CANADIAN INDIE BANDS

CANADIAN INDIE BANDS

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ANDY SHAUF

Andy Shauf is a solo recording artist from Regina, Saskatchewan. Shauf is best known for his style in songwriting. His songs are deep, yet simple, observations of humanity through interesting settings and diverse characters. The world of his songs is vibrant and full of life. His beautiful songs are accompanied by moving compositions. Shauf has written, performed, arranged and produced every song he has ever released. For his breakthrough album, “The Party ‘’ he moved to Toronto. The entirety of his last album, “Neon Skyline’’, was recorded in his studio in the west end of Toronto. The album is about his nights out in a bar called “The Skyline’’ in Toronto, with recurring characters, developed throughout the album. The title track from this album was included in Former US President Barack Obama’s 2020 summer playlist.

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LOVING

The band LOVING consists of David Parry, Lucas Henderson and his brother Jesse Henderson. The band came together as a long distance project between two members in Victoria, BC and the other member in Toronto, ON. They came into fruition with their self titled EP which gained a large natural fanbase over the internet and inspired the band to make an album. For their album they moved to Henderson’s grandmother’s house in Gabriola Island and set up their home studio. From there came the album that is,”if I am only my thoughts”. Their music is often placed into the psychedelic folk genre with their repetitive and dreamy aesthetics. Their lyrics vary from philosophical statements to mundane chores and love interests, all sung in a hypnotic monotone voice and vivid sounds that radiate tranquility.

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MEN I TRUST

Men I Trust was formed in 2014 in Montreal by old high school friends, Jessy Carron and Dragos Chiriac. Together they make two electro-dance-pop albums with recurring collaborators as singers. In spring of 2016 Emmanuelle Proulx joined the band as their lead vocalist and guitarist. Now with her on vocals, they took influence from their old works, funk, jazz and pop to reinvent themselves as an indie dream pop band. From 2016 to 2019 they released 12 singles, 8 of which were reimagined for their double LP “Oncle Jazz”. with their new dream-hypnotic sound they rose to fame and were able to play in the most famous festivals in the world. After their 2018 North American tour, they performed at Coachella and Lollapalooza in the summer of 2019. Since then they have released a live versions album and two singles with more music to come in the future.

MAC DeMARCO

Mac DeMarco (McBriare Samuel Lanyon) is a vintage indie rock artist from Edmonton that moved to Vancouver to start his music career. He records all of his music himself and uses mostly vintage gear to personalize his music. His debut album “Rock and Roll Night Club” has a rustic and experimental indie sound that catches your ears instantly but still contains the laid back feel that he is most known for. Mac Demarco has released 6 albums with additional demos which gives an unedited touch with a live performance feel. His career took off when he released “Salad Days” in (2014) which sold tens of thousands of copies during a time where streaming and bootlegging music was on the rise.

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BAHAMAS

Bahamas is the solo project of the Barrie, Ontario born and raised artist, Afie Jurvanen. After teaching himself guitar in his teenage years, he started to play for local bands and, eventually, better known bands in Toronto. He is best known for his folk sound, with influences of country, jazz and soul. He recorded his debut album in Toronto and released it in 2009. The album, “Pink Strat’’, was a success and was critically acclaimed. Jurvanen’s success continued with his following albums “Barchords”, “Afie is Bahamas” , “Earthtones” and “Sad Hunk” . He has collaborated with and supported artists like The Lumineers and Wilco.

Land of Talk is an indie rock band formed in 2006 in Montreal. The founding members, Elizabeth Powell, Mark Wheaton and Chris Mc- Carron met each other at Concordia university where they were enrolled in the jazz program. Led by Elizabeth Powell, the band has gone through many changes with their line up, yet their music has always been reflective of Powell’s vision; now more than ever. After 3 full length albums and collaborations with artists like Bon Iver, Arcade Fire and Stars, The band went on a hiatus caused by a vocal polyp problem, financial instability and Powell’s father’s stroke. After 7 years the band released their 4th album,”Life After Youth”. Inspired by the music that helped Powell’s father recover, their music became slower, expansive and more poetic than ever. Following up with their new sound, their next album “Indistinct Conversation” was critically acclaimed, making their future even more promising.

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LAND OF TALK

ARCADE FIRE

Arcade Fire is a Canadian indie rock band that started in Montreal but many of the members are from the U.S. Members consist of Win (Edwin) Butler their lead vocalist and guitarist, Régine Chassagne a multi instrumentalist and his wife, William Butler their percussionist and his brother, Richard Reed Parry their pianist and Tim Kingsbury their bassist. Arcade Fire’s music debut started in 2003 when they released their breakthrough album Funeral, which gave us one of their most popular songs Wake Up which is almost at 100 million streams on spotify(2/21/2021) after the release of Funeral , they made appearances at Lollapalooza and Coachella and are known for their flashy and elaborate concerts. The music features many different instruments and has a unique sound like no other. Arcade Fire’s music conveys strong messages, which talks about personal issues using upbeat and joyful that makes you want to keep exploring their music.

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DAN MANGAN

Dan Mangan is a solo recording artist from Vancouver B.C. He started in 2003 with an album made with a friend called “all at once”, however only 100 copies were made. Mangan released his debut album “Postcards and Daydreaming” (2005) at 22 years old. Dan Mangan is known for his heartwarming voice and sad, yet joyful, lyrics with catchy folk sounds. Dan Mangan’s storytelling in his music took Canada by surprise and he was later awarded Artist of the Year at the Verge Music Awards in 2010. After that, he released many albums and a few EPs which won over audiences worldwide. He has also won two Junos, one for Alternative Album of the Year and one for Breakthrough Artist of the Year in 2012.

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BADBADNOTGOOD

BADBADNOTGOOD is an alternative jazz band that was founded in Toronto in 2010. They draw inspiration from hip hop to create a unique and recognizable sound with heavy drums, saxophone, bass and their smooth voices that make it my personal favorite jazz group. Their members include Chester Hansen (their bassist) Matthew Tavares their keyboardist and Alexander Sowinski their drummer. BADBADNOTGOOD has featured a lot of mainstream artists on their songs like “MF DOOM”, “Snoop Dogg” and “Tyler, The Creator” which give it a personalized feel.

REUBEN AND THE DARK

Ruben and the Dark is an indie folk band based out of Calgary. They have elaborate lyrics mixed with complex harmonies to make it something to listen to when you’re staring at the stars or down by the beach late at night. His amazing voice will give you chills, with catchy lyrics that make you feel connected with his emotions. Their members include Reuben Bullock their lead singer, Shea Alain their guitarist/keyboardist, Brock Geiger their second guitarist/keyboardist, Ian Jarvis their bassist and Brendan Soares their drummer. Ruben and the Dark’s debut album “Funeral Sky” (2014) was produced by Christopher Hayden of Florence and the Machine. Ruben and the Dark also toured with Vance Joy while supporting the release of their second album Heart in Two. The album eventually reached the top spot on CBC Radio.

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