disturbing trends in canadian music

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

i am sick to fucking death of bands that started out by first trying to establish that mid-period sloan albums are actually the apex of all known musicality and then got "swept up" (actually about two years late) by the garage rock revival (hear me now: AC/DC is/were not a garage band, unless by garage you mean "stadium") and now are playing mid-period sloan (italicized to emphasize disdain) with a greater emphasis on half-hearted scissor kicks and tentative nods to bluesy wank.

this is music that struggles to push its hair away from its own eyes.

i declare the nation of canada quarantined until we can deal with this lame indie pop problem. perhaps the biggest reason not to visit toronto this year.

i have a team of scientists working on it and i'm thinking of setting up a distributed computing initiative to figure out how to combat the problem.

a possible solution.

carl newman from the new pornographers dies in a hail of bullets allegedly fired from dan bejar's limousine. the autopsy reveals newman's blood tests positive for both PCP and bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Friday, 6 June 2003 16:05 (twenty-two years ago)

what is the impetus here FoS?
Moneen on the cover of Exclaim?

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Friday, 6 June 2003 16:22 (twenty-two years ago)

1) endear1ng records makes me violently ill. you know when school lets out for the summer because every endear1ng band immediately decides to criss-cross the country four times. fuck. what i need is a landslide in the rockies and a bushfire in saskatchewan to keep this pap out of my province.

2) carl newman. well, i think this picture pretty much sums it up.

http://www2.animationusa.com/picts/satam/archies.gif

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Friday, 6 June 2003 16:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Wow! Archie *does* kinda look like Carl!

― Sean Thomas (sgthomas), Friday, 6 June 2003 16:31 (twenty-two years ago)

But, FoS, surely there's room in your province for a little endearment -- I mean, we can't all be signed to Constellation, right?

― Sean Thomas (sgthomas), Friday, 6 June 2003 16:32 (twenty-two years ago)

except for there's no blonde chick in NP, and if you let hot dog be Bejar (why not?), and Jughead is nothing at all like Kurt Dahle (rhyme time), you just made my day.

Telepathic Butterflies are good though. I just got their album, Introducing..., and I quite like it. But the Cdn music ind as a whole is so fucking ridiculous, I would like to be a dog so that I could poop on it without that embarrassed feeling I get when I poop in front of other people as a human being.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Friday, 6 June 2003 16:33 (twenty-two years ago)

I would like to be a dog so that I could poop on it without that embarrassed feeling I get hen I poop in front of other people as a human being.

i think dan bejar has already figured that out ...

ergo dan bejar does = hot dog

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Friday, 6 June 2003 16:36 (twenty-two years ago)

But, wait, why is Dan exempted from this vitriol? Does liking Hunky Dory more than Ziggy Stardust make *that* much difference?

― Sean Thomas (sgthomas), Friday, 6 June 2003 16:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Which is worse, Sma!!man or Ende@ringo?

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Friday, 6 June 2003 16:47 (twenty-two years ago)

new pornographers and endearing records and sloan aren't from toronto, so leave us out of this. Montreal & Toronto have really solid real rock n roll bands right now.

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Friday, 6 June 2003 16:52 (twenty-two years ago)

horace: the way i see it, sma!!man (and anything else with thinly veiled references to skateboarding) pretty much writes itself out of the equation. hardcore is a vacuum in this country because sooner or later your fans will turn 18 and find other things to do.

ende@ring's had (and has) some good bands, but the ones that seem to be staring me in the face every time i set foot in a bar are the ones i don't like (and the ones where all the members look like chris murphy).

fritz: which bands are those?

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Friday, 6 June 2003 16:55 (twenty-two years ago)

deadly snakes, tangiers, hidden cameras, sadies, elevator, sexareenos/barbq, scat rag boosters, exploders and halifax has the heelwalkers & the dean malenkos... (none of whom sound anything like one another OR the sloan-clones you describe.. actually, who are you talking about? )

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Friday, 6 June 2003 17:22 (twenty-two years ago)

don't forget Maximum RNR, Blurtonia, and Bionic, Fritz.

Hey, that new Deadly Snakes album is the shit though. I can't get enough of it.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Friday, 6 June 2003 17:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Everyone should check out Les Georges Leningrad, they're super-duper.

