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Stellar Saturday, Galaxie @ Metropolis!

Saturday night brings with it the closing night of M for Montreal, showcasing some of our finest local luminaries. Presented by dramatically-named label Blue Skies Turn Black, the grand finale will feature Marie-Pierre Arthur, The Barr Brothers, Random Recipe, Karkwa, Ariane Moffatt — and Francophone electro-rock act Galaxie.

Founded and fronted by French-transplanted Montreal resident Olivier Langevin more than ten years ago, Galaxie was known as Galaxie 500 until the name turned out to be trademarked by an established and well-regarded American alt-rock band (what are the odds?). In the decade-plus since Galaxie‘s formation, Langevin and company have assembled three critically lauded full-length releases and collected a number of prestigious awards. This year alone has garnered the group four 2011 GAMIQ awards, a 2011 ECHO Songwriting Prize, and a shortlist for a Polaris Music Prize for their latest album, Tigre et diesel.

Galaxie is yet another act to infuse electro elements into their rock sound, but the rock comes a little rougher than the milquetoast mewlings of the usual indie fare. Galaxie fuses glammed-out ’80s electronics with stripped-down garage-band blues-rock and laces it all with female vocals, to a powerhouse effect not too incredibly distant from another Canadian group, Black Mountain.

In contrast to a number of other local groups who seem to be ignorant of any music older than about 2005, Langevin claims inspiration from Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, T. Rex and Bo Diddley, and you can hear it in the groove and swagger of Tigre et diesel.

Recent live shows have incorporated their newer electro influence into tracks from their prior albums as well. In short, Galaxie aren’t screwing around about getting a dancefloor hopping. Prepare to go supernova this Saturday!

Alfa Rococo @ Café Campus this Saturday!

Montreal locals Alfa Rococo are already a name amongst Francophone music fans — and not only in Quebec, either. The indie-rock duo, consisting of Justine Laberge on vocals and David Bussières on vocals and guitar, has two hit albums, two 2008 Félix Awards, 200-odd performances and two European festival appearances to their credit since their first collaboration in 2004. Alfa Rococo will be playing M for Montreal as part of the Franco M Selection showcase, and it’s a perfect venue to become a Roco-convert, as you can expect a few of their numerous Quebec radio hits to make the stage.

To an Anglo listener, Alfa Rococo comes off in the middle of the radio-friendly indie spectrum, somewhere between the girl-fronted, electro-tinged stompers of fellow canucks Metric and the pensive, reverb-heavy mope-rock of UK’s Doves. To the mix Alfa Rococo adds assorted folksy French and Quebecois influences, chiefly by way of warm male/female vocal harmonies and French lyrics. Their first album, 2007′s Lever L’ancre, has a more wistful vibe, while their second, last year’s Chasser le Malheur, is more upbeat and synth-driven.

Generally, Alfa Rococo‘s mostly midtempo pieces create a atmosphere that can only be described as pretty. It’s sweet and melancholic by turns, and no understanding of French is required to understand the mood of it all. It’s not particularly daring, but it’s slick and catchy, with not a hair out of place. As curveballs, Alfa Rococo throw in a few higher-energy, four-on-the-floor numbers that’ll pack a dancefloor fast — see the video below. Here’s hoping to see a few of those at the show!

Alfa Rococo plays M for Montreal this Saturday at 2PM @ Café Campus.

M for Montreal #6 goes global

M for Montreal is primed to explode, again. What started out six years ago as a schmoozing event for music industry insiders and journalists has now grown into a full-on music festival — an international one, no less. M for Montreal has become known for its unique format and impeccable planning: this week, sixty-four acts will occupy six downtown venues for four consecutive nights, culminating at the cavernous Metropolis hall, and all without one schedule conflict.

It’s more of a marathon than a festival, really. You’d better book some time off work. Last year we were blown away by the local talent on display, and this year the boom’s promising to be even bigger.

No doubt owing to the success of its industry networking functions, the festival has been expanding its global credentials a little more every year. M for Montreal has hosted showcases as far as Texas’s South by Southwest media convention. Even this year’s headliner comes from half a world away: France’s much-lauded electronic shoegaze duo M83, who’ve been brought in to support their latest ethereal synth trip, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming.

