Francis Mineau, the drummer of JUNO winning progressive rock band Malajube, has released an album under the moniker Oothèque. While a discothèque makes you wanna dance, I suppose Oothèque is a venue that makes you say, “ooh”. This brilliant solo project was recorded within the capable hands of Pascal Shefteshy (Rufus Wainwright, Fanny Bloom, Peter Peter), and it is definitely worth a purchase. Through these colourful tracks, you will hear ever so subtly the sweeping synths of The Cure, the theatrical rock of Prism, the perky new wave guitars of the Go-Go’s, and even the alternative thrashes of The Smashing Pumpkins.

Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau is on the prowl, but whether the panther is pink or black, it is a happy camper, bouncing around playfully as the opening bass-carried tune would suggest. We are certain that FM, Canada’s founders of electronic rock, would be pleased with the next track and its sweet synths. Sometimes the robot is in need of therapy, and yet again, some therapists are in fact robots. Be careful. The grizzly reflects on its position among the animals who seem pretty content. The jazzy laid-back electro ballad “Secrétaire” yields to a sparkling power burst in its chorus, and “Spiegelbild” tips its toque to post punk sensibilities and dials up the party hotline, “Ligne ouverte,” which takes us to the funky fun of “Lycanthrope”. Going downtown, things get harder, faster, and alas we discover the whole time, we have been strolling through the shimmering thoroughfares of Kuala Lumpur. What a great album!

Ootheque on iTunes      Official Website

The 2013 Billboard Music Awards was held tonight. No judges, no critics, just the reality of music sales determined democratically by the general public (and voting in the case of a few categories).  While the Americans footed the bill for the show, two Canadian recording artists snowboarded in to collect big, winning three apiece.  Justin Bieber who’s been busy travelling thousands of kilometres around the globe on tour as of late won the Milestone Award.  He won the award for Top Social Artist and for Top Male Artist, performing twice on the MGM stage.  His labelmate Carly Rae Jepsen also won three awards:  Top Digital Songs Artist, Top Pop Song, and Top Digital Song.  Carly had commented on performing at the awards show last year pointing out that it was the first time ever she performed her song “Call Me Maybe” on TV.  “I can just remember feeling a bit like Alice in Wonderland,” she said.  How fitting then that the latter of the three awards she won tonight was presented by her Canadian sister who had written the theme song for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, Avril Lavigne!

In 1968, American band Blood, Sweat and Tears recruited a Canadian lead singer and songwriter: David Clayton-Thomas who had grown up in the Toronto suburb of Willowdale. Clayton-Thomas took the reins and rode the group into the arena of superstardom, thanks in part to his brilliant composition “Spinning Wheel”. Blood, Sweat and Tears’ second, eponymous album topped the Billboard charts, was the third biggest of the year, sold 10 million copies and won the U.S. Grammy Award for Album of the Year beating out The Beatles’ Abbey Road! David was inducted into the Music Hall of Fame in 1996 and received a star on the Walk of Fame in 2010.

Dave’s conduit to success was not an easy one. A tumultuous relationship with his father had him run away from home when he was 14. Living in abandoned buildings, mixing it up with street hooligans, and stealing supplies to survive led to several arrests and overnight stints in the slammer. On one of these stays, he claimed a beat up guitar left behind by a cellmate and in his spare time taught himself to play. In 1962, he began performing at the seedy venues on Toronto’s Yonge Street. Honing his skills and attracting crowds, he eventually caught the attention of Ronnie Hawkins who mentored him, and the rest is, as we say, history.

After the success, disbanding and reformation of BS&T, David Clayton-Thomas assembled his own band of 10 highly skilled musicians in Toronto and began releasing new material. His latest work is entitled A Blues for the New World.

Although this is at the foundation a blues album, the steel-blue eyed crooner, whose voice sounds as good as ever, has raised up a superstructure from constituents of rock, jazz, reggae, and gospel decked with remarkably clever lyrics. Thrilling satire takes bites out of weighty subject matter including the invasion of privacy, a brush with death, the misery of unemployment, and the sleaze of politics. “It’s just politics. It’s a grand charade. The only way to love the law is to not see how it’s made. … Everything gets nasty in the heat of the debate. And you got to be so careful ’cause a word can seal your fate.”

It used to be that instrumentation served as the backdrop, complementing the singer and his poetry. Because the bulk of modern music does the opposite, we are grateful to DCT for reminding us that it doesn’t always have to be that way. A Blues for the New World is available now.

A Blues for the New World on iTunes     David Clayton-Thomas’ Website

JUNO-nominated Canadian singer-songwriter Jim Guthrie is from Guelph, Ontario, known for its low crime and unemployment rates. The man is a storehouse of creativity, consistently manufacturing many quality albums since his debut in 1995. He also involves himself in side projects working with several indie bands, collaborating with other solo artists, and scoring films and video game soundtracks (million-selling Sword & Sworcery for example). His album Now More Than Ever received a JUNO nomination in 2005. Jim’s latest release is entitled Takes Time and it was five years in the making and produced by Mark Lawson who has worked with the Arcade Fire.

