WEAKERTHANS- LEFT & LEAVING

It's been too long! I make no promises about posting more but hey, I'm like a streaky hitter. I'm .224 for my career but I've been known to go on 15-game stretches of .376

This is a good post to come back with though! For those who don't know, The Weakerthans are the product of John K. Samson. Samson got his "start" (quotations since I doubt he was planning to stick around or was musically fulfilled) in the 90's band Propaghandi as their bassist. After leaving that band he started focusing on his own material and formed the Weakerthans. The rest is Can-rock history.

Musically, this is hyper-literate, soft-spoken pop-punk with a lot of mellow songs and all-around fantastic songwriting. If you like Jawbreaker but wish they sounded more like Yo-La Tengo then this is the ticket!

HERE

Wrought: Ironsmile discography

A long search is finally completed because a Russian filesharing website finally translated the "download" button.

 All three 7"s are here PLUS a fantastic split with a country-emo band called the Warsaw Union, who were from Duncan, Vancouver Island. It just might be the only listenable folk-punk recording ever.

A hugely underrated Victoria emo band, one of the last in the first wave that spanned the mid-90's.

DOWNLOAD

ERIC'S TRIP CBC DOCUMENTARY

This is a wonderful little documentary the CBC did on Eric's Trip in 1993. The bulk of the film is just Rick White and Julie Doiron sitting and talking about the band in a very cute and rambling way (which I eventually found pointless and frustrating)... anyways, lots of amazing footage, good songs, cool interviews, some original versions of well-known songs PLUS a very funny commercial that was left on the tape! Enjoy some great 90's Canadiana. It's only about twenty minutes long


HERE
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HERE

MAC DEMARCO- ROCK AND ROLL NIGHT CLUB

For those that don't know, Mac Demarco is the soul behind former lo-fi pop outfit Makeout Videotape, but now he's man enough to brandish his birth name like a true singer/songwriter. Makeout Videotape put out a lot of material and pretty much all of it was great but it wasn't quite this. On here we finally get that mid-fi, bitter-sweet beauty that we always long for when listening to post GBV pop music. Mac is not rich so I didn't bother looking for a way to download this but you can sample it at his bandcamp HERE and order a tape on Green Burrito Records HERE. I think the vinyl is coming out soon on Captured Tracks!

CHIXDIGGIT!- S/T

This cover says everything there is to be said about this record. Carefree pop-punk with no bells or whistles. Simple songs, repetitive use of melodies, the occasional solo of no more than 10 seconds and an all around good time. If you remember when it was cool to have dyed hair, sport a huge wallet chain and the Blue Jays were the best baseball team in the world then this is the shit.

HERE

ERIC'S TRIP- PURPLE BLUE

Some good old mid-90's lo-fi for you on christmas! Nothing I can say about Eric's Trip hasn't already been said but this is the album I started with so maybe it'll work for you too! Lots of variety, equal parts lo and mid-fi and more Julie Doiron than other albums. Good to listen to if you didn't have the happiest christmas.

HERE

SLOAN- ONE CHORD TO ANOTHER

If you're from Canada then you either a) don't like Sloan and have been forced to listen to them by every rock station and music-outlet in the country or b) really love Sloan and wish more people took the time to actually listen to their records! Obviously I'm a 'b'...

This is their third album and first big commercial album in Canada, probably because one of its singles went on to be a popular muchmusic video. Our national media has always supported this band and although those decisions often seem arbitrary (Nickelback anyone?) this is one of the few cases where the powers that be actually supported a bunch of really legit guys who just wanted to make power pop for ever and ever and ever and ever. If you like the sounds of Big Star filtered through some early 90's indie sensibilities then this is the ticket! Their previous outing, Twice Removed, is also phenomenal.

HERE

RUSH- FLY BY NIGHT

Over the years there has been one constant when Rush is concerned and that is the polarizing place they occupy in the minds of music fans. Some people, like my former self, throw out the common complaints: "They suck" "Geddy Lee is the worst singer of all time" "They're douchebags" "It's sooooo nerdy."

Then of course, there are those, like my current self, who have nothing but the highest praise for the boys: "They're awesome!" "Geddy Lee has an amazing voice" "They're really genuine people" "It's so cool!"

I understand if you're one of the former and if so, I urge you to check out this gem in their discography that I think is not only one of their best, but also the album that least embodies the Rush-stereotype. If you enjoy any element of 70's hard rock then you owe it to yourself to give this a listen.

HERE