Tag Archives: Canada

Best New Bands of 2012 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #2: GRIMES

28 Dec
I'm sure you've heard her this year and that's why she deserves the Hummingbird

I’m sure you’ve heard her this year and that’s why she deserves the Hummingbird

Best New Bands of 2012 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #2: GRIMES
Hours and hours and hours we debated over our #1 Hummingbird…it wasn’t an easy choice and many bands not only missed out by a hair, they didn’t even make our top 12. Sad but true. Grimes is not a new artist per se. Some of us have been allured by her siren voice since 2009, but it took a stellar LP like Visions for her to really shine and break-through. We put her experimental harmonizing of Halfaxa behind us and truly were treated with a perfect record. Not many artists can move past this phase. I don’t think Cocteau Twins ever moved beyond it and we know that many artists go in the opposite direction and move way too far into the art and we lose them forever. Grimes chose the perfect year to blossom her flower and we loved it. Thank you for “Genesis”, “Be A Body” and my personal favorite no not “Vanessa” from 2011, but “Colour of Moonlight” of 2012. So good. She truly embodies what an artist is and should be in 2012. We look for more over the next 10 years, maybe a little less falsetto harmonizing and some amazing lyricism will push her to #1 in 2013.

Founded: 2009
Hometown: Montreal, Cananda
Members: Claire Boucher
Sonic Soulmates™: Stacie Q, Polica, Class Actress
Trackables™:
“Oblivion”
“Be A Body”
“Colour of Moonlight”

Follow GRIMES:
Facebook
Her Website
Twitter

Hummingbird Awards – ALL YOUR BEST NEW BANDS FROM 2010, 2011 and 2012:

Hummingbird Awards 2012
#12 Rose Elinor Dougall
#11 Fear of Men
#10 The Weeknd
#9 Nude Beach
#8 Class Actress
#7 Johnathon Boulet
#6 DIIV
#5 Hey Sholay
>#4 Alt-J (∆)
#3 Jessie Ware
#2 Grimes
Hummingbird Awards 2011
Hummingbird Awards 2010

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Best New Bands of 2012 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #10: THE WEEKND

14 Dec
The Weeknd is better than Frank Ocean so we gave him a Hummingbird

The Weeknd is better than Frank Ocean so we gave him a Hummingbird

Best New Bands of 2012 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #10: THE WEEKND

I hate secrets. Especially when they are about me. So why is The Weeknd such a secretive dude? Why won’t he tell us the truth or remove the shroud and celebrate his greatness. We want an interview! Here is what we do know, his music is absolutely amazing, he is Abel Tesfaye, he released three mix tapes in 2012, he signed to Universal Republic, he has important friends, he is a man, he sounds like Drake and R. Kelly, he is one of our favorite new artists for 2012, he just won a Hummingbird. So here is what we said last month…and enjoy our gift to you! He should be #1, but dude your Trilogy came out too late this year. He skyrocketed up our list around September and held onto to Spot 10. We even got several hundred votes from readers for him.

Vitals:
Home: Toronto, CA
Members: Abel Tesfaye
Sonic Soulmates™: R. Kelly, Drake
Trackables™: Notable tracks from his release Trilogy, but listen to the whole damn thing
“This Morning”
“Wicked Games”
“House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls”

Follow The Weeknd:
Facebook
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official

Hummingbird Awards – ALL YOUR BEST NEW BANDS FROM 2010, 2011 and 2012:
Hummingbird Awards 2012
#12 Rose Elinor Dougall
#11 Fear of Men
#10 The Weeknd
Hummingbird Awards 2011
Hummingbird Awards 2010

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UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (3.1.12) Grimes

1 Mar

Grimes is it

UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (3.1.12) Grimes
By the way, let me just emphatically state this, I LOVE GRIMES! I want that t-shirt made now, hell, just buy it here. She is my muse for the dark times. Maybe she’ll be playing on 12.22.12 when that rolling ball of fire engulfs the world. Whatever the scenario, the new record Visions is a mixture of her 80’s electro-pop obsession from her first two records with a dash of polished digitalism. It’s a beautiful record and one that I would have played over and over and over again in 1986 while playing Ultima IV, or in 1994 playing Sega or today while playing Spotify. We don’t use love lightly around here, but Grimes is our lover and we are obsessed little puppies waiting for our next little aural treat.

