (For The Records)
Download "Dreamer"
15. Wolf Parade
How lame does it make me for voting for one of the biggest names in Canadian indie rock? Really, I don't care. After hearing a dry run of the new material when they played in BC, my jaw was on the floor for about two days. When this album comes out, it will be lights out for these honors in 2008. (Bryan, Herohill)
Buoyed by successful side projects, they'll be back and bigger. Just please, God, don't let them grow Second Album Moustaches. (Jordan, Taste Police)
Yes, there’s been no album in over two years, but that doesn’t matter. Anything Wolf Parade-based garners immense praise and dissection among journalists and bloggers. See their recent shows which had innumerable media sources posting YouTube videos of the new songs and jizz-worthy praise that they were even better than their last album. C’mon people...get a grip! Of course, add this on top of quite successful side projects like Handsome Furs, Sunset Rubdown and Swan Lake and you effectively have everyone in a frenzy. Ain’t no party like a Wolf Parade party it seems. (Chris, Exclaim!)
Download "My Father's Son"
14. Wintersleep
Poppier? Sure. Going to introduce them to a wider audience and lure them to their live show? Definitely and that will only be a great thing for both the band and fans. This album breaks them. (A Quiet Revolution)
Their new album, Welcome To The Night Sky, is excellent. I wasn't a huge fan before, but I am now. (Shane, Herohill)
These East Coast purveyors of catchy as hell rock songs have snuck up on everyone and easily put out their defining statement and one of the year’s best disc with Welcome to the Night Sky. They tour a lot, they all look scruffy and they fucking rock live. Maybe those rabid Wolf Parade fans will look a little farther East? (Chris, Exclaim!)
Download "Weighty Ghost"
13. Two Hours Traffic
Perfect pop. These guys literally have no ceiling. They could be huge on radio without losing the appeal of their already fanatical fan base. People actually slow dance to their slow ones when they play live. (Bryan, Herohill)
Four or five months after I first heard it, I'm still trying to get Little Jabs out of my head. (matthew)
We've written about these PEI lads many, many times on the 'Hill and I still think all the attention is warranted. I still love Little Jabs as much as I did when I first heard it, absolutely one of my favorite albums of the year. (Shane, Herohill)
Download "Stuck For This Summer"
12. Julie Doiron
This was a great year for Julie. A vigorous new album, a Polaris prize nomination, shows playing with rock bands and singing her heart out. So amazing to find that one of your favourite artists has not yet peaked. (Sean, StG)
Julie was perhaps the only person on the list who was in more places than Skratch Bastid, and is certainly the only mother of three on the list. Her solo album Woke Myself Up was a Polaris nominee, she toured as part of the two piece Blue Heeler (with Dick Morello), and played reunion shows with Eric's Trip. That is some busy hotness right there. (Shane, Herohill)
With her most recent Polaris-nominated release, loss be damned, which dealt with personal relationships on a level most of our relationships never reach, Julie gave us a highlight of her career that shows no end in sight with multiple projects on the go. (A Quiet Revolution)
She didn't win the Polaris Prize, but at least her record wasn't boring as hell. In fact, with her Eric's Trip colleagues backing her, it was anything but. I would've ranked her higher if the Trip reunion tour had actually made it further West than Ontario. (From Blown Speakers)
Download "Untitled"
11. Patrick Watson
Pioneered the television newsmagazine as we know it. (Aaron, The Taste Police)
Close to Paradise is a surprisingly rewarding album, and I think we can acknowledge that the Polaris has got to count for something. And you gotta love a beard, right? (Ross, Rblog)
Overrated? Maybe. Hot in 07? Undeniably. One of my favourite musical memories in 2006 was randomly stumbling upon Watson and co. playing in a tiny outdoor park on the corner of St. Laurent and Rachel, Watson's voice soaring over the twilight traffic. For that show alone, I'm glad 2007 was good to them. (Midnight Poutine)
Patrick Watson – a band, they insist, not just a person – won the Polaris Prize this year, which pretty much guarantees them "hot" status. It was an upset, but they deserved it. Their album Close to Paradise features a lot of swooping melodies and high-pitched vocals, which garnered unfair comparisons to Jeff Buckley and Coldplay. Dig deeper into songs like “Weight of the World” and you'll find a playful, experimental spirit to their music, a way of telling stories through the structures of songs, and the absolutely masterful guitar work of Simon Angell. They're equally confident whether diving into a pretty ballad or an effects-laden soundscape, and the result is an album that delivers what every album should - a true listening experience. (Caitlin)
Download "Weight Of The World"
10. Tokyo Police Club
They played just before well-established bands like Stars and Metric at the Toronto Virgin Festival, shocked us all when they showed up on the Coachella bill, signed to Saddle Creek, the video for "Cheer It On" might be one of the most refreshing things I've seen, and yet if you looked closely when they played MTV, you would have noticed a Ford Plant (the pride of Brantford, Ontario) T-shirt on display. I love that slice of hometown pride. (Sucking A Lemon)
Moving beyond their Canadian indie label (Paper Bag) to sign with a slightly bigger American indie label (Saddle Creek)? Yup, things are definitely looking good for this band. (Chris, Exclaim!)
Playing Letterman, touring the world, a label bidding war, no one has moved up so high so quickly. (The New Pollution)
No surprises here really. What this band have done internationally with basically one EP under their belt is astonishing. But it really isn¹t considering the infectious hooks they inject into their bursting, effervescent pop songs. Ending 2007 off with another EP¹s worth of new material seemed effortless, but I fully expect them to become Feist-sized, if not bigger, when they drop their debut full-length come February. (Cam, Exclaim)
No album. Still hot. (Torontoist)
Download "Cut Cut Paste"
9. The Besnard Lakes
I'm hoping they can become the Sly and Family Stone of Canada. (Dan, StG)
Maybe they're overhyped, and maybe they're not actually dark horses anymore, but godammnit if "Disaster" isn't one of the best songs of the year. (Torontoist)
Even with an album as good as The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse and a Polaris nom under their belts, the Besnards continue to be underappreciated. (Chromewaves)
They popped out of obscurity to become one of the most talked about bands around in 2007 with their epic, rather psychedelic, gem, Are the Dark Horse. (Bootlog)
Download "Devastation"
8. Caribou
As if he needs my nomination, Dan Snaith is as brilliant with his music as he is with his arithmetic. I'm sure they crossover somehow, and hopefully one day he'll teach a course on how the Pythagorean theorem can be utilised in writing the perfect pop song. (Cam, Exclaim)
Dude’s got a PHD, writes like Brian Wilson and has brought back the psychedelic '60s. His albums are huge dream-like sequences, with a tinge of Andy Warhol. He’s solidified himself as one of Canada’s most respected artists and deserves every ounce of attention he receives. (The Journey Starts Here)
Caribou's Dan Snaith recorded an album drawn from the world of electronica that's more organic and simply better, than most of the albums full bands put out this year. (A Quiet Revolution)
Download "Melody Day"
7. The Acorn
The Tin Fist EP from late last year was exactly as good as I expected it to be, and the long-awaited full-length Glory Hope Mountain wasn't anything like I expected yet still as good as I'd hoped. And they called their tour "Tin Fisting". (Chromewaves)
A beautiful and nuanced album about a very personal subject is not the usual route to music domination, but the real sparks come from the band’s enjoyable dichotomy. Where their album is subtle and layered, their live show is fun and loud. You come to show to hear the emotion but you stay because your jaw is lodged under some dirty Converse. (Chris, Exclaim!)
