New Music 2012!

I find every year has solid releases, being a big music fan, and 2012 looks to be no different! Could this be the year we get Dr. Dre‘s Detox? That is definitely not one to hold your breath for!

We should have new releases from bands that have been away for a while, No Doubt (last released, Rock Steady in 2001!), and Garbage (last released, Bleed Like Me in 2005). Dido should be releasing a new album, her last output was Safe Trip Home from November 2008, so only just over three years at this point. Metallica might be releasing a follow-up to Death Magnetic, but I would not be surprised if it is finds a 2013 release date. Queens of the Stone Age are supposed to be releasing a new album later this year as well.

Rick Rubin will be keeping busy at 48 years of age, soon to be 49. He is working on the new Metallica, along with new albums from ZZ Top, Linkin Park, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and Black Sabbath! Black Sabbath being the original line-up, whose ages are either 62 or 63! The Rolling Stones of metal?

One release I am really looking forward to is the Chiddy Bang debut, Breakfast. It drops (my attempt at being cool) February 28! If you have not heard them yet check this and this out!

Another one I am looking forward to is Emeli Sandé‘s Our Version of Events. I have only heard her song “Heaven”, but it sounds promising.

I just watched Love, Props and the T.Dot on CBC, and it reminded me about how I tweeted looking forward to a new Saukrates release. Hoping for Season One to be released this year, as this one is highly anticipated, as per the 20 Most Anticipated Canadian Albums of 2012! And be sure to read the entire article!

As per the Vevo playlist for 2012 Rookies, we have Lana Del Ray’s second album to look forward to, Born to Die, January 27. Check out “Video Games” (in HD via Vevo). Also, Elle Varner, although no word of a debut album at this point. She is a little reminiscent of V V Brown, although Elle is American. Watch “Only Wanna Give It To You“. Speaking of V V Brown, her sophomore album, Lollipops & Politics, is set for a February 7 release! Check out the mixtape she released as a bit of a teaser, The Playground. Other Brits with albums potentially set for a 2012 include Ellie Goulding, potentially Little Boots, Geri Halliwell, and hopefully the Noisettes!

Two former Beatles will be releasing new music, Ringo Starr, Ringo 2012, and Paul McCartney, Kisses on the Bottom. Both within a few days of each other too (Coincidence?)! Ringo January 30 and Paul February 7. Respectively, their 16th and 15th solo albums. Paul is on Hear Music, the Starbucks label, and Ringo is on Hip-O Records, which is a part of Universal Music Group.

More releases:

January 17

Kathleen Edwards – Voyageur*

January 24

John K. Samson – Provincial*
Foxy Shazam – The Church of Rock and Roll

January 27

Lana Del Ray – Born to Die

January 30

Ringo Starr – Ringo 2012

February 7

Paul McCartney – Kisses on the Bottom
V V Brown – Lollipops & Politics

February 13

Emeli Sandé – Our Version of Events

February 14

Sleigh Bells – Reign of Terror
Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded

February 20

Sinéad O’Connor – How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?

February 21

The Elwins – And I Thank You*
Buckethead – Electric Sea

February 27

The Ting Tings – Sounds from Nowheresville

February 28

Chiddy Bang – Breakfast

Some album covers need to be viewed in high-resolution!

March 5

Katie Melua – Secret Symphony

Release dates yet to be determined:

Marina and the Diamonds – Electra Heart
Madonna – M.D.N.A (March)
Karmin
JoJo – Jumping Trains
Regina Spektor – What We Saw from the Cheap Seats
Charli XCX
Dido
Kid Koala – 12-Bit Blues*
Brandy
Saukrates – Season One*
Rush – Clockwork Angels*
Garbage
Hannah Georgas*
K-os – Black on Blonde*
Propagandhi*
Santigold – Master of My Make Believe
Queens of the Stone Age
Wu-Tang Clan
Corinna Rose*
Ainsley McNeaney*
Public Enemy
Kenna – Songs for Flight
Metallica
No Doubt
Lissie
and plenty more!

