The past few months have been pretty hectic in the best possible way. I've been to Austin, Texas for SXSW and then went to Winnipeg, Manitoba for The JUNO Awards. Now my team are preparing for Canadian Music Week which takes place here in Toronto in 2 weeks. Oh yeah and we have the 25th anniversary of The Much Music Video Awards on June 15th which is a big deal.
All this while trying to plan my wedding in late May. Truth be told this part is all Raffy - I'm simply making some play lists - but I digress. (Thank you Raffy xo)
During these past few months I've seen, heard and been privy to some fantastic new music. There are at least 2 songs every day that catch my attention and become mainstays there after.
It's been strange going through my library to create these wedding play lists simply because all I want to do is listen to new music at this time. There's so much goodness to explore when it comes to new music.
How in the hell is it the end of March? South By South West is already a distant memory and the conversation's have already gone from Texas to Winnipeg for The JUNO Awards. Once that's done we'll be laser focused on The 25th Anniversary of The Much Music Video Awards but I digress. I'm not complaining because this is simply fuel to the fire - and I love this stuff. SXSW truly is the most important music week each year (IMHO). It's the week that everyone descends on Austin, Texas for 2000+ bands playing on every inch of the city. From street corners, rooftops, grocery stores, churches to parking lots and more. It's hectic and gives me anxiety - but this festival is the real deal for those looking to learn about the next big thing or to see the biggest stars in the world in a small space.
This is the 3rd time I've been down to SXSW and it just keeps getting better. I know there are more and more people each year and many more brands taking over - but there's something for everyone which still makes it so good. Here's a day-by-day snapshot of what I saw this year. Tuesday This was a travel day but my team and I had some great laughs going from Toronto to Dallas and then on to Austin. I was also seated next to Drake's beat maker Boi-1da on the second leg and it was great to hear his back story on how he got into music. This Grammy Award winner's from my hometown of Pickering so it was nice to have had the chance to meet him. You may know his work from songs like this...
Drake - 'Best I Ever Had'
Wednesday
This was the official start to our festival. We headed to the conference centre to grab our badges and I checked out a couple panels including one with Jarvis Cocker of Pulp. He read lyrics to various songs including some of his own hits and explained the background on each. It was fascinating to me as I'd been singing along to songs like'Sorted for E's & Wizz' for years with no idea what it was about. It's about The Stone Roses famous Spike Island gig in May of 1990. As the room filtered out I saw that the legendary BBC 6 Music DJ Steve Lamacq had been sitting in too. As he walked past me 'Wonderwall'played over thespeakers in the hall and my mind nearly exploded. I love Brit pop.
From there we headed to CIMA's annual Canadian Blast BBQ. It's a great place to start each year as you can see who's all there from the great white north and catch-up with people from across Canada that you only ever deal with on emails. There were loads of great performances including Siadah Baba Talibah, The Darcys and Grand Analog to name a few.
After feasting on some delicious Texas food we headed to our friends showcase for Dine Alone Records. This showcase was in a new section of Austin called Rainey Street which is super cool. It's all abandoned houses and empty lots converted into clubs and patios. There are loads of food trucks on the streets and about 25 different venues. The showcase featured many acts including standouts like Noah Gundersen, Tokyo Police Club and Apache Relay. This place was packed and not just full of festival punters. There were loads of musicians like the bass player from Soundgarden and one of the Mumford lads. Pretty damn cool for a Canadian Indie label from St. Kits.
Thursday
Thursday Austin awoke to the terrible news that a drunk driver had taken out a street full of festival goers killing 2 and injuring many more. It was a somber mood throughout as people tried to understand.
Photo: Ain't No Love performing at the MuchFACT brunch
This day was my team's first event at SXSW and so we hosted a brunch at 6th street's Iron Cactus rooftop. It was fantastic - and we can even boast some wonderful performances from Canadian acts like Ain't No Love,The Belle Game, July Talk and A Tribe Called Red. This will be a mainstay for us and look forward to having everyone next year.
Right after our MuchFACT brunch we headed to the Universal Music Group showcase where The Kooks played an outdoor set under a perfect blue sky. I've loved The Kooks for ages and so to see them play new material alongside a mere 200 people while the sun beat down on us was pretty special.
That evening we feasted on fajitas washing them back margaritas - as you do. Then it was over to Swan Dive to see Jeremy Messersmith and The Strypes. The Strypes are like watching The Rolling Stones in their early days doing their finest James Brown moves and being absolute fucking rock stars on stage. These 4 kids (literally) have more R&B soul than many acts claiming to be in this genre today. Expect big things from these 4 lads from Ireland.
