Two things I know as fact about Canada; one, it’s cold as hell. And two, they export some of the best modern singer songwriter music available.  Not the whiny angst ridden varitey that you seem to get here in the US. Certainly, with artists like Laura Marling and Ellie Goulding, the UK is still leading the pack. But Canada is closing the gap quick. Especially with fantastic emerging artists like Kathleen Edwards.

I hate to admit that I didn’t even hear about Kathleen until January’s release of “Voyageur“. Yes, it had a ton of buzz surrounding it’s release (more on this later), but she’s the type of artist that I would love to have found out about years ago. As good as “Voyageur” is, her earlier material is equally as stimulating. With her 2002 Canadian release of  ”Failer” Kathleen gained critical acclaim in Canada, and even secured a spot at SXSW. Since then, her notaritey in America has slowly grown. Her latest offering, not suprisingly, was met with much aticipation in both Canada and America.

While it is extremley well written, to be fair, “Voyageur” is not only popular because of its musical content. Her higly publicized relationship with Justin Vernon (Bon Iver, for those than don’t know) certainly didn’t hurt anything. In addition, he produced, sang, and played on the release. This gives some tracks like “For The Record” that very familair Bon Iver sound. Some the more upbeat tracks like “Sidecar” take on a very Sarah Harmer feel.  ”Voyageur” is an easy listen for sure, perfect for that slow-paced overcast kind of day.

Her current single “Change The Sheets“, about a relationship gone awry in some manner, is a great late night cruise track. It manages to encompass the feel of the whole album for me, making it a perfect single release in my book. The video was shot at various locations around Minneapolis, and gives you a feeling of just how hectic road life can be.

While not practically meant for probable mainstream success, she’s bound to continue to be a great live draw. Having graduated from opening for larger acts, like Bon Iver, she now is headlining venues across Canada and the US. “Voyageur” is available now. Listen to her single “Change The Sheets” below, and while you’re at it, check out the video.

Connect With Kathleen Edwards – Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | Website

Warm Weather are exactly what you want them to be – a dancey synth pop LA based band with plenty of boyish charm and heart-crushing soaring harmonies. I was first introduced to their heartthrob drum beats and looping silvery harmonies by Lydia from Sunset In The Rearview.

It was their EP “Dances” that I heard initially, and I was completely mesmerized by the twirling synth sounds, only to be distracted from these by quilted vocals in so many parts, perfectly stitched together. I honestly couldn’t choose a favorite off of the short five track EP, but I think “I Only Know” is the one I return to the most. The flickering synth lick at the beginning of this track sets my ears on fire every time I listen. But then I listen to “The Dance” again and I find myself dancing, even though I hate dancing, and I realize that deciding between songs really is impossible as soon as I hear “Older” again. Basically what I’m saying is, these guys make some damn catchy pop music.

Then, just when I’d already been reeled in, the guys release a new EP this very month. Entitled “Looking Through”, it almost sounds like a continuation of their work on “Dances”, and complements it well. The opening track, “All My Life”, is a more hushed and ballad-like song, featuring the same gorgeous vocals and highlighted with a strong backbone of organ music. In another song, “Bull Run”, the spaced-out on-beat repetitive “oh’s” and “ah’s” hold as much wonder, communication and impact as any sung out lyrics, as the band uses their voices solely as instruments alone to tell the story.

You will find traces of any good pop you’ve ever loved in these Warm Weather EPs, especially those that come littered with vocal harmonies. From the moments that sound purely Freddie Mercury and Queen on “Older” to hints of The Beach Boys on “Stay”, these guys are building upon a tradition that is much older than they are, but succeed in making it sound young and fresh.

Speaking of young and fresh, whenever I start thinking I could use some warm weather myself, (the wind chill factor in Brooklyn has been a little harsh lately), I throw these guys on, they live up to their name and their sunny hometown of Los Angeles, bringing light and heat into bouncing and beautiful songs.

Connect with Warm Weather – Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | Bandcamp

Sometimes a band has a song that’s so irresistibly good that once it finishes the only thing you want to do is listen to it again. Recently, I was fortunate enough to encounter such a song, entitled “Caveman Game”.The musicians behind “Caveman Game” go by the names Chris Kerrigan, Dan Apodaca, Tim Jordan, and Kenny Tarantino. Together, they are WALK.

