music and notes : : notes and music

In this video of Liam Finn performing live at Spaceland in LA, he starts out sounding exactly like his dad.

No joke. If I didn't know it was Liam, I'd think I was listening to Neil.

But then he kicks in with the reverb and the feedback, and the bass becomes like this undulating hyrda-headed monster, and we have this nail-biting (deliciously) coruscating fuzz guitar, and next thing he's pounding on the drums like a mad man.

I can't believe this crazy-arse noise is being made by just one bloke.

It's, like, the most exciting thing I've seen in ages.

And I'm not biased just because I'm a kiwi. (Honest.)

This guy is seriously kind of phenomenal.

I guess he'll always have the legacy of his dad hanging over him. But he seems to be well and truly his own man.

And an extrememly talented one at that. Watch:

And while we're on the subject of phenomenal talent, here's another:

I've been listening to Kaki King's latest album a lot recently.

I knew she was a consummate musician, but I didn't realize just quite how frakking amazing she was.

And I didn't know she became famous [fame. noun. 1. public estimation. 2. popular acclaim] because Dave Grohl saw this video of her playing live right here in montreal.

And then here she is playing "Gay Sons of Lesbian Mothers" (which has to be one of the best song titles of all time), again, constructing the song as she goes along:

Unreal.




This entire post was inspired by one of Montreal's finest: Midnight Poutine. A new discovery. Where've you been all my life?

The songs of Franco-Ontarian Damien Robitaille are intelligent, exuberant, disarming little pop gems.

And once lodged in your head, they will haunt you relentlessly.

You'll wake up in the morning only to realize your brain has been singing "Je tombe" all night long. And you'll continue to sing it all through the following day. And night. And day.

Well, you get the picture.

And despite the fact that my french is pretty horrible, even I can hear that he has a way with words. His lyrics are fresh, clever and often very funny.

My favourite tune from his latest album (L'homme qui me ressemble), is "Mètre de mon être".

In the song he literally measures out the parameters of his existence. He starts with his head, (which measures 25 cm²), and expands out from there -- to his bedroom, city, planet -- until he ends with his imagination, which measures infinity (or une éternité).

The circular lyrics looping through the verse and chorus are so simple, and perfect, and gorgeous.

I love this guy.

Here's "Mètre de mon être" and "Je tombe":



[Damien Robitaille - MySpace]

Labels: Folk, Francofolie, Pop, Quebecois

Formed in Belgium in 1999, Ghinzu are a bit like Muse, but without the overblown theatrics.

Not that they're not prone to a little drama. Their best songs are slow burners, beginning with dark, melodic piano lines woven into tense, driving rhythms that culminate in propulsive, muscular (very satisfying) crescendos of noise.

There is something vaguely reminiscent of Noir Désir in their sound, as well, although their English is not quite so heavily (or hilariously) accented.

Here's the eponymous track off their album Blow:



[Ghinzu - MySpace]

Labels: Eurorock, Pop, Rock

Elsiane is the brainchild of Montréalers Elsieanne Caplette (vocals and keyboards) and Stephane Sotto (drums).

You might be tempted, at first, to write Elsiane off as a kind of trip-hop, downtempo throwback.

But their debut album, Hybrid, is a hugely impressive and polished affair, with a sound that is at once textured, lush and atmospheric.

Singer Elsieanne Caplette has a very distinctive voice -- and, I'm hazarding a guess -- it's one that you either love or hate.

Think: Emiliana Torrini, Angela McCluskey from Telepopmusik, or Karin Dreijer Andersson from The Knife.

If you like any of the above, however, I think you'll love this.

Here's "Vaporous" from Hybrid:




[Elsiane - MySpace]

Labels: Electronica, Montréal, Trip-hop

Unique and utterly beguiling, Tricot Machine are partners (and partners in crime) Catherine Leduc and Matthieu Beaumont.

Originally from Mauricie, the two are now based in Montréal. They released their eponymous album in March of this year.

And it's a stunner.

Featuring gentle and (deceptively) simple arrangements of piano and vocals, the album has a warmth and intimacy that's hard to resist.

Check out the video, Introduction to Tricot Machine. (Very cute.)

And here's another single from the album:

Tricot Machine: "L'ours"



[Tricot Machine - MySpace]

Labels: Folk, Indie, Montréal

The Universe -- bless her in all her infinite glory -- has bestowed upon me an embarrassment of musical riches in the past little while.

An embarrassment, I tell you.

I am swimming in musical deliciousness right now. And most of those delights are from right here in Montréal.

So let's start the musical odyssey with a band called Navet Confit.

Navet Confit is, in fact, one Jean-Philippe Fréchette.

Monsieur Fréchette is based in Montréal and has just released his latest album, LP2².

He writes in the bio of his website, that his inspirations for the album included hair, shoes, shops, films and modes of transport.

That's right. The really important things in life.

So here's the track "Samsam". Hope you enjoy.



[Navet Confit - MySpace]

Labels: Indie, Montréal, Rock

Okay, so they look like a cult.

And they're almost always sickeningly happy (except in their photos).

And -- okay -- a dozen or so songs of "love-is-all-you-need" can wear a little thin.

I agree.

But my god, it's choral symphonic rock. What's not to love?

Polyphonic Spree founder, lead singer (and ‘musical director’) Tim DeLaughter said he was inspired by seventies bands like the Electric Light Orchestra. Who didn't love the Electric Light Orchestra when they were young? Who? Tell me that.

And when the Spree get it right, they give me the shivers. Honest. I get goose bumps, it’s so good.

They could almost inspire me to religious ecstasy. Or conversion. Or something.

Except for the fact that I’m cynical, mercurial and resolutely atheist.

Oh well. Never mind.

Here’s "Light To Follow":




[Polyphonic Spree - MySpace]

Labels: Indie, Pop, Rock, USA

Montréal-based band the Stars make music to be romanced by.

If you like your romance tinged with bittersweet, that is.

The Stars are all about dreamy, gorgeous pop. When they're at their best, their sweeping melodies perfectly capture the incredible exhilaration of attraction -- of wanting someone, of loving someone -- and all the excitement it entails.

Lying at the very heart of their compositions, however, is the flip side of that elation: the fear, the self-doubt, the towering potential for heartbreak.

Their deceptively sweet, simple songs mask the workings of a razor sharp intelligence, underscored by a gentle melancholy.

What their songs seem to be saying, over and over, even as they're soaring you to the heavens, is that in every hello, lies the seed of goodbye.



[Stars - MySpace]

Labels: Canada, Indie, Pop

Nothing says summer and beers and BBQ like a little kiwi dub.

Dub is huge in the motherland.

I've never really understood why, exactly.


It could be the fact that it accessorizes really well with outdoor concerts, a beer or three, and a lot of weed.

Here in the North our own shimmering chimera of a summer season is disappearing -- fast -- so let's see her out in style with a couple of tunes from two of New Zealand's best:

Salmonella Dub - "Push On Thru" + Sola Rosa - "Sleepwalker"



[Sola Rosa - MySpace]

Labels: Dub, Electronica, NZ

According to Wikipedia (I know, I know, can we really trust Wikipedia? And yes, this is thorough-going laziness) -- but anyway -- according to Wikipedia Justice are a French electro house duo consisting of Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay.

They've been on the scene since 2003, but released their debut album in June this year.

Think: a harder-edged Daft Punk, with the irreverence and playfulness of LCD Sound-system.

I don’t want to reduce the band to subjective comparisons, however, because it’s entirely its own beast.

A lean, hungry, very clever little beastie. Here’s Let There Be Light and Phantom Part II:



[Justice - MySpace]

Labels: Electronica, French, House