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A civil-rights lawyer has claimed that the STM is wrong when it says Bill 101 forbids them from using bilingualism when dealing with the public.

According to the Montreal Gazette, high-profile lawyer, Julius Grey, said that the transit agency has an obligation to serve their customers in the best way. Their client base are locals, and tourists who do speak English on a regular basis.

Grey said that there is nothing in the bill that says a significant minority shouldn’t get served because they can’t speak French.

There are several instances in twenty-twelve that had altercations between English-speaking clients and French-speaking employees of the STM.

Unlike the STM, the AMT, a separate provincial transit agency which serves Montreal and its suburbs require employees to speak English to clients who need it.

Flickr Photo by: hamster!

There is a new and exciting year ahead of us, but we here at CJLO want to take this chance to reminisce about the wonderful music 2012 had to offer. CJLO DJs and staff give you their top picks of the year, and the lists reflect the different styles of music that broadcasts on CJLO every day, as well as the eclectic tastes of our DJs! Check them out and you might find something new and interesting.

And while you're here, have a look at our on-air schedule for more information on our programming, or click on a DJ's show page or personal page, all hyperlinked for your convenience below (because we care, man).

All the best to you and yours in 2013!

–CJLO 1690 AM in Montreal

 

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Beansie Saretsky, CJLO Station Manager and DJ of Maiden Voyage, Friday 12-1 pm

  

 Top Albums of 2012

01. Purity Ring – Shrines
02. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
03. DIIV – Oshin
04. Young Magic – Melt
05. Beach House - Bloom
06. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
07. Yamantaka // Sonic Titan – YT // ST
08. METZ – METZ
09. Parlovr – Kook Soul
10. Death Grips – The Money Store

And finally, this is not a new album, but I listened to it almost every day in 2012: Tim Hecker – Dropped Pianos.

Best Shows of 2012 

- Yamantaka // Sonic Titan @ Le Rialto (Pop Montreal)
- METZ @ Cameo Gallery (CMJ)
- St. Vincent and David Byrne @ L’eglise St. Jean Baptiste (Pop Montreal)
- Friends & John Maus @ Lee’s Palace (NXNE)
- Cold Warps @ Parts & Labour (NXNE)
- Purity Ring @ SAT

Coolest Things at CJLO This Year 

- First ever funding drive for the station, a big milestone. 

- CJLO 1690 AM presents: “You’re Related” Vol. 1: Montreal Artists Covering Montreal Artists, our compilation released in April. 

- Winning ‘Biggest Champion of the Local Scene’ at the 2012 CMJ College Radio Awards  

- The Safe in Sound M pour Montreal showcase @ L’Escogriffe in November. 

- FOREIGN TRADE: An exchange between Montreal and Minneapolis compilation. 

- Receiving the Radiometres grant from the CRFC to start the CJLO Artist Outreach Project

 

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DJ Solespin from The Suite Delight, Saturday 8-10 pm

  

Songs I Felt For Some Reason or Another 2012

01. Nas – "The Don"
02. Santigold – "Disparate Youth"
03. ANGO – "No Ordinary Love"
04. The Sureshot Symphony Solution – "Mr. Fortune & Fame featuring The Mighty Pope"
05. Mickey Boston featuring Rico Blox – "Freedom"
06. Maylee Todd – "Hieroglyphics" (Tall Black Guy Remix)
07. Prince Akeem – "Forever"
08. Ancient Astronauts – "Still A Soldier" (DJ Brace Remix)
09. Ray Lugo – "Super Saoco"
10. Sonnymoon – "Magicians" (MndsgnSalmonFromIpanemaMX)
11. Lianne La Havas – "Is Your Love Big Enough?"
12. Nation Ruckus – "Against The Wall" featuring Sir Jay & Jonathan Emile
13. The Sol Power All-Stars – "Catch Monkey" (Vocal)
14. Emile Sande – "Next To Me"
15. Hokis Pokis – "Nowhere" (Danny Krivit Edit)
16. Conn-Shawnery – "Shoulder Roll" (Instrumental)
17. Charles Bradley & The Menahan Street Band – "Heart Of Gold"
18. Bobbie Gentry – "Mississippi Delta & Ode To Billy Joe"
19. Krystale – "Sweet Tooth"
20. Pyongyang – "Autistic Behavior"
21. Fun – "We Are Young"
22. Train – "Drive By"
23. Savoir Adore – "Dreamers"

The Suite Delight Albums of 2012

01. Lee Fields & The Expressions – Faithful Man
02. The Souljazz Orchestra – Solidarity
03. Menahan Street Band – The Crossing
04. Planet Asia – Black Belt Theatre
05. Nas – Life Is Good
06. Santigold – Master Of My Make-Believe
07. Ray Lugo – We Walk Around Like This
08. Nickodemus – Moon People
09. Saukrates – Season One
10. Pacewon & Mr. Green – The Only Number That Matters Is Won
11. Punchline & DJ Soulclap – Underground Superstars
12. Bobbie Gentry – Ode To Billy Joe
13. ANGO – Serpentine
14. Savoir Adore – Our Nature
15. Various – Soul Jazz Records Presents Country Soul Sisters
16. Various – Country Funk
17. Various – The Best of Perception & Today Records
18. The Mighty Sparrow – Sparrowmania!
19. Various – Never To Be Forgotten
20. Various – The Rough Guide To Psychedelic Africa

The Suite Delight Best of 2012

01. Lee Fields & The Expressions – Cabaret Du Mile-End
02. Charles Bradley & The Extraordinaires – Corona Theatre
03. DJ Amir – The Goods, La Sala Rossa
04. DJ Spinna – Oasis Wednesdays, Salon Daome
05. Jazzanova - Music Is My Sanctuary Anniversary, Metropolis
06. Christian Pronovost – 24 Hours of Vinyl, Death Of Vinyl
07. The Souljazz Orchestra – Montreal Jazz Festival & Le Belmont
08. Inspectah Deck – Le Belmont
09. Lianne La Havas - Le Belmont
10. Lyrics Born – SAT, Jazz Festival
11. Jeru The Damaja – Cabaret Underworld
12. Puces Pop Record Fair
13. Under Pressure 2012
14. The Suite Delight 6th Anniversary
15. A Tribe Called Red – Pop Montreal
16. Dam Funk – Pop Montreal
17. Phantasmagoria Exhibit
18. The Avengers
19. The Dark Knight Rises
20. The Hobbit

 

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Andrew Wixq from Grade A Explosives, Sunday 4-6 pm

  

Well, the year's almost at a close and it's once again time for tops of the year. Since it is 2012, I thought I'd make a top 12 of 2012 list, so here it is. But first, let me include some bands that didn't quite make the cut:

Muffler Crunch - Little Things

Hull, Quebec duo puts out a great female fronted albumin a simialr vein to Black Mountain or the Mongrels with more grit and heaviness. Tasty stuff for your ears.

Skip the Foreplay - Nightlife

A lot of people hate on this record, but I really think this band is trying to do something a bit original in the stagnant field of melodic hardcore and the quickly stagnating dubstep genre. Is it perfect? No. But it is catchy, and there's some definite musical talent being used unlike some other bands in the genre *coucgh* Abandon All Ships *cough*.

White Pulp - Vulgarity is not a Felony

Industrial rock that sounds like it might belong in the early to mid 90s.

X Marks the Pedwalk - The Sun, The Cold, and my underwater Fear

German electro pioneers are back with a dark and fantastically polished album.

Meshuggah - Koloss

Heavy stuff with great groove to it that you expect from Meshuggah.

Phutureprimitive - Kinetik

This pains me to not have on the to. This downbeat, minimalist record reminds me a lot of Burial, and it's so good to have in the background while I do other stuff.

16 - Deep Cuts from Dark Clouds

Sludge stuff at it's finest.

