We like music here at CJLO, whoddathunk!? Below is a smattering of picks from a slew of our DJs and Staff of what were their favourites for 2010, a year that seemingly had a lot of good stuff going for it musically. The lists are diverse, and reflect the different styles of music that CJLO broadcasts, as well as the eclectic tastes of our DJs.

For more on our programming, check our schedule, or click on the DJ's show pages or personal pages, all hyperlinked for your convenience, below (see! we care, man).

-CJLO DJs and Staff
*photo courtesy of Tenni Gharakhanian

Denis Arsenault
Host of Dirty Work

Top Albums of 2010

1. Autolux – Transit Transit
2. The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night
3. The Joy Formidable – A Balloon Called Moaning
4. Meta Gruau – Tendre et Mauve
5. The Robots – Hey Buddy, Dummy
6. Crocodiles – Sleep Forever
7. Women – Public Strain
8. Suuns – Zeroes QC
9. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles II
10. Les Savy Fav – Root For Ruin

Let's Not Forget: White Lung – It's The Evil, Blood Red Shoes – Fire Like This, OK Go – Of The Blue Colour of the Sky, PS I Love You – Meet Me At Muster Station, RJD2 – The Colossus

Swing and a Miss: Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Beat The Devil's Tattoo, Wintersleep – New Inheritors

Kelly Belfo
CJLO World Music Director & Host of Beat The World

World Top 10 Albums of 2010

1. Various Artists – Palenque Palenque: Champeta Criolla & Afro Roots in Colombia 1975-91 (Soundway Records)
2. Anibal Velasquez y Su Conjunto – Mambo Loco (Analog Africa)
3. Nneka – Concrete Jungle (Decon)
4. Various Artists – Pomegranates (B-Music/Finders Keepers)
5. Jahnice+ – Sonneur EP (Les Productions Pasa Musik)
6. Various Artists – Nigeria Afrobeat Special The New Explosive Sound in 1970s Nigeria (Soundway Records)
7. Gilles Peterson – Gilles Peterson Presents Havana Cultura (Brownswood)
8. Various Artists – Next Stop ... Soweto Vol. 3: Giants, Ministers and Makers: Jazz in South Africa 1963-1984 (Strut Records)
9. Luisa Maita – Lero-Lero (Cumbancha)
10. Various Artists – Putumayo Presents South Africa (Putumayo)

Mike Bresciani
Host of The Lonesome Strangers

13 Best Albums of 2010

1. The Radio Dept. – Clinging to a Scheme
2. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
3. Best Coast – Crazy for you
4. Vampire Weekend – Contra
5. Autolux – Transit Transit
6. The Tallest Man on Earth – The Wild Hunt
7. Warpaint – The Fool
8. Superchunk – Majesty Shredding
9. Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record
10. Laura Marling – I Speak Because I Can
11. The National – High Violet
12. Beach House – Teen Dream
13. The Black Angels – Phosphene Dream

Honourable Mentions: Local Natives, Play Guitar, The Drums.

Dishonourable Mentions: Sufjan Stevens’ Age of Adz

13 Best Shows of 2010

1. Asexuals & The 222’s – October 1st @ Club Soda, Pop MTL.
2. The Flaming Lips – July 7th @ Metropolis, MTL
3. Thrush Hermit – March 25th @ Capital Music Hall, Ottawa.
4. The Arcade Fire – June 7th @ Theatre Granada, Sherbrooke QC.
5. The Magnetic Fields – February 6th @ Theatre Corona, MTL
6. Superchunk / Kurt Vile – September 23rd, CJLO’s Disorientation @ Le National, MTL.
7. Smokey Robinson – June 28th @ Salle Wilfrid Pelletier, MTL Jazz Fest.
9. Mission of Burma – October 24th @ The Garrison, Toronto.
10. Gogol Bordello – April 18th @ Metropolis, MTL
11. Autolux – August 25th @ Sala Rosa (with 15 other CJLO’ers), MTL
12. Wilco – February 27th @ Olympia Theater, MTL
13. The Gories – July 17th @ Cabaret Mile End, MTL

Honourable Mentions: OSHEAGA & NXNE… (Pavement, The Stooges, The Black Keys… amazing line-ups)

Dishonourable Mentions: Lou Reed’s Jazz Fest Fiasco, Pop Montreal Scheduling.

13 Albums Spinning Out-of-Control In 2010

The Bats – Daddy’s Highway (1987)
Black Tambourine – S/T Compilation (2010)
The Millennium – Begin (1968)
Cub – Come Out, Come Out (1994)
The Chills – Kaleidoscope World (1986)
Lee Hazlewood – Love and Other Crimes (1968)
Papa M – Whatever Mortal (2001)
Butterglory – Rat Tat Tat (1997)
Mayer Hawthorne – A Strange Arrangement (2009)
The Deadly Snakes – Ode to Joy (2003)
Jolie Holland – Escondida (2004)
The Inbreds – Hilario (1993)
Roy Orbison – Entire Discography (there’s a lot…)

Hopes For 2011: Morrissey eats a veal chop, reunites the Smiths.

DJ Catatonia
Host of Radio Hades

Best Albums of 2010 (Naturally, I could go on... but will limit myself to 25 releases):

1. Triptykon – Eparistera Daimones
2. Deathspell Omega – Paracletus
3. Hooded Menace – Never Cross The Dead
4. Urgehal – Ikonoklast
5. Menace Ruine – Union Of Irreconciables
6. Culted – Ov Death & Ritual EP
7. Aun – VII
8. Electric Wizard – Black Masses
9. Agalloch – Marrow of The Spirit
10. Pan Sonic & Keiji Haino – In The Studio (Synergy between mercy and self-annihilation overturned)
11. Kylesa – Spiral Shadow
12. Pan Sonic – Gravitoni
13. Melvins – The Bride Screamed Murder
14. Darkthrone – Circle The Wagons
15. Swans – My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky
16. High on Fire – Snakes For The Divine
17. Salome – Terminal
18. Neige et Noirceur – La Seigneurie des Loups
19. Ramesses – Take the Curse
20. Sigh – Scenes From Hell
21. Forteresse – Par Hauts Bois et Vastes Plaines
22. Brant Bjork – Gods & Goddesses
23. Thisquietarmy – Aftermath
24. Lesbian – Stratospheria Cubensis
25. Current 93 – Baalstorm, Sing Omega

Best Live Shows of 2010

Swans & Baby Dee at Le National
Melvins at Club Soda
Triptykon & 1349 at Foufs

Lachlan Fletcher
CJLO Assistant Production Director & Host of Acetate Gratified

Time to condense what was good in music and so forth. This is... the YEAR END BEST-OF LIST. This year, I’m going to keep it simple: my favourite albums and any accompanying aspects that made them more awesome. These are in no particular order, because I’m indecisive.

Caribou - Swim
Caribou is always a favourite, and this year Dan Snaith, the principle artist behind Caribou, gave me two shows and a fantastic new album this year. Swim was nominated for the Polaris Prize (which Snaith previously won for Andorra), reaffirming Caribou’s place among the best Canada has to offer. Busy as ever, Caribou offered a few delicious remixes, a live album, and a full remix album of tracks from Swim, each as scrumptious as the last.

The Joy Formidable - A Balloon Called Moaning
This Welsh threesome was an unexpected surprise this year, as A Balloon Called Moaning gradually became one the most frequently played albums both on Acetate Gratified and on my portable music playing device. I had the opportunity to see them live in November and they will be coming back through in the New Year. Come see them with me – I won’t be creepy. If you haven’t heard this and you like shoegaze or just good alternative in general, check them out.

Devo - Something for Everybody
No, it isn’t their best album, but it is still better than 90% of the nonsense that gets an absurd amount of hype these days. Plus it’s Devo. It’s Devo with Josh Freese on drums. If you require any more proof that Something for Everybody is amazing, then you’re reading the wrong list.

Brian Eno - Small Craft on a Milk Sea
The synthesizing legend of Roxy Music fame comes back with a serene vengeance with this release on Warp Records. This album got me through exams, providing enough variety to keep me interested while also providing a serene atmosphere for my book-lurneen. It’s a great example of relatively minimal drone/electronica being musical without being cliché.

Play Guitar - Shields and Don’t Worry About Death
Melodic, inventive lyrics, guitars that in large part avoid cliché, simple yet clear production values… sounds pretty much ideal. This Montreal act put out one of CJLO’s favourite releases this year, and I am most certainly one of those who bought what they’re selling. If you haven’t seen them, please do. They play regularly around town and are always a great show.

Others that are excellent but will not receive a blurb: Holy Fuck – Latin, Autolux - Transit Transit, Ceremony - Rocket Fire, Gonjasufi - A Sufi and a Killer, The Drums - The Drums, Sea Exchange - EP 3

Jackie Hall
Former Host of Retired CJLO show "Bridge the Gap"

Best Releases:

Statues - Holidays Cops
City Sweethearts - Sleeping Through Modern Times
Inepsy - Madness and Overkill (EP)
Sick of It All - Based On A True Story
Omegas 7"

Best Shows:

Inepsy @ Spin Gallery (Toronto)
Omegas & Slobs @ Rancho Relaxo
Buzzcocks @ Opera House (Toronto)
Sick of It All @ Foufounes Electriques
Honorable mention: Brutal Knights @ Bar St Laurent 2

Best Non-Punk Shows:

The Specials @ Sound Academy (Toronto)
Mayer Hawthorne @ The Opera House (Toronto)

Brian Hastie
Host of Countdown to Armageddon

1. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
2. The Dillinger Escape Plan – Option Paralysis
3. Deftones – Diamond Eyes
4. The Roots – How I Got Over
5. Shad – TSOL
6. Norma Jean – Meridional
7. The Acacia Strain – Wormwood
8. Sade – Soldier Of Love
9. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles II
10. Beneath The Massacre – Maree Noire EP

Honourable mentions: LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening, Drake – Thank Me Later, Dessa – A Badly Broken Code, Jamie Lidell – Compass, Nachtmystium – Addicts: Black Meddle Pt. II, Grinderman – Grinderman II, Caribou – Swim, Jake One and Freeway – The Stimulus Package, Nails – Unsilent Death, Periphery – Periphery, Coco Et Co – St. Denis, Chromeo - Business Casual

Simon Howell
Host of Sucker Blues

Essential in 2010, In No Order:

Gareth Liddiard – Strange Tourist
Freddie Gibbs – "National Anthem (Fuck the World)"
The Love Language – Libraries
The Wilderness of Manitoba – "White Water"
The Books – The Way Out
Au Revoir Simone – "Shadows" (Jens Lekman Remix)
Yelawolf – "Box Chevy Pt. 3"
Joanna Newsom – "In California"
Kvelertak – Kvelertak
Agalloch – Marrow of the Spirit
The Tallest Man on Earth – The Wild Hunt
The Radio Dept. – "David"
Sharon van Etten – Epic
Caribou – "Jamelia"
Will Driving West – The Breakout
Nina Nastasia – Outlaster
Snailhouse – "Living the Dream"
Gigi – Maintenant
Stornoway – Beachcomber's Windowsill
Lost in the Trees – All Alone In an Empty House
Memoryhouse – Various Releases
Johnny Flynn – "Howl"

Omar Husain
CJLO Head Music Director & Host of Hooked on Sonics

*For a more detailed look back at 2010, check out the Hooked on Sonics 2010 Year End Musical Audit.

Top 15 Favourite CJLO Related Moments:

1. Being invited to the International Radio Festival in Zurich, Switzerland (aka "Doc n' Crash Go Overseas")
2. Getting to introduce Superchunk to the stage @ CJLO Disorientation – pseudo indie rock coming-of-age story.
3. CJLO's 2010 Gala – when we said we'd set a new bar, we weren't kidding. There were suits and dresses, plaques and certificates, a "live-via-satellite" acceptance speech, video clips, and a smoke machine. A freaking smoke machine.
4. CJLO winning CMJ's 2010 Station of the Year award – furthering our love of the hirsute man known as Moose.
5. CJLO being listed as one of the Huffington Post's "9 Best Campus/Community Radio Stations" – furthering our love of greek redheads with money.
6. Getting to interview Brother Ali and Jon Wurster of Superchunk – furthering my love of Albino muslims who are willing to freestyle over beats I’ve looped from Autolux songs, and managing to cross off one of my interview wishlist.
7. Asking to be a last minute replacement critic on a Demo Derby panel @ NXNE where I then told a musician that his demo makes me "want to put a gun to my head" (you have NO idea how many emails/music submissions I get that reference this now)
8. Finally tracking down a copy of the 1st press of Afghan Whigs' Gentlemen and getting Greg Dulli to sign it at CMJ after he recognized me from an interview I did with him 3 years ago (!).
9. Being a "mentor" in CJLO's first Youth Program – corrupting the radio hopefuls of tomorrow today.
10. CJLO Celluloid Cinema nights at Dollar Cinema – RIP
11. CJLO's Music Trivia Night – The Justice Street/Street Justice rivalry, and more importantly, the following three words: Adrian. Warner. Hosts.
12. Getting to help judge CJLO's first Battle of the Bands – knack for being brutally honest pays off.
13. Air Conditioning finally arrives @ CJLO – fewer heat exhaustion deaths
14. CJLO receives GSA fee levy funding – station enters the PhD in Radio Awesomeness program
15. CJLO's brand spankin' new website – looks outstanding on the outside, a little complicated on the inside, described to many as "sorta like a beautiful but crazy woman"

Top 10 Favourite Albums of 2010:

1. Women – Public Strain
I really can’t explain how much I’ve taken to this record, it's got to the point that I listen to it pretty much weekly, sometimes multiple times. There’s some sort of otherworldly quality to the sounds the Calgary quartet produce and ace-in-the-hole producer Chad VanGaalen makes the whole thing sound like a fog – thick, mysterious, enveloping, and, more importantly, warm. A fine melting pot execution of drone ("Bells") dub-infused Gang of Four/Fugazi style post-punk ("China Steps") and atonal-but-still-melodic Sonic Youth style noise freakouts ("Drag Open"). – Listen to: “Drag Open”

2. Autolux – Transit Transit
Contrary to people probably not being surprised that this is this high on my list, I was surprised that in the end it got so high. I've long touted the LA art-rock trio as the second coming, but initially, I was a little on the fence with this record that seemed more Radiohead-meets-Sonic Youth, than Jesus & Mary Chain-meets-Sonic Youth. But after repeated listenings, the complexity and layers within the production and writing behind the record became apparent. While not as catchy and immediately head turning as their landmark debut, Future Perfect, Autolux’s six-years-in-the-making sophomore album is a perfect example of how to create something as a whole and not by just tossing songs together in order to make an album. It's a shame more people do not know about this band. – Listen to: “Supertoys”

3. Shad – TSOL
Forget about Drake, the real face of Canadian hip hop is a young man by the name of Shadrach Kabango. Robbed of a Polaris Prize earlier this year, Shad released an amazing album of uplifting, positive hip hop that was sincere, earnest, and ridiculously catchy. Every song here is a winner, featuring great production, show-stealing occasional hook-singing from Broken Social Scene's Lisa Lobsinger, and Shad's whip-smart witty rhymes at the forefront. – Listen to: “Telephone”

4. Dillinger Escape Plan – Option Paralysis / 5. Les Savy Fav – Root for Ruin / 6. Superchunk – Majesty Shredding / 7. Coco et Co. – St. Denis / 8. Play Guitar – Shields and Don't Worry About Death / 9. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles II / 10. Young Livers – Of Misery and Toil

Top 10 Favourite Jams of 2010:

1. Shad - "Yaa I Get It"
Unrelenting powerful beats over 70s style horn infused soul music samples are just the backbone to this chills producing song. The real key is Shad's verbal barrage of line after line of the cleverest raps that connect from verse to verse with an impeccable flow. Plus the opening salvo of "Maybe I'm not big 'cuz I don't blog or twitter" coupled with the music cutting out and the remark of "Dog...I'm bitter" pretty much win this for the year hands down. World domination is inevitable for this dude.

2. Women - "Drag Open"
I've listened to this song Lord knows how many times, but I can never get tired of it. Based around completely atonal Wipers-esque downstroked guitars that are strummed so hard you can almost hear the strings snapping while the drums gallop along with a pounding rhythm, it's all anchored by fantastic bassline. The real treat though is somehow when it gets to (what seems to be) the chorus, the guitars get to this place of melody from the right combination of off-notes and noise that's mindblowing magical and would make Sonic Youth proud.

3. Kanye West w/ Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj & Bon Iver - "Monster"
Rick Ross waxes about how he's fat, Jay-Z phones it in about Sasquatch and King Kong (seriously), Kanye yaps about gossip and being a monster, in an odd turn of events somehow Bon Iver stumbles into the party (via wrong directions probably), and, miraculously, Nicki Minaj steals the show with the only good thing she's ever done. I still can't understand how this song is so good when the premise I just stated above sounds completely mental.

4. LCD Soundsystem - "Dance Yrself Clean" / 5. Joy Formidable - "Whirring" / 6. Dillinger Escape Plan - "Farewell, Mona Lisa" / 7. Best Coast - "Boyfriend" / 8. Far East Movement w/ Dev & the Cataracts - "Like a G6" / 9. Kanye West w/ Dwele - "Power" / 10. Caribou - "Odessa"

Fear for 2011:

If you thought things were bad with Ariel Pink, Wavves and the ilk, it's only gonna get a whole lot worse with new records from Hunx and his Punx, the Beets, etc etc etc...

*For a more detailed look back at 2010, check out the Hooked on Sonics 2010 Year End Musical Audit.

Danielle Jakubiak
Host of Runny Noise

Best Albums of 2010

1. Sun Araw – On Patrol
2. Thee Oh Sees – Warm Slime
3. Tony da Gatorra vs. Gruff Rhys – The Terror of Cosmic Loneliness
4. Acid Eater – Black Fuzz on Wheels
5. Pit Er Pat – The Flexible Entertainer
6. Caribou – Swim
7. Grimes – Halfaxa
8. Omar Souleyman – Jazeera Nights: Folk and Pop Sounds of Syria
9. Pill Wonder – Jungle/Surf
10. MDM – MDM

Brian Joseph
CJLO Program Director, Hip-Hop Music Director & Host of Phantastiq Cypha

Top 20 Tracks of 2010

1. Guilty Simpson – “Cali Hills”
2. David Banner & 9th Wonder – “Stutter ft. Anthony Hamilton”
3. The Roots – “Right On”
4. Saukrates – “Wednesday UK Remix ft. Mystro & Loudmouth Melvin”
5. Shad – “A Good Name”
6. Zeds Dead & Omar LinX – “Out For Blood”
7. Cee Lo Green – “Bright Lights, Bigger City”
8. Magnum 357 – “Expos Fitted”
9. Royal Peasants – “Money Maker”
10. Preach Ankobia – “Warn'em”
11. Pigeon John – “Dude It's On”
12. D-Sisive – “Never Knew Me”
13. Wiz Khalifa – “Ink My Whole Body”
14. The Roots – “Dear God 2.0”
15. CeasRock – “Sex Graffiti ft. Uness & Preach Ankobia”
16. Muneshine – “Maybe Tomorrow ft. Fundament”
17. Boy6lue – “Hometown”
18. Factor – “The fall Of Captain E.O. Feat. Ceschi”
19. Underground Realroad - “Be Who U R”
20. RJD2 – “Crumbs Off The Table”

Top 15 Albums of 2010

1. Shad – TSOL
Do I need to try and explain? He's amazing live, he's amazing on his album, and he's amazing while underwater in a box with a shark swimming around him. I could continue to explain how every track on the album compliments the next and how his unique rap style is something to be envied but I won't. Instead I will recommend you go buy his album, listen to it and rethink your own #1 album of 2010. Fave Track – Too many to name

2. D-Sisive – Vaudeville
I like D-Sisive because he's dark and always sounds depressed but makes really good tracks despite this. When you listen to his album, as sombre as the tracks are, you don't get depressed but instead more reflective on life. Which isn't always a bad thing. Fave Track – “Never Knew Me”

3. The Foreign Exchange – Authenticity
It is rare that an album will sound like the live performances, and I knew that when I bought Authenticity after seeing The Foreign Exchange perform at BB Kings in NYC. I was right—the live show and the album are very different, but both experiences are beautiful. Whether you're listening to “Don’t Wait” or watching them do the track live, you will love it and it will give you goose bumps. Fave Track – CD: “Don't Wait / Live: Laughing At Your Plans”

4. Guilty Simpson – OJ Simpson
Cali Hills is in my top three tracks of 2010. That track alone brought the album up 2 or 3 spots on my top 15 albums. Fave Track – “Cali Hills”

5. David Banner & 9th Wonder – Death of a Pop Star
On one of the tracks he says “it's like Rumble telling Soundwave it's time for my ejection”... that line alone bumped this already amazing album up a few spots. Plus again, can I say “9th Wonder” and leave it at that? Fave track – “Stutter”

6. Cee Lo Green – The Lady Killer
After the release of the single F*ck You, everyone and their mother wanted the new Cee Lo Green album. As much as the single is fun, I think the shock value caused more buzz than the album's actual good content did. Sure the song is good, but the album is great and deserves a listen. Enjoy it not because someone is swearing but because all the tracks have something to them. Fave Track – “Bright Lights, Bigger City”