This album is instantly likeable. Part of Guthrie’s appeal lies in his gentle, easy-going, and youthful voice, somewhat of a cross between Vae and “Weird Al” Yankovic. “Taking My Time” opens the work with a crowd cheering as if it were recorded live. High pitched horns flicker like a flock of birds chirping overhead and flying away. “Difference a Day Makes” gets the electricity flowing, the sentimental “Before and After” makes use of vocal harmonies, and “Never Poor” feels like riding a row boat in the moonlight.

Jim turns up the charm on “The Rest Is Yet to Come” with monophonic piano hammers, bubbly guitar strums, and even bells. “Bring on the Night” softly trumpets in afterwards with shuffling drums and appears to be the album’s most popular track. Cheeky yet dreamy “Don’t Be Torn” would make for a great number in a music theatre show. “The Sound of Wanting More” has the geese honking, strings jittering, and perhaps the album’s catchiest melody.

What makes any work of art great is its painstaking inclusion of intricate detail which alienates none but the flouters of intelligence. This is why artists like Jim Guthrie are such treasures. And, of course, accomplishing this … takes time.

Takes Time on iTunes     Jim Guthrie‘s Official Website

NOTES:

Nielsen compiles weekly data on sales and radio airplay of singles and ranks them in the Canadian Hot 100 which is published by Billboard.  Here we list all entries from the chart that are in whole or in part by Canadian artists.

RK = Rank. OR = Provincial origin of the artist. PS = Position on the Canadian Hot 100. CG = Change from last week’s position. WC = Weeks on the chart. PP = Peak position. Foreign artist in grey. RE = Re-entry. Most impressive numbers in last 3 columns appear in red.

Note: The date of the chart corresponds to the release of Nielsen Music’s Canadian Update newsletter which is normally 10 days less than on the online Billboard chart.

Composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist (Xavier) Caféïne has launched his latest bilingual Brit-style punk / new wave album entitled New Love. Single “Lettre d’amour” has vaulted up to #3 on the Franco chart. The music reminds us a little bit of very early Ultravox. He released material in his band from 1997 and his first solo album, Gisèle, in 2006. Song “La fin du monde” received a SOCAN award. Bushido followed in 2009. For this, his third solo album, Cafeïne teamed up with producer Gus Van Go (The Stills, Priestess) and played all the instruments on the record himself! Caféine has left out the cream and sugar and brewed the bitter blend to a potency that has us wired for sound, and we’re grateful for that. Check out the album teaser below.

New Love on iTunes     Caféïne’s Official Website

“Here’s to Never Growing Up” on iTunes     Avril Lavigne’s Official Website

Two newbies land on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100, both tunes from Albertan artists. A rap group from Ontario climbs up 16 positions entering the Top 30 while an R&B number from the son of a famous Canadian actor enters the Top 20. A song from a Québec band re-enters the chart at a new peak position. And the acoustic version of an album by one of Canada’s finest electronic rockers lands on the album chart at #7.

TEGAN AND SARA
The first single released from Tegan and Sara’s outstanding album Heartthrob, “Closer”, has done very well, spending 31 weeks on the charts thus far and reaching a peak position of #13. As it begins its gradual descent, it was no doubt time for the Calgarian sisters to launch their second single. We are delighted that our favourite track from Heartthrob was selected, a swaggering melodic tune called “I Was a Fool”. It is one of our favourite songs of the year so far, simply beautiful. It has debuted on the Canadian Hot 100 at #73.

AUDIO PLAYGROUND
One of Edmonton’s finest contributions to the Canadian music scene, the concoction from Audio Playground, “You Never Know (Could You Be Loved)” debuts on the Hot 100 at #92. The track features Snoop Lion.

DOWN WITH WEBSTER
The Ontario rap group has enjoyed the greatest gain on this week’s chart, as their fantastic tune “One in a Million” moves up 16 positions surpassing the Top 40 landing in the Top 30.

ROBIN THICKE
“Blurred Lines” is definitely a hit, and it is now into the Top 20! We are blessed to have Alan’s son Robin as a part of Team Canada.

FINAL STATE
The super talented band from Québec has re-entered the Hot 100 at a new peak position of #82 with their delicious tune “Make Up Your Mind”.

LIGHTS
The acoustic version of LIGHTS’ masterpiece of electronic rock, Siberia, debuts on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart at #7.

NOTES:

Nielsen compiles weekly data on sales and radio airplay of singles and ranks them in the Canadian Hot 100 which is published by Billboard.  Here we list all entries from the chart that are in whole or in part by Canadian artists.

RK = Rank. OR = Provincial origin of the artist. PS = Position on the Canadian Hot 100. CG = Change from last week’s position. WC = Weeks on the chart. PP = Peak position. Foreign artist in grey. RE = Re-entry. Most impressive numbers in last 3 columns appear in red.

Note: The date of the chart corresponds to the release of Nielsen Music’s Canadian Update newsletter which is normally 10 days less than on the online Billboard chart.