Vitals:
Founded: 2009
Hometown: Montreal, Cananda
Members: Claire Boucher
Sonic Soulmates™: Stacie Q, Polica, Class Actress
Trackables™:
“Be A Body” – My prediction for a chart topper…wow

“Colour of Moonlight” – My secret obsession

The entire record:

Follow:
Facebook
Her Website
Twitter

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Best New Bands of 2011 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD: #11 Suuns

8 Dec

Hummingbird Award #11 - Suuns --- One of the best new bands of 2011

Best New Band of 2011
#11 Hummingbird Award – Suuns
Thank God, Arizona Turk is persistent. We buried his email about Suuns back in 2010 and it was this past February that we finally got our act together and posted. Wow. Really, just one big wow. They’re minimalist, they’re Canadian and they take a lot of inspiration from the likes of Clinic and Thievery Corp. We miss the Turk, where are you but we love Suuns.

Vitals:
Hometown – Montreal, Canada
Members – Ben Shemie, Liam O’Neill, Max Henry, Joseph Yarmush
Sonic Soulmates – MGMT, Clinic, The Besnard Lakes, The Kills, Thievery Corporation with some Beck vocals
Trackables™
“Arena”

“Armed For Peace”

Click here to listen on your iPhone or iPad
Best New Bands – Suuns “Arena”
Suuns – Armed For Peace

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Spotify

Original Post: Band of the Day 2.2.11

WHAT ARE THE HUMMINGBIRDS?

2011 Hummingbird Award Winners:
Hummingbird Award #13: Lana Del Rey
Hummingbird Award #12: WATERS

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Band of the Day (10.11.11) Library Voices

11 Oct

Don't Be Alarmed, People Still Go to the LIbrary and They Still Whisper


Band of the Day (10.11.11) Library Voices

I still have the urge to post more information about our “Already Profiled” bands that have new records. There are so many, it’s hard to keep up. We can’t forget about the new ones, we really can’t. Today’s band is a Canadian delight. Now that we’re finally over the maple leaf obsession, we get a band from Regina, Saskatchewan, CA dead center of Winnipeg and Calgary. Some of the most beautiful country in the world, but it’s damn cold. The band Bon Iver’d up in a small town of Kronau (population: 209) to record their sophomore record and it’s quite good. The band has not been on the golden road to Oz, their trailers have been robbed, their instruments and studio destroyed in a flood, but the seven piece Reginates are aiming for their own US rocket ship. The record hits next Tuesday and we have a track or two below. Think of the bell clanging female backed Los Campesinos combined with 80’s horn driven favorites like Bruce Hornsby and then sprinkle in some good ‘ol home cooked Canadian bacon like Stars and The Dears and you have Library Voices. Love ’em and you will be hearing them all over soon.

Vitals:
Hometown: Regina, Saskatchewan, CA
Members:
Amanda Scandrett – keyboards /vocals
Paul Gutheil – saxophone / vocals
Michael Thievin – drums
Brennan Ross – Guitar /vocals
Carl Johnson – lead vocals
Michael Dawson – keyboards / vocals
Eoin Hickey-Cameron – bass guitar
Sonic Soulmates: Los Campesinos, The Dears, Stars, The Range with Bruce Hornsby
Trackables:
“Generation Handclap”

“Traveller’s Digest”

Follow Them:
Facebook
Library Voices
Spotify

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Band of the Day 3.15.11 The Luyas

15 Mar

Montreal is not just Arcade Fire land...it's home to the coolest band of 2011 The Luyas