During The Strypes 30 minute set one of the SXSW employees jumped on stage to ask the crowd for 2 minutes of silence to remember the 2 people killed 2 nights before. This was done right across the festival at the exact same time. Chilling.
From there it was over to Maggie Mays in the heart of 6th street to see the Sam Roberts Band. To see these guys in a small venue is an absolute treat. They've done so well in this country and aren't afraid to get their hands dirty and start over State side. They've got a deep catalogue - but with 30 minutes to impress they have to stay laser focused on simply knocking the socks of these new crowds. They're fucking amazing and I hope you check out their new album 'Lo-Fantasy'.
Friday
We hit the ground running on Friday morning and went directly to the convention centre. We had learned that if you have a delegate pass you're entitle to a trump card each day. The trump card allows you to walk directly to the front of any line and get right in. You get one a day and so you should always pick the one that you think is going to be the most sought after shows. Sadly we didn't learn of this special card until 2 days in. I would have been able to have seen Kurt Vile and Little Dragon the night's before:(
From there it was over to the world famous Stubbs BBQ for Spin Magazine's annual party. There we caught Warpaint, Schoolboy Q and Against Me!. This was easily one of the most amazing moments that I've experienced in music to date. Watching Laura Jane Grace performing with her band with a smile from ear to ear made me smile from ear to ear. She was comfortable in her own skin having gone through a year of transformation from Tom Gable to Laura Jane Grace - the bad ass anarchist lead singer of Against Me! Watching the crowd full of 'bros' sing along to songs like 'Transgender Dysphoria Blues' and 'True Trans Soul Rebel' was fantastic. It gave me hope for a very bright future for all walks of life - that is truly what rock n roll's about.
I had never heard a note of Against Me! until that afternoon and now know that I've been missing out. It's something I'll never forget and hope that this important album receives the accolades it deserves. As if that wasn't enough music for one day we were just getting started. Next stop was a friend's showcase for Photo Finish Records at Speak Easy on Congress. Here we caught The Mowglis and another set from The Strypes. I still can't believe the amount of talent and star power these guys ooze. They were signed by Sir Elton John - so if that's any indication of what's to come then we're all in for a treat. Next stop was a bit of dinner with some friends and some famous table side guacamole at The Iron Cactus. Amazing conversation about radio, streaming, new bands and the future of this crazy business - I could have sat at that table for ever. Sadly we couldn't as there were many more bands for us to see. Half of the table were off to see Soundgarden perform their classic album 'Superunknown'from start to finishon a rooftop. Others were off to see some Canadian acts at Canada House and my partner in crime, Alana, was off to see Broken Bells. I was off to see Sam Smith and then meet back up with Alana to use our trump card and see the ultimate hipster Julien Casablancas & Voidz at my favourite venue Cedar Street. I actually ran into Sam Smith on the street about an hour before his show as St. David's church. He's very tall and looks like a star. He was super nice and I told him that we'd like to work with him when he comes to Toronto in a few weeks. I hope we can as this is exactly the time you want in on acts.
Sam is already know for his collaborations with Disclosure on their massive hit 'Latch'and the infectious 'La La La' from Naughty Boy. These 2 tracks have an astonishing 300,000,000+ streams on YouTube combine. His performance in that church was a truly religious experience. This man is poised to be the biggest thing in 2014. Mark my words his solo career will be on par with the likes of Adele. This is just the beginning. The band Tennis were on just before and then Joy Vance end that showcase. They were good - but Sam Smith was the man that night. Saturday After hitting the convention centre to grab my trump card for The 1975's headline set it was off to The Agency Group's party at Lamberts BBQ. The room was full of agents, bands and managers along with some talent. The likes of Taylor Hanson and Sam Roberts Band were there hanging with their agents and having a few drinks. We got to spend some time with the amazing guys in Sam Roberts Band and enjoyed laughs and great conversation about tunes. They invited us to join them at a private party hosted by Rachel Ray and there's no way we would say no to that invitation. Rachel Ray's parties are known for their spreads and this was no exception. Gourmet hot dogs, pulled pork sandwiches and a full pig complete with an apple in its mouth. Oh and the band played a small stage as the sun went down. They opened with a new song'The Golden Hour'which made the moment perfect.
After their set the guys in Sam Roberts Band stuck around for a few hours before heading off on tour to California. They might be rock stars but they're also some of the nicest guys in music today. Each member is so different and on paper I don't think it works. For some reason it does and only the gods of rock know why. Thank you for the amazing day guys it was a blast. The last stop on this adventure was to see a band that I was introduced to at last year's SXSW called The 1975. This time last year they played the backyard of Red Eye Fly and on tiny little stages around the city. This year saw them play the MTV Woodie Awards and then close out the Saturday night at Stubbs BBQ to a sold out crowd of people hanging on their every word. It was the perfect ending to another amazing trip to SXSW.
Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose. Texas forever. Thanks for reading/listening. Gregg
It's Monday and I'm sifting through my iTunes, iPods, DMDS, Rdio and Spotify accounts while Raffy's at the Jay Z's concert. It's usually the opposite way around - but she loves music just as much as I do which is one of the main reasons I asked her to marry me. I'm constantly working on play lists for our big day. The hardest part's going to be narrowing it down to the best of the best. I'm currently sitting at 8 hours 55 minutes and not even close to finished adding. I send myself notes daily as I come across songs that I may have missed. There's just so many songs I want to play throughout the course of the day but so many things to consider when it comes to these play lists. I know for a fact that I'll be working on this right up until the last minute. I'm taking a break from that right now as I've started a new play list. A new play list of some of the most exciting songs I've been listening to of late. God damn is 2014 starting out on a high note. Here's a few tracks I'd like to recommend...
A large part of my day is spent watching music videos. Music videos designed for broadcast television, music videos designed to go viral and music videos that are meant to shock and start a conversation. The later are becoming more and more frequent simply because they're a way of cutting through the clutter to become sharable (sp) online.
From videos shot on a shoestring budget to videos given feature film budgets - they're all adaptations of a single song. Sometimes they enhance the track and other times they change the song's meaning entirely. It's no mistake that MTV launched it's services with 'Video Killed The Radio Star' by The Buggles back in 1981.
2013 has been important for me when it came to music videos. It was the year I learned how vital they're for the success of music. Music videos are more necessary than ever before no matter what platform they're designed for - because we live in an A.D.D. world that's very visual. People might not sit around a television all day waiting to see a specific music video - but the broadcast medium is still very much complimentary to music as a whole. It's also a place in where we, as curators, can introduce viewers to new things they might not otherwise see in a cluttered online world. It's our job and we take it very seriously.
Here's a few of my favourite music videos from this past year which I'd love to share with you at this time.
Toronto's easily one of the best places on earth if you like to go and see live music. On any given night there are multiple options from stadiums, soft-seaters to tiny little holes in the wall. It's fantastic. I try my best to make it out to as many of these shows as I can. Luckily I get invited from label friends to many shows I wouldn't other wise know about. It's tough to keep up with all the happenings - I don't care what your title is. So thanks to those who drag me out. 2013 was another exceptional time in music and I got to see some real beauties. From Stubbs in Austin to the world's greatest venue Massey Hall in Toronto - it was one hell of a year for me. Here's a list of my favourite concerts from this past year in no particular order. However Frank Turner at Lee's was kind of a religious experience if I must say.
Depeche Mode atMolson Amphitheatre in Toronto.
Foy Vance at The Drake Underground in Toronto
Franz Ferdinand at Kool Haus in Toronto
Of Monsters and Men at Echo Beach in Toronto
Swedish House Mafia at Rogers Centre in Toronto
Jake Bugg at Maggie Mays in Austin
Sound City Players at Stubbs BBQ in Austin
Frank Turner at Lee's Palace in Toronto
The Weeknd at MOD Club in Toronto
Biffy Clyro at Opera House in Toronto
There were many more - but those are the top 10 stand out shows for me this year.
I didn't film any of these so I apologize if they are terrible in advance. I wasn't surprised that I was able to find something on YouTube that was specific to each of these shows as there are a sea of cameras going at all shows these days. The only one I couldn't find anything for was Foy Vance - and I think that's because he asked people not to. Now I'm guilty of taking photos at shows - or perhaps even the odd clip for instagram - but I don't really see the point in filming a full show. Get yourself 2 drinks so that you can't even shoot reach for your phone. It always makes for a better show.
This is always the toughest post of the year. Selecting my favourite albums is a very difficult task because I live in a singles driven world.
I have no problem admitting that I love all genres of music including bubble gum pop. I actually love pop music and have no problem telling you this. Every time I hear Miley's wrecking ball I'm blown away at the vocals. Without the video this song is Miley at her finest. I'm not saying the video isn't good - because it's fantastic - but the song on its own is killer. I digress.
2013 has delivered countless hits and seen some unsuspecting superstars hit the charts and change the game. Lordeis the best example of this because at 17 this New Zealander went in the opposite direction of any other 17 year old on the planet when it came to song writing. She turned heads, broke records and just signed a 2 million dollar publishing deal. This was the single most refreshing album to come out this year and I really hope it rubs off on more to come.
