In December, Vancouver's Said the Whale took home a Bucky Award in the category of Most Canadian Song for the tune "Emerad Lake, AB." A joyous romp about lake hunting on a summer's day, it begins with jazzy, syncopated verses and a pared-down chorus of "What a fine life we are living." This refrain eventually explodes, with thundering drums and droning horns propelling it to a euphoric conclusion. I recently caught up with songwriter Tyler Bancroft, who explained how the funk rock outfit Hey Ocean! inspired "Emerald Lake, AB." [...]
Chances are if you are as old as the writers of herohill, the idea of spending your New Year's Eve at the Palace (new or old) is about as inviting as spending your NYE in a line at the DMV. Luckily, thanks to Holy Fuck , the New Palace might just be the spot to be when the ball drops on 2010. The sonic collage and energy the Polaris nominated band brings will be matched by the joy filled performance we've come to expect from Rich Aucoin - since the man gives 110% on a normal night, [...]
9. Dan Mangan (Vancouver, BC) Nice, Nice, Very Nice [mp3] Dan Mangan - Robots Elsewhere: Pick of the Week #42 A couple of months ago you couldn't go anywhere, and when I say "anywhere" I mean a Canadian based or Canadian music blog, without hearing about Dan Mangan. Now that his album has been out for a while, the very clever video for "Robots" has been released , he's done touring [...]
Its a Capital Rock City Christmas with a sea of yuletide classics... done by Victorian indie rockers. Featuring: Said the Whale, Colin McTaggart, Vince Vaccaro, theset, Vegan Holocaust and The Blue Violets. ho ho ho. Complete DJ notes live on the blog: http://thezone.fm/jeremy (Wednesday, December 23, 2009)
Today is my last work day before going on a nice little extended break over the holidays, and so I don't really want to say that I've mentally checked out already, but yeah, I've checked out. However, I did mention the other day that I've been saving some of the better Canadian Xmas/Holiday songs that we've been sent, and so I figure I should share those with you over the next couple days. After all, what better to get you into the festive spirit than a little Canadian Christmas fare? Nothing, I say. [...]
It just wouldn't be Christmas without a holiday EP from Said the Whale . Each year since forming in 2007, the Vancouver band has released a new installment in its West Coast Christmas series, featuring songs that dwell on the gloom and rain of December in Vancouver. This year is no exception, as the band has issued two new songs that draw on the usual anti-Christmas themes of greed, cold and darkness. "Wanting Like Veruca" exhibits more of the stylistic breadth that the band showed off on this year's Islands Disappear [...]
Here is #11-#20 of my picks of Canadian albums of 2009 . A Mountain Is A Mouth - Bruce Peninsula Can't stop listening to this album by this big Toronto band. Best tracks are Inside/Out, Steamroller, Satisfied and Crabapples. Islands Disappear - Said The Whale A very tight in production and more of a bigger sounding album than previous album. Best tracks [...]
Hi Vancouver, I realize this is very short notice, but there is an event tomorrow (Friday December 18th) you just can't miss. It's called Busking For Change and it's happening right here in Vancouver at Library Square & Vancouver City Centre Station. If by chance you can't attend, please consider supporting War Child Canada online here . Celebrated musicians will take to the streets of Vancouver to raise money for war affected children. The musicians taking part are: Carly Rae Jepsen ( http://www.myspace.com/carlyra emusic ) Elias [...]
Filed under: News , Canada The voice of Canadian music fans was heard loud and clear on Wednesday as CBC Radio 3 awarded top honours to artists such as Said the Whale , Joel Plaskett and Sloan , as part of the station's annual listener-voted Bucky Awards. Vancouver's Dan Mangan was the clear front-runner in the radio soirée hosted by CBC Radio 3 host Grant Lawrence. Cleaning up with nods for Best Vocals and Best Song for his infectious [...]
