i(heart)music

Obviously, as far as I'm concerned, there's only one place to be tonight at Pop Montreal: Il Motore, for the i(heart)music showcase.



At 9 pm, you've got Centretown Cripplers (download "Eat The Bee"). They're loud, they're raucous, and they're a whole lot of fun. I can't think of a better way to kick off the evening.

Alternate 9 pm suggestion: Kyrie Kristmanson @ Cagibi

They'll be followed at 10 by The Balconies (download "300 Pages"). As I said a few weeks ago, their self-titled debut is amazing. Shockingly, it pales in comparison to how amazing they are live. They're generating quite a bit of buzz right now, and I can say from firsthand experience that it's entirely deserved.

Alternate 10 pm suggestion: Bent By Elephants @ Saphir

At 11, Zeroes will be bringing their brand of driving, pulsating synth-rock to the stage (download "Arena"). There's not much else to say, other than that they were great at NxNE back in June, and I've no doubt they'll be even better playing to a hometown crowd.

Alternate 11 pm suggestion: Forest City Lovers @ Casa Del Popolo

Black Hat Brigade (download "Lost Boys") will be up at midnight, and I've no idea what to expect. I've heard their line-up is going to be a little different, and will feature appearances from members of The Darcys and Oh No Forest Fires, so if nothing else, it'll be interesting. And awesome.

Alternate midnight suggestion: Parlovr @ La Place Ubisoft: Espace Réunion

At 1 am, Treasure Hunt will be taking the stage, and I have high hopes for it being the highlight of the festival. After all, playing in Ottawa a month ago, they sounded like a louder, harder version of Death From Above 1979, and that was just doing an opening slot on a Wednesday night. It should be interesting to see what the Wolf Parade/Wintersleep/ex-Hot Hot Heat side project brings to the table, because whatever it is, it's going to be phenomenal.

Alternate 1 am suggestion: Hollerado at Nacho House

Finally, Oh No Forest Fires will be closing out the night at 2 am (download "Fighting Heidi. I've never seen them give anything less than wild, passionate performances, and I'm pretty sure this will be no exception. Frontman Rajiv Thavanathan might just be the most energetic lead singer I've ever seen, and he's backed by three equally dynamic bandmates. It's a recipe for an explosive close to the night, so don't miss it!

Alternate 2 am suggestion: CFCF @ Divan Orange

Technically, Pop Montreal started last night with some pretty impressive shows. But I wasn't there, and I didn't really want to talk about all the really great acts (Bahamas and My People Sleeping in particular) that I'd be missing. But I'm in Montreal as of this evening, so here's the i(heart)music guide to Pop Montreal.


Todor Kobakov, 8 pm @ O Patro Vys (with Brian Borcherdt, Julie Fader, Ryan Dahle, By Divine Right and The William Blakes)

Honestly, the only reason I haven't written about Kobakov's debut, Pop Music, yet is that I haven't the faintest idea of how to describe classical music. But, as the saying goes, I know what I like, and I really like this guy's music. Plus he's played with the likes of Stars, Emily Haines, Jason Collett and a whole bunch of other fairly well-known people, so you have to figure that a bit of their knack for performing will have rubbed off on him. Regardless, he's definitely worth checking out.

Alternate 8 pm suggestion: Hey Ocean @ Club Soda

Dowload "Carpe Diem (featuring Emily Haines)"


The Paint Movement, 9 pm @ Divan Orange (with Yukon Blonde, Leif Vollebekk, Fox Jaws and Gregory Pepper and His Problems)

Very quietly, Nevado Records has become one of the most interesting new labels in Canada. The Paint Movement, Fox Jaws, Yukon Blonde, Bahamas (who, sadly, isn't playing this)...none are household names yet, but you get the feeling it's only a matter of time, and it won't be long before fans of their talented roster aren't able to fit into a setting as cozy as Divan Orange. Catch them now, because the opportunity won't be there for much longer.

Alternate 9 pm suggestion: Dinosaur Bones @ Il Motore

Dowload "Terms"


Martin Royle, 10 pm @ Les 3 Minots (with Oldfolks Home, Hooded Fang and The Breezes)

To a large extent, this pick is driven by nostalgia. Actually, scratch that; this pick is entirely driven by nostalgia. I saw Royle at the inaugural Pop Montreal about eight years ago (which makes me feel very, very old), and as frontman of Washington Social Club he wowed me. I can't say I know what he's been up to since then, but I'm eager to find out, if only for old time's sake.