* denotes Canadian releases. I know I am missing many Canadian, and other releases for that matter, follow me on Twitter, and watch for the hashtag #FutureMusic for all upcoming releases!

Music Video of the Day, the next 100

The next 100 Music Video of the Day videos, as seen on my Twitter daily! Of course, next 100 after the first year’s worth, which I posted back on August 20, 2011, as that was one year after I started the feature.

As of this writing I am up to number 509, but it is easier to update a little more than once per year! I used to do weekly updates, however I did not want to clutter up my blog too much (that and I got lazy). That aside, I could easily add additional commentary in the form of a blog post. Also this time I added links, so click (the #MVOD #) to follow to the specific Twitter tweet, and then click for the music video. And see all the archives in an easier format via my Twitter ‘favourites‘ (Canadian spelling!).

#465 Gorillaz – Clint Eastwood
#464 Audioslave – Show Me How To Live
#463 Lindsay Lohan – Rumors
#462 UNKLE – Rabbit in your Headlight
#461 Lamb – B-Line
#460 Dixie Chicks – I Can Love You Better
#459 U2 – One (Anton Corbjin Version)
#458 En Vogue – Don’t Let Go (Love)
#457 Robyn – Handle Me
#456 The Cardigans – Sick & Tired
#455 R.E.M. – Leaving New York (R.E.M. theme week #7)
#454 R.E.M. – Bad Day (R.E.M. theme week #6)
#453 R.E.M. – Nightswimming (British Version) (R.E.M. theme week #5)
#452 R.E.M. – Get Up (R.E.M. theme week #4)
#451 R.E.M. – The One I Love (R.E.M. theme week #3)
#450 R.E.M. – Driver 8 (R.E.M. theme week #2)
#449 R.E.M. – Radio Free Europe (R.E.M. theme week #1)
#448 Sarah Harmer – Captive
#447 Alanis Morissette – So Pure
#446 Queens Of The Stone Age – Go With The Flow
#445 MGMT – Kids
#444 R.E.M. – Stand
#443 Papa Roach – Getting Away With Murder
#442 Serena Ryder – Little Bit Of Red
#441 Lana Del Rey – Video Games
#440 Wyclef Jean – Gone Till November
#439 The Presidents of the United States of America – Lump
#438 Misfits – American Psycho
#437 Sinclair – À la ronde
#436 Keren Ann – My Name is Trouble
#435 Youth Brigade – I Hate My Life
#434 Moby – Go
#433 Duffy – Warwick Avenue
#432 Coldplay – Paradise
#431 Basia Bulat – The Pilgriming Vine
#430 Blur – M.O.R.
#429 Queen – One Vision
#428 Method Man, Redman – A-YO ft. Saukrates
#427 Sophie B. Hawkins – Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover
#426 The Hundred In The Hands – Pigeons
#425 A Camp – Stronger Than Jesus
#424 Feist – I Feel It All
#423 Coldplay – Shiver
#422 No Doubt – Sunday Morning
#421 Florence + The Machine – Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up)
#420 Kelly Clarkson – Mr. Know It All (Brand new theme week #7)
#419 Anna Calvi – Suzanne and I (Brand new theme week #6)
#418 LIGHTS – Toes (Brand new theme week #5)
#417 Icona Pop – Nights Like This (Brand new theme week #4)
#416 Hafdís Huld – Pop Song (Brand new theme week #3)
#415 Beyoncé – Countdown (Brand new theme week #2)
#414 Florence + The Machine – Shake It Out (Brand new theme week #1)
#413 Ladytron – Destroy Everything You Touch
#412 Lauren Pritchard – Not The Drinking
#411 St. Vincent – Cruel
#410 Blur – Tender
#409 Amanda Marshall – Birmingham
#408 Kraftwerk – Musique Non-Stop
#407 The Pharcyde – Drop
#406 Fucked Up – The Other Shoe (Pop Montreal theme week #7)
#405 By Divine Right – Come For A Ride (Pop Montreal theme week #6)
#404 Ohbijou – New Years (Pop Montreal theme week #5)
#403 tUnE-yArDs – Gangsta (Pop Montreal theme week #4)
#402 Grass Widow – Fried Egg (Pop Montreal theme week #3)
#401 Laura Marling – Sophia (Pop Montreal theme week #2)
#400 Kid Sister – Right Hand Hi (Pop Montreal theme week #1)
#399 Kid Koala – Fender Bender
#398 Megan Bonnell – South Korea
#397 Lindi Ortega – Little Lie
#396 De La Soul – Shopping Bags (She Got from You)
#395 The Black Eyed Peas – Where Is The Love?
#394 The Cranberries – Salvation
#393 No Fun At All – Master Celebrator
#392 Garbage – Bleed Like Me
#391 Tracy Bonham – The One
#390 Fine Young Cannibals – Good Thing
#389 The Gaslight Anthem – The ’59 Sound
#388 TV on the Radio – Staring at the Sun
#387 The Saturdays – Up
#386 Gretchen Wilson – Redneck Woman
#385 Kelly Clarkson – My Life Would Suck Without You
#384 Jenny Owen Youngs – Fuck Was I
#383 The Police – Message In A Bottle
#382 The Cranberries – Dreams
#381 Malcolm McLaren – Buffalo Gals
#380 Horrorpops – Miss Take
#379 Roni Size & Reprazent – Dirty Beats
#378 Beck – Deadweight
#377 System Of A Down – Toxicity
#376 Bad Religion – Incomplete
#375 Guru’s Jazzmatazz Feat. Angie Stone – Keep Your Worries
#374 Lilly Wood & The Prick – Down the Drain
#373 Marit Larsen – If A Song Could Get Me You
#372 Mudvayne – Determined
#371 Common – Drivin’ Me Wild ft. Lily Allen
#370 Benny Benassi ft. Gary Go – Cinema
#369 Amy Winehouse – In My Bed
#368 Portugal. The Man – Sleep Forever
#367 tUnE-yArDs – Bizness
#366 Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer

Supergroups that do not exist, yet #1

Anthony Kiedis – lead vocals
Jason Newsted – bass
Jeff Lynne – guitar
Brad Wilk – drums

Led by Anthony Kiedis, rounded out with modern rock veterans Jason Newsted on bass, Brad Wilk on drums, and all-around veteran Jeff Lynne on guitar, the ‘young’ guys keep the sound relevant to today, while Lynne brings some intelligence, and all-around musical know how to the group.

The final result yields a likely timeless rock record that defies description from the best rock critic. Where even the recorded material that did not make the final cut would be gems to any other music act.

—

From all of us at the Too Much Music offices (one guy, and no office), a very happy and prosperous 2012. Lots (and lots) to come in 2012 and beyond!

Only 100 years till we can celebrate Canadian rock greats Rush all-year round!

Corinna Rose and Elgin Skye, December 10, Yellow Door (Local show preview)

Third in an ongoing series of posts! This time for local (Montreal — also where the show will take place) folk/pop outfit Corinna Rose, and Elgin Skye.

Corinna Rose

I have seen Corinna Rose live two times now, and both times were sets that were too short! The first time was earlier this summer, and most recently a few weeks before Hallowe’en or so. The first was a proper show, although in a bar, so maybe not so ‘proper’. The second was a more intimate show, so it was much more minimal (cannot recall the exact setup, but it was at the Centre St-Ambroise, which only holds 50 people!).

I purchased her EP at the summer show (I have to post a review soon, along with Torontonian turned Montreal Ainsley McNeaney’s disc for that matter!) and it is quite good, a mix of mellow folk/pop would be my best genre description. Give it a listen over at her Bandcamp page, and buy it too (or better yet, pickup a copy at the show this Saturday!)