― s1utsky (slutsky), Friday, 6 June 2003 17:56 (twenty-two years ago)

sloan aren't from toronto

Haven't the Sloanz been based outta TO for at least the last 5 years? I mean, if suddenly Elevator is a Toronto band, with 2/3s of the band in TO (I'll never accept the Sadie as a true member), 100% of Sloan in TO must make them officially a Toronto band, right?

As deplorable as the love for Carl Newman is, I think Canada's indie pop scene was a lot more repulsive when Murderecords was actively throwing cloans (clever pun, huh?) out there with every release. I mean, what was the difference between Thrush Hermit and the Superfriendz?

― Vic Funk, Friday, 6 June 2003 18:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Thrush Hermit were heavier.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Friday, 6 June 2003 18:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Constantines from TO (signed to Sub Pop for re-release of 13 Songs?), Le Nombre from Mtl. What's that "Life is a Highway" guy up to these days?

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Friday, 6 June 2003 18:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I think Tom Cochrane just signed on as the new producer of the Strokes and the Hives.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Friday, 6 June 2003 18:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Life's like a road that you travel on
When there's one day here and the next day gone
Sometimes you bend, sometimes you stand
Sometimes you turn your back to the wind
There's a world outside every darkened door
Where blues won't haunt you anymore
Where the brave are free and lovers soar
Come ride with me to the distant shore
We won't hesitate, break down the garden gate
There's not much time left today

Chorus:

Life is a highway
I want to ride it all night long
If you're going my way
I want to drive it all night long

Through all these cities and all these towns
It's in my blood and it's all around
I love you know like I loved you then
This is the road and these are the hands
>From Mozambique to those Memphis nights
The Khyber Pass to Vancouver's lights
Knock me down get back up again
You're in my blood I'm not a lonely man

There's no load I can't hold
Road so rough, this I know
I'll be there when the light comes in
Tell 'em we're survivors

(chorus x2)

There was a distance between you and I
A misunderstanding once but now
We look it in the eye

There's no load I can't hold
Road so rough this I know
I'll be there wehn the light comes in
Tell 'em we're survivors

(chorus x3)

― keith (keithmcl), Saturday, 7 June 2003 03:48 (twenty-two years ago)

halifax has the heelwalkers & the dean malenkos... (none of whom sound anything like one another OR the sloan-clones you describe.. actually, who are you talking about? )

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
If you EVER, EVER want some good questions or stories about the Dean Maelnkos, I can provide you with videotapes of shit you won't believe.

ende@ring's had (and has) some good bands,

Bonaduces were the best band ever from West of Toronto, not even Young Canadians were close.

Blurtonia,

Liked Change of Heart much better, I wish I could, and I have tried, I just can't enjoy Blurtonia.

I mean, what was the difference between Thrush Hermit and the Superfriendz?

WTF? They sound nothing alike. Yes Superfriendz did sound alot like Sloan. But Thrush Hermit never sounded like Sloan unless your willing to admit that Pearl Jam sounded like Dinosaur Jr or something equally far fetched.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 16 June 2003 19:00 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't believe someone mentiones Dean Malenkos while Im on vacation.

I mean, if suddenly Elevator is a Toronto band, with 2/3s of the band in TO (I'll never accept the Sadie as a true member)

I was hoping to catch him play with them. I did see them play as a three piece recently and Rick was a lot more energetic then I've seen him in years so I hope they get a break. Heck, Queens of the Stone Age and Fu manchu get all the hype a couple years ago when Elevator have been playing it for years.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 16 June 2003 19:05 (twenty-two years ago)

When I first saw this thread, I wondered if Noodles started it.

Ende@r1ng has The Pets. They're not all bad. OK, maybe they are all bad if our drummer's opinion is anything to trust, but that's not anything to do with the music, so I'll shut up as I don't know of what I speak.

― kate (kate), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 08:52 (twenty-two years ago)

If I was going to say anything is disturbing I'd be slagging off Sam Robert/Danko Jones not the label that put out Pretty in Pop, Bonaduces, The Pets and Readymade.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:07 (twenty-two years ago)

this is music that struggles to push its hair away from its own eyes.

