Degrees 97-100

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DEGREE 100: Kathleen Edwards
Royal Wood recorded the follow-up to his full-length debut at Reaction Studios in Toronto in 2005. An engineer working at the studio was Jeff Elliott. He worked with various artists that came through the establishment before it closed. These musicians include The Barenaked Ladies, Rush, Sum 41, Blue Rodeo, Molly Johnson, Bruce Cockburn, Rheostatics, Sarah Harmer and Kathleen Edwards. 

DEGREE 99: Royal Wood 
In 2008, Slean and fellow singer-songwriter Royal Wood got engaged while in Paris. The pair married in 2009.

DEGREE 98: Sarah Slean
In 2009, Jason Collett took part in an interactive documentary series called City Sonic. The series featured 20 Toronto artists who spoke about where they make music in the city. Slean spoke about performing at the Rivoli - a bar, restaurant and performance space on Queen Street West in Toronto, Ontario. She played there while attending the University of Toronto.

DEGREE 97: Jason Collett
Afie Jurvanen aka Bahamas was part of Jason Collett’s backing band Paso Mino. The band was rounded out with members Robbie Drake, Mike O'Brien and Michael P. Clive.

Featured on February 15, 2012

 

Degrees 94-96

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Degrees 91-93

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DEGREE 93: Young Galaxy
The three piece band is also on the Paper Bag Records label. But they weren’t always on that label. They formed in Vancouver but later moved to Montreal, where they recorded their self-titled debut. The album was released April 24, 2007 on Arts & Crafts. They released their second full length 'Invisible Republic' on the Fontana North label and then their most recent release from 2011 was on Paper Bag Records.

DEGREE 92: Austra
The twin sisters of Tasseomancy are part of the touring line-up for the Toronto-based electronic outfit, Austra. The debut studio album by Austra ‘Feel It Break’ was released on May 17, 2011 by Paper Bag Records.

DEGREE 91: Tasseomancy
Timber Timbre is a Canadian 3 member folk music project. The moniker refers to an early series of recordings made in a timber-framed cabin set in the wooded outskirts of Bobcaygeon, Ontario. A band from Toronto that Timber Timbre has worked with is Tasseomancy. The twin sisters Sari and Romy Lightman crafted their second full-length Ulalume with Taylor Kirk and Simon Trottier of Timber Timbre. They co-produced and accompanied the siblings on the recording.

Featured on February 1, 2012

Degrees 88-90

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DEGREE 90: Timber Timbre
Bry Webb is one of the Canadian music acts to be featured on the compliation album ‘Friends in Bellwoods’. It was released in 2007 with proceeds going to Toronto's Daily Bread Food Bank. A second edition of the Friends in Bellwoods compilation was released in August 2009. On the second edition is Timber Timber playing the song Water.

DEGREE 89: Bry Webb
Some of the Minotaurs music features vocals from Bry Webb. Webb was a part of the band The Constantines and now he is pursuing his own solo career.

DEGREE 88: Minotaurs
Don Kerr was a member of Rheostatics from 1995 to 2001. He was the drummer for the group. Since leaving the group, he has played with Ron Sexsmith and The Hidden Cameras. In 2010, he produced the album The Thing for the Minotaurs and played drums for