Album #22: Islands Disappear by Said The Whale The perfect record to welcome me back to Vancouver. I've said it before but I will say it again: the songwriting is just fantastic. One of those records that will always remind me of a particular time in my life. Watch: Song #22: Bull Black Nova by Wilco I must admit there wasn't a whole lot that got me excited about this [...]
Last Wednesday, Said the Whale held a hometown release party for their outstanding new album, Islands Disappear . I've already covered two of the group's concerts this year ( here and here ), so I won't be posting a detailed review of the show. Of course, it is worth mentioning that the performance was more of the usual awesomeness from the Vancouver quintet. Standouts from the set included a barn-burning medley of "Holly, Ontario" and "Dear Elkhorn," as well as an acoustic (sans-microphone) version of "Curse of the Currents" that [...]
Twitter users are likely aware that today is of course Music Monday. My contribution for the week is coming from the Vancouver-based indie-rock band Said the Whale . Curse of the Currents is found on the band's 2008 album Howe Sounds/Taking Abalonia ; the album is actually a re-release of the band's 2007 debut album "Taking Abalonia" with the addition of 7 new "Howe Sounds" songs. The band is currently riding a huge wave of momentum they've built up over the last year, with the release of their "The Magician" EP on July 1st and their latest [...]
You know a gig was pretty great when the Donut Toss was not the highlight of the night. Last night Vancouver's own Said The Whale made a much-welcomed return home after crossing the country launching their fantastic brand new record, Islands Disappear . It was my first time seeing the band and I could not have been more impressed. I certainly enjoy the records but I was not expecting so much energy from the band and so much love from the crowd. Seeing as it [...]
Filed under: Exclusive , You Oughta Know , Canada Vancouver pop-rockers Said the Whale might be named after the large mammals that cruise up and down the West Coast but their music has been indelibly shaped by the entire country. Their recently-released sophomore album, 'Islands Disappear,' is a musical reflection on Canada, following a Vancouver-inspired debut marked by intensely moving songs about sailing in 'Howe Sounds' and losing a loved one in the same waters in 'Curse of the Currents.' "The first [...]
Vancouver's Said The Whale have recently released their new record, Islands Disappear , and it has been a fantastic record to delve into for someone (like me) who has spent the last four years away from the Terminal City. Much like their previous work , Islands Disappear is rooted in the geography of Canada and, in particular, Vancouver. While I wasn't home for the massive storm that tore apart Stanley Park, it's nice to have a human response (as opposed to the internet headlines I had at the time) to the event [...]
(photo: Vanessa Heins) I'm pretty positive that I wrote a post sometimes back on Vancouver's Said The Whale , around the time they released the Talking Abalonia EP in 2007. Unfortunately, I don't have any documented proof of it in my archives, because it was one of the ill-fated posts that was zapped by Blogger prior to moving QBiM to its new home last year. Even more unfortunate is that I don't remember just what I had to say about the band, so I hope I don;t repeat myself [...]
Is it the 44th week of 2009 already? God that's depressing. But you know what isn't depressing in any way, shape, or form? This hilarious, hilarious, phone message ... oh, and Said the Whale 's Islands Disappear . From the dramatic intro "Dear Elkhorn" I thought I might be in for another band similar to my new favourites the Wilderness of Manitoba , or one of last year's best blog bands, Fleet Foxes , which would've been a good thing, but it was not to be. Instead, [...]
"Camilo (the Magician)" Band: Said the Whale (Vancouver, BC) Album: Islands Disappear Thoughts: I'm not entirely sure this song/video is representative of the album as a whole, though both the album and the video are pretty excellent. The song/video is power-poppy, while the rest of the album is decidedly more subdued, but if you were ever a fan of Death Cab/The New Pornographers/possibly Band of Horses at least watch the video. "Raise [...]
Its the time of the year that i(heart)music does the Hottest Bands in Canada. Click here for the full results. This is their fifth year while this is my second time doing this. Here is my top 10 form 2008 . For those that want to cheer or jeer. Please make a comment. Here is my top 10 for 2009 who is considered the hottest. Basia Bulat [...]
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