7. The Roots – How I Got Over
This album has a remarkable trick to it. Depending on what you're doing, how you're feeling, maybe even what colour you're wearing, you'll like a different song more than the others. It has something for every situation, from strong beats to mellow tracks and everything in between this is an album worth listening to on repeat. Fave Track – “Right On”

8. Homeboy Sandman – The Good Sun
A solid album the whole way through from an very underrated rapper. People should sleep less on Homeboy Sandman. Fave Track – “Yeah But I Can Rhyme Though”

9. Reflection Eternal – Revolutions Per Minute
It took a while, we all wanted it (as much as we want another Black Star album....please) and here it is: the follow up to their to their 2000 release Train of Thought. Can I say this one is better than their first collabo? No. But I can say it is one of the best albums of 2010. Fave Track – “In This World”

10. Omar Linx – A Cold Welcome
This fire spitter from Toronto reps Canada strong on every track. Fave track – “Bad Guy”

11. Trillionaires – By Hook or By Crook
Just Canadian artist doing what we do best; rapping and being funny. Fave track – “Recession Proof”

12. Camu Tao – King of Hearts
This is an amazing album from a producer and rapper who never stopped working hard. He may have passed away in 2008 from cancer but as they say, people live on through their music, and this is an excellent example of that. Fave Track – “Be a Big Girl”

13. RJD2 – The Colossus
RJD2 is a producer who genuinely loves all music. Willing to go beyond what most would consider the norm, he is influenced by so many different styles and loves to break the mould. Also just the use of horns makes this a fun album. Fave track – “Crumbs Off The Table”

14. Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma
I was introduced to Flying Lotus' style recently and loved it. With a unique blend and approach to his production he puts a lot of himself into his music. Cosmogramma works as ambient and as foreground music for almost all situations. Fave track – “Zodiac Sh*t”

15. MURS & 9th Wonder – Fornever
Fun album, great tracks and it’s 9th Wonder produced... not much need for explanation here. Fave track – “Asian Girls”

K-Man
Host of Beyond That Graveyard! III

1. Amplified Heat – On The Hunt
2. The Brought Low – Third Record
3. Stone Axe – On With The Show
4. Catl. – With The Lord for Cowards, You Will Find No Place
5. Jacques and the Shakey Boys – Jacques and the Shakey Boys
6. Corin Raymond – There Will Always Be a Small Time
7. The Takers – Taker Easy
8. The Black Crowes – Cabin Fever
9. Brant Bjork – Gods and Godesses
10. B.C.A.S.A. (The Bill Cosby Anarchist Society of America) – Fuck It Up Hard

Ben Kriz
Host of Cramp Your Style

1. The National – High Violet
2. The Walkmen – Lisbon
3. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
4. LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening
5. Caribou – Swim
6. Phospohrescent – Here's To Taking It Easy
7. Wolf Parade – Expo 86
8. Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest
9. James Blake – The Bell's Sketch/CMYK EP/ Klavierwerke EP
10. Beach House – Teen Dream

Honourable Mentions: The Arcade Fire – The Suburbs, Vampire Weekend – Contra, Girl Talk – All Day, The Black Keys – Brothers

Katrina Kuras
CJLO Metal Director & Host of Break It Down

Top 10 Albums of 2010

Stick To Your Guns – The Hope Division
Counterparts – Prophets
Burning The Masses – Offspring of Time
Terrorhorse – Unrequited and Unscathed
As I Lay Dying – The Powerless Rise
Grave Maker – Ghosts Among Men
Beneath The Massacre – Maree Noire
Cruel Hand – Lock And Key
Morgue – Flames And Blood
Zoroaster – Matador

Top 10 Songs of 2010

Stick To Your Guns – “Amber”
Close Your Eyes – “17:20”
Conducting From The Grave – “Path Of A Traitor”
As I Lay Dying – “Without Conclusion”
Strike Anywhere – “I’m Your Opposite Number”
Incarnia – “The Dawn Of The Great Rebirth”
Terrorhorse – “Modern Mathematics”
Beneath The Massacre – “The Casket You Sleep In”
Burning The Masses – “Vicarious Wrath”
God Falls – “Challenge Yourself Everyday”

Matt Leitman
Host of Radio Fun

Top 15 of 2010 (Because I Couldn't Pare It Down to 10), In No Particular Order:

Black Mountain - Wilderness Heart
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
Cheap Time - Fantastic Explanations (and Similar Situations)
Burning Love - Songs for Burning Lovers
Coliseum - House With A Curse
White Lung - It's the Evil
Killing Joke - Absolute Dissent
Kylesa - Spiral Shadow
Torche - Songs for Singles
OFF! - First Four EPs
The New Pornographers - Together
Spoon – Transference
The Vaselines - Sex with an X
Sleigh Bells – Treats

Julie Matson
CJLO Fundraising Director & Host of With Gay Abandon

1. Jonsi – Go
2. Antony & The Johnsons – Swanlights
3. Heavy Filth – Heavy Filth
4. Les Beyond – Brass Knuckled split cassette with Silver Dapple
5. Robyn – Body Talk
6. Owen Pallett – A Swedish Love Story EP
7. Rae Spoon – Love Is A Hunter
8. Dean and Britta – 13 Most Beautiful: Songs For Andy Warhol's Screen Tests
9. Active Child – Curtis Lane
10. Leslie Hall – Back 2 Back Palz

Josh Mocle
Former Host of Retired CJLO Show "The Kids Are So-So"

Top 30 Records of 2010

1. RVIVR – RVIVR (Rumbletown)
2. Against Me – White Crosses (Sire)
3. Two Cow Garage – Sweet Saint Me (Suburban Home)
4. Tim Barry – 28th and Stonewall (Suburban Home)
5. None More Black – Icons (Fat Wreck Chords)
6. Off With Their Heads – In Desolation (Epitaph)
7. Trash Talk – Eyes and Nines (TT Collective)
8. Micah Schnabel – When the Stage Lights Go Dim (Suburban Home)
9. Bridge and Tunnel – Indoor Voices (No Idea)
10. The Flatliners – Cavalcade (Fat Wreck)
11. Smoke or Fire – The Speakeasy (Fat Wreck)
12. Fake Problems – Real Ghosts Caught On Tape (Side One Dummy)
13. Murder by Death – Good Morning, Magpie (Vagrant)
14. Leatherface – The Stormy Petrel (No Idea)
15. The Bouncing Souls – Ghosts on the Boardwalk (Chunksaah)
16. The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band – The Wages (Side One Dummy)
17. Young Livers – Of Misery and Toil (No Idea)
18. Superchunk - Majesty Shredding (Merge)
19. A Wilhelm Scream – A Wilhelm Scream (Paper + Plastik)
20. The Hold Steady – Heaven is Whenever (Vagrant)
21. The Gaslight Anthem – American Slang (Side One Dummy)
22. The Riot Before – Rebellion (Paper + Plastik)
23. Gatorface – Wasted Monuments (No Idea)
24. The Dillinger Escape Plan – Option Paralysis (Season of Mist)
25. The Vaselines – Sex With An X (Sub Pop)
26. My Chemical Romance – Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (Warner)
27. Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys – Steam Ship Killers (Independent)
28. The Sainte Catherines – Fire Works (Anchorless)
29. Sundowner – We Chase the Waves (Asian Man)
30. Sage Francis – Li(f)e (Anti-)

Rebecca Munroe
Host of Canucks Kick It

2010 was not a stellar year for music that stood out for me, so that being said, here are my top 5 Canadian albums and top 5 albums from everywhere else!

Canucks Top 5

1. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
2. Black Mountain – Wilderness Heart
3. Meta Gruau – Tendre et Mauve
4. Suuns – Zeroes QC
5. Cancer Bats – Bears, Mayors, Scraps and Bones

Everywhere Else!

1. Swans – My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope To the Sky
2. Grinderman – Grinderman 2
3. Tom Waits – Glitter and Doom Live
4. Black Tambourine – Black Tambourine
5. Beach House – Teen Dream

I went to a lot of shows this year, but after seeing The Swans, all the others became a blur. Nevertheless here are the ones that managed to remain in my brain!

Top Shows of 2010

1. Swans
2. Fishbone (CMJ)
3. Gary Numan (CMJ)
4. Dandy Warhols
5. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Mnjivar
Host of Phantastiq Cypha

Best Albums of 2010

1. The Roots – How I Got Over
2. Shad – TSOL
3. The Narcisyst – Mr. Asthmatic mixtape
4. Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma
5. Reflection Eternal – Revolution Per Minute
6. Marco Polo - The Stupendous Adventures of Marco Polo
7. D-Sisive – Vaudeville
8. Foreign Exchange – Authenticity
9. Madlib – Medicine Show #3: Beat Konducta in Africa
10. Radio Radio – Belmundo Regal
11. Roots Manuva vs. Wrongtom – Duppy Writer
12. Strong Arm Steady - In Search of Stoney Jackson

Runner Ups: Erykah Badu – New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh, Jay Electronica – Victory, Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Pigeon John – Dragon Slayer

Best Tracks of 2010

1. Flying Lotus – "Do the Astal Plane"
2. The Roots – "Right On"
3. Zed Deads & Omar Linx – "Out for Blood"
4. Shad – "We Are the Ones (Reservoir Poetry"
5. Cee-Lo Green – "Fuck You"
6. Saukrates – "Wednesday" UK Remix feat. Mystro & Loudmouth Melvin
7. The Roots – "Radio Daze"
8. Preach Ankobia – "Warn 'Em"
9. Reflection Eternal – "Stranger (Paranoid)" feat. Bun B.
10. Roots Manuva vs. Wrongtom – "Dutty Rat"
11. The Narcisyst – "Mr. Arab"nar
12. Boy6lue – "Hometown"
13. Radio Radio – "Bekshoo"
14. Erykah Badu – "Window Seat"
15. Lyrics Born –"Pillz"

Stephanie Pastel
Host of Twee Time

Twee Time's Favourite Albums of 2010 (in order of release) With Selected Tracks.

1. Magnetic Fields – Realism – Listen to: “Better Things;” “You Must Be Out of Your Mind”
2. The Strange Boys – Be Brave – Listen to: “Be Brave;” “Night Might”
3. Black Tambourine – Black Tambourine – Listen to: “Dream Baby Dream” (cover song, originally by Suicide)
4. Dum Dum Girls – I Will Be – Listen to: “Jail La La”
5. MGMT – Congratulations – Listen to: “Song for Dan Treacy”
6. Woods – At Echo Lake – Listen to: “Blood Dries Darker”
7. The Apples in Stereo – Travellers in Space and Time – Listen to: “It's All Right”
8. The Black Keys – Brothers – Listen to: “Howlin' for You”
9. Best Coast – Crazy for You – Listen to: “Our Deal;” “Goodbye”
10. Play Guitar – Shields and Don't Worry About Death – Listen to: “Celebration”
11. Magic Kids – Memphis – Listen to: “Good to Be”
12. Black Mountain – Wilderness Heart – Listen to: “Old Fangs;” “Wilderness Heart”
13. The Vaselines – Sex with an X – Listen to: “Ruined;” “I Hate the 80s;” “Exit the Vaselines”
14. Various Artists – No More of Your Fairy Stories (an indie-pop love letter to the Ramones) – Listen to: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart’s “Don't Go;” The Just Joans’ “Questioningly;” Horowitz’ “Judy is a Punk”
15. Belle & Sebastian – Belle & Sebastian Write About Love – Listen to: “I Can See Your Future;” “Write About Love”
16. Stereolab – Not Music – Listen to: “So is Cardboard Clouds”
17. Girl Talk – All Day – Listen to: All of it, all day.

Favourite 7" Singles of 2010.

1. The Nymphets – “Slow Song”
2. Bearsuit – “Please Don't Take Him Back”
3. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart – “Heart in Your Heartbreak”
4. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart – “Say No to Love”
5. Veronica Falls – “Beachy Head”
6. Seapony – “Dreaming”
7. La Sera – “Never Come Around”

Favourite Old Releases On Repeat in 2010.

1. The Rolling Stones – Exile on Main St.
2. Gorilla – Rock Our Souls
3. Plumtree – Predicts the Future
4. Television – Marquee Moon
5. The Slits – Cut
6. MC5 – Kick Out the Jams

Favourite Independent Labels

1. Fortuna Pop!
2. Darla
3. In the Red
4. Slumberland

Best Live Show of the Year – It's a tie!

1. Devo @ Osheaga
2. The Strange Boys @ Casa del Popolo

Most Memorable Moment - Stephen Malkmus of Pavement getting hit in the face with a beer at Osheaga.

Most Annoying Moment - When the guest list for the Magnetic Fields was pulled at the last minute, causing me to miss the show at the Corona Theatre on February 6th 'cause I didn't have a damn ticket.

Live Shows to Remember

1. The Nymphets @ Divan Orange
2. Red Mass @ Café Campus
3. Devo, Pavement, Sonic Youth, Owen Pallett, Black Keys, Japandroids, Snoop Dog, Seu Jorge & Almaz, Arcade Fire @ Osheaga
4. Superchunk @ Le National
5. The Vaselines @ Sala Rosa

On the Internet – Because I'm Modern That Way.

1. Arcade Fire @ Madison Square Garden Webcast (streamed on Youtube August 5th)
2. Belle & Sebastian @ Barrowland Webcast (streamed on NPR Music December 21st)

Those Who Will Be Missed

1. Ari Up (The Slits)
2. Jay Reatard (The Reatards, Lost Sounds, etc.)
3. Alex Chilton (Big Star)
4. Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse)
5. Peter Steele ("Type O Negative")
6. Malcolm McLaren (manager of the Sex Pistols and the New York Dolls)
7. Sergio Vega (seriously, look him up)
8. Captain Beefheart (The Magic Band)
9. Miep Gies (shelterer of the Frank family, preserved Anne Frank's diary)
10. J.D. Salinger (author of The Catcher in the Rye, Franny and Zooey, etc.)
11. Alexander McQueen (fashion designer)
12. Andrew Koenig (actor on Growing Pains, and son of Walter Koenig "Chekov" from Star Trek)
13. Chris Haney (inventor of Trivial Pursuit)
14. Corey Haim (actor, The Lost Boys, Goonies, and the better half of the two Coreys)
15. Gary Coleman (actor, Diff'rent Strokes)
16. Tom Bosley (actor, Mr. C on Happy Days)
17. Tony Curtis (actor, Some Like It Hot)
18. Leslie Nielsen (actor, Airplane! and The Naked Gun series)
19. Blake Edwards (director, Breakfast at Tiffany's and the Pink Panther)

Tim “RuhkOne” Rodrigues
Former Host of Retired CJLO Show "Scarborough Sessions"

Luckily, I’m not a journalist or music critic. I’m an ex DJ with an opinion. I either had some of these tracks on repeat or they have a very high play count in my iTunes. But aside from that, they are tracks I used to point people toward that particular artist or project.

1. Drake – “9am in Dallas”
“People say that old Drake / They starting to miss it / But you need to be a little more specific / Man, is this what y’all want?” – Yes, this is what I want. Thank you for delivering it and showing yourself that these are the kind of records you want to put on the second album. Put the R&B mixtape on ice. The fact that he opened every show on his Light Dreams and Nightmares tour with this track, which wasn’t on his album because he recorded it after his mastering deadline, says a lot about the quality of the track and the fan demand for more material like it.

2. Kanye West f/ Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj & Bon Iver – “Monster”
Hip-Hop as collaborative art: feature people on a track, give them a theme and create a song that comes out of no where and slaps the world in the mouth. “G.O.O.D Fridays” was the most ingenious marketing tool Kanye (or his people, whichever) has ever come up with. Featured on the album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

3. SHAD – “Rose Garden”
I cannot say enough about this song. If you play it for yourself you instantly see why it’s on the list. Featured on the Polaris Prize Nominated album, TSOL.

4. The Narcicyst f/ Loe Pesci – “Street Runner”
A Patrick Batemen reunion. From the beat to the verses, this song showed how these two M.Cs have matured not only into better lyricists (which is saying a lot considering the skills they have always possessed) but, also in to grown men. Featured on the mixtape Mr.Asthmatic.

5. Wiz Khalifa – “The Kid Frankie”
I no longer partake in the kind of extracurricular activities described on the “Kush and Orange Juice” Mixtape, but Wiz made me want to reconsider. This track is so laid back. It was made for summer.

6. Rico Blox – “Million Dollar Charm”
I kept visiting hiphopcanada.com while this was a “Choice Cut” just so I could bump it in my apartment.

7. D-Sisive – “I Love A Girl”
Even sad people need love songs. Possibly the best non-auto-tune, Drake-less hip-hop love letter. Featured on the album Vaudeville.

8. Alexander Spit – “He Said, She Said”
A great intro track to a slept on album (“Until Next Summer”). This San Fran M.C has a grimy, laid back west coast feel. More like the ‘Liks than Snoop. A real hidden gem for me this year.

9. Pigeon Hole f/ Moka Only and D.J Itchy Ron – “Loop Tape”
I had the pleasure to interview this B.C duo. This track speaks to their love of hip-hop and nostalgia for when your speakers need not “go hammer”, and no one wanted to teach you how to “Dougie”. Moka’s verse is great as well. Featured on the album “Age Like Astronauts”.

10. Kid Cudi f/ Chip The Ripper – “All Talk”
Kid Cudi, re-emerging from wherever pop music journalists and Lady Gaga banished him to. Being goofy with Chip the Rip and having fun on the track, it can’t be all Mr.Rager all the time.

DJ Sasparilla
Host of Pan African Hour

1. Pit Er Pat – The Flexible Entertainer
2. Various Artists – Angola Soundtrack
3. Various Artists – The Afrosound of Columbia
4. Anibal Velasquez y Su Conjunto – Mambo Loco
5. Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma
6. Various Artists – Palenque Palenque
7. Afrocubism – Afrocubism
8. Various Artists – Next Stop...Soweto
9. Caribou – Swim
10. Carolina Chocolate Drops – Genuine Negro Jig
11. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles (II)
12. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings – I Learned the Hard Way
13. Various Artists – Afrobeat Special
14. Various Artists – The World Ends
15. Various Artists – Aquarium Drunkard Presents: Lotus Plaza

Katie Seline
CJLO Station Manager & Former Host of Retired CJLO Show "Wrong Side of the Bed"

1. The National – High Violet – Listen to: “Afraid of Everyone”
2. Caribou – Swim – Listen to: “Odessa”
3. Beach House – Teen Dream – Listen to: “Norway”
4. The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night – Listen to: “And This Is What We Call Progress”
5. LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening – Listen to: “Pow Pow”
6. Les Savy Fav – Root For Ruin – Listen to “Dirty Knails”
7. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles II – Listen to: “Empathy”
8. The Black Keys – Brothers – Listen to: “Howlin’ For You”
9. Suuns – Zeroes QC – Listen to: “Arena”
10. Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record – Listen to: “All To All”

Honourable Mentions: Autolux – Transit Transit, Best Coast – Crazy For You, Arcade Fire – The Suburbs, Land of Talk – Cloak and Cipher, Hammock – Chasing After Shadows Living With The Ghosts, The Walkmen - Lisbon, Wolf Parade – Expo 86, Menomena – Mines, Coco et Co. – St. Denis.

Jess Smith
Host of With Gay Abandon

1. Robyn – Body Talk pt. 1
2. Robyn – Body Talk pt. 3
3. Robyn – Body Talk pt. 2
4. Lovers – Dark Light
5. Rae Spoon – Love Is A Hunter
6. Fan Death – A Coin For The Well
7. Antony and the Johnsons – Swanlight
8. Kylie – Aphrodite
9. Tender Forever – No Snare
10. Sia – We Are Born

Sruti
Host of Weird Era

1. Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me
I've spent a year with this record and I am still not done. It has yet to stop surprising, awing, and/or emotionally burdening me.

2. Beach House – Teen Dream
In the words of a wise friend, "All other bands should quit. Beach House clearly won."

3. Dum Dum Girls – I Will Be
Validates my love for all girl bands and noise pop, respectively. Consequently produces much girlish glee. Success.

4. The Black Keys, Spoon, Deerhunter, all released excellent material with respect to their repertoire. Individually these do not make the best of year lists. Collectively, will have to suffice. Jesus, how did Rob Gordon do this?

5. Titus Andronicus - The Monitor
The record I had the most fun with and stuff.

And now for questions nobody asked...

