2011 XM Verge Music Awards Finalists

[edit March 1: Congratulations to winners Zeus (Album of the Year), Hannah Georgas (Emerging Artist of the Year) and Michou (Artist of the Year)!]

In non-Juno Awards related news, the 2011 finalists for the XM Verge Music Awards have been announced. Among them are earbuds & ticket stubs favourites Zeus, Hannah Georgas, Tegan and Sara, Arcade Fire, and more in the three categories: Album of the Year, Artist of the Year and Emerging Artist of the Year. The former two awards will net the winner a cool $25,000, while the latter winner will go home with $5000. Which is pretty sweet, and you know that anything makes more sense than the "best new artist" category of the Junos.

For the full list of finalists, as well as details on attending the show in Toronto on March 1st, click here.

Here's a pretty cool video of Toronto band Make Your Exit covering nominee Zeus' "River by the Garden":

2011 Juno Awards Nominations

Live presenters of the 2011 JUNO Awards nominees press conference pose for a group photo (L-R): Tanya Kim (ETALK), Ed Robinson (CARAS), Susanne Boyce (CTV Inc.), Melanie Berry (CARAS/The JUNO Awards), Johnny Reid, Keshia Chante; Bottom Row, members of Karkwa and Broken Social Scene

The 2011 Juno Awards nominations were released Tuesday morning and include many of earbuds & ticket stubs favourites including Hannah Georgas for best new artist and songwriter of the year; Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene going head to head for group of the year and alternative album of the year; Karkwa and Radio Radio duking it out for Francophone album of the year; Shad is up for rap/hip-hop album of the year, against Drake, and many, many more. Other notable nominees include Basia Bulat, Chromeo, Caribou, Hollerado, Said the Whale, Royal Wood, Luke Doucet, D-Sisive... The entire list of nominees can be found here.

The live broadcast will be happening Sunday, March 27. Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene will perform live, amongst others. Drake hosts.

10 Hottest Canadian Acts of '10

This is a list of the artists that topped my list for 2010, which of course required too much trimming and more than a bit of twitter participation. Compiled for i(heart)music's annual Top 100 list, which should be released within the next week. The list is in descending order.

Who were your top 10 in '10?

10. K’naan - The only reason K’naan is not number 1 on this list is because his album was released in Canada in early 2009, where it’s already had its run. But with “Wavin’ Flag” as the official Coca-Cola anthem of the World Cup, as well as getting major airplay during the 2010 Olympics, it’s hard to deny the influence and massive growth this Somali-Canadian emcee has had on the international market this past year.

9. Hannah Georgas - After being declared best new artist for the CBC Radio 3 Bucky Awards in 2009, Georgas has only built on that buzz by releasing an excellent debut full-length This Is Good, touring cross-Canada numerously and representing BC for the latest CBC Radio 2 SongQuest. Not to mention she’s been heralded as the new Feist.

8. Hollerado - I mean, you’ve seen this video, right? These four childhood friends also put on one of my favourite festival shows of this past year.

7. Black Mountain - If you don’t think the Vancouver psych stoner rock outfit deserves to be on this list, you probably haven’t heard their latest Wilderness Heart yet. Amber Webber’s warble deserves to be on this list by itself.

6. Broken Social Scene - A hotly anticipated album, a movie, international tour dates, and a slimmer but no less potent line-up all happened during 2010. Broken Social Scene is an institution in Canadian music and is far from running out of steam.

5. Dan Mangan - Vancouver’s own bearded bard has done a great (dis)service in the eyes of humankind by getting (sold out) audiences across Canada to pre-emptively declare allegiance to our robot overlords.

4. The Wooden Sky - The winner of North by East West’s Shadow Polaris Prize for 2010, Wooden Sky’s latest sleepy and haunting release If I Don't Come Home You'll Know I'm Gone. truly epitomizes the power of the album format. I’m still kicking myself for having missed their latest cross-Canada tour with Yukon Blonde.

3. Diamond Rings - I’m smitten with John O.’s solo project, who has met raving critical acclaim way before he’s released his debut album Special Affections. This is what I wrote a little while back about Diamond Rings: “his persona, which is captured in its nascent stages in the ‘All Yr Songs’ video, is one of unabashed and colourfully exuberant androgyny. In a culture where androgyny is often portrayed as sex-less and dominated by masculine females, the lanky O'Regan dances confidently with both the guys and gals, looking every bit as comfortable in a basketball jersey or a pair of zebra print tights. The ‘Baby One More Time’-esque dance moves in ‘Show Me Your Stuff’ warrants viewing in contemporary gender studies classes for its unashamed celebration of the kinetic male body.” In a word, wow.

2. Shad - The Vancouver-based rapper hailing originally from London, Ontario drops insightful and spiritual tracks delivered with a sharp tongue and mischievous glint to his eye. Shad has recently been named Canada’s best rapper by the National Post. Whether you agree with that designation or not, Shad has had an undeniably successful year, seeing his third album TSOL short-listed for the Polaris Music Prize and touring with fellow heavyweights K’naan and K-Os.

1. Arcade Fire - 2010 was the year of the Montreal octet. Whenever they went out to the corner store to buy a jug of milk, it became top news on Pitchfork. With the release of their third highly anticipated full-length, The Suburbs, AF has officially secured their title as the biggest indie band in the world, including sold out arena shows across North America and having their show at Madison Square Garden broadcasted live via YouTube.