WALK is a pop rock band from Los Angeles that has been around in various forms since 2006 and who advertises itself as being “as much a rock band as an inclusive community of friends”. Now, to me, that sounds like a party, and if I were to join a “community of friends” WALK’s music seems like the perfect fit to listen to in the background.

The ten songs on the band’s debut album, “Icebreaker”, are solid rock tunes that show a band that has certainly been schooled in their modern indie rock music. There are definite hints of The Walkmen amongst the tunes, mixed with The Shins’ knack for hooks and even dashes of Radiohead at times or Real Estate, if they added a bit more muscle to their songs.

Like I said, “Caveman Game” is a real winner for me. Its irresistibly laid back guitar riffs, mixed with the fleeting and urgent synth swirls and the doubled vocals that have just enough fuzz and reverb on them all make for a great mood. Even when the song lets loose, something hinted at around the two-minute mark and unleashed at three minutes, the song doesn’t lose its place or direction.

But to praise “Caveman Game” solely would be to treat the rest of “Icebreaker” unfairly. Other standouts include the Real Estate-y “Hiss”, perfect for any summer soundtrack, or “Anniversary” in which the contrast between the dark and heavily distorted guitars and the near falsetto, relatively clean vocals works wonderfully. “One Try Astronaut” also does a great job of creating an upbeat summer tune that accomplishes a lot in under two minutes.

To me, the members of WALK have more than demonstrated they can write a killer rock tune without ignoring catchiness and pop sensibilities. Don’t take it from me, though; listen and download the tracks I’ve mentioned here and head over to the band’s Bandcamp to grab the album for absolutely free.  If you’re in the L.A. area, be sure to see them live February 27th 24th or March 30th at The Mezz Bar.

Connect with WALK - Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp

WALK – “Caveman Game”
WALK – “Hiss”
WALK – “One Try Astronaut”
WALK – “Anniversary”

“Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes”, David Bowie once sang. A rather apt song to be thinking of at the moment of my return back to the hallowed halls of LBYB after some time away. I’d like to tell you it was to do something grand like climbing Everest but sadly it was changes to personal stuff. All the while I was gone however, I kept an eye on the site and watched it go through some changes of its own, and what great changes they were.

Then I got to choose my first band to feature for my return and came across Emma Grace. I had a listen to a track of theirs, told them I’d like to feature it and keeping in with the general theme, they came back to say they had just made some changes to it! Had to be really, didn’t it?

Quick bio for all you fact fans out there: Emma Grace isn’t a singer called Emma Grace, but Zach Crystal and Sam Sokoloff from Toronto, Canada (both you’ll notice not female or with Emma or Grace in their names). They’ve known each other all their lives and have wanted to be in a band and write music together since they were 5!

With a range of influences from The Beatles to Radiohead, they’re the kind of pair us non-musical types look at in envy as they both play multiple instruments and sing. Oh and create great indie songs like this one.

“Stuck In The Air” is a brand new track from the guys that kicks off with a great guitar intro. Bursting into a multi layered mix showcasing their talents, it features a highly catchy chorus and the kind of beat that you can’t help but rock along to. Throw in some strong harmonies and a superbly floaty ending that at first sounds eerily reminiscent of a slowed down Nirvana, this has been stuck in my head since I first heard it.

They’re letting us add it as a download here but if you hop over to their bandcamp page you can also get the delightful 6-track 190 EP.

Connect with Emma Grace – Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp | Soundcloud | Last.fm

Listen to a stream of Blondes debut self-titled album, due out February 7th on RVNG Intl.

We haven’t really featured Blondes on the site, so here’s a short bio:

Blondes is a collaboration between Sam Haar and Zach Steinman, who met in college and began making music together, eventually deciding to set up camp in Brooklyn after a bit in Berlin. The band put out an EP, titled “Touched” in 2010, and their debut album, which comes out next week, is a combination of three 12″ vinyls that the band put out over the past year along with a couple new songs for a total of eight songs. Despite only having eight songs, though, the album is over an hour long, with the shortest track clocking in at 6:42.