2010 Show that Changed My Life: Joanna Newsom, Ukrainian Federation Night #2. I'm pretty sure I cried.

2010 Best Single: Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti – “Round and Round”. Come oooooonnnnnnn.

2010 In Sum: Lo-fi Sci-fi.

2011 Promises: ...The Return of the Strokes (!!!)

Johnny Suck
Host of Turn Down The Suck

1. Kylesa – Spiral Shadow
2. Lair Of The Minotaur – Evil Power
3. Cough – Ritual Abuse
4. Burning Love – Songs For Burning Lovers
5. Sollubi/Aquilonian – Split CD
6. Jucifer – Throned In Blood
7. Coliseum – House With A Curse
8. Hey Sugar – Along For The Ride
9. Kingdom of Sorrow – Behind The Blackest Tears
10. Earthride – Something Wicked

DJ Mister Vee
Host of Beats From The East

Top Moments of 2010

1. Bret Hart's return to WWE
2. Abbey Road Crosswalk Declared Historic Landmark
3. History was made at the Beats From the East concert. Highlights include:
    -Getting to be the first-ever person to introduce Magnetic North and Taiyo Na on Canadian soil, as well as getting to DJ for their set.
    -Justin Valles, from Poreotix (America's Best Dance Crew) came to show us his support.
    -Masia One performed injured but still managed to rock the crowd.
    -Hitting on Nat (from the Blueprint Cru) onstage.
    -Rare non-dance crew performance by TL Truong (from the Blueprint Cru).
4. Solespin and I got to meet & interview the Far-East Movement. We were two of the four DJs selected in all of Montreal (many others were turned away).
5. Jay Legaspi driving all the way to CJLO from New Jersey just to perform on my show's 1-year anniversary.
6. Toronto Maple leafs keep adding credible players to their roster each year, but still cannot escape to bottom of the barrel in NHL standings.
7. Beatles albums released on iTunes and amassing crazy sales... 41 years after their break up.
8. I dropped some gems at the Fantasia film fest and delighted many hip hop heads in the crowd. Someone even blogged about how much he enjoyed my selection.
9. Got to see my heroes Public Enemy live in concert for the 3rd time in my life...they are still kickin'
10. Justin Beiber apparently wants to switch to comedy and compared himself to Kurt Cobain.

Adrian Warner
CJLO RPM Director & Host of Suite Delight

20 Best Singles of 2010

Dam-Funk – “Things That Dreams Are Made Of”
Azaxx – “Le Millionnaire”
Drake – “Forever” (Nosaj Thing Remix)
Janelle Monae – “Tightrope”
Don Cash – “Downtown Girl”
Homeboy Sandman – “Not Pop”
Shad – “Rose Garden”
Arcade Fire – “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)” (Tommie Sunshine's Quaalude Edit)
Aloe Blacc – “I Need A Dollar”
Erykah Badu – “Turn Me Away (Get MuNNY)”
Poirier feat. Face-T – “Enemies”
Sia – “Clap Your Hands”
N.E.R.D. feat. Nelly Furtado – “Hot & Fun”
The XX – “VCR” (Matthew Dear Remix)
Cee-Lo Green – “Forget You”
Kelis – “Acapella”
The Glass – “Wanna Be Dancin’”
Melo G – “I Am Blessed”
Tame Impala – “Solitude is Bliss”
The Black Keys – “Tighten Up”

10 Best Albums of 2010

1. Mark Ronson & The Business International – Record Collection
2. Bonobo – Black Sands
3. Andreya Triana – Lost Where I Belong
4. Chromeo – Business Casual
5. Lindstrøm & Christabelle – Real Life Is No Cool
6. Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
7. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
8. Various – G.I. Disco: The History of the Cold War’s hottest 80’s Club Music in West Germany
9. Various – Babylon Central SDTK
10. Various – Shapes 10:01

10 Best Shows of 2010

1. Theo Parrish – Mutek
2. Duck Down vs BlackSmith – Le Poisson Rouge, New York
3. Gilles Peterson – La Tulipe
4. Daedelus, The Gaslamp Killer, SAMIYAM & Teebs – Le Belmont
5. Cut Chemist, DJ Spinna, Telephoned & Jasmine Solano – CMJ Red Bull Space, New York
6. Rhymesayers Breakin' Dawn Tour – Foufounes Electriques
7. Sean Price – Cabaret du Mile End
8. Mary Hell – Piknic Electronik
9. Andy Williams Goods solo set – Sala Rossa
10. Sweet Daddy Luv – Casa Del Popolo

2010 Top Events

- Winning CMJ 2010 “Best Newcomer” award
- Nominated CMJ 2010 “Best Specialty Director”
- CMJ 2010
- CJLO Voted CMJ Station Of The Year
- CJLO Voted #6 Best Radio Station, Montreal Mirror
- Making a guest appearance on The Goods radio show
- Co-hosting J-Live & Rob Swift Under Pressure Showcase
- Hosting CJLO Music Pub Quiz

Andrew Wieler
CJLO Community Calendar Editor & Host of Grade A Explosives

It's that time of year again when the best of the best are highlighted so let's get to this:

1. Coheed and Cambria – Year of the Black Rainbow
This shouldn't be any surprise to those that know me well, but ultimately I'm surprised by how much I like this album. It's pretty proggy and burns off the overly polished poppy-ness of Good Apollo II: No World for Tomorrow. If you want a more in-depth review of it, you can see my review here.

2. Minus the Bear – Omni
Every Minus the Bear fan that I've talked to doesn't really like this album, which may show that this is some huge departure from their previous work. I still have to listen to more to be completely sure of that, but regardless I think it's pretty fantastic, even if celibate indie-rockers are all scandalized because it talks about sex (no really, check out Pitchfork's review... that's part of the reason they don't like it). I reviewed it for the magazine, so if you want more info click this here.

3. Norma Jean – Meridional
Like the long lost album combining Deftones’ White Pony and, well... a Norma Jean album, Norma Jean comes out with a severely punishing, severely awesome, severely atmospheric album. It has all the hardcore elements you've come to expect from these guys but it also has a whole sonic landscape behind it you really don't expect from this genre. It seems like everything that these guys do they do it well, and this finely crafted piece of music is no different.

4. Soilwork – The Panic Broadcast
These Gothenburg boys have come a long way from 1998's Steelbath Suicide and have put out another amazing album, not falling prey to whatever kind of terrible album writing curse that seems to have befallen Swedish bretheren In Flames. If you miss the Gothenburg song as it used to be you can catch good glimpses of it on this record and some fantastically hookey songs. If you like yourself some tasty metal, there's no reason not to like this.

5. Fear Factory – Mechanize
Oh yes, Fear Factory, so good to see you again. And I see you've brought your friend "brutal industrial sounds" with you. Well, both of you are welcome here. I thought you hadn't been on the best of terms since Obsolete. Well, it's good to see that you've made up and are now hanging out with each other. I hope the two of you continue to hang out because, let's face it – you make such a good couple. I hope you continue to stay on speaking terms because the world doesn't feel right when you aren't together.

6. Dog Tooth Violet – Dog Tooth Violet
Who the hell is this? Best I can tell it's a band from Toronto who put out a self-released album this year. After judging how bad it was based on the bad cover art I decided I would give it a shot just to see how bad it actually was and it turned out it was really good. Dog Tooth Violet is sort of a croony, dark, indie rock album, which has great song writing behind it. The whole album is fantastic, and I definitely recommend you check it out even if their name and album art is awful.

7. Chainsaw Hookers - First Blood EP
I usually don't put EPs in the top 10s because I usually feel they’re too short and I never feel like I've gotten a complete listen from a band. I mean anyone can manage to make six songs sound decent enough to fool you into thinking they might be good. However, I managed to see these guys in Australia before I listened to the EP and, well... they played more than six songs, and all of them were the same speed rocky goodness that were on the album, so I know they can make more... which leads me to question why only six songs on the EP? I mean, maybe they couldn't afford more studio time, or they didn't write them until later... regardless, Chainsaw Hookers, get back in the studio and make more rock NOW! I expect a new record in my inbox by the middle of this year.

8. Periphery – Periphery
I nearly forgot that this album came out since it was early in 2010. These fine gents put out a metal album that basically has all the elements that should never go together: Clean, melodic vocals mixed with angry screaming mixed with odd time signature changes mixed with prog-y metal. Basically they take parts from a lot of different sub-genres and cram it together. Of course all the prog metal fans will be pissed by simple breakdowns being put in songs, and deathcore fans will hate the clean vocals. Me, I like the fact that they actually tried to do something with all these things and made a delicious metal stew out of it. If you like metal, and not just a sub-genre of it, then you should like this album. Give it a listen and see.

9. The Bled - Heat Fetish
I wasn't even aware that this album came out this year. What the fuck The Bled?! Get Rise Records to promote you! Especially since this album is the next step after the fantastic Silent Treatment, which for me was really the best of their material. This punk-esque album really has stepped up the metal, making a delicious hybrid that The Bled has been putting down for quite some time now. I highly suggest that everyone give this a listen because, fuck man, it's The Bled, and you deserve good stuff in your ears.

10. This or the Apocalypse – Haunt What's Left
Holy shit. This album is leaps and bounds above Monuments, both musically, stylistically and whatever else you can think. If this is the trajectory of these fine fellows then some good albums are going to come streaming forth from their minds. To see more of what I thought, check out my review here.

For more stuff including "Honourable Mentions" and my "Top 10 songs of the Year," check out the Grade A Explosives blog through the CJLO website. Want to vent on how wrong I am? Send an email to gradeaexplosives@cjlo.com

Mason Axel Windels
Host of Midnight Love Affair

Favourite List of Favourite Things of 2010

There is no order to this list, as I'm much too indecisive to ever decide…but it does maintain a sort of possible order...

Albums:

1. Sean Nicholas Savage – Mutual Feelings of Respect and Admiration (Arbutus Records)
2. Aloe Blacc – Good Things
3. Connan Mockasin – Please Turn Me Into The Snat (Phantasy Records)
4. Caribou – Swim (Merge Records)
5. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti – Before Today (4AD Records)
6. Daft Punk – Tron Legacy Original Soundtrack (Walt Disney Records)
7. Chromeo – Business Casual (Atlantic Records)
8. Dam-Funk – Toeachizown (Stones Throw Records)
9. Toro Y Moi – Causers Of This (Carpark Records)
10. Blue Hawaii – Blooming Summer (Arbutus Records)

Shows:

1. Caribou – Le National
2. Aloe Blacc – Le Belmont
3. Chilly Gonzales – Cabaret Du Mile-End
4. Arbutus Records Showcase – Rialto Theatre
5. Akufen + Other Great DJs at House Unlimited – Some club on de Maisonneuve
6. Braids + Xiu Xiu – Ukrainian Federation
7. Casiotone For The Painfully Alone – Casa Del Popolo
8. Krazy Baldhead – Le Belmont
9. Etienne de Crecy + Clasixx – Some Club on St. Laurent
10. Delorean + Lemonade & Small Black – Le Belmont

Thanks 2010 for such great things!

Zombieboy
Host of The Almighty Riff

Top Ten Albums for 2010:

1. Scorpions – Sting In The Tail
2. Accept – Blood Of The Nations
3. Blind Guardian – At The Edge Of Time
4. Ratt – Infestation
5. Monster Magnet – Mastermind
6. White Wizzard – Over The Top
7. Black Label Society – Order Of The Black
8. Krokus – Hoodoo
9. Gamma Ray – To The Metal!
10. Molly Hatchet – Justice

The best of the best of 2010

November Horockscope

Submitted by CJLO on Mon, 11/08/2010 - 21:00

Feature

For November's edition of the hoROCKscope, we suggest you listen to Morrisey's “November Spawned a Monster” to fully substantiate this month's tweet-worthy predictions!

All signs:
The Sun transitions into Scorpio this month, taking emotions to the deepest level. Prepare for its full transformative energy! Power up!

Aries (Mar. 21 – Apr. 20)
Thoughts of travel occupy your mind. Don't let personal problems conflict with work. Luck will happen on a wednesday. Trust your intuition.

Taurus (Apr. 21 – May 21)
Home life will frustrate you this month. Doing things independently will benefit you. Take time to deal with finances. Friday will be lucky.

Gemini (May 22 – Jun. 21)
Avoid serious topics wih family to avoid a sticky situation this month. Don't let personal conflict impede goals. Luck falls on a Sunday.

Cancer (Jun. 22 – Jul. 22)
Savour small things this month. Travel is not wise for your wallet just now. Make plans for future goals. Luck arrives on a Tuesday.

Leo (Jul. 23 – Aug. 22)
Social interaction is ideal for you this month.Take time to contact old friends. Settle any debts to settle your home life. Sunday is lucky.

Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sep. 23)
You will come up with plans to solve inefficiencies around work this month. Travel is ideal, but beware of added costs. Sunday brings luck.

Libra (Sep. 24 – Oct. 23)
Try to cut or curb bad habits this month, you will feel better about yourself. Get out and meet new people. Luck is yours on a Saturday.

Scorpio (Oct. 24 – Nov. 22)
Happy birthday! Be careful with money and joint endeavours this month. Don't push opinions on to closed ears. A Wednesday will bring luck!

Sagittarius (Nov. 23 – Dec. 21)
Don't try to impress others with big spending this month. Romance may flourish from group activity. A Monday will bring luck this month.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 20)
Tempers will rise if you are too hasty with choices this month. Romantic opportunity presents itself through travel. A Monday will be lucky.

Aquarius (Jan. 21 – Feb. 19)
Ask true friends to help with your ideas this month. Travel could bring romance. Don't react to pushy people. A Wednesday will be lucky.

Pisces (Feb. 20 – Mar. 20)
Unexpected expenses may crop up, take heed to their seriousness, be firm. Learn new skills to help get ahead. Luck will fall on a Wednesday.

-Trixie Sixx

Horockscope.

Johnny Suck's Concert Diary - The Haiku Edition

Submitted by Johnny Suck on Thu, 10/07/2010 - 14:14

Feature

Thu, 10/07/2010

Bet you didn't see this one coming... After a four year absence, the most popular feature in the history of the CJLO magazine is back! ...In Haiku form?!? Let me explain: I'm lazy and I hate writing. The rotting carcasses of unfinished editions of Johnny Suck's Concert Diary litter my hard drive. No matter how much I wanted to share my concert-going experiences, I just couldn't complete a full-length feature. Then recently, someone (possibly me) made a joke about writing a review of Hatebreed's recent show in Haiku. I'm of the opinion that the best jokes are the ones that are followed through to their bitter, unfunny end. And since 17-syllable reviews are so quick and easy to write, why not do a whole bunch of them and call it a feature! So without further ado, I present to you Johnny Suck's Concert Diary - The Haiku Edition...


Black Bomb A, Katacombes, Sept 2nd

expected nothing
band was tight, catchy, and fun
pleasantly surprised


Downtrodden & Buffalo Theory MTL, Katacombes, Sept 3rd

Montreal doomers
Montreal stoner rockers
best bands in the city**


Fear & Loathing 9, Foufounes Electriques, Sept 5th

so much awesomeness
too much to say in three lines
trust me, go next year


Hatebreed, Club Soda, Sept 9th

went to see Hatebreed
not able to review the show
wasn't on guestlist


Holy Divide, Barfly, Sept 25th

Dutch Oven is dead
make way for Holy Divide
loud motherfuckers


Municipal Waste, Club Soda, Sept 30th

was too excited 
got municipally wasted
don't remember shit


Atari Teenage Riot, Foufounes Electriques, Oct 2nd

Ten years of nothing
went only for my teenage self
One hour of awesome


Tee Pee Records Showcase, Katacombes, Oct 2nd

Naam ended early
new Priestess stuff is the suck
was home by midnight

**Among the top ten in the city, at least... E-mail TDTS.CJLO@gmail.com with a list of the 8 other bands who you think I think round out the top ten bands in the city. The first person to get 6 of the 8 right wins a kick-ass*** prize!

OH YES!!!

CJLO Staff Picks of 2009

Submitted by Brian H on Tue, 01/05/2010 - 02:43

Feature

Tue, 01/05/2010

CJLO's finally compiled our year end chart for 2009! This year was packed full of some pretty sweet records but the one that stood out the most amungst many of our DJs and hit the coveted number one spot was none other than Face Control, the second album from Montreal's own Handsome Furs.

With that said our shows are as diverse as diverse can be. We've asked our DJs to come up with their own favorites of 2009, or even the decade! Highlights of the decade have included Radiohead's Kid A, Sonic Youth's Rather Ripped, Talib Kweli & DJ Hi-Tek's Reflection Eternal and Arcade Fire's Funeral. Keep reading to check out a whole slew of top 10's!

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Jeff Pavlopoulos - Right Place Wrong Time

Top albums of 2009

1. Myka 9 - 1969

The rest in mostly arbitrary order:

Chali 2na - Fish Outta Water
Quantic and his Combo Barbaro - Tradition in Transition
Tom Waits - Glitter and Doom
Mike Patton - A Perfect Place (2008)
Lee Fields and the Expressions - My World
Bill Frisell - Disfarmer
Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue
Les Claypool - Of Fungi and Foe
Raphael Saadiq - The Way I see it (2008)
Anti Pop Consortium - Fluorescent Black
Medeski, Martin & Wood - Radiolarians 1
John Robinson - Who is John Robinson?
Oh No - Oh No Vs. Now Again
DJ Vadim - U Can't Learn Imaginashun
The Aggrolites - IV

Best of the decade

Tom Waits - Real Gone
Yesterday's New Quintet - Angles without Edges
John Zorn and Electric Masada - At the Mountains of Madness
Peter Garland - Love Songs
DJ Spooky - Optometry
Frank Zappa - Civilization Phase III
Conlon Nancarrow - Studies for Player Piano
Madvillain - Madvillainy
Jamie Saft Trio - Astaroth: Book of Angels, Volume 1
Bonobo - Days to Come
Lou Reed - The Raven
East West Blast Test - Popular Music for Unpopular People
Madlib - WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip
R.L. Burnside - A Ass Pocket of Whiskey
Tom Waits - Orphans

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Kelly Kay Hurcomb - Cut Your Hair And Get A Job

Top albums of 2009

1. Almighty Defenders- Almighty Defenders
2. The Raveonettes- In and Out of Control
3. Iggy Pop- Preliminaires
4. Devil Eyes- Devil Eyes
5. Various Artists- Going Gaga Ottawa Volume 1

Best of the decade

1. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
2. Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose
3. Joe Strummer and the Mescalaros - Streetcore
4. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
5. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever to Tell
6. Mark Sultan - Sultanic Verses
7. Black Lips - Good, Bad Not Evil
8. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
9. The Raveonettes - Whip It On
10. Various Artists - The Royal Tenenbaums Soundtrack

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Ciaran T. - The Consortium

Top 10 albums of 2009

1. Parov Stellar - Coco
2. Zoot Woman - Things Are What They Used To Be
3. Deluka - Deluka
4. Calvin Harris - Ready For he Weekend
5. Mistress Barbara - I’m No Human
6. DJ Vadim - U can’t Lurn Imaginashun
7. Royksopp - Junior
8. Junior Boys - Begone Dull Care
9. Neon Indian - Deadbeat Summer
10. Lee Fields and the Expressions - My World

Top 30 songs of 2009

1. Parov Stelar - Your Man
2. Calvin Harris - Yeah Yeah Yeah La La La
3. Royksopp - The Girl and the Robot
4. Mistress Barbara - Dance Me to the end of Love
5. Aganju - The Latin Project
6. DJ Vadim - Beijos Feat. Heidi Vogel
7. Moby - Pale Horses (Gui Boratto's Last Window Remix)
8. Let’s go to War - Wolves
9. Elonious Funk - Rose Black's Shadow
10 Parov Stelar - Wake Up Sister feat. Max the Sax
11. Junior Boys - Bits and Pieces
12. Air - So Light Is Her Footfall
13. Felix Da Housecat - We Babel
14. The Very Best Of - Warm Heart of Africa
15. Emprie of the Sun - Walking On a Dream
16. Lee Fields and the Expressions - My World
17. Royksopp - Royksopp Forever
18. Parov Stellar - Ragtime cats
19. Gilberto - Bananeira
20. Casxio - Seventeen Master
21. Fleavans - 27 Devils
22. Gusgus - Thin Ice
23. Dragonette - Liar
24. Zero 7 - Pop Art Blue
25. Parov Stelar - Libella Swing
26. Royksopp - Happy up Here
27. Lee Fields and the Expressions - Money is King
28. TH White - Whitesky Lights
29. Domu - Collecting Dust
30. Mistress Barbara - Talk To Me feat Brazilian Girls

Top 30 Albums of Decade

1. Radiohead - Kid A (2000)
2. Thievery Corporation - The Richest Man In Babylon (2002)
3. Ronny Jordan - Off the Record (2001)
4 RJD2 - Deadringer (2002)
5. Air - Virgin Suicides soundtrack (2000)
6. Late Night Alumni - Empty Streets (2005)
7. DJ Shadow - The Private Press (2002)
8. Hayden - Skyscraper National Park (2001)
9. St Germain - Tourist (2000)
10. Akido - Blink (2007)
11. Boards of Canada - Geogaddi (2002)
12. DJ Tiesto - Just Be (2004)
13. Jamiroquai - A Funk Odyssey/Dynamite(2001)
14. The Avalanches - Since I Left You (2000)
15. Radiohead - Hail to The Thief (2003)
16. Atmosphere - God Loves Ugly (2002)
17. Remy Shand - The Way I feel (2002)
18. Akhenathon - Sol Invictus (2001)
19. The Postal Service - Give Up (2003)
20. Benny Benasi - Hypnotica (2003)
21. Bon Iver - For Emma Forever Ago (2008)
22. White Stripes - Elephant (2003)
23. Boards of Canada - Campfire Headphase (2005)
24. Ratatat - Classics (2006)
25. Amon Tobin - Supermodified (2000)
26. Chromeo - Fancy Footwork (2007)
27. Ted Leo and The Pharmacists - The Tyranny of Distance (2001)
28. Thom Yorke - The Eraser (2006)
29. Amadou and Miriam - Dimanche a Bamako (2005)
30. Sam Roberts - We Were Born In a Flame (2003)

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Abby - The Reaktor

BEST OF 2009 according to THE REAKTOR

Theme of the year--- ‘Nobody, nobody…puts Abby in a corner”

Top 10 albums of 2009

1. The Raveonettes - In and Out of Control
2. Handsome Furs - Face Control
3. Dead Weather - Horehound
4. Parov Stellar - Coco
5. Mayer Hawthorne- A Strange Arrangement
6. La Roux - La Roux
7. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus
8. Japandroids - Post Nothing
9. Superchunk - Leaves in the Gutter EP
10. Yacht - See Mystery Lights

Best Canadian releases

Metric - Fantasies
Dragonette - Fixin to Thrill
Fox Jaws - Home and Native
Kestrels - Primary Colours
Magneta Lane - Gambling with God
Handsome Furs - Face Control
The Manvils - self-entitled

Songs of the decade
...TOO MANY. TOO BLOODY MANY!!!