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Not a part of the list, although they were definitely hot for this past year, is my vote for Unluckiest Canadian Act of 2010 - Library Voices.

NEW VIDEO : Said the Whale - "We Are The Music: Musicians for (spare) Change"

This is too funny. Vancouver favourites Said the Whale grab a bunch of their friends, including Hannah Georgas, Dan Mangan, Bend Sinister, We Are the City, The Awkward Stage, Analog Bell Service, 41st and Home, Parlour Steps and The Zolas to serenade their favourite local Triple-A format radio station, 100.5 The Peak.

In their own words,

In these tough economic times, no one has been affected more than the struggling musician. Thankfully, there's a beacon of hope: A Vancouver radio station called 100.5 The Peak is doing everything in it's power to promote local music, and provide financial stability for the scene. Together, alongside some of Vancouver's favourite artists, we have reached deep into our hearts to create a tribute to this station.

This is our tribute. We hope that you will also reach deep into your hearts, find your inner struggling musician, and join us in this journey towards a world where musicians can live free from the stresses of day jobs, rent payments, and reality in general. There is still hope...

TOUR DATES & NEW SINGLE : Hannah Georgas - with Royal Wood, Germany and NY dates

Now THAT's a show to take a date to. Vancouver-based indie pop darling Hannah Georgas, after wrapping up a summer full of festival dates and touring with the entity known as the Malahat Revue, has announced she'll be hitting the road with Toronto pianist/crooner Royal Wood. They'll be doing a series of theatre shows, from BC through Ontario. She will be opening for Wood on the East leg of the tour, and co-headline on the West coast.

Tickets for all Canadian dates are on sale this Friday August 20, 2010.

On a related note, Georgas will also be releasing a new web exclusive single named "Stranger to Me" on Tuesday August 24. The track is co-written with Matt DeMatteo and Jaylene Johnson.

Related:
Hannah Georgas interview about This Is Good.
Royal Wood interview about The Waiting.

HANNAH GEORGAS – FALL TOUR DATES
September 24, 2010 – Germany – Reepperbahn Festival
September 24, 2010 – Germany – Platzhirsch (CIMA Showcase)
October 7, 2010 – Victoria, BC – Alix Goolden*
October 9, 2010 – Vancouver, BC – Rio Theatre*
October 12, 2010 – Edmonton, AB – Myer Horowitz*
October 13, 2010 – Banff, AB – Banff Centre*
October 14, 2010 – Calgary, AB – Knox United Church*
October 15, 2010 – Saskatoon, SK – Broadway Theatre*
October 16, 2010 – Winnipeg, MB – West End Cultural Centre*
November 10, 2010 – New York, NYC – Rockwood Music Hall
November 11, 2010 – New York, NYC – The Living Room
November 12, 2010 – Peterborough, ON – Gordon Best Theatre*
November 20, 2010 – Ottawa, ON – NAC Studio*
November 24, 2010 – Guelph, ON – Dublin Street United*
November 25, 2010 – London, ON – Aeolian Hall*
November 26, 2010 – Toronto, ON – Queen Elizabeth Theatre*
* Tour with Royal Wood

The Big Time Out Festival in Cumberland, BC to feature major star power

Two heavy-weight acts are landing in Cumberland on August 14 and 15. K’naan and Broken Social Scene are this year’s headliners at The Big Time Out.

Toronto's Broken Social Scene are making Cumberland their only Canadian stop this summer before heading on tour in the US.

Like BSS, Somali-Canadian hip hop artist and poet K’naan has earned a pair of Juno awards and drawn glowing reviews for both his music and his message. With his "Waving Flag" as FIFA’s anthem for the South Africa World Cup, he traveled on an 86-country world tour alongside the biggest sporting event of the world.

For a village of only 2000 people mid-way up an out-of-the-way island, Cumberland’s The Big Time Out draws some serious star power. “We’ve worked hard to create a really special place for artists and music lovers,” says Vig Schulman, the show’s producer. “The word has gotten out among artists, agents and the whole music community that Cumberland is a great place to play, even worth making a big detour from a busy world tour.“


K’naan and Broken Social Scene will be joined by Winter Gloves, Hannah Georgas, Ohbjou, The Acorn and more on August 14 and 15 in Cumberland Village Park. Weekend passes can be purchased at thebigtimeout.com.

NEW PHOTOS : Vancouver Folk Music Festival 2010

The 33rd annual Vancouver Folk Music Festival, held at beautiful picturesque Jericho Beach, wrapped up last night with lanterns, song and dancing. The weather fully cooperated and there were many sunkissed and sunburnt happy faces in hats and bikinis. My best estimate in terms of attendance is ~4000. There were many in attendance who have traveled from other parts of BC, including Vancouver Island, to celebrate folk and folk-like music under the blue skies.

There were several personal highlights for me at the Folk Fest this year, the biggest being the Malahat Revue's homecoming show. The chemistry and interactions between the four artists/bands - Hannah Georgas, Aidan Knight, Said the Whale and Jeremy Fisher - brought smiles to the faces of the audience, and songs like Knight's "The Sun" were palpably lush with an intensity that's impossible to create with himself alone.

Other highlights include:

Shane Koyczan's moving poetry set to the competent backing of his band the Short Story Long.

The workshop Saturday morning with Tucson, Arizona's Calexico, Alex Cuba from Smithers, BC, and Bahamas (Toronto's Afie Jurvanen) where Cuba out-solo'ed Jurvanen on his own song, and the obligatory set closer "Purple Rain" was accompanied by Calexico's lap steel.