As far as their music goes, Blondes sticks to mostly instrumental music, which rides on slow builds and subtle grooves. The instrumentation is, for the most part, gentle enough to have in the background, but also has enough detail to make for an exciting listen on (good) headphones. While the style of music may not be for everyone, there’s definitely a lot to be enjoyed if you give it a chance. Also worthy of note is that the last two songs on the album, “Gold” and “Amber” were actually almost entirely improvised and recorded in one take each, which is really impressive, especially considering how much is going on.

The self-titled album is actually being released on two CD’s, one containing the original eight songs, and the other containing eleven remixes, at least one from each track.

Stream the first CD of the album below, and let us know what you think in the comments. If you dig it, you can still pre-order the album here.

Connect with Blondes - Facebook | Website | Soundcloud

Beginning the record with a dancehall radio ballad dream entitled “Eulogy For Whiskers, Part 1″, Whitehorse certainly set themselves apart from the crowd of country-folk mix that seems to have suddenly permeated the country. What is perhaps even more incredible, though, is the follow-up to this lazy, tripped-out modern take on a ballad is unmistakable rockabilly rock ‘n’ roll with harmonies to boot on “Killing Time Is Murder”, which is available for free download below.

This duo owes their lyrical passion and musical complementariness to the fact that they are partners on and off the stage – a connection that I personally think always shines through in art. Although both Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet had achieved quite a name for themselves as solo artists, this couple decided to team up and the result is almost as magical as the fact that some people can still also create a successful marriage.

In Canada, they have won such prestigious awards as Junos, Independent Music Awards and Polaris; listening to their slow-burning cover of Springsteen‘s “I’m On Fire”, it is easy to see why. Their record, which is self-titled (“Whitehorse”), is a mere eight songs long, but they certainly pack a punch. “Passenger 24″ reveals just how rough they can get, with raw guitars and edgy lyrics, and even that ’70s-style whirling guitar that almost sounds reminiscent of Footloose, but works perfectly in this context.

Released in Canada by Six Shooter Records, the Toronto couple are currently residing in New York and are planning a US tour coming up this year. This will be just another gem from Canada that will find a crowning place in the diadem of American music; these two certainly know what they’re doing and their passion is obvious. Traveling easily between rough and ready, to the break-up ballad of “Broken”, and even haunting guitar strumming-based tracks like “Emerald Isle”, Whitehorse will work their way into any heart. For those who like the old country sound of Emmylou Harris, or even more recent releases like Gram Parsons, Whitehorse’s record is definitely worth a listen … and another. And another.

Connect with Whitehorse - Facebook | Website | Crash Avenue Publicity

Whitehorse – ”Killing Time Is Murder”

If you’ve been looking for an escape from this winter’s madness, you’ve arrived. It might be a little too early, but I’m casting my vote now. Colour Coding’s “Perfect” is my candidate for best 2012 summer anthem. Who knows, if your weather has been anything like mine, most days you could put this on and it wouldn’t even seem that much out of place. On the other hand, if you’re actually enjoying winter, just put “Perfect” in your music folder and sit on it for a few months. Your friends will thank you, and you will look like a musical genius at your next party.

Based in Sydney, Chris Holland and Tim Commandeur are most definitely not two unknowns that just appeared on the musical scene. Rising from the still-warm ashes of Gold Coast’s own Operator Please, they have been working their craft for quite a while. It definitely shows. “Perfect” is three minutes and twenty-five seconds of pure beach party goodness. Scratch that, greatness. One can’t help quickly drawing a close parallel to M83, but it’s also noticeably different in it’s approach. It shrugs off any hint of seriousness as if to remind you to enjoy the present, and stop worrying about tomorrow.

As with any pre-release, it’s hard to get a feel for what Colour Coding will define as “their sound”. The only other available song as of right now, “Kick”,  is a slight departure from “Perfect”.  The track takes a decidedly more mellow tone, but still develops into a danceable pop gem. Any way you slice it, this is Aussie new wave at its best. We are expectantly waiting Colour Coding’s upcoming EP “Proof”, which is slated for release within the next month or so. In the meantime, you can stream “Perfect” and “Kick” via the band’s Soundcloud.