And if he sucks, then just stick around for Oldfolks Home and Hooded Fang.

Alternate 10 pm suggestion: Boxer The Horse @ Jupiter Room

Unfortunately, no download. I can't seem to find any music from him. So instead, here's "Charlie The Russian", from Royle's Washington Social Club days


Leif Vollebekk, 11 pm @ Divan Orange (with The Paint Movement, Yukon Blonde, Fox Jaws and Gregory Pepper and His Problems)

Basically, see what I said above for The Paint Movement. This may just be the most stacked line-up of the night.

Alternate 11 pm suggestion: Sports: The Band @ Balattou (who, technically, are actually on at 11:30, not 11)

Dowload "Quebec"


Young Galaxy, 12 am @ Il Motore (with Dinosaur Bones, Mardeen and Silver Starling)

Do I really need to explain this pick? Probably not. But just in case you need refreshing: Young Galaxy are a great band. They're extremely good live. They have an excellent new record out. And they're some of the nicest people I've met in music. In other words...see them.

Alternate 12 am suggestion: Hooded Fang @ Les 3 Minots (or Brides @ Casa del Popolo. There are a lot of good bands playing at this time slot, so you really can't go wrong with whatever you pick!)

Dowload "The Golden Coin"

Alden Penner, 8:30 pm, Ukrainian Federation (with Milie Croche, Dominique Grange & Jacques Tardi)

If Penner's performance as Clues at last year's Pop is anything to go by, the former Islands co-frontman has lost any of the creativity that made his last band so enjoyable (unlike certain other former members). He's a little unhinged, to be sure, but it makes for a riveting performance, and generally for the better.

Alternate 8 pm suggestion: Boats! at Saphir

Download "Oh Leopold Stop Saying Things That Aren't True"


Bruce Peninsula, 9 pm, Portuguese Association (with The Persuasions, 4 Freres)

I lied yesterday. Charlotte Cornfield wasn't the only artist I was really excited about seeing at this year's Pop. Bruce Peninsula are also extremely high on my list, for the simple reason that their upcoming album, A Mountain Is A Mouth, may just be the best album of the year. They were kind enough to send me its initial (gorgeous) rough sketches. Couple those with the fact that the songs they've previewed so far on their Myspace have been nothing short of stunning, and I think you have a recipe for next year's Polaris Prize winner, not to mention a must-see show.

Alternate 9 pm suggestion: Seeing as Hot Springs have broken up, I can't recommend people go see them at Cabaret anymore. Instead, why not catch Forest City Lovers at Cagibi?

Download "Steamroller"


The Craft Economy, 10:30 pm, Jupiter Room (with Les Handclaps, Lucy and the Popsonics)

I've yet to hear The Craft Economy's new EP, but the songs from it on their Myspace show that the band hasn't changed all that much from their debut EP. Given that All On C was a big blast of danceable energy, that makes for two reasons why their set should be one of the most fun to watch at this year's festival.

Alternate 10 pm suggestion: Sunparlour Players at Cagibi

Download "Drag On"


The Luyas, 11 pm, Casa Del Popolo (with tune-yards, Adam & The Amethysts, Nif-D)

I'm really not sure why I haven't written about The Luyas yet. I keep listening to Faker Death, I keep starting to review the album, and then I get distracted by something else and stop. Nonetheless, it's a stunningly creepy album, and I'm eager to see if that translates to the stage.

Alternate 11 pm suggestion: Mother Mother at Petit Campus

Download "Play Dead"


The Magic, midnight, L'Escogriffe (with The Gertrudes, Automelodi, FRED)

My reason for wanting to see The Magic is the opposite of what I said about their EP a few weeks ago. I was eager to hear the album because I'd heard people raving about their live show; now I love the album, so I'm curious as to whether they can pull it off in concert. Given the first half of the previous sentence, I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that they can.

Alternate midnight and beyond suggestions: The Golden Hands Before God, midnight at O Patro Vys; Hilotrons, 1 am at 3 Minots; Ten Kens (download "Prodigal Sum"), 1:30 am at Barfly

Download "Fifth Business"

As for Pop on Sunday...truthfully, there's not a whole lot (which is largely why I'm not sticking around). But if you're not worn out from the previous four days of shows, there's Ghost Bees at 10:30 at Casa del Popolo, and sort-of Toronto supergroup "Quest for Fire (download "Bison Eyes") at midnight at Bar St.-Laurent II.

