Hooded Fang

9. Hooded Fang @ Cafe Dekcuf (Ottawa) Friday, January 23

Even though Rural Albert Advantage were the headliners at this show, Hooded Fang completely ran off with my heart about thirty seconds into their set. Between the male/female harmonies, the unpretentious inter-switching of instruments and the copious amounts of good cheer that they spread around the room, I was sold. And judging by the bouncing, shimmying attendees around me, I’d say everyone else caught the Fang fever.

8. Rah Rah @ Cafe Dekcuf (Ottawa) Friday, May 15

The second the band hit the stage, I felt like I’d been saved from the brink of musical disparity. I had assured my friends that this would be an excellent show, and felt incredibly guilty for making them endure THREE opening bands that were either flat out awful or dreadfully mediocre. But when Rah Rah got going, I (and hopefully my friends) felt  re-invigorated, forgetting the earlier musical blunders. The band was just so into it and so excited to be there, making their Going Steady material come alive. And of course you can’t talk about Rah Rah without mentioning the throaty beauty of Erin Passmore’s rich, soulful vocals, which the crowd were hootin’ and hollerin’ for, much to her bashful chagrin.

7. Spiral Beach @ The Mansion (Kingston, ON) Tuesday, April 28

This show was particularly special due to the fact that the opening band flaked, meaning that Spiral Beach stepped in to fill the void. That’s right. Two back-to-back sets of Spiral Beach: the first a stripped down, folksy affair, and the second being the regularly scheduled program of raucous, cow-punk-circus-in-space rockers. It was a Tuesday so the audience was a little sparse, but this only added to the especially intimate atmosphere of the evening.

6. Most Serene Republic @ Zaphod Beeblebrox (Ottawa) Saturday, November 14

I knew that MSR would have no problems living up to my high expectations, even before a single note was played: the show began with Adrian Jewett leading the crowd in a spirited chant of “Rufio! Rufio!” (ala Hook), followed by the necessary crowing. From there on, the night was a blur of Jewett’s psychedelic dance moves, Emma Ditchburns clear, jazzy voice ringing out above everything, down-on-the-floor trumpet solos, and the sound guy’s compliance when the band requested that the ignored disco ball be put to use for a freak out dance party during an all-or-nothing performance of “Don’t Hold Back, Feel a Little Longer.”

Spiral Beach

5. Spiral Beach @ Zaphod Beeblebrox (Ottawa) Friday, October 30

So it might seem a little excessive to have two Spiral Beach shows in the same list, but if you’ve ever seen these guys live you’ll understand that this isn’t really excessive at all. Since the first time I saw the band play at the Wolfe Island Music Festival back in 2007, these humbling-ly young musician types have only managed to knock my socks off with increasingly greater force. As per usual, they induced me into complete, grooving, musical submission, such that I didn’t even mind the vaguely patronizing “Isn’t she cute” smirks that I kept getting from a middle-aged lady. Whatever, lady. This is Spiral Beach. Smirk away.

4. Lykke Li @ Phoenix (Toronto) Friday, February 6

Although the long wait time before she hit the stage was totally uncalled for, this petite Swedish powerhaüs delivered. She danced like a freak but was so confident in her freakitude that I could only wish that I, too, had the ability to twitch around like that and look cool doing it. Her backing band played a huge role in offering up really dynamic takes on material from the breakout Youth Novels, and complied during her respectable little rapping detours.

3. Ben Kweller @ Mod Club (Toronto) Sunday, February 22

I have had a long love affair with Ben Kweller. I think I was twelve when I first heard his live cover of “Drug Buddy” (by the Lemonheads), and have spent the past eight years in regular cycles of obsession over what has come to be a pretty extensive and varied music catalogue for someone so young. Given my long-term relationship with Kweller, he has been in the top three on my concert bucket list for a while, so it goes without saying that I was a little manically over-excited the night of the show. In the moments before he sidled up onstage, my stomach was executing some impressive gymnastics, but upon finally seeing that muppet face of his and hearing his voice in person, all Southern drawl and take-him-home-to-mom charm, I felt like a little part of me had been made complete. He’s an instantly likeable kind of guy, humble and personable with a natural storytelling ability and easy humour. Ben and his backing band hit a few of my old favourites (“Family Tree”, “On My Way” and “The Rules”), but approached them with the countrified sound of his latest album. Going into the show, I wasn’t really sure about the twangy of his newest release Changing Horses, but I left convinced of its merit and ever more enamoured with my favourite little Texan.

2. Frightened Rabbit @ Horseshow Tavern (Toronto) Wednesday, July 22

First in-person band interview: backstage, pre-show with front man Scott Hutchinson. First free journalistic beer as a result of said interview. (I kept the bottle cap). Ridiculously welcoming and enthusiastic crowd.  Explosive, equally enthusiastic performance from the band. Lots of torso-twisting dance moves. Lots of sing-a-longs. Lots of oh-my-god-I-can’t-believe-I’m-here moments. I’ve been wanting to see Frightened Rabbit live ever since my first spin of Midnight Organ Fight, and it’s really nice to know that when so many bands are absolute shit live, there are still musicians out there not only making amazing records, but elevating their studio recordings by giving sincere, passionate live performances.

