Matthew's Finest

This week I'm bringing you a bold new talent in the world of indie recording. Dent May is a kitchey sort of artist that very much follows the DIY style of musicianship. His vocals imitate the crooners of old a little too well to take them seriously, but that doesn't mean that they don't work well. He sings with a sincerity and a feeling that comes across very well and actually distracts the listeners from his use of ukulele and synthesiser as his main instruments. 

His playful songs and obvious enthusiasm make it easy to see why he's quickly gaining in notoriety in music spheres. His song Meet Me In The Garden is a neat little love song that takes full advantage of his adorable songwriting and unique musical sensibilities.

Dent May and His Magnificent Ukulele - Meet Me In The Garden [mp3]

Also check out this charming video for his song, Oh, Paris!

SotW for Nov. 26, 2008

What are they putting in the water in Athens, Georgia? How come so much good music comes out of that part of the States?

Well, Modern Skirts are a four-piece from that magical place in the state of Georgia. Their album All Of Us In Our Night doesn't drop until Jan. 20 but this teaser should impress you all. A few songs on that album, including my song of the week, were produced by R.E.M.'s Mike Mills. Don't worry if you can't remember that member of R.E.M. No one can.

Infinitely catchy, the song Motorcade is well worth downloading. Pinky-swear.

Modern Skirts - Motorcade [mp3]

Playlist for Nov. 26, 2008

1st Hour
Minus the Bear - Ice Monster
Pearson - Purity of Heart [myspace]
Andrew Bird - Oh No
Jane Vain and the Dark Matter - C'mon Baby Say Bang Bang [mp3]
Stacey Lloyd Brown - Living Rooms
Don Brownrigg - In It
Dent May and His Magnificent Ukelele - Meet Me in the Garden
Sleeping States - Planning My Escape [mp3]
Okkervil River - Lost Coastlines
Jukebox the Ghost - Victoria [mp3]
Cuff the Duke - Take My Money and Run

2nd Hour
The Swindlers - Sister, Oh Little Sister [myspace]
Said the Whale - This Winter I Retire [mp3]
The Submarines - The Wake Up Song
The Organ - Oh What A Feeling
Metric - Help, I'm Alive
The Bicycles - Walk Away (From a Good Thing) [mp3]
Rah Rah - Tentacles [mp3]
Sylvie - Please Make it Home
Modern Skirts - Motorcade
Franz Ferdinand - What You Waiting For (Gwen Stefani cover)
The Dance Party - A-List
Passion Pit - Sleepyhead [mp3]

Matthew's Finest

This week I am giving you three songs, which are kind of just two songs, but are different enough to merit the separation.

The first is a song by Elliott Smith (god rest his soul) from his album Figure 8.

Since he's been dead for over half a decade now I thought that I had already heard all there was to hear from him, but this song surprised me. I'm accustomed to the gloomy sounding songs that are more typical of his style, but this track delivers something in the way of pop-inspired, marketability. Of course, this makes it perfect for me because I believe that all music should exist in a form that you can either dance or sway to.

Elliott Smith - Son of Sam [mp3]

Also contained herein is an acoustic version of the song that Ishmael prefers to the more heavily instrumented one. I do not. I like knowing that what I'm listening to was produced in a recording studio.

Elliott Smith - Son of Sam (acoustic) [mp3]

And the last song is a from the Toronto songstress Kathleen Edwards. Miss Edwards was up for a polaris prize this year, even making it onto the prestigious shortlist. Despite that, prior to this week I hadn't heard her music, but it was worth the wait. 

Far from what I expected (another Canadian female playing a guitar and singing cute songs about an assortment of strange topics) the sound that I encountered was much more soulful country than it was folk. The classic themes of country music are covered; heartbreak, addiction, prison, etc... but it's done with a certain sincerity that is hard to come by in modern country music. It's easy to tell that Edwards has a love for the genre, and she writes in a style and sings in a timbre that is heavily reminiscent of the masters that made country great.

Kathleen Edwards - In State [mp3]

SotW for Nov. 19, 2008

For the second week in a row, I'm not offering anything new. I apologize. However, I rediscovered this cover of the Cardigans on my iTunes library after months of not having heard it and I needed to share.

The Morning Benders are a quartet from Berkeley, California who released their album Talking Through Tin Cans back in May. However, I also happened to have this cover of Lovefool from a free internet album they were giving away called The Bedroom Covers. Here's a song you'll want on the iPod.