This is a wonderful description of lots of music that I *do* like. In fact, this would be a good description of everything that I love in music!

― kate (kate), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:09 (twenty-two years ago)

i'd say it's actually true for me too. unfortunately, in canada indie pop has come to mean "pop that is less good" and it was that to which i was referring.

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:36 (twenty-two years ago)

All that Canadian music really cares about is growin' its hair... and getting it cut?

― kate (kate), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Hey, indie-pop is dying everywhere. But only in Canada is it still getting subsidised by the government!

(Hey, and I say that knowing full well that our record release party and part of our tour last year was paid for by the Canadian government, thanks guys...)

― kate (kate), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Kate, you got FACTOR?

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:45 (twenty-two years ago)

I didn't, Jane did. (Before anyone goes revoking our CanCon status...)

― kate (kate), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Sweet! Despite not being perfect process them people do good work.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:49 (twenty-two years ago)

i'd be much happier if the variety of indie pop of which i speak stuck to its coffeeshop shows and cd-r labels. but since there's not too much else going on these days they're infiltrating our bars. we've even been importing this rubbish from australia recently.

but still ... lame canadian indie poppers > lame canadian garage rockers (who are often one step away from actually being the rednecks they mimic)

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:50 (twenty-two years ago)

I like the Telepathic Butterflies a whole lot.
Don't care for the Dears or Broken Social Scene.
I like most of the CanCon rock/roll stuff going on though (minus Danko Jones): Blurtonia, Bionic, Maximum RNR. etc.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:57 (twenty-two years ago)

lame canadian garage rockers (who are often one step away from actually being the rednecks they mimic)

But once upon a time, (re: 80s into early 90s) we had garage rockers who ROCKED!

I like most of the CanCon rock/roll stuff going on though (minus Danko Jones): Blurtonia, Bionic, Maximum RNR. etc.

And this is why we disagree. Though Bionic have been improving as of late with Blurton helping out.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 14:11 (twenty-two years ago)

These are all bands at whose shows I've gotten extremely drunk. So I guess it's partly the hoser impulse.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 14:15 (twenty-two years ago)

With the exclusion of MRNR I've done that as well.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 14:16 (twenty-two years ago)

the fact that bionic has become a moderately successful canadian band indicates that we as a country have foolishly taken rawk!!!!!! as our mantra and no longer have the faculties to discern whetherr something is good rawk!!!!!!! or boring, samey rawk!!!!!!!!

i can hear the "ohhhh, but bionic has such a good live show" comments coming ...

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 14:25 (twenty-two years ago)

But that's the thing about Canada FOS.
The live show is what counts far beyond the recorded bull-hooey, because we yearn for meaningful excursions outside of our houses/homes.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 14:37 (twenty-two years ago)

But we gleefully accept records from all ends of the Earth.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 14:43 (twenty-two years ago)

two years pass...

Huh, what? Did I hear my name? And a reference to my opinion? For sure, Ende@r1ng have released great albums, and are not all bad and I can't recall ever having implied they were.

Hey, indie-pop is dying everywhere. But only in Canada is it still getting subsidised by the government!

(Hey, and I say that knowing full well that our record release party and part of our tour last year was paid for by the Canadian government, thanks guys...)

Ha! Funny I should only read this now, as my current band just submitted an application for a grant from Manit0ba Fi1m and S0und.

As for the subject of this thread, I think the most disturbing trend in Canadian music is that every one of you aren't listening to Elliott BROOD right now. Their drummer plays a suitcase, people! He plays his fucking luggage! They might be the best band in Canada, and not just because of the suitcase thing. But what do I know, I love everything Carl Newman's ever been involved with -- especially Superconductor. Although Novillero did blow the New Pornographers off the stage last week.

― Oblivious Lad. (Oblivious Lad), Monday, 27 February 2006 07:49 (twenty years ago)

"I love everything Carl Newman's ever been involved with "

its been 3 years since the last post, and carl newman made "slow wonder" and "twin cinema":
lots of people now love him,changing their minds cause of those records.

― my brother is in, Monday, 27 February 2006 10:45 (twenty years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.