Speaking of this Saturday’s show, as per her website, it will be another intimate show, however featuring new material! Perhaps for a future debut full length?

Elgin-Skye

Elgin Skye opens, and after listening to her on the CBC Radio 3 site, I would have to say she reminds me quite a bit of Basia Bulat. And according to the bio on that page, “her sets may include, but are not limited to: clapping, whistling, cooing, singing, stomping.”

Show is 8PM, and here are some additional details.

Occupy music.

Likely everyone reading this is part of the 1%. And no matter how anyone feels about the movement, real change is necessary. I am not as educated on the matter as I would like to be, however I know a thing or two, but being a music blog, I will stick to music.

The idea for this post came to me from the first video, Fat Mike (Michael John Burkett) and Eric Melvin (Eric Scott Melvin) of NOFX.

The Occupy movement, aside from being necessary, reminds me, and likely others of all the great protest music out there, or rebel jams as Tom Morello puts it

This one is good, Tom Morello singing Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land“

Some good words from Jello Biafra, of the Dead Kennedy’s, numerous other musical projects, and spoken word at Occupy Melbourne. I agree with his last point, that was/is my feeling all along, to keep the movement going.

John Densmore of The Doors at Occupy L.A.

No doubt there is plenty of other great videos and resources, so click on related videos and the like, and seek them out!

Local show preview – November 23, Jon Davis with Ainsley McNeaney, Mangomango and surprise guest at Cabaret du Mile-End

This is my second post in what I hope to be a continuing series of local show previews (local being Montreal in this case!).

Jon Davis

This is show, featuring locals Jon Davis and Ainsley McNeaney is what I would call a big little show. Little show as in it is a local show, not a huge tour, and big as in it is at the Cabaret du Mile-End (5240, avenue du Parc). Happening this Wednesday, November 23. And from what I hear there may be some big shots there, to what extent I am not sure, but Pierre Marchand (Sarah McLachlan, Rufus Wainwright, Ron Sexsmith, etc.) may be there.

Ainsley McNeaney

I first saw Ainsley McNeaney back on July 20 at the well-known local venue Casa del Popola. Her set did not disappoint. She plays (and her six piece band — Ainsley included) a unique blend of ‘baroque’ pop. I am pretty sure I heard her music described as baroque pop somewhere, however it seems right, even if I do not know the genre well, aside from associating the term baroque with Baroque music.

I have not had the chance to hear Jon Davis yet, although I met him, and he is a cool guy. I do not know mangomango either, but based on a few pictures, they look like up-tempp music split between girl and guy vocals.

If I knew the surprise guest, I would spill the beans, or at least hint at it, but, alas I do not.

Tickets are only $10, and can be purchased through Ainsley’s Bandcamp page. They will be $15 at the door, IF there are any left!

30 (plus) Bad Religion quotes for 30 years

As promised on my final post in my series of posts from last year, 30 Bad Religion Quotes for 30 Years, a mega-post of all the quotes.

Many of which are two or more, as there are so many great Bad Religion quotes, when there are, they are from the same song. Click the quote number for the original post, which contains my take on the quote, the song the quote(s) are from, and additional information, such as full lyrics, or relevant links.

It has now been just over 13 months since The Dissent of Man was released, therefore they have now been a band for 31 years, and counting.

On with the quotes…

1

See my body it’s nothing to get hung about
I’m nobody except genetic runaround
Spiritual era is gone and it ain’t coming back

2

There’s people out there that say I’m no good
Because I don’t believe in things that I should

Countries manufacture bombs and guns
To kill your brother for something that he hasn’t even done

Smog is ruining my lungs, but aren’t sorry they’ve done wrong
They hide behind their lies that they’re helping everyone

3

Millions and millions chase the wild goose tonight.
To conquer loneliness they’ll chase it all their lives,
And when they find it they can just lay down and die.
It seems the game is mostly pointless in the presence of the prize.

