The only thing we can legitimately blame Canada for is the age-old crime of stealing the show. At the very least, if those rascally Canucks aren't outright stealing the show, they're at least doing a very good job of making sure they get equal stage time with America and Britain. Some of the most vital indie-rock acts of the past decade hail from ye northern regions: Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, The New Pornographers, Wolf Parade ... the list goes on and on. While I love each and every one of the aforementioned, I've gone ahead and highlighted songs by three Canadian bands that I wouldn't necessarily put under the "indie" umbrella. This isn't to say they're any less brilliant, of course; quite the contrary. Take a trip north with me. Let's see what we can find.
Actually, I really am taking a trip north to Canada in a few days. You can guess where the inspiration for this week's theme came from. I'll make sure to send a postcard. (Do not fret, o reader, for I shall be back in time for next weekend's Sunday Superlative. At least I hope so. If it mysteriously fails to appear, though, you can choose your own misadventure: (1) Chris has met a woman who sounds like Jack White and has gotten distracted making out with her among glowing moose genitalia; (2) Chris has become tied up in the systematic chaos known as the pre-election airline system; (3) Chris has been kidnapped by beavers, which are slowly and painfully gnawing his toes off.)
Er, um. Anyway.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - "Moya" (mp3|14.91MB)
For better or for worse, Godspeed You! Black Emperor is a very difficult band to blogcast. Over the course of three albums and an EP, the band only ever released one song under ten minutes ("9-15-00, Part 2"); in general, the average length is much closer to twenty. However, this should most definitely not be a deterrent from one of the best and most important rock acts of the past decade. From bands like Mogwai to Explosions in the Sky, "post-rock" has become an almost ubiquitous genre as of late. I'm not sure what it is, but GY!BE has always stood as the best in their field. These guys (now sadly disbanded, though A Silver Mt. Zion lives on) were so blindingly good at what they did that it seems almost pointless to listen to any other post-rock bands. In general, EPs aren't my format. I prefer indivdual songs, I prefer albums. But in 1999, these guys released a two-track EP called Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada that is so tightly constructed and so fully realized that I have no problem counting it among my favorite releases of any kind. "Moya" is the first track from that EP, and is probably my #1 choice to introduce people to the band. On paper, it sounds like your standard-issue post-rock track: slow-burning intro slowly builds to cathartic, crashing crescendo. You've heard it before, right? Well, maybe. But GY!BE brings something to the affair that really makes it special. It's careful, it's methodical, it's beautiful. And it's done so, so well.
(from the 1999 EP Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada)
Perfume Tree - "My Worst Friend" (mp3|7.89MB)
For years I have harbored the belief that Perfume Tree may in fact be the best band no one has ever heard of. (No, you're thinking of Porcupine Tree, another very good band, but this is different.) Perfume Tree is this Canadian outfit specializing in music that, while consistently beautiful, is quite difficult to pin down. If I had to give my best shot, I'd say it's something along the lines of My Bloody Valentine meets the Cocteau Twins by means of the Cranberries, occasionally factoring in some IDM/drum-and-bass-inspired electronics. In other words, it's much easier -- and more pleasant -- to listen to than it is to categorize. In fact, few bands are easier to listen to: their sense of melody is impeccable, singer Jane Tilley has a wonderfully mellifluous voice (I once heard it described as "smoky," an adjective which has stuck with me), and the arrangements are always tip-top. "My Worst Friend" is perhaps one of their darker and more aggressive tracks, but that doesn't keep it from being just as alluring, if not moreso, than all the rest. All of the elements that define their sound come together flawlessly to form one of the best "buried treasure" songs in my library, and the overall habit-forming effect would be slightly worrisome of the music itself wasn't so lovely. I can't foist this band off on enough people -- go forth, check them out. I imagine you'll be glad you did.
(from the 1996 album A Lifetime Away)
Red Rider - "Lunatic Fringe" (mp3|4.01MB)
Everyone has stupid classic rock songs they like for no apparently good reason. I am no exception, and -- unlike most wannabe music snobs -- I have no problem freely admitting what I like and dislike, no matter how embarrassing. Now, Red Rider's first and only hit isn't particularly embarrassing, but it is a pretty stupid song. In fact, it's really just an excuse to rock out for the sake of rocking out. Of course, if this were a crime, half the stuff out there wouldn't exist. I can't fault Red Rider for that, nor can I fault them for the tense and doomy atmosphere they create here, the rockin' guitar solo they throw in, the unconventional but still appropriate vocal delivery, the tasteful use of synthesizers ... or, hell, anything. The song just works. It shouldn't, by all accounts, but it does. That's the secret behind a lot of classic rock, really: it's big and dumb as a rule, but it's a lot of fun to be around. Whenever this one comes on the radio, I crank it up. After hearing it, I bet you'll feel compelled to do likewise.
(from the 1981 album As Far as Siam)
Hmm. My sources tell me that Nickelback is also Canadian. ...eh, well, nobody's perfect.
Blue-da-ba-dee-da-ba-die-that's all, folks!
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