Oh, Canada. You are like a magicians hat, but instead of white rabbits you make wonderful bands appear! The latest to hop from the magical brim above the States and into my iTunes? The Rural Alberta Advantage. This three piece from Ontario has the beating heart of folk, like a floor tom fighting against a keyboard on a guitar string stage, pumping out stories of "hometowns and heartbreak." Nils Edenloff's vocals calmly walk the line between singing his heart out and at times yelling his throat out, which only brings the sincerity of the lyrics out all the more (also at times: at bit reminiscent of Neutral Milk Hotel, like on the song "Frank AB").

The RAA's first full length Hometowns was just rereleased by Saddle Creek Records. The energy on this record makes it suprisingly danceable for a band with "rural" in their name, and definitely good for a chill day with tracks like "The Air," which mixes piano plinking soft guitar behind subtle harmonies.

If you're on the west coast, hit up one of these shows as they head south (then back to Canadia) this July to support their rerelease!

07/06 Seattle, Sunset Tavern
07/07 Portland, Backspace
07/09 San Francisco, The Bottom of the Hill
07/10 Los Angeles, The Echo
07/11 Phoenix, Modified
07/13 Salt Lake City, Kilby Court
07/14 Denver, Hi-Dive
07/15 Omaha, Slowdown (Front Room)
07/25-26 Guelph, Hillside Festival
08/08 Wolfe Island, Wolfe Island Musicfest
08/24 Chicago, Pritzker Pavilion

Frank, AB
The Air

Labels: canadia, Folk, Rural Alberta Advantage

Whale Tooth is a wonderful 5-piece from Toronto Canadia and they've got a stupendous self-titled EP out which makes you really wonder why they dont have a full length! They are currently unsigned but I can't imagine that's gonna last; labels out there, you guys need to pay attention. I'm diggin' Elise LeGrow's souful voice, it really puts a good twist on these sweet pop songs! Their single, Hibernation Song, is a must have for any future road trips...well really this whole EP is. They are currently running around Canadia rockin' their steez but I hope they'll be in the studio at some point recording an awesome full length. Hear this track already!

Hibernation Song

Labels: canadia, indie

One of my most favorite bands on earth is The Most Serene Republic. They are just so ill. If you're like me, you put Populations or Underwater Cinematographer on repeat fairly often. They are finally hitting us with their 3rd album, ...And The Ever Expanding Universe, on July 14th. We've had the pleasure of listening to this album and it's nothing short of amazing! Get your fill of overwhelming tracks of layers of instruments, harmonies (Emma Ditchburn is the ace) and old school orchestra tactics playing so nice with new school beats. Listening to the 7-piece is straight up pure pleasure; check the track below to agree. I love Arts&Crafts! Give me a hug you Canadians!

Heavens to Purgatory

Oh btw, I forgot to mention the awesome Digital Population EP which is a digital 16-bit MIDI mix of 5 songs off of Population. You guessed it, it was release digitally late April. Gander a track will ya? It's like a koala crapped a rainbow in my brain!

Humble Peasants

Labels: canadia, indie

Black Hat Brigade is the newest band on our radar from Canadia. Our friends of the North are cultivating a generation of indie music that has been blowing up, as I always say. In late May, the Brampton 5-piece will be giving us their second EP called Fathers. It's another small handful of great songs and their new single, Zombie Ciy Shake, is a nice catch with a nice synthy sound all over it. Fun stuff. I can't wait to hear a full length. Get the EP sampler here.

Zombie City Shake

Labels: canadia, indie

We just got a rad package of awesome music from Canadia and we're gonna kick it off to you starting with Halifax's Mardeen! It would seem as if lots of good stuff is coming from Canadia but I say it was always there, we just had yet to discover it, Agreed? Mardeen's debut album, Read Less Minds, has actually been finished for quite sometime (August 06?) and it's been a long time comin' to push it out. The album dropped in the summer and is full of great poppy hooks and great melodic guitars. Their sound works as well as their blood! Yea, Jon, Travis and Mike are 1st cousins. And they've landed a "fulltime" drummer which will give them the opportunity to hopefully drop something in the next coming months. Check out those two tracks below and more here.

Howling
You Feel It

Labels: canadia, indie

I just listened to Said The Whale's West Coast Christmas EP which you can get totally free on their myspace. The song is a beautiful piano piece and transitions into "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"...it's so good! It's like self-sabotage lonely feel making time! I really dig it. Luckily we got that new album Howe Sounds/ Taking Abalonia which is filled with great indie pop songs like This City's A Mess and the harmonic boy/girl melodies like The Real of It. Technically, Taking Abalonia came out last year but they re-released it this summer with 7 new tracks and a new name, sorta; Howe Sounds/ Taking Abalonia. Dope album. Get that EP FREE below and tracks from their newest!

This Winter I Retire
The Real Of It

West Coast Christmas EP

Labels: canadia, indie

Their self titled debut EP has been playing in my mind for days. It's catchy popness reminds me of a cross between Cold War Kids and Phoenix. Maybe cause Luke's voice is somewhere inbetween there. I love when they all yell together and the speed of their new single. In the past years indie pop has been blown up in Canadia and we totally dig it. The Born Ruffians have a new debut full length album coming out on Warp Records called Red, Yellow and Blue which is sure to get stuck in your head all day! We've got their first single for you so check it out. Also they've been on tour with some biggies like Peter Bjorn and John, Caribou and Hot Chip, and this year is no different- They will be touring with Tokyo Police Club in January and with Cadence Weapon!

Hummingbird
Knife (Grizzly Bear Cover)
Merry Little Fancy Things

Happy Wednesday!

Labels: canadia, indie

Russian Futurism is a group of Russian artists and poets who follow the principles of the Italian and Idealogue futurist movement founder, Filippo Marinetti. I really have no idea if that has anything to do with Toronto's lo-fi indietronic group Russian Futurists. Matthew Adam Hart is the artist behind the sound and only when on tour is he joined with his band of instrumentalists. He does the vocals as well but after listening to these tracks I am confused becaues there are harmonies and sounds like a small choir singing. I'm not sure if these are lots of layers piled on or if the album has lots of guest vocals. Either way this bit dosed twee-populous vibe is like a Polyphonic Spree with a more catchy electronic backdrop.

Labels: canadia, Electronic, indie, Pop

Hailing from Halifax, Jon McKiel and his band have just signed to Wednesday Records! They'll be rollin' out a new record on February 12th, 2008 which yes I know is a while from now but who cares.  "The Nature Of Things" and McKiel's sound reminds me of the seeming subtleties of the Silent Years and The Slip with al the right amounts of pop in it to make for great sing-a-long music.  There's also some good acoustic on the album where I really appreciate McKiel's vocals.  McKiel's album is mastered by Noah Mitz (Stars, Broken Social Scene, The Dears). The Canadians are taking over the indie music scene with all these great bands.  It's all about that free medical care! Anyways to get you anticipating the album, check out some of these rad tracks!  

Labels: canadia, indie