Avatar - Black Waltz

A really great album from this Swedish melodic death group. It is really good, and I really struggled with not putting it on the top 12. Give it a listen and maybe it will get on yours.

And now without further delay, here's the top 12

12. Enslaved - Riitiir

Though I foresee an Opeth style turn in their future, Enslaved is at least going gradually into the '70s with Riitiir. Though they aren't as heavy as they used to be, this album shows that they can craft some fine melodies and still garner a certain heaviness that they're known for. All in all, a solid release.

11. Periphery - Periphery II

A fantastic follow- up to their first record, one of the forerunners of the Djent groups release an album that shows off their technical prowess and their ability to still make an average person not be bored to death (I'm looking at you, Dream Theater). It's a great listen for when you want to be heavy but have a fun time doing it, and as the first album says, "Periphery: Love that shit!"

10. Passion Pit - Gossamer

This sophomore release from Passion Pit really shows that the band has grown musically in a pretty short amount of time. "Take A Walk" was able to get some good airplay on mainstream radio, and if you liked that, then the rest of the album is a smarter, weirder version of it. I honestly have a hard time finding tracks that I don't want to play when I cue them up for my show, so if you've heard the single, the full album will probably be great for you to try.

09. Pig Destroyer - Book Burner

Truth be told, this band's album could be seeming a bit more favorable to me after feeling like I had been beaten at their show in NYC (read the review here). Either way, the album is a fantastic piece of grindcore-mending elements from newer albums with the sheer brutality of older stuff Definitely an album not to be missed, and if you can pick up the "deluxe" version with the Blind, Broken, Bleeding EP, which Pig Destroyer cover some of their favorite punk bands, I'd recommend you do that.

08. Chainsaw Hookers - Chainsaw Hookers

Perth's favorite speed rockers finally put out a proper full-length album. If you like the mix of thrash, punk, and rock that bands such as Zeke pushed out, you'll love this album. Go to their website and check it out. You won't be sorry.

07. Kontravoid - Kontravoid

Ex-Crystal Castles, ex-Parallels and possibly current TRUST drummer Cameron Findlay puts out a pretty stellar kind of weird dark album. It has hints of new wave, but with more garageness to it, which I highly appreciate.

06. Hurt - The Crux

Formerly from Virginia and now in St. Louis, this modern rock outfit hasn't really strayed too much from the path that got them attention. A nice hard rock edge on some songs that are simple, but have some pretty good extra instrumentation on them. ""How We End Up Alone" is a pretty damn amazing song, and almost holds the album on its own, but the whole thing is solid, and kind of like a "comfort food of music" for me.

05. Vitalic - Rave Age

French electro man Pascal Arbez releases a fantastic electronic dance album which manages to be both dancey and have some good indie feel to it too. Definitely worth your time to check out if you haven't done so already.

04. Local H - Hallelujah! I'm a Bum

One of the most underrated bands from the '90s and possibly beyond, Local H puts out another fantastic concept record filled with all kinds of subway sound tracks inbetween to give it proper atmosphere. This is by far the most cohesive true "album" on the list and you should listen to the whole thing to get the true experience from it.

03. Cygnets - Bleak Anthems

This Edmonton trio puts out a fantastic dark, almost new wave sounding album which is sure to get you tapping along. If you want to hear their full album, I highly recommend you go to the website and download their album for zero dollars. Coincidentally, this album is also the best deal of the year.

02. Texas Hippie Coalition - Peacemaker

Easily having the most spins for me this year, Texas Hippie Coalition makes a an album that is fun and catchy. Oh, make no mistake, this album is dumber than a person who's repeated been beaten over the head with sacks of doorknobs, but it is pretty damn fun once you get past the stupidness of it.

01. High On Fire - De Vermis Mysteriis

Like a soundtrack to the barren hell-scape that was supposed to happen on the 21st (damn you Mayans), this album produces an unrelenting amount of sludge and doom which is just superb. If you missed them when they came through as I did, scold yourself thoroughly.

For the top songs of the year, tune in on Sunday, December 30th from 4-6 pm for a rockin' good time. Trust me, it will be great.

 

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Angelica from BVST, Wednesday 7-9 pm

  

In no particular order, here are ten songs that soundtracked 2012 for me. There were many amazing metal albums released this year, and I'm sure as you go down the list you'll wonder about all the heavy hitters I left off, but these are the tracks that made my year, for better or worse.

Muffler Crunch - "Have Faith In Me" from Little Things
Video

While I wish I could share a video for "Stress", my favorite song off Muffler Crunch's latest album, this song, while a little quieter and more introspective, will give you an idea of the heaviness that this Hull, QC dishes out. Little Things is a shining black gem from start to finish, I highly recommend it.

16 - "Theme From Pillpopper" from Deep Cuts From Dark Clouds
Video

Honoring their 20th year in the business with another heavy as hell release, their second since signing to Relapse in 2009. I could have easily picked any song from this album, all come down with the same measure of brutality. Not for the faint of heart.

Admiral Sir Cloudsley Shovell - "Devil's Island" from Don't Hear it, Fear It!
Video

You'd be forgiven, after watching this video, for thinking that I'm trying to pass off a late '70s band as a new act, but happily for all the kief smokin', black light lit longhairs, here's a record that'll keep your copy of Sabbath's Paranoid off the turntable for a couple of months.

Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats - "Ritual Knife" from Blood Lust
Video

Also taking deep tokes from the deep bowl that is English proto-metal, this track (and its companions) from Blood Lust made 2012 feel like 1972. The soundtrack to a non-existent grainy VHS horror flick, this record both creeps and grooves in just the right way.

Chainsaw Hookers - "Never Sleep Again" from Chainsaw Hookers
Video

Speaking of horror flicks, Perth, Australia's premier punk'n'rollers released their debut full length in 2012, and it is nothing less than expected. Horror-themed, no-bullshit punk-inspired rock'n'roll, I stand behind this band so much that I'm giving away a copy of this record to the first person who asks for it and mentions this review on Twitter @angelidotca!

White Cowbell Oklahoma - "Diabla, Diabla" from Buenas Nachas
Video

While the sound quality on this video is sub par, it captures the atmosphere of every Cowbell show. On record this song is perfectly sun bleached, and one of the standout tracks on their new release, which digs a little deeper into the '70s sound.

Texas Hippie Coalition - "Turn It Up" from Peacemaker
Video

This is a dumber than dirt bass-heavy song about strippers, and I am not ashamed to admit that I listened to it (the whole record, in fact) at least a dozen times on a 10-hour roadtrip, and then again on the way home. I don't know what gives this particular band (and not the dozens of similarly braindead biker rock outfits) the edge, but I like it, and I ain't sorry.

Hellyeah - "Drink Drank Drunk" from Band of Brothers
Video

...but I may be sorry for this one. I am not a fan of the Vinnie Paul/guy from Mudvayne monstrosity that is this band, however, I will admit to enjoying this track, and not in moderation. This song is redeemed only by its stupidity, and my endorsement of this record and this band ends here.

Psy - "Gangnam Style" from Psy 6 (Six Rules), Part 1.
Video

At the end of July, I was introduced to this soon-to-be-viral hit by a K-pop obsessed friend, and, as much as I resisted at first, by the beginning of August, I declared it the unofficial theme song of the 2012 edition of the Fantasia Film Festival, and fellow Fantasia CJLO DJ Julie Matson even spun it between films. By the end of August, Psy was charting in North America. Love it or hate it, when even hardened rock'n'rollers are busting out the pony dance, that's the power of music.

Maximum RNR - "Ire of The Ram Intro / Trainwreck" from the CJLO Sessions
Session

This one's a little bit different - no video link, but a link to their bandcamp where you can grab these songs that were originally recorded for a CJLO session on my show. The band is back with a new lineup and new songs, but I particularly love how this track blends one of my favorite heavy melodies with a brand new track true to the band's scrappy punk rock sound.

