Arts and Crafts

March 17th, 2010

This will very much just be a post about my undying love for the record label, Arts & Crafts.

Arts & Crafts is a Toronto-native, indie record label. It was launched in 2002 by Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew and Jeffrey Remedios, a former Virgin Records executive. The first album that A&C backed was Broken Social Scene’s You Forgot It In People. Since then, 48 other albums from 26 artists have been released on the label. A&C has won 12 Juno awards via these 49 albums and is known as one of Canada’s most important record labels to date.

Arts & Crafts has made it policy for all of their releases to have quality, originality and uniqueness to them. That’s exactly why such fantastic albums have been released by these artists:

The American Analog Set; Amy Millan; Apostle of Hustle; Bell Orchestre; Broken Social Scene, Charles Spearin; Constantines; Feist; Gentleman Reg; Gonzales; Jason Collett; Los Campesinos!; Phoenix; Sally Seltmann; Stars; Still Life Still; The Dears; The Hidden Cameras; The Most Serene Republic; The Stills; Timbre Timbre; Valley Of The Giants; Years; Young Galaxy; Zeus.

Tell me that you don’t love almost every single of of those bands. Do it. And for those of you that haven’t heard of any of them… shame on you. Seriously. Just get out.

Now let’s say that you are one of those people who hasn’t heard of any of these bands. Let’s go over (my top) albums that have been released on Arts & Crafts:

1. Masters of the Burial – Amy Millan (2009)

2. Broken Social Scene – Broken Social Scene (2005)

3. The Reminder – Feist (2007)

4. Idols of Exile – Jason Collett (2005)

5. Hold on Now, Youngster… – Los Campesinos! (2008)

6. Set Yourself on Fire – Stars (2004)

7. Oceans Will Rise – The Stills (2008)

8. Say Us – Zeus (2010)

And to really give you a taste of what Arts & Crafts really stands for (music-wise), here’s what I think are the best songs off of each of the above albums:

1. “Low Sail” – Masters of the Burial – Listen Here

2. “7/4 (Shoreline)” – Broken Social Scene – Listen Here

3. “1234” – The Reminder – Listen Here

4. “Fire” – Idols of Exile – Listen Here

5. “You! Me! Dancing!” – Holy on Now, Youngster… – Listen Here

6. “Set Yourself on Fire” – Set Yourself on Fire – Listen Here

7. “I’m With You” – Oceans Will Rise – Listen Here

8. “How Does It Feel” – Say Us – Listen Here

These eight songs make up a solid 40% of my favourite songs of the past ten years. Just to be clear, these songs are just a demonstration of the quality that Arts & Crafts backs. This is one label that isn’t mainly in it for the money. Dont’cha just wish all record labels were like that?

A&C makes me a proud fan of Canadian music… and good music in general.

A “Kate” once asked me, “Say, Matt… Would you ever want to work for Arts & Crafts?” The thing is, I sort of didn’t hear her, so I kinda just gave one of those “Uh. Yeahhh” things. But Kate. I officially have an answer for you: fuckyeah.

Check out the Arts & Crafts, here.

Tags: Amy Milan, apostle of hustle, Arts and Crafts, Bell Orchestre, broken social scene, Charles Spearin, Constantines, feist, Gentleman Reg, Gonzales, jason collett, Los Campesinos!, phoenix, Sally Seltmann, Stars, Still Life Still, The American Analog Set, the dears, The Hidden Cameras, the most serene republic, the stills, Timbre Timber, Valley of The Giants, Years, Young Galaxy, Zeus