Weekly-ish recommendations #2

My iPod is overflowing with musical goodness! My 2G hasn't had any spare space for over a month. Which means I haven't nearly enough time to catch up with the back stock of podcasts and free MP3s that artists have been offering up. Perhaps I'll need to upgrade to a 4G next time.

1. Metric - gosh, any off their latest. Entire CD streaming here. Emily Haines of Metric and Ashleigh Ball of Hey Ocean! have singlehandedly changed my mind about frontwomen in bands being dull.

2. Revival Dear - new band I discovered by them offering their album for free off their website. (That was for their birthday and is no longer available.) Folksy, country twang, beautiful harmonies between the 2 singers; totally unexpected due to how badass those 2 look in their leather jacket and vest. Hot damn, I want my badass leather jacket.

3. Dan Mangan - Robots
I first heard this song months ago on The Peak and finally found out the name (pretty duh) and artist a little while ago on CBC Radio 3. Loved it since the first time it hit my ear drums. I dare you to try not singing along near the end of the song.
"Robots need love too, they want to be loved by you, they want to be loved by you." Everybody now!

4. Andre Ethier - Infant King
If this is a song about Jesus, which I'd be darned if it wasn't, it'd be among my favorite Canadian secular Christian songs (is that an oxymoron? yes, yes it is) along with Wintersleep's version of We Three Kings.

5. Mother Mother - Body of Years
I might have found you a free download of this amazing song by a Vancouver band that's been getting critical acclaim up the wazoo. They were the darlings at SxSW. The only downside to seeing Joel Plaskett next weekend is having to miss their show, which is on the same night.

An admission: I do like country music

I'm a hussar, I'm a Hun, I'm a wretched Englishman
Routing Bonaparte at Waterloo
I'm a dragoon on a dun, I'm a Cossack on the run
I'm a horse soldier, timeless, through and through

It started with Kathleen Edwards' Asking For Flowers. Joel Plaskett's latest with Drifter's Raus and Pine, Pine, Pine confirmed my suspicions, and I gave in with Corb Lund's Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier! and its sublime history lessons.

I can't discriminate no more, Ma. I loves me a nice guitar ditty with a colourful story.