 

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Lady Oracle from The Limelight, Saturday 6-8 pm

  

Hip Hop / R&B albums that got play in my MP3 player (in no particular order):

- Amerigo Gazaway of Gummy Soul – Bizarre Tribe: A Quest To The Pharcyde
- Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
- Homeboy Sandman – First Of A Living Breed
- Robert Glasper – Robert Glasper Experiment
- Jai Nitai Lotus – Something You Feel
- Conn Shawnery – CS02
- Plug 1 & Plug 2 – First Serve
- More or Les - Mastication
- Murs & Fashawn – This Generation
- The Weeknd – Trilogy

 

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Rebecca Munroe from The Commonwealth Conundrum, Wednesday 4-6 pm

  

2012 was quite the year in music. There was a phenomenal amount of music that came out of the Commonwealth this past year and it was so hard to pick only ten. Alas, here are my personal fave’s from this year!

Rebecca Munroe's top 10 "Commonwealth" bands for 2012!

10. Metric – Synthetica
09. Charles Hurts/Hello Translinks? - Blue Romance (Belfast, Ireland)
08. Ladyhawke – Anxiety (New Zealand)
07. Half Moon Run – Dark Eyes
06. Grimskunk – Set Fire
05. C T Z N S H P – Swan Dive EP
04. Bishop Morocco – Bishop Morocco
03. Cousins – The Palm At The End Of The Mind
02. Odonis Odonis - Hollandaze
01. METZ - METZ

Honorable Mentions

Rah Rah – The Poet's Dead
Stars – The North
Funeral Suits – Lily Of The Valley
Sara Johnston – Trespassing
Wintersleep – Hello Hum

 

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Danny Payne from The Commonwealth Conundrum, Wednesday 4-6 pm

  

First things first, this top ten is in no particular order. The band at the top isn't my #1 pick, and the band at the bottom isn't my #10 pick. Just 10 incredible bands who have rocked my world in 2012 and who, I hope, will go on to achieve the success they thoroughly deserve in 2013. So without further ado, here's the big 10:

Two Wounded Birds (Soundcloud)

Leaders of the UK's blossoming surf rock scene, Two Wounded Birds (is that the best band name of all time?), with their obsession with Raybans and reverb, are the UK's coolest rockers since The Horrors. There must be something in the water down in Southend-by-Sea...

Two Wounded Birds split up in November 2012 but I had to add them anyway as they were absolutely brilliant and just couldn't be ignored.

Public Service Broadcasting (Soundcloud)

Public Service Broadcasting are a truly unique band where the concept is almost as impressive as the music they create. They sample old public information films and archive material and set them to new music created by laptops, drums, guitars, banjos...and even a Theremin! As they say, "teaching the lessons of the past through the music of the future."

Grass House (Soundcloud)

Grass House is a group of Northern Englanders drawing influence for their sound through their love of Joe Meek, Jonathan Richman, Captain Beefheart, and Lou Reed. I personally think there's some Tom Waits and Nick Cave in there too, either way, it's fantastic. And keep a close eye on their label, Dancing Coins. They're a new kid on the block in the London label world and definitely going places.

Little Green Cars (Soundcloud)

This song originally came out on Young and Lost Club Records in 2011 but has since blown up in the UK and Ireland due to a late-2012 re-release on Glassnote Records and is getting the attention it deserves.

Dead Social Club (Soundcloud)

Dead Social Club is one of a very, very few bands who I can honestly say I play EVERY time I DJ. No matter what the atmosphere, crowd, or venue, Dead Social Club

MUST (Soundcloud)

A very recent addition to the Under the Radar / Commonwealth Conundrum set list. Check out the soundcloud link above - there are two tracks, both free to download and both absolute crackers. Expect big things from these guys in 2013.

The Minx (Soundcloud)

This little ripper is The Minx's debut single release. It was released in the UK in June 2012 on Queen Street Records. Based in one of the UK's greatest musical cities, Manchester, The Minx have already played alongside Badly Drawn Boy, Neville Staples (The Specials), Tim Burgess (The Charlatans), and The Fall.

JAWS (Soundcloud)

Where would we be without Birmingham surf rock?! Absolutely bloomin' nowhere, that's where. This lot are a nightmare to search for online, for a while I just kept finding fan sites for the film, but I've done your work for you – click on the soundcloud link above and enjoy.

Charlie Boyer and the Voyeurs (Soundcloud)

CBATV released storming single "I Watch You" on legendary London label Heavenly Records back in October. Produced by Edwyn Collins, it's a retro stomper that reminds me a little of Supergrass. And I love the sentiment of B side "Be Nice". It's Christmas, be nice. You bastard.

Eagulls (Soundcloud)

I'm possibly swerving a wee bit into late 2011 territory here as opposed to 2012 but I'm gonna bend the rules for Eagulls. They rock hard and their songs are full of hooks and choruses that you'll be singing for days.

Pretty Riddles (Soundcloud)

Every time I play them on the show, Rebecca says, "ooh, who's this?" 'Nuff said.

The Last Party (Soundcloud)

These cheeky Mancunians bring out my more cheesy side, appealing to the part of me that cranks up the volume and sings my heart out to "Don't Look Back in Anger" by Oasis. Listen to this joyous, uplifting tune, with the lyrics; don't you know that, for every frown there's a thousand smiles, a thousand smiles, to be found, and I guarantee you'll all be singing along to this all over the holiday season!

OK, I know I said 10, but I got carried away. Enjoy all 12. All the best albums have 12 tracks, don't they?

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Prince Palu from The Go-Go Radio Magic Show, Friday 6-8 pm

  

Albums

- Ty Segall - Twins
- Dr. John - Locked Down
- Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits
- Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Meat and Bone
- King Tuff - King Tuff
- Woods - Bend Beyond
- Ty Segall & White Fence - Hair
- Moon Duo - Circles
- Tame Impala - Lonerism
- Goat - World Music

Shows

- Ty Segall w/ White Fence and The Strange Boys @ Il Motore
- Reigning Sound w/ Bloodshot Bill and The Pouteens @ Il Motore
- Duchess Says w/ Red Mass Disco 3000 @ Club Lambi
- Neil Young w/ Patti Smith @ Bell Centre
- Glass Passenger @ Casa del Popolo
- Mark Sultan @ Casa del Popolo
- Quatro @ Club Lambi
- The Men w/ Nude Beach and Solids @ Il Motore
- Deer Tick w/ Turbo Fruits @ Sala Rosa
- Natural Child @ Il Motore

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Oncle Ian from The Go-Go Radio Magic Show, Friday 6-8 pm

  

Oncle Ian's Favorite Albums of 2012

- White Frence - Family Perfume Vol.1 & Vol.2
- Ty Segall & White Fence - Hair
- Allah-Las - Allah-Las
- Peter Buck - Peter Buck
- TY Segall - Twins
- Woods - Bend Beyond
- Fresh & Onlys - Long Slow Dance
- Goat - World Music
- Giant Giant Sand - Tuscon
- Thee Oh Sees - Putrifiers II
- Beachwood Sparks - The Tarnished Gold
- The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Aufheben
- Holograms - S/T
- Merchandise - Children Of Desire
- The Men - Open Your Heart
- The Liminanas - Crystal Anis
- Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits
- Moon Duo - Circles
- Sic Alps - Sic Alps

Best Of 2012 Shows

- Strange Boys / White Fence / Ty Segall @ Il Motore
- Fresh & Onlys & Cassa Del Popolo
- Red Mass Disco 3000 / Duchess Says @ Club Lambi
- Leonard Cohen @ Bell Center
- The Sadies / Patti Smith / Neil Young & Crazy Horse @ Bell Center
- The Reigning Sound @ Il Motore

 

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Mason W from Midnight Love Affair, Sunday 10-11 pm

  

Top Fun O' 2012

01. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d city
02. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
03. TOPS – Tender Opposites
04. Mac DeMarco – 2
05. Karneef – In Error
06. Peaking Lights – Lucifer
07. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Mature Themes
08. Travis Bretzer – Making Love
09. Renny Wilson – Sugarglider
10. Jonti – Sine & Moon

 

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The K-Man from Beyond That Graveyard! III, Friday 9 pm - Midnight

K-Man's Best of 2012

Best Band: Venomous Maximus

Best Album: Beg Upon the Light - Venomous Maximus

This band and album is doing for heavy metal what The Cramps did for psychobilly. It's redefining its genre with a heavy infusion of old school riffage, arrangements and tempos with theme-based subject matter, to encompass real style and the heaviest of vibes: that they play with utmost conviction. Wait for it, it's just been released, and it's happening.

