#kerry doole

[fyimusicnews]

TOP FIVE CANADIAN ALBUMS & SINGLES FROM 2014

Kerry Doole's Top Five Canadian Albums

Alvvays - Alvvays

The much-anticipated debut from the T.O.-based band led by Molly Rankin (yes, of the famed clan) exceeded expectations, leading to their near-unanimous crowning as best new Canadian band of the year. Strong melodies meet real smart lyrics. International stardom beckons.

Fred Eaglesmith -Tambourine

Yet another gem from our most under-rated and hardest working troubadour. Gritty vocals meet poetic lyrics, to compelling effect. Where was Polaris for this one?

Oh Susanna - Namedropper

The witty title testifies to the peer respect enjoyed by this wonderful roots singer/songwriter. A star-studded cast (Ron Sexsmith, Jim Cuddy, Joel Plaskett et al) all furnished her with fine new songs that Suzie's gorgeous voice then does full justice to.

Steph Cameron - Sad-Eyed Lonesome Lady 

The best country-folk debut record to reach these ears in quite a while. A sparse gem, it seems to have emerged intact from a Greenwich Village 1963 time warp.

Timber Timbre - Hot Dreams

This features superbly-crafted soundscapes with a haunting cinematic noir quality. Taylor Kirk may just possess the richest voice in Canadian rock. The band's finest work yet.

Top Five Canadian Songs

"Caribou" - Tanya Tagaq

This inventive Pixies cover is one of the more accessible songs on Tagaq's mesmerising album Animism, a deserved Polaris Prize winner.

"Crater"-   Gord Downie, The Sadies, And The Conquering Sun

The searing opening cut to one of 2014's most under-rated albums, a collaboration uniting Canadian rock treasures Downie and The Sadies. Play it loud!

"Drones of Democracy" - Art Bergmann

Who could have predicted that the best protest song of 2014 would come from an aging punk rock hero who had been out of the limelight for so long? Inspired by Neil Young's "Cortez The Killer," this is searing yet inspiring vitriol.

"Archie, Marry Me" - Alvvays

The song that has launched Alvvays, and the catchiest tune of the year. Can't believe I'm not sick of it yet, after dozens and dozens of spins.

"Telephones" - Mo Kenney

Feisty East Coaster Kenney deserved more recognition for her sophomore album, In My Dreams.      She's an ace songwriter, but this infectious album highlight is actually a cover of a Mardeen tune.

Noah Siegel's Top Five Canadian Albums

Death From Above 1979 – The Physical World

Caribou – Our Love

Daniel Lanois – Flesh and Machine

White Lung – Deep Fantasy

Fucked Up – Glass Boys

Honourable Mentions:

Deadmau5 – while (1<2)

Hey Rosetta – Second Sight

Top Five Canadian Singles

Owen Pallett – "The Riverbed"

Dan Mangan + Blacksmith – “Mouthpiece"

Rural Alberta Advantage -  “Terrified" 

Braids – "Deep Running"

Dear Frederic - “Stare Into the Light”

Honourable Mentions: 

Alvvays – "Archie, Marry Me"

Kevin Drew – "You In Your Were"

The Darcys – "Hymn For a Missing Girl"

Juliette Jagger's Top Five Canadian Albums

Daniel Lanois – Flesh and Machine

Lanois’ 6th solo effort Flesh and Machine is nothing if not sonically bold. It speaks directly to his roots and the groundbreaking ambient work he created alongside Brian Eno during the 1980’s, while simultaneously proving that he may be the last great musical mind of a generation left in this country with any balls.

Tokyo Police Club – Forcefield

Though Tokyo Police Club’s Forcefield took three years to create, it is arguably the most well rounded album in this band’s catalogue. Strictly relying upon its songwriting merits, Forefield reveals that David Monks and Co. have been very busy honing their ability to write both contagious pop hooks and simple, straightforward indie rock.

Arkells – High Noon  

Hamilton indie rock darlings the Arkells have long captured the attention of Canadian audiences with their unwavering ability to write well-crafted radio friendly hits and High Noon is no exception.

DFA 1979 – The Physical World

Death From Above 1979’s long awaited sophomore effort, The Physical World, was everything fans of this band had hoped for. Between the fervorous basslines, pounding drumbeats, and sweaty-libido charged lyrics, this album completely captures that thick, palpable tension that was the cornerstone of 2004’s You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine, all while managing to step things up both musically and melodically.

Single Mothers – Negative Qualities

Succeeding in capturing the true appeal of London, Ontario’s Single Mothers’ explosive live show, Negative Qualities, was one hell of a debut. This album is 26 minutes of sweaty, desperate, and unrelenting punk rock and that’s all you need to know.

