Category: Band of the Day

By: Hilary Johnston October 5, 2013

Lovely Quinces is Dunja Ercegović, a Croatian folk singer-songwriter piquing my curiosity for this year’s Indie Week. Ercegović’s unusual vocal style gives her straightforward songs some edge; the folk tunes complementing her deep growl as nicely as the lighter, airy high notes. The newly released five-track album, No Room for Us, is fraught with character and would likely appeal to the Serena Ryder fans among us. I am intrigued to see if she brings a band or if she will brave the stage solo, and what shape her songs will take on as a result. I suppose there’s only one way to find out.

{http://soundcloud.com/lovelyquinces/no-room-for-us}

Toronto Music Scene is an official partner of Indie Week Canada. Follow us on Twitter @TorontoMusic and Indie Week @IndieWeek. For a full list of bands check out www.canada.indieweek.com. 

Also be sure to check out the Toronto Music Scene Indie Week After Party on Oct 18 featuring: The Beaches, TJ Hollywood, Wildheart and more. https://www.facebook.com/events/179932262193711/

TJ Liebgott October 4, 2013

The Franklin Electric are a folk meets pop, Montreal music collective. Boasting eight members as well as guest contributors, The Franklin Electric captures rootsy and moody acoustic songs flanked by lush horn sections that gives them a vibe similar to artists such as Dan Mangan and Bon Iver. Although having only been around a short time, The Franklin Electric have already begun making waves by recently winning a Nashville  songwriting contest for their song “Old Piano” and the release of their debut album This Is How I Let You Down.

{youtube}yTwiEOHuwrc{/youtube}

Toronto Music Scene is an official partner of Indie Week Canada. Follow us on Twitter @TorontoMusic and Indie Week @IndieWeek. For a full list of bands check out www.canada.indieweek.com. 

Also be sure to check out the Toronto Music Scene Indie Week After Party on Oct 18 featuring: The Beaches, TJ Hollywood, Wildheart and more. https://www.facebook.com/events/179932262193711/

By: TJ Liebgott October 1, 2013

If Toronto indie synth rock band Falls looks a little familiar, it’s because they are. An off-shoot of Indie Week 2010 winners These Electric Lives, Falls picks up where TEL left off.  Although this incarnation seems more synthy and dreamy than the danceable rock songs that TEL put out, it’s definitely a more cinematic and mature sounding band now. Check out their first single “Rain Turns To Snow” to get you ready for their Indie Week set and their debut CD, which drops October 8th.

{http://soundcloud.com/falls/rain-turn-to-snow}

Toronto Music Scene is an official partner of Indie Week Canada. Follow us on Twitter @TorontoMusic and Indie Week @IndieWeek. For a full list of bands check out www.canada.indieweek.com. 

Toronto Music Scene October 10, 2012
 
Our last pick already? It’s hard to believe this is our 40th Band of the Day. With more than 200 bands playing Indie Week, I feel like we’ve barely scratched the surface. To round off our recommendations, let’s end with a band from our nation’s capitol. Silvergun and Spleen perfectly exemplify tourism Ottawa’s most brilliant campaign of, “Not all our parties are political.” This is a band that is wild and fun, but talented beyond beliefe. A co-ed concoction of energy and ferver, a word I sometimes overuse but I really do mean it this time. Sisters Merv and Vern Mallet are stylized and polished, embracing a little bit of Gwen Stefani meets Care Failure, mashed with dance, pop and rock influences, and chunky bass lines that separate them from the pack. If you’re looking for the real deal, Silvergun and Spleen are your band.

{http://soundcloud.com/silvergunandspleen/crack}

Indie Week takes place in Toronto from October 10-14. Check out IndieWeek.com for more detailed information, ticket purchases and performance date announcements. Follow @IndieWeek on Twitter for updates.

Watch Silvergun and Spleen perform “Kiss and Tell” below.

{youtube}KMurw4WcfNU{/youtube}

—-

Sheena Lyonnais writes the Band of the Day. Follow her on Twitter @SheenaLyonnais.