My top 10 are in no particular order other than to say that Arctic Monkeys is head and shoulders above the rest. In my opinion this is their finest work to date. It's fucking epic.
Here are my picks for this year's finest albums and why...
Arctic Monkeys - 'AM' came out in September of this year and knocked me on my ass. Alex's voice cuts through on each and every track on this album. You can hear his northern English accent but it's got really attitude and soul. The harmonies are perfect and the guitar solos unmatched by anyone this year. This album has been a staple since I first got my hands on it and I'm certain it will be for some time to come.
I don't drive that often but was excited to do this past weekend as I literally heard 'Do I Wanna Know' 5 times on the way to and from visiting my family in the suburbs. I love that radio is playing that track.
Here's a standout track 'One for the Road'.
Kurt Vile - 'Wakin On A Pretty Daze' was released back in April. I didn't pay much attention at that time but when it was suggested as something I should check out by Spotify because I had just listened to Led Zeppelin I had to. I hardly ever listen to algorithms but am glad I did for this one.
Here's a nice intro track called 'Wakin On A Pretty Day'.
Drake - 'Nothing Was The Same' came out on September 24th of this year. I know that exact date because it was in my Twitter, Instagram and Facebook feed for about 3 months in advance.
Drake seems to be someone that you either love or hate - and if you're the later I don't understand why. Drake is from Toronto and this city should be super proud of what he's doing. This is his city and hip hop is his. He continues to put the country on the map while creating some of the finest beats, grooves and rhymes around. I loved 2011's 'Take Care' but this one has already surprised me time and time again.
'Started From The Bottom' was cool and 'Hold On, We're Coming Home' is an anthem - but this is my favourite all time Drake track 'Too Much'
J. Cole - 'Born Sinner' came out in June. It came out the same day as 'Yeesus'by Kanye West. I like the Kanye record - but REALLY like this Cole album. His mixed tape from 2011 was what got me hooked. He's smart and deep but god damn cool as fuck.
This whole album is worth a listen and might I suggest you start with 'Rich Niggaz'.
Arcade Fire - 'Reflektor' just came out last month and is likely on every top 10 list. I wasn't sold at first but that's simply because I hadn't taken the time.
My favourite thing about this album is that it was my good friend Tim that convinced me. He played it over and over at a cottage weekend away. It was mind blowing. The combination of Win and Regine's vocals and English French is perfection. 'Joan of Arc' is stunning and among the finest tracks I've heard in my life.
This might very well go down as the equivalent to Radiohead's 'OK Computer' for a generation.
The 1975's self-titled debut was finally released in September across North America. I've talked about them on a few occasions here - so it shouldn't come as a surprise that they've made my list.
It truly is perfect pop music and really should be used as a soundtrack to a coming of age film.
From SXSW until now they have been a mainstay for me. I guarantee that they will break the North American market next year.
The Belle Game - 'Ritual Tradition Habit' is a beautiful album. I really don't know what to say other than they are worth exploring further. I had heard their name a few times but in the last couple months I really gave it a listen. Andrea Lo's vocals will melt your heart and ears and make you want to get up and dance. This band are from Canada and there's no reason why they shouldn't be massive the world over.
Here's a beauty track off the album entitled 'Wait Up For You'.
Biffy Clyro - 'Opposites' (Double album) came out way back in January of this year. I am a fan of everything that they have ever put out. They never disappoint and are unbelievable in concert. I saw them a few times in 2013 including at Air Canada Centre as they opened for Muse and again as they headlined their own sold out gig at The Opera House.
This double album boasts singles like 'Black Chandelier', 'Biblical', Victory Over Th Sun' and the title track 'Opposites'. My favourite thing about this album was that they actually came into our offices to play a few songs from that album as seen here.
City and Colour - 'The Hurry and the Harm' is Dallas Green's equivalent to Neil Young's 'Harvest' in my opinion. The title track is haunting and gorgeous all at once and showcases this man's strength in songwriting.
The album has hits that won't end with 3 radio singles. This is just the beginning for the album that came out in June as Dallas and his band have just announced their largest Canadian tour to date. Stadium status indeed.
Check out 'Harder Than Stone' below.
Lorde - 'Pure Heroine' came out in September. The single 'Royals' saw it's official release back in March but now that it's nearing December the track has spent some serious time at the top of Billboard's hot 100 Chart and doesn't seem to be going away any time soon.
This is not a one hot wonder - in fact this is just the start to a long career in song-writing for young Ella Maria Lani Yelich-O'Connor.