M83′s show with LA-based, similarly-themed Active Child is, sadly, already sold out. If you missed out, you’ve still got a chance to get retro: also from France comes Anoraak, alias Frederic Riviere, an up-and-coming artist from the infamous Valerie Collective. Anoraak’s velvety Italo-disco pop jams come off like an aural daydream of an ideal ’80s Miami beach that never existed. Fans of Chromeo take note.

Other class acts this year include local electronic legends Bran Van 3000 and hard-rock thrashers Barn Burner and Trigger Effect (heavy music being a recent and welcome addition to the festival — see our writeup of Priestess from last year). Last year’s M for Montreal featured the folk-rock duo The Barr Brothers and infectious electro-jazz gangsters Misteur Valaire (who headlined in 2010, as it happens, and who have been M for Montreal regulars since 2008). Both groups will be returning again to the fest’s sixth edition. Plenty of new additions fill out the roster, including Uncle Bad Touch (a sister band of our favourites The Unsettlers).

The full line-up for M for Montreal 2011:

M83
Active Child
Cadence Weapon
Karkwa
Random Recipe
Parlovr
Aaron
Absolutely Free
Adam & The Amethyst
Alaclair Together
Alexandre Desilers
Alfa Rococo
Anoraak
Ben Wilkins
Bran Van 3000
Buddy McNeil & The Magic Mirrors
Scoundrels
Concrete Knives
D’eon
Daniel Isaiah
Doldrums
Ed Wood Jr
Fanny Bloom
For a Minor Reflection
Galaxie
Half Moon Run
Hollerado
I No.
Jimmy Hunt
Karim Ouellet
Lena Deluxe
Marie-Pier Arthuer
Misteur Valaire
Of Monsters and Men
Passwords
Peter Peter
Plaster
The Midway State
Uncle Bad Touch
Young Empires

M for Montreal runs from Wednesday, November 16 through Saturday, November 19. See www.mformontreal.com for more details.

Bran Van 3000 electrifies Osheaga!

Bran Van 3000 are something of a legend in Montreal. Founded by DJ James Di Salvio and E.P. Bergen in 1994, BV3 (as they are known to fans) have survived the kind of career that music documentaries are made of – all while continuing to refine their quirky and lush brand of genre-hopping, electro-acoustic groove with rock-solid releases through the years. If you don’t know Bran Van, it’s time to get acquainted: they’ll will be getting funky at Osheaga in Montreal this Friday at 5:30 PM!

As far as Canadian bands go, Bran Van got off to an auspicious beginning. An excursion into radio vibes with 1997′s hit single “Drinkin’ in LA” (which charted once in Canada and twice in the UK) landed Bran Van brief tenure in pop stardom, including a global tour and a Capitol Records release for their 1997 debut Glee. Riding high on their success, BV3 was subsequently signed to the Beastie Boys‘ label Grand Royal for their sophomore effort, 2001′s Discosis.

Unfortunately, a sudden collapse of the Grand Royal label coincided with Discosis‘ release, tanking the album’s publicity. In the wake of disaster, the track “Astounded”, featuring vocals from soul legend Curtis Mayfield, managed to become Bran Van’s highest-charting hit, but the band re-appraised their direction nonetheless. Leaving behind labels and management of any sort, BV3 became notoriously reclusive, refusing interviews and live shows, seeming to exist only in rumour as they assembled their subsequent album, 2007′s Rosé.

Continuing critical acclaim for Discosis and Rosé didn’t change this reclusive image, and BV3 remained a well-kept Canadian secret – until an appearance at the 2008 Montreal Jazz Festival turned the spotlights back upon them. The urban myth of Bran Van was busted when over 200,000 fans converged at the show, packing the streets to see the group play their first live set in almost 10 years.

You could say it was something of a turnaround for BV3′s approach. Back in the groove of live shows and recording, BV3 released The Garden in 2010 – and it might be their best work yet. As far back as Glee, Bran Van was fusing electronic beats with rich acoustic sounds and they only push it further here, for The Garden simmers with experimentation and creative meldings of genres. Everything from singalong twee-indie to downtempo, electro-funk, hip-hop and reggae makes an appearance, courtesy of an army of skillfully-arranged guest vocalists. It’s all unpredictable but it never sounds strained – for this, The Garden has earned unanimous and deserved critical praise.