Connect with Colour Coding – Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | Website

Listen to the new mixtape by Evian Christ, “Kings And Them” below.

Evian Christ has just dropped the trip-inducing mixtape “Kings And Them” on Triangle Records. There is some creepy shit happening here. We don’t endorse drugs, but if you were to take some, this is a good listen.

You can stream the mixtape below and download it here.

Judging by his music, Boston-via-Chicago based musician PONCHOS is a man of many moods. The project, for now, is a one-man-show, James Krivchenia, a 23 year-old whose first encounter with music was playing drums in the 4th grade. Since then, he’s been in numerous bands and has worked mixing and producing different records.

His latest project is the “Rawness” EP, which he put out last November and is free to download on his Bandcamp. Just within the three tracks the EP contains, it’s easy to see how diverse of an artist PONCHOS really is.

Up first in a remix of Colin Stetson’s “Red Horse”, a track which he almost doubles in length, adding warped vocals, heavy drums that almost sound tribal and all sorts of weird sound effects to the mix. The result is a song that sounds like a heavier version of the original, maintaining the essence but adding depth, one successful way to remix a song.

Coincidence or not, the next track on the EP, “Look Around”, manages to capture almost the same phrasing as the “Red Horse” remix, slowly building until a sudden break and a massive release at about the 1:15 mark. Although the track kind of wanders aimlessly for a bit, the addition of extra instruments throughout keeps things interesting till the end.

On the opposite side of the spectrum is “Sexual”, which closes the EP. It’s the first time we hear PONCHOS’ vocals more or less clearly, and is the first song that has intelligible lyrics. For me, it’s the standout track on “Rawness”, with very light instrumentation in the first half and lyrics about feeling sexual. It’s easy to picture getting down with a lover to the song, and picking up the pace in the second half when the song changes pace and takes a turn for the dark before returning to its origin for the last bit.

The rest of PONCHOS’ material is, for the most part, very ambient, with songs as long as ten minutes, which is a genre that he seems to know his way around very well. A particular highlight is “Free Go Lily” a track over seven minutes long in which he explores several sonic landscapes much in the same way that Balam Acab does.

While currently existing only on the Internet, James is toying with the idea of getting a live group together. If so, seeing PONCHOS live could certainly prove to be a dreamlike experience.

Connect with PONCHOS - Facebook | Website | Bandcamp | Soundcloud

I can tell you virtually nothing about The Sayitaints. There are two of them: John Gudenzi and Marc Nieto. They have one track out: “Flutter”. They’re from Baltimore? They like to pump 808s. From here on out, it’s just my opinion. To be perfectly honest, you’re almost as well just skipping this bit and listening to the track for yourself. But let it never be said that I don’t like the sound of my own voice, so if you feel like indulging me, read on.

“Flutter” is a good track. A really, really good track. If I had only one track out, I should like it to be as good as “Flutter”. Actually, it’s melody and chord progression are pretty similar to a track a friend of mine at secondary school (high-school, for those who prefer it) wrote – Seb, you aren’t moonlighting as The Sayitaints after changing your name, are you? I suppose most people aren’t going to find that a particularly helpful comparison, so let me offer some others.

Exhibit A is The Postal Service. Specifically, “The District Sleeps Alone Tonight”. Not only the 808 beats, but those little orchestral snippets in the background. It’s pure Tamborello. Alongside that is a touch of James Blake, in the “Lindesfarne II”-esque antiphon between voice and vocoder. The falsetto vocals are a more intelligible Sigur Rós or a more understated Mew. And the big finale’? That would be Björk‘s “New World”. Turns out that when you put those together, the result kicks butt.

If you’re a fan of any of the above – particularly The Postal Service – then The Sayitaints should be a tantalising offer. You can download “Flutter” for free over on Bandcamp, so head over and grab yourself a copy. I am very excited to hear and learn more from and about these guys. In the meantime, this is certainly a tasty listen.

Connect with The Sayitaints - Bandcamp | Last.fm

The Sayitaints – ”Flutter”