Above the 49th: Land of Caribou and Stars...for Ashley.

Above the 49th: Land of Caribou and Stars...for Ashley.

First, I apologize to Born Ruffians, Crystal Castles, Fucked Up, the Stills, City and Colour, the Besnard Lakes, Hot Hot Heat, Bran Van 3000, Tokyo Police Club, Metric, Karkwa, Sunset Rubdown, the Tragically Hip, Arcade Fire, Death from Above 1979, or any other individual side projects from the Wolf Parade, New Pornographers, or Broken Social Scene for not making the list. Canada has produced some excellent music as of late, perhaps to make up for such imports as Nickelback, Bare Naked Ladies, Sum 41, Brian Adams, Celine Dion, Alanis Morrisette, and Sarah McLachlan (as I wrote this the ASPCA commercial popped into my head, that is perhaps the most depressing commercial ever produced).

1. Handsome Furs – I’m Confused.

Handsome Furs is a composed of husband/Wife duo Dan Boeckner and Alexei Perry are from Montreal, QC. Their second album, Face Control, earned a Polaris Prize nomination. Interestingly, Boeckner dedicated this song to David Carradine when performing in Phoenix in 2009. Boeckner’s other band, Wolf Parade, is also featured on this list. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS5mbeXHOmo

2. Stars – The Night Starts Here.

The Stars, a project composed of Broken Social Scene members, is perhaps my favorite of the BSS side projects. There is just something that is so eloquent about their music, and “In Our Bedroom After the War” is perhaps their best storytelling.

3. Wolf Parade – Call it a Ritual.

One of a few Canadian “Super Groups” Wolf Parade has spawned some excellent side projects from a talented stable of musicians (Handsome Furs, Swan Lake, Sunset Rubdown). http://tinyurl.com/29bc649

4. Owen Pallett – Lewis Takes Action.

Owen Pallett is one of my favorite performers, and is incredibly talented (he helped to write most of the strings for Arcade Fire’s Funeral and Neon Bible).

5. Bell Orchestre – Icicles/Bicycles.

Having members of Arcade Fire in an instrumental group seems logical. In terms of modern arrangements, they are among my favorite in an over auto-tuned world.

6. Broken Social Scene – World Sick.

BSS has spawned an entire record label of talent. The fact remains that most Americans have never heard of them. They really should, I think their music is at a level beyond most groups and along with the New Pornographers and Arcade Fire are perhaps the most talented groups performing. http://tinyurl.com/yk368zl

7. Great Lake Swimmers – Hands on Dirty Ground.

I absolutely love this song and band, their music is just so melodic. Unfortunately, I cannot find a link to it!

8. The Dears – Hate then Love.

The Dears have been around forever, but really have only gotten off the ground in the last five or so years. They definitely know how to make music, and Gang of Losers was their most popular record. With the backing of Arts & Crafts (the label created by BSS), they actually put together one of the best Canadian albums of the past decade.

9. The New Pornographers – Crash Years.

I first heard the New Pornographers in 2000 en route to Europe. I have been enamored ever since. I readily admit to being a member of the Cult of Case. I am still upset about missing her Toronto shows in 2009. AC Newman would have made it on the list, but I really could not pick my favorite song, all of his work is impeccable.

10. Swan Lake – Heartswarm.

Yet another spawn of Wolf Parade/the New Pornographers, Swan Lake should be better known, but I do not feel gets the treatment it deserves compared to other side projects.

11. Holy Fuck – Latin America.

Sometimes HF sounds like they got a hold of a Talkboy and a spark gun, but aside from that quip their stuff is pretty solid.

12. Caribou – Bowls.

Dan Snaith is a genius. First, the guy has a PhD in Mathematics from Imperial College in London, and second he has produced some of the best music coming from a Canadian artist (albeit he lives in England). His latest album Swim is excellent, but I will be the first to admit taken as a whole the record is incongruent, but individually the songs are excellent.

After all of this I have a craving for some Tim Hortons.