Discoggs 21 - BreakOut West Special

I was lucky enough to be in Western Canada last week, as a guest of Alberta Music and as a speaker at the BreakOut West conference. Not only did I get to see dozens of bands perform across Calgary, Edmonton and Victoria, but I also got to get to know lots of the artists as part of panels and mentoring sessions. Here are some that particularly struck me for one reason or another.



Here's a Spotify playlist version (slightly amended - c'mon artists - get yourselves on Spotify!)



Boreal Sons - Coward
Intelligent piano-art-rock from Calgary. With excellent taste in clothes ;)

Attica Riots - Love, Sunshine and Hysteria
Earworm alert. This comes on like Arcade fire having a party with the Vaccines. So much fun live, and lovely folks to boot.

Yes We Mystic - Wood Wheel
A dizzy mix of cello, samples, pedals, synth and folk.

HIGHS - Handsome Man
Regular readers will know about these guys. From Ontario, rather than the West (they played as part of Rifflandia festival, rather than the Western focussed conference). This is the first cut to be released from the new record, as recorded this summer in London with Luke Smith. It deserves to be huge.

Double Fuzz - Big City Lights
The most entertaining drummer I've ever seen live. For sure.

Port Juvee - Revenge
Like The Strokes taking on The Killers in an arm wrestle.

Samantha Savage Smith - Devilman
There's something a bit Billie Holiday going on with this voice, it's got a hint of jazz, but somehow a little slacker-sensibility.

Mabaleka - Crashed Upon The Waves
Young brothers writing pretty, classic country folk.

Isobel Trigger - Dust and Bones
Vocal that reminds me of Katy B, the promise of dancefloor filling bounce and that driving thing that people love when they're...erm...driving. Classic stuff.

Paul Cournoyer - Yukon
Paul's record was nominated for Francophone recording of the year at the Western Canadian Music Awards, and rightly so. Good to hear someone celebrating their roots and proving you don't need to be in Quebec to do it.

Post Script - Dear Marie
Beautiful 3 piece folk band from Edmonton. Steph has just the most beautiful voice. Delicate and multi layered, backed up with stand up bass and a nod to French-Canadian roots. The album's out on October 15th. You should pick it up. Oh, and watch their 'Elevator Sessions' on YouTube too.

JPNSGRLS - Smalls
Insanely good garage pop from Vancouver. These guys have already toured the UK this year but we'd like them to come back soon (please?!?). You know you've found something special when there's a crowd crowd surfing in the rain and taking the mic to sing every word back to the band. A rampaging, squally mess of a show. Just wonderful.

Joe Nolan - Tightrope Dancer
Joe is the real deal. He's got heartworn highways written all over him and he's only in his early 20's. A touch of outlaw, a touch of heartbreaker, an old soul in a young man. Just wonderful.

Chad VanGaalen - Peace on the Rise
Chad's not quite of this planet, which made watching him in a church all the more interesting. A hint of Mac DeMarco, an obvious SubPop link and an asthetic that can only be described as 'on acid'.

Hayden - Troubled Times
I was introduced to Hayden through The National's curation of the All Tomorrow's Parties festival. A multi instrumentalist geniuswith a fascinating history. This is an explanation/introduction: http://news.nationalpost.com/the-reluctant-rock-star-how-toronto-singer-songwriter-hayden-got-famous-rejected-the-spotlight-and-came-to-play-music-on-his-own-terms

The Wet Secrets - Nightlife
6-piece, smart, fun, garage pop, dressed as a marching band and capable of absolutely destroying your house party I would imagine.

Scenic Route to Alaska - Paris
Indie folk power trio from Edmonton. They played as a three piece for the first time last week (having previously been a quartet) and nailed it first time.

Bend Sinister - I'm The One Leaving You
Bend Sinister have the dubious honour of being the only band I saw last week who needed an ambulance rather than a splitter van when they left the show. Poor Matt the bass player valiantly played on after injuring himself before passing out from pain. Now that's what I call rock n roll...

Close Talker - Heads
Beautifully complicated indie rock from Saskatoon. On a sharp upward trajectory.

Nat Jay - Can't Getcha Out
Another nominee in the Western Canadian Music Awards, Nat is a singer songwriter from Vancouver. And a bloody good one too. This is a pretty perfect slice of pop.

Discoggs 12 - The Canadian Special Edition

I've been in Toronto this week, seeking out great Canadian artists both old and new. Here's a selection for you...