I saw them at the Brampton Indie Arts Festival this year and was blown away by their set. They play delicate, intricate indie rock with great swooning melodies. Lovely stuff. (For The Records)
Even if I'm not a huge fan of Glory Hope Mountain, I still admire the way The Acorn completely did their own thing on their major (indie) label debut. They got quieter, threw in all sorts of (brace yourselves) "world music", and basically were about as uncommercial as you could get...and they still made the cover of Exclaim!, possibly the first ever Ottawa band to do so. All in all, a pretty amazing 2007 for Rolf Klausener & co. (matthew)
The Acorn have hinted at great things since they were as singular as their name: Rolf Klausener was the entire band at first, crafting gentle, layered electro-folk in his Ottawa bedroom. But they've steadily and surely evolved into a full, five-member band concern. Klausener's songwriting has the ability to dance between the personal and the universal, and nowhere is this as evident as it is on their recent album Glory Hope Mountain. Klausener tells the story of his Honduran mother, incorporating some ethnomusicology lessons into the musical mix, but the resulting album is simply a poem of hardship and bittersweet sentiment set to subtle, deceptively creative music. The Acorn don't knock the listener over the head with riffs or bombastic statements or trendy instrumentation, but they do assert themselves as one of the finest crafters of albums in Canada right now, and their talent is becoming less of a secret as the rest of the country catches on. (Caitlin)
Download "Antenna"
6. Handsome Furs
Handsome, indeed. (Torontoist)
One of my favourite CDs of 2007 is Plague Park. (DLMB)
I know the majority of people prefer Spencer's solo work, but the sparse, apocalyptic nature of this band really hits home with me. They were jobbed on the Polaris list, and even as a side project they are better than 95% of the bands in Canada. (Herohill)
I'm getting a little antsy waiting to hear the new Wolf Parade...or, at least, I would be if it weren't for the fact that Plague Park is at least the equal of Apologies to the Queen Mary. (matthew)
Dan and Alexei have the chemistry and humour to pull off their gorgeous electronic-style pop music. (The Journey Starts Here)
While still considered a sideproject to Wolf Parade, Handsome Furs is more of an outgrowth rather than a diversion. Dan Boeckner has investigated territories that remained largely unexplored in his main gig - spaces that are intimate and personal - but bringing equal passion to the recording. (Bootlog)
Download "Hearts Of Iron"
5. Basia Bulat
Oh My Darling was never meant to reach as many people as it did, it was just meant to document some friends playing songs and making music. Thank goodness for what they say about the best-laid plans. (Chromewaves)
How long did we have to wait for her record? Long enough that we all grabbed the MP3s from blogs and played them to death. So why is she on the list? Well, probably because after the wait and the fact the songs were played to death for months, the record still blows me away. Plus, she's way too cute to ignore with that hat. (Herohill)
If she isn't playing her own show, she's performing with others (Ohbijou, The Veils, Great Lake Swimmers). She's everywhere. Which is all the better for everyone. I saw her live a few times this year, and she's one of the more charming artists I've seen. And her smile is adorable. (For The Records)
Oh the irony. Signed to a UK label, not catching on here til at least 6 months later and only being able to buy her cd as an import in Canada up til September. I predict she’ll be our next big indie darling. (The Journey Starts Here)
I mean, just look at her. Of course she's hot. Only kidding. But if we want to talk about names that were on everyone's lips, Basia's is probably right up there. (From Blown Speakers)
Let her write more songs of joy and doubt, of fierceness and confusion. These are her strongest works; the ones that feel vulnerable, perilous, brave and lost. At her weakest, Basia and her band play it safe, make nice things for nice people; at their best there's a real breathlessness in them, and some bruise. (Sean, StG)
Download "Before I Knew"
4. Sunset Rubdown
This is as obvious to me as Arcade Fire. (Dan, StG)
I’m not exactly a huge fan, and I sure wish Wolf Parade would make another damn album already, but it’s impossible to deny that this guy is accomplishing some pretty amazing things right now. Prolific doesn’t even begin to sum it up. I think he started two new bands while I was writing this. (Ross, Rblog)
With Random Spirit Lover, Sunset Rubdown has really come into its own and will perhaps will be considered as an entity unto itself as they deserve, and not merely a Wolf Parade sideproject. Krug and crew have crafted a startlingly confident world filled with fantastical creatures and phantasms. Their songs are made of childhood dreams and nightmares set to a complex, stunningly beautiful, soundtrack which never fail to intrigue. This is the ultimate album for repeated listening as it reveals an ever greater number mysteries without providing any easy answers. (Bootlog)
I was actually a bit underwhelmed by their live performance, but the record is pretty amazing. Plus, everyone always loses their shit over anything Spencer Krug does (rightfully so). (From Blown Speakers)
Spencer Krug is our saviour. (The Journey Starts Here)
Download "Winged/Wicked Things"
3. Miracle Fortress
A mad scientist with pedals and the voice of an angel, Canada just got its new popsmith extraordinaire. Also, screw Besnard Lakes -- he was the real dark horse of the Polaris, and, after repeated listens to his debut, Five Roses, he really, really should have won. But, c’est la vie! Much more excellence will be sure to spout from his psychedelic spigot. (Chris, Exclaim!)
This band blew up this year. To prove it, the Guardian caught on (probably before most of Canada) and gave them 5/5 stars. Nuff said. (The Journey Starts Here)
An unmanageable amount of CDs is the only reason I haven't gone back to this band's album Five Roses very much. It's a good album and track 4 ("Maybe Lately") is one of the best Brian Wilson-esque songs I've heard in a long time. (For The Records)
Though summer has left us, Miracle Fortress have put it in a jar for us. (Dan, StG)
Were robbed – robbed, I say! (NatCapRock)
While it seems a ton of bands were wearing their Brian Wilson influence on their sleeves this year, Graham Van Pelt was among the strongest. Five Roses is a soft, swirling masterpiece. (Bootlog)
It says something that not only was Five Roses able to make the Polaris shortlist though it was released just 9 days before the cutoff, but that it was a realistic dark horse favourite to win. Imagine if people had had longer to live with it. (Chromewaves)
If there was a summer album for the sunny days of '07, it's Five Roses. Graham Van Pelt's solo project beams with shiny sounds. If you put this album on and fail to smile, there is something wrong with your central nervous system. (Midnight Poutine)
Graham Van Pelt's solo debut is gorgeous, gorgeous, and while the touring band's still playing catch-up I could dwell in the chorus of "Next Train", the two seconds where he sings "to you", for the whole of 2008. (Sean, StG)
Did anyone have a better year than GVP? Coming out of nowhere and earning a Polaris nod? Five Roses is my favorite Canadian record of the year and I don't think I'm the only one who thinks that. (Herohill)
Download "Hold Your Secrets To Your Heart"
2. Arcade Fire
Yes, I think so too. (Dan, StG)
Neon Bible isn't as good as Funeral, and I honestly haven't listened to either very much this year, but denying that they're "hotter" than someone like Crystal Castles or someone like that is a bit delusional, no? (From Blown Speakers)
Creating a worthy follow-up to Funeral was no easy task but Arcade Fire were up to the challenge. They produced a stunning, darkly majestic album which Win, et al, took stock of the world in which they live and railed against the injustices, hypocrisy and inequalities they found around them. Their sound expanded to meet the needs demanded by the subject matter, becoming even richer and more imaginative than ever before. With Neon Bible Arcade Fire have cemented their status as one of the best bands in Canada and, indeed, the world. (Bootlog)
Whether you like them or not, whether you like Neon Bible or not, whether you're sick of them or not, the fact that Arcade Fire are the hottest thing carrying Canadian passports right now is indisputable (unless the Butler brothers don't have Canadian passports). It can be quantitatively and scientifically proven. (Chromewaves)
I think that there was a short film made called Arcade Fire Parking Lot (based off the seminal Heavy Metal Parking Lot), combined with the Win-Butler-Stole-My-Basketball stupidity, things have seemed to really hit a fever pitch. Of course, on the positive end, they did sell out the Hollywood Bowl with LCD Soundsystem and shared the stage with the Boss. Really, though, the true measure of hotness comes from the fact that they still haven’t properly (I don’t count secret high school shows) played Ottawa since their album’s release in March. Now that’s a hot band! (Chris, Exclaim!)
