...music

artists a-l / artists m-z / annoying songs / my compact discs

Artists

Michaela Foster Marsh

Dreamy vocals, stellar piano technique, and alternating witty and poignant lyrics. She's not very well known outside Ottawa, but she does play in Toronto fairly frequently. Check her out!
www.michaelaonline.com

Nields, The

The Nields are one of only a handful of bands I would describe as "caffeinated". They obviously enjoy making music a lot and with a devoted fan base around the continent, they rock at their live shows. Despite their great stage presence though, the Nields are really down-to-earth people. Not very well known so their CDs are rather hard to find, but well worth it. (They're friends of Dar, too.)
www.nields.com/~nields/

October Project

Unfortunately this band is no longer together making music, but the two albums they released before getting dumped by Epic Records are gems. Very dreamy and esthereal pop, almost like Jane Siberry + Rose Chronicles.
www.coffeeandabyte.com/dez/entrance/

REM

Their songs are almost complete gibberish, but the music can vary from loud guitars to subdued, quiet tunes. However, there's an undercurrent of sadness in a lot of their songs, even ones like "Shiny Happy People" (which is probably sarcastic, anyway) which makes you sit up and take notice.
stipey.com

Sarah McLachlan

My favourite musician of all time, who needs no explanation -- because I've got an entire site dedicated to her music. See it here:
www.aquezada.com/sarah/

Sarah Slean

Local Toronto musician Sarah Slean is destined to be very famous, in my view. In fact, she's just been signed to Warner Music, so hopefully this will help her penetrate the US market. She can be very gregarious on stage when she's nervous, but her songs convey the opposite emotions -- pensiveness and sadness. She is certainly a very talented young lady, but despite the fact that she is all but unknown outside Ontario, her web presence is already well established by the ever-hardworking Steve Ito, her webmaster. Also, my friend Brian Wilson and I also run a mailing list for fans of Sarah.
www.sarahslean.com
www.aquezada.com/navy-soup/ (mailing list)

Shannon Weir

Another local favourite of mine. Listening to her sultry vocals and peaceful but firm piano work is a wonderfully enjoyable way to spend an evening at Holy Joe's on Queen Street, slouched over one of their disgustingly-dirty-but-comfy couches. Catch her if you can.
www.shann.com

Suddenly, Tammy!

One of my favourite bands of all-time, sadly, also broken up. Think Ben Folds Five, but replace Ben Folds' voice with the beautiful childlike vocals of frontwoman Beth Sorrentino, and make the songs less harsh, both lyrically and musically, and you have Suddenly, Tammy! -- a band whose records are a pleasure to listen to, over and over. They were dropped from Warner Records after releasing their major-label debut, but you can still occasionally find Suddenly, Tammy! merchandise and CDs on EBay.

Tammy Raybould

She writes distinct pop songs and although her songs may not have the same depth of some other singer-songwriters, she plays a mean piano and her live shows kick ass. Keep an eye out for her cover of Led Zeppelin's "D'Yer Maker".
www.tammyraybould.com

Tegan and Sara

Twins from Calgary, now living in the Toronto area. (I think.) Their songwriting is very acerbic and insightful, and their technical ability is unparalleled -- especially their ability to have multiple harmonies and riffs going at the same time. Their live performances will have you rolling on the floor laughing, too -- the likes of their onstage banter have to be seen to be believed.
www.teganandsara.com

10,000 Maniacs

The 10,000 Maniacs I refer to is not the current incarnation -- I have not heard much of the "new" 10K Maniacs (10⁴ Maniacs?), but what I have heard I don't like. It's just not the same without Natalie Merchant, and Natalie isn't the same without the band. I suppose I'm a product of the eighties by continuing to like the "old" Maniacs, but I can't help it. Our Time In Eden is another of my Desert Island Discs.
www.maniacs.com

Tori Amos

I don't really like anything Tori did after and including Boys for Pele, but the stuff she did before that (namely, Under the Pink and Little Earthquakes) I really really like. Hence, it's rather ironic that the picture I have here is from the "Caught A Lite Sneeze" video, off Boys for Pele. Oh well.
www.aye.net/~mikewhy/toriamos.html

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