Canadian Music Week: Jess’ Picks

March 9th, 2010

raa
Rural Alberta Advantage

Hey music lovers. Canadian Music Week is hitting Toronto from March 10-14 packing dozens of the coolest local and international bands into a few short days. We at MuchMusic.com will be bringing you some great coverage of the exciting week and you can also expect to see some of the bands coming to us in the MuchMusic environment. But if you are feeling overwhelmed by the ginormous list of unfamiliar names we are providing a short guide to what we are looking forward to.
After the jump is a list of the best Canadian bands that I am hoping to catch.

Rural Alberta Advantage
From: You guessed it, Alberta
Sounds like: Ryan Adams meets Mates of State
Why you need to see them: From the obvious, their band name, to the more subtle, lyrics about Edmonton landmarks, the band has their home engrained in their sound. Nils Edenloff’s gruff, mid-cold voice works in harmony with Amy Cole’s crystal clear back-up vocals.
Fun fact: Rural Alberta Advantage’s label Saddle Creek was co-founded by modern indie rock institution Conor Oberst
Tester song: “Barnes’ Yard”

http://www.myspace.com/theraa

The Indie Awards Concert Series: Saturday March 13, 2010 @ 9:45PM
Canadian Room, (inside Royal York Hotel) 100 Front St. W All ages All wristbands accepted

timber-timbre

Timber Timbre
From: Brooklin, ON
Sounds Like: Iron & Wine meets Ray LaMontagne
Why you need to see them: The music seems fitting for a late night trip down a Louisiana bayou with the weeds pulling at your row boat and beady alligator eyes poking out above the water.
Fun fact: Timber Timbre played a gig at the Toronto Public Library last year along with Bruce Peninsula as part of the library’s Make Some Noise concert series
Tester song: “Trouble Comes Knocking”

http://www.myspace.com/timbertimbre

Arts and Crafts Showcase: Thursday March 11, 2010 @ 11:00PM
The Great Hall, 1087 Queen Street 19+ All wristbands accepted

mbfphoto

Michael Bernard Fitzgerald
From: Calgary, AB
Sounds like: Jason Mraz meets She & Him
Why you need to see him: To pick one word to describe this guy it is adorable, or maybe charming—no, maybe just plain entertaining. MBF sings about the musical staple, love, in a way that makes lady’s swoon and guys take note.
Fun Fact: Michael Bernard Fitzgerald is the winner of Calgary Stampede’s Youth Talent Search, the Calgary Folk Music Festival songwriting competition and X92.9’s Exposure contest
Tester song: “Movie Life”

http://www.myspace.com/michaelbernardfitzgerald

S.L. Feldman & Associates Showcase: Friday March 12, 2010 @ 10:45PM
Gladstone Hotel (North Ballroom) 1214 Queen St West 19+ All wristbands accepted

wooden-sky

The Wooden Sky
From: Toronto, ON
Sounds like: M. Ward meets Kings of Leon
Why you need to see them: The Wooden Sky is the indie world’s answer to T-Swift and
Keith Urban. With enough folk heart to clear a wheat field, the Toronto based rockers are being buzzed about a lot around this town.
Fun Fact: The Wooden Sky played Vancouver’s Olympic Village
Tester Song: “Something Hiding for Us In The Night”

http://www.myspace.com/thewoodensky

CHARTattack Showcase: Saturday March 13, 2010 @ 11:10PM
Horseshoe Tavern 370 Queen St. West 19+ All wristbands accepted

cadence-weapon

Cadence Weapon
From: Edmonton, AB
Sounds like: Mos Def meets Kardinal Offishall
Why you need to see him: Cadence Weapon is what people talk about when they talk about poets in 2010. His lyrics are smooth, witty and fly by at an impressive pace.
Fun Fact: Cadence Weapon is defending Generation X by Douglas Coupland in this year’s Canada Reads later this week.
Tester Song: “Real Estate”

http://www.myspace.com/cadenceweaponmusic

Eye Weekly Showcase: Thursday March 11, 2010 @ 12:00AM
The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. West 19+ Limited wristbands/passes accepted

winter-gloves

Winter Gloves
From: Montreal, QC
Sounds like: Stars meets Animal Collective
Why you need to see them: You need to catch them so you can say you saw them before they blow up after their amazing SXSW showcase in Austin next week.
Fun fact: Their music video for “Let Me Drive” is presented in a sick awesome flip book form.
Tester Song: “Piano 4 Hands”

http://www.myspace.com/wintergloves

Billions Showcase: Friday March 12, 2010 @ 1:00AM
Lee’s Palace, 529 Bloor St. West 19+ All wristbands accepted

the-acorn

The Acorn
From: Ottawa, ON
Sounds like: Nick Drake meets City & Colour
Why you need to see them: The Acorn’s music is more like storytelling than just beautiful melodies. Their album Glory Hope Mountain tells the story of Rolf’s mother’s youth.
Fun fact: The Acorn has had some line-up changes since their last show. Friday night will be their new bass player’s debut.
Tester Song: “Low Gravity”

http://www.myspace.com/theacorn

Billions Showcase: Friday March 12, 2010 @ 11:00PM
Lee’s Palace, 529 Bloor St. West 19+ All wristbands accepted

think-about-life
Photo by Yannick Grandmont

Think About Life
From: Montreal, QC
Sounds like: TV on the Radio meets Santigold
Why you need to see them: Their music is so danceable it makes the most jaded, head bobbing concert-goers dance like Gaga.
Fun fact: Think About Life’s lead singer Martin Cesar has performed in bands with some interesting names like Dishwasher and Donkey Heart.
Tester Song: “Johanna”

http://www.myspace.com/thinkaboutlife

Billions Showcase: Friday March 12, 2010 @ 1:00AM
Lee’s Palace, 529 Bloor St. West 19+ All wristbands accepted

Diamond Rings
From: Toronto, ON
Sounds like: The Editors meets David Bowie
Why you need to see them: It is a rare case when a singer with an asymmetrical hair cut, colourful make-up and 80s throw-back style manages to make his music cooler than his look.
Fun fact: The video for “All Yr Songs” was shot by a friend of Diamond Rings and has become a viral sensation that was picked up by Pitchfork.com
Tester Song: Wait & See

http://www.myspace.com/diamondringsmusic

Eye Weekly Showcase: Thursday March 11, 2010 @ 10:00PM
The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. West 19+ Limited wristbands/passes accepted

Don’t forget, Canadian Music Week is also a film festival. One notable movie, among the many, is Nowhere Boy which tells the story of the early life of John Lennon. The movie has gotten great reviews world wide after it premiered at the London Film Festival and showed at Sundance. Watch the trailer here.

Tags: cadence weapon, canadian music week, cmw, Diamond Rings, Michael Bernard Fitzgerald, rural alberta advantage, The Acorn, The Wooden Sky, Think About Life, Timber Timbre, Winter Gloves