Best concerts of '09

-Golden Triangle
-Handsome Furs
-Flogging Molly
-Youth Brigade and Bouncing Souls
-The Nailheads in Quebec City
-The Kills
- Mayor Hawthorne and Peanut Butter Wolf
-Beast
-Dj Champion
-Malajube
-Crystal Antlers
-Bloc Party

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Katrina Kuras - Break It Down

Top 10 albums of 2009

1. Trapped Under Ice - Secrets of the World. Choice track: "See God"
2. Monsters - The Righteous Dead. Choice track: "Ignite The Underground"
3. Miss May I - Apologies Are For The Weak. Choice track: "Architect"
4. Oceano - Depths. Choice track: "District of Misery"
5. Chelsea Grin - Chelsea Grin EP. Choice track: "Lifeless"
6. Every Time I Die - New Junk Aesthetic. Choice track: "Buffalo 666"
7. Survivalist- ABACABB. Choice track: "Infection"
8. Fame - Can’t Get It Right. Choice track: "Glory Dog"
9. The World We Knew - To The Wolves. Choice track: "To The Wolves"
10. iwrestledabearonce - It's All Happening. Choice track "Tastes Like Kevin Bacon"

Top 10 of the decade

1. Once Nothing - First Came The Law (2008)
2. Means - Sending You Strength (2007)
3. Elysia - Masochist (2006)
4. The Holly Springs Disaster - Motion Sickness Love (2007)
5. Miss May I - Apologies Are For The Weak (2009)
6. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Miss Machine (2004)
7. Liferuiner - Take Back The Night Life (2008)
8. Blessthefall - His Last Walk (2006)
9. Dead And Divine - The Fanciful (2008)
10. The Acacia Strain - The Dead Walk (2006)

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NeneB - Beat The World

NeNe's Top 10 World Music Albums of 2009

1. Buraka Som Sistema - Black Diamond*
2. Tinariwen - Imidiwan:Companions
3. Novalima - Coba Coba
4. Marrabenta Music from Mozambique - Various Artists
5. Nigeria 70 The Definitive Story Of 1970's Funky Lagos - Various Artists
6. Roberto Lopez Project - Soy Panamericano
7. Staff Benda Bilili - Tres Tres Fort,
8. Tumbélé! Biguine, Afro & Latin Sounds from the French Caribbean - Various Artists
9. Rough Guide to the Music of Japan - Various Artists
10. African Reggae - Various Artists
*Released 2008, received and charted in 2009

NeNe's Top 5 Shows of 2009

1. Julian + The Uprising (feat. Stephen Marley) Spragga Benz & Mr Cheeks October 21 at Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY
2. Municipal Waste + Brutal Truth December 7 at Les Foufounes Electrique, Montreal
3. Peaches November 17 at Le Metropolis, Montreal
4. Umalali July 15 at Kola Note, Montreal
5. Roc Raida Tribute October 22, BB Kings NYC

Worst Show of the Year: Rock the Bells Hip Hop Festival, July 19 at Jones Beach NYC

City of the Year: New York City

Country of the Year: Colombia

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Lady Oracle - The Limelight

Top 15 Hip Hop Singles for 2009 (in no particular order)

1. Q-Tip – Damn You’re Cool
2. K’Naan ft Chubb Rock – ABCs
3. Mos Def ft Talib Kweli – History
4. Dujeous ft Sharon Jones – Spectacular
5. Masta Ace and Ed OG – Little Young
6. Marco Polo and Torae – Party Crashers
7. Tiye Phoenix – Stop Right There
8. Rapper Big Pooh – The Comeback
9. Preach Ankobia & Jonathan Emile – Take Flight
0. Random Axe – Monster Babies
11. Classified – Quit While You’re Ahead
12. Skyzoo ft Wale and Illmind – Freshfest
13. Fame Beatts and L.E.S. – Subwoofah
14. Chris Coates – Supernova
15. Oddisee ft Invincible & Finale – Don’t Sleep

Top 5 Tracks (because I’m multi-dimensional)

1. Mayer Hawthorne – Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out
2. The Budos Band – Smoke Gets In
3. The Menahan Street Bank – Make The Road By Walking
4. Wavves – Weed Demon
5. Buraka Som Sistema – Kalemba (Wegue Wegue)

Top 15 Hip Hop Albums of The Decade

1. Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-Tek – Reflection Eternal
2. Common – Like Water For Chocolate
3. Hi-Tek – Hi-Teknology
4. De La Soul – The Grind Date
5. J Dilla - Donuts
6. Little Brother – The Listening
7. Madvillain – Madvillainy
8. The Foreign Exchange – Connected
9. Outcast – Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
10. Nas – God’s Son
11. Kanye West – College Dropout
12. Black Milk – Popular Demand
13. Madlib – Beat Konducta Vol 1-2
14. Q-Tip – The Renaissance
15. Masta Ace – Long Hot Summer

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Stephanie Pastel - Twee Time

- Albums Year 2000 -
White Stripes - De Stilj

Belle & Sebastian - Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant
Elliott Smith - Figure 8
Yo la Tengo - Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out
The Parcels - Have a Go with the Parcels
The White Stripes - De Stijl
Stereolab - The First of the Microbe Hunters
Billy Bragg and Wilco - Mermaid Avenue Vol. II
Boyracer - Boyfuckingracer

- Albums Year 2001 -
The Lucksmiths - Why That Doesn't Surprise Me
Pixies - Complete 'B' Sides
The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
Regina Spektor - 11:11
The Strokes - Is This It
The Moldy Peaches - The Moldy Peaches

- Albums Year 2002 -
Tullycraft - Beat Surf Fun (the album with the fabulous "Twee")
All Girl Summer Fun Band - All Girl Summer Fun Band
Sonic Youth - Murray Street
Regina Spektor - Songs
Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
Tom Waits - Alice
Tom Waits - Blood Money
Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights
Neko Case - Blacklisted

- Albums Year 2003 -
Fishboy - Zipbangboom
All Girl Summer Fun Band - 2
The Darkness - Permission to Land
The White Stripes - Elephant
The Raveonettes - Chain Gang of Love
Belle & Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress
Liz Phair - Liz Phair
Lederhosen Lucil - Tales From the Pantry

- Albums Year 2004 -
Bearsuit - Cat Spectacular!
PJ Harvey - Uh Huh Her
The Magnetic Fields - i
Courtney Love - America's Sweetheart (can't help but love that crazy bitch)
Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse
The Futureheads - The Futureheads
Regina Spektor - Soviet Kitsch
Tom Waits - Real Gone
Elliott Smith - From a Basement on the Hill

- Albums Year 2005 -
Bearsuit - Team Ping Pong
Tullycraft - Disenchanted Hearts Unite
Boyracer - A Punch Up the Bracket
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Black Mountain - Black Mountain
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - Worlds Apart
The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema

- Albums Year 2006 -
The Nymphets - Pro-Fucking-Motional
Math and Physics Club - Math and Physics Club
The Snow Fairies - Voila
Pants Yell! - Recent Drama
The Manhattan Love Suicides - Manhattan Love Suicides
Loveninjas - Secret of the Loveninjas
Friendly Rich & The Lollipop People - The Friendly Rich Show
The Life Pursuit - Belle & Sebastian
The Besties - Singer
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Tom Waits - Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards
Peter Bjorn and John - Writer's Block

- Albums Year 2007 -
Tullycraft - Every Scene Needs a Center
The Wedding Present - The Complete Peel Sessions 1986–2004
The Flying Club Cup - Beirut
Fishboy - Albatross: How We Failed to Save the Lone Star State with
the Power of Rock and Roll
Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
Julie Doiron - Woke Myself Up
Dinosaur Jr - Beyond
Elliott Smith - New Moon
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
The White Stripes - Icky Thump

- Albums Year 2008 -
The Lucksmiths - First Frost
The Magnetic Fields - Distortion
Stephen Malkmus - Real Emotional Trash
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
All Girl Summer Fun Band - Looking Into it

- Albums Year 2009 -

Dinosaur Jr - Farm

Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Pains of Being Pure At Heart (my pick for "album of the year")
Yo la Tengo - Popular Songs
Sonic Youth - The Eternal
Tom Waits - Glitter and Doom Live
Dinosaur Jr - Farm
Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
Karen O and the Kids - Where the Wild Things Are

Stuff to note:
- 2009 marked the 20-year anniversary of the album Sittin' Pretty by the Pastels
- The only band that truly excited me in the last decade: The White Stripes
- This made me want to kill myself: Anywhere I Lay My Head - Scarlett Johansson (2008)
- Awesome band name wasted on a shitty band: The Used (formed in 2001)
- I will always love you: PR, TM (aka "Stupid Kid")
- You will always be missed: Joey Ramone, Dee Ramone, Johnny Ramone, Joe Strummer, Johnny Cash, Grant McLennan, Elliott Smith, Mary Hansen, Mana "China" Nishiura, Bea Arthur (right on, Maude), Bettie Page, Patrick Swayze, there are more but it makes me sad to think about who died

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DJ Catatonia - Catatonia

Top 10 albums of 2009

1. Sunn 0))) - Monoliths & Dimensions
2. Jex Thoth - self-titled
3. Menace Ruine - The Die is Cast*
4. Darkthrone - Dark Thrones & Black Flags
5. Ghast - May The Curse Bind
6. Current 93 - Aleph at Hallucinatory Mountain
7. Fennesz - Black Sea
8. Neige et Noirceur - Philosophie des Arts Occultes*
9. 1349 - Revelations of the Black Flame
10. Drudkh - Microcosmos
*Canadian

Top 3 of the decade
Khanate - Things Viral

1. Khanate - Things Viral
2. Electric Wizard - Dopethrone
3. Isis - Oceanic

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The Pan African Hour top picks of 2009
Ghana Soundz Vol. 2

1. Ghana Soundz Vol.2 (Soundway)
2. Ethiopiques Vol.13 (Buda Musique)
3. Tropicalia (Souljazz)
4. Soul of Angola (Lusafrique)
5. Psychedelic Classics Vol.3: Loves a Real Thing (The Funky Psychedelic Sounds of West Africa) (Stonesthrow/Luaka Bop)
6. Legends of Benin (Analog Africa)
7. Panama! 2 (Soundway)
8. Nigeria Special (Soundway)
9. Disco Fuentes (Soundway)
10. Calypsoul (Strut)

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DJ Solespin - Suite Delight

Top 10 songs of 2009
Fitz and the Tantrums

1. Fitz & The Tantrums – Breaking the Chains of Love
2. Yacht – Psychic City
3. Grand Analog - Take It Slow (Spaces and Places)
4. La Roux - Fascination
5. Major Lazer Feat. Mr. Vegas & Jovi Rockwell - Can't Stop Now
6. Mayer Hawthorne – Just Ain`t Gonna Work Out
7. Empire Isis – Don`t Go Home
8. Tiga – Beep Beep Beep
9. Pitbull – Calle Ocho
10. Lady Gaga – Poker Face

Top 10 albums of 2009
Classified - Self Explanatory

1. Classified – Self Explanatory
2. Tiye Phoenix - Half Woman Half Amazin'
3. Keri Hilson - In a Perfect World
4. Chester French - Love The Future
5. Grand Analog – Metropolis Is Burning
6. Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2
7. Mos Def – The Ecstatic
8. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
9. K-Os – Yes!
10. K’Naan – Troubadour

Top 10 Shows/Events

1. CMJ
2. Roc Raida Tribute, B.B. King's
3. Peanut Butter Wolf, Saints Showbar
4. K-Os, Le National
5. The Kills, La Tulipe
6. Best of the Uptown Comics, Metropolis
7. Santogold, Metropolis
8. Redman & Methodman, Metropolis
9. Lykke Li, Club Soda
10. DJ Jonathan Toubin, Green Room

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Linsday Wood - Through Being Cool

Top 10 albums of 2009:
Matt And Kim - Grand

10. Raekwon - Only Built 3 Cuban Linx 2
9. No Age - Losing Feeling
8. Brand New - Daisy
7. SilverSun Pickups - Swoon
6. Priestess - Prior To The Fire
5. Future Of The Left - Travels With Myself And Another
4.The Wooden Sky - If I Don't Come Home You'll Know I'm Gone
3.Junior Boys - Begone Dull Care
2.Girls Album
1. Matt and Kim - Grand

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Lachlan Fletcher - The Subplot, Unabridged

Top 5 Musical Things That Made My Ears Vibrate My Brain In An Interesting Manner (In No Particular Order)

STAR WARS IN CONCERT!!!!

Star Wars In Concert: Saw it at the Bell Centre, and it was the least classy symphony ever. A full symphony orchestra, complete with choir to sing that awesome Darth Maul cue from The Phantom Menace (hey, the music was good), was surrounded by obnoxiously awesome Star Wars props like Gungan shields, silly laser lights and fog machines, and strategically triggered walls of flame. I would image for a life-long cellist or classically trained French Horn player, it was the just about as embarrassing as playing a bar-mitzvah (they were probably payed extremely well, though). In the interest of full disclosure, I must admit to being a huge Star Wars nerd (if you can’t tell), so myself and the group of friends with whom I attended were absolutely giddy. It was a ton of fun, if completely over-the-top.

Moderat live in Chicago: It serves the discerning music fan well to be skeptical of laptop-based performances, thus when I went to see Moderat (Modeselektor and Apparat) this summer in Chicago, all that was expected was a pleasant evening of grooving to some solid beats (that’s right, grooving, I do that). I was, however, dreadfully mistaken. The opening act was a very solid Chicago DJ who got everybody’s energy up in his forty-minute set, and by the time Moderat took the stage, the room was ready to burst. They played straight through their album (which, despite the lack of surprises, provided a great structure) accompanied by a stunning video presentation, complete with mind-bending computer animation and imaginative macro-videography. It was a very memorable concert indeed; I have since read an interview with Moderat in which they singled out that show as the best on the tour.

All that Radiohead Internet Drama over the summer: If nothing else, this one provided some not-very-entertaining entertainment during the summer months. I will summarize quickly, for those who are not familiar with the tale: in the late summer, a song that sounded A LOT like Radiohead was leaked via that series of tubes that is the internet. There was a series of mysterious happenings surrounding the song, including a cryptic website that only existed for a few days, Radiohead saying something about only making EPs from now on, and everybody generally flipping their sh*t. All this said, it is a fairly killer song called “These Are My Twisted Words” that ended up available as a free download off Radiohead’s official website, along with some creative DIY stencil paper artwork.

The Jesus Lizard Reunites/The Beatles Reissued: These are combined, because as much as the Radiohead drama is common knowledge, it was very hard to miss these two events. There isn’t much that needs to be said about The Jesus Lizard; it’s simply an amazing thing. Hooray! As for The Beatles releasing their full catalogue completely remastered with 1’s and 0’s, it was definitely worth taking a look into. The tracks were last retouched in the studio in the late-eighties, when the classic records were being released on compact disc for the first time. Mastering technology has come a long way, and the re-release also promised to provide improved presentation in stereo, a key aspect neglected by The Beatles due to the predominance of mono in their day. There are separate box sets for mono and stereo records, each with equally steep price tags. If you are into The Beatles and like to listen to music on a real sound system (ie NOT earbuds), might be worth a look.

All This Dan Deacon Business: This year, the pudgy purveyor of hyperactive enthusiasm put out a new album that kicked major rear. Bromst was a clear step in advancing his unique sound after his debut full-length, Spiderman Of The Rings. My enthusiasm for Mr. Deacon lead me to attend his concert at The Eastern Blog in November, and it killed me with happiness. I have not been that giddy at a concert since I went to Warped Tour when I was fourteen and crowd-surfed for the first time (and had my shoes stolen). It was absolutely life-affirming, totally in a non-corny way (maybe a bit corny). Unfortunately the last leg of his tour was canceled due to a bout of acute sciatica, so let’s all think of Dan Deacon and send him some positive healing vibes.

DISHONORABLE MENTION:

Billy Corgan: is now completely ridiculous. Come on, what happened to cool Billy? This year saw Jimmy Chamberlain finally leave the shoddily-reformed Smashing Pumpkins, meaning that the band is now officially Billy Corgan’s flaccid musical mid-life crisis (Chamberlain was the last original member aside from Corgan; on the bright side a new Jimmy Chamberlain Complex album is on the way). I heard a new Pumpkins song the other day, and it was disarmingly mediocre. Sigh. Corgan’s other gem this year was starting a spiritual blog on which he and various guests could blog about the existence of God. It is, as you could imagine, extremely mediocre. At least he didn’t curse out any fans this year.

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Katie Seline - CJLO manager

Top 10 albums of 2009:
Gliss - Devotion Implosion

1- Gliss - Devotion Implosion
2 - Japandroids - Post Nothing
3 - Silversun Pickups - Swoon
4 - Wye Oak - The Knot
5 - Handsome Furs - Face Control
6 - We Were Promised Jetpacks - These Four Walls
7 - Doves - Kingdom of Rust
8 - HEALTH - Get Color
9 - Headlights - Wildlife
10 - Built To Spill - There is no Enemy

Honorable Mentions:

Dead Weather - Horehound
Magneta Lane - Gambling With God
Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus
Matt & Kim - Grand
Appleseed Cast - Sagarmatha
Maserati - Passages
Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz
Clues - Clues

Biggest Disappointments:

Raveonettes - In and Out of Control
You Say Party We Say Die - XXXX
We Are Wolves - Invisible Violence

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Nicholas Fiscina, news director

Top 5 albums of the decade:

The Almighty - Original S.I.N.

1) The Almighty—Original S.I.N. (Strength in Numbers) (2008)

This album was released over a year and a half ago, yet I still listen to it on an almost daily basis. The lyrics and beats are top notch, making this album a must for all hip hop heads. The fact that the album is so strong isn’t surprising considering The Almighty is composed of heavyweights Killah Priest and Bronze Nazareth, as well as C-Rayz Walz, Son One, M-Eighty, and 5-Star. Original S.I.N., which is the group’s first album, also features Canibus, Keith Murray, Planet Asia, Holocaust, and Hussein Fatal from Tupac’s The Outlawz. This album’s hotter than fire, and the burn feels great.

Favourite tracks: Dead Flowers, Killa Bee Swarm, The Saga Begins.

2) DJ Muggs vs GZA the Genius—Grandmasters (2005)

Much like The Almighty’s album, this is one of those records where every track is strong. While you might have never heard of DJ Muggs, you probably have heard his work before. He’s Cypress Hill’s producer, and his beats on this album are as awesome as GZA’s lyrics. Speaking of the GZA, this album is further proof that he is one of the best lyricists, period.

Favourite tracks: Queen’s Gambit (he uses the names of teams in the NFL to rap about a woman, it’s absolutely crazy), Unprotected Pieces, Destruction of a Guard, All in Together.

3) MF Doom—MM..Food? (2004)

Rapper MF Doom's (also known as King Geedorah and Viktor Vaughn) album “MM..Food?” sounds like what would happen if someone were to put Hip Hop in a dryer and set it to “Extended Tumble,” and that’s what makes it so unique. Doom rhymes in a very laidback and off-key style and you can tell he’s just relaxing and having fun with the lyrics. The beats are just as particular as Doom tends to play with the tempo a lot. The album is also interspersed with clips from science fiction and anime movies, giving the album a weird dream-like atmosphere. Other albums definitely worth checking out are King Geedorah’s Take me to Your Leader and Doom’s collaboration with producer Madlib, called Madvillainny. Quite simply, the rhymes, beats, and feel of MF Doom’s albums are unlike those of any other rapper, making them more refreshing than an ice cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day.

Favourite Tracks: Beef Rapp, Potholderz, Deep Fried Frenz, Guinnesses, Rapp Snitch Knishes.

4) Ghostface Killah—More Fish (2006)

More Fish was Ghostface Killah’s second album of 2006 (the first being Fishscale), and it was also my favourite album of all the ones he put out in the 2000s. What I like about this album is that it combines Ghostface’s typical gangsta songs, such as Miguel Sanchez, with more emotional tracks like Josephine, which is about a young drug-addicted woman, and You Know I’m No Good featuring Amy Winehouse. While More Fish demonstrates Ghostface is maturing as a rapper, the overall formula hasn’t changed. He still has the ability to pump you up and make you feel like you can take over the world.

Favourite tracks: Guns N’ Razors, Street Opera, Pokerface, Josephine, You Know I’m No Good, Gotta Hold On.

5) Bronze Nazareth—The Great Migration (2006)

Bronze Nazareth is a force of nature, and unfortunately, he’s also one of the most underrated rappers right now. The Great Migration puts many rappers (and Montreal’s infrastructure) to shame as it is an extremely solid album. It is made up of nothing but one out-of-this-world-goodness song after another, as Nazareth spits his verses on top of soulful beats complemented by strings and horns. What more could one ask for?