Fleet Foxes

1. Fleet Foxes @ Metropolis (Montreal) Monday, August 3

The musical skill packed into each of these band members is all at once inspiring and capable of knocking any aspiring musician down a couple of pegs. I have never heard a band who can perform live THIS flawlessly. They so perfectly executed the signature, intricate harmonies that make up the FF soundscape, leading me to believe that Fleet Foxes are physically incapable of singing or playing a bad note. Ever. The atmosphere in the venue switched between silent awe during each song, and an onslaught of appreciative noise-making as the last note faded out. But I felt like I should be doing more than just cheering my loudest at the end of each song. I felt like I should’ve been constructing some sort of Fleet Foxes shrine in the middle of the sardine-packed crowd.

Aside from seeing Final Fantasy play in a church a couple years back, I’ve never experienced such transcendence at the hands of live music. And I think this is the ultimate for live shows, those times when you let go of everything but the music and are able to enter into a state that’s probably something like an out-of-body experience. The band seemed continually bowled over by the audience’s adoring response, and the night ended with three fist-clenched bouts of thank yous from lead singer Robin Pecknold as he proclaimed that it was the best show they’d ever played. Now I know it’s naive to think that this hasn’t been said before to other crowds, but I’m choosing to take stock in this statement given the mutual, almost sappy appreciation that was blatantly exchanged between audience and band. As the Fleet Foxers made their way off stage, they could be seen embracing each other and shaking their heads at each other, seemingly disbelieving and overwhelmed by the crowd’s response.

We were pretty overwhelmed, too.

-Alie

Does anyone else remember early last week when there was still no sight of snow or, for the most part, holiday spirit? Well now that we’re in full-on winter mode (at least weather-wise, I’m sure there are those out there who have yet to begin shopping and carolling), we enter the ‘year-end’ part of the season in the music world. I’m sure you’ve seen your share of “Best of ’09” lists already but this year, the Singing Lamb has decided to compile a 12 Days of Lists celebration! Each day, a staff contributor (or guest contributor!) will post a list of their favourite albums and/or shows, ending with none other than The Singing Lamb herself with her list to end all lists on the 12^th day.

Special thanks to staff writer Alie Lavoie (also our featured list today!) for the fantastic idea. The Singing Lamb is by no means comprised of like-minded music fans therefore it was only fair we showcased everyone’s picks instead of collaborating on one – and trust me, by the end of this marathon you’ll see what I mean.

Also, I had the pleasure of attending my friend/boss Bobby Kimberley’s “Best of ’09 Mix Swap” party this past weekend and you can download everyone’s mixes on his blog here! Those mixes alone will last you till the New Year!

So grab a cup of hot chocolate, a pair of headphones and prepare for serious mountain of reading!

xoxo,
Melody the Singing Lamb

Atone

9. Glorytellers – “Atone”

Atone has seen me through at least two essays since I came across its mellowness, the skilful guitar noodling and shuffling drums giving me a gentle push toward the light at the end of the seventeen-hundred word tunnels. Frontman Geoff Farina’s voice is a soothing, almost conversational cherry atop this self-proclaimed “Western swing” folk album that doesn’t stray from its genre’s comfort zone, but isn’t any less enjoyable for it. (Favourite Tracks: “The Lost Half Mile” and “Just What I Was Thinking”) MySpace, website

8. Ola Podrida – “Belly of the Lion”

Unfortunately, this album was just released a few weeks ago, so I haven’t really had the chance to wrap myself up in it yet, but the band’s previous release is one of my favourite albums, so I know Belly would’ve been higher up on the list if I’d had more time with it. Lead singer David Wingo has again brought in his signature soft, cinematic film scoring touch, but this time around the music is a bit more polished with a higher production quality that’s full of reverb guitars and small, understated slice-of-life moments. On the surface, Belly of the Lion doesn’t have as many explosive or awe-inducing moments as the previous release—nothing as arresting as “Cindy” or “Photo Booth”—but I have a feeling it’ll be an album I’ll keep coming back to when I’m looking for something quiet and beautiful. (Favourite tracks: “The Closest We Will Ever Be” and “Sink or Swim”) MySpace, website

7. Letting Up Despite Great Faults – “S/T”

Every song on this self-titled release follows the same electro-tinged pattern of fuzzy, mumbled vocals and fuzzy, mumbled instrumentals alongside comparatively clear machine drumbeats and clicks. But it’s the shy sound of these youthful shoegazers that elevates the album to a rather heart-warming level without venturing into twee territory. (Favourite Tracks: “Release” and “The Colours Aren’t You or Me”) MySpace, website

6. Pomplamoose – “VideoSongs”

Pomplamoose is the collaborative effort of musical virtuoso Jack Conte and jazzy-voiced, angel-faced Nataly Dawn—a Youtube-ular dream team. Between Dawn’s smoky vocals and Conte’s constant instrumental explorations, this collection of originals and covers (including a sultry take on the Sound of Music smash hit, “Favourite Things”) stands up to many a repeated listen. (Favourite Tracks: “Twice as Nice” and “Expiration Date”) MySpace, YouTube