Hands down, there is no hotter ticket. (The New Pollution)
They have now convinced the world they are the biggest indie band. Much can be said and has been said about their live show – absolutely brilliant! I’m just waiting for them to resurrect someone like Jim Morrison from the dead so they can collaborate with him. He’s waiting, with fingers crossed, I’m sure. (The Journey Starts Here)
Neon Bible may not have had the staying power that Funeral did, but the band's reputation for killer live shows––playing in the audience, playing in stairwells, playing in service elevators, playing with Bruce Springsteen––sealed the deal. And it's not like Neon Bible wasn't awesome, too. (Torontoist)
So Neon Bible isn’t as transcendent as Funeral. It’s still a magnificent piece of work, as is this treasure of a band. A #2 album in the States means more than any amount of dubious indie cred, especially when it is achieved without videos or anything else resembling mainstream promotion. The Arcade Fire make soulful, inspired music and they do it on their own terms. Aren’t we supposed to be encouraging that kind of thing? (Ross, Rblog)
When Coldplay were last in Canada, they couldn't stop talking about Arcade Fire. U2 couldn't shut up about them on their last tour either. And then Bruce made them an encore the other night. I understand we're supposed to be feel very proud about all of this, but at what point do we realize that our own stars are now being sold back to us as proof of someone else's cultural currency? (Aaron, The Taste Police)
Download "Intervention"
1. Feist
The Reminder will probably make alot of top 10 lists. (DLMB)
Of all Canadian acts right now, the term "hottest" definitely has to go to Feist. She's "hot" in every sense of the word. (Dan STG)
People who don't like Feist are the same people who don't like kittens and world peace and things like that. (From Blown Speakers)
Who fits the word hottest, both metaphorically and literally, better than Feist? Oh, siren, let me count the ways! You tend to have a citizen of Canada status about you because, depending on your source, you were born in Nova Scotia or Alberta and you might have become famous in Toronto before or during your stint in Broken Social Scene. Or maybe it was when you moved to Paris to become a chanteuse? Really, this ranking is measured simply by the amount of sway you seem to be having with the stunning songs off The Reminder. Add up the memorable Letterman appearance, the Annie Leibovitz assisted two-page spread in Vanity Fair, the omnipresent iPod commercial, the scorn of Owen Pallett for having too much money and the fact you outsold Britney Spears in Canada and, man, you one hot lady. (Chris, Exclaim!)
The Reminder reminded us that Feist is very capable of being elevated to an icon status along the lines of Sarah McLachlan...all in good time. (The New Pollution)
I bet you all $20 that she’s taking home at least one major award from every music award show in 2008. (The Journey Starts Here)
Who wants to bet that in 2008, Leslie Feist will sweep the Grammys? (Just Keep Blogging)
iPod commercials, Starbucks affiliations, magazine covers and television appearances aside, her album The Reminder was a consistently wonderful set of pop music. Naysayers, get lost. (For The Records)
I tried to avoid her. But her/her music are everywhere. She'd have made my list based on sheer popularity if it weren't for "My Moon, My Man" likely being stuck in my head this time next year. (A Quiet Revolution)
Whether you like her or not, whether you like The Reminder or not, whether you're sick of her or not, the fact that if not for the Arcade Fire, Feist would be the hottest thing carrying a Canadian passport right now is indisputable. (Chromewaves)
In a year of incredibly mediocre highly-anticipated followups (Arcade Fire, Bloc Party) it's refreshing that The Reminder is not only solid the whole way through, but even more enchanting than Let it Die. Her voice still reigns supreme. "1 2 3 4" is so catchy it may even be able to withstand the unbelievable overplay it's getting from iPod commercials. (Midnight Poutine)
Not a very underground or hip selection at this point, but Ms. Feist is probably my wife Petra's favorite artist right now, and if that doesn't make her hot, nothing will. (Shane, Herohill)
The Reminder was an okay album with four or five spectacular songs, but those songs trumped pretty much everything else released this year. Who needs albums when you have "1 2 3 4"? And everyone––from Perez Hilton to your mom to people who wear Lacoste––knows who Leslie Feist is. That's gotta count for something. (Torontoist)
It is hard to imagine a Canadian artist who has reached more ears in 2007. Leslie Feist has gone from indie-darling, to lite-FM pop diva, to iPod spokesperson while managing not to alienate anyone - both the indie kids and their grandmas love her. Feist is literally everything to everyone. On The Reminder, Feist easily moves from bouncy pop numbers to gentle ballads with grace, showcasing her songwriting and her powerful vocals (and some mad choreographed dance skills in her videos). Its hard not to love her. (Bootlog)
I couldn't care less about Leslie Feist, hadn't bothered to read a single article about her since she followed "Mushaboom" with a suite of brunch-worthy snoozers. But then I listened to her 2007 album, which is called The Reminder and is messy and hot-hearted and sexy and so much more enflamed, inflamed, than her debut, and I discovered I was a moron. (Sean, StG)
Here's what's awesome about getting your song on an iPod commercial. First, you get the exposure of having your song heard by approximately three billion people. Then you get a steady series of articles written about how you got your song on an iPod and how that got you heard by approximately three billion people. Type "Feist + iPod" into a Google News search and behold how easy it is to be Feist's publicist right now. (Aaron, The Taste Police
Man, is Kevin Drew gonna be pissed when he finds out that I'm her date to the Grammys. (Jordan, Taste Police)
Download "How My Heart Behaves"
Neiles Life, Dave's Live Music Blog, Dan and Sean from Said The Gramophone, Ruhee and Ross from the Rblog, Nat Cap Rock, Bryan and Shane from Herohill, Lauren of Toronto's No Shame Shows, Scene and Heard, David of Torontoist, Jeremy from Midnight Poutine, Chromewaves, Bootlog, Wolves, Hawks and Kites, A Quiet Revolution, Jordan Timm and Aaron Wherry from Maclean's Taste Police, From Blown Speakers, Chris Whibbs and Cam Lindsay from Exclaim!, Sucking A Lemon, Paul from The New Pollution, Just Keep Blogging, Caitlin Crockard from Chart, Trendwhore's"Brockmaster", For The Records, Kelly Bergeron of The Journey Starts Here, Indie Music Filter, Radio Free Canuckistan and Dave Missio from InfoMonkey. And me, too.
They were all asked to submit lists of the top 10 Canadian artists they believed were "hot" in 2007. What exactly defined "hotness" was left entirely up to each individual voter -- as was, for that matter, exactly what constituted "Canadian", which led to one person voting for the Florida-born (but Montreal-residing) Jade McNelis, while another reasoned that even though The Zoobombs hail from Tokyo, Dan Burke brings them to Toronto enough that they must qualify as, at least, honorary Canadians. All these lists were compiled into one long list, with points being given for placement on a list as well as position.
All this led to the following results...