Already being described as one of the best metal albums this year by magazines and metal blogs right across the globe like: The Village Voice, Decible mag, Ghost Cult mag, The Obelisk, This Is Not a Scene, Doomantia, Terrorizer and countless other European blogs that I'm not even going to attempt to spell.

Backing up bands like St. Vitus (on their reunion tour), High on Fire, Mastodon, Down, EYEHATEGOD, Dixie Witch, Dax Riggs, Goat Whore, Valient Thorr; these guys are going to be huge.

 

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Marshall. V from Fear of Music, Tuesday 4-5 pm

  

01. The Men - Open Your Heart

The album of 2k12! It has it all from stadium sized rockers, Rolling Stones-esque country heartwarmers, My Bloody Valentine playing metal, and kraut indebted 7+ minute jams. The Men come out of the gate strong on this album and barely let up, with an amazing assuredness moving between styles and making it all feel cohesive. This album will go down as a total rock 'n' roll classic. Also features the best song of the year about being broke, in a band and yearning for something more ("Candy"), which i have been all year, and i found especially touching. Song of the Year contenders: "Candy", "Please Don't Go Away", and "Oscillation".

02. The Soupcans - Good Feelings

The kind of album that you put on and immediately makes you want to freak out (in a good way). The tension throughout this album is palpable and the nasty tones of the guitar and bass along with the hammering drums pushing the album ahead at a breakneck pace that only lets up to get sludgy (see: "The Horla") or get weird (see: "Blood Sacrifice"). SOTY: "Shocked!"  SOTY Contenders: "The Horla", and "Negative Genes".

03. Swans - The Seer

Probably the loudest record i've heard in some time. Not in terms of sheer volume, but of their impressive and original use of sound and space. Cacophonous blasts of pure noise with moments of pure freakout bliss coalesce around spare themes that feel like part of some strange vigil that you should not be hearing. An absolute behemoth of a record and one for the patient, but worth getting into to hear Michael Gira's dark world unfold before your very ears. SOTY Contenders: "The Seer", and "Lunacy".

04. Sex Church - Somnambulist 12"

Noisy rock with a great melodic underpinning. Tribal drums blend with screeching guitars, avant garde saxophone and disembodied wailing. Freaky ass punk thats feels economical but can still jam on. Bring to mind another great west coast punk band The Wipers. SOTY Contenders: Theres only 3 on here and they're all great.

05. Babysitter - Eye

Catchy songs that hearken back to the 60's garage rock, that sounds like it comes from a swamp, the desert and a bustling city centre all at once. Babysitter bounce around a few different styles on this record, from folky strumming tunes that amble along to the wailing voices and guitars dueling with a no-nonsense rhythm section. A great leap in these guys sound and a strong record from front to back. SOTY Contenders: "1969 Ties", "Angel of Death", and "Witches Finger".

06. Tame Impala - Lonerism

Revolver-era Lennon comparisons are warranted but don't tell the whole story. This record goes from some of the hookiest pop to heavy psychedelia on a dime and back again. All the while theres enough trippy noise happening all around your ears to make this album worth multiple listens. SOTY Contenders: "Why Won't They Talk To Me", and "Keep On Lying".

07. Animal Collective - Centipede Hz

While it didn't blow the minds that their previous album did it, a very solid album from a band thats been on a unbelievable streak of stone cold classics. In some ways, it feels like a blend of the more atmospheric tribal sound of old Animal Collective with the futuristic sheen of MPP and Strawberry Jam. SOTY Contenders: "Today's Supernatural", "Wide Eyed", and "Monkey Riches".

08. Ariel Pinks Haunted Graffiti - Mature Themes

Sleazy rock weirdo Pink has done it again, this time going with a more hi-fi approach but definitely not abandoning the strange structures, trippy atmosphere and woozy aesthetic of his previous albums. Stunning closer "Baby" shows Pink's softer side with a smooth, soulful slow jam. SOTY Contenders: "Baby", "Mature Themes", and "Only In My Dreams".

09. Death Grips - The Money Store

The first of two great albums from these guys in 2k12, but this is the one that found them broadening their sound and expanding their palette to include music that was kind of catchy, with out abandoning the noise, murk and darkness that define their sound. SOTY Contenders: "I've Seen Footage", and "Double Helix".

10. Ty Segall Band - Slaughterhouse

The finest from the trio of Ty Segall's records this year. A kick of classic rock adrenaline, with some punk touchstones and great pop melodies. This album is packed with sweet, sweet fuzz, killer guitar solos and some of the catchier punk tunes of the year. Holds up strongly all the way through. SOTY Contenders: "I Bought My Eyes", "Slaughterhouse", and "Tell Me What's Inside Your Heart".

Honorable Mentions

- White Lung - Sorry
- Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
- TNGHT - TNGHT
- Grimes - Visions
- METZ - METZ
- Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory
- Chromatics - Kill For Love
- Baked Goods - Basement Glam
- Liars - WIXIW

 

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Kayleigh Jordan-MacGregor, CJLO's Volunteer & Campus Outreach Coordinator

  

I'm afraid of commitment and can't put these in order. Enjoy, regardless!

- METZ - METZ
- Japandroids - Celebration Rock
- Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls
- Martha Wainwright - Come Home To Mama
- Brandy - Two Eleven
- King Tuff - King Tuff
- Mac DeMarco - 2
- LE1F - Dark York
- Bahamas - Barchords
- The Men - Open Your Heart

 

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MNJIVR from AutoBeat, Tuesday Midnight - 2 am

  

It's that time of year, time to compile the best in electronic music. 2012 saw dance music gain prominence with the mainstream audience. The emergence of the hip-hop/dubstep sub-genre, Trap. Largely helped by the awesome duo TNGHT, composed of Montreal's own Lunice, and Scottish beat-maker, Hudson Mohawke. Techno sounds become more prevalent in many productions, a stark contrast to the more bass-driven beats of 2010 and 2011. Regardless, the shear amount of amazing music that came out this year is surely going to please all fans of electronic music, whether you like bass music, house, techno or trap, there is something to please the most demanding fan. This is my list of the best and favorites of 2012, in my humble opinion. I tried to listen to as much new music as possible but even then I missed a few that deserved to be here!

Standouts: Mala - Mala in Cuba, TNGHT - TNGHT, and Nautiluss - Habitat.

