A large double double, two packs of DuMariers and 6000 km of open road

Seeing as I didn't even make it out of the Maritimes by the end of my last post, I've decided to pick up where I left off and hop in the car head west towards the great (island) metropolis of Montreal.

Montreal is truly a mind fuck of a city. There are always at least two levels of reality and truth at play and trying to navigate your way through them can be a bit tricky, and yet, always exhilarating. No other city in Canada can so successfully be one thing, while being its complete opposite at the exact same time: A French city under British rule. Romantic capital of Canada and more strip clubs then schools. Skyscrapers and cobblestone. Total celebration and total hibernation.

This dichotomous character seeps into the very fertile arts scene in Montreal to produce some stunningly original and beautiful work, especially in regards to music. While it's true that a great deal of the music that comes out of Montreal explores the darker side of life (and utilizes a lot of those oh so uplifting minor chords), there is often an element of celebration within the music, even if it's only hinted at. Montreal experiences some of the harshest winters known to humanity, days so cold and dark that people barely stir from their beds unless absolutely necessary. During this time (between 4 and 5 months), the population retreats into themselves, becoming deeply introspective and philosophical about life and its greater purpose, only to explode in a hedonistic orgy when the first sun starts to melt the snow. This is the Montreal most people know and love- the crowds on Saint Laurent, the cafes on Price Arthur, the shopping along Saint Denis, the utter throngs of people often doing nothing much more then enjoying life. And this is the time that all those songs and ideas that have been simmering in cold bedrooms and unheated jam places get unleashed on a receptive populace looking to smile, dance and enjoy each others company until the sun sets on another summer.

It's almost too easy to write about the Montreal scene right now; you've got the Arcade Fire setting the continent alight, God Speed celebrating their own apocalypse to rapturous acclaim, the Unicorns causing crowds to dance or vomit wherever they decided to showcase their (it must be said) warped musical vision, the Dears dramatic and theatrical Smiths/Blur impression continues unabated and even local scruffy boy Sam Roberts continues to establish himself as someone doing something fairly interesting in a mainstream context. Beyond this, you have the mathematicians masquerading as musicians down at the SAT doing their twitch and glitch electronic thing and you have the hip-hop crowd from Saint Henri doing interesting things with Franco rap and whole world of French music that is too strange and cheesy for my ears.

Poxy
Poxy is one of the most likely bands to break big out of Montreal right now. Essentially the baby of scenester Xavier Cafeine (of, surprisingly, Cafeine fame) this band is a mix bag of glam, punk, britpop and even hair metal. While this sounds like a total disaster, the sincerity and dedication to the punk rock life of its members ensure that this band doesn't sound totally fake and cheesy. Their self titled first album is a solid trip through the past twenty years of popular music, full of Gallagheresque cockiness and swagger, sharp glammy hooks, riffs that Alice Cooper wouldn't throw away, and a strange sense of cohesion that ultimately stems from front man Xavier's unbelievable self confidence.

Hong Kong Baby
Punk Rock Samurai

Lederhosen Lucil

Lederhosen Lucil wants to make you shake your booty, even if you only have a small booty or no booty at all!
Essentially Lederhosen Lucil is a german clone of one Krista Muir, with blond braids, a bad accent, a quick wit and a taste for dried apricots. Her music is a weird intersection of piano, new wave, punk, and country and is ridiculously catchy. She sings about a range of silly topics from what's in her fridge to temp jobs to biore strips. It's played on two vintage Yamaha keyboards and still rocks. When i went and saw her when she came by these parts, i was expecting to be mildly interested but more interested in the audience who may turn up. As it turns out, things went the complete opposite way. Her music had me grinning from ear to ear, dancing like a fool and her hilarious and witty in between song banter had everyone in the crowd laughing. She even made up a song about Hamilton on the spot, called 'Rocking in the Hammer on a Thursday Night' that had everyone singing along and generated such camaraderie between performer and audience that we all felt
like Ledhosen Lucil was our personal friend at the end of the night.

The Best Dishwasher I Ever Had
Anarchavid


One Candle Power

A four piece indie band (featuring the almost ubiquitous violin) centred on lead singer/songwriter and (i believe) guitarist Chrissy Musacchio. It is her beautiful and fragile vocals that carry the bands music, although they do have a nice dynamic sound thanks in part to the melodic, somewhat ethereal guitar lines and the restrained drumming and bass playing of Julien Landry and Andre Guerette respectively. What makes this band stand out from others plying a similar sound is the subtly complex songwriting and the unexpected burst of energy that enliven the songs at the exact right moments.

White Whisper
We Know Nothing of Timelines

Alexis O'Hara

A freestyling, freewheeling poet, Alexis O'Hara has put out one album, Abulia on Grenadine records. It's the kinda record that makes you feel like you know the artist, that she's your friend and confidant, someone you could talk to about anything under the covers, late at night. It's also the kinda album that makes you wish she really was your friend, because she is so cool and intellegent that you know the conversation over coffee would be good. Anyway, the album is a sonic joyride that runs the gamut from sweet electro-madness to abrasive robot poetry, with found sounds, field recordings, scavenged samples and layers of vocals that will have you waiting long into the night for your good friend to return.

Escape Hatch


And so concluds my little trip through the recently freezing underbelly of Montreal. I guess it's time to hit the road again, light up another butt and get another coffee from Horton's, because the beautiful province of Ontario is next and it's a long drive...