The Nymphets (4 pm at Le Divan Orange, with Slim Twig and Library Science)

Fast and catchy: there's no other way to describe The Nymphets, and anything more than that is superfluous.

Download The Nymphets, "I Don't Care"


Yeasayer (8 pm at Ukrainian Federation, with Plants & Animals and Grizzly Bear)

Back in May or so, when Sean from Said The Gramophone and I met up to start discussing what would eventually become The Bleating Hearts Shows, the first band he named when he was talking about bands he wanted to bring was Yeasayer. Couple his enthusiasm with the fact that Plants & Animals are one of the most promising new bands to emerge out of Montreal in at least a few months, and you have a recipe for a great line-up.

Download Yeasayer, "Final Path"

Alternate 8 pm suggestion: We're Marching On at Preloved


Sunparlour Players (9 pm at Saphir, with The Diableros and Jewish Legend)

Their performance at the first night of the i(heart)music fest capped an awesome night, and confirmed what their recently reissued debut, Hymns For The Happy, hinted at: that the trio's blend of Appalachian folk and Sufjan-esque orchestral pop makes for a singularly pleasurable listening experience. Don't miss out on these guys, because they're absolutely worth seeing.

Download Sunparlour Players, "Talk It To Death"


Boo Hoo (10 pm at Le Gymnase, with Ted Leo and the Pharmacists and Georgie James)

Initially, Boo Hoo were slated to headline my showcase...until, that is, they were unceremoniously moved from that show to opening for some guy named Ted Leo. Given how insanely nice they are, however, it's hard to begrudge them a break like that, and they certainly have the talent to make the most of it.

Download Boo Hoo, "Eff The Ineffable"


Laura Barrett (11 pm at Casa del Popolo, with Republic of Safety and World Provider)

The reason for going to this one is obvious: Barrett is finally releasing a follow-up to last year's Earth Sciences EP, which means that everyone who listened to that as much as it's possible to listen to five songs over and over will finally have something new to digest. For anyone who hasn't yet been introduced to Barrett, it's a chance to see how cool a kalimba can be in a live setting.

Download Laura Barrett, "Robot Ponies"

Alternate 11 pm suggestion: Patrick Krief at Hemisphere Gauche


The Bicycles (midnight at Barfly, with Ancient Rhymes and Mille Croche

At some point over the weekend, you'll need to take a break from all the cooler-than-thou hipsters and people just looking for the Next Big Thing. When that happens, The Bicycles will be the perfect solution: they're the definition of catchy and fun, and they're about as far from pretentious as you can possibly get.

Download The Bicycles, "B-B-B-Bicycles"

Alternate midnight suggestion: Rah Rah at Escogriffe


The Golden Dogs (1 am at Les 3 Minots, with Elk City, The Whitsundays, The Race, Camphor and The Coast)

I can't say I'm a fan of their recorded stuff, but The Golden Dogs make up for that with their incredible live show. I saw them over a year ago, and the experience still sticks in my memory, so I'm excited to see if they can live up to expectations.

Download The Golden Dogs, "1985"

Alternate 1 am suggestion: The Hot Springs at Escogriffe

Danielle Duval (8 pm at Le Gymnase, 1st Floor, with My Dad Vs Yours, The Airfields and The Brother Kite)

The Chromewaves-curated portion of The Bleating Heart Shows is solid from top to bottom, and generally reflects his tastes pretty well. The left-field name, though, is Duval, a straightforward girl rocker who's totally at odds with his usually-shoegaze/post-rock-tinged tastes. Judging from the songs on her Myspace, however, she's still pretty talented, and there's every reason to believe that she'll be as good as everyone else on the bill.

Download Danielle Duval, "Bright Galactic"


Basia Bulat (9 pm at Ukrainian Federation with Final Fantasy and Ohbijou)

I've seen Basia twice before; both times were in Montreal, and both times were absolutely magical. With a proper album under her belt, this time should be even more incredible. (And everyone who's not in Pop Montreal this weekend should check out this week's feature on Oh My Darling!)

