Fires of Heaven Guild Message Board - View Single Post

somecleric · 11-23-2002, 03:35 PM

Eomer hit all the major bands, so I'll just do some of the more the more obscure ones.

Bif Naked

Only pseudo Canadian, she was born in India and adopted by American missionaries, but she lives in Canada, and most of her success has been here. Hard to describe. Her early career was all about loud, slightly gothic punk bands. She's still very much a part of that scene, but her work has become much more accessible. Her song's range from driving three chord Ramonesesque punk like Moment of Weakness, Only The Girl, and Chotee to catchy, and sometimes dark, pseudopunk ballads like Daddy's Getting Married, Vampire and Lucky and even a few straight ahead rock anthems like I Love Myself Today and Story Of My Life.

Bran Van 3000

Montreal based musical collective (with over 20 members), working in a variety of styles and genres, almost like a Canadian Daft Punk, Massive Attack or The Avalanches. Their favorite seems to be disco revival, as evidenced by Astounded, a dance anthem built around a Curtis Mayfield vocal sample. Senegal, a minimalist dance number with lyrics sung in Sengalese, and Rainshine, a track that slips from trip hop to punk to dance and back again are other good examples of their work. And of course, there's Drinking in LA, a single that had success in the US in the late 90s, you've probably heard it before, even if you don't remember the name. Also, you have to listen to Love Cliche, the tongue in cheek tale of falling in love with a lesbian.

Front Line Assembly

Successors to Skinny Puppy, industrial/synth dance group. I don't really know what's good, but if you like this genre, you probably do, so no song titles, tough.

Godspeed You Black Emperor!

Montreal based post-rock outfit. Sigur Ros are heavily, heavily influenced by Godspeed!, so if you like Sigur Ros, you'll probably like Godspeed! I like Sleep, Storm and Hung Over, but you really can't go wrong with Godspeed! singles.

Hayden

I'm not a big Hayden fan, but if you like guitar driven, lo-fi, singer-songwriter stuff (like Elliot Smith, Liz Phair, Cat Power, Sebadoh and slower Pavement) you'll like Hayden. Dynamite Walls is the only single I really like, but Bad As They Seem was a big hit too.

Hinterlands

Ambient rock hybrid. Sort of like Massive Attack meets Boards of Canada. I really don't know what else to say. Oh, the lead singer, Michaela Galloway, is amazing. Just download Keep The Aspidistra Flying, This Condition and Lethe Waters. Probably my favorite band on this list, anyone who loves music should love this.

Hot Hot Heat

Sort of post punk bred with pop punk resulting in crazed, frenetic songs and bizaare vocals. Weird, but good. Get In or Get Out and This Town.

Neko Case

She's American, but she lives in Vancouver, so I'm claiming her. She used to sing with Maow, and she has a punk pedigree, but she's very much an alt-country act now. One of the finest and most distinct voices in music, check out Tightly and her stalker anthem Look For Me (I'll Be Around).

Panurge

Electroclash, britpop style. PAL, All Wooden Boys and Nothing Cleans You Like Fire are all great examples of what The Velvet Underground would sound like if Lou Reed had worshipped Eno.

Pepper Sands

Guitar based rock, with a slightly glam ethic. Lead singer Citizen A reminds me of Andrea Zollo from Pretty Girls Make Graves. Best songs are Win Big Lose More, Can You Tell and So Fine.

Pluto

Gone but not forgotten, Pluto made some incredible altrock/pop music in the mid 90s. Check out Unsatisfied, Paste, When She Was Happy and Goodbye Girl.

Pure

Similar to Pluto, more great altrock/pop. Anna, Denial and Nobody Knows I'm New Wave are all worth checking out.

Radio Berlin

Post punk revival, bringing back The Cure and Joy Division, Vancouver style. Intense, atmospheric rock in the style of The Faint. Glass Horizon, The Selection Drone and Kill The Moment are all good.

Radiogram

More alt-country. [i]Lost In The Park[/i[ and Fault Lines are both really good.

Sarah Harmer

Almost alt-country, but with a pop sensibility. Wonderful voice, and songwriting reminiscent of Neil Young or Joni Mitchell. Basement Apartment, The Hideout and Don't Get Your Back Up are my favorites.