Don’t forget to ‘Like’ Toronto Music Scene on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @TorontoMusic.

Toronto Music Scene October 9, 2012
 
Dance rock fans, have you added Animal Talk to your Indie Week schedule yet? The Boston band started gaining recognition quickly after recording with Grammy-winning producer/engineer Ducky Carlisle in no small part due to their solid assembly and polished sound. Tracks such as “Can’t Dance With It” intertwine a little bit of that Boston soul into the mix, giving it layers of sound that surpass the typical, shiny dance feel. The band is playing a few shows around the north eastern part of the States before playing two Toronto performances in the same night. Twice on Friday, first at C’est What at 9pm then an Indie Week performance at The Underground Garage at 12:30am. Catch them now, because as soon as the shows are over the band is off to New York for CMJ.

{http://soundcloud.com/animaltalk/cant-dance-with-it-1}

Indie Week takes place in Toronto from October 10-14. Check out IndieWeek.com for more detailed information, ticket purchases and performance date announcements. Follow @IndieWeek on Twitter for updates.

—-

Sheena Lyonnais writes the Band of the Day. Follow her on Twitter @SheenaLyonnais.

Don’t forget to ‘Like’ Toronto Music Scene on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @TorontoMusic.

Toronto Music Scene October 8, 2012

Few local acts excite me more than The Ascot Royals. On stage, they’re dynamite. They captivate the crowd so well they’re the only band I’ve seen lead an enthusiastically willing audience through a rocked up version of “head and shoulders, knees and toes.” You think it sounds silly, but stop thinking that right now. This is a band that possesses musicianship most would (and should) envy. Their recordings are tight, but it doesn’t represent them. It truly is their live performances where they shine. Bringing with them a worldwide kaleidoscope of influences, The Ascot Royals feature two members from England, one from Israel and two from our home and native Ontario who together comprise the sharpest of riff-heavy dance influenced rock. They’re boundless performers from start to finish, climbing all over the stage like wild animals with the mastery of the pros. If this is your first time hearing of them, it won’t soon be your last. The band plays Saturday at the Horseshoe. You won’t regret dedicating your night to catching their show. 

{http://soundcloud.com/the-ascot-royals/disco-joe-the-ascot-royals}

Indie Week takes place in Toronto from October 10-14. Check out IndieWeek.com for more detailed information, ticket purchases and performance date announcements. Follow @IndieWeek on Twitter for updates.

Watch The Ascot Royal’s video for “Fly Away” below.

{youtube}Bnq8vcFI6aI{/youtube}

—-

Sheena Lyonnais writes the Band of the Day. Follow her on Twitter @SheenaLyonnais.

Don’t forget to ‘Like’ Toronto Music Scene on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @TorontoMusic.

Toronto Music Scene October 7, 2012

Bugs in the Dark is a bit of an anomalie. Dark influences weave through grunge and punk, whispy vocals laced with acid and intent. Think some wild cross between Courtney Love and PJ Harvey. Vocalist Karen Rockower is often compared to the Sonic Youth and for good reason. She’s powerful and effective. Though it’s quick to liken her on sheer talent alone, rest assured Rockower is very much her own performer. The band made a little video documenting their last trip to Toronto during NXNE, which featured a stop at border control, a love of Steamwhistle and some really fucking solid performance clips. This is seriously a band I am stoked to see. As if I needed another reason to love the music that pours out of Brooklyn, but here we are. One band deeper. One more valentine. One more reason to not sleep during Indie Week.

{http://soundcloud.com/bugsinthedark/miles-of-stone}

Indie Week takes place in Toronto from October 10-14. Check out IndieWeek.com for more detailed information, ticket purchases and performance date announcements. Follow @IndieWeek on Twitter for updates.

Watch Bugs in the Dark’s video for “Serpents and Wine” below.

{vimeo}32017789{/vimeo}

—-

Sheena Lyonnais writes the Band of the Day. Follow her on Twitter @SheenaLyonnais.

Don’t forget to ‘Like’ Toronto Music Scene on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @TorontoMusic.