Band of the Day 3.15.11 The Luyas

Another Canadian band, and this time it’s an ensemble with three records to their credit. The Luyas performed live for the first time in December 2006, released their first record, Faker Death in August 2007, and now have Too Beautiful To Work , one of the coolest records of the year. Buy it here on Vinyl please. They’re part Stereolab’s cool free form electronic rock/jazz with the simplicity of Architecture of Helsinki and the celebration of Los Campesinos! At times I think I’m listening to a clever Bjork album with Jessie’s vocals, but really I find her vocals to be right in line with our past BOD La Sera. It’s a moody album and the band definitely shows it’s Arcade Fire DNA. If you’re already a fan, then pass the link along, if not let them know how cool they are.

Vitals:
Hometown: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Members:
Pietro Amato
Mathieu Charbonneau
Stefan Schneider
Jessie Stein
Sonic Soulmates: Los Campesinos!, La Sera, Stereolab, Tortoise and a little Arcade Fire
Trackables:
“Tiny Head” – My favorite track from the new record!

“Canary”

Follow:
MySpace
Facebook

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Band of the Day 3.14.11 Chet

14 Mar

Chet where are you? We love these Victoria, BC natives


Band of the Day (3.14.11) Chet

It’s been two years and this vote is more of a call to action. Four albums and Chet has been in hibernation. It was CBC3 that reminded us of their brilliant folk sound. It’s part Devendra, part Nick Drake and a little MMJ. Where the hell have you gone Chet? We’re so sad but yet we hold out hope. Four albums, and two years of hiatus. Their last album Chelsea Silver, Please Come Home was a brilliant record, addressing love lost, heart and soul. From what I know and have read, Canada’s greatest living song writer is a vineyard field hand and postal worker living in rural Western Canada. Ryan Beattie, the lead dog of Chet writes from the heart, with a similar approach to Conor Oberst. He can articulate heartbreak and acceptance of flaws so well. Just listen and help bring Chet back to us!

*****UPDATE******
Spoke with Ryan last evening and he mentioned that their priorities have shifted and Ryan is focused on Himalayan Bear. His second record Attacks The Brilliant Air was just released and it’s quite good. Check it out here:

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Hometown: Victoria, BC
Members:
Patrick Beattie vocal, organ, guitar
Issac Flaag drum
Ryan Beattie guitar, vocal
Megan Boddy viola, vocal
Thomas Sheilds bass guitar, trippy shit
Matt Skillings piano/wurlitzer, head banging
Sonic Soulmates: Devendra Banhart, Nick Drake, Neutral Milk Hotel
Trackables:
“The Night The Night”

“By Night Into Paradise”

Buy Chelsea Silver, Please Come Home on VINYL Now!

Follow Chet:
Facebook
MySpace

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Grammy Round-up 2011

13 Feb

Arcade Fire now My Morning Jacket in 2012

Nobody can deny that Mumford, Avett Bros. and Dylan ruled the Grammys tonight, but you have to give it to Win Butler. Only true musicians run up and play another song after they achieve the biggest upset victory in Grammy history. That may have been the first time we’ve ever seen Win smiling while playing. Yep we are “Ready to Start”….Oh and Esperanza Spalding deserved it.

Every band has to start somewhere. It took art galleries and cafes for Win Butler to create Arcade Fire in 2001. Every band has a story, so start reading some of the great stories of the BEST NEW BANDS of 2011 and the BEST of 2010.

Just because your favorite band becomes monsterously huge, doesn’t mean you have to become a hater. We know you were there in the beginning.

