www.youtube.com/qtv
The band from Wales sat down with Jian to talk about the album ‘Hold On Now Youngster’ as well as perform ‘Death to Los Campesinos! ‘ live in Studio Q.
Duration : 0:10:13
Album: Return To The Sea 2006
Born from the indie-pop ashes of the favorite underground band The Unicorns in 2005, Return to the Sea is the debut album of a great new Canadian band (Montreal to be exact). In fact there has been a lot of good music coming from Canada lately (Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, New ographers, Feist, etc.) and Islands are riding that wave. Where The Unicorns (and a lot of other similar bands from the indie rock tree) were chaotic, lo-fi experimenters in the stranger side of indie-pop, Islands are a much more mature and emotional band, adding a variety of new instruments to their repertoire, some unusual to what you’ve heard from other indie-popsters (i.e. strings, accordions, upright bass, etc.) for a much more adult and often whimsical sound. You don’t have to be a fan of The Unicorns or indie-pop in general to like this album , all you need is two functioning ears and two hands to clap along.
What really stands out for me in this album is the ludicrous and often surreal lyrics like “You can Scoop out my brain /Shape it into an ear and then tell me your pain” –just par for the course in this album. The most appropriate way I can describe these guys is that they’re strangly lovable and lovably strange. It’s too bad that this band doesn’t get more exposure and recognition.
Much thanks to Equator Records for releasing this album. ISLANDS ARE FOREVER!
Go buy the rest of their albums too.
My personal favorites are
Rough Gem
Volcanoes
Swans (Life After Death)
Duration : 0:3:37
Diesel May, opening for Slaughter at Snatch Rock Bar in Calgary, Alberta. February 6, 2008.
Diesel May is an independent Canadian hard rock band from Red Deer, Alberta.
Duration : 0:3:41
Diesel May, opening for Slaughter at Snatch Rock Bar in Calgary, Alberta. February 6, 2008.
Diesel May is an independent Canadian hard rock band from Red Deer, Alberta.
Duration : 0:5:9
Canadian indie band Sunriser recorded this music video while on a UK tour. Shot in Manchester, the band visits key Mancunian landmarks from Manchester Unitied’s Old Trafford Stadium to the Salford Lads Club made famous by Morrissey and The Smiths. If you look closely you will spot references to famous Manchester bands like Oasis and The Stone Roses as well as Manchester City’s stadium and other famous landmarks.
Duration : 0:4:21
Diesel May, opening for Slaughter at Snatch Rock Bar in Calgary, Alberta. February 6, 2008.
Diesel May is an independent Canadian hard rock band from Red Deer, Alberta.
Duration : 0:3:53
Orange Quarter’s newest music video “U Turn.”
Check out www.orangequarter.com for more information on Orange Quarter!
Duration : 0:3:48
Idea City Conference, Toronto, Ontario.
Since their formation in 1998, Toronto’s Beyond the Pale has emerged as one of the most exciting ensembles in the Canadian klezmer, folk, and world music scenes. Rooted firmly in the spirit and forms of klezmer music, the group flirts with elements of other eastern-European folk styles (Romanian, Roma, Balkan) as well as modern and North American styles (bluegrass, reggae, funk) to forge a unique contemporary sound. Known both for inventive arrangements of traditional material and for compelling original compositions, their music has been described as “post-modern klezmer in all the best senses” and “an altogether original mix” (Victoria Times-Colonist).
The band performs at music festivals, concert theatres, and community and private events, and has toured across Canada and parts of the United States. Their debut CD “Routes” (2001, Borealis Records) has received rave reviews throughout North America and was nominated by the Canadian Independent Music Awards for World Album of the Year, 2001. The group features Eric Stein (mandolin, cimbalom), Martin van de Ven (clarinet), Bogdan Djukic (violin), Milos Popovic (accordion), and Bret Higgins (bass). They are frequently joined by guest vocalists.
Duration : 0:5:30
www.2access.ca / “2ACCESS” is a Canadian indie pop band (indie pop - a genre of alternative rock music that originated in the UK, quickly leading to similar revolution in the underground pop in the USA in the mid ’80s).
From its inception, the band’s music has been intended to be, and ever since has been described as, “enjoyable, eloquent, and prevailing indie pop”. Abundant instrumentation, dexterous production and mixing, highly literate and emotional lyrics, and fine, distinctive vocal tones set 2ACCESS apart from other bands in the music markets. The band’s style evolves lately, towards a rather electronic-pop sound, occasionally combining elements of pop/rock opera, ballad, instrumental, or even theatrical.
Duration : 0:3:42
Jale was formed by four art school students in 1993: guitarist Jennifer Pierce, who had earlier sung backup on the album Smeared by Sloan; drummer Alyson MacLeod; bassist Laura Stein; and guitarist Eve Hartling. The band’s name was formed from the first letters of the members’ first names. Local legend had it that the band formed after all four members attended a concert by Seattle band Velocity Girl; whether that was true or not, Jale’s early recordings resembled that band’s work. Chris …
Duration : 0:2:47