Sloan

Not really indy or obscure at all, Sloan are one of Canada's most popular groups. Proudly worshipping the Beatles for 10 years now, Deeper Than Beauty, Coax Me, It's In Your Eyes and The Other Man are the result. Great brit pop, but from Canada.

The Constantines

One of the greatest tragedies of modern music is that Sum41 were the Canadian band to break big, and not a number of other, more worthy bands, including this one. Poised on the edge of punk, but with songs seemingly borrowed from Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Bruce Springsteen in his darker moments, The Constantines make great, moody music. St You, Little Instruments, No Ecstacy and Steal This Sound are all great songs.

The Dirtmitts

Another great, underrated Canadian band. Sonic Youth, The Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine figure large in their influences, lots of complex guitar work and subdued, almost secondary, airy female vocals mixed to the back. Fix And Destroy, These Hands, Vertical Lines and Diskotek all deserve your attention.

The Hidden Cameras

Gay folk church music. That's how Joel Gibb, leader of yet another musical collective, describes their sound. A little like Belle & Sebastion if B&S sung about HIV, getting it on at church and how ridiculous marriage is, but in a happy, upbeat way. The Miracle, High Upon The Church Grounds and Ban Marriage are my favorites.

The Inbreds

Similar to Sloan, britpop garage wannabe 2 piece (bass and drums), somewhat interesting as they predate The White Stripes by about 5 years, and apart from a more obvious commitment to pop, they're very similar. Yelverton Hill, North Window and Amelia Earhart are good reference points.

The New Pornographers

Another band that's criminally ignored. Ridiculously infectious britpop, with incredible arrangements and harmonies. A side project of Zumpano's Carl Newman, filmmaker Blaine Thurier (Low Self Esteem Girl), Destroyer alter-ego Dan Bejar, alt-country goddess and Nick Cave collaborator Neko Case, Thee Evaporators' John Collins and Limblifter's Kurt Dahle, The New Pornographers are unlike any other band out there. You have to listen to Letter From An Occupant, The Body Says No and Mass Romantic.

The Organ

Joy Divisionesque moody pop. They love Hammond organs. Debut CD isn't out yet, so the only mp3's you're going to find are poor quality concert bootlegs. But keep them in mind, they're amazing.

