Indie Music Filter – Page 1099 – Toronto-based music blog showcasing the best new indie music. To the point track features, videos, reviews and streaming playlists.

The Acorn

I first heard The Acorn while listening to CBC Radio 3’s podcast.

The song ‘Blankets’ came on (from the bands second effort, an EP called the ‘Blankets!’ EP) and it stuck with me for a couple days. Then as I heard more of their music on their website (or on their label’s site, Kelp Records out of Ottawa), I took that extra step and bought both their discs. Haven’t regretted it yet.

The music is described by the band as ‘intricate acoustic arrangements with euphoric melodies’. Four of their strongest tracks can be found here, I recommend spending some time with the song Darcy.

Stay tuned for the ‘South-By’ Report; tall tales from the heart of North America’s most exciting and chaotic music festival SXSW. I ship out today.

The Secret Machines

So, last night I went to a concert, some guy pushed me, then the crowd started swirling. Then I got kicked out. And never got to talk to that girl that I was meant to…

Maybe I’ll have to watch this video a couple more times. (It’s in windows media format, if it doesn’t work, try their myspace page). It’s an amazing song called ‘Lightning Blue Eyes’.? Beautifully placed refrain (of ahhs) in between the last two choruses.

Fjord Rowboat

I had to look up the meaning of Fjord to refresh my memory. Was I ever taught this word in school?

To quote the band from their New Music Canada site, Fjord Rowboat has been trying to ‘save the world with Reverb since 2004’. Does saving the world mean recording and performing lush atmospheric shoegazer athems covered in layered with soft echoed vocals?

Maybe. But’s its too early to tell.

Check out ‘Paragon‘. Chorus kicks in strong, makes you want to go see it live.? If so, they play this Saturday, March 11th. Drake Hotel. With two great bands, Raised by Swans and Madrid.

Canadian Music Week Houseparty

I’ve been planning a showcase for my artists during Canadian Music Week (CMW) for the better half of two months. And Saturday morning, I had this awesome feeling that everything was going to work like clockwork. Until I got this e-mail at 12:30pm…..

It was from one of the production people at CMW responding to the news that the [social] (the venue) had cancelled my showcase for saturday night. The reason? They hadn’t made enough money on the two previous CMW nights in bar sales and attendance, so to cut loses, the bar would have to be opened up to the public, or the regular saturday night crowd. (Bad call, we would have packed that place and made them money).
I met all my artists down at the social around 3pm. After investigating a bunch of venues, we had little to go on. CMW were trying to find us another venue, but during this festival, everything is booked. So, Jose Contreras had an idea of throwing a houseparty at his and Lily Frost‘s house two blocks away.

Couldn’t have asked for anything better. Junetile and Aporia brought tons of beer, which was free throughout the night. Admission was also free. All four bands sounded great (Madrid joined the Mile End Showcase at Spin Gallery). And we had some visits from CBC’s Zedtv and CBC Radio 3.

Thanks for everyone who came out and supported us.

Shout Out Out Out Out

Kudos to the Shout Out Out Out Out for trying to make a Toronto audience dance dance dance dance.

Stereotypically, the Toronto audience is made up of people standing with the arms crossed in front of them, with their head cocked slightly left or right, to indicate analysis. We generally won’t show too much upper body movement, maybe a slow sway back and forth. If any movement, we tap our feet on the ground.

I found it hard not to move to this band. They are a band with two drummers, multiple bass players, keyboards, synths, samplers and vocoders. They are from Edmonton on a label called Normals Welcome. Sounds like Air on crack with electro. They’d be a good fit with the Juan Maclean. Really fun live show show show show.

Check out the tune ‘Tiiired‘ off their first debut EP. More coming soon.