Dancehall Domine - The New Pornographers
Trainwreck 1979 - Death From Above 1979
Nomads - Highs
Waves - Bahamas
Blue Flares - In-Flight Safety
Viet Cong - Silhouettes
Shine A Light - Constantines
Knock You From Yr Mountain - Elephant Stone
The Wooden Sky - The Wooden Sky
You're Out Wasting - Andy Shauf
A Mirror - Aidan Knight
20's - Rah Rah
Sweetest Kill - Broken Social Scene
Dead Hearts - Stars
Help I'm Alive - Metric
You Know Me - Air Traffic Controller
An Angel in White - We Are The City
Sometimes We All Fall Apart - Slow Down, Molasses
Full Circle - Half Moon Run
Grand Optimist - City and Colour
Home As A Romanticized Concept - Woodpigeon
Weighty Ghost - Wintersleep
Penpals - Sloan
Brother - The Organ
The House That Heaven Built - Japandroids
I Was Born (A Unicorn) - The Unicorns
My Girl - Yukon Blonde
Fancy Footwork - Chromeo
Closer - Tegan and Sara
Rebels Of Love - Adaline
Kaputt - Destroyer
4am in Parkdale - Grand Analog
Friends Hurt - We Are The City
Sister Sin - Meanwood
Big City Lights - Amos The Transparent

Discoggs 11 - The one where I look a bit forwards and a bit backwards

There are a million 'Ones to watch' features out there this month so I won't add to them, but there are some new names here. And some bloody ancient ones too:





Buddy - Fault Lines (Spotify) Anchor (YouTube)
Taken from the album Last Call for the Quiet Life. https://www.facebook.com/iamyourbuddy

Sundara Karma - Indigo Puff
Young enough to be my kids by the looks of them

In Flight Safety - Animals
This song keeps following me! In the pub, in shops, I keep hearing it and I LOVE it!

Banbarra - Shack Up
I came to this via A Certain Ratio's (awesome) cover version, but the original is awesome too...

A Certain Ratio - Knife Slits Water (7inch)
Well, I had to really, didn't I?

The Decemberists - Make You Better
I usually find them a bit 'meh' to be honest, but this gives a little something.

John Joseph Brill - Muscle and Bone
Love love love this. What a voice.

Whitehorse - Sweet Disaster
Yes, it does sound like 'The Zombies initially, but keep listening. It's beautiful.

The Fall - Theme from Sparta FC
I told you some were ancient.

Panda Bear - Mr Noah
One of the finest records ever made by a Panda, I would say.

Discoggs 10 - The one where I geek out on my gigs of 2014

The year in numbers...

Let me properly geek out. Just this once.

In 2014 I saw 197 sets by 150 bands. I saw 16 bands twice, three bands three times each.I obviously enjoyed East India Youth, Future Islands and Ages and Ages A LOT because I saw them each five times. I saw The National play seven times in six cities across three countries. (They were all incredible, obviously). I've been privileged to see Dry the River play eight times in support of their fantastic second album.

I can't put my top ten in order of preference. Every experience is more than a sum of its parts, but here are ten of the best, in chronological order:



Ages and Ages - Cheer Up Charlies, Austin.
The room was so packed I had to seek refuge on a table by the door. I'm pretty sure the band could've led a pied-piper style parade through the city and we'd all have followed, such was the love for their incredible harmonies.


Future Islands - Stubbs Backyard, Austin.
I'd seen them at Hoxton in February and fallen in love, so the chance to see them several times in a week at SXSW was fantastic. They clearly enjoyed the attention (people were clamouring to get into every show that week) but they did it in such a humble, giving way.


Sharon Van Etten - Koko, Camden.
Are We There is my record of the year, no doubt. On stage Sharon is charming and funny and vulnerable and strong all at the same time. This piece from Pitchfork will make you fall in love with her. http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/9402-here-together-are-our-hearts-the-love-songs-of-sharon-van-etten/


Fat White Family - Dalston Victoria.
I'm still trying to wash the sweat off. Gloriously unhinged.


Jungle - Oval Space, Hackney.
I still didn't know what they looked like when I first went to see them. Then they appeared out of a fog of dry ice and the glow of three foot tall neon letters. As amazing as I'd hoped.


The National - Lucca, Italy.
We'd seen them the night before, in a tiny nook in the town of Vasto. Then we'd taken a series of trains for 8 hours to catch them again on the other side of the country. A downpour started as they hit the stage but it only heightened the mood. Bryce played like it was the last time he'd ever pick up a guitar and Matt laughed as we had a sing-off during Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks. We went home and didn't sleep for hours.


Beck - Camden Roundhouse.
I've never seen so many people grinning in one place. Beck Hansen is a true performer; A sexx-god of petite proportions and an Oscar-worthy actor.