Favourite tracks: The Pain, More Than Gold, The Bronzeman.

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Ian Macpherson - The Go Go Magic Radio Show

Top albums of 2009:
Crystal Antlers - Tentacles

Crystal Antlers - Tentacles
Woods - Songs Of Shame
The Mantles - The Mantles
Red Mass - Red Mass EP
Smith Westerns - Smith Westerns
Thomas Function - In The Valley Of Sickness
The Horrors - Primary Colors
Wilco - Wilco (The Album)
Black Lips - 200 Million Thousand
The Hunches - Exit Dreams
Grand Duchy - Petits Fours
Monstrers Of Folk - Monsters Of Folk
R.E.M. - Reckoning (Deluxe Edition) (25th anniversary reissue)
R.E.M. - 39 Songs Live At The Olympia
Strange Boys - .... and Girls Club
Built To Spill - There Is No Enemy"
Jay Reatard - Watch Me Fall
Kurt Vile - Childish Prodigy
Jean Leloup- Milles Excuses Milady
Dinosaur Jr. - Farm

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Zombieboy - The Almighty Riff

Top 10 albums of 2009:

1. W.A.S.P. - Babylon
2. Hell & Hell - The Devil You Know
3. 3 Inches Of Blood - Here Awaits Thy Doom
4. The Gates Of Slumber - Hymns Of Blood And Thunder
5. Megadeth - Endgame
6. Cauldron - Chained To The Nite
7. Anvil - This Is Thirteen
8. Saxon - Into The Labyrinth
9. Alestorm - Black Sails At Midnight
10. Edguy - Tinnitus Sanctus

Biggest Disappointments:
1. Queensryche - American Soldier – Queensryche have finally hit rock bottom with this overbearing, dull-as-dirt concept album that offers absolutely nothing new on both hard rock and the "war on terror". It's all been said, in more ways than one.
2. Ace Frehley - Anomaly – I'd love to welcome Ace back as the superstar he truly is, but this isn't the album to do it. An overly safe rehash of what sounds like throw away riffs and B-sides from early KISS.
3. Clutch - Strange Cousins From The West – I think the charm's finally worn off Clutch. Instead of sounding edgy and unpredictable, they now just sound like your pot-smoking, heavy drinking uncle. And bring back the Hammond next time please!
4. Dio diagnosed with stomach cancer – After a momentous year with Heaven & Hell, the metal world should all say a quick prayer to the dark lords that the grandfather of metal pulls through his latest challenge!
5. Inondation of retro thrash bands – Okay, so 1986 was a great year for thrash but the world doesn't need any more Master of Puppets and Reign in Blood clones. And lose the damn jean-jackets.

Biggest Surprises:
1. Ozzy replacing Zakk – All my jokes about the Ozzy band aside, the only bright spot in recent years has been Zakk Wylde. Now he's been replaced by the milquetoast and yawn-inducing Gus G. At least this means more time for Black Label Society.
2. The Gates Of Slumber – These guys are quickly becoming one of my favourites. What was first an impulse buy last year with Conqueror (god bless Boobs and Conan) has become one of the most interesting groups on the scene.
3. W.A.S.P. – I haven't cared about W.A.S.P. in years so what I'm shocked that Blackie and the boys have taken the title of album of the year. Ridiculously catchy riffs, loads of energy and even a kickass cover of "Burn" make this one a winner all around!

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Andrew Wieler - Grade A Explosives

The Protomen - Act II

Every year, people around the world come together in a spirit of good will and cheer to do one very important thing, and that is come up with top ten lists of what was good during the year, and I, well, I am no exception. This year has seen a great amount of albums that I have sadly had no idea were being released, which makes me, as they say, a very sad panda. This of course will inevitably lead to, "But wait, why isn't (insert name of band) here?" Well because I haven't gotten to listen to it yet, and I will probably hear it early in the year and say, "Man... I wish I could have put that on my top ten list..." But enough of me yakking, here's the list:

10. Pigface - 6

Pigface is just one guy, Martin Atkins who organizes a bunch of industrial names to do whatever he wants, a kind of "puppet master" of industrial artists. Ranging from people from KMFDM to Atari Teenage Riot to Bile (see below), he throws people together in his magic pot of awesome and see what comes out. ...Wait now he's a witch? I'm sorry I got off topic. Ranging from straight industrial to electronic ditties, this album pretty much has
something for everyone, that is if you like things that are even a bit electronic in nature.

9. Devildriver - Pray for Villians

So when Coal Chamber broke up I was pretty sad. I had just started listening to their Dark Days album and was looking forward to what they would put out next, but apparently everyone in the band hated each other since they started the band and four albums later they broke up. Then I heard that Dez, the lead singer was making another band, so I thought I'd give it a shot, and thus I began listening to Devildriver, and every album they just get better. The first album was shaking off all the Nu-Metal from Coal Chamber, and now with Pray for Villians they seem to have gotten it all out of their system and are now pumping out metal licks that make you feel like punching babies in the face. Hopefully Dez will keep trying to hide his ugly Nu-Metal past, and if more metal Devildriver albums are what he needs to do so, then by all means who am I to stand in his way?

8. Prodigy - Invaders Must Die

Everyone that's heard my show knows that I have a soft spot for electronic music. I was skeptical about a new Prodigy album because I find that I have a hit or miss relationship with them. This album certainly falls under the hit category. Sure it has a lot of that obnoxious Euro-dance flavor to it, but what do you expect, they are from England. It doesn't have the same kind of rock tendencies that albums like Fat of the Land and Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned seemed to have, but it still is an upbeat and catchy album. It didn't make me want to put on rave pants and start waving glow sticks, but it did help me to remember that some electronic music is still going strong, even if bands like the Crystal Method have abandoned it for more of a hip hop
sound. For shame Crystal Method... for shame.

7. Maylene & the Sons of Disaster - III

What do you get when you take hardcore and add a barbeque? An awesome day, that's what. But you also may get Maylene and the Sons of Disaster. This appropriately-titled third album is some good hardcore mixed with some southern rock riffage, and they go together like cornbread and ribs. This album seems much more aggressive than II, but I don't see what these guys have to be mad about. I mean the lead singer did leave Underoath just as they were starting their downward spiral. Now these guys seem content to kick ass and take some names all while channeling some Skynyrd. Keep the meat warm boys and get the hot sauce flowing.

6. Hurt - Goodbye to the Machine

I was skeptical that I would really like this album. I have the first two albums by this band, and I paid the right price for them, which was zero dollars because they were promotional copies. So, once again, I saw this was being given out as a promo album, and I thought, "Oh... what the hell?" and then grabbed it to listen to. I honestly didn't think there was going to be much to write about, but this album takes all the stuff I liked about the first album, mainly the dark atmosphere and catchy parts of 4 or 5 part songs, and synthesizes them with the few things I liked about the second album, AKA the rock edge and consiseness. The first song is addictive and hooky and just leads you into the rest of the album prefectly, which is pretty solid. If this keeps up, I may have to restart thinking all the bands that I only half heartedly like their albums. ...No that just sounds crazy.

5. The Motorleague - Black Noise

I had the pleasure of seeing these fine gents from Canada's east coast at NXNE this year, and they did not disappoint. They put on one hell of a live show, reminding you what rock music should be, and thereby reminding you, yet again, why you hate the souless drivel that Nickelback keeps churning out album after album. They're apparently in the studio getting ready to record a followup, so hopefully it will rock as much as this, because surely the world needs it.

4. Bile - Hate Radio

Fuck I love me some industrial! And no, not that pansy, "I'm a vampire so I dance around moving my head side to side as I look down at my feet kind of industrial." I mean the, "Oh sweet jeebus this is loud and noisy and ear-grating, and the people are playing actual instruments and not pushing play on their synthesizers." Bile specializes in what they refer to as, "demonic electronic," or, "Metal industrial terrorism." No matter how they put it, its industrial the way it should be: loud, abrasive, and above all, metal. Of course, the music industry has no desire to put out anything like this, so they had to release it themselves. Now that Ministry is gone (at least until Al Jorgenson needs a couple bucks and does a reunion tour), and you're looking for something to fill the industrial void, go to their Myspace and click on the link to get a copy of this album. You won't be disappointed.

3. HORSE the Band - Desperate Living

Oh you crazy HORSE the Band bastards. They coined the term "Nintencore" to describe themselves and then had people try to imitate them. This album shows again that the creators of something will always outdo imitators. Raw, glitchy, and just as irreverent as ever, HORSE the Band manage to create an album that outdoes themselves and anyone else that puts 8-bit things into their music. Now if only I could get that interview with them...

2. Everytime I Die - New Junk Aesthetic

This is a fantastic album. This whole album reminds me of a song off their previous album, Gutter Phenomenon called "Gloom and How it Gets that Way." The song is 1:58 seconds and I think it may be the best Every Time I Die song. Its direct, to the punch, and when its over, it leaves you wanting more, so you listen to it over and over again. This album is pretty much the same deal: direct, to the point, and when its done you go, "Hey, I want more of that, so I'm going to play it again." Though, many people cite the short time as a critism, I think its an elaborate ploy to make people listen more. Those crafty bastards...

1. The Protomen - Act II: The Father of Death

Who knew that rock Operas about Mega Man could be so entertaining? Actually this album is about Dr. White and Wiley, before there was a Mega Man. Either way, the album is pretty amazing, and their budget went up pretty significantly since the last one, what with their nice gloss slip case and... gasp... production that doesn't sound like the whole thing was recorded in a garage. After seeing them at CMJ, I have an even bigger love for these bunch of obvious... shall we say... eccentrics? They know what they want to do, and they don't let anyone dictate to them what they should be doing. I'm sure when the idea was brought up people said, "A rock what about who? That will NEVER be good, don't even try," and they disregarded it. Good for them. I only hope that they can put out another part to this, though I'm not sure what it will be about, but if the jump from the last album to this one is any indication, it will be number one one my charts for that year too.

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Simon Howell - Sound On Sight, Sucker Blues

Top 30 albums of 2009:
The Future Of Left

1. Future of the Left – Travels with Myself and Another
2. The XX – XX
3. Sunset Rubdown – Dragonslayer
4. Lightning Dust – Infinite Light
5. Soulsavers – Broken
6. Manic Street Preachers – Journal For Plague Lovers / JFPL Remixes
7. Bill Callahan – Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle
8. Mos Def - The Ecstatic
9. Bike For Three! – More Heart Than Brains
10. The Unthanks – Here’s the Tender Coming
11. Sunn O))) – Monoliths and Dimensions
12. The Clientele – Bonfires On The Heath
13. Lord Cut-Glass – s/t
14. The Wooden Sky – If I Don’t Come Home, You’ll Know I’m Gone
15. Magnolia Electric Co. – Josephine
16. Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career
17. Cass McCombs – Dropping the Writ
18. Malcolm Middleton – Waxing Gibbous
19. Built to Spill – There Is No Enemy
20. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!
21. Dinosaur Jr. – Farm
22. Franz Ferdinand – Tonight…
23. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
24. Great Lake Swimmers – Lost Channels
25. James Blackshaw – The Glass Bead Game
26. Isis – Wavering Radiant
27. Slayer – World Painted Blood
28. Mount Eerie – Wind’s Poem
29. Richard Hawley – Truelove’s Gutter
30. Gobble Gobble - Neon Graveyard

Top 20 Tracks of 2009 (from albums not on that other list):

1. The Horrors - “Sea Within a Sea”
2. The Phantom Band - “The Howling”
3. Junior Boys - “Sneak a Picture”
4. Destroyer - “Bay of Pigs”
5. Dirty Projectors - “Two Doves”
6. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - “No Choice In the Matter”
7. Japandroids - “I Quit Girls”
8. Royksopp - “The Girl and the Robot”
9. Ghostface Killah - “Guest House”
10. The Thermals - “Now We Can See”
11. Kestrels - “Plastic Dresses”
12. Vic Chesnutt - “Flirted With You All My Life”
13. Big Boi - “Shine Blockas”
14. Pearl Jam - “Unthought Known”
15. The Avett Brothers - “Ill With Want”
16. The Postmarks - “I’m In Deep”
17. The Reigning Sound - “Debris”
18. Tara Jane O’Neil - “Howl”
19. Yo La Tengo - “Periodically Double or Triple”
20. Jay Reatard - “I’m Watching You”

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Rebecca Munroe - Charts and Crafts

Top 10 alt-rock albums of 2009:
Polvo - In Prism

1. Polvo - In Prism
2. Dead Weather - Horehound
3. Silverspun Pickups - Swoon
4. The Horrors - Primary Colours
5. Health - Get Color
6. Raveonettes - In and Out of Control
7. Porcupine Tree - The Incident
8. Muse - The Resistance
9. Metric - Fantasies
10. Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs - It's Blitz

Top 5 metal albums of 2009:
3 Inches Of Blood - Here Waits Thy Doom

1. 3 Inches of Blood - Here Waits thy Doom
2. Barn Burner - Bangers
3. Slayer - World Painted Blood
4. Mastadon - Crack the Skye
5. Cancer Bats - Hail Destroyer

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Mike Bresciani - The Lonesome Strangers

Top albums of 2009:
Girls - Album

1. Girls - Album
2. Gliss – Devotion implosion
3. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – The Pains Of Being Pure at Heart
4. Japandroids – Post-Nothing
5. Monsters of Folk – Monsters of Folk
6. The Pink Mountaintops – Outside Love
7. Yo La Tengo – Popular Songs
8. Steve Earle – Townes
9. Bill Callahan – Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle
10. Handsome Furs – Face Control
11. Eels – Hombre Lobo
12. M. Ward – Hold Time
13. Superfurry Animals – Dark days / Light Years
14. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post-Pavillion
15. Raveonettes – In and out of Control
16. The Dodos’ – Time to die
17. Wilco – Wilco (The Album)
18. The Whitest boy Alive – Rules
19. The Mountain Goats – The Life Of The World To Come
20. Julie Doiron – I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day

Best live shows of 2009:

Jonathan Richman / Vic Chesnutt – June 23rd @ Club Soda
The Lemonheads - July 3rd @ Maison des Arts ***Most terrible / memorable show of all-time***
The Raveonettes / Black Angels – October 21st @ Club Soda
Yo La Tengo – October 2nd @ Club soda
Loudon Wainwright – October 1st @ The Ukranian Federation
Os Mutantes – October 3rd @ Le National
Japandroids – October 2nd @ Le Divan Orange
M. Ward – April 28th @ Le National
Daniel Johnston – October 16th @ The Ukranian Federation
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - August 2nd @ Osheaga Festival
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – September 13th @ Salla Rosa
The Dodos – October 17th @ Lee’s Palace, Toronto.
Julie Doiron & Herman Dune – October 25th @ The Ukranian Federation
Fear and Loathing in MTL – September 6th @ Foufounes Electriques

Biggest disappointments of 2009:

-Girls, Bert Jansch & Dinosaur Jr. cancelling/unable to make MTL shows.
-Non-stop Michael Jackson cover songs at the Jazz Fest
-Over-crowding at the Jazz Fest
-The void on St-Catherine’s street where “Le Spectrum” used to be.
-The Habs getting rid of Saku Koivu, Alex Kovalev & Steve Begin.
-Missing “DeVotchKa” at Club Soda because 18:30 looks like 8:30. Money down the drain…

Biggest surprises of 2009:

-The amount of Actors making decent records
-Elvis Costello: Spectacle
-Having Andy Richter back with Conan
-Glee
-Finding an iPod in the trash
-Increasing my record collection ten-fold in one day

FROM THE VAULTS: Amazing albums that were constantly spinning in 2009:

The Wedding Present – George Best (1987)
Marshall Crenshaw – Marshall Crenshaw (1982)
The Silver Apples – The Silver Apples (1968)
The Clean – Anthology (2002)
Paul Simon – Graceland (1986)
The Clientele – Suburban Light (2000)
The Feelies – Crazy Rhythms (1980)
Pavement – Brighten The Corners (1997)
The Db’s – Stands for Decibels (1981)
The Ramones – End of the Century (1980)
Johnny Thunders – So Alone (1978)
Suicide – Suicide (1977)
Ronnie Spector – She Talks to Rainbows EP (1999)
Galaxie 500 – On Fire”(1989)
Lou Reed – Berlin (1973)
REM – Murmur (1983)
My Morning Jacket – At Dawn (2001)

Best books (biographies) read in 2009:

“To Live’s to Fly”: the Ballad of the late great Townes Van Zandt – By John Kruth
“Love is a Mix Tape” by Rob Sheffield
“Things the Grandchildren should know” by Mark Oliver Everett (E from Eels)
“Our Noise: The Story of Merge Records” by John Cook
“The Original Clash Book” (it’s big and pink)

BEST OF 2000s:
A look back on a decade, and the 20 albums that defined it for me

Funeral by the Arcade Fire (2004)
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot”by Wilco (2002)
Blinking Lights And Other Revelations by Eels (2005)
Streetcore by Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros (2003)
Lesser Matters by the Radio Dept. (2004)
Heartbreaker by Ryan Adams (2000)
Illinois by Sufjan Stevens (2005)
Transatlanticism by Death Cab for Cutie (2003)
Set Yourself on Fire by Stars (2004)
Night Falls over Kortedala by Jens Lekman (2007)
Yoshimi Battles The Evil Pink Robots by the Flaming Lips (2002)
I’m Wide Awake And It’s Morning by Bright Eyes (2005)
Sea Change by Beck (2002)
Soviet Kitsch by Regina Spektor (2004)
Left and Leaving by The Weakerthans (2000)
So Jealous by Tegan and Sara (2004)
Thunder Lightning strike by The Go! Team (2005)
Let It Die by Feist (2004)
You forgot it in People by Broken Social Scene (2003)
The Life Pursuit by Belle and Sebastian (2006)

A look ahead to 2010… fearless predictions:

-A Screamo Tribute to Michael Jackson
-Oprah starts new crackpot religion
-Pavement plays 2 nights in MTL and blows your mind
-Montgomery Flea Market full-length LP
-Phil Spector’s releases his Murder Ballads collection
-Steven Seagal releases the Jambalaya Lawman LP (live on the Bayou)
-Evan Dando dies. (Sorry, but after seeing him perform, it’s a MIRACLE he’s still alive…)
-Weezer making me sad with another terrible new release…

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Julie and Jess - With Gay Abandon

Jess' top 5 albums of 2009
Gossip - Music For Men

1. Gossip - Music For Men
2. Antony & the Johnsons - The Crying Light
3. Gentlemen Reg - Jet Black
4. Tegan and Sara - Sainthood
5. La Roux - La Roux

Julie's top 5 albums for 2009

1. Jonsi & Alex - Riceboy Sleeps
2. MEN - Limited Edition demo
3. Shearing Pinx - Weaponry
4. Peaches - I Feel Cream
5. Leslie & the Lys - Cewebrity

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Remission (Mat Pellerin) - Let The Rhythm Hit 'em

1. Bike For Three! - More Hearts Than Brains
2. Blockhead - The Music Scene
3. Oxmo Puccino - L'Arme De Paix
4. Asher Roth - Asleep In The Bread Aisle
5. Clutchy Hopkins And Shawn Lee - Fascinating Fingers
6. Eyedea and Abilities - By The Throat
7. Naive New Beaters - Wallace
8. Tekitek - Mes Pelures Sont Plus Belles Que Vos Fruit
9. Selfhelp - Old Friends
10. Brother Ali - US

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Johnny - Turn Down The Suck
Barn Burner - Bangers

1. Barn Burner - Bangers
2. Doomriders - Darkness Comes Alive
3. Maylene & The Sons of DIsaster - III
4. Dopethrone - Demonsmoke
5. Church of Misery - Houses of The Unholy
6. Black Pyramid - Black Pyramid
7. Austrian Death Machine - Double Brutal
8. Hatebreed - For The Lions
9. Assemble Head In Sunburst Sound - When Sweet Sleep Returned
10. Wolfmother - Cosmic Egg

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Doc Holidae - The Phantastic Cypha

Döc’s Top Ten Canadian Releases

1. D-Sisive - Let The Children Die
2. Coates Twice - Supernova
3. D-Sisive - Jonestown
4. Louwop - The Great Escape
5. K'Naan - Troubador
6. Classified - Self-Explanatory
7. Muneshine - Status Symbol
8. D.O. - Stay Driven
9. Bad News Brown - Born 2 Sin
10. Grand Analog - Metropolis Is Burning

Döc’s top 10 releases of 2009:
Mos Def - The Ecstatic

1. Mos Def - The Ecstatic
2. D-Sisive - Let The Children Die
3. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2
4. Coates Twice - Supernova
5. D-Sisive - Jonestown
6. DOOM - BORN LIKE THIS
7. NASA - The Spirit Of Apollo
8. P.O.S. - Never Better
9. Louwop - The Great Escape
10. Chali 2na - Fish Outta Water

Döc’s top 20 tracks of 2009:

1. Mos Def - "Auditorium"
2. Method Man & Redman - "A-Yo" (Feat. Saukrates)
3. Jay-Z - "Empire State of Mind"
4. DOOM - "GAZZILLION EAR"
5. Hilltop Hoods - "Fifty In Five"
6. Karma Atchykah - "Chpas Front"
7. Mos Def - "The Embassy"
8. D-Sisive - "Nobody With a Notepad"
9. Asher Roth - "La Di Da"
10. K'Naan - "Wavin' Flag"
11. Wale - "Pretty Girls" (Feat. Gucci Mane, Weensey From Backyard Band, Tre Of UCB & Ms. Kim)
12. Bad News Brown - "Round Da Clock"
13. D.O - "Watch Out"
14. K-Os - "I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman"
15. P.O.S - "Goodbye"
16. Zion I - "Caged Bird Part 1" featuring Brother Ali
17. Kid Cudi - "My World" featuring Billy Cravens
18. NASA - "Spacious Thoughts" feat. Kool Keith and Tom Waits
19. Eyedea and Abilities - "Burn Fetish"
20. Melanie Fiona - "It Kills Me"

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Mike Vo - Beats From The East

My top 10 of 2009 PERIOD...
Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II

1) Working on my show ("Beats From The East")
2) Connecting with the artists and getting radio drops, tracks, and other goodies from them
3) Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2
4) KRS-ONE & Buckshot - Survival Skills
5) Heroes (the TV show)
6) The new Star Trek movie
7) Attended the Asian Hip Hop Summit Tour
8) Habs acquiring Mike Cammalleri
9) De La Soul performed in Montreal and praised me as a "real hip hop fan" when I held up the album cover of 3 Feet high and Rising (their first album), for them to sign.
10) Jay-Z's "D.O.A." track

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Joshua Mocle - CJLO contributor, ex-news director, ex-The Kids Are So-So

Top records of 2009

1. The Bomb – Speed is Everything
2. Reign Supreme – Testing the Limits of Infinite
3. Paint It Black – Amnesia/Surrender
4. TIE: Dig It Up! – Magnets (Independent)/Sakes Alive!! – Act II
5. O Pioneers! – Neon Creeps
6. POS – Never Better
7. Gallows – Grey Britain
8. The Riverboat Gamblers – Underneath the Owl
9. Fake Problems – It’s Great to Be Alive
10. Converge – Axe to Fall
11. Frank Turner – Poetry of the Deed
12. Lucero – 1372 Overton Park
13. Dear Landlord – Dream Homes
14. Mariachi El Bronx – Mariachi El Bronx
15. Strike Anywhere – Iron Front
16. Baroness – Blue Record
17. Coalesce – Ox
18. North Lincoln – Midwestern Blood
19. The Swellers – Ups and Downsizing
20. Cloak/Dagger – Lost Art
21. American Steel – Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts
22. Matt and Kim – Grand
23. Chuck Ragan – Gold Country
24. Dethklok – The Dethalbum II
25. Cursive – Mama, I’m Swollen
26. Thursday – Common Existence
27. K’naan – Troubadour
28. Polar Bear Club – Chasing Hamburg
29. Spinnerette – Spinnerette
30. Brand New – Daisy

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Alexander Manley, CJLO contributor

Top 25 records of the year:
Propagandhi - Supporting Caste

25. Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) - What It Takes to Move Forward
24. Hostage Life - Centre of the Universe
23. Gallows - Grey Britain
22. Shook Ones - The Unquotable A.M.H.
21. Barn Burner - Bangers
20. Tegan & Sara - Sainthood
19. Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band - Outer South
18. Dear Landlord - Dream Homes
17. Banner Pilot - Collapser
16. Dead to Me - African Elephants
15. Blakroc - Blakroc
14. P.O.S. - Never Better
13. Polar Bear Club - Chasing Hamburg
12. Gray Ghost - Deep in the Shallow End
11. Cobra Skulls - American Rubicon
10. Bedouin Soundclash - Where Have the Songs Played Gone To?
9. Brand New - Daisy
8. Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3
7. Dave House - Intersections
6. Metric - Fantasies
5. Nine Eleven - City of Quartz
4. Fake Problems - It's Great to Be Alive
3. A Wilhelm Scream - A Wilhelm Scream
2. Paint It Black - Amnesia
1. Propagandhi - Supporting Caste

Brian Hastie - Countdown to Armageddon, CJLO magazine editor

Top 50 albums of 2009:
Gallows - Grey Britain

1. Gallows - Grey Britain
2. Converge - Axe To Fall
3. P.O.S. - Never Better
4. Drake - So Far Gone mixtape
5. He Is Legend - It Hates You
6. Slayer - World-Painted Blood
7. Mastodon - Crack The Skye
8. Slaughterhouse - Slaughterhouse
9. Propagandhi - Supporting Caste
10. Megadeth - Endgame
11. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II
12. The Prodigy - Invaders Must Die
13. Barn Burner - Bangers
14. Timber Timbre - Untitled
15. Agoraphobic Nosebleed - Agorapocalypse
16. Derelict - Unspoken Words
17. Method Man and Redman - Blackout II
18. Pac Div - Church League Champions mixtape
19. Ghosface Killah - Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City
20. Baroness - Blue Record
21. Brand New - Daisy
22. Bike For Three! - More Heart Than Brains
23. Felt - Vol 3: A Tribute To Rosie Perez
24. Royce Da 5'9 - Street Hop
25. Coalesce - Ox
26. CKY - Carver City
27. El Michels Affair - 37th Chamber
28. Poison The Well - The Tropic Rot
29. Revocation - Existence Is Futile
30. Thursday - Common Existence
31. Andrew Bird - Noble Beast
32. Busdriver - Jhelli Beam
33. Brother Ali - US
34. Cannibal Corpse - Evisceration Plague
35. Wale - Back To The Feature mixtape
36. Dethklok - Dethalbum II
37. Think About Life - Family
38. Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster - III
39. Hatebreed - Hatebreed
40. Buried Inside - Spoils Of Failure
41. Augury - Fragmented Evidence
42. Kid Cudi - Man On The Moon
43. Brutal Truth - Evolution Through Revolution
44. 16 - Bridges To Burn
45. Jay-Z - Blueprint 3
46. The Mountain Goats - The Life Of The World To Come
47. Tombs - Winter Hours
48. Thrice - Beggars
49. Isis - Wavering Radiant
50. Moby - Wait For Me

5 disappointments

1. Between the Buried And Me - The Great Misdirect
Too long... Too long. Too bad, too, because Colors was great.

2. 50 Cent - Before I Self Destruct
Fitty promised Get Rich Or Die Trying 2, what we got was a sad grab bag of disconnected, boring tracks.

3. Eminem - Relapse
Drop the voice, Mathers. Seriously. No one cares for it. The saddest part about Eminem's year is that his two best verses were guest verses on other records. (Drake's "Forever" and Lil Wayne's "Drop The World").

4. Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures
So much hype surrounding the meeting of three of rock's greatest musicians is bound to be anticlimatic. The record's good, but there's a lot of sameness.

5. Cursive - Mama, I'm Swollen
I don't understand how this once-great band can degenerate to being so utterly boring.

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Antonella Fratino - The Siamese Libertines

The thing with Top 10 (20, 100) lists is that they are never truly comprehensive. Particularly when you are trying to sum up the best of a whole decade. Where do you start? Fundamentally, the picks will always be subjective because musical tastes are a very personal thing. So for this list, I decided against simply putting what I thought were the most revolutionary and influential albums of the 2000s and chose, instead, ones that were memorable and landmark for me. Self-indulgent? Maybe. But isn’t that the best part of being a college radio DJ?

Top 100 Albums of the Decade
Zero 7 - Simple Things

1. Zero 7 – Simple Things
2. Wolf Parade – Apologies to the Queen Mother
3. Beck – The Information // Modern Guilt
4. Radiohead – Kid A
5. TV On The Radio – Desperate Youths, Bloodthirsty Babes
6. The Strokes – Is This It
7. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
8. The Arcade Fire – Funeral
9. Boards of Canada – Geogaddi // Campfire Headphase
10. Death From Above 1979 – You’re A Woman, I'm a Machine

And in no particular order…

11. The White Stripes – Elephant / White Blood Cells
12. The Shins – Oh, Inverted World
13. The Dandy Warhols – Welcome to the Monkey House // Thirteen Tales of Urban Bohemia
14. Handsome Furs – Plague Park
15. Air – Talkie Walkie
16. Mindless Self Indulgence – Frankenstein Girls Will Seem Strangely Sexy
17. Groove Armada – Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub)
18. Ladytron – 604
19. Justice – Cross
20. Swan Lake – Beast Moans
21. Metric – Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?
22. Sunset Rubdown – Shut Up I Am Dreaming
23. The Killers – Hot Fuss
24. Mount Sims – Wild Light
25. The Postal Service – Give Up
26. The Kills – Midnight Boom
27. Autolux – Future Perfect
28. Beirut – Gulag Orkestar
29. Vitamins For You – I’m Sorry for Ever and for Always
30. Sinewave – Unity Gain
31. MSTRKRFT – The Looks
32. Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand
33. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Fever to Tell
34. Caribou – Andorra
35. The Rapture – Echoes
36. Black Lips – Good Bad Not Evil
37. M.I.A. – Kala
38. Does It Offend You, Yeah? – You Have No Idea What You’re Getting Yourself Into
39. Klaxons – Myths of the Near Future
40. Jackson and His Computer Band – Smash
41. Peter Bjorn and John – Writer’s Block
42. Sam Roberts – We Were Born in a Flame
43. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles
44. Thievery Corporation – Cosmic Game
45. Wintersleep – Untitled
46. Destroyer – This Night
47. Digitalism – Idealism
48. Edit – Crying Over Pros for No Reason
49. Feist – The Reminder
50. Modest Mouse – Good News For People Who Like Bad News
51. Le Tigre – This Island
52. The Go! Team – Thunder, Lightning, Strike
53. Grizzly Bear – Yellow House
54. Midlake – The Trials of Van Occupanther [Bonus CD]
55. Amy Winehouse – Back To Black
56. The Horrors – Primary Colours
57. M83 – Saturdays = Youth
58. Wolfmother – Wolfmother
59. Bellavista – Bellavista
60. Broken Social Scene – Broken Social Scene
61. The Blood Brothers – Crimes
62. The Black Keys – Thickfreakness
63. The Chemical Brothers – We Are the Night
64. The Von Bondies – Pawn Shoppe Heart
65. Interpol – Turn on the Bright Lights
66. Hexes and Ohs – Goodbye Friend, Welcome Lover
67. John and Jehn – Amour Ne Nous Dechirera Pas
68. You Say Party! WE Say Die! – Hit the Floor!
69. Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah – Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah
70. I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness – Fear is on Our Side
71. All India Radio – Permanent Evolutions
72. Dungen – Ta Det Lugnt
73. Coldplay – Parachutes
74. Giant Drag – Hearts & Unicorns
75. Goldfrapp – Black Cherry
76. The Hives – Tyrannosaurus Hives
77. Beef Terminal – Anger Do Not Enter
78. Ulrich Schnauss – Far Away Trains Passing By
79. Eagles of Death Metal – Death By Sexy
80. Frog Eyes – Tears of the Valedictorian
81. Vinyl Republik Compilation – Fear of a Digital Planet
82. Peaches – Teaches of Peaches
83. Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours
84. Daft Punk – Discovery
85. Madonna – Confessions on a Dance Floor
86. We Are Wolves – Total Magique
87. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
88. Tokyo Police Club – A Lesson in Crime
89. The Knife – Deep Cuts
90. T. Raumschmiere – Radio Blackout
91. Supergrass – Life on Other Planets
92. Queens of the Stone Age – Lullabies to Paralize
93. The Presets – Beams
94. Calvin Harris – I Created Disco
95. A Perfect Circle – Mer de Noms
96. The Organ – Grab That Gun
97. Nouvelle Vague – Bande a Part
98. Nathan Fake – Drowning in a Sea of Love
99. Hot Chip – Rarities and Remixes
100. And I’ll finish off with one of my favourite songs of the decade: Louis XIV – “Finding Out True Love is Blind”

Albums I liked in 2009
The Horrors

1. The Horrors – Primary Colours
2. Handsome Furs – Face Control
3. Archivist – Learning to Live on Poison
4. Spinerette – Spinerette
5. Junior Boys – Begone Dull Care
6. Bear in Heaven – Bear Rest Forth Mouth
7. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
8. Dragonette – Fixin To Thrill
9. Think About Life - Family

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Ariel Lefkowitz - Greedy Graffiti

Blazing Arrow

Blackalicious A2G and Blazing Arrow Albums
Brother Ali US & The Undisputed Truth Albums
Jedi Mind Tricks - Blood In Blood Out
Slick Rick ft. Outkast-Street Talkin-The Art of Storytelling
Immortal Technique - Freedom of Speech
Jurassic 5 - Freedom
Gangstarr - Skills
KRS One & Buckshot ft. Melanie Fiona & Naledge-Past Present Future
Sister Nancy - Bam Bam
Souls of Mischief - Souls of Mischief
Queen Latifa - Unity
RJD2 – Smoke and Mirrors
Mark Farina - Dream Machine
The Out Crowd - WraBeanz

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Chris Bussmann, ex-CJLO Jazz MD, ex-host of Bop and Beyond

Top 10 albums for 2009:
Zombi - Spirit Animal

1. Zombi - Spirit Animal
2. Animal Collective - Merryweather Post Pavillion
3. Napalm Death - Time Waits For No Slave
4. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Lynx, Part 2
5. OM - God Is Good
6. Kowloon Walled City - Gambling On The Richter Scale
7. Burning Human - Resurrection Through Fire
8. Majeure - Timespan
9. Stile Antico - Song of Songs
10. Jesu - Opiate Sun

Top 5 reissues:
KRAFTVURK

1. Kraftwerk - The Catalogue
2. Mulatu Astake - New York-Addis-London: The Story of Ethio Jazz, 1965-1975
3. Billie Holiday - The Complete Commodore and Decca Masters
4. John Coltrane - Side Steps
5. The Beatle - In Mono

Top Twenty-Five Albums of the Decade: 2000-2009 (Alphabetical Order)

AFX - Chosen Lords (2006)
The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible (2007)
The Cinematic Orchestra - Man With A Movie Camera (2003)
Cliff Martinez - Solaris (2002)
Clint Mansell ft. Mogwai & The Kronus Quartet - The Fountain
Crisis - Like Sheep Led To Slaughter (2004)
DJ Muggs vs. GZA - Grandmasters (2005)
Einstürzende Neubauten - Silence Is Sexy (2000)
Einstürzende Neubauten - Perpetuum Mobile (2004)
Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele (2000)
Jean Grae - Jeanius (2008)
Jesu - Pale Sketches (2007)
Johnny Cash - American III: Solitary Man (2000)
Jolie Holland - Catalpa (2003)
Killing Joke - Killing Joke (2003)
Lali Puna - Scary World Theory (2001)
Napalm Death - Enemy Of The Music Business (2000)
Napalm Death - Smear Campaign (2006)
OM - A Conference of Birds (2006)
PJ Harvey - White Chalk
Radiohead - In Rainbows (2007)
Radiohead - Kid A (2000)
Techno Animal - Brotherhood Of The Bomb (2002)
Von Freeman - The Great Divide (2004)
Zombi - Spirit Animal (2009)

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Louis "Dr Lou Sweets" Rozza, ex-CJLO co-Head MD, ex-co-host of Hooked on Sonics

Top o da pops fo 09:
White Lines - Don't Do 'em

1. White Lies - To Lose My Life
2. Manic Street Preachers - Journal For Plague Lovers
3. Thrice - Beggars
4. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion
5. God Help The Girl - God Help The Girl
6. The Horrors - Primary Coulours
7. Super Furry Animals - Dark Days/Light Years
8. Arctic Monkeys - Humbug
9. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
10. Pete Doherty - Grace/Wastelands

Honourable Mention Fo 09:

Broadcast - Investigate Witch Cults of the Radio Age
Dan Auerbach - Keep It Hid

Bands that defined my decade:

North of America
Thrice
Thursday
The Libertines
Idlewild
Manitoba / Caribou
Boards of Canada
Broadcast
Mogwai
White Stripes

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Darcy MacDonald, ex-CJLO Hip Hop MD, ex-host of Ear Exam/The Homework Show

Eminem - Marshall Mathers LP

Being asked to look back a decade (having spent the middle chunk of it symbiotically attached to Loyola campus and room CC-430) provides a chance to measure progress – my own and that of the music I love. Hip hop at large became at once older and younger, wiser and dumber (as in “dumb” meaning “dumb”). I could probably say something similar about myself, but the only certainty here is that I am balder and more cocksure (as in “cocksure” meaning “cocksure”). Back in 2000, I was 21, was settling into my first crib, and was spinning twice weekly in a cool pub called Roy Bar meeting all kinds of peeps. I am now 31, have owned and worn out a crib, and am considering spin class twice weekly to meet hot older singles. I rocked headphones each and every day and for many years had the privilege of getting to share what I was feeling with friends and listeners at CJLO. As hip-hop MD at the time, heaven only knows how many great rap records came our way (And how many more terrible ones. Peace to JoJo).

So now, by year, my top ten 10 hip hop records I feel best represent what college music is about (backed with purely subjective reflections about where I was at) for the decade beginning in:

10) Year 2000 – Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP

Lots of great records that year – J5, Reflection Eternal, Dead Prez, Like Water For Chocolate, Stankonia, Supreme Clientele, Deltron 3030 – but if you were listening to rappers, love him or hate him, you were listening to Eminem. So were your neighbours and their kids. Hooray! Hip hop classes for everyone! Heads knew him already and by 2002 a second generation of white teenagers in the Western Hemisphere would be rocking ‘Pac t-shirts, but credit Em for getting them up off their Blink-182 tapes and into downloading Hot 97 battle MP3s. Discredit him for anything you want – especially Fitty and blonde dye – but for better or worse, a new landscape opened up for hip hop at the beginning of the millennium in large part thanks to his success and that of this ridiculously good record. Eminem captured the gap between stark reality and commercial excess by combining comic wit and lyrical superiority and became one of the biggest figures in contemporary pop culture. Neither the underground nor the mainstream would go uninfluenced. He has since become a lot of things to a lot of people, and the music has, by and large, suffered. Back when this dropped though, Marshall was just dope. The Marshall Mathers LP, in all of its eventual Top 10 glory, may just have been the signpost of a changing tide in general attitudes about what hip hop was and what it might be.

9) 2001 – Cannibal Ox – The Cold Vein

I remember Rawkwords telling me he was going to Petit Campus to see these guys Cannibal Ox and an emcee called Aesop Rock. He had really been into Funcrusher Plus and told me these guys had some connection to Company Flow. When we talked the day after the show – September 11, 2001 – I don’t recall that we discussed it. At some point thereafter he burned me a copy of The Cold Vein. It turned out Aesop Rock hadn’t shown up that night after all but G was pretty impressed by opener Eyedea & Abilities. Shortly thereafter I would learn how to steal music off the internet to then go to shows and purchase it. This would become a successful business model for a handful of hardworking related artists over the next decade, not a few of whom are on this list. The Cold Vein, sonically, progressively and independently set the bar for hip hop music to evolve and remain compelling into the 21st century. The bizarre New York futurism of El-P and the Def Jux roster made for informed listening while waiting for the other foot to drop.

8) 2002 – Blackalicious – Blazing Arrow

Now, being terrible at math, I started this list in 1999 and chose “Soundbombing 2” as record of that year. Then I realized that would make this a top-eleven list. I mention it now because some other contenders for top spot in that year included Blackalicious’ Quannum debut “Nia” as well as the label’s now-classic collaborative compilation “Spectrum”. Both “SB2” and “Spectrum”, in ’99, served to introduce and cross-reference a crazy number of artists who would become fixtures of the indie/underground scene for years to come. As the West Coast is getting very little attention on this list, I will also take a second to tip the hat to fellow bay innovators Hieroglyphics for contributions at that time. But as a stand-out, style-defining exercise in retaining the best elements of the golden-era while moving hip hop into new sonic territory, Chief Xcel and Gift of Gab – with the usual gaggle of accomplices – pulled out the stops so hard on this one that they have had difficulty measuring up since. Lyrically that year I went bonkers for J-Live, but 2002 was the Year of the Arrow as far as complexity in rhythms and relevance.

7) 2003 – Brother Ali – Shadows on the Sun

RSE were already blowing up the stereo at my 2nd pad - right beside the station and campus - as well as on the desktop speakers of a nonexistent but loyal fanbase of Saturday afternoon CJLO listeners. The Ear Exam was based largely on a standard radio format of showing up late, playing a mixtape for a half hour while going outside for “butts” and then laughing at our own stupidity for the final hour. Between the laughter and the tears, enter Brother Ali. I was on the 90 bus headed downtown the first time I put Shadows on my (yikes!) discman. This rugged-sounding cat described Southside Minneapolis so clearly I could see it out the bus window, never having set foot there. By the last line of the first hook of the first track (“you can call me modern urban Norman Rockwell/I paint a picture of the spot well”), I knew Brother Ali (with Ant on the beats), was no kinda joke. Making nothing but consistently strong moves since the release of Shadows, his latest, Us, will for sure be at the top of many year-end charts for ’09. Things can only get bigger for the Brother. In 2003 (which also gave us The Black Album, Jaylib, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below and a ton of other great records) Ali was already flipping lyricism and live performance on its ass for those who stopped to pay attention. An’ if ya didn’t know...