Best Albums

01. Mala - Mala In Cuba
02. Chromatics - Kill for Love / Flying Lotus - Until the Quiet Comes
03. Jam City - Classical Curves
04. Karriem Riggins - Alone Together
05. Kendricl Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d. City
06. Andy Stott - Luxury Problems
07. Shackleton - Music For The Quiet Hour / The Drawbar Organ EPs
08. Ango - Serpentine
09. Jimmy Edgar - Magenta / Daphni - Jialong
10. Jessie Ware - Devotion
11. Clams Casino - Intrumental Mixtape 2
12. Redshape - Square
13. Actress - R.I.P.
14. John Tejada - The Predicting Machine
15. JJ Doom - Key To The Kuffs

Best EPs

01. TNGHT - T'NGHT
02. Nautiluss - Alpha / Habitat
03. Lapalux - When You're Gone
04. Flako - Eclosure / Thomas White - Rainbow Dolphins
05. Bok Bok - Southside Remixes
06. S-Type - Billboards
07. Hesk and Paveun - React
08. Jacques Greene - Concealer
09. Ariane Moffatt - MA remix
10. Botnek - Sriracha and Beer
11. George Fitzgerald - Child
12. Burial - Kindred

Best Compilations

01. Only 4 U: The Sound Of Cajmere & Cajual Records 1992-2012
02. Hemlock Recordings Chapter One
03. Pointé records - Montreal Bass Culture Vol. 1
04. Rinse FM - I love Grimes
05. Maya Jane Cole - Dj Kicks

Favourite Tracks

01. Baaeur - "Harlem Shake"
02. TNGHT - "Bugg'n"
03. Jassie Ware - "Running" (disclosure remix)
04. Jam City - "How we relate to the Body"
05. Ango - "True Blue"
06. Untold - "Motion the Dance"
07. Mala - "Stand Against War"
08. Kendrick Lamar - "Bitch, don't kill my vibe"
09. Daphni - "Ye Ye"
10. J:Kenso - "Ruffhouse" featuring Rod Azlan

Favourite 12" Vinyl Releases

01. Burial / Four'tet - Nova
02. Mala - Stand Against War / Maintain Thru Madness
03. Maddslinky - Compuphonic
04. Duke Dumont - For Club Play Only Pt.1
05. Roska - Blurry / Spearhead

 

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DJ Remission from Let the Rhythm Hit Em, Tuesday 8-9 pm

  

Remission's Breakdown: Top Hip Hop Albums Of 2012

Popular

- Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid M.A.D.D. City
- Action Bronson & The Alchemist - Rare
- Chandeliers - Blue Chips
- Lushlife - Plateau Vision
- Blu & Exile - Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them
- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - The Heist

Honorable mention: Nas - Life Is Good

Canadian

- Cadence Weapon - Hope In Dirt City
- D-Sisive - Jonestown 3. The Dream Is Over
- Abdominal And The Obliques - Sitting Music
- Sweatshop Union - The Leisure Gang
- Moka Only - Airport 6

Honorable mentions: Ira Lee - Growl / Loe Pesci - Expensive Heat Vol. 1

Instrumental

- 2econd Class Citizen - The Small Minority
- Brock Berrigan - Daily Routine/Pura Vida
- DJ Scientist - For Better, For Worse
- Equalibrum - Parallel
- Big Pauper - Beyond My Means

Honorable mentions: Kid Koala - 12 bit Blues / The Bakery Instrumental Mixtape

Underground

- Aesop Rock - Skelethon
- Pete Philley - Open Loops
- Dark Time Sunshine - Anx
- El-P - Cancer For Cure
- Otem Relik - Blood Bone Piano

Honorable mention: Bleu Bird - CANNONBALL!!!

French

- l'Algorythme & Kick Et Snare - Retour En Arrière
- Robert Nelson & Kaytradamus - Les Filles Du Roé
- Eff Gee - Keskon Eff
- Millimetrik - Read Between The Rhymes
- Oxmo Puccino - Roe Sans Carrosse

Honorable mentions: Dead Obies - Collation Vol.1 / Jazzy Bazz - Sur la Route du 3.14 / Maybe Watson - Maybe Watson Remix / Loud X Lary X Ajust - Gullywood

 

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DJ Michael Terzian aka Sinister from Salvation from Sin, Friday Midnight - 3 am

  

01. Nathaniel X Project - "The First Supplement EP" (Undertones)
02. Washerman - "Deeper Side of Me" (Saft)
03. Mental Remedy featuring Carlos Roberto - "Children of Bahia" (Sacred Rhythm Music)
04. Arnold Jarvis - "Special One" (Trippin' Records)
05. Geoffrey Oryema - "Kei Kweyo" (Sacred Rhythm Music)
06. Paolo Rocco - "Present EP" (Sharivari Records)
07. Ron Trent - "Raw Footage, part 1" (Electric Blue)
08. Tevo Howard & Nick Anthony Simoncino presents Mark Rogers - "And The Bass Played A Sad Refrain" (Thug Records)
09. Robert Owens - "Sacrifice" (Kai Alce remixes) (NDATL Muzik)
10. Sit - "Morfoza EP" (Amphia)
11. Ananda Project featuring Terrance Downs - "Human Like EP" (Ananda Project Recordings)
12. Andy Vaz featuring Niko Marks - "Don't Lose Your Mind" (Delsin)
13. Deep Xcape - "After Da Rain" (Sophisticado)
14. Osunlade - "Envision" (Argy vocal mix) (Defected)
15. Bjak & Dubbyman - "D.I.P. EP" (Deep Explorer)
16. Nicholas - "A Brighter Day" (Quintessentials)
17. Gregory Porter - "1960 What?" (Opolopo Kick & Bass Rerub) (Expansion)
18. Ilario Alicante - "The Window On The World EP" (Deepmoves)
19. DJ Steaw - "Sky Hunt" b/w "I Want" (Local Talk)
20. Black Jazz Consortium - "Codes & Metaphors 1" (Soul People Music)

 

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DJ Catatonia from Radio Hades, Sunday 8-10 pm

  

01. Swans - Seer
02. Weapon - Embers & Revelations
03. Witchcraft - Legend
04. Unsane - Wreck
05. Agalloch - Faustian Echoes EP
06. Urfaust - Ritual Music For The True Clochard
07. Sabbath Assembly - Ye Are Gods
08. Saint Vitus - Lillie F-65
09. Pallbearer - Sorrow & Extinction
10. - A Map Of All Our Failures
11. Sir Richard Bishop - Intermezzo
12. Dead Can Dance - Anastasis
13. Scott Walker - Bish Bosch
14. Serpentine Path - Serpentine Path
15. Om - Advaitic Songs
16. Towards Darkness - Barren
17. Pig Destroyer - Book Burner
18. Dopethrone - III
19. Locrian - The Clearing & Final Epoch
20. Aura Noir - Out To Die
21. Neurosis - Honor Found in Decay

 

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Idle Matt from Radio Fun, Wednesday 10-11 pm

  

My top albums of 2012 in no particular order, although if I had to choose a favourite, it would have to be Torche's Harmonicraft. Of all the new albums of 2012, that's the one I listened to the most. A close runner-ups would be Terry Malts Killing Time and Japandroids Celebration Rock.

- Torche - Harmonicraft
- Japandroids - Celebration Rock
- White Lung - Sorry
- Ty Segall - Twins
- Terry Malts - Killing Time
- Rush - Clockwork Angels
- OFF - OFF!
- Mission of Burma - Unsound
- The Men - Open Your Heart
- Melvins - Freak Puke
- JEFF the Brotherhood - Hypnotic Knights
- Jack White - Blunderbuss
- Hot Water - Music Exister

Most disappointing album of the year would be Baroness Yellow & Green album, although it does have some good songs, I have a real hard time sitting through the whole thing. That, and I'm still pissed I shelled out 60$ for the deluxe vinyl hard-cover book.

Best re-issue of the year, by far, is the Beatles vinyl box set. It's a thing of beauty.

Favourite show of the year was Torche + Corrosion of Conformity at Foufs. Both bands killed it that night. I also quite like the Melvins shows at Corona, which I reviewed here.