Daniel Champagne, a young guitarist hailing from Australia, blew everyone away with his amazing guitar prowess. He tapped and beat at his faithful acoustic and made amazingly rhythmic arpeggios of sound come out of the violence he was doing to that guitar. Definitely an artist I'm looking to check out more.

The Gertrudes and the United Steelworkers of Montreal accompanying Timber Timbre and magnifying TT's forest of eerie folk with their horns and strings. and that it was incredibly captivating to be enveloped in these moody, nighttime tunes under the beating sun.

For the full photo sets from Friday, Saturday and Sunday, check out my Flickr. And stay tuned for interviews with Timber Timbre and the Malahat Revue!

NEW VIDEO : Hannah Georgas - "Bang Bang You're Dead"

Vancouver-based darling Hannah Georgas has released the music video for single "Bang Bang You're Dead" from her debut full-length This Is Good. The animated video is created by Ian Langhor and infused with producer Jeremy Fisher's signature quirkiness.

Georgas is currently on tour through BC with Fisher and others on bike-- check out more details and dates here.
Or check out the interview I did with Hannah back in April about her new album.

SHOW REVIEW : Hannah Georgas album release for This Is Good at Venue

After playing a packed hometown show in Vancouver last night, Hannah Georgas is wrapping up her album release tour for This Is Good in Victoria tonight. With her undeniably catchy pop tunes, Hannah excited and energized a crowd filled with friends and family, including more fellow musicians than you can count with all your fingers and toes. And that certainly was a good indicator of the quality of Georgas' musicianship. Although she started the night on a slightly nervous note, which is understandable given that this is the hometown show of her first headlining tour, she soon loosened up after a few songs bolstered by the audience's affection of the fiery haired singer.

Hannah Georgas blasted through the majority of the material off of her The Beat Stuff EP and her recently released first full-length, This Is Good. Venue nightclub had emblazoned her name in lights as her and the band entered the stage, which was definitely a nice touch. Opening with the ukelele-led closer of her album "Something for You," she immediately transitioned into her single "Bang Bang You're Dead!" sans the help of the kids at her daycare, whom she got to sing the backup vocals (it was past bedtime, probably). This worked to her favour, as some of us that grew up in the era of scary movies narrated with children's voices might find it hard to take kids' voices in songs seriously. Other highlights of the set included the always, always awesome track off of her EP "Mama's Boy," which opener Colleen Brown earlier aptly defined as a "ball buster" of a track. This fierce yet totally relatable kiss-off song had, I'm sure, many girls mentally high-fiving Georgas.

After a short pause after her proper set, Hannah came back on stage for a three song encore. Fans were delighted by the more than night club friendly track "Dancefloor." In a move that somehow works due to Georgas' immense likeability, she slowed things right down with a new song "Ode to Mom," a more sombre ballad which she dedicated to her father's memory. The end of the song had Georgas singing the words, "if there's magic on this earth, it's in the water... if there's magic on this earth, it's in my blood." This vulnerable and contemplative theme carried over into the last track of the night, "Shine," which saw Georgas on the keys and probing, "is there a place for me in your eyes?" to which the crowd emphatically responded, yes, with their glowing smiles and loud applause.

Hannah Georgas was backed by David Vertesi on guitar/bass, who also acted as her first opener of the night. Better known as local favourites Hey Ocean!'s bassist, Vertesi has recently started churning out material of his own. And boy, did he look all alone on the wide stage of Venue nightclub. The lighting technician didn't entirely help matters either, often turning off the spotlight after a song, making it appear as if the set had ended. He played short set of about 5-6 songs characterized by quiet guitar strums and a deep baritone voice, which included a Hey Ocean! song "My Friends" which he dedicated to the following two acts, Colleen Brown and Hannah Georgas.

In between sets, the audience was treated to CBC Radio 3 trivia questions and swag giveaways by co-emcees Tariq Hussain and Chris Kelly. Chris in particular seemed very amped up and was hilarious on stage. If you need someone to introduce you for anything, I'd give him a call!

Colleen Brown is an artist that has dwelt somewhat under the radar since she started writing her own music in 2001. A damn shame, I say, because after seeing her open for Georgas, I wholeheartedly agreed with emcee Chris Kelly's advice, to go and thank Hannah Georgas for introducing us to this amazing singer-writer. As someone who grew up listening to rhythm and blues and musical theatre during high school, I'd always lamented the indie scene's relative lack of vocalists. If you're like me, take a listen to Brown, who slides in between octaves seamlessly, whose joy in using her voice permeates throughout her songs, which she admitted, were all "sappy love songs." But you won't find only ballads on her recently re-released album Foot in Heart if her live show is any indication; her playful and warm voice is punctuated by punchy keys that encourage dancing and swaying. Her set brought increasingly louder applause until the crowd was clapping and whooping when she left the stage.

For the complete photo set of Hannah's show, check out my Flickr.

Some live footage of Hannah Georgas at the Communitea Cafe in Canmore:
"Let's Talk"


"Dancefloor"

The Malahat Revue featuring Jeremy Fisher, Said the Whale, Hannah Georgas and Aidan Knight

BC-based Jeremy Fisher, Said the Whale, Hannah Georgas and Aidan Knight have come together to form The Malahat Revue, an eight-piece musical collective that will begin touring their beloved province by bicycle on Thursday July 8, 2010 in Salt Spring Island. The tour will take them through smaller towns on Vancouver Island, eventually taking them to the Vancouver Folk Music Festival on July 18.