4

I’m tired of this city, all this toil and strife.
Trying to cross the boulevard, playing Frogger with my life.

5

It’s superficial progress, they call it liberation
With opiates of silicon, big brother schemes to rule the nation

We’re one nation under God, we stand above the rest
With mighty high technology, we’re never second best

6

Big bang, big crunch, you know there’s no free lunch.
Kneel down and pray, here comes your judgment day.
Big crunch, you know, it’s gonna be quite a show.
What goes around always comes around, yeah.

There’s no vestige of a beginning no prospect of an end.

7

I’ve got nothing to say,
I’ve got nothing to do, all of my neurons are functioning smoothly yet still
I’m a cyborg just like you

8

Remote control
Three cars for every family
Corruption at the expense of the simple majority

9

I don’t need to be a global citizen
because I’m blessed by nationality

I was born on planet earth
The rotating ball where man comes first
Its been around for a long long time
But now its time to watch it die

10

I want to bask in your golden light
Submerge in electric waves
I need my connection to the world outside

Your life is historically meaningful
And spans a significant time

11

10 million dollars on a losing campaign
20 million starving and writhing in pain

12

Raise Your Voice!

13

You’ve got a chance to confront the world today

I’m tired of all this Shakespearean misinformation

14

Disjointed politics founded on petrochemical plunder and we’re its hostages

15

No progress ever came from war – only a false sense of increase

16

I know I’m part of something greater than myself
We’re all engaging in a game of attrition
Maybe god is just a chemical fiction
I’m a monkey with a madding affliction

17

Ignorance is the root of fear, and fear is the kindling of anger.

18

Among the commuters, dwarfed by the skyscrapers
I watch the countless millions fighting for space
See hateful petty acts, disjointed images
And can’t believe that I’m one of the same race

19

The stigma of industrial progress killing us over and over again

20

I had a dream of unity
Where we would walk side by side
But today I see that it’s only me
Just trying to get by

21

No Bad Religion song can make your life complete.

22

Here inside this quiet room there’s direction

Someone proclaimed creation, people listened

So many walk in parallel and pull their blinders tight
So few offer apology and accept others rights

23

Everyone’s vying for patronage
This is the way of the modern world
And something’s gotta give

Everyone’s fighting for dominance
This is the way of the modern world
And something’s gotta give

Now I believe in unity
And I am willing to compromise
But I’m not gonna lie or sell my soul

24

I want to conquer the world

25

I’m going for a walk
Not the after dinner kind
I’m gonna use my hands
And I’m gonna use my mind

26

It’s never really what you own but what you threw away
And how much did you pay?

We can’t do nothing and think someone else will make it right

In your dreams you saw a steady state, a bounty for eternity

We need a fresh and new religion to run our lives

The arid torpor of inaction will be our demise

But the way it is cannot persist for long. A brutal sun is rising on a sick horizon

27

Don’t be a henchman,
Stand on your laurels,
Do what no one else does and praise the good of other men
For good man’s sake.

28

Now we all see, religion’s just synthetic frippery
Unnecessary in our expanding global cultural unefficiency

29

Faith alone won’t sustain us anymore

30

I refuse to abuse what is kind to the muse
But it’s there and it’s happening to me along the way
As we go through the snow we cannot forget our foes
But the dinner’s always waiting at the table ‘long the way, yeah

Have a favourite Bad Religion quote?

Grand Theft Auto III, 10 years to the day.

Today, October 22, marks 10 years to the day that Grand Theft Auto III was released. No doubt one of the greatest video games ever. Although it itself featured very little well-known music, it certainly set the table for the games to come. That is not to discount the previous games in the series, however GTA III, being the first 3D game, and first Grand Theft Auto game on Playstation 2, made its impact known.