 

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DJ Mister Vee from Beats from the East, Tuesday 9-11 pm

  

DJ Mister Vee's List

01. Michael Jackson - Bad: 25 Deluxe Anniversary Edition featuring unreleased tracks
02. Masia One - Bootleg Culture
03. Kero One - Color Theory
04. Bambu - One Rifle Per Family
05. Dumbfoundead - Take the Stares
06. Traphik - Cruise Control
07. Clara C - .esc
08. Jay Park - New Breed
09. 6Fingers + Topkat - Mercury Retrograde
10. Soundtrack - The Man With The Iron Fists

 

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Julie M from With Gay Abandon, Friday 1-2 pm

  

01. Sigur Rós - Valtari
02. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!
03. Rae Spoon - I Can't Keep All Of Our Secrets
04. Heidi Mortenson - Mork
05. North America - Blown Out
06. Spell - Lull
07. Trust - TRST
08. Chromatics - Kill for Love
09. Mirroring - Foreign Body
10. Lévitation compilation by Jeunesse Cosmique (MTL-based record label)

 

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Stephanie Dee from Twee Time, Friday 8-9 pm

  

Band of the Year

PARLOVR

A new album (Kook Soul, their first in four years), two singles ("You Only Want It 'Cause You're Lonely" and "Holding On to Something"), a Polaris Music Prize nomination (long list), the cover of the Montreal Mirror (their first and only for the now-defunct weekly)... Tours! Local Shows! Video Shoots! Plus, their very own obsessed female fan (no, I don't mean me!), who I've seen at many of their shows and the Polaris salon at Casa del Popolo over the summer. Oh, and did I mention their guest spot on my radio show, Twee Time on CJLO? Indeed, 2012 was a really big year for Parlovr, and it became so clear during their Pop Montreal performance of "Just Marriage" (there will be a video for that too) that these three guys, Alex, Jeremy, and Louis, are stars. I'm looking at you, Jonathan Cohen, book this band on Fallon already! 

Canadian Album of the Year

Rah Rah - The Poet's Dead

This album swooped in at the end of October and pushed every other Canadian CD I was listening to this year right out of rotation. The Poet’s Dead, Rah Rah’s third full length, has many surprises. The band draws from numerous musical styles for this album—“Art & A Wife” alt-country, “Run” indie-rock, “I’m a Killer” electronic, “First Kiss” folk-rock—and no two songs sound alike. However, it became apparent by the title track that these kids planned and plotted each song, always thinking about what would come next, and the result is a cohesive, well-paced, beautiful composition. My prediction: Polaris Music Prize Winner 2013.

Non-Canadian Album of the Year

The Men - Open Your Heart

The Men were at the top of my "Best of Spring" picks back in June, and although there have been many a great album released in 2012, I just can't seem to get over the genius that is Open Your Heart. Read my full review of the album here.

Favourite 2012 Albums

01. Ringo Deathstarr – Mauve (listen to: "Slack", "Waste")
02. Raveonettes – Observator (listen to: "Curse the Night", "The Enemy")
03. METZ – METZ (listen to: "Rats", "Negative Space")
04. Kestrels – A Ghost History (listen to: "Drowning Girl", "Islands")
05. Cadence Weapon – Hope in a Dirt City ("Conditioning", “Hype Man")
06. Shonen Knife – Pop Tune (listen to: "Pop Tune", "Osaka Rock City")
07. Ty Segall Band – Slaughterhouse (listen to: "Tell Me What's Inside Your Heart", "Wave Goodbye")
08. Nubians – Nubians (bandcamp) (listen to: "Vile Bodies", "D-Troit")
09. JEFF the Brotherhood – Hypnotic Nights (listen to: "Mystic Portal II", "Country Life")
10. Duchess Says – Anthologie des 3 perchoirs (2012 vinyl re-release) (listen to: "Ccut Up", "Black Flag")

Twee Time Guest DJs

- Alex, Jeremy, and Louis from Parlovr (podcast)
- Johanna and Jared from the Nymphets (podcast)
- Sinbad and Dave from Pigeon Phat (podcast)
- Brooke, Lara, and Rebecca from Montreal boutique Citizen Vintage (podcast)
- Florent and Jesse from C T Z N S H P (podcast)

Interviews

- Jake Orrall from JEFF the Brotherhood (transcript)
- Jessica Latshaw from the YouTube viral video "Never a dull moment on the NYC subway" (podcast)
- Laura, Quentin, Scott, and Mike from Les Monstres Terribles (podcast)

Live Shows to Remember

- Red Mass Disco 3000 + Duchess Says @ Club Lambi
- Parlovr + Pigeon Phat @ Le Divan Orange (POP Montreal)
- White Lung + Nubians @ Casa del Popolo
- Public Enemy @ Stade Olympique (Experience Montreal)
- Atari Teenage Riot @ Stade Olympique (Experience Montreal)
- Esmerine @ Sala Rossa (M pour/for Montreal)
- The Men @ Il Motore (and again at Underworld)
- A Place to Bury Strangers + Bleeding Rainbow + No Joy @ Sala Rossa (M pour/for Montreal)
- PS I Love You @ Sala Rossa (M pour/for Montreal)
- Elephant Stone @ Le Divan Orange (POP Montreal)
- DIIV @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (CMJ Music Marathon)
- Pig Destroyer @ Public Assembly (CMJ Music Marathon)
- Twerps @ Pianos (CMJ Music Marathon)
- METZ @ Il Motore
- Ty Segall @ Il Motore

Memorable Moments

- More tattoos from Dave C. at PSC Tattoo!
- Meeting Rick Trembles, and seeing the awesome CJLO Magazine cover he created for our print mag!
- Meeting Perry Shall, artist and musician from numerous Philly bands, most notably Dry Feet and Hound
- Seeing Damian Abraham from Fucked Up perform David Comes to Life wearing only a pair of thin underwear and a plastic beer cup
- Finally seeing Public Enemy live
- Witnessing Flavor Flav get a crowd of Quebecers to chant "fuck separatism"
- Chatting with DJ Lord when he DJ'd at the after party on Saint-Denis
- Seeing Duchess Says for the first time (read my review here)
- Asking JD Samson from Le Tigre for directions to Artists & Fleas in Brooklyn

Biggest Disappointment

The end of the Montreal Mirror and way in which its demise was handled by Sun Media

 

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Josh Mocle - Former CJLO News Director and host of The Kids Are So-So

  

Best Albums of 2012

- Hot Water Music - Exister (Rise)
- Converge - All We Love We Leave Behind (Epitaph/Deathwish)
- Cheap Girls - Giant Orange (Rise)
- Baroness - Yellow & Green (Relapse)
- Torche - Harmonicraft (Hydrahead)
- Murder by Death - Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon (Bloodshot)
- Such Gold - Misadventures (Razor and Tie)
- Title Fight - Floral Green (SideOneDummy)
- The Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten (Universal)
- Chris Wollard and the Ship Thieves - Canyons (No Idea)
- Pig Destroyer - Book Burner (Relapse)
- Jenny Owen Youngs - An Unwavering Band of Light (Independent)
- Old Man Gloom - NO (Hydra Head)
- Forgetters - Forgetters (Too Small to Fail)
- Daytrader - Twelve Years (Rise)

 

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Johnny Suck - Former host of Turn Down the Suck

  

Top 10 Albums 2012

- Ufomammut - Oro
- Dopethrone - III
- The Disease Concept - Liquor Bottles and Broken Steel
- High on Fire - De Vermis Mysteriis
- Cancer Bats - Dead Set on Living
- Acephalix - Deathless Master
- Xibalba - Hasta La Muerte
- Black Breath - Sentenced to Life
- Lamb of God - Resolution
- Ancestors - In Dreams and Time

Top 1 Song 2012

Whitechapel - "I, Dementia"

 

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Michael Bresciani, former host of The Lonesome Strangers

  

Best of 2012... Maybe not "Best"... Favorites, really

01. A Place To Bury Strangers - Worship
02. Ringo Deathstarr - Mauve
03. Sun Kil Moon - Among the Leaves
04. Beach House - Bloom
05. Jens Lekman - I Know What Love Isn't
06. Lambchop - Mr M
07. Richard Hawley - Standing at the Sky's Edge
08. The Men - Open Your Heart
09. Japandroids - Celebration Rock
10. Julie Doiron - So Many Days
11. John K. Samson - Provincial
12. Redd Kross - Researching the Blues
13. Bob Mould - The Silver Age
14. Lightships - Electric Cables
15. Perfume Genius - Put Your Back N 2 It
16. Tame Impala - Lonerism
17. The Mountain Goats - Transcendental Youth
18. Father John Misty - Fear Fun
19. Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Meat and Bone
20. Spiritualized - Sweet Heart, Sweet Light

Honorable mentions: Swans, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Lotus Plaza, Dr. John, Gravenhurst, Raveonettes, METZ, Violens, Avett Brothers, Beachwood Sparks, Mount Eerie, Bobby Womack.