Conceived by Jeremy Fisher who has toured across North America by bike three times and at 33, doesn’t own a car. Fisher endeavours to do as much as possible by bike. It’s with that ethic in mind that The Malahat Revue will hit the road on their bicycles, playing six shows from July 8-18. With only a single support vehicle to carry drums and larger gear, the musicians will carry more portable gear with them, and rack up over 500 kilometers as they pedal from gig to gig in a little more than a week.

With eight musicians together on stage, playing a selection of favourites from one another's back catalogues, it will be an unpredictable atmosphere of spontaneity and experimentation. And if The Malahat Revue is anything like the Bonfire Ball Revue, it will be more than worth biking to!

THE MALAHAT REVUE ‘BIKE-TO-WORK’ TOUR – JULY TOUR DATES:

Thursday July 8 – Artspring Theatre – Salt Spring Island, BC
Friday July 9 – Pender Island Community Hall, Pender Island, BC
Saturday July 10 – Sugar – Victoria, BC (*ON SALE MAY 15)
Sunday July 11 – Duncan Garage Showroom – Duncan, BC
Friday July 16 – Nanaimo Entertainment Centre – Nanaimo, BC (*ON SALE MAY 15)
Sunday July 18 – Vancouver Folk Fest – Vancouver, BC (*CURRENTLY ON SALE)


The Malahat Revue Teaser from Jonathan Taggart on Vimeo.

Polaris Music Prize 2010 - announcements and guesses!

Here are the details on this year's Polaris Music Prize:

The Long List of 40 titles will be announced June 17th. The Short List of 10 nominees will be announced on July 6th.

Both lists will be revealed live at events to be held at the Drake Hotel in Toronto.

The winner will be revealed Monday, September 20th at the Polaris gala and exclusively broadcast live to North America on SIRIUS Satellite Radio Channel 86 and to the world on CBC Radio 3.

The event will be at at CTV’s Concert Hall studios at Toronto’s Masonic Temple and will feature live performances by this year’s short list nominees. It will be broadcast on MuchMusic, Saturday, Sept. 25th at 9 p.m. and midnight ET.

The Long List and Short List are determined by an independent jury of over 200 music journalists, broadcasters and music bloggers from across Canada. Eleven people are selected from the larger jury pool to serve on the Grand Jury. The grand jury will convene the night of the 20th during the gala to select the 2010 Polaris Music Prize winner.

The Polaris Music Prize awards $20,000 to the artist who creates the Canadian Album of the Year. It is judged solely on artistic merit, without consideration of genre or record sales. Past winners have been Final Fantasy [now known as Owen Pallett] for He Poos Clouds (2006), Patrick Watson for Close To Paradise (2007), Caribou for Andorra (2008) and Fucked Up for The Chemistry of Common Life last year.

The eligibility period for the 2010 Polaris Music Prize runs from June 1, 2009 to May 31, 2010.

And now, here are my picks for this year's long and short lists. After my last year's picks ended up being quite accurate considering the newness of my in-depth music exploration, I thought I'd throw my hat in the ring to make predictions again after a year's worth of increased understanding of the Canadian music scene!
[Ed. Disagree? Want to change my mind? You can always email me and make your case. brendahlee [at] gmail.com]

Likely short-listers:

Jason Collett - Rat A Tat Tat
Collett's latest showcases the story telling quality in his songs, the tight compositions, the near-flawless pop anthems he crafts about love and love lost ("Love Is A Chain," "Love Is A Dirty Word") and his sexy drawl of a voice. Although with a unabashed 70's influence, the album never feels like a derivative of times past but a morphing of the best of those elements to capture a contemporary audience.

Zeus' debut album brings to full light what those of us who had their EP and had seen their live shows have known for months, that these guys are phenomenal. There's not a single weak track on the album, and the talent is evenly distributed between the 4 members, with 3 songwriters and vocalists with distinct styles. The album flows from one track to another, from feel-good sing-alongs to fuzzed out guitar rock, with a unity which you rarely encounter in a debut album. Their cohesion and energy as a live band, as well as their skill in harnessing that bubbling, youthful creativity also swing the vote in their favour.

For all the close ties that the two bands have to one another, with members of Zeus being the backing band of Collett, I loved both of their albums for distinct reasons. However, I realistically don't think BOTH of them will be short-listed, simply because of that connection named above. And I can't imagine either of them winning, because their sounds are too nostalgic for an award that tends to reward innovation.

You Say Party! We Say Die! - XXXX
My favourite album from 2009 that's not already been nominated for a Polaris. I gave it a glowing review upon first listen and it's only grown on me over time. Their sound is polished, the raw animal that they are on stage purrs through the album and occasionally lets out a snarl. Producer Howard Redekopp deserves a lot of credit for being able to capture the energy of the album. And what is that energy? It's not only physical, but emotional and spiritual, as evidenced by a band who had undergone "Dark Days" and redeemed them for something greater. Which makes the recent death of drummer Devon Clifford all the more devastating. All in all, a mature, confident album that snuck up on me and turned me into a rabid fan.

Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record.
I've listened through it countless times since receiving it just under a week ago in my email inbox; it has literally been on repeat, on the stereo in the shower, in my iPod during my commutes, and on iTunes when working on my laptop. Some of the songs are immediately intimate, and some are immediately catchy. Knowing the complexity of BSS' compositions, I can only expect them to unfold further over time. Members new (Lisa Lobsinger) and old (Emily Haines) shone on their respective songs "All to All" and "Sentimental X's." Call it the debut of BSS v.2, the pared down, leaner and meaner Toronto indie machine. Only time will tell if it'll reach the revered status of You Forgot It in People, but I would tentatively say yes. Some people believe that the extreme expectations from being the band that released one of the greatest albums in Canadian indie will hurt the perception of the latest album, but I haven't yet seen that backlash. Probably because the album is incredible.


Likely long-listers:

Rose Cousins - The Send Off
Cousins' latest is haunting yet soothing. An album that grabs you by the heartstrings. Rose Cousins' voice is like a pristine lake. Second half of album falters somewhat in energy and intensity...

Amy Millan - Masters of the Burial
Smoky, dark, lustful... the mood is right. The voice is heavenly. Being part of Stars helps, but there are many artists doing similar things.

Aidan Knight - Versicolour
There's the suggestion of greatness in Knight's debut LP, which is about the length of an EP. Hints of Broken Social Scene can be heard in opening and stand-out track "The Sun," which has the O'Darling on subtle group harmonies in the background. However, Not all tracks are equally strong, and it doesn't take too many weak songs to sink an 8 track album (pretty much just 7 as "Sorrows" is more of an intro).


Dan Mangan - Nice, Nice, Very Nice
I woke up in the middle of the night with a fit of shakes for forgetting the bearded bard of Vancouver. A comment from Kirk also helped. His latest is strong, propelled by the cohesiveness of his band, the earthy growl of his voice and his immense touring and consequent popularity across Canada. However, I can't overlook the relative weakness of his album compared to his live show, which has not harnessed the explosive strength that I mentioned above adequately. But, he has a great chance of making it onto even the short list.


Hannah Georgas - This Is Good
There's a lot of positive buzz surrounding Georgas prior to the release of her debut, with prominent ad placements and heavy touring. Her album is surprising in its variety, easily accessible and relatable, but perhaps too much so to be seriously considered by the jurors.

We Are the City - In A Quiet World
This (very) young prog/rock/pop group's debut (a lot of debut albums on my list...) is very cohesive, flows naturally, shows lyrical depth beyond their years and intelligent composition. Their live show demonstrates the chemistry of the band and how in sync they are with one another's musical tendencies. However, I doubt WATC is well known beyond BC, lessening the chance of them garnering enough votes to get on the long-list, which is a shame.

The Balconies - S/T
Imagine U2's sound in their early days, with the bright sparkling guitar riffs but more polished and skilled. Funny thing is, this trio has the reverse handicap of not being known very well outside central Canada. I doubt that's as devastating as not being known within central Canada, but I suppose we'll see.


Bahamas - Pink Strat
His solo debut apart from supporting artists such as Feist and Jason Collett shows that it's possible to serenade and seduce an audience with solely his guitar prowess. His live shows demonstrate that he's got amazing stagemanship to boot. Is that enough to get him on the long-list?


Thrush Hermit box set
... hey, Leonard Cohen did it ;)


Likely short- and long-listers that I can't vouch for:
These are all albums that either have received great critical reception although I may not have had the opportunity to purchase/review it, or are hotly anticipated releases from previously Polaris nominated artists.

Basia Bulat - Heart of My Own
Caribou - Swim
Owen Pallett - Heartland
New Pornographers - Together
Woodpigeon - Die Stadt Muzikanten
Holy Fuck - Latin (May 11)
Wintersleep - New Inheritors (May 18)
Shad - TSOL (May 25)

Who are YOUR picks for Polaris, short- or long- list? Who did I miss?

INTERVIEW : Hannah Georgas talks swimming, family and "This Is Good"

Hannah Georgas has been described as a pop heroine; I'd like to take that description further by saying that she's like the gutsy friend whom you can't help but love and be captivated by her stories, whether they're ones of loss, betrayal, sadness or fresh-eyed excitement. The one who wears her heart on her sleeve and isn't afraid to crack a joke at herself while telling a story about a friend who's screwed her over.

Georgas has a real talent of writing catchy gems that get stuck in your head, such as the first single "Bang Bang You're Dead." The short jingle "Place Called Home" that she co-wrote for Wal-Mart became an online hit and demands were high enough that she was asked to write it into a full-length song. The free download of her Christmas ditty, which she sung into the microphone of her laptop, brought hundreds of visitors to this blog. Combine this pop sensibility with her immense likableness, I'd be willing to bet that 2010 will be a very big year for Hannah.

I recently had a chat with Hannah over the phone about what brought her to This Is Good, some tidbits you may not know about her and where she's going from here.

On her hidden talents - you can find her by the pool:

I grew up in the water. My dad was a swimming instructor and our house had a swimming pool attached in the back... that was his family business. If I had a pool I’d use it all the time because now I’m always paying for it, every other day!

I was a lifeguard at age 17… and then I expired (laughs). There’s something about lifeguarding that makes me really uneasy. You have to do these situations when you get your NLS (National Lifeguard Service)... The examiner will take you out of the room and when you come back in, all of the people in your class have to fake these injuries. So one will be drowning in the deep end, one’s like lost their leg on the slide, one’s having a spinal injury and there’s a bomb threat in the steam room! What do you do with it all?! It’s so stressful! I hated it! I remember shaking and thinking “I never want to do this again!”