The Morning Benders - Lovefool [mp3]

Playlist for Nov. 19, 2008

1st Hour
The Jealous Girlfriends - Secret Identity
Beirut - A Sunday Smile
Kathleen Edwards - In State [mp3]
Creature - Star
Ketch Harbour Wolves - So Long To The Ground
The Bicycles - Won't She Be Surprised [mp3]
Elliott Smith - Son Of Sam
Provincial Parks - Young Bride [mp3]
Los Campesinos! - Miserabilia
Human Highway - Sleep Talking [mp3]
The Morning Benders - Lovefool (Cardigans cover)

2nd Hour
Elliott Brood - Without Again
The Danks - Treaty Connector
Pearson - Cold Comfort [CBCR3]
Ride Til Dawn - Telephone Line
Christine Fellows - The Spinster's Almanac
The Chairs - Polly [mp3]
The Organ - Don't Be Angry
LCD Soundsystem - Watch The Tapes [mp3]
Blitzen Trapper - Devil's A-Go-Go
Pride Tiger - The Lucky Ones
Wolf Parade - Language City
My Little Pony - I Don'T Know Pt. 1 [mp3]

Matthew's Finest

This week's song comes to us from the east coast of our fine country. Sydney, Nova Scotia is home to the delightful little band known as the Tom Fun Orchestra. I've been hearing their songs through various channels for some time now but none of them has really grabbed me until this one. The song is called The Last Of The Curious Thieves and it's part of a musical movement from the maritimes that is a bit of a return to the gaelic roots of the people. It features a large band and a pretty serious attitude. 

The Tom Fun Orchestra - The Last Of The Curious Thieves [mp3]

SotW for Nov. 12, 2008

This week's pick is a bit of a cop-out.
We've played this song by Shotgun Jimmie probably more than any other over the last year. Therefore, it came as a surprise that neither Matthew nor I had posted it yet. So here it is, from the album The Onlys, Shotgun Jimmie with Bedhead.

Shotgun Jimmie - Bedhead [mp3]

SotW for Nov. 6, 2008

This week's pick is from Toronto's Michael O’Connell, better known as Culture Reject.
The self-titled debut has been getting some great reviews since its release earlier this year but Saskatonians won't have a chance to see him live for the foreseeable future, according to the MySpace.

Still, here's a taste to whet your appetite for more Culture Reject. My favourite part of the song is at 2:55.

I wanna get home, I wanna get stoned.
Make myself food, make myself good...

Culture Reject - Inside the Cinema [mp3]

Matthew's Finest

This week I'm going to bring you two songs. you lucky dog. You'll be so inundated with rockin tunes that it'll be hard for you to get anything done, save for the rockin. That shall get done with ferocious verve.

The songs actually don't rock that hard, but they do sound pretty sweet and that's all I really ask to feature something in these posts. The first is I Have Made You A Mixed Tape by Daniel Ledwell. The artist hails from Halifax, and his songwriting style - if you judge it strictly by this song - is a subtly funny sort of musical storytelling. It tells the tale of a couple in every phase; infatuation, romance, discord, separation, jealousy and finally, scorn. And the whole story is told through the time honoured medium of producing mixed tapes for a loved one.

Daniel Ledwell - I Have Made You A Mixed Tape [mp3]

The second is a song by the Norwegian pop sensation, Kings Of Convenience. The groups former collaborations involve Canadian recording superstar Leslie Feist so they're pretty heavy hitters. We've featured their songs before on the show, and I see no end in sight if they keep releasing such delightful music.

I'd Rather Dance With You is a tale of love on the dance-floor; a love which could not live in any other environment. Because sometimes love is conditional upon how little of each other you can actually hear.

Kings Of Convenience - I'd Rather Dance With You [mp3]

Playlist for Nov. 5, 2008

Happy Election Boxing Day!
As you are undoubtedly aware, Barack Obama was elected president after eight disastrous years of the Bush administration. And though our playlist only has two songs with a presidential theme, it's still hella good music. Enjoy.

1st Hour
Ben Sollee - A Change is Gonna Come
Lake - Blue Ocean Blue [mp3]
Laura Peek and the Winning Hearts - Stand Right There
Winter Gloves - Glass Paperweight [mp3]
Winter Gloves - Factories
Bells Clanging - The Law of Averages
Laura Barrett - Ferryland [mp3]
Daniel Ledwell - I Have Made You a Mixed Tape
The Unsettlers - Heavy Handed
Kings of Convenience - I'd Rather Dance With You [mp3]
Rich Aucoin - At War With the Cynics
The Rural Alberta Advantage - Sleep All Day
She & Him - Sentimental Heart

2nd Hour
Beirut - My Night With the Prostitute from Marseilles [mp3]
The Buttless Chaps - Death Scenes I II III
Polymaths - Duet
The New Pornographers - Myriad Harbour [YouTube]
Culture Reject - Inside the Cinema
Starflyer 59 - The Brightest of the Head
Au Revoir Simone - Sad Song (Pacific Remix) [mp3]
Clues - Perfect Fit
Adam & The Amethysts - Stupid Ocean
Death Cab for Cutie - President of What? [mp3]