Jenny Lewis - Islington Assembly Hall.
The poster girl for us indie-types of a certain age perhaps. Dressed in a painted pastel suit and singing breezy guitar pop from on top of a speaker – but with lyrics that divulge the grittier bits that lie beneath.


Hives – Reading Festival.
Swoon, giggle, repeat. Consummate showmen.


Bahamas – Borderline, Charing Cross.
Afie Jurvanen has stolen my heart. ‘Bahamas is Afie’ hasn’t been off my stereo since October so I stood absolutely transfixed as he played the Borderline last month. He makes me want to run away and live in a cabin somewhere in Ontario.


Mclusky – Buffalo Bar, Islington.
It was a charged atmosphere from the off. I knew it would be my last visit to the Buffalo Bar before it shuts its doors for the last time so I was ready to soak up those final memories of nights on the stage, behind the decks, in the crowd watching more bands than I could ever remember. It was one of my homes from home when I first moved to London and this was my last hurrah. The fact it was (pretty much) Mclusky playing, who I’d seen here and across the road at the Garage during a period of artrocker excess in 2002-ish just added to the feeling that I should throw myself into it. So I did. We all did. I owe a thank you to both the venue and the band.




N.B - You might have spotted that there are in fact 11. But c'mon. From 197 shows, that's not bad, right?!?

Discoggs 6 - The one where I watched loads of music documentaries

Mixtape number 6 for your enjoyment:



For those with eyes as well as ears:



Groove It Out - Lonelady
Minimalist and synthy with a funk edge that reminds me of Voodoo Ray? Yes please. NB - there is no video on YouTube yet, so there's an older track, Marble, on the YouTube playlist. It's equally great (but do seek out Groove It Out)

Tongues - Joywave ft KOPPS
The first band I saw at SXSW 2014. 12noon on a Tuesday, margarita in hand. Life doesn't get better, right? It took them until this week to hit London but they were worth the wait.

Borderline - Tove Stryke
I'll make a lazy comparison to Robyn and Annie, simply because she's Swedish. And I think she's similarly brilliant.

Somebody - Salt Ashes
Dark disco, as seen at Notting Hill Arts Club last week.

Mixtape - Tift Merrit
As gifted to me by the lovely Amy to mark my adventures in mixtape making.

Waiting Room - Fugazi
If you haven't seen the Sonic Highways documentaries that Foo Fighters have been releasing, you're missing a treat. I watched the first 4 back to back, reminiscing on times spent in each of the featured cities. Ian MacKaye from Fugazi/Minor Threat features heavily in episode 2 (Washington DC) and it reminded me to listen to this, which I did, 9 times in a row.

I Want You to Want Me (live) - Cheap Trick
As featured in Sonic Highways episode 1 (Chicago). Rick Nielsen is a guitar God, no doubt.

Pancho and Lefty - Townes Van Zandt
There's a bit of my heart that belongs to Townes. See the Austin episode (4) of Sonic Highways for more on him.

Polk Salad Annie - Tony Joe White
A Muscle Shoals classic. See the Nashville episode (3) for more.

Pepper - Butthole Surfers
Buttthole Surfers have been doing a fine job of keeping Austin (and anywhere else they happen to be) weird since 1981. See how Gibby is fairing now (actually pretty well) in episode 4.

Race For The Prize - Flaming Lips
Needs no introduction. Possibly in my top 10 songs of all time.

This One's For You - Ed Harcourt
Ed's in the news following his soundtracking of the Burberry Christmas ad, but I think this is him at his finest.

Autumn Sweater - Yo La Tengo
A slice of season-appropriate loveliness.

Until next time...

Discoggs 4 - The 'I wish I was at CMJ' Special

I'm at my desk in London. I'd rather be running around NYC at the CMJ Music Marathon.

Here are the bands I'd be checking out this week if I was there. I'm such a loser.





You can even SEE them here...



Which ones do you like?

Discoggs 3 - Small but perfectly formed

With moving images...



Nowhere to Run – Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
It’s not love that I’m running from, it’s the heartbreak I know will come.

French Navy – Camea Obscura
One of the great indie-pop gems.

Little Record Girl – Bahamas
Taken from ‘Bahamas is Afie’ and gifted to me by one of my favourite people. 70’s country inflection, but made in Toronto in 2014. Makes me smile every time I hear it.

Powder – Gengahr
On top form at The Forum, Kentish Town this week.

Infatuation – Liu Bei
Liu Bei drew a big crowd, even with an early stage time at the Forum. And rightly so. Reminiscent of Money, who I adore, so this sits well with me.