33. The Great Bloomers
They've release five songs. I've only heard each track a handful of times. They are on a label that doesn't even have a web site up and running. They are on my list. That should say something. (Herohill)
Some bands seem born to perform. If Great Bloomers ever went through that awkward banter, downcast eyes, 6 minutes between songs early band phase, you would never know it. They own every stage in the city, and I'm sure the rest of Canada is sure to follow. They astound with subtlety - delicious hooks, stunning harmonies, expert musicianship, songwriting well beyond their years and a wry sense of humour that says we're good and we know it, but we appreciate you for coming, so thanks. Playing rollickin' piano based country-tinged college rock, GB are The Feel Good Band of 2007. That's right - if you see one rollickin' piano based country-tinged college rock band this year, make it Great Bloomers. (No Shame)
They've been around something like 9 months, and they're already this good. I'm scared to think about just how great they could become. (matthew)
Download "Catching Up"
32. Land of Talk
My #1 band from last year drops some notches only because instead of releasing new material they continued to work Applause Cheer Boo Hiss
thanks to distribution deals in the US and Europe. When the new album finally hits next year, expect them to shoot back up. (Chromewaves)Big fan of this Montreal threesome, their debut EP (Applause Cheer Boo Hiss) was one of the more enjoyable listens I had this year. Lizzie Powell's vocals over crunching guitars is hard to get out of one's head. (Shane, Herohill)
Okay, so all the 'cool' kids were into 'em in 2006. But better late than never. Their EP Applause Cheer Boo Hiss is one of the few current Canadian releases I'd bothered to put on my mp3 player. Muscular and melodic at the same time, rock music should always sound this good. (For The Records)
31. The Sadies
Tremendous instrumental talent and a tremendous catalogue of songs that’s been slowly expanding out of their original country nook like a marvelous psychedelic bloom. (NatCapRock)
Download "Never Again"
30. Crystal Castles
Half of their singles are grating and pretentious, much like their anti-image image, but Crystal Castles make me think of Neil Haggerty and Jennifer Herrema during Royal Trux¹s most fucked up days -- that is, with lots of screaming Nintendo samples and nihilistic beats. That¹s enough to make me love anything they do, even with the grating and pretentious material. (Cam, Exclaim)
If blogs were really as influential as people seem to think, these guys would be Daft Punk or something. They're not, but they're still pretty good. (From Blown Speakers)
Playing an entire show with a single strobe light full stop: anytime I looked around me all I could see were flashes of sweaty bodies and sweaty hairs flailing about. It was the most amazing sight. It left me in a daze and I could not wait to see them again, but it might be difficult given that according to their Myspace they are touring the entire world in a hot air balloon of tuff dance music. (Sucking A Lemon)
29. The Luyas
Dark horse of the pack, The Luyas are straight-ahead great. (Dan, StG)
My favourite album of 2007 may well be The Luyas' self-released debut - a record called Faker Death by a girl, a drummer, and a guy who plays french horn. They're three musicians with long histories in Canadian music - in Torngat, Bell Orchestre, the SS Cardiacs, - but this is their best work, this right here, this knitting of influence and feeling with all the mistakes left in. I like to hope that when something's really, really good, it begins to attract peoples' eye; like a stormcloud, a cherry tree, or a really dope bicycle. (Sean, StG)
With jagged hooks and soothing horns, The Luyas emerged this year to growing acclaim after quietly releasing Faker Death. They have shown that they are jubilant and terrified, strange and wonderful, and certainly a band to watch out for in 2008 (when they are planning to release another album). (Bootlog)
Download "Cats In A Bag"
28. Joel Plaskett
The Nova Scotian Springsteen, only a hundred times more fun. At an age at which his generational contemporaries are floundering (have you heard a recent Sloan record?), Plaskett made his best music yet, the infectious and magical Ashtray Rock. And he’s one of CanRock’s foremost entertainers, as well. The total package, here. (Ross, Rblog)
It's been a pretty great year for the Emergency: a Polaris Prize nomination, a wildly successful tour, and one of the best albums to come out of the Canadian independent scene in a long while. I've never met a Joel Plaskett song I didn't like, nor do I foresee it happening anytime in the future - and I expect to hear a lot more out of him yet. (Ruhee, Rblog)
Download "Snowed In/Cruisin'"
27. Junior Boys
Incredibly, it'd be a band from Hamilton that would finally shut up the people who claimed that likeable electronic music was an oxymoron. (Torontoist)
This duo from Hamilton is getting all the right buzz in my opinion, or that everyone follows their output because their albums are so damned good. So This Is Goodbye still sparkles to this day, despite it being about a year old. Also, did you see “In the Morning” being used on So You Think You Can Dance? Delightfully surreal. (Chris, Exclaim!)
26. Stars
Slightly begrudgingly, since In Our Bedroom After The War
frustrates me a little more often than it entertains me. But they’re successful and singular and usually diverting enough. I still find it hard to imagine the music fan who truly loves this band, but they’re good enough to make it on here. (Ross, Rblog)Sometimes, form trumps content. While In Our Bedroom After The War might not have actually been all that great, their decision to release it online a few months before it was actually available in stores squashed leaks and set an exciting precedent. They weren't the first band to do it, but they were one of the biggest. Radiohead's In Rainbows would take the idea of pre-releasing music online one step further, by letting people actually pay what they wanted for their album, but Stars shouldn't be forgotten for trying to reshape the wheel, if not reinvent it. (Torontoist)
25. Woodhands
I don't dance, and I'm not a fan of dance music, but Woodhands is good enough to make me forget both of those things. (matthew)
Not enough can be said to extol the virtues of this sweat-dripping dance duo...they've got skills. Keytar skills. Vocoder skills. Teeny-tiny keyboard skills. And all of this is the more surprising because Dan Werb and Paul Banwatt appear at first glance to be the kind of boys you take home to your mother, but appearances can be deceiving, and this pair will have you bumping and grinding and pouring sweats like some kind of sweaty grinding sex-starved something. Now how would your mom like THAT? (No Shame)
Stumbling upon these guys by accident when I was DJing a friend's club night, I instantly found my favourite new Toronto band. Dan Werb's slinky keytar thrusts and commanding vocal presence held my short attention span entirely, but the best surprise was the duo's ability to force a chorus into your skull the first time you hear it. Additionally, it¹s not too often you see such a white nerdy dude look so sexy and get everyone in a room dancing with songs even Prince would admit should have been included on a third side to Sign O' the Times. (Cam, Exclaim)
Download "Dancer"
24. Apostle of Hustle
National Anthem of Nowhere
built upon the strengths of Folkloric Feel and managed to be more accessible without compromising on the the rhythms and poetic lyrics which made the debut so great. Whiteman seems to be even more comfortable on this release as he refines and expands the Cuban-influence sound he's now known for. (Bootlog)23. Neil Young
Though he deserves to top any list of best Canadian anything, any year, by simple virtue of being Neil Young, this year he earns it by not only finally beginning to release his long-awaited Archives collections, but by managing to look back while ever moving forwards. (Chromewaves)
Honestly, I haven't even heard Chrome Dreams II
yet, but it's Neil Young. (From Blown Speakers)According to a recent poll, he is responsible for approximately 87 of the greatest 100 records in Canadian music history. (Aaron, The Taste Police)
22. Chad VanGaalen
Even Patrick Watson thought Chad VanGaalen should have won the Polaris. But CVG has been under appreciated for years, particularly here in Montreal (his shows at small clubs rarely come close to selling out). Hopefully the Polaris nomination (and his stunning performance at the award show) brings this haunting and oddball signer-songwriter some much deserved respect. (Midnight Poutine)
Oh Chad. People love you. You channel Neil Young in your own way, you make us laugh, you make us feel special. Your songs make us feel that we’re not alone in this crazy world and your animations are exactly what I was dreaming about the night before. Don’t ever change, you crazy kid. There’s plenty more coming your way. (The Journey Starts Here)
Download "Flower Gardens"
21. Plants and Animals
I said it a few weeks ago, and I'll say it again: if next year's full-length is anywhere close to as good as the With/Avec
EP, these guys are a lock to make Secret City 3-for-3 at the Polaris nominations. (matthew)Secret City Records is 3 for 3 with its latest signing, Montreal staple Plants and Animals. By turns grand and sprawling, delicate and understated, atmospheric and orchestral, Plants and Animals call on heartfelt folksy strumming of Neil Young, the laid back 90's laziness of Pavement, the cool groove of Air, and countless other influences. Having spent the last few months touring with Wolf Parade, Andrew Bird and Polaris winner Patrick Watson, having just returned from Iceland's Airwaves Festival, and now on Exclaim!'s Fall roots tour with The Acorn and Elliott Brood...things are looking up, WAY up for this long-overdue trio. Awesome. (No Shame)
After Miracle Fortress and Patrick Watson, Secret City Records could go Broadway Danny Rose with a ventriloquist act and they'd still be hot. It'll help that P&A are actually reasonably talented. (Jordan, Taste Police)
Download "Faerie Dance"
20. Great Lake Swimmers
Ongiara is beautiful. One of my favourite acts to see in 2007. (DLMB)
There must be something in the water. Great Lake Swimmer's contribution to 2007, Ongiara, is as vast and scenic as the country it describes. Tony Dekker's metaphors run deep. The album sounds like it came from the ground. (Midnight Poutine)