A hit with the fairer sex given his boyish good looks, 23-year-old William Deslauriers of Plessisville, QC (just east of Trois Rivières) was a finalist in the 2009 season of Star Académie and released his debut album the following year which was certified gold. He has just released his followup LP entitled Aux quatre coins de ma tête. First single “Lundi matin” has already topped CKOI’s Franco charts. The new album continues in the same vein as his last—a pleasant mishmash of pop, reggae, and folk delivered with his earthy voice. This is, as to be expected, a charming and very slick production, consistently enjoyable, with clever compositions and skilled musicianship and will no doubt be played at many coffee houses through La Belle Province. Give it a listen!

Aux quatre coins de ma tête on iTunes     William Deslauriers’ Official Website

Wango Tango is an annual day-long concert held in stadiums in southern California, USA featuring the biggest names in popular music.  The event is hosted by Los Angeles radio station KIIS FM.  Often, notable celebrities are on hand to introduce the performers.  Wango Tango has been running since 1998 and has featured rock stars such as The Spice Girls, Mariah Carey, Ricky Martin, Britney Spears, The Backstreet Boys, Pink, Kiss, Sting, Gwen Stefani, Rihanna, The Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, Usher, and Maroon 5.  Canadian stars who have participated include Nelly Furtado (2001), Alanis Morissette (2002), Celine Dion (2002), Fefe Dobson (2004), Simple Plan (2005), Justin Bieber (2010), K’naan (2012), and Carly Rae Jepsen (2012). 

2013′s Wango Tango will be held at the Home Depot Center sports complex (seating capacity 27,000) at California State University on May 11 and will be hosted by popular entertainment personality Ryan Seacrest with special guest host Britney Spears (best-selling female recording artist of the new millennium).  Canadian rock star Avril Lavigne will be headlining the main stage, her first time to participate in the annual concert.  Joining her will be Bruno Mars, Maroon 5, Flo Rida, Demi Lovato, Emeli Sandé, and a host of other acts.  It should be a great show!

The music video for Avril’s current hit single “Here’s to Never Growing Up” is set to be realeased May 9.

Fronted by Quebecois-Vietnamese singer, Laurence Giroux-Do, Montréal’s Le Couleur has released a new EP entitled Voyage Love. The band delivers a very sophisticated, kaleidoscopic, funky, danceable, synth-driven sound in which Dragonette, Kylie Minogue, The Fantastic Plastic Machine, and Mylène Farmer, as one unit, roll down the throbbing artery of Saint Catherine Street lined with nuclear-powered 1970s strobe lights. These guys have been releasing wonderful material for the past five years and have championed Québec’s independent radio charts. Debut album Origami wooed the critics and infiltrated underground currents, surfacing on music blogs as far away as Germany, Mexico, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom.

Five-track EP Voyage Love was produced by the expert remixer French Fox and features a collaboration with French Horn Rebellion. These exquisite tracks are sure to please platform shoe wearing lovers of classic 70s dance music as well as those hungry for something richer and more creative than the assembly-line churn outs of the modern era. Listening to this amazing EP, we are indeed taken on a voyage—from the discothèque, to the lounge, to the carnival, to the roller arena, to the cabaret. Giroux-Do’s sultry vocals, punctuated candy-coated bass funk, ear-soothing synths, and unanticipated hooks will suck you into a vortex of ecstasy and fun.

Voyage Love on iTunes     Le Couleur’s Website 

NOTES:

Nielsen compiles weekly data on sales and radio airplay of singles and ranks them in the Canadian Hot 100 which is published by Billboard.  Here we list all entries from the chart that are in whole or in part by Canadian artists.

RK = Rank. OR = Provincial origin of the artist. PS = Position on the Canadian Hot 100. CG = Change from last week’s position. WC = Weeks on the chart. PP = Peak position. Foreign artist in grey. RE = Re-entry. Most impressive numbers in last 3 columns appear in red.

Note: The date of the chart corresponds to the release of Nielsen Music’s Canadian Update newsletter which is normally 10 days less than on the online Billboard chart.

Sophia Danai is a fabulous, multi-faceted new singer from Langley, BC whose influences include Nina Simone, Billie Holiday and Portishead. She started out by writing songs with a number of fairly high profile artists including Canadian electronic ensemble Purity Ring, rapper Shad, and American rapper DJ Khalil. Recently, Sophia was featured in Madchild’s popular track “Judgement Day” off his JUNO-nominated Dope Sick album. Last week, Sophia released her stunning debut album, Wishing Well. It was produced by 2-time Grammy winner Chin Injeti (Pink, Eminem).

Sophia Danai’s smooth, richly delivered singing takes us on a joyride through claustrophobic suspense and mystery. She replaces the jukebox in the lounge with a wishing well where defunct pennies are tossed in and diamond-studded tunes pour out the speakers along with some portentous fog-cloaked phantoms. With a breathtaking sound that combines vintage soul, the vapours of classic reggae, 1960s spy music, summertime ambiance, an addictive potpourri of beats, and movie house magic, this sophisticated work of art stands as one of 2013′s finest releases.

Wishing Well on iTunes      Sophia Danai’s Official Website