Bass is Base burst onto MuchMusic brandishing rap and music nerd credentials, with a sound that was jazzy, funky, soulful, technical and that you might almost classify it as hip hop. Did this Cancon super group (in hindsight) prove that hip hop could go pop in Canada? Laura and Mac rev up the funkmobile to find out. Also discussed: Barenaked in America, celebrity chefs, even more Three Strong Words, the meaning of "base", Lou Reed's Cancon connections, the "California" streaming controversy, Young Artists for Haiti's "Wavin' Flag", the days of the week and much more.
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1:06:50
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1:06:50
Lights - "February Air"
Lights has never had a mega hit, but she has won a bunch of JUNOs, maintained a cult following (in Canada and beyond), and has low-key been ahead of her time at various points of her career. How did this happen? Was it the Cancon connections? The confused aesthetics? The comics? Christ? The cursive singing? We run down the 5 Cs of Lights.Also discussed: "True Colors", Drake trending towards Cancon, Three Strong Words (Underground Operations edition), One Weak Word, MySpace, Old Navy, plagiarism, inspiring Taylor Swift, and much more.
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1:10:48
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1:10:48
Metric: Part 2 - "Combat Baby"
In part two of our dissection of professional Canadian rock band Metric, we reach a final verdict on whether or not Haines, Shaw and co., are indeed Cancon. Can this FACTOR-funded, Juno-winning outfit overcome their deep desire to be cool and a professional NOT Canadian rock band? Seems unlikely! Also discussed: cursed Cancon artifacts, Brian Wilson, the albums of Metric, theatre kid energy, Emily Haines' bad wrap, periods, war metaphor, the spectre of Broken Social Scene, FACTOR grants, touring with Billy Talent and new albums by Jimmie Kilpatrick, Kicksie and Emma Goldman.
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1:12:43
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1:12:43
Metric : Part 1 - "Help, I'm Alive"
In part one of a two-part exploration into professional Canadian rock band Metric, Mac and Laura go long on their Cancon field trip to the Metric and Sam Roberts Band show in Toronto. From there they set the scene for Metric's reluctant, yet clinical rise to Canadian rock royalty.Also discussed: Three Strong Words: Polaris Music Prize Edition, JUNO President and CEO Allan Reid and his awe-inspiring hair, t-shirts, s-o-c-i-a-l-i-s-m, Metric's popularity, their early days, Anthems For a Seventeen-Year-Old Girl and much more.
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1:13:08
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1:13:08
Sky - "Love Song"
The Sky story has it all: triumph, tragedy, nepotism, confused aesthetics, too-fast-fame, a vast web of connections and one incredible song. But by the time this Quebec duo had peaked, it was, pretty much, already over (with all due respect to Karl Wolf). Also discussed: Three Strong Words, new music, Avril auto-tune accusation controversy, "Lean on Me" by ArtistsCAN, recording guitars one chord at a time, celebrity chefs, things girls liked at the turn of the century, phat bass, songs about America and much more.