Yes, they went back to the same well for Ongiara as they did for their first two records but when the water is as silent, still and deep as theirs, there's no reason not to. (Chromewaves)
Tony Dekker and company toured like crazy this year, released a great album, Ongiara and performed an intimate show at a church in Toronto this year. And in the near future they'll be the opening act for some upcoming Feist dates. So they only made #6 on my list but I wouldn't be surprised if they're #1 on yours. (For The Records)
Download "Put There By The Land"
19. The Weakerthans
I may be one of the only ones who still loves this band, but hearing Samson portray a heart broken bus driver or use curling as an analogy for live and love cements his status as Canada's working class hero. (Bryan, Herohill)
A fresh new album (finally) that sees the band playing larger and larger rooms, both in Canada and far beyond. (The New Pollution)
With their loyal following, their “every song is an intriguing story” writing style, and their idea to bring on Jim Bryson, not only have they convinced us Canadians that they are great storytellers, but they are winning over America just as quickly. (The Journey Starts Here)
Ack isn't alone in his love for John K. Sampson's yarns. Unlike a number of people, I'm happy Reunion Tour sounds like their other albums, and if their next album sounds like this one, I'll still be happy. (Shane, Herohill)
Download "Tournament of Hearts"
18. The New Pornographers
Challengers took a while to grow on me, but when it did, it REALLY grew. Definitely their most mature record to date, and their big tour with both Neko Case and Dan Bejar re-injected into the mix didn't hurt either. It's been a good year. (Ruhee, Rblog)
Despite the lukewarm reviews of Challengers from some quarters, I am convinced that their fourth album is their strongest. They took a chance on this showing much more emotional range than on previous releases, showing a more introspective side of the band, while proving that they still can belt them out when they want to. (Bootlog)
Challengers is probably their weakest effort to date, but the first full scale tour with both Neko and Dan is worth celebrating. (From Blown Speakers)
I still don’t believe Challengers quite stacks (crooked?) up to their previous work, although it has grown on me considerably. But this is still generally an interesting science experiment / band, and I never thought I’d hear myself say it, but... give Dan Bejar more songs on the next album. Please. (Rossblog)
Download "All The Old Showstoppers"
17. Ohbijou
I think this band just missed the cut on your list last year. So I'm pushing for their inclusion this year. I'm a sucker for strings. In '07, you could find Ohbijou showing off their beautiful debut Swift Feet for Troubling Times and previewing songs from (what sounds like it will be) a stunning follow up. Ohbijou makes songs that help the moon go to sleep at night. (Midnight Poutine)
More of a slow smoulder of a year rather than fire-y hot as Swift Feet For Troubling Times spread its magic outwards from Toronto but word is getting out. (Chromewaves)
Finding extraordinary beauty in the quietest of moments, the might be the one band who can effortlessly make me swoon and/or bring forth goosebumps. One of those bands who, when they play to the uninitiated, seem to bring forth the response of “Well, that was lovely.” It sure is. (Chris, Exclaim!)
Having seen them live three times this year, they've only got better with each show. They're one of the few bands where the "big band" concept actually makes sense because all the members play a vital role in creating the band's delicate, chamber-pop sound. (For The Records)
Wearing their hearts on the streets of Bellwoods; which might be an avenue in downtown Toronto just off Queen street and by some park where dogs rule the earth, but Bellwoods is a magical place that encompasses everything Ohbijou represents: beautiful music, good pals, and amazing spirit. (Sucking A Lemon)
Download "St. Francis"
16. Jenn Grant
Where Woke Myself Up is a career defining work for Ms. Doiron, Ms Grant puts everyone on notice with a debut almost too good to be a still developing artist's introduction to us all with her Orchestra for the Moon. (A Quiet Revolution)
Currently on tour with The Weakerthans, Jenn has had plenty of buzz this year. And it's well deserved, at least in my opinion. Her beautiful debut album Orchestra For The Moon was one of my favorites this year. (Shane, Herohill)
It's not often that publicists do much good, but when a publicist acquaintance of mine sent me "Dreamer" about a year ago, with a short e-mail explanation of "This girl is unsigned and amazing"...well, that single-handedly made up for about three or four dozen spam press releases. (matthew)
I've mentioned her so many times in the past that I've run out of good things to say. She just released her debut album Orchestra For The Moon and it's terrific. A lot of people say she could be the next Feist...which talent-wise isn't too far off the mark. (For The Records)
Download "Dreamer"
15. Wolf Parade
How lame does it make me for voting for one of the biggest names in Canadian indie rock? Really, I don't care. After hearing a dry run of the new material when they played in BC, my jaw was on the floor for about two days. When this album comes out, it will be lights out for these honors in 2008. (Bryan, Herohill)
Buoyed by successful side projects, they'll be back and bigger. Just please, God, don't let them grow Second Album Moustaches. (Jordan, Taste Police)
Yes, there’s been no album in over two years, but that doesn’t matter. Anything Wolf Parade-based garners immense praise and dissection among journalists and bloggers. See their recent shows which had innumerable media sources posting YouTube videos of the new songs and jizz-worthy praise that they were even better than their last album. C’mon people...get a grip! Of course, add this on top of quite successful side projects like Handsome Furs, Sunset Rubdown and Swan Lake and you effectively have everyone in a frenzy. Ain’t no party like a Wolf Parade party it seems. (Chris, Exclaim!)
Download "My Father's Son"
14. Wintersleep
Poppier? Sure. Going to introduce them to a wider audience and lure them to their live show? Definitely and that will only be a great thing for both the band and fans. This album breaks them. (A Quiet Revolution)
Their new album, Welcome To The Night Sky
, is excellent. I wasn't a huge fan before, but I am now. (Shane, Herohill)These East Coast purveyors of catchy as hell rock songs have snuck up on everyone and easily put out their defining statement and one of the year’s best disc with Welcome to the Night Sky. They tour a lot, they all look scruffy and they fucking rock live. Maybe those rabid Wolf Parade fans will look a little farther East? (Chris, Exclaim!)
Download "Weighty Ghost"
13. Two Hours Traffic
Perfect pop. These guys literally have no ceiling. They could be huge on radio without losing the appeal of their already fanatical fan base. People actually slow dance to their slow ones when they play live. (Bryan, Herohill)
Four or five months after I first heard it, I'm still trying to get Little Jabs out of my head. (matthew)
We've written about these PEI lads many, many times on the 'Hill and I still think all the attention is warranted. I still love Little Jabs as much as I did when I first heard it, absolutely one of my favorite albums of the year. (Shane, Herohill)
Download "Stuck For This Summer"
12. Julie Doiron
This was a great year for Julie. A vigorous new album, a Polaris prize nomination, shows playing with rock bands and singing her heart out. So amazing to find that one of your favourite artists has not yet peaked. (Sean, StG)
Julie was perhaps the only person on the list who was in more places than Skratch Bastid, and is certainly the only mother of three on the list. Her solo album Woke Myself Up was a Polaris nominee, she toured as part of the two piece Blue Heeler (with Dick Morello), and played reunion shows with Eric's Trip. That is some busy hotness right there. (Shane, Herohill)
With her most recent Polaris-nominated release, loss be damned, which dealt with personal relationships on a level most of our relationships never reach, Julie gave us a highlight of her career that shows no end in sight with multiple projects on the go. (A Quiet Revolution)
She didn't win the Polaris Prize, but at least her record wasn't boring as hell. In fact, with her Eric's Trip colleagues backing her, it was anything but. I would've ranked her higher if the Trip reunion tour had actually made it further West than Ontario. (From Blown Speakers)
Download "Untitled"
11. Patrick Watson
Pioneered the television newsmagazine as we know it. (Aaron, The Taste Police)
Close to Paradise is a surprisingly rewarding album, and I think we can acknowledge that the Polaris has got to count for something. And you gotta love a beard, right? (Ross, Rblog)
Overrated? Maybe. Hot in 07? Undeniably. One of my favourite musical memories in 2006 was randomly stumbling upon Watson and co. playing in a tiny outdoor park on the corner of St. Laurent and Rachel, Watson's voice soaring over the twilight traffic. For that show alone, I'm glad 2007 was good to them. (Midnight Poutine)
Patrick Watson – a band, they insist, not just a person – won the Polaris Prize this year, which pretty much guarantees them "hot" status. It was an upset, but they deserved it. Their album Close to Paradise features a lot of swooping melodies and high-pitched vocals, which garnered unfair comparisons to Jeff Buckley and Coldplay. Dig deeper into songs like “Weight of the World” and you'll find a playful, experimental spirit to their music, a way of telling stories through the structures of songs, and the absolutely masterful guitar work of Simon Angell. They're equally confident whether diving into a pretty ballad or an effects-laden soundscape, and the result is an album that delivers what every album should - a true listening experience. (Caitlin)
Download "Weight Of The World"
10. Tokyo Police Club
They played just before well-established bands like Stars and Metric at the Toronto Virgin Festival, shocked us all when they showed up on the Coachella bill, signed to Saddle Creek, the video for "Cheer It On" might be one of the most refreshing things I've seen, and yet if you looked closely when they played MTV, you would have noticed a Ford Plant (the pride of Brantford, Ontario) T-shirt on display. I love that slice of hometown pride. (Sucking A Lemon)
Moving beyond their Canadian indie label (Paper Bag) to sign with a slightly bigger American indie label (Saddle Creek)? Yup, things are definitely looking good for this band. (Chris, Exclaim!)