History Book – Dry the River
I love these boys dearly, and adore the new album, but this remains my favourite track of theirs. I can’t watch them without singing every word back to the stage. They played their biggest headline show to date this week. I watched from the very centre of the crowd and was transported far from Kentish Town.

Make Up Your Mind – Here We Go Magic
I. Can’t. Stay. Still.

Affection – Foreign Shores
This was sent to me by a friend when I asked Facebook for songs to fend off heartbreak. Great choice Simon. I know nothing about these guys, but I like it.

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings – Father John Misty
Another gift. What a treasure. The whole Fear Fun album is wonderful, but this Laurel Canyon-esque track is particularly gorgeous.

This Is Music – Verve
Play it LOUD.

I Ain’t Saying My Goodbyes – Tom Vek
The bespectacled one played Koko on Wednesday and it’s the tracks from 2005’s We Have Sound that resonated best with me.

Discoggs 2 - And so it goes...

Another week over, another playlist featuring people I've seen/things that have tickled my ears this week.



And for the visually minded...



Two Weeks - FKA Twigs
FKA Twigs is like some warrior-goddess-hybrid. My jaw actually dropped when I saw her at Hackney Empire this week.

Our Love - Caribou
Everyone in London was either at the FKA Twigs show or watching Caribou on Wednesday night it seems (according to my twitter timeline anyway).

Morning - Beck
I'm still reeling from the Roundhouse show.

Travelin' Man - Still Flyin'
This band broke my heart. I saw them at the Lexington a few years ago and they stopped touring the next week. Breaks. My. Heart.

Last January - The Twilight Sad
Sounds like Interpol if they'd grown up in Scotland.

Mistaken For Strangers - The National
Another uninnocent, elegant fall into the unmagnificent lives of adults.

Memphis Soul Stew - King Curtis
The bass. Oh, the bass.

I Jus Wanna Love U (Give it 2 me) - Jay Z
I saw Pharrell on Friday night. Forgot how many amazing tracks he's had a hand in. He's like a hit-making machine.

Nevermind the End - Tei Shi
Thanks to Danny Wright for pulling her into my consciousness. Brooklyn via Bogota singer who's about to go stratospheric I imagine. This is from her 2013 album and I can't stop listening to it.

Discoggs 1 - Are you ready? Or more importantly, am I?

Let's share some music shall we? Here's my first mixtape for you, dear reader...




I'll try to post these regularly, but I'm not going to fall foul of the addiction that is the 'new-music-I-found-it-first' hamster wheel. There are swathes of brilliant writers who can provide that between them, and write about them beautifully. I'll just be posting songs that I like by bands I've seen recently, or hope to see recently, or that I otherwise love.

Here it is as a YouTube playlist, for those that are so inclined...



So, this first one then. Here's some background...

All the Rage Back Home - reminds me of a special weekend. Beers, new friends and belting it out.

Animals - Managed to see these (charming) guys twice on consecutive nights and I'm so glad I did. Their new album, 'Conversationalist' has been on heavy rotation ever since. If it were any more up my street it would have to move in with me.

Changes Are No Good - Woke up with this as an earworm on Sunday. It's somehow connected to something on that In Flight Safety album. And they're originally from Montreal, right, so there's a Canadian connection...

Young Love - this is on here by virtue of the fact that I saw Mystery Jets and Laura Marling perform it at the Transgressive 10th Anniversary show at the Barbican last week. Fabulous.

Alive Alone - Ah, Beth.

The State I Am In - B&S have announced a new album, which had me racing for the back catalogue.

I Turn My Camera On - I saw Spoon at Primavera and thought they had been hit with the same 'forever young' stick that Franz Ferdinand have. And then the lovely Matt Taylor from DtR talked me through the albums in detail and I've been obsessed by Gimme Fiction ever since. Thanks Maffoo!

Dead Flowers - You know what it's like - you have a conversation with a cute guy/girl about what your favourite Stones record is and then you defend your choice and then you realise that they were right all along and Sticky Fingers is definitely superior to Exile on Main Street and now I feel like an idiot...

The West Was Won - I was having a rubbish day at work and thought 'I have to go and see a band RIGHT NOW' and the Bat signal was raised above the Old Queens Head and beneath it were Close Talker. They saved me. Thanks guys. See you again in your part of the world one day I hope.

She's Not Me - Jenny is the poster girl for women like me. You go, girl.

Way to be Loved - More Canadians! This playlist is over-run with them. No bad thing.

Go To Me - I caught Jordan playing in the basement at the Ace Hotel last week. In all his chamber-y gorgeousness.

Song To The Siren - Part of the canon. Sublime.

To be continued...