Yeah, we know what you’ll be doing at Osheaga this Friday. See you there!

DJ Champion’s return at Metropolis!

The champion returns! He’ll be adding rock and dance to the Montreal Jazz Fest‘s impressive genre line-up at Metropolis on Thursday, June 30th, and you’re encouraged to come on down.

If you don’t know him yet, DJ Champion (or just Champion), alias Maxime Morin, has been a fixture of Montreal’s dance scene since the mid-’90s. He began releasing albums with 2005′s Chill ‘Em All, a sensual trip into downtempo Americana and beat-laden electronic blues that has since become an award-winning genre classic. The guitar-infused album’s tongue-in-cheek name is perhaps an homage to Champion’s early ’90s career as a metal guitarist, but Chill ‘Em All is praised for its subdued vibe, which never gets heavier than back-country twang — although the bass is guaranteed to shake the floor.

Soulful vocals from fellow Montreal local Betty Bonifassi (lately of electronic duo Beast) add a warm and soulful touch to the album’s sound, although Champion would switch it up for his next studio release, 2009′s Resistance. A little darker and more varied, Resistance sees Champion cranking up the distortion and employing hard guitar rhythms and male vocals into his electronic sound – all adding up to a most rocking effect. Like Chill ‘Em All before it, tracks from this album have become hits on the soundtrack circuit, adding energy to clips for games like Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, seen here.

Severe health problems have sidelined Champion until recently, which means June 30th’s show will be a return to form and truly something special to witness – it’ll also be his only show this summer! Champion will be pulling out all the stops, accompanied by his live band, G-Strings, for the full effect.

If you don’t mind a little rock mixed in with your dance beats (and Champion has proven the combination irresistible) you’d best come on down to Metropolis on Thursday! Tickets are still on sale at $34.50 at L’Astral and Metropolis or through admission.com (Tel.: 514-790-1245).

Mutek 2011 – Montreal’s electronic Mecca

It’s time once again for all the wireheads of the world to plug into MUTEK! You only have until June 2 (that is, tomorrow) to get it in gear. If you’re still undecided, there are at least two good reasons to buy your tickets for the 2011 fest: Plastikman and Amon Tobin

For over a decade, MUTEK has made Montreal a mecca for fans of electronic music. In contrast to the club version of electronic that pervades the mainstream, MUTEK prides itself on its appeal to hardcore fans of IDM, glitch, minimalist house and much more.

One of the largest electronic music events in Canada, MUTEK is billed as an International Festival of Digital Creativity and Electronic Music. The primary focus since the debut fest in 2000 has been Canadian acts, but its international status means MUTEK isn’t limited to the local – it’s a showcase for electronic artists from across the world, and that means some of the top names in the scene (previous MUTEK guests have included the ubiquitous Kid Koala, Pitchfork darling Fennesz and avant-garde industrial gods Coil). It’s a venue for both the most famous as well as the underground, and this wild mix is one of MUTEK’s chief appeals.

This year’s MUTEK Festival will include appearances by world-renowned electronic artists Amon Tobin as well as Richie Hawtin, alias Plastikman. Over the course of more than a decade, Tobin has redefined IDM with his layered, jazz-influenced style, while Hawtin has been a pillar of the techno community for nearly twenty years. These are perhaps the largest acts to have ever graced MUTEK, and, as if that weren’t enough, they’re also brushing shoulders with the likes of Four Tet and Modeselektor.

If all this sounds like shameless promotion, it totally is. Hell, you can’t blame us for being enthusiastic with a lineup like that. One thing’s for sure: BandMark will allocate some hardcore work and play hours to this sonic smash. See you there!

YELLE, Je T’aime

Whether you speak French or not, there is something infectious about Parisian-based electropop band YELLE’s songs. And if you understand French, you know this sweet sounding girl has a very dirty mouth.

Singer Julie Budet (known now as Yelle) and producer GrandMarnier began making music together back in 2005 under the name “YEL” which stood for “You Enjoy Life”. The name was soon feminized to YELLE because a Belgian band already went by that name. That same year, they got lots of buzz on MySpace after they posted a song called ‘Short Dick Cuizi’ (which later became ‘Je Veux Te Voir’). The following year, YELLE began recording their debut album titled ‘Pop Up’ and brought producer Tepr into the mix. The French only album was released in 2007 and gained attention throughout the world.