50 Favorite Songs (8tracks)

Disappointments in 2012

- New Magnetic Fields... meh, pretty crap-tacular.
- New Martha Wainwright... too shiny and slick.
- New Animal Collective... too claustrophobic, cluttered, hyped, and awful.

Best Live Shows of 2012

- Yamatanka Sonic Titan / A Place To Bury Strangers / Bleeding Rainbow @ Sala Rossa
- Jens Lekman / Taken By Trees @ Le National
- Leonard Cohen @ The Bell Center
- The Magnetic Fields @ Le National
- John K Samson / Shotgun Jimmie @ Mavericks (Ottawa)
- Julie Doiron & The Wrong guys @ Il Motore
- The Jesus and Mary Chain / Sigur Ros / Black Lips / Raveonettes @ Osheaga
- Sebadoh / Lou Barlow / Circle of Buzzards @ Sala Rossa
- The Beach Boys @ The Bell Center
- No Joy / PS I Love you / Mac DeMarco @ Sala Rossa
- Jeff The Brotherhood @ Il Motore
- Solids / The Men / Beliefs @ Cabaret Underworld

 

 

Interview: Tegan and Sara

By Beansie Saretsky from CJLO's Maiden Voyage (Fridays, 12-1pm) and Julie Matson from CJLO's With Gay Abandon (Fridays, 1-2pm)

 

 

 

Song: "Closer", Heartthrob

Beansie: Your new album is coming out in January, you have the single "Closer" and it's definitely a pop song, and have been working with producers that have also worked with people like Kelly Clarkson and Dr. Dre, so what was that like compared to the other six records?

Tegan: When we started writing and demoing the record there was no "we want to make a pop record".  I think maybe we were the only ones who thought this, but we think that we write pop songs and we just over the years have stylistically fit in with what's happening and right now pop's cool, there's lots of great pop music. In the mid 2000s when we were making So Jealous and The Con, indie rock was relevant and that's what we listened to... Sometimes I feel like we're olden timey cause we're not that current, we're definitely influenced by what's happening in music ... a lot of Sainthood was influenced by Rihanna and Alicia Keys... we're empowered by strong vocals by women... I think when we went in to make the record, we wanted to find a producer that would take us to the next level and push our vocals and production to the next level but the songs themselves I think just came out naturally like every other time.  

Song: "Closer", Heartthrob

Tegan:  The producer we ended up doing the bulk of the record with, what we loved about Greg was that he was Beck's musical director for 10 years so he's just a music guy. He was like hiring a producer and 10 musicians, he was like a transformer that would just break into different shapes every 5 minutes and he had also just finished the new Shins record and... I was like this is the guy who's doing the P!nk record  and Kelly Clarkson record and Ke$ha songs but he just did the shins record so if The Shins think he's cool and still credible I think we can go into the studio with him and we're not going to make some nonsense record and "Closer" is definitely the most pop song on the record, and the record itself, while it's sonically pop, it's  still quintessential Tegan and Sara and is still devastatingly emotional and sad so I think T&S fans will still find something really loveable about the record.

Song: "Call It Off", The Con

Beansie: Throughout the years you've started using other multimedia platforms to go along with the record, like your DVDs and starting to do webisodes and things like that when you're on tour and recording your albums. So first part of the question: have you felt that recording these webisodes talking about recording the music, has it influenced the music at all? And then how do you think that has influenced your relationship with your fans?

Sara: I don't think I've ever been asked that question before (laughter)... initially our interest in videos, and blogs, and photo blogs, and books and DVDs... they were a combination of taking the media in our own hands and saying even if we don't get radio, or mainstream television we can use the internet as a platform to speak to our audience directly and without having the middleman micromanage or filter us we can shape this into something that is tactile for our audience and they can communicate and experience us in a way that I think that we're best experienced. The second part of that really just had to do with being creative. We spent a lot of time writing songs and a lot of time making the record but then we spend a lot of time touring, and then there are giant gaps of time where maybe our artistic brains aren't being stimulated or exercised and to do these finite projects that have an end and when we get bored we can stop doing them, it adds to the experience of being a musician and an artist.

Julie: Do you have anything?

Tegan: No, I completely agree with everything Sara said. 

(Laughter)

Song: "Don't Confess", If It Was You

Julie: My college radio training comes from Vancouver, I was trained with Nardwuar and his ultimate question is "why should people care?"

Tegan: Right.

Julie: And my question is, "why should people care about Tegan and Sara?" 

(Laughter)

Tegan: Well, this is something that we've talked a lot about in the last few months because when we originally started talking about Heartthrob and put out "Closer" there was a initial response from some of our diehard fans that was like "we don't want you to get bigger, we don't want you to get more popular, we don't want you to sell more records, we don't want it to sound better" and we started this really fascinating public discourse with our fan base where it was like a combination of factors of why you should care... we're evolving, we've been playing music for 17 years and if we were putting out the same records no one would care so I think we're proving that if you constantly adapt and evolve and inspire yourselves, you to inspire your audience and continue to be relevant and that's why people should care is because we put everything into our records. Over the last 17 years we've developed strong voices in terms of being role models and advocates for the queer community and we have become strong voices for women and feminism and we've become strong allies to the indie community and as indie music pushed into the pop world we were advocates for that. I think we have proven not only to musicians but to a lot of our audience that if you really truly stand behind what you say you can really do anything. Sara and I have had records that are acoustic, we have songs like ‘Call It Off' and then we have songs like "Feel It In My Bones", like collaborations with Tiesto. We've proven that if you really mean it, if it's very heartfelt, then your audience and the people that you look up to and your peers will embrace that art form so I think that's another reason to care, because we really care, we care, so if you care we'll care along with you, it's a real care bear fest.

(Laughter)

Song: "Nineteen" (acoustic), Interface sessions

Beansie: So how does it feel to have a song on Virgin radio?

Sara: I mean we're grateful for the radio play even if sometimes the mediums that get our music out to new people aren't the ones that we actively enjoy... or that I haven't had cable tv or radio interest in over a decade, that's not how I'm informed about music or news... those aren't the formats that I'm actively pursuing for my information but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't participate because there are a lot of people who are. I look at radio as, I don't know, a necessary by product of cars and commuting and people who need to have access to something that's quite broad and mainstream. I think there's a demographic out there listening to radio that would still be excited about Tegan and Sara the way they get excited about the new Kanye West single. For those that are looking for more depth or want to know more about us there's lots of ways to actively seek out that information whether it's on the internet or college radio or through our back catalog or Spotify. I just look at it now that even if there are certain aspects of mainstream culture that drive me crazy cause I see myself as being more niche, I just think, I was a suburban 17 year old listening to the radio and I just think that if I can reach those people through whatever medium I'm not going to discriminate against it.

Tegan: Don't hate!

Sara: I definitely don't hate radio, I hear people knocking radio and mainstream television all the time and I just think man, that's what I grew up on, and I became able to extrapolate what I thought was of value for myself and then I was able to use it as a jumping off point for other things. Like Smashing Pumpkins, that's all I  listened to when I was in high school, that's what I loved, and without the Smashing Pumpkins I would have never gone back and discovered things like My Bloody Valentine or I would have never known about The Pixies without knowing about Nirvana  and vice versa. So if Tegan and I become the band that is sort of the gateway drug into more indie culture, great, and if Paramour is the gateway drug into things like Tegan and Sara, I see it as a universe where things are all connected.