6) 2004 – De La Soul – The Grind Date

This Universal subsidiary label was run by Beyonce’s dad at the time and went kaput pretty quickly after but this sort of indie version of De La found a home for this outing there, moving outside the pattern of their excellent if self-indulgent AOI series (said to have been conceived as a fulfilment of contractual obligations to Tommy Boy) and delivering 13 firebombs. A lot of other big ish went on hip hop on ’04. Kanye dropped The College Dropout, people went nuts for the Grey Album and then Gnarls Barkley. The more obvious pick for this spot in terms of college charts would have been Madvillain. The thing about The Grind Date is that it: 1) took the best elements of character and lyrical craft from a post-Prince Paul De La; 2) mixed it up with production by Kanye, Madlib, Dilla, 9th, Jake One and Supa Dave West (4 out of 6 of whom respectively had BIG years, with the latter two getting theirs now); 3) invited no less than Flava Flav, Common, Ghostface and MF Doom to contribute actual verses that sounded like in-studio collabos and not internet sorcery 4) made it all sing like gangbusters from end to end. De La Soul continues to prove that you can’t fall off if you don’t stop trying to get on top.

5) 2005 – C-Rayz Walz – Year of the Beast

In full swing of my 2nd year as Hip Hop MD at tha’ LO and the third year of Ear Exam, 2005 was really the Year of Too Many Albums to Remember. I believe this was my pick for album of the year then, as it is now. C-Rayz Walz was slept on then, as he is now. To be fair, this has been hands-down his most cohesive effort, and his most high profile, having since meandered from his Jukie camp to pursue Klezmer collabos and one-off projects. Year of the Beast showcased the best aspects about Def Jux smack in the middle of the decade, with El-P, Aes Rock, Rob Sonic, Belief and other fam contributing beats, rhymes and insight. Rayz can phrase a complex metaphor sparingly and without relying on rapid tongue trickery. Like Doom, who really loomed larger in 2005, C-Rayz Walk can split a 16 into eight individual clever “get-in-get-out” 2-bar assaults on his subject matter and leave you laughing at the punch line instead of researching it for three months on Wikipedia. YOTB delivers 15 well paced and plotted tracks crafted for your headphones, your ride or your party, depending on the day. Four and a half years later I still listen to it and still geek out every time.

4) 2006 – J Dilla – Donuts

2006 was crazy. A few things about it: Ear Exam changed time slots and became The Homework Show...more or less the same thing only with stricter rules about cussin’ (by the hosts, not the artists we played). It was the year I became a daddy to my little girl Melodie, who will be four soon. That was in March. Just a few weeks before that incredible gain in my personal life, the hip hop world felt overwhelming loss and sadness at the passing of James Dewitt Yancey, whose instrumental LP Donuts dropped only days before his death. Nothing I can say in this critique hasn’t been said or really needs to be said if you’re a Dilla nut. (I don’t think Dilla has mere “fans”.) The quality of subsequent posthumous releases – official, bootleg or otherwise – lay miles apart some of the hip hop legends Dilla sadly left us to join, with respect to them all. I mention it now only an observation backing that which need not be said. 2006 delivered many, many ill rap projects. It delivered me a sweet baby, courtesy of God, her mom and the wonderful staff at St. Mary’s Hospital. It also delivered an unfortunate but valuable reminder: life is precious and talent is measurable only by degrees when you know you are fucking with greatest.

On a brighter note, 2006 delivered Donuts.

3) 2007 – Blu & Exile – Below the Heavens

You know I still don’t own this record? If you see it for sale somewhere hook me up, SVP. Maybe if I had still worked a CJLO I could have scored one but alas (and really, this went down in later ’06) I was no longer involved at the station. I was a new dad and had bailed on my 3rd year in Journalism after Melodie was born, was working as a teacher – unfortunately, very little time was left to dedicate to the station, which anyone who has volunteered there will tell you is crucial. My co-host and bredren Sauce was deeper into making the beats and less into playin’ them, Rawkwords runs things on island time and is beholden to no man – Ear Exam and The Homework Show collapsed. Then my relationship - and by extension, my little family - did, too. Why does that matter, you ask? Well, 2007 was the year I started to re-build my life. Everyone has a breakup record right? Mine was Kanye’s Graduation, I guess just because it dropped around then and “you can’t tell me nothing” helped me start every day with a smile. Believe me, that album could just as easily be sitting at number three. However, at my lowest moment, this young fella from LA ends up on my iPod (courtesy of Rawkwords via Edmonton) and tells me, “you can call it hell, bro, I’ll just say I’m below the heavens.” Below the Heavens was my build-up album. Blu, if you haven’t heard, rocks mics with a cleverness and eloquence that mixes East Coast savvy with West Coast swagger. Exile, meanwhile, busts out his credentials from the Primo School of Bounceology and the Dilla Tech MA program all over the place here and reminds the kids to stay in school. I expect the beginning of the new decade will belong in part to Blu (who at age already 24 has 3 records and a bunch of mixtapes, all bomb). 2007 was definitely the jump-off for what I hope become prosperous careers for both artists.

2) 2008 – Atmosphere – When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold

And that’s what I was trying to do that year. I went back to finish school but couldn’t afford my own place after separating from my daughter’s mom, so I found myself living at mom and dad’s house again after nearly a decade. They had moved to Pointe Claire from NDG and that was weird, but I settled into a new (albeit transitional) life and had my daughter with me half the time. I was back around CJLO by default being back at school, and got to hang with old friends and make a few new ones, so that was cool. Anyone who knows me from CJLO was waiting for Atmosphere to make it on this list. I don’t know if this is their best album or not, smacking that label on anything Ant and Slug at this point in their career would still be premature. Lemons is certainly the most innovative in terms of its nearly exclusive use of live instrumentation, but it gets realer than that. This album came “Dedicated to All Dads”. Themes of childhood, trust, parenting, family and society are examined in a fashion that make them accessible to listeners growing up on hip hop today as well those of us already a little bit versed in life. 2007 gave me the one; 2008 gave me the two. My own father was diagnosed with very advanced cancer and passed away before year’s end. Music is beautiful in part because it is so subjective, and music lovers will associate songs and albums with periods in their life. In the summer, when my dad became sick The Cool made it easier to get up and move in the morning; 808s & Heartbreak was sadly comforting in the late fall and early winter when he passed. All that said, given what I had been through already, it has become a mantra that makes me smile to this day: When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold.

1) 2009 – DOOM – Born Like This

This one might be look too easy. Aging indie-rap geek picks aging indie-rap icon as record of the year. I’m tempted to do that finger-inside-the-cheek “pop!” sound at it myself, if it weren’t for the fact that the entire year in hip hop kind of made me want to do that, too. I think if I had to pick a word to describe music in 2009 – and I’m not saying this is a patently terrible thing – but the word that comes to mind is “rehash”. One of my favourites of the year, not even a hip hop record, is just a rehash of Led Zep, Nirvana and Queens of the Stone Age, with one member each from their respective line-ups . Lady Gaga is Madonna, rehashed. Lil Wayne is Hammer, rehashed. If I focused here on Billboard artists this slot would go in a heartbeat to Blueprint 3 – but I could have said the same thing in 2001 with the first one. P.O.S. didn’t so much rehash his concept as refine it, and released his best yet, but I don’t think he affected a decade in a real sense. Neither did label mates Eyedea & Abilities or Jukie Cage, who both released what amount to punk rap records this year, and who also both came with much stronger showings at earlier in the decade. Mos Def made his best record since Black on Both Sides, largely by going back to the formula that makes that record so classic. If Jay Electronica made an actual record maybe we could be talking about him here, but anyways. Brother Ali – my favourite emcee, it can now be said, of the decade, alongside J-Live and Immortal Technique – put out my least favourite record in his catalogue so far. Not to say Us isn’t a monster of an album but it wasn’t my favourite this year. Nope, the one I keep going “Ah, onnnnne more listen...” is this outing from Doom, which features beats we’ve heard before from both the Villain and Dilla, with some freshness in the mix from Jake One. It seemed to come out of nowhere, but DOOM (officially going with the All Caps moniker now) seems to have rested up after letting go of his stranglehold on the indie spotlight these last 6 years. What’s old is made new again, what’s new is a little crisper than usual, a little more textured in terms of rhythm, but all MF. My favourite YouTube vid of the year (which could be 3 years old at this point for all I know) was Mos Def quoting DOOM and going off about him for about 8 minutes. At the end of the decade, looking back at what has changed in hip hop and people’s perception of it, DOOM best represents everything good about change. He has, throughout his career, stood for everything that makes “college” music worthwhile – DOOM is edgy, experimental and willing to take risks that might alienate, backed with talent that ensures they don’t. It is through underground and independent music that outcasts can find each other, and in terms of rap culture no one does a better job of getting oddballs excited than DOOM.

In ten more years – Jesus, I’ll be 41. I hope I just don’t give a shit about this stuff anymore. Not likely. We’ll talk then. Peace.

Darcy MacDonald a.k.a. MaybeFace hosted Ear Exam (2002 – 2005) and The Homework Show (2006) alongside cohorts DJ Sauce and Rawkwords, the Gen’leman Ghost and kissed major promoter ass for a good chunk of that time as music director for hip hop. Saucer is now back in Toronto planting seeds alongside another CJLO alum, CoatesTwice. Rawkwords is living off the fat of the land in rural Winnipeg. MaybeFace realized his a.k.a was an inadvertent “MF” reference and quit hip hop. He now waits tables in Hollywood and is waiting to be discovered.

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Timothy Rodrigues aka Ruhk One, ex-host of Scarborough Sessions

From the Top (Up North) to the Bottom (Down South)
Jay-Z - Death Of Autotune

So Far Gone released on the Internet February 13th 2009. The internet almost breaks down, and everyone now has a Canadian rapper to hate on for being too commercial…not me though, sing that shit boy! I wanna be rich too!

K-oS release Yes…it sounds like a formal apology for Atlantis: Hymns for Disco, me likey…

Jay-Z releases "D.O.A" single, T-pain gets out of pocket and talks some shit about him at a show in Vegas.

Keys and Krates garner critical acclaim for their Live Remix Shows, I see them Live in San Francisco and buy their c.d for 5 dollars…Canadian

While shopping in San Francisco, I hear a Drake track from ’07 playing (aka, back when he was still the kid in the wheelchair on that show) and ask the store clerk how the hell he got his hands on this old track…dude replies, “The Internet”…right., I forgot how small the world is be now.

Melanie Fiona is nominated for a Grammy and people ask, “Who is Melanie Fiona?” Google that girl…

K’Nann’s single “Waving Flag” named official Song for the 2010 World Cup, but Somalia nor Canada will field a team.

Canadian Producer Boi-1-Da produces two #1 Billboard Hot 100 Singles (“Best I Ever Had” and “Forever”) and he uses Fruity-Loops to make beats…

Classified produces an amazing Can-Con Posse cut featuring Moka-Only, Choclair and Maestro (Fresh-Wes) “Quit While Your Ahead”…no one notices (well I do, but you don’t even know who I am so…)

Scarborough Rapper P-Reign releases the “Money In My Pocket” single, giving Toronto a hit single on (Canadian Urban) radio that doesn’t feature Drake, and helps Mat Babel pay his rent. (Galloway Stand Up!)

Kid Cudi, Wale, Mickey Factz, Asher Roth, Blu, Charles Hamilton, Ace Hood, Curren$$y & B.O.B grace the cover of XXL (in 2008) as the next top MCs in Hip-Hop for 2009…only three of them (Cudder, The Beer Pong Champ and Mr. Never Wear The Same Thing) will release full lengths by the time the year is done…(Ace Hood released his in late ’08)

Bonus Moment…any single featuring Gucci Mane…just ‘cause I like saying “BURRRR!!”

Werd.

---

Emilie Christiansen, ex-CJLO Production Director, ex-co-host of "Bulldozers vs Treefrogs"

Music decade:
Explosions In The Sky

1. Explosions In The Sky - Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Live Forever (2001)
2. Mountain Goats - Coroner's Gambit (2000)
3. Boris – Pink (2005)
4. Nina Nastasia – The Blackened Air (2002)
5. Radiohead - In Rainbows (2007)
6. Hefner - We Love The City (2000)
7. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Abattoir Blues (2004)
8. Do Make Say Think - Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn (2003)
9. Queens of the Stone Age – Lullabies to Paralyze (2005)
10. Hayden – Skyscraper National Park (2001)

Movies of the decade:
1.Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
2.Memento (2000)
3.A Bittersweet Life (2005)
4.The Fountain (2006)
5.Let the Right One In (2008)
6.Tout est parfait (2008)
7.Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
8.No Country for Old Men (2007)
9.Donnie Darko (2001)
10.King of Kong (2007)

(Props to The Proposition as well as Observe & Report for generally freaking me out in interesting yet different ways)

The CJLO staff throw down and come up with the best of the best, both for '09 and the decade.

MoCCAfest: Day One

Submitted by Robin F on Wed, 05/23/2012 - 13:18

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MoCCAfest. I know, you're scratching your head wondering what it is. It's certainly not your standard comic convention, but yet, it's not all that different from Montreal's EXPOZINE. Every year New York City’s Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art puts on a festival to showcase and celebrate innovative and alternative comics (usually the last weekend in April). And yes, I did say alternative comics, which means nary a Spider-Man to be found anywhere. This year marked their 10 year anniversary. P. Craig Russel was the guest of honour, and there were several other big names in attendance, but, to be perfectly honest with you, I was attending to discover the unknown.

While this was my first MoCCAfest, each event has a feel to it and I always got the impression that because it was located in New York there would be a higher calibre of local cartoonist. I mean, you have not just one school to learn how to create comics there, but five (the Pratt Institute, Parsons The New School of Design, the Rhode Island School of Design, the School of Visual Arts, the Joe Kubert School). Half these kids are being taught by masters like David Mazzucchelli and Peter Kuper; it's practically a recipe for genius, and in that regard MoCCAfest did not disappoint.

In my first few hours of the fest I met two artists with tables neighbouring a friend’s: Micheline Hess, and John Hazard. Micheline had created a comic series called Malice in Ovenland. It's going to be online and interactive in a “choose your own adventure” kind of way; she even had a sample on tablet you could play with. The cool thing about Micheline was that she was just there to get feedback. She didn't even have anything to sell. Now that's commitment. John’s comic is pretty self explanatory (Frankenstein + shenanigans + sexy babes) but his art style is slick, in an animated cartoon way, and begs to be tattooed.

On the first day, I explored the outer ring of tables. The first highlights was Zachary Garrett's Doom Carousel. Beautifully water-coloured tracts about how we are damaging our earth and its creatures. My favourite story was “Up the Intake Valves”, or as I like to call it, “The Rise of the Jellies.” Fascinating and educational, Doom Carousel had a shrewd dark humour to it, which made it even more enjoyable.

I then came across Dakota McFadzean, who impressed me with his two books, Last Mountain and Unkindness. Last Mountain is a collection of four short stories and Unkindness is one long one; his construction of story is riveting, making both books hard to put down.

Emma SanCartier dazzled with her carved wooden creatures based on her whimsical water colour style. She also had a fantastic kids book called The World is Your Oyster. Speaking of kids books, there was a real snazzy one I snapped up by Galen Goodwin Longstreth and Maris Wicks called Yes Let's. It's in full colour and follows a family embarking on a camping trip. Also written in rhyme, it's a busy little affair with lots to keep kids eyes occupied. I've already read it a few times at the daycare I work in and the kids love it, as it appeals to all ages.

Is it fitting that at the edges of the fest, I found my first transgendered comic? Entitled What's Normal Anyway?, it's written and drawn with great humour by Morgan Boecher. It’s a weekly webcomic that encompasses Boecher's transition from female to male. Then I stumbled onto All Rumours Are True by Laurel Lynn Leake, a stunning black and white about an androgynous dancer named Scratch becoming an actress for Pansexual Pantheon (“An on going video series....that has defiled 18 religions, so far”). I'm not kidding when I say this book was stunning. Not only was the art full of life, movement, supreme accomplishment, and intensity, but the writing was just excellent. This book has drag queens, sex, battling Japanese gods and goddesses and gorgeous kimonos. It's more fun than a bag of kittens. I really enjoyed it on all levels.

The other comic standout was Ken Wong's Origami comics. I obtained Schrodinger's Cat. In the form of a fortune teller, Wong lays out the Schrodinger conundrum. The reader interacts with the story by discovering the various outcomes of the cat while playing the fortune telling game. It's comic genius. Wong has other shapes, like Pandora's Box, which regales the tale of Pandora, or the sci-fi tale in the shape of a flexagon! The first one came about after an argument with a friend over the things web comics can do vs. the things paper comics can do. They are really clever little pieces of comic art, and I love that the reader participates in the story.

Now one of the mega-interesting things for me at MoCCAfest is that there were these mass contingents of cartoonists from other countries. There was a Danish collective, a Norwegian group, a small swathe of Swedes, as well as the Caravan of Comics (a group of 11 cartoonists from Australia). While all the groups were filled with talent, I had to be picky and bought one Swedish book and two Australian ones. The Swedish book was actually a sketchbook by Niklas Asker and while the art was quite photo-realistic, it was how he composed his images that left you staring. The cover alone has a stoic skinhead with a blossoming tree man in his lap(?!). Asker is very accomplished as an artist. The book is full of unfinished pencilled comic panels, pages from his sketchbook in pencil or sharpie, fully inked covers and interior illustrations for magazines. It seems like your basic sketchbook from the outset, but I have found myself looking at it over and over again. So, of course, it's now my mission to find comics by this guy, even though I won't understand them.

From the Australian group I snapped up a copy of Mad Bonaz 4 Lyfe, written and illustrated by Andrew Fulto. I found his style reminiscent of Scott C’s, but still very appealing. Fulton's weird, wobbly inking style looks like it was drawn by a pen from the 1800s. It’s super charming and the story, though sparse, is a true love tale for gay men everywhere. Matt Taylor's Lars the Last Viking goes to The End of the World, on the other hand, threw itself at me. It’s not the typical comic I gravitate towards, but the amount of effort (Viking font!), style (all in rhyme!) and bombastic inks made it a lot of fun to read. A very cool but incongruous piece of work from a resident of the southern hemisphere. There were other comics I picked up on Saturday, but these were the best of the best.

Besides all these fantastic comics in the offering, MoCCA also had a series of panels occurring all day. Really great ones, too, like the Comic Carousel hosted by R. Sikoryak and featuring Micheal Kupperman, Shannon Wheeler and Leslie Stein. This also included voice re-enactments with famous folks like Scott Adsit from 30 Rock.

There was also a Nordic Roundtable, and a How to Make Comics instruction panel by Jessica Abel and Matt Madden. The only panel I attended all weekend was the interview with Hans Rickheit; while I was interested in what Rickheit had to say about his wicked and weird surreal comics, I found the interviewer really fell short. The program listed Hans as a musician and performance artist. I was very interested in learning more about his work outside of comics and how it informed his comic work, but it wasn't even mentioned. In this regard, I expected better of MoCCA.

-Robin F hosts the Onomatopoeia Show every Sunday from 3-4pm

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The Commencement Speech Concordia Students Deserve

Submitted by Karl Knox on Tue, 05/22/2012 - 22:22

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I haven't come by to post in ages and this isn't news but it is useful and inspiring advice for all, especially to soon to be Concordia graduates. Enjoy the very talented and prolific Neil Gaiman's commencement speech. Good luck to all!

This Week In Sports: May 2nd

Submitted by Andrew Maggio on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 20:14

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NHL:

The second round is under way in the NHL playoffs, and, as per usual, we should have expected the unexpected. The Phoenix Coyotes are leading the Nashville Predators 2-0 after the first two games, and goaltending has not been the focal point of the series as many projected it to be. The Flyers and Rangers continue to roll in the east, and, while it's still early, they appear to be on a collision course towards the Eastern Conference finals. Finally, Jonathan Quick continues to sparkle in these playoffs, giving the LA Kings yet another early series lead, this time against St. Louis.

NBA:

The NBA playoffs just got underway, and the biggest story after only one game is the devastating injury to Chicago Bulls' superstar point guard Derrick Rose. Rose tore his ACL in the final minutes of the Bulls' opening game against the Philadelphia 76ers. While the Bulls have shown they can play without Rose, he will certainly be missed, not only in this series, but down the road should they advance to face the Miami Heat.

NFL:

The NFL Draft has come and gone without too many surprises, but with plenty of movement and trades. The top 10 was pretty much what was expected, but the rest of the first-round and beyond definetly provided intrigue with players dropping into the later rounds, players rocketing up draft boards to become first round picks, and teams breaking trends, like the Patriots moving up in the first round twice to select defensive studs Chandler Jones and Dont'a Hightower (as opposed to trading down for more picks as they usually do). Perhaps the biggest surprise was the Jacksonville Jaguards providing the head-scratching pick of the weekend, selecting a punter in the third round of the draft.

MLB:

One of the biggest storylines coming into this baseball season was the acquisition of Albert Pujols by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Pujols has been a force for a decade in the majors; he signed a 200 million dollar deal with the Angels this offseason, but already a month into the season and Pujols has yet to hit a home run, let alone make an offensive impact that lives up to his salary. It is still early, but the Angels, who were expected to contend for a championship this year, are off to a slow start as a whole, and you would think it would be up to Pujols to make sure things turn around as quickly as possible.