RE
NewBandDay

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Band of the Day (2.8.11) Dead Ghosts

8 Feb

Garage Rock that is Really GOOD DEAD GHOSTS


Band of the Day (2.8.11) Dead Ghosts

I have to admit that this year is shaping up to be a fantastic music year. Can’t quite get a grasp on what trends are hitting or where we’re headed but it’s clear that the bands are getting better and that we’re going to have one kick-ass summer. That being said, I feel as if we’ve neglected a few bands or genres for that matter. We got so excited with the return of rock that we forgot to profile garage bands. Those fantastic dudes that grind out 2 minute tracks ripping and shreading their way through an album. This years fave so far has to be Dead Ghosts. Why, because they’re a cross between Harlem of last year, The Vandals, a tame Dead Kennedys, The Walkmen and The Byrds. They got a little doo-wop in em too. They’re no JJ Revue, but they’re good. Buddy Holly cool. The boys are from Vancouver, their record was released late 2010 and it’s 13 tracks of pure garage bliss. I think only two tracks surpass the 3:30 mark…haha, gotta love Canadian surf garage rock.

Vitals for Dead Ghosts
Hometown: Vancouver, Canada
Members:
Bryan – Guitar, Vocals
Andrew – Guitar
Michael – Drums
Moe – Bass
Sonic Soulmates: The Vandals, Buddy Holly, JJ Revue, Dead Kennedys, The Walkmen, The Swamp Rats, The Ronettes’
Must Hear Tracks:
“When It Comes to You” – By far the best track of the record and it’s the first one….Premature Musication!

“What to Do” – Buddy Holly meeting Kids in the Hall…LOVE THAT SHOW. The best thing to come out of Canada in 1991!

“I Want Your Love” – The Walkmen meet The Shirelles

Follow Dead Ghosts:
MySpace
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Facebook

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Band of the Day 2.2.11 Suuns

2 Feb

Suuns the best NEW BAND of 2011 --- REALLY

Band of the Day 2.2.11 Suuns

Arizona Turk reminds me on a daily basis to write about one his 2010 gems Suuns. It’s not that they aren’t worthy of a BOD nod, it’s just that they got lost in the shuffle. Suuns of Montreal, CN really are worthy… Their album, Zeroes QC, was released late 2010, and it received tons of accolades. They have groove rock tracks, mixed with heavy electro beats. They’re part Clinic, part MGMT, part Beck and part Thievery Corporation. These Canadian lads have the groove of MGMT and the swagger of David Bowie. I love their sound. It’s so unexpected, it’s kinda shocking. Give em a listen and love em like we do!

Vitals:
Hometown: Montreal, Canada
Members: Ben Shemie, Liam O’Neill, Max Henry, Joseph Yarmush
Sonic Soulmates: MGMT, Clinic, The Besnard Lakes, The Kills, Thievery Corporation with some Beck vocals
Must Hear Tracks:

“Arena” – Probably the best tack on the record

“Sweet Nothing” – If David Bowie recorded a track with MGMT.

“Up Past The Nursery” – I feel a little Beck with MGMT here

Follow Suuns:
MySpace
Facebook
Twitter

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Band of the Day (1.12.11) Dirty Beaches

12 Jan

early eerie creepy Elvis crooning creates Dirty Beaches

Band of the Day (1.12.11) Dirty Beaches

Can this really be true, this is our first Canadian band of 2011. WOW! Doesn’t matter, because we have a slew of them slated for January and February. Dirty Beaches is rock-a-billy mood music. I swear these are recent recordings. We didn’t find them buried in our stax box, or at some used record store in The Haight. Alex Zhang Hungtai is a solo performer who’s made homes in all parts of the world, primarily the Far East and Canada. The Eastern influence coupled with the chill of Canada, helps create a very unique classic early 60’s Elvis meets the Devil sound. He is my Lord Huron of 2011…so far. Once again, Mr. Arizona Turk was doing his work. Great find

Vitals:
Hometown: East Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Members: Alex Zhang Hungtai; solo performer, sound-smith, and trans-Pacific nomad. Born in Taiwan, Hungtai has made Toronto, Honolulu, Montreal, and Vancouver his homes.
Sonic Soulmates: Lou Reed, Roy Orbison, Misfits, if Depeche Mode came from the 60’s and early 60’s beat bands…
Must Hear Tracks:

“Lord Knows Best” – This is by far his best track.