But I still love to swim. I swim all the time… but just for fun!

On school, music and starting out:

The reason I moved out of Newmarket, Ontario in the first place is because it felt a little stale. I wanted to find my own way and make my home somewhere else. I went to the University of Victoria in 2003; going to school was more like an excuse for me to find my way out. So I was there for 2 and a half years and realized more and more that I didn’t want to go to school and that I wanted to be playing music. And that led me to Vancouver.

I was taking psychology and any musical electives I could take. When I was trying to figure out what to do with psychology, I thought it would be a good idea to get my prerequisites for this music therapy program that was offered at Capilano College. So I did that but realized I just really wanted to be playing music. I remembered, every time going to a live show, thinking I just want to be doing this so badly.

I had prepared this demo; Aidan Knight and I made it together. We met through Maurice. The two of us had worked together at this after school care program. I told him I was leaving and I wanted to get some of these songs recorded and he offered to help.

When I got to Vancouver, Winston contacted me and told me he liked my music and asked me if I’d like to work with him. After meeting for a coffee, we decided to make the demo together and that’s how we demoed “The Beat Stuff” and “The National.” I submitted “The Beat Stuff” to this MusicBC contest for songwriting. And I won it! And that obviously encouraged me to go back and say, well let’s go record more! And things really snowballed from there.

On her dad's death and inspiration:

My dad passed away while I was in the studio recording this latest album. I remember getting a call from my sister where she told me, “dad just died.” I felt awful. It was really hard. I was really glad that it happened then and I wasn’t by myself, I was with Ryan [Guldemond, who produced This Is Good] and Shawn the engineer, and was so thankful to have that support from them. It was challenging to say, forget it, we have to put this on the side, it’s not as important right now and I have to go be with my family.

For me, this situation with my dad had been going on for a long time and I had been building myself up to prepare for his death for years. He was really sick for a long time, and every time I went back to visit him I told myself, “you know what, this could be my last time with him. I need to be prepared for this.” So it wasn’t a shock when it came, but it’s never easy.

There’s no songs that are about my dad on the record. But since then, I’ve been writing a lot of music, and a lot of that has been about my dad. I recently played a new song called “Ode to Mom” which was inspired by my dad, and about how my mom dealt with his death.

I’m pretty open, songs for me are pretty personal so I have no choice but to share them. I think it’s important to redeem these things and be vocal about it. Somebody else may be going through the same thing as me so you might be helping somebody.

On opening track "Chit Chat":

"Chit Chat" is about the kind of people that you meet all the time-- you’re talking to them and they don’t even really care what you have to say. They just want to get all this verbal negative crap out and it’s really draining. That was the experience I had, and I just came home and unloaded it through song. I find that I do that a lot if I am affected by something. It’s my way of getting my shit out.

On "Bang Bang You're Dead," the current single:

It's about being in high school and the silly friendships in them. You’re growing up and finding out about yourself, who you are, where you sit with friends and what makes you comfortable or not. I remember having these girlfriends who were very superficial who reminded me of "Mean Girls" (laughs). I hung out with the cliquey group for a little while and realized... I couldn’t do this! It’s not who I am. It was in the beginning of high school and I was still trying to find my friends, my group. I remember going to this sleepover with them and they were playing truth or dare. They just want to get dirt out of you to make you feel silly! It’s all part of growing up, and that was the inspiration behind that song.

At the after school care program I work at with these 9-12 year olds, I made an out trip out of going to the studio. The kids came down to the studio and they sang gang vocals on the chorus! [ed. ah, child labour] It was awesome! I got consent forms from all the parents and had the lyrics printed out, and they did their thing. There's this one little girl that I teach songwriting to; she came in and did more work and she’s the voice in the beginning of the song. She was so stoked and excited to be a part of it.

This was last summer in June, and to get all of the kids into a hot studio for more than 20 minutes means I had to have the Oreos and fruit juice ready (laughs). Their patience is slim!

On filming in the buff for the music video for "Thick Skin":

It was my first video and I was really nervous on the days leading up to it. It wasn’t an issue once I got into it. Sean Wainsteim the director and the crew were totally professional and great.

The song is about family drama; I had a conflict with one of my siblings. Your family, they think they know you best, and in some aspects of you they do. They know how to push your buttons and make you feel exposed, feel like you’re naked. Sean’s idea was totally what I was trying to convey in my song, a representation of me having thick skin, being exposed through this terrain of dirt and mud and craziness, all these different stages, and coming through at the end.

For me, I don’t think this video is sexy in the least; I think it’s quite the opposite. It’s not about being naked. It made sense for what I feel about the song. My mom was like, “why did you have to be naked?!” I hope people will understand it beyond “whoa, she’s naked. That’s hot," or whatever!

This Is Good will be available April 27, 2010. It is now available for pre-order from iTunes if you can't wait!

In support of the album release, Hannah Georgas will be doing a cross-Canada tour starting with 3 dates supporting An Horse in central Canada. After a few solo dates, Hannah will be taking the whole band out for the dates through western Canada. Dave Vertesi (Hey Ocean!) and Colleen Brown will be opening.
If you're from her adoptive hometown Vancouver, make sure to come out to her show at Venue on May 22nd, because in her own words, "it'll be a big party"!