Playing Letterman, touring the world, a label bidding war, no one has moved up so high so quickly. (The New Pollution)
No surprises here really. What this band have done internationally with basically one EP under their belt is astonishing. But it really isn¹t considering the infectious hooks they inject into their bursting, effervescent pop songs. Ending 2007 off with another EP¹s worth of new material seemed effortless, but I fully expect them to become Feist-sized, if not bigger, when they drop their debut full-length come February. (Cam, Exclaim)
No album. Still hot. (Torontoist)
Download "Cut Cut Paste"
9. The Besnard Lakes
I'm hoping they can become the Sly and Family Stone of Canada. (Dan, StG)
Maybe they're overhyped, and maybe they're not actually dark horses anymore, but godammnit if "Disaster" isn't one of the best songs of the year. (Torontoist)
Even with an album as good as The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse and a Polaris nom under their belts, the Besnards continue to be underappreciated. (Chromewaves)
They popped out of obscurity to become one of the most talked about bands around in 2007 with their epic, rather psychedelic, gem, Are the Dark Horse. (Bootlog)
Download "Devastation"
8. Caribou
As if he needs my nomination, Dan Snaith is as brilliant with his music as he is with his arithmetic. I'm sure they crossover somehow, and hopefully one day he'll teach a course on how the Pythagorean theorem can be utilised in writing the perfect pop song. (Cam, Exclaim)
Dude’s got a PHD, writes like Brian Wilson and has brought back the psychedelic '60s. His albums are huge dream-like sequences, with a tinge of Andy Warhol. He’s solidified himself as one of Canada’s most respected artists and deserves every ounce of attention he receives. (The Journey Starts Here)
Caribou's Dan Snaith recorded an album drawn from the world of electronica that's more organic and simply better, than most of the albums full bands put out this year. (A Quiet Revolution)
Download "Melody Day"
7. The Acorn
The Tin Fist EP from late last year was exactly as good as I expected it to be, and the long-awaited full-length Glory Hope Mountain wasn't anything like I expected yet still as good as I'd hoped. And they called their tour "Tin Fisting". (Chromewaves)
A beautiful and nuanced album about a very personal subject is not the usual route to music domination, but the real sparks come from the band’s enjoyable dichotomy. Where their album is subtle and layered, their live show is fun and loud. You come to show to hear the emotion but you stay because your jaw is lodged under some dirty Converse. (Chris, Exclaim!)
I saw them at the Brampton Indie Arts Festival this year and was blown away by their set. They play delicate, intricate indie rock with great swooning melodies. Lovely stuff. (For The Records)
Even if I'm not a huge fan of Glory Hope Mountain, I still admire the way The Acorn completely did their own thing on their major (indie) label debut. They got quieter, threw in all sorts of (brace yourselves) "world music", and basically were about as uncommercial as you could get...and they still made the cover of Exclaim!, possibly the first ever Ottawa band to do so. All in all, a pretty amazing 2007 for Rolf Klausener & co. (matthew)
The Acorn have hinted at great things since they were as singular as their name: Rolf Klausener was the entire band at first, crafting gentle, layered electro-folk in his Ottawa bedroom. But they've steadily and surely evolved into a full, five-member band concern. Klausener's songwriting has the ability to dance between the personal and the universal, and nowhere is this as evident as it is on their recent album Glory Hope Mountain. Klausener tells the story of his Honduran mother, incorporating some ethnomusicology lessons into the musical mix, but the resulting album is simply a poem of hardship and bittersweet sentiment set to subtle, deceptively creative music. The Acorn don't knock the listener over the head with riffs or bombastic statements or trendy instrumentation, but they do assert themselves as one of the finest crafters of albums in Canada right now, and their talent is becoming less of a secret as the rest of the country catches on. (Caitlin)
Download "Antenna"
6. Handsome Furs
Handsome, indeed. (Torontoist)
One of my favourite CDs of 2007 is Plague Park. (DLMB)
I know the majority of people prefer Spencer's solo work, but the sparse, apocalyptic nature of this band really hits home with me. They were jobbed on the Polaris list, and even as a side project they are better than 95% of the bands in Canada. (Herohill)
I'm getting a little antsy waiting to hear the new Wolf Parade...or, at least, I would be if it weren't for the fact that Plague Park is at least the equal of Apologies to the Queen Mary. (matthew)
Dan and Alexei have the chemistry and humour to pull off their gorgeous electronic-style pop music. (The Journey Starts Here)
While still considered a sideproject to Wolf Parade, Handsome Furs is more of an outgrowth rather than a diversion. Dan Boeckner has investigated territories that remained largely unexplored in his main gig - spaces that are intimate and personal - but bringing equal passion to the recording. (Bootlog)
Download "Hearts Of Iron"
5. Basia Bulat
Oh My Darling was never meant to reach as many people as it did, it was just meant to document some friends playing songs and making music. Thank goodness for what they say about the best-laid plans. (Chromewaves)
How long did we have to wait for her record? Long enough that we all grabbed the MP3s from blogs and played them to death. So why is she on the list? Well, probably because after the wait and the fact the songs were played to death for months, the record still blows me away. Plus, she's way too cute to ignore with that hat. (Herohill)
If she isn't playing her own show, she's performing with others (Ohbijou, The Veils, Great Lake Swimmers). She's everywhere. Which is all the better for everyone. I saw her live a few times this year, and she's one of the more charming artists I've seen. And her smile is adorable. (For The Records)
Oh the irony. Signed to a UK label, not catching on here til at least 6 months later and only being able to buy her cd as an import in Canada up til September. I predict she’ll be our next big indie darling. (The Journey Starts Here)
I mean, just look at her. Of course she's hot. Only kidding. But if we want to talk about names that were on everyone's lips, Basia's is probably right up there. (From Blown Speakers)
Let her write more songs of joy and doubt, of fierceness and confusion. These are her strongest works; the ones that feel vulnerable, perilous, brave and lost. At her weakest, Basia and her band play it safe, make nice things for nice people; at their best there's a real breathlessness in them, and some bruise. (Sean, StG)
Download "Before I Knew"
4. Sunset Rubdown
This is as obvious to me as Arcade Fire. (Dan, StG)
I’m not exactly a huge fan, and I sure wish Wolf Parade would make another damn album already, but it’s impossible to deny that this guy is accomplishing some pretty amazing things right now. Prolific doesn’t even begin to sum it up. I think he started two new bands while I was writing this. (Ross, Rblog)
With Random Spirit Lover
, Sunset Rubdown has really come into its own and will perhaps will be considered as an entity unto itself as they deserve, and not merely a Wolf Parade sideproject. Krug and crew have crafted a startlingly confident world filled with fantastical creatures and phantasms. Their songs are made of childhood dreams and nightmares set to a complex, stunningly beautiful, soundtrack which never fail to intrigue. This is the ultimate album for repeated listening as it reveals an ever greater number mysteries without providing any easy answers. (Bootlog)I was actually a bit underwhelmed by their live performance, but the record is pretty amazing. Plus, everyone always loses their shit over anything Spencer Krug does (rightfully so). (From Blown Speakers)
Spencer Krug is our saviour. (The Journey Starts Here)
Download "Winged/Wicked Things"
3. Miracle Fortress
A mad scientist with pedals and the voice of an angel, Canada just got its new popsmith extraordinaire. Also, screw Besnard Lakes -- he was the real dark horse of the Polaris, and, after repeated listens to his debut, Five Roses, he really, really should have won. But, c’est la vie! Much more excellence will be sure to spout from his psychedelic spigot. (Chris, Exclaim!)