One of my favourite radio stations is Double Clef FM, hosted by the fictional Morgan Merryweather. Classical music and opera just fit oh so well in the game. Among the tracks were the “O mio babbino caro” from Gianni Schicchi and “La donna è mobile” from Rigoletto (“And now more hits from the Sixties, 1760s that is!”). Ones I quickly grew fond of, and likely helped with my appreciation for the genre.

Although I did not know Scientist at the time, I would later listen to his great dub album, Scientist Rids the World of the Evil Curse of the Vampires. K-Jah featured a few tracks from that album.

Game Radio FM featured Royce da 5’9″, Black Rob, and Agallah being the most known. And the somewhat dark feeling hip hop worked great on the streets of Liberty City. Agallah and Sean Price’s “Rising to the Top”, and Royce da 5’9″‘s “I’m The King” stand out for me.

Much of the soundtrack still perplexes me, for instance, Flashback 95.6, featuring Debbie Harry’s “Rush Rush”, from the Scarface Soundtrack of all places! And that is not the only track from Scarface soundtrack. Also included is Elizabeth Daily’s “I’m Hot Tonight”, whose singing career spans all of three paragraphs on Wikipedia!

Here’s to another ten years driving around in fictionalised versions of real cities listening to great music (and talk)!

Look:

Listen:
Grand Theft Auto III micro mix

In the charts, 10 years ago

I have been thinking of this kind of post for a while now, so, why not now?

Starting with the main charts, topping the Billboard 200, that being the top albums, sales-wise of course. Jay-Z takes it with The Blueprint. Only having been on the charts for 3 weeks. Not being a Jay-Z fan, I will proceed with number 2, Alicia Keys‘ debut, Songs in A Minor. Even though only one song is in A Minor!

A few spots down, System of a Down‘s Toxicity is at the 15 spot. It is in its fourth week on the chart at this point, and peaked at number 1! Whoa, Afroman is charting at the 26 spot with The Good Times (although that is a greatest hits compilation)!

Coldplay is on at #154 with their debut. Not bad after 42 weeks on the chart, yet it only peaked at #51. They went on two win two Grammy’s with Parachutes, Best Alternative Music Album, and Best Alternative Music Performance.

In the Hits of the World Category, here in Canada, Serial Joe have the top single with “Completely“. Diana Krall‘s The Look of Love is the number one album. Dido‘s No Angel tops in the UK.

Because sales are definitely not the barometer for good music, topping Canadian campus radio (aka college radio) airplay for the chart dated October 9, 2001, was Bjork‘s Vespertine. Top Canadian release was The Dears‘ Orchestral Pop Noir Romantique EP.

Meanwhile, dated October 29, 2001, in CMJ (Google Books is missing some issues from May 2000 to October 2001), Death Cab for Cutie‘s The Photo Album held the #1 spot.

Some music videos from 10 years after the break (unless you came to this post directly!)

Pop Montreal 2011 review + pictures!

Pop Montreal 2011 began two weeks ago tonight, so it is about time I am finally writing my review!

Part of the reason I am so slow in writing my review is that it was very hectic, being out to shows late every night, and working a day job, so I took some time to recover if you will. Okay, and there was procrastination in there too.

Rebekah Higgs at Pop Montreal 2011

This year marked the tenth anniversary of Pop Montreal, what started as a few friends putting on some shows. And it really culminated with the free Arcade Fire show where the free festival shows are held annually (recent years saw Stevie Wonder, Ben Harper, and just this past summer, The B-52s. Somewhere between 80 000 and 100 000 showed up for the Arcade Fire show. Of course many had to watch from surrounding screens, myself included, although I watched Kid Koala from the side of the giant stage. I did not pay too much attention to Karkwa, as I really do not know them, and only watched about 20 minutes of Arcade Fire on the screens, as I took off to see Rebekah Higgs, along with openers Dinah Thorpe and Mussaver at Cagibi.

Presently I am listening to Grass Widow‘s latest album, Past Time. Grass Widow being a great example of a pleasant discovery. I did not know them before the night before the show. They were the final opening band for The Raincoats. And the highlight of that show for me. The Raincoats were good, but I am not too into them, and not to be age-ist, but they are showing their age a bit. I of course do like a lot of aging musicians!