11-23-2002, 03:35 PM	#2 (permalink)
somecleric Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 121 -1 Internets	Eomer hit all the major bands, so I'll just do some of the more the more obscure ones. Bif Naked Only pseudo Canadian, she was born in India and adopted by American missionaries, but she lives in Canada, and most of her success has been here. Hard to describe. Her early career was all about loud, slightly gothic punk bands. She's still very much a part of that scene, but her work has become much more accessible. Her song's range from driving three chord Ramonesesque punk like Moment of Weakness, Only The Girl, and Chotee to catchy, and sometimes dark, pseudopunk ballads like Daddy's Getting Married, Vampire and Lucky and even a few straight ahead rock anthems like I Love Myself Today and Story Of My Life. Bran Van 3000 Montreal based musical collective (with over 20 members), working in a variety of styles and genres, almost like a Canadian Daft Punk, Massive Attack or The Avalanches. Their favorite seems to be disco revival, as evidenced by Astounded, a dance anthem built around a Curtis Mayfield vocal sample. Senegal, a minimalist dance number with lyrics sung in Sengalese, and Rainshine, a track that slips from trip hop to punk to dance and back again are other good examples of their work. And of course, there's Drinking in LA, a single that had success in the US in the late 90s, you've probably heard it before, even if you don't remember the name. Also, you have to listen to Love Cliche, the tongue in cheek tale of falling in love with a lesbian. Front Line Assembly Successors to Skinny Puppy, industrial/synth dance group. I don't really know what's good, but if you like this genre, you probably do, so no song titles, tough. Godspeed You Black Emperor! Montreal based post-rock outfit. Sigur Ros are heavily, heavily influenced by Godspeed!, so if you like Sigur Ros, you'll probably like Godspeed! I like Sleep, Storm and Hung Over, but you really can't go wrong with Godspeed! singles. Hayden I'm not a big Hayden fan, but if you like guitar driven, lo-fi, singer-songwriter stuff (like Elliot Smith, Liz Phair, Cat Power, Sebadoh and slower Pavement) you'll like Hayden. Dynamite Walls is the only single I really like, but Bad As They Seem was a big hit too. Hinterlands Ambient rock hybrid. Sort of like Massive Attack meets Boards of Canada. I really don't know what else to say. Oh, the lead singer, Michaela Galloway, is amazing. Just download Keep The Aspidistra Flying, This Condition and Lethe Waters. Probably my favorite band on this list, anyone who loves music should love this. Hot Hot Heat Sort of post punk bred with pop punk resulting in crazed, frenetic songs and bizaare vocals. Weird, but good. Get In or Get Out and This Town. Neko Case She's American, but she lives in Vancouver, so I'm claiming her. She used to sing with Maow, and she has a punk pedigree, but she's very much an alt-country act now. One of the finest and most distinct voices in music, check out Tightly and her stalker anthem Look For Me (I'll Be Around). Panurge Electroclash, britpop style. PAL, All Wooden Boys and Nothing Cleans You Like Fire are all great examples of what The Velvet Underground would sound like if Lou Reed had worshipped Eno. Pepper Sands Guitar based rock, with a slightly glam ethic. Lead singer Citizen A reminds me of Andrea Zollo from Pretty Girls Make Graves. Best songs are Win Big Lose More, Can You Tell and So Fine. Pluto Gone but not forgotten, Pluto made some incredible altrock/pop music in the mid 90s. Check out Unsatisfied, Paste, When She Was Happy and Goodbye Girl. Pure Similar to Pluto, more great altrock/pop. Anna, Denial and Nobody Knows I'm New Wave are all worth checking out. Radio Berlin Post punk revival, bringing back The Cure and Joy Division, Vancouver style. Intense, atmospheric rock in the style of The Faint. Glass Horizon, The Selection Drone and Kill The Moment are all good. Radiogram More alt-country. [i]Lost In The Park[/i[ and Fault Lines are both really good. Sarah Harmer Almost alt-country, but with a pop sensibility. Wonderful voice, and songwriting reminiscent of Neil Young or Joni Mitchell. Basement Apartment, The Hideout and Don't Get Your Back Up are my favorites. Sloan Not really indy or obscure at all, Sloan are one of Canada's most popular groups. Proudly worshipping the Beatles for 10 years now, Deeper Than Beauty, Coax Me, It's In Your Eyes and The Other Man are the result. Great brit pop, but from Canada. The Constantines One of the greatest tragedies of modern music is that Sum41 were the Canadian band to break big, and not a number of other, more worthy bands, including this one. Poised on the edge of punk, but with songs seemingly borrowed from Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Bruce Springsteen in his darker moments, The Constantines make great, moody music. St You, Little Instruments, No Ecstacy and Steal This Sound are all great songs. The Dirtmitts Another great, underrated Canadian band. Sonic Youth, The Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine figure large in their influences, lots of complex guitar work and subdued, almost secondary, airy female vocals mixed to the back. Fix And Destroy, These Hands, Vertical Lines and Diskotek all deserve your attention. The Hidden Cameras Gay folk church music. That's how Joel Gibb, leader of yet another musical collective, describes their sound. A little like Belle & Sebastion if B&S sung about HIV, getting it on at church and how ridiculous marriage is, but in a happy, upbeat way. The Miracle, High Upon The Church Grounds and Ban Marriage are my favorites. The Inbreds Similar to Sloan, britpop garage wannabe 2 piece (bass and drums), somewhat interesting as they predate The White Stripes by about 5 years, and apart from a more obvious commitment to pop, they're very similar. Yelverton Hill, North Window and Amelia Earhart are good reference points. The New Pornographers Another band that's criminally ignored. Ridiculously infectious britpop, with incredible arrangements and harmonies. A side project of Zumpano's Carl Newman, filmmaker Blaine Thurier (Low Self Esteem Girl), Destroyer alter-ego Dan Bejar, alt-country goddess and Nick Cave collaborator Neko Case, Thee Evaporators' John Collins and Limblifter's Kurt Dahle, The New Pornographers are unlike any other band out there. You have to listen to Letter From An Occupant, The Body Says No and Mass Romantic. The Organ Joy Divisionesque moody pop. They love Hammond organs. Debut CD isn't out yet, so the only mp3's you're going to find are poor quality concert bootlegs. But keep them in mind, they're amazing.