This band blew up this year. To prove it, the Guardian caught on (probably before most of Canada) and gave them 5/5 stars. Nuff said. (The Journey Starts Here)
An unmanageable amount of CDs is the only reason I haven't gone back to this band's album Five Roses very much. It's a good album and track 4 ("Maybe Lately") is one of the best Brian Wilson-esque songs I've heard in a long time. (For The Records)
Though summer has left us, Miracle Fortress have put it in a jar for us. (Dan, StG)
Were robbed – robbed, I say! (NatCapRock)
While it seems a ton of bands were wearing their Brian Wilson influence on their sleeves this year, Graham Van Pelt was among the strongest. Five Roses is a soft, swirling masterpiece. (Bootlog)
It says something that not only was Five Roses able to make the Polaris shortlist though it was released just 9 days before the cutoff, but that it was a realistic dark horse favourite to win. Imagine if people had had longer to live with it. (Chromewaves)
If there was a summer album for the sunny days of '07, it's Five Roses. Graham Van Pelt's solo project beams with shiny sounds. If you put this album on and fail to smile, there is something wrong with your central nervous system. (Midnight Poutine)
Graham Van Pelt's solo debut is gorgeous, gorgeous, and while the touring band's still playing catch-up I could dwell in the chorus of "Next Train", the two seconds where he sings "to you", for the whole of 2008. (Sean, StG)
Did anyone have a better year than GVP? Coming out of nowhere and earning a Polaris nod? Five Roses is my favorite Canadian record of the year and I don't think I'm the only one who thinks that. (Herohill)
Download "Hold Your Secrets To Your Heart"
2. Arcade Fire
Yes, I think so too. (Dan, StG)
Neon Bible isn't as good as Funeral, and I honestly haven't listened to either very much this year, but denying that they're "hotter" than someone like Crystal Castles or someone like that is a bit delusional, no? (From Blown Speakers)
Creating a worthy follow-up to Funeral was no easy task but Arcade Fire were up to the challenge. They produced a stunning, darkly majestic album which Win, et al, took stock of the world in which they live and railed against the injustices, hypocrisy and inequalities they found around them. Their sound expanded to meet the needs demanded by the subject matter, becoming even richer and more imaginative than ever before. With Neon Bible Arcade Fire have cemented their status as one of the best bands in Canada and, indeed, the world. (Bootlog)
Whether you like them or not, whether you like Neon Bible or not, whether you're sick of them or not, the fact that Arcade Fire are the hottest thing carrying Canadian passports right now is indisputable (unless the Butler brothers don't have Canadian passports). It can be quantitatively and scientifically proven. (Chromewaves)
I think that there was a short film made called Arcade Fire Parking Lot (based off the seminal Heavy Metal Parking Lot), combined with the Win-Butler-Stole-My-Basketball stupidity, things have seemed to really hit a fever pitch. Of course, on the positive end, they did sell out the Hollywood Bowl with LCD Soundsystem and shared the stage with the Boss. Really, though, the true measure of hotness comes from the fact that they still haven’t properly (I don’t count secret high school shows) played Ottawa since their album’s release in March. Now that’s a hot band! (Chris, Exclaim!)
Hands down, there is no hotter ticket. (The New Pollution)
They have now convinced the world they are the biggest indie band. Much can be said and has been said about their live show – absolutely brilliant! I’m just waiting for them to resurrect someone like Jim Morrison from the dead so they can collaborate with him. He’s waiting, with fingers crossed, I’m sure. (The Journey Starts Here)
Neon Bible may not have had the staying power that Funeral did, but the band's reputation for killer live shows––playing in the audience, playing in stairwells, playing in service elevators, playing with Bruce Springsteen––sealed the deal. And it's not like Neon Bible wasn't awesome, too. (Torontoist)
So Neon Bible isn’t as transcendent as Funeral. It’s still a magnificent piece of work, as is this treasure of a band. A #2 album in the States means more than any amount of dubious indie cred, especially when it is achieved without videos or anything else resembling mainstream promotion. The Arcade Fire make soulful, inspired music and they do it on their own terms. Aren’t we supposed to be encouraging that kind of thing? (Ross, Rblog)
When Coldplay were last in Canada, they couldn't stop talking about Arcade Fire. U2 couldn't shut up about them on their last tour either. And then Bruce made them an encore the other night. I understand we're supposed to be feel very proud about all of this, but at what point do we realize that our own stars are now being sold back to us as proof of someone else's cultural currency? (Aaron, The Taste Police)
Download "Intervention"
1. Feist
The Reminder will probably make alot of top 10 lists. (DLMB)
Of all Canadian acts right now, the term "hottest" definitely has to go to Feist. She's "hot" in every sense of the word. (Dan STG)
People who don't like Feist are the same people who don't like kittens and world peace and things like that. (From Blown Speakers)
Who fits the word hottest, both metaphorically and literally, better than Feist? Oh, siren, let me count the ways! You tend to have a citizen of Canada status about you because, depending on your source, you were born in Nova Scotia or Alberta and you might have become famous in Toronto before or during your stint in Broken Social Scene. Or maybe it was when you moved to Paris to become a chanteuse? Really, this ranking is measured simply by the amount of sway you seem to be having with the stunning songs off The Reminder. Add up the memorable Letterman appearance, the Annie Leibovitz assisted two-page spread in Vanity Fair, the omnipresent iPod commercial, the scorn of Owen Pallett for having too much money and the fact you outsold Britney Spears in Canada and, man, you one hot lady. (Chris, Exclaim!)
The Reminder reminded us that Feist is very capable of being elevated to an icon status along the lines of Sarah McLachlan...all in good time. (The New Pollution)
I bet you all $20 that she’s taking home at least one major award from every music award show in 2008. (The Journey Starts Here)
Who wants to bet that in 2008, Leslie Feist will sweep the Grammys? (Just Keep Blogging)
iPod commercials, Starbucks affiliations, magazine covers and television appearances aside, her album The Reminder was a consistently wonderful set of pop music. Naysayers, get lost. (For The Records)
I tried to avoid her. But her/her music are everywhere. She'd have made my list based on sheer popularity if it weren't for "My Moon, My Man" likely being stuck in my head this time next year. (A Quiet Revolution)
Whether you like her or not, whether you like The Reminder or not, whether you're sick of her or not, the fact that if not for the Arcade Fire, Feist would be the hottest thing carrying a Canadian passport right now is indisputable. (Chromewaves)
In a year of incredibly mediocre highly-anticipated followups (Arcade Fire, Bloc Party) it's refreshing that The Reminder is not only solid the whole way through, but even more enchanting than Let it Die. Her voice still reigns supreme. "1 2 3 4" is so catchy it may even be able to withstand the unbelievable overplay it's getting from iPod commercials. (Midnight Poutine)
Not a very underground or hip selection at this point, but Ms. Feist is probably my wife Petra's favorite artist right now, and if that doesn't make her hot, nothing will. (Shane, Herohill)
The Reminder was an okay album with four or five spectacular songs, but those songs trumped pretty much everything else released this year. Who needs albums when you have "1 2 3 4"? And everyone––from Perez Hilton to your mom to people who wear Lacoste––knows who Leslie Feist is. That's gotta count for something. (Torontoist)
It is hard to imagine a Canadian artist who has reached more ears in 2007. Leslie Feist has gone from indie-darling, to lite-FM pop diva, to iPod spokesperson while managing not to alienate anyone - both the indie kids and their grandmas love her. Feist is literally everything to everyone. On The Reminder, Feist easily moves from bouncy pop numbers to gentle ballads with grace, showcasing her songwriting and her powerful vocals (and some mad choreographed dance skills in her videos). Its hard not to love her. (Bootlog)
I couldn't care less about Leslie Feist, hadn't bothered to read a single article about her since she followed "Mushaboom" with a suite of brunch-worthy snoozers. But then I listened to her 2007 album, which is called The Reminder and is messy and hot-hearted and sexy and so much more enflamed, inflamed, than her debut, and I discovered I was a moron. (Sean, StG)
Here's what's awesome about getting your song on an iPod commercial. First, you get the exposure of having your song heard by approximately three billion people. Then you get a steady series of articles written about how you got your song on an iPod and how that got you heard by approximately three billion people. Type "Feist + iPod" into a Google News search and behold how easy it is to be Feist's publicist right now. (Aaron, The Taste Police
Man, is Kevin Drew gonna be pissed when he finds out that I'm her date to the Grammys. (Jordan, Taste Police)
Download "How My Heart Behaves"
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This is a fantastic list! Proper respect, especially for Miracle Fortress' place...and Caribou's...and the Handsome Furs'....and, well, basically you covered all of my favourite albums and bands from the year and convinced me to check out several others.