Download Basia Bulat, "Before I Knew"

Alternate 9 pm suggestion: The Paper Cranes at Saphir


The Luyas (10 pm at Club Lambi, with Alec K. Redfearn, Bruce Peninsula and Feuermusik)

I've been kicking myself for missing The Luyas when they played Ottawa this past summer, so this is my chance to see them again. Everyone I've spoken with who was at the show has nothing but great things to say, so they have high expectations to meet, but everything I've heard from them so far suggests they'll live up to that hype.

Download The Luyas, "Cats In A Bag"

Alternate 10 pm suggestion: Final Fantasy at Ukrainian Federation,


Young Galaxy (11 pm at Le Gymnase, 2nd Floor, with The Stills, The Most Serene Republic and Sam Shalabi)

The big draw here may be The Stills playing their first show as an Arts & Crafts band, but I'll still be there front and centre just for Young Galaxy. I still believe that their self-titled debut is one of the year's best albums, and seeing them play it in their hometown will make for a great experience.

Download Young Galaxy, "Come And See"

Alternate 11 pm suggestions: Clone yourself, because there's also Two Hours Traffic at Barfly, Bruce Peninsula at Club Lambi, Magic Weapon at Coda and These Hands at Cagibi. Though if you want to leave Young Galaxy early, you can race over to Casa Del Popolo and see Kyrie Kristmanson, who starts her set at 11:30!


Code Pie (12:30 at Casa Del Popolo, with Kyrie Kristmanson, Away R'io and C:be)

Code Pie's set at last year's Pop was marred by frontman Enzo Palermo being incapacitated by a pretty severe cold, but they still put on a fun show. Armed with a great (and disturbingly overlooked) new album, this year's set should be even more enjoyable.

Download Code Pie, "Paradise"


Woodhands (1 am at Balattou with Hilotrons, The Magic and Gift Shop)

Without knowing anything about The Magic (most un-Google-able name ever!) and being thoroughly unimpressed by the songs on Gift Shop's Myspace, I can still confidently state that the latter half of this bill will make for one of the danciest nights of the festival. Hilotrons are the kind of band you need to see live to fully appreciate, and as for Woodhands...they blew me away both times I saw them this past summer, and I've no doubt they'll keep doing that for this show.

Download "I Love You" by Woodhands

Alternate 1 am suggestion: Abdominal at Quai des Brumes

A very late recap of my Pop Montreal experience after the jump! And while reading it, bear in mind that 1) I'm a horrible photographer, and 2) my brand-new camera crapped out halfway through Born Ruffians' Saturday set, so I didn't get pictures of some of the weekend's highlights. So if you're looking for quality pictures, be sure to check out Chromewaves and BlogTO. Otherwise, read on...

Boo Hoo at L’Hemisphere Gauche, with Lesbo Vrouven, As Ever and Benn Ross + Fabulous Band

If you're looking for the next big band out of Montreal, there's every reason to believe it's going to be Boo Hoo -- they play tense, spastic pop, and from what I've heard from their forthcoming album, they're well worth the trek up to the second-furthest north venue of the festival.

Download Boo Hoo, "Pants On Fire"


Habitat at The Green Room, with Thomas Hellman, Elfin Saddle, Great Aunt Ida and Laura Barrett

It goes without saying that people should see Laura Barrett. But Habitat give plenty of reason to get there a little early. The band features John O'Regan of The D'Urbervilles and Spy Machine Sixteen, but don't let that be a guide for experiencing them -- think of the Postal Service with a female vocalist, and make the music less glitchy/more pretty, and you'll have an idea of what to expect here.

Download Habitat, "Next Year"


Think About Life at La Sala Rossa, with Genou, DJ Lynne T and Lesbians on Ecstasy

If nothing else, this will be the most celebratory night of the festival...and given the enthusiastic response Think About Life get from their hometown, it's hard to imagine there will be a bigger party than the one happening for the forty minutes TAL are onstage.

Download Think About Life, "What The Future Might Be"


JF Robitaille at L'Escogriffe, with Danielle Duval and Abigail Lapell

There's not much to say about JF Robitaille beyond the fact that he's an incredibly talented folk finger, and in an environment like L'Escogriffe, that should make for an extraordinarily intimate show.

Download JF Robitaille, "Love The Lie"


The Creeping Nobodies at Le Divan Orange, with Anagram, Lunchmeat, The Sunday Sinners, Surplus Sons, Sweet Thing and Frontier Index

Looking at the sheer number of bands on the bill, it's tempting to think that Toronto promoter Dan Burke (who booked this show) went for quantity over quality. The Creeping Nobodies, however, blow that theory out of the water, since their intense live show is exceptionally good (to say nothing of their most recent full-length).