[timberholme]

Article by Kerry Doole

by Kerry Doole

TIM LAWSON: A Musician With A Mission  Tim Lawson has received international acclaim for the compelling and uplifting music he makes. Since releasing his stellar debut, The Quiet Canadian, in 1997, the prolific B.C.-based singer/songwriter has delivered four more highly-praised albums, The Right Way On (1999), Lest We Forget I (2000), Lest We Forget II (2002) and Please No Talking (2002). These albums earned him a loyal audience in both Europe and Canada, but this 50-year-old troubadour is not in it for the ego gratification or fame. Lawson views his music partly as a means to an end, a tool to be used for social good.  Even before embarking upon his musical career, Tim worked on behalf of charity and various causes close to his heart. His commitment has deepened in recent years. Lawson is an artist who puts his money where his microphone is. This is demonstrated vividly with his new album, So Many Stories. Its final track, "Why Me," is a poignant and thought-provoking look at the AIDS crisis in Africa, and Tim has dedicated the album itself to the fight against this epidemic. Five dollars from each copy sold of So Many Stories will be donated to the Stephen Lewis Foundation to assist in the HIV/AIDS efforts in Africa. In a recent interview, Lawson discussed both the origin of the song and his own fundraising initiative: "Near the end of this past January, I watched the David Suzuki show, The Nature Of Things. It was an hour-long profile of Stephen Lewis and his work as the U.N. Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa. When the show was over, I went and grabbed my guitar. I just wanted to find a way to express what I was feeling." "I was trying to find the words, and I had tears streaming down my face as I was trying to translate from an emotional plane to the verbal plane. 'AFRICA - the words won't come,' was an obvious line, and the others flowed from that. In about three hours I had it, and it stayed virtually unchanged. It just came through as a powerful song. I did the demo and realized it had a special kind of power, so we added it to the album at the last moment." The televised portrait of Stephen Lewis resonated with Lawson. "I knew of his career, but had not followed him closely for quite some time. I was so impressed with his demeanour. As United Nations Special Envoy, he'd go from village to village, group to group, trying to give hope and encouragement. He reminded me of my late mother's example, that every person is as important as everyone else, and deserves to be treated with respect. He was fully aware of the plight they were in and the details of how hopeless the situation seemed.  The Stephen Lewis Foundation is dedicated to "easing the pain of HIV/AIDS in Africa. The situation is so desperate that even the most basic help will bring solace and hope," states its founder. Tim Lawson quickly determined that this was an organization completely worthy of his own support. "The Foundation has a very informed idea of pilot projects in Africa, things designed to help at a grassroots level," he says. "We want to help empower them with what I call ‘fiscal energy’. These, and other projects, can be expanded by governments and non-governmental organizations. This fiscal energy is being created by the very significant figure of a five dollar donation per CD sold. "The beauty of this plan is that it is a vehicle for average Canadians to give five bucks to the Stephen Lewis Foundation. The donations then go directly to where they are needed. For me, it is a convergence that has music at its heart." So Many Stories is being marketed across Canada through independent retailers - their generosity in donating their profits is highlighted on Tim’s website, www.timberholme.com. Another Lawson-created project is aimed at furthering public awareness of AIDS in Africa. His publishing company, Timberholme Books, sponsored a national youth writers competition, entitled "Why Me”. “We encouraged high school students across Canada to do research, find out about an AIDS-related project, and write a 1,000 word essay on it. We will present 43 prizes for a total of $5,000 and publish the collected essays", Tim explains. “Philanthropy has always been a key part of our mandate”, says Lawson”. That philosophy has already been tested successfully with an earlier Lawson project, Lest We Forget. This was a two-album collection of songs with the theme of Remembrance, paying tribute to those who fought for the freedom we now enjoy. The album is dedicated to veterans and the celebration of peace. Proceeds from sales have been donated to The Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Fund, and have exceeded $75,000.  Another cause dear to Tim Lawson is the battle against Multiple Sclerosis. He lost a close friend to this degenerative neurological disease, and has long been an Ambassador for Multiple Sclerosis in Canada and the United States.  At Timberholme Books, Tim has also gone out of his way to publish books that have an inspirational component. One example is Jesse's Journey: A Canadian Story, John Davidson's account of his walk across Canada in 1998 to raise funds for genetic research. Lawson keeps a close watch on their work. "More progress is made in finding a cure for Duchene’s Muscular Dystrophy in one day now than was made in a whole year, only ten years ago," he reports. "I love hearing stories like that." His natural optimism shines through in both his music and his commitment to worthy causes. With daily news of global tensions, terrorism, and natural disasters, it is easy for us to feel powerless and sink into a resigned apathy. That is not the Tim Lawson way, and he models an excellent example of the ways one person can make a difference.  Kerry Doole is a Toronto freelance writer. His articles have appeared in many major Canadian publications.