Best of Canadian Indie Music 2009

Volume 3 — “When You Wish Upon a Maple Leaf”

Welcome to the 3rd volume of my Best of Canadian Independent music mix. Compiled each year, this mix contains my favorite tracks from the top Canadian independent artists.

This year, I’ve included my thoughts, trivia, or shout-outs on each track. Enjoy and let me know what you think in the comments!

Best of Canada 2009 — When You Wish Upon a Maple Leaf Format: MP3 Zipped (114MB)

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Best of Canadian Independent Music 2009 (ordered by track number)

1. I’m Confused – Handsome Furs (Montreal, QC)
   Face Control

   This husband and wife duo, Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade) and Alexei Perry, make some pretty danceable beats. I would have to say my favorite image of this year is that of Alexei’s flailing limbs moving in time with the beats during their live performance. They even contributed to Camera One, Camera Two this year!

2. Don’t Haunt This Place – Rural Alberta Advantage (Toronto, ON)
   Hometowns

   Their album Hometowns has often been compared to Neutral Milk Hotel’s In the Aeroplane, Over the Sea, because of lead singer Nils Edenloff’s Mangum-esque lyrics and vocals. Drummer, Paul Banwatt, is also in the band Woodhands, who was on last year’s mix. This is a great band to see live and I consider myself lucky to have been able to see them twice this past year.

   One quick note: Amy Cole (vocals, percussionist and all-around talented and beautiful person), will you marry me?

3. Apollo And The Buffalo And Anna Anna Anna Oh! – Sunset Rubdown (Montreal, QC)
   Dragonslayer

   I just love the melody and lyrics of this one. This was one of those tracks that took me a while to get used to, but once I listened to it three or four more times, I was totally hooked and humming it for weeks on end.

4. Robots – Dan Mangan (Vancouver, BC)
   Nice, Nice, Very Nice

   Voted Best Vocals and Best Song by CBC Radio 3, Dan Mangan creates an instant classic with this track. Just always remember, robots need love too.

5. Paper Lace – Swan Lake (Vancouver / Montreal, QC)
   Enemy Mine

   Another Spencer Krug (Sunset Rubdown, Wolf Parade, Swan Lake, umm everything?) masterpiece. Also featured in Dragonslayer, I can’t get enough of the lyrics, soft melody, and haunting back-up vocals provided by Daniel Bejar (Destroyer, New Pornographers) and Carey Mercer (Frog Eyes).

   It’s worth noting that one of my most favorite lyrics, “Come run with Jackie, me, and this lady,” came true this year! Yay for Jackie and Golde for running in the Nike Women’s Marathon and Heather Baldry who participated in the Breast Cancer 3-day Walk!

6. Stadium Love – Metric (Toronto, ON)
   Fantasies

   Fantasies is a really freakin’ great, solid album. Not to mention I just absolute love Emily Haines’ voice. (and yes Mike, I am sure I can tell Metric apart from Silversun Pickups :) )

7. Battles On – The Ghost Is Dancing (Toronto, ON)
   Battles On

   This song definitely reeks of teenage angst, but it’s fun nonetheless. I randomly came across The Ghost Is Dancing while listening to the CBC Radio 3 Podcast. Got their album and dug it. Kinda boring story.

8. No Radio – The Danks (Charlottetown, PE)
   Are You Afraid of The Danks

   Another find from CBC Radio 3. As heard from the band, their name reflects the smell of their college house. I love garage rock.

9. I Hate My Friends – Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains (Toronto, ON)
   Self-titled

   O-M-G. Freaking best concert of the year and everyone missed it. Sebastien Grainger, The Rickshaw Stop, Golde, Cyndie, myself, and maybe 50 fans (for a venue of probably 300+). Top that off with trying to sneak backstage and chill with the band while they finished off a Camera One, Camera Two camera. It was by far the most memorable moment of the year.

10. Porté Disparu – Malajube (Montreal, QC)
    Labyrinthes

    Can’t make a Canadian music mix without including at lease one song in French! One of these days I’ll actually understand what they’re saying.

11. Switched On – Islands (Montreal, QC)
    Vapours

    Digging me some 80s synth-pop. Excellent example of Nick Diamonds’ (The Unicorns) very distinguishing vocals.

12. Young Hearts Spark Fire – Japandroids (Vancouver, BC)
    Post-Nothing

    Freakin’ crazy duo, Brian King (guitar) and David Prowse (drums), kill it with this heavily distorted anthem. “You can keep tomorrow. / After tonight we’re not gonna need it.” Hells-to-the-yeah.

13. Like a Hitman, Like a Dancer – A.C. Newman (Vancouver, BC)
    Get Guilty

    A.C. (Carl) Newman also lends his iconic voice to The New Pornographers. Get Guilty is a very solid sophomore album after his amazing first album, The Slow Wonder (2004).

14. Still – Great Lake Swimmers (Toronto, ON)
    Lost Channels

    Nominees of the 2009 Polaris Music Prize (much to everyone’s surprise, the heavy metal band, F*cked Up, won the award), the Great Lake Swimmers produced an amazing album with Lost Channels. Resembling a sailing ballad, this song quickly got stuck in my head.

15. Oil Sands – Carbon Dating Service (Saskatoon, SK)
    Reliquiae

    This one’s for Lizzie (Saskatchewan represent)! Carbon Dating Service was a nominee in 2008’s Bucky Awards for best band name (sadly, they lost out to Library Voices, which is another great band if you want some extra Canadian indie-rock street cred). Another song where the lyrics have haunted me many a time.

16. You Go On Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II) – Sunset Rubdown (Montreal, QC)
    Dragonslayer

    Those that know me, know that Sunset Rubdown is one of my most favorite bands (Spencer Krug can do no wrong). Dragonslayer was a daily listening album for so many months, I lost track. Therefore, another dose and my favorite track off this album.

17. Bounce (feat. N.O.R.E. & Isis) – MSTRKRFT (Toronto, ON)
    Fist of God

    Definitely my guilt-pleasure track this year. Lyrics are ridiculous, repetitive, and crazy fun! “All I do is party. Ha ha ha ha!”

18. T.I.A – K’naan (Toronto, ON)
    Troubadour

    Very new and incredibly talented, K’naan has been often on the CBC Radio 3 Podcast. The song Bang Bang was my first choice, but I really like the beat of this one.

19. Old Prince Still Lives at Home – Shad (London, ON)
    The Old Prince

    I figure most people won’t make it this far into the hip-hop territory I prepared for the end of the playlist, but those who do I think will be pleasantly surprised. Shad has been a fast-rising star in the Canadian hip-hop sub-culture and was short-listed for the 2008 Polaris Music Prize.

Related posts:

• Canadian Album Releases 2009
• Best of Canadian Independent Music vol. 2
• Best of Canadian Independent Music vol. 1