Canada, the New Seattle
There's an amazing sound coming out of Canada these days -- a psychedelic, eerie echo, a haunting reverberation that seems simultaneously familiar and new.I give you:
The Besnard Lakes
Arcade Fire
Patrick Watson
The Dears
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Wolf Parade
Broken Social Scene
Handsome Furs
Jets Overhead
The New Pornographers
Shapes and Sizes
Sunset Rubdown
Tokyo Police Club
The Weakerthans
I know that' s a lot of bands and links and that you will maybe click on about 2 of them. But I just think it's interesting that these bands all seem to have a unique sound quality to their music. I think the majority of these bands record in a tin-can or something. There's a muffled, undefined, blurry, echoing quality. (Anybody out there a sound engineer? I'd like to know specifics.) I love it.
And, too, I think most of these bands have mastered the art of the minor chord. It's such introspective, cloudy music. It feels like Seattle or Vancouver -- overcast, cozy, muffled. (But, then, I've never been to Eastern Canada. It could feel like Montreal or Toronto, too.)
Check 'em out. If you only click on a couple of links, I suggest the first and third bands. And the second. And the sixth, seventh, and eighth. . .
posted by Lauren | 11:44 AM
4 Comments:
Call me an old curmudgeon but I cant handle too much of some of those bands (Wolf Parade and Arcade Fire). It's just too...eh (eh as in eh, not as in aye). As in its a little too much of something that I cant put my finger on. And Broken Social Scene? I'd rather have a car battery dropped on my nether region than listen to them. I'm speaking as someone who has 2 of their albums and has seen them in concert. Nine Danke. I'll trade all of those bands in for The Barenaked Ladies if we have to stay Canadian.
Call me a Northwest snob, I'd rather have the music from Portland. Bands or individuals such as The Shins, The Decemberists, M. Ward, Stephen Malkmus (Pavement), Modest Mouse, The Minders, Sleater-Kinney,Britt Daniel (Spoon) and Elliot Smith. All who claim themselves Oregonians. And thats one city as opposed to a whole country. :-)
No matter how cool it is I will never... be Canadian:) It's an interesting sound though. I first heard it in the Great Lake Swimmers. You're right it does sound overcast.
Thanks for keeping us up!
I have Great Lake Swimmers as my song on my myspace page. I just stumbled upon them and I really like that sound.
Wow, Ryan -- I would've thought you'd like some of those bands. Huh. I like your Portland bands (except I don't really know The Minders), but how can you not like Broken Social Scene? It's just good ambient music. Although I don't have 2 of their albums. And I haven't seen them live.
If you were staying with the whole Canadian theme you'd choose the Barenaked Ladies?!? What about, oh I don't know, Neil Young? Or something...
Also, if you're stickin' with Portlanders, you should check out Liz Janes. Though she doesn't live there anymore. And she's pretty folksy.
Yeah, I forgot to mention Great Lake Swimmers. Mainly because I didn't know they were Canadian. And I don't know much of their stuff.
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