Well done!
Well done!
As long as we don't go Crimes & Misdemeanors or anything, it's cool. Great list. Glad to see the Luyas get props! But I guess I should stop waiting for Frog Eyes to get theirs....?
Did Amos really not make the list? Was I the only person that voted for them?
Well, you and I did...but that still wasn't enough to get them on there.
As for Frog Eyes...shockingly, he only got one vote.
As for Frog Eyes...shockingly, he only got one vote.
You're questioning Feist topping a "hottest" Canadian musicians list?
Have you been living in isolation?... I mean, if you don't like her, that's one thing, but c'mon.
Have you been living in isolation?... I mean, if you don't like her, that's one thing, but c'mon.
im dissapointed f'ed up is not on this list. they ruled the world this year.
also i wish the rheostatics had made it on as a final tribute to the best band in canada.
otherwise this list is really great, it's very different than last year in a good way. it's nice to see folks like woodhands on this. and folks like the acorn getting in so high.
as always matthew, it was a pleasure and fun times doing this list again.
cheers
also i wish the rheostatics had made it on as a final tribute to the best band in canada.
otherwise this list is really great, it's very different than last year in a good way. it's nice to see folks like woodhands on this. and folks like the acorn getting in so high.
as always matthew, it was a pleasure and fun times doing this list again.
cheers
No Billy Talent? We wuz robbed.
Whoever put Feist over AF at the end deserves my everlasting emnity. And dang, do I ever need to get me some more Wintersleep...
Whoever put Feist over AF at the end deserves my everlasting emnity. And dang, do I ever need to get me some more Wintersleep...
nice list guys!
sorry, i was an extreme slacker.. i let it sneak up on me and by then i was swamped with school.
sorry, i was an extreme slacker.. i let it sneak up on me and by then i was swamped with school.
I regret not putting Malajube. Geez, they didn't even make the list! Can't believe it.
They put the "O" in HOT.
Good work with this amazing list Matthew.
They put the "O" in HOT.
Good work with this amazing list Matthew.
Big time smile about the height that Sunset reached. They are a wondrous band with a wizard at the helm. But don't sell the rest of the band short. Seeing them live gives a whole new understanding. Instrument switching, beautiful harmonies, and the best drummer/keyboardist/guitarist/vocalist combo man i have ever seen Jordan Robson-Cramer (i.e. Magic Weapon side project)
good job i heart music. it is important to see the variety of what is peaking interest accross the nation.
good job i heart music. it is important to see the variety of what is peaking interest accross the nation.
I suppose Mood Swings from Small Sins arrived too late in the year but I wish Lightning Dust's s/t album from early summer had received a tad more attention.
Nice to see The Sadies getting some well deserved props. They are probably the most accomplished musicians out of anyone on the list besides Mr. Young of course.
Thanks for including my submission. Looking forward to seeing the rest of the list of vote-getters on Monday(a few of my picks didn't make the top 33).
You know what? I sincerely feel bad about leaving them out. But I think they didn't cross my mind and probably everyone else's because they've been so busy conquering the international stage, you know? Last year they were high on this list, mostly because they were promoting their musique dans Canada. Maintenant, ils sont tros gros pour nous seuls. On doit partagé avec le monde!
Sorry about the terrible French, they make me want to be a pro.
Sorry about the terrible French, they make me want to be a pro.
i was the only one to vote for Frog Eyes? Really? That is Shocking.
Another fantastic list, Matthew. Thanks for pulling it all together (and for allowing me to participate). I'm already looking forward to next year.
Another fantastic list, Matthew. Thanks for pulling it all together (and for allowing me to participate). I'm already looking forward to next year.
nice...
great list
next time someone writes a book many of these records will be among the 100 Best Cdn Albums... makes you realise what a great year in music it has been and we still have two months to go.
great list
next time someone writes a book many of these records will be among the 100 Best Cdn Albums... makes you realise what a great year in music it has been and we still have two months to go.
Wow. Crystal Castles.. Ohbijou.. 2 bands of many with no business being on this list. Toronto centric hipster shit that will be nowhere to be found in a year. The Diableros? Most Serene Republic? Major Maker? Malajube? How about some bands that deserve it?
I like the list because of where Feist, Arcade Fire, and Miracle Fortress are placed. However, I don't like the list because of where Stars, Land of Talk, and The Most Serene Republic are placed.
In response to Marc, I like Ohbijou AND The Diableros but what makes one Toronto hipster shit(to you) and not the other?
Excellent job! I was surprised at some of the placements and wished that a few of my picks had made it a bit higher (of course, I didn't expect anyone on my list to actually beat Feist or the Arcade Fire...), but as a first time contributor I have to extend congratulations on a job well done!
Way to go Wintersleep!
Way to go Wintersleep!
Where the hell is Matthew Good? Hospital Music is a great piece of music.
I'm a little surprised Tegan and Sara's The Con isn't on this list.
I'm disappointed with Feist being on the top of the list but just because there are a lot of other people I like better. But I can't really contest it, because she's huge. Huge! So it's just a preferential thing (and with lists like this, issues of personal taste are always gonna be around).
I wish the Rheostatics had made it on as well. I put them really high on my list hoping to squeeze them in, but alas. Well, rest in peace, you guys.
Also, how I didn't put Neil Young on my list is mystifying.
I wish the Rheostatics had made it on as well. I put them really high on my list hoping to squeeze them in, but alas. Well, rest in peace, you guys.
Also, how I didn't put Neil Young on my list is mystifying.
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I dont know about this list.. How could Bedouin Soundclash not make the list? Regardless of your taste in music. Love them or hate them you have to admit theyre makeing some big moves in the industry.
Wheres Alexis on fire
I was waitin to see them in the number one spot but ya must of made a mistake
Fiest
I was waitin to see them in the number one spot but ya must of made a mistake
Fiest
Yay =] A lot of deserving names up there. Makes me proud. However... I definitely think Malajube, Major Maker, Tegan and Sara, and The Reason should be on here somewhere. I strongly disagree with Feist as #1. If I hear 1234 one more time, I think my ears might bleed. And finally, if anyone is having trouble picturing a true lover of the Stars, then they need to meet me. They are one of my big favourites at the moment. Okay, that's all.
I was going to be upset at you for not having Hayden on there for In Field and Town, but then I realized that it was a 2008 release. Jenn Scott toured with him, and boy was that a fantastic show in a little old church downtown. Or she may have opened for Great Lake Swimmers in the same venue. My head is foggy on that one.
Good list. I'm not too disappointed that Tegan and Sara didn't make the list. I've loved them all along, but I was disappointed with the Con, save for the title track.
Good list. I'm not too disappointed that Tegan and Sara didn't make the list. I've loved them all along, but I was disappointed with the Con, save for the title track.
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