Tegan: We're gateway bands!

Beansie: Well especially growing up in a city like Calgary where you're in the car all the time -

Sara: Ooh yeah.

Beansie: Radio is something - 

Sara: Huge.

Beansie: I remember hearing "The Con" on the X, the alternative radio station -

Tegan: X 92

Beansie: Yep, like eight years ago and thinking "oh, they're on the radio, that's pretty cool!" Now it's Virgin radio so it's interesting to see the records evolving to the different radio stations -

Sara: Songs too, before it used to be like you had to be the right kind of band and have the right kind of album to be on the station and I think there will always be stations that will play some of our deeper cuts or our more alternative songs, like Virgin may not play "Walking With a Ghost"... maybe we're the band that is able to fit on a couple different formats and that will bring us a diverse audience... we're very confident that the Virgin listener that will hear closer who thinks they know what kind of band we are, we're convinced we can bring them into the fold and that they'll be interested in everything we've been doing, even the deep cuts.

Song: "Hello", The Yellow Demo

Julie: You know, we're college/community radio, we're not Virgin ...

(Laughter)

Tegan: Part of leading up to making Heartthrob one of the conversations that really inspired me about Greg... is that he said it was misleading to say that pop music isn't interesting, because pop music is very interesting right now, some of it is crap but some is extremely difficult to make and original and it's tough to say that in a time where things aren't original... a lot of that music that still feels organic isn't made organically anymore and he's like you being old school and archaic about your process doesn't make you relevant, it just makes you a dinosaur... I really agree with what Sara was saying about the gateway bands. If you find us on college radio... or the Virgins of the world, either way you found us and I think we're going to help change the way mainstream radio looks this year, I really believe that, I mean we're being played on stations all across Canada, every format. We went alternative and pop started to add us, so we went to pop. There's an instinct where you're like "eee, is that where we belong?"  but then I thought what if we change the horizon a little bit and open the door to other bands. That happened to us the last time we got radio play in the mid 2000s with "Walking With A Ghost"... Modest Mouse and Franz Ferdinand were huge and they opened the door for bands like us us to sneak in there along with Metallica and Sound Garden and all these other dude bands... and we've been out playing alternative radio festivals for the last two weeks and we're like the only females there, we played one show with Metric. I don't care what format plays us at this point, I just really want to change music a little bit, or a lot, but I'll take a little. So I think Heartthrob is that record, it's bigger than even the concept we had when we made it, it's become this massive idea that we could infiltrate and change things... while breaking your heart. 

(Laughter)

Beansie: Wonderful

Julie: Thanks guys!

Song: "Where Does The Good Go?", So Jealous

 

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Show Review: Tegan and Sara @ Metropolis

by Beansie Saretsky from CJLO's Maiden Voyage (Fridays, 12-1pm)

I was a little surprised to find out that Tegan and Sara were going to be playing a show on December 16th since their seventh full length, Heartthrob, doesn't come out until January 29th. High off the success of their second single on the album, "Closer", the twins from Calgary seemed like they wanted to let their old fans know that they still have all of the old emotion of their past albums, but give a preview of the new sound that Heartthrob has in store.

Tegan and Sara fans are a picky bunch. I guess that's what happens when you have a predominantly minority fan base, plus the pretentiousness of being a long-time fan (no matter how cool or not cool the artist is, every artist has those fans). There have been grumblings about Tegan and Sara being played on Virgin Radio and going mainstream, but they've been at it for seventeen years so it must seem like a long time coming for the duo. 

I told Tegan at the end of the interview that I would be reviewing the show and she told me that “it better be a good one!” I said that they better play a good show then and she said “don't worry, we always do”... or something along those lines. We had turned the recorder off by then. However, when Tegan and Sara took to the stage later that night, they actually seemed a little bit tired. Whether it was the realization that the Montreal audience was bound to contain people they knew in their personal lives (up until recently Sara lived in Montreal), or the fact that the new direction of their music has caused some discord with long-time fans, they seemed to take a couple songs to find their groove. That didn't matter to the crowd, however, who let out a high pitched cheer at the beginning of every single song… and I mean every song. From the girl in the leopard print dress in front of me dancing like she was at the club, to the dad on the other side of me hand drumming and singing every word, to the sheer amount of American Apparel hoodies on teenage lesbians (my own perceived age seriously took a tumble at this concert, I looked around and de-aged about 10 years, sad that I can blend in with a group of 14-16 year olds) - Tegan and Sara shows are always vibrating with a positive energy. 

I've seen Tegan and Sara live around five times, and one thing about the duo is that they take liberties with their vocals when they sing live. It usually bothers the fans that are super committed to singing along to their favourite songs, but it's interesting to hear different takes on pieces you know off by heart. They played a string of hits as well as four songs off of their upcoming album. Fan favourites included: "Back in Your Head", "So Jealous", "Where Does The Good Go?", "The Con", "Walking With A Ghost", "Living Room", and an acoustic version of "Nineteen" from the Interface sessions. The two new songs in the middle of the set included a guitar pop ballad by Tegan that seemed like it would be a solid song on another listen, but not too far off from their older material. However, the next song was very much in another direction. Both Tegan and Sara sang on it (they usually only sing harmony for each other) and it had a touch of an R&B feel to it that I was surprised by. What pleased me, however, was this song is one of the first times in their lyrical history that they addressed the love object as ‘girl' instead of in the first person, which I thought was a nice subtle way to reference queerness to a mainstream audience. 

The crowd was finally treated to their typical on-stage banter after around eight or nine songs. Sara said that she had been nervous that no one would come to a show on a Sunday night, but then remembered that it was in Montreal (everyone screamed) then launched into a story about going to an afterhours party in… Laval (everyone booed, she told them to cool it) and that things happened there that she's never forgotten. Tegan and Sara were very aware of the city they were playing in, prepping their next song, "Feel It In My Bones", by telling the audience that the music video had been filmed in the city (everyone screamed again).

The encore seemed to come extremely fast, and fans seemed surprised. However, the encore was five songs long and included three of their most heart wrenching songs. They started off with "Closer", their latest single (an extremely catchy pop hit and arguably their happiest song ever) and then threw the audience into a depression with a plaintive acoustic version of "Dark Come Soon", followed by "Call It Off". The audience barely had time to recover from two of Tegan's saddest songs before Sara told everyone “don't clap a beat to this next song or it will be a runaway train” and then launched into "Not Tonight", a song by Sara that pretty much every Tegan and Sara fan has cried to at one point or another. The duo closed off with "Body Work", a Morgan Page song that they featured on this past year, which I personally am not the biggest fan of due to the '80s techno vibe it gives off. Over all, Tegan and Sara put on a solid show like they always do, but it was lacking in their usual spunky intimacy with the audience. It will be interesting to see if the further they break into the mainstream the less they'll converse on stage. I wasn't planning on paying attention to Heartthrob's release, but after hearing "Closer" and seeing this show, Tegan and Sara have revived my interest and I will definitely give it a listen.

In the wake of President Barack Obama’s call for stronger gun control in the U.S., Quebec is reaffirming its stance for long gun registry in the province.

On September 10, a court decision saved Quebec’s registry data from being destroyed along with the rest of Canada’s, after Ottawa abolished its gun registry system.

According to The Gazette, the Quebec Government has no intention of backing out of its fight to create a provincial registry.

Quebec’s public security minister, Stephane Bergeron, wants to introduce a bill next year that would accomplish the goal.

By using the data saved from the federal government, Bergeron said that provincial police would contact the registry about 664 times a day to determine the proper registration of weapons at addresses they have been called to.

According to Bergeron, Quebec is the only jurisdiction left in Canada where people still have to register long guns.

The case will be held before the Quebec Court of Appeal in March.

Flickr Photo by: formatted_dad

STORY WRITTEN BY: CATLIN SPENCER