Download The Creeping Nobodies, "The Sound of Joy"


Spy Machine Sixteen at Saphir, with Red Rocket and The Book of Lists

They have their own dancers. They make everyone hearing their music move. And they sing songs about bringing about social upheaval.

It's Dance Dance Revolution, in band form!

Download Spy Machine Sixteen, "For The Jocks Who Scream From Cars"


Born Ruffians at Théâtre National, with Beirut and Akron Family

Generally, the point of something like Pop Montreal is to move around from venue to venue, picking and choosing which acts you want to see. This line-up, by itself, is a pretty convincing argument in favour of staying in one place for an entire night. Beirut and Akron Family have been buzzed about enough elsewhere for people to want to see them, and the fact that Born Ruffians are the newest signees to XL and Warp means it's just a month or so before they become equally well-known.

Download Born Ruffians, "Piecing It Together"


The Paper Cranes at Café Chaos, with Code Pie and Heroes & Villains

Or, conversely, if you want to stay in one place all evening without being overwhelmed by buzz and hipsters, this is a pretty good bet. You have Code Pie, who make wonderfully psychedelic pop. You have Heroes & Villains, whose new album (out in a month or so) is like a warmer, catchier version of Interpol. And you have The Paper Cranes, who show that "decadent" and "sparse post-punk" aren't mutually exclusive ideas.

Download The Paper Cranes, "I'll Love You 'Til My Veins Explode"


And on Sunday, the last day of the festival, DO NOT MISS...

Relief Maps, who have been added as a very last-minute replacement at Casa Del Popolo. The only reason you need can be heard by listening to "Stamp Out Fatigue".

The Bicycles at L'Hemisphere Gauche, with Mahjor Bidet and Dragonette

On record, The Bicycles are a fun, catchy pop band. Live, they take that to an extreme degree, and add lots of opportunities for handclapping, all of which means they have one of the best albums of the year, and are one of the bands you absolutely cannot miss at Pop Montreal.

Download The Bicycles, "B-B-Bicycles"


The Diableros at The Green Room, with Andre Ethier, Jewish Legend and The Old Soul

Truthfully, I'm just saying The Diableros are the band to see out of this line-up because they're the only band I could find a picture and an MP3 for. You Can't Break The Strings On Our Olympic Hearts is definitely a good album, but the really great parts of this show are the other bands -- The Old Soul, who are woefully underappreciated (and probably woefully undersupported from their label), the intriguingly retro Jewish Legend and ex-Deadly Snakes frontman Andre Ethier. Add them to the mix, and you suddenly know why this is a bill worth checking out.

Download The Diableros, "Sugar-Laced Soul"


The Soft Disaster at Casa del Popolo, withDog Day, Doris Day and Killthelights

Given that both The Acorn still have to release their long-awaited third album, it doesn't seem likely that The Soft Disaster will have the best album of the year by an Ottawa band for too much longer. Nonetheless, they're still an excellent band that deserves a lot more attention than they usually get, and this set is an excellent opportunity for people to see why.

Download The Soft Disaster, "All Winter"


Tokyo Police Club at La Sala Rossa, with Snailhouse, Portastatic and The Hot Springs

It's kind of insane to think that TPC were still relative unknowns just six months ago at Canadian Music Week. Of course, they're so good that them being anonymous was never much more than a short-term proposition anyway, and the amazing energy of their live show is the only way to fully understand that.

Download Tokyo Police Club, "Citizens of Tomorrow"


Basia Bulat at L'Escogriffe, with Bradley Moore and Sister Suvi

If Bulat's set last month at Osheaga is any indication, her debut album (due in January) is going to be a wonderful mix of jazz and folk music. Moreover, judging by the rapt attention given to her by the audience, it's probably also going to mean that by this time next year, Bulat is going to be playing much on a much bigger, much more high profile slot than this.

Download Basia Bulat, "Someday"

The Ghost Is Dancing at O Patro Vys, with Raising The Fawn, Ad Astra Per Aspera and A Northern Chorus

There's a lot of hype surrounding The Ghost Is Dancing, some of it comparing the band to Arcade Fire. That may be a little premature, but it's a sign of how good they are, both on their self-titled EP and live, that the comparisons aren't as far-off as you'd think.

Download The Ghost Is Dancing, Organ"