YELLE released the first single of their sophomore album ‘Safari Disco Club’ (titled the same) for free on their website’s blog as a taster of what was to come two months prior to the release of the album. Being fans of the first album, this one does not disappoint.

Smack in the middle of YELLE’s North American tour with French Horn Rebellion is a stop in Montreal. Bandmark is giving away a pair of tickets to the show at Le National on Tuesday, May 3rd. Interested in going? Like BandMark’s Facebook page here and write on our wall “I want to see YELLE at Le National!” Good luck!

Check out ‘Safari Disco Club / Que veux-tu (exclusive full length edit)’ below on Vimeo and take a listen to a few more of their tracks below that!

Yelle – La Musique (Lorenz Rhode Remix) by LorenzRhode
A cause des garcons (Tepr remix) by YELLE

Qui est cette fille ? by YELLE

Solar Year / Bad Tits / Phantogram

Il Motore, Dec. 10

A no-frills bar and venue which makes its token number of tables magically disappear when it’s time to get a floor moving, Il Motore boasts ample stage space and a sound system that’s powerful but not overwhelming when you’re slurring at the bartender for your eighth pint. It’s very nearly ideal. First onstage was Montreal’s own Solar Year, a duo who played to a growing, pensive crowd. As Solar Year plays havoc with looping, reverb and choral vocals by way of doubling and re-doubling, their sonic similarities to a certain Pitchfork-famous indie group will not go unnoticed, but Solar Year differentiate themselves from the Collective with an icier, introspective approach that’s hard to pin down. Based in synths and ethereally distorted male vocals, Solar Year’s sound hints at Enya, darkwave groups such as Lycia, and the black-clad dream-pop of M83. And you thought Solar Year‘s ‘gothic’ label on MySpace was just being droll? At any rate, these guys displayed a minimalist act with a polished sound, serving as poster-boys for the wild talent bubbling up from the Montreal underground. It’s hard enough to get a crowd of urban hipsters moving (even if you pull a fire alarm or a gun, both of which have occurred to me), but getting people moving isn’t the aim of Solar Year. They want you to listen and think, and maybe brood if the mood takes you. And it might.

Bad Tits, besides having the best band name of the night and perhaps of all time, also had an excellent act. Also a duo, Bad Tits comprises Sebastien Grainger and Josh Reichmann (of Death From Above 1979 and Tangiers, respectively), and with that kind of pedigree I’m surprised there isn’t more buzz on these guys and their brand of garage-band power-pop. Above all, Bad Tits offers groove, either hypnotic or repetitive at your preference, with occasional vocals (quite capable) and a wide variety of sounds via guitars, effects, keyboards, mixers and a wonderfully ’80s electronic drum kit. Bad Tits‘ thundering beats are simple and seemingly ideal for four-on-the-floor flailing — but the crowd didn’t seem to agree. At a dance-rock show, Bad Tits would’ve torn the house down doing the exact same act, but the crowd, sadly, gave them the gargoyle stare, save for a front row of wildmen who shamed us all with their energy.

That energy seemed to spread only during the cheering adulation that greeted Phantogram‘s ascent to the stage. Phantogram – whose name is also excellent for a reason I can’t quite pin down — call themselves “street beat, psych pop”. What this actually means is trip-hop in the manner of Massive Attack and Portishead, inflected with a bit of experimental grit. Phantogram is yet another duo, comprising Sarah Barthel and Joshua Carter, with a live act featuring a drummer and an intriguing melange of organic and synthetic elements. I have an affection for the genre, though I get the feeling that as with most trip-hop, Phantogram really shines when you let their deep dark atmosphere wash over you undisturbed on album. When it comes to achieving that Zen state at a venue like Il Motore your mileage may vary. In any case, Phantogram played more than capably and Barthel’s voice was angelic, playing the crowd like a snake charmer. Phantogram‘s BPM rarely exceeded those of a coma patient’s heart monitor, but you wouldn’t know it from the hopping, howling crowd. For lush atmosphere and hard beats, Il Motore was the only game in town, and everyone knew it.

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