Creaturesque

5. Throw Me the Statue – “Creaturesque”

TMTS’ latest effort is an infectious and hook-laden affair, radio-ready would anyone give it a shot. It travels in lo-fi / pop-electro-rock circles and has a damn good time doing it. (Favourite Tracks: “Snowshoes” and “Ancestors”) MySpace, website

4. Patients – “Patients”

The force behind Patients is none other than Ben Cooper, a staggeringly creative man who is either part of or is the sole member of five other musical projects including Radical Face and Electric President. Patients, as Cooper explains on his website, is not a coherent and deliberate album, but is instead a compilation of “songs that don’t have a place.” That being said, it’s an obvious labour of love which bears Cooper’s signature style: found percussion, stirring epics that are somehow still restrained, electronic flourishes, multiple tracks within a single song laid with artistic precision, haunting vocals, and, of course, frequent mentions of ghosts. And as if Cooper’s music didn’t speak volumes in and of itself, the whole concept behind the album’s distribution is worth mentioning. Cooper completely funded its production and conceived an almost archaic method of distribution for it. Patients couldn’t be purchased in record stores or even online. In fact, it couldn’t really be purchased in any modern sense of the word; instead, Cooper opened a P.O. box specifically for the project and set up a time-consuming trade system whereupon one hundred fans sent him something in the snail-mail in exchange for the album, as long as the “something” wasn’t money. Take that, internet age. (Favourite Tracks: “Tall Tale No. 5″ and “If You Come Back to Haunt Me”) MySpace, website P.S. Keep checking back in the Features section of the Singing Lamb for my article about a lengthy phone interview I did with Ben back in August.

3. Fanfarlo – “Reservoir”

I was introduced to this album a couple months back, and it’s been sitting extremely well with me ever since then. Reservoir is an exercise in optimism, frequently soaring with perfectly executed percussion and crescendos of the orchestral pop variety. Trumpets, xylophones, violins and bright, open voices come together for celebrations of the everyday turned profound. Yet it never feels overblown, each of the album’s components working with and not against each other for a final product that is humble but still incredibly moving. (Favourite Tracks: “Ghosts” and “Drowning Men”) MySpace, website

2. Phantogram – “Eyelid Movies”

This is a recent find, but given the ridiculous number of hours I’ve since spent with this album living in my ears and head, I’m confident that Eyelid Movies will be a go-to album for years to come. It’s a Spike Jonze wet dream with its thick, cinematic, metropolitan club atmosphere. Sarah Barthel’s ethereal voice is complemented by Josh Carter’s blunt vocal delivery, making for some absolutely delicious melodic moments. Each track feels fresh, offering everything from plentiful electro beats, mellow M83-esque shoegaze pop, hints of rock and dashes of hip hop. But throughout all of its experiments across genre and mood, these songs remain individually and collectively impressive. There is no filler here, only consistently high-calibre tracks. Add to this a) the band’s recent move to Barsuk Records (home of David Bazan, Death Cab for Cutie, Say Hi, Rilo Kiley, John Vanderslice… need I go on? This label’s legit), and b) their current stint of opening dates for Zero 7, and it’s clear that Phantogram are poised to start impressing e’erbody. Just you wait. (Favourite Tracks: “Mouthful of Diamonds” and “As Far As I Can See”) MySpace, website

Years (By One Thousand Fingertips)

1. Attack in Black – “Years (By One Thousand Fingertips”

I had never really taken much interest in the Attackers prior to May 15th of this year when I was leaving a show and a bouncer at the venue below was letting people in for free to the last half-hour of an Attack in Black show. So in I went, not expecting much. But I fell in love. I fell in instant, sonic love as soon as I heard the title track from their latest album, and specifically the line “Would I still get shivers from your silence?” There was an earnest sweetness to the music that I’d never heard from the band before, and I was left dumbfounded and silently swaying for thirty minutes of seemingly fated musical bliss.

If you, for some inexcusable reason, didn’t get on board with the new Attack in Black album sometime before or during the months of June through August, I feel bad for the state of your summer. Years is a soundtrack for the warmer months if I’ve ever heard one. The band down-shifted several gears from previous releases in order to achieve this warm, gauzy sound that brings to mind lengthy, ambling road trips and endless fields that are begging to be traipsed through. You’ll find yourself feeling waves of nostalgia for Birmingham (even if you’ve never been there) and wondering about whatever happened to that girl with the brown curls (even if you never actually met her in the first place). Years weaves its way through folk, rock, and quiet bedroom pop in a way that you can’t help following behind as you search out your own moments of pure summer contentment. It shall henceforth be an integral part of my summers to come. (Favourite Tracks: “Years (By One Thousand Fingertips)”, “Leaving Your Death in a Flowerbed”, “Beasts” and “I’m a Rock”) MySpace, website

- Alie