Video for "Thick Skin":



Below are some tour dates in support of This Is Good:

Apr 22 2010 The Blacksheep Inn Wakefield, Quebec
Apr 23 2010 La Sala Rossa Montreal, QC
Apr 25 2010 The Red Dog Peterbrough, Ontario
Apr 26 2010 The Garrison Toronto, Ontario
Apr 27 2010 Criminal Records Toronto, Ontario
May 7 2010 The Loft Kamloops, BC*
May 8 2010 Blue Church Nelson, BC*
May 10 2010 Lyric Theatre Swift Current, SK*
May 12 2010 West End Cultural Centre Winnipeg, Manitoba*
May 13 2010 O’Hanlon’s Regina, SK*
May 14 2010 Amigo’s Cafe Saskatoon, SK*
May 15 2010 Starlite Room Edmonton, Alberta*
May 16 2010 Communitea Canmore, Alberta*
May 19 2010 Henotic Lethbridge, Alberta*
May 20 2010 Marquee Room Calgary, Alberta*
May 21 2010 Habitat Kelowna, BC*
May 22 2010 The Venue Vancouver, BC*
May 29 2010 St. Ann’s Auditorium Victoria, BC

* May 7-22nd w/ Colleen Brown and David Vertesi.

NEW VIDEO : Hannah Georgas - Thick Skin

A new song and video from the soon-to-be-released This Is Good (due out April 27, 2010) by Vancouver-based Hannah Georgas. In the video, she reveals her own vulnerabilities, quite literally stripped down to her thick skin.

Hannah Georgas : New Album and BC Dates

Hannah Georgas, a Vancouver favourite and recent winner of CBC Radio 3's Bucky Award for Best New Artist, is releasing her first full-length album This Is Good on April 27, 2010. So mark your calendars and start save your nickels and dimes!

In anticipation of her new release, Hannah will be playing a few shows around BC in support of other Canadian indie favourites, including good friends Said The Whale from Vancouver, and with Joel Plaskett as part of the Coldsnap Festival.

January 23 - with Said The Whale @ Sugar - Victoria, BC

January 24 - with Joel Plaskett @ Prince George Playhouse - Prince George, BC [SOLD OUT]


Click here for some photos of Hannah Georgas with Said The Whale back in November 09 at St. James Hall in Vancouver.

Also, keep your eyes and ears peeled to NxEW for more upcoming news about Hannah's new release, including an interview and contest giveaways!

Photo Credit: Vanessa Heins

FREE DOWNLOAD : Hannah Georgas - Christmas Touch

This holiday season, Vancouver-based singer-songwriter Hannah Georgas would like to wish you a merry Christmas by serenading you with her quirky, upbeat pop stylings. This free song by the recent winner of CBC Radio 3's Bucky Award for Best New Artist will only be available for the next week, or for the first 100 people, so grab it while you can!

[editor's note: never mind, we've changed the download location. it's available forever and ever and in infinite quantities!]

Hannah Georgas - Christmas Touch

Visit Hannah Georgas' MySpace if you like what you hear.
She currently has an EP out called The Beat Stuff that you can get online at iTunes. If you can hold out until the new year (and really, why would you?), she has a new album coming out called This Is Good.

(Photo from her recent show opening for Said The Whale's album release in Vancouver. More here.)

Top Albums & Live Shows for 2009

As 2009 is coming to a close, let's wrap up a formidable year in (Canadian independent) music by listing my personal highlights. Feel free to disagree and point me in the direction of your personal favourites!

Top Albums of 2009

Ha, it's not until I researched a bit deeper that I realized a good chunk of my current favourite albums are actually from late 2008! Nevertheless, 2009 saw some strong releases in both full-length and EP categories. Some are Polaris-nominated and some, well, should be.

Honourable Mentions (EPs):  
Zeus - Sounds Like Zeus
J.Period & K'naan - The Messengers EP


7. Metric - Fantasies
6. Patrick Watson - Wooden Arms
5. Rose Cousins - The Send Off
4. The Swell Season - Strict Joy*
**1. You Say Party! We Say Die! - XXXX
**1. Joel Plaskett - Three
**1. Great Lake Swimmers - Lost Channels
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*note: The Swell Season are not Canadian.
** These 3 albums are virtually tied and are in alphabetical order.

Top Shows of 2009

This past year saw the beginning of my infatuation, now full-blown love with attending live shows. It began in January with the Sam Roberts Band and The Stills at the Orpheum, and ended with Patrick Watson and Aidan Knight**. I've both gone to huge stadium shows (U2, Coldplay) and witnessed small, inattentive crowds in bars (Matthew Barber). 2009 also saw the Junos descend upon Vancouver, and early 2010 will see the Olympics with its associated Cultural Olympiad. I was also able to attend festivals, new (Rifflandia) and old (Vancouver Folk Fest). Who stood out? Keep reading!

Honourable Mention: Hey Rosetta! at Rifflandia -- the set was just way too short.


10. Mother Mother at UBC Pit Pub
Being in the crowd for this fanatic-making show was "like watching Rock Band live," according to the reviewer for the Ubyssey (UBC campus paper). No casual fan left without feeling fanatic and extremely impassioned about this talented Vancouver band.

9. Champion at Rifflandia
His feverish conducting of his team of guitarists and bassists stirred the large crowd into the most rhythmic, hypnotized mosh pit that I've ever witnessed.

8. Hannah Georgas opening for Said The Whale at St. James Hall
This winner of the 2009 CBC Radio 3 Bucky Award for Best New Artist showcased her whimsical lyrics, her playful voice and her chops on guitar with a full backing band consisting of members from Said The Whale.