-Andrew Maggio co-hosts Game Misconduct every Sunday from 12pm-2pm and runs a dedicated Habs blog that you can check out here

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This Week In Sports: April 26th

Submitted by Andrew Maggio on Thu, 04/26/2012 - 11:03

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NHL:

The playoffs continue to roll on as we've seen a couple of teams get eliminated already. The Nashville Predators and St.Louis Blues each took down they're respective opponents, the Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks, in 5 games. The Philadelphia Flyers stopped the Pittsburgh Penguins comeback bid with a 5-1 on home ice Sunday to take the series in 6. Cup favorites to start the playoffs, the Vancouver Canucks, will instead be hitting the golf courses early as they were also ousted in 5 by the LA Kings. The Rangers/Sens, Bruins/Caps, Devils/Panthers and Coyotes/Hawks series' rage on for the time being.

NFL:

The draft is right around the corner, and while the top two picks are already locked in, speculation runs rampant for the rest of the top 10 selections and beyond. The Indianapolis Colts have already told Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck that he will be selected first overall and become the heir apparent to the vacant QB position in Indy left by Peyton Manning. The Washington Redskins traded up to the #2 hole to select Baylor QB Robert Griffin III, better know as RG3. From there, it may be already decided, or it might be a crapshoot. The Vikings are expected to provide their second-year QB Christian Ponder with some protection, and will do so by selecting Matt Kalil, left tackle from USC. The Browns might go QB at 4, but they're more likely to take game-breaking running back Trent Richardson from Alabama. At 5, the Tampa Bay Bucaneers will hope for Richardson to drop to them, but if he doesn't the logical choice is cornerback Morris Claiborne from LSU. At 6, the Rams will probably still get the guy they would have taken at #2 (the Rams traded the pick to Washington), Justin Blackmon, wide receiver from Oklahoma State University. At seven, the Jacksonville Jaguars will be looking for help on the defensive side of the ball, so look for Melvin Ingram or Quinton Coples to be the quick. The Miami Dolphins, sitting at 8, might look to take whoever the Jags pass on, but they will most likely look to QB, specifically Ryan Tannehill from Texas A&M, whose meteoric rise up draft boards has led to rampant debates around NFL circles.

After that, anything could happen; we will have all the answers Thursday night, but there is no doubt there will be plenty of excitement surrounding the draft.

-Andrew Maggio co-hosts Game Misconduct every Sunday from 12pm-2pm and runs a dedicated Habs blog that you can check out here

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CJLO 1690AM presents "YOU'RE RELATED" Vol. 1: Montreal Artists Covering Montreal Artists

Submitted by Omar Goodness on Thu, 04/26/2012 - 10:48

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Hello friend,

When we geared up for our first fundraising campaign, I wanted us to do something a little extra, a cool added bonus, and that's where the seeds for the idea behind this compilation were planted. CJLO 1690AM and its volunteers have always been strong supporters of the great local talent we have, and we thought this compilation would be an amazing way to pay tribute to both the music Montreal has produced and to Montreal in general. We've always had this joke at the station that anyone who's ever worked for CJLO 1690AM (a CJLOxican) is always part of the "Extended Family", a once-you're-in-you're-never-out sorta thing, and I think that's partly why the title of this comp, CJLO 1690AM's first foray into compilation fun, works so well. Named after a song by Montreal's own Doughboys, "You're Related", while being a subtle reference to this being a covers compilation, can also be taken as a reference to these bands being part of the CJLO 1690AM family.

Hi fives to all the band managers, representatives, and labels for helping us get this off the ground. CJLO 1690AM-related Hi fives to our GM Steph for letting me go crazy with this, to our production team especially Lachlan for mastering the comp and Marco for helping engineer some of the recordings, to Alex for helping with the tracklist sequencing, and to Angelica for making this digital booklet look super sweet. And of course, huge hi fives to the bands who I cannot thank enough for donating their time, effort, and more importantly, their talent to this comp. Every one of these covers came out spectacularly and every band put their own distinctive spin on the original songs. Lastly, on behalf of everyone at CJLO 1690AM, who has every worked at CJLO 1690AM, and who puts in the time and effort into this little campus/community radio station that we all believe in so much, thank YOU for supporting CJLO 1690AM.

Consider yourself part of the family too, now. See you at the reunions.

-Omar (Head Music Director, Host of "Hooked on Sonics")

CJLO 1690AM presents "YOU'RE RELATED" Vol. 1: Montreal Artists Covering Montreal Artists

Below is the compilation's tracklist as well as some questions we asked each band (you can find these in the digital booklet that comes with the compilation download). We have attached, when possible, a video of the original track as well as the iTunes or bandcamp of the original artist. Enjoy!

SOLIDS “Fleeting Memories”
Originally recorded by Hawkes from the CD-R MMVIII (Oeil du Tigre, 2008)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? We are a two-piece band focusing on sounding as full as possible. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? Because we love Hawkes and think everybody should know about them. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? Both of us are from Montreal. FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL? Summer. WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? We just can’t think of any good reason not to.

HAWKES - http://www.mediafire.com/?wgz2ylkkgmz

ROME ROMEO “Saturdays in Silesia”
Originally recorded by Rational Youth from the album Cold War Night Life (Yul, 1982)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? We are a 4 piece that plays music... And we are better at playing it than describing it! WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? We all agreed on doing a song that didn’t have a major broadcast. So many bands wrote great songs that never came to our ears, we thought “Saturdays in Silesia” was one of them. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? If we make an average of the members it would be about 10 years. FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL? We can afford to live in the city! And the music scene is amazing. WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? It’s actually CJLO who supports the bands, and for that we are very grateful!

RATIONAL YOUTH - iTunes

PASSWORDS “Heartbeats Accelerating”
Originally recorded by Kate and Anna McGarrigle from the album Heartbeats Accelerating (Private Music, 1990)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? Not sure how we sound anymore. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? It’s a great song! HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? Most of us were born and raised in Montreal. FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL? Cheap rent, european vibe, late night bars, bagels. WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? They’re being nice to us!

KATE AND ANNE MCGARRIGLE - iTunes

RED MASS “Mon violon”
Originally recorded by Jesuslesfilles from the album Une belle table (Self-Released, 2010)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? dark and psychedelic ...we sound like Red Mass WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? ive wanted to cover this since i heard it and this was the perfect occasion to do it,,the original recording is a huge walllll of sound with catchy pop melodies that stick out ,,some melodies just get you,,this one had me hooked the first time i heard it HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? 16 years FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL? my home WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? people do college radio coz you love the music... ian, paul and everyone ive encountered there have been really supportive and helpfull.

JESUSLESFILLES - bandcamp
video of song unavailable

SILVER DAPPLE “Ravale ta saison”
Originally recorded by Le monde dans le feu from the album Sur le bord de l’absolument fantastique (Méga Fiable, 2008)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? We love hotdogs and sound like fuzzy pop WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? I love to listen to this song on repeat and it gave me a chance to actually learn all the words. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? From 5 to 12 years FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL? I love that Montreal is a big city and we get all the perks of festivals and events that happen in a big city, but you never feel like you live in a BIG city. WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? Independent radio and broadcasting is important. There is enough commercial radio out there and sometimes its just nice to hear something unexpected.

LE MONDE DANS LE FEU - bandcamp

YOUNG LUNGS “The Clap”
Originally recorded by The Unicorns from the album Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone? (Alien8 Recordings, 2003)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? An amalgamation of genres!! Take some indie rock, add in some garage, a dash of hardcore, a sprinkle of post-punk and a pinch of surg and you get Young Lungs. Needless to say, it’s somewhat of a complicated recipe. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? The Unicorns were basically the soundtrack to our high school years, they were a great a Montreal band...we mourn them. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? Born and raised. FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL? Thing?! MORE LIKE THINGS!! Between smoked meat, hockey and our affinity for tradition and old buildings, Montreal goes pretty hard. WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? If it wasn’t for us meeting the cats at CJLO we don’t know where we’d be as a band. We have a symbiotic relationship - they are the Hall to our Oates.

THE UNICORNS - iTunes

PREVENGE “Rooftops”
Originally recorded by The Frenetics from the album These Mistakes Took Years of Practice (Union, 2001)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? Punk songs for the kids who were picked last in softball. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? We all loved the Frenetics. Like, a lot. They were also a band that we felt shared our sensibilities and approach to music. This song is excellent, and fairly well recognized thanks to the music video and it’s appearance on one of the State of the Union comps. This cover is also a gift for our pal Malcolm, who wrote this song. We hope he likes it. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? We’ve all been living in and around Montreal our whole lives. Wherever any of this takes us, we’re always excited to come home. FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL?Lafleur’s poutine, samosas and empanadas at Dad’s Bagels, Foie gras poutine at Pied de Cochon, burgers at Mr. Steer and Gourmet Burger, the Mirror, “The New Noise,” and CJLO. WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? College and independent radio is important because it is the last bastion of real people playing music they love and think that you’d love too.

THE FRENETICS - iTunes

GLASS PASSENGER “Avalanche”
Originally recorded by Leonard Cohen from the album Songs of Love and Hate (Columbia, 1971)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? Glass Passenger is a roots-rock band equally comfortable with minimalism and maximalism. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? Songs of Love and Hate is Leonard Cohen’s masterpiece. It is a consistent body of long, lyrically dense and moody works, which is why it’s an album you rarely hear a cover from. When the album came out, people putting it on for the first time would hear in Avalanche, the opening track, another side of Leonard Cohen. It’s his first truly angry song, the first appearance of a grit in his voice that would become an integral part of his music from that point on. Not only is it a song we all love, but it’s also full of empty space. In this song we found the opportunity to create a dark, dense texture with just the four of us in a room together. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? Well there’s four of us. I’ve been living here for 2 years, while Dave and Rachelle have been here significantly longer, and Rob was born here. FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL? Leonard Cohen. WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? The first time I went into CJLO’s studio the first thing that I thought was “This isn’t a college radio station,” and in every way except for the obvious one, that’s true. The standards of quality and professionalism at CJLO are more than impressive. As proven by shows like Edge of the City and The Go-Go Radio Magic Hour, it’s not only the best station in Montreal, but one of the best I’ve ever heard.

LEONARD COHEN - iTunes

ADAM & THE AMETHYSTS “Drinking in L.A.”
Originally recorded by Bran Van 3000 from the album Glee (Audiogram, 1997)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? Psychedelic folk-pop WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? It speaks to something a lot of young expats in Montreal can relate to: you’re chasing the dream in a glamorous far-away creative hub, and suddenly you realize that all you’re really doing is wasting time and getting drunk. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? Rebecca was born and raised here and Adam has been living in Montreal since 2003. FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL? Summer picnics in Parc Jean-Mance. WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? Community radio is vital to a musical community.

BRAN VAN 3000 - iTunes

AIM LOW “Black Cars”
Originally recorded by Gino Vannelli from the album Black Cars (Polydor, 1985)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? Loud, swirly, fuzzy...like a warm blanket that causes heat exhaustion WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? Somehow this song came up in a conversation while on the way to Toronto to play a show and we thought it’d be a great song to cover, turning a conventional 80s pop-rnb classic into a doom n’ gloom dirge. Plus, Gino Vanelli’s Black Cars was the first record Lachlan bought! HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? 1/3rd - 4 years via Vancouver/ Chicago, 1/3rd - 11 years via Brampton/Toronto, 1/3rd - born & raised FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL? It’s home WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? It’s what brought us together (cue touchy-feely music).

GINO VANNELLI - iTunes

SNAILHOUSE “It’s OK”
Originally recorded by Land of Talk from the album Some Are Lakes (Secret City/Saddle Creek, 2008)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? Contemporary song. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? - It is an amazing song by an amazing songwriter. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? 11 years. FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL? Freedom! WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? How could I not?

LAND OF TALK - iTunes

KANDLE “Rising”
Originally recorded by Lhasa from the album Lhasa (Warner Music, 2009)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? Bluesy-chill-swamp-rock WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? My manager showed it to me a few months back and I fell in love with it right away. It’s so powerful and beautiful and incredibly dynamic. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? Since last August FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL? Everything! It’s a gorgeous place to live and a wonderful place for artists. WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? Because it’s a great station that supports local talent!

LHASA - iTunes

ECHO BEACH “Dangerdangerdanger”
Originally recorded by Rae Spoon from the album Love is a Hunter (Saved by Radio, 2010)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? Doom Wave/ Dark Wave drone WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? I think Rae Spoon is an amazing artist, and wanted to pay homage to them with this version of their song. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? 2.5 years FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL? The music community WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? I think the programming is fantastic, and you can’t beat the support of the djs!

RAE SPOON - iTunes

FREELOVE FENNER “Mint”
Originally recorded by Chevalier Avant Garde from the cassette Postcards (Fixture Records, 2008)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? concise, tape-y. mildly psychedelic, mid-south atlantic guitar pop WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? It was in our heads. Filip and Dimitri are great songwriters. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? Peter and Caitlin: nearly a dozen years / Mike: about 8 years FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL? the Agora at Viger Square WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? amplitude modulation signals of 1690 kilocycles per second were deemed auspicious by our guru.

CHEVALIER AVANT GARDE - bandcamp

video is unavailable

ELGIN-SKYE “(Not) Superstitious”
Originally recorded by Snailhouse from the album Lies on the Prize (Unfamiliar Records, 2008)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? Lo-fi indie folk. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? I saw Snailhouse play this song during a performance in the back of a van last summer. It cheers me up when I think of all of us crammed in that tiny space, hanging off every chord! HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? 4 years. FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL? My backyard and the 13 cats that call it home. WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? Because CJLO is the best! Everyone I’ve met who is involved with the station is super nice, they do great work supporting local musicians, and they welcome music enthusiasts to join their community. I have a total station-crush on CJLO!

SNAILHOUSE - iTunes

HEXES AND OHS w/ CAMAROMANCE
“Your Ex-Lover’s Dead”
Originally recorded by Stars from the album Set Yourself on Fire (Arts & Crafts, 2004)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? Hexes & Ohs is a pop band. We used to be a duo, we used to be more electronic. Now we have 4 people with us on stage, there are more guitars and boy-girl harmonies. You wouldn’t be able to tell on this cover song though, it’s a bit of an exception. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? Martine (from Camaromance) and I have wanted to do something together for a while. I was asked last April to do a live acoustic cover of a local Montreal band for a video for the online mag The Rake, so I got Martine in on the action. We enjoyed it so much that we thought it would be cool to do a studio version for this CJLO comp. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? Heidi was born here, and I’ve been here since 1985. Which is practically like being born here. I love this city, still. I’m no globetrotter, but I’ve certainly been to my fair share of world class cities, and Montreal is still tops to me. A great balance of culture, food, arts, career. Some seriously talented folks in these parts. FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL? The people, the food and the independent spirit. Everyone’s doing SOMETHING here but they still know not to take themselves too seriously. For the most part. There are plenty of assholes too. WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? We do stuff like this. We’ve played a handful of benefits for them too. Good peeps these CJLO dudes.

STARS - iTunes

2600.1 “East Hastings”
Originally recorded by Godspeed You! Black Emperor from the album F#A#8 (Constellation, 1997)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? 8 bit noisy electro glitch WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? The song is called East Hastings, which is a street in my hometown of Vancouver. It is also featured in one of the best zombie movies of the modern era, 28 Days Later. I know it was crazy to choose this song, since Godspeed! You Black Emperor is such an amazing and fantastical band, but I thought I would give it a shot, a glitchy electro shot... HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? 2.5 years FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL? The musicians, and proximity to so many other cities! WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? The variance in shows is great, I love many of the djs, it is good to have on any time of the day!!

GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR - iTunes

THISQUIETARMY “Chimeras”
Originally recorded by Tim Hecker from the album Harmony in Ultraviolet (Kranky, 2006)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? Experimental guitarbased one-man project, revolving around improvised ambient/drone with elements of shoegaze & doom. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? Tim Hecker is one of my favorite ambient artists and I consider him to be somewhat of an influence. Considering that his entire repertoire consists of abstract pieces of music, the idea of a cover is a completely ridiculous concept. None has ever been made to my knowledge, so that was the perfect reason for me to try and attempt it. “Chimeras” is one of his most recognizable pieces, at least to those who are familiar with his work, so I hope our cover is recognizable as well. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? Born & raised (yes, one of the rare ones in the Montreal music scene). FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL? Montreal is a small world, but it’s big and diverse enough if you need to disappear. WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? Because they’re awesome.

TIM HECKER - iTunes

ARCHERY GUILD “Shot to la Parc”
Originally recorded by Tonstartssbandht from the album Now I Am Become (Arbutus, 2011)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? Archery Guild is a rock band that presents dynamics from the soft bows of a violin to the screeches of a cheap electric guitar. Their overall sound varies from chaos to concurrence with direction from a variety of players in the band. As their group grows in numbers so does their sound in style and personality. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? Tonstartssbandht’s song “Shot To La Parc” has a psychedelic, violent cavern that A.G. wanted to recreate with each other as a band, screaming and kerfuffling. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? Some members have lived in Montreal forever while others have been living here for three years. FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL? Everyone is beautiful in Montreal. It’s close to home, but far enough away to call it a new home. WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? CJLO promotes the underdogs in the music scene because they are the underdog in the radio community. They are a family of like minded people who are willing to take in anybody who has an interest in what CJLO does and they manage to give so much with what they have to offer.

TONSTARTSSBANDHT - iTunes

THE CITY STREETS “Cum Hear the Band”
Originally recorded by April Wine from the album Stand Back (Aquarius, 1975)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BAND & SOUND? The City Streets are an independent power pop/rock/folk/punk band that covers a lot of sonic territory with their arrangements and songwriting. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SONG? We grew up in an era where classic rock radio was ubiquitous and bands like April Wine were playing when our parents were getting ready for work, in the car or in our heads intermittently throughout our childhoods, consciously or not. This particular song was not as big a hit as some of the other singles from the same album, but it’s a charmer, well constructed and reminiscent of other great power pop bands from the 70’s like Badfinger, Big Star and The Raspberries. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN MONTREAL? 2.5 years FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MONTREAL? The Women. WHY DO YOU SUPPORT CJLO? Because college/independent radio is increasingly the only way to hear new, interesting music.

APRIL WINE - iTunes

credits

released 20 April 2012
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Curated by Omar Husain for CJLO 1690AM
Additonal tracklisting by Alex Rabot
Mastered by Lachlan Fletcher
Design by angeli.ca

CJLO 1690AM presents "YOU'RE RELATED" Vol. 1: Montreal Artists Covering Montreal Artists

Film Review - Bully

Submitted by CJLO on Fri, 04/20/2012 - 12:55

Feature

Bullying is a constant presence in contemporary childhoods. It is the most common form of violence experienced by young people in the nation; over 13 million kids were bullied in America last year. Bullying leads to intense emotional trauma for certain children and most authority figures brush the accusations from each party aside and simply say, “Kids will be kids." The issue with bullying is that the people who are suppose to protect the children, those who should care about their student’s safety, ignore the complaints from worried parents and the pleading of the children who want a safe place to learn. The authorities need to see hard evidence of bullying and realize that it is a huge issue we cannot ignore anymore. Lee Hirsh is providing said proof and the tools to help. He directed, co-wrote and filmed Bully and is very much involved with the entirety of the film, including an unflinching look into the characters and spending a lot of time with them while getting to know their families and their emotional struggle with bullying.

Bully follows the lives of three children living in northern America and the bullying they undergo every day, all day long. Our main protagonist is named Alex and he is the sweetest 12-year-old 7th grader I have ever seen. He assures his very concerned parents that his friends are simply "messing with him." Alex is strangled, stabbed with sharpened pencils, kicked in the torso, punched and followed by his attackers. It is extremely difficult to watch. Lee Hirsh mentioned that he did not want to interfere with the bullying because it was crucial to get the real attacks on camera, but it was one of the hardest things about the project, not standing up for the bullied. Hirsh mentioned that he was filming with the Canon 5d Mark II, which looks like a still photographic camera, therefore the children were not fully aware that he was recording video. This gave him the fly on the wall advantage and the children simply let him slip into the background of their 2009-2010 school year, with this Hirsh was able to capture moments of pure cruelty.

Another storyline follows Kelby, a lesbian trying to live a normal life in Tuttle, Oklahoma. She came out as a lesbian and was kicked off all her sport teams with brutal attacks from classmates and, worse, teachers. She is being pressured to leave her town but refuses to be pushed around any longer.

The other stories that Hirsh captures are heart breaking and leave a mark; they highlight the geographical, racial, ethnic and economic issues that bullying creates within its environment. He also tells the tale of two students who took their own lives because of bullying. The parents of said students help launch an anti-bullying organization, and it is spreading quickly. “The Ellen Show” and Oprah have already become involved in the campaign and more and more people who have access to the masses are speaking up against the violence behind bullying and the endangered lives of the bullied.

Bully is a wonderful, powerful film that finally shows society the consequences of Bullying and gives the audience the tools to help prevent this horrible issue for our future students, to help them feel safe in their learning environment. Hirsh said “Suicide is the ultimate consequence of bullying” and he is saddened at how the children are so young and have their whole lives ahead of them but cannot seem to grasp the idea that things will get better after high school. Go see this film and educate yourself on what is going on within the social circles of today’s youth. IT GETS BETTER!!!

4 out of 5 stars

-Andrea Boulet

BullyMovie

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