Ben Caplan at Pop Montreal 2011

My festival really started off with Charlotte Cornfield, a local indie/folk singer who I knew by name, but had never seen her perform. She played at the Ukranian Federation, a sit-down venue, kind of as it sounds, a theatre, but not a really old one with nice architecture, but instead kind of a dull church feel/meets hall space. Not bad for a mellow show though, although, seeing tUnE-yArDs there was not the best. Charlotte put on a nice set, she was happy to play there, as she said she saw Arcade Fire there a few years earlier at Pop Montreal! Next was Lindi Ortega, a bit more country/bluegrass, although a bit more of a commercial feel (oh, and not at all bad looking!) Not bad though!

After Charlotte and Lindi, I ended up at an industrial loft space, that someone actually lives in! Ah, Pop Montreal! Good spot for the particular show! In this case it seems like it was Charlotte Cornfield who organised it with a few of her favourite bands, including Ben Caplan, and Donlands and Mortimer.

Dinah Thorpe at Pop Montreal 2011

The aforementioned Rebekah Higgs show was very nice, save for the curfew, which had Rebekah only doing a few songs lasting 20 minutes at the most! Dinah Thorpe from Toronto who played prior was very good, and another nice Pop find. As per her MySpace, she is “acoustic / alternative / electro.” Indeed a nice mix, and one song, from her latest album, 12, called “Song for Dolly.” Of course for Dolly Parton. Her album is called 12, as she created a song every month for 12 months, a 12 song cycle as she puts it. Montreal’s own Mussaver opened the show, think Joanna Newsom, however with an accordion!

What I liked about this year’s Pop was how there was no huge acts (aside from Arcade Fire, they have proved themselves musically, but they are more big in the underground circles), for example, last year Macy Gray played Pop Montreal. Although, that was a co-presentation with the big concert promoters here. Many small acts I knew, and many I did not. I saw many I knew, and many I did not, yet I still missed some I knew, and some I did not. For example, I missed Emma-Lee, who I knew somewhat, but had never seen her perform, and I missed Dominique Young Unique, who I read about checking out artists playing Pop. Think Lil Mama meets Nicki Minaj for a not so accurate comparison!

Kid Sister at Pop Montreal 2011!

Friday night I saw Kid Sister, it was a club set, so way too short, and she played at least a couple mixtape tracks, which were good, but I did not know too well. After a few songs she disappeared, leaving her DJ to entertain the crowd. She returned with the very crowd pleasing “Right Hand Hi!” I was happy to catch that one live. The club it was at was apparently voted #1 in Montreal in several categories by readers of the free weekly entertainment publication the Mirror. I also vote it well in not starting on time! Kid Sister started well over an hour late (as Pop publishes the set times for benefit of those Pop hopping from show to show). Before she went on I was able to catch about 20 minutes of Ohbijou, and missed Azealia Banks in the process.

Allie Hughes played O Patro Vys Saturday night as the last openers for the all-girl Weezer cover band Sheezer! She is presently working on her debut album. And I say it is one to look forward to, as she has a nice vocal range, hitting some high operatic like notes!

Before seeing Allie Hughes, and catching most of By Divine Right, I saw Laura Marling. I am not a huge fan, but she definitely impressed! Her voice definitely had the audience getting their socks blown off (as opener Alessi’s Ark put it!), despite her mellow folk!

The closing party was nice, with Think About Life playing their last show ever, a very energetic party-like show!

Merrill Garbus, tUnE-yArDs symposium at Pop Montreal 2011

The tUnE-yArDs set was of course nice, especially after having seen Merrill Garbus doing a symposium that afternoon, talking about her influences, that include being obsessed with singing styles from around the world (Korean Pansori for one), and applying them to her music. And looking to the future how she would like to evolve away from the looping pedal.