7. Rose Cousins opening for Royal Wood at the Media Club
I'm not just biased from playing shaker egg for her; it was a phenomenal show. Hilarious and tight knit, musically and personally engaging. Voice like an angel. Upstaged her headliner Royal Wood.

6. Great Lake Swimmers (backed by members of The Breakmen and Rock Plaza Central) at Vancouver Folk Music Festival
Imagine lying in the hot July sun by Vancouver's waterfront, dragonflies flitting above while listening to the angelic melodies of GLS compositions. Tony Dekker's voice surely haunts the halls of heaven.

5. Dan Mangan CD Release for Nice, Nice, Very Nice at the Cultch
There's a drawback to this excellent show; since hearing his material live, I've had a hard time listening to Dan's album. It's hard to capture the raw energy of the band and of Dan's voice that made him so feverishly popular with audiences across Canada and abroad.

4. Joel Plaskett Emergency at the Surrey Fusion Festival
This seemingly impromptu concert, held in one of the most surprising of locales (a relatively far away suburb of Vancouver), was free of charge in a large field in the middle of the city. That didn't stop JPE from putting on an impassioned show filled with favourites from their long career, including from their latest album Three. Peter Elkas singing the back up parts in lieu of Ana Egge and Rose Cousins was the cherry on top.

3. The Swell Season at the Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts
The romance of The Swell Season continues to seduce audiences. To borrow Glen Hansard's phrase, this concert has only made the love for their music "more buoyant." No matter if Hansard or Marketa Irglova was on stage solo, with one another or backed by The Frames, they filled the large theatre with earnest love songs soaked in passion and the grittiness of Hansard's voice.

2. Patrick Watson at the Vogue Theatre
What an inventive, musically satisfying night. Patrick Watson and his band had all ears from the second they took the stage as well as when they left the stage to play through the audience (yes, with the megaphone pack that he sported at the Polaris gala). The delicate, intricate compositions of his latest Wooden Arms came to roaring life in his live show. The audience forgot to breathe and saliva was everywhere from dropped jaws.

1. Joel Plaskett w/ Family and Friends at the Vogue Theatre
A 3-set, 3 hour show from the most personable, lyrically gifted singer-songwriter that Canada has to offer, backed by his father Bill Plaskett, who's an admirable songwriter in his own right, as well as Ana Egge and Rose Cousins, established singer-songwriters with their own critically acclaimed careers. Each artist supported one another and was given their own chance to shine and impress with their personal material, giving the audience a true taste of what the music community should be like.

(Joel Plaskett Emergency, shot at Surrey Fusion Fest)

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** or possibly will end with the NYE party at the Media Club known as One Night Stand, featuring Hannah Georgas, Laura Smith, and members of Said The Whale, The Painted Birds, Elias, Bend Sinister, & The Gentle Infidels. For more details ... here!

New Photo Set : Hannah Georgas and Said The Whale at St. James Hall

Oops, totally forgot to post this up earlier. Look at that wicked shot huh? There's more where that came from.

The above set of photos is from Said The Whale's CD release for their latest Islands Disappear. Hannah Georgas opened and played a phenomenal, high energy set with a full backing band. Although I like her solo shows, the energy and fun factor goes up about 10 notches when she's backed by a band. Very much looking forward to her upcoming full-length.

I seem to be cursed with regards to Said The Whale. Every time I intend to see them, something comes up, whether it's a friend's car breaking down, another friend's car getting towed, or having to run to another show... regardless, I was able to catch 2 (yes, count 'em) songs by this infectious, tight-knit Vancouver band before running off. Lucky for me, one of those songs was a personal favourite, This City's A Mess, and it sounded fantastic. The crowd for the all-ages show was visibly excited to hear their hometown heroes, and as my friend who attended the 19+ set later commented, must've danced up a sweaty, frenzy storm.

So no, unfortunately I can't give a full account of STW's set. However, I'm more than anxious now to catch them live after being very, very impressed after 2 songs. Will definitely clear my schedule the next time they play their hometown.

Tunes of the Day: Videos Galore!

#1
Said The Whale - Camilo (The Magician)
I can safely say that this is the most adorable music video I've ever seen. The closest contender for the "aww" award (the aww-ard?) is probably Cigarette by Jeremy Fisher.




#2
Zeus - How Does It Feel from the Sounds Like Zeus EP
Just found out (since I don't watch TV) that this song is featured in a Nissan Sentra ad. They've got a new album coming out early next Spring, and I can't wait to hear more of their groovy rock.

Although some of their tracks do make me pause and check my iPod, Zeus definitely has a distinct sound from Jason Collett, which is to say that they've made quite an impression apart from being Collett's backing band, while still retaining the sounds that work.

They also happen to have had quite the cute quips to Alex and I when we were live-tweeting their set at Rifflandia.

If you like what you hear below, here's a link to a free download of their cover of Genesis' That's All. It's a good one.




Side note: Another Canadian indie artist that's been featured in a commercial lately is Hannah Georgas for Walmart. The song, named You've Got A Place Called Home, is free for download off the Walmart store. She's also got a new album coming out soon named This Is Good.

Photos from Rifflandia Day 1 (Thursday)

Hannah Georgas

Timber Timbre

The Racoons

Shad

DJ Champion & His G-Strings

For the complete set, visit my Flickr!