“True Blue” – I think my mom was dumped in high school when this song was playing in her Chevy. Alex nails it here.

Follow:
Official Website
MySpace

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Band of the Day (1.4.11) – No Joy

4 Jan

No Joy is All Joy to your ears.

Band of the Day (1.4.11) – No Joy

Ahhhh Day 2 of this new year and why not focus on walls of sound and shoegaze or as the band describes “doomgaze” pop. The Elizabeth Fraser layered vocals eerily remind you of the angelic voice rattling around inside your head. She’s alluring but disruptive, making you feel as if your safe in her arms, then she whispers those insane lyrics in your head. WOW, she may even be an Incubus…okay, I’m getting carried away, but you get the drift. Take a listen to our two favorite tracks below. After you listen…realize it’s only a duo. They did befriend Bethany of Best Coast and get a coattail ride on her label, so there is familial love here and you will be seeing their name on the SXSW/summer festival circuit.

Vitals:
Hometown: MONTREAL, CN
Members: The Montreal/L.A. duo of Laura Lloyd and Jasamine White-Gluz Kick your ass!!!!
Sonic Soulmates: My Bloody Valentine, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Gauntlet Hair, Eternal Summers
Must hear tracks:
“Maggie Says I Love You”

“Pacific Pride”

Another fine Daytrotter Session Get No Joy @Daytrotter now…Love Daytrotter see all the NBD bands on Daytrotter here
Ghost Blonde new album here

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THE HUMMINGBIRDS (The 20 Best New Bands of 2010)

5 Dec

You Want One of These

First of all let me thank you! This is the First Annual Hummingbird Awards and we owe it to you. This has been an amazing year for us here at NBD. We profiled over 200 bands, bands have thanked us and you fans have been supportive of us. So to close out this year, we going to count ’em down. It’s time, we’ve taken the last week to study our picks. We’ve found a few things..

1. You fans love your bands
2. Canada is producing some amazing music in 2010
3. Sweden and the Nordics are producing even better music (I’ll leave it to you to defend your music)
4. The Pet Sound was hot in early 2010, but it’s been replaced by….
5. XX/XY duos – WOW there a ton of female/male duos this year.
6. Singer songwriters will be all over our top 10
7. Arizona Turk has a lot to say about the list
8. We don’t give the award to bands that have already made it…we reward the ones who need it.
9. Our favorite band of the year is a shocker
10. Hummingbirds are amazing birds…Your Band Wants To Win a Hummingbird!

A Hummingbird is the most prestigious award a new band can receive. Hands down, if you win one, your life will never be the same.

2010 WINNERS

2010 Hummingbird Awards
Hummingbird Award #20: Crocodiles
Hummingbird Award #19: Miniature Tigers
Hummingbird Award #18: Gamble House
Hummingbird Award #17: Tame Impala
Hummingbird Award #16: Paper Crows
Hummingbird Award #15: Perfume Genius
Hummingbird Award #14: The Fresh & Onlys
Hummingbird Award #13: Tennis
Hummingbird Award #12: Memoryhouse
Hummingbird Award #11: Karkwa
Hummingbird Award #10: Lord Huron
Hummingbird Award #9: Sleigh Bells
Hummingbird Award #8: Crystal Fighters
Hummingbird Award #7: Efterklang
Hummingbird Award #6: Best Coast
Hummingbird Award #5: Jim Jones Revue
Hummingbird Award #4: Chapel Club
Hummingbird Award #3: The Radio Dept.
Hummingbird Award #2: The Pomegranates
Hummingbird Award #1: The Tallest Man On Earth

Read our Music Excavators Picks:
Editor Gems (Albums)
Editor Gems (Songs)
Arizona Turk Gems (Albums)
Arizona Turk Gems (Songs)
Music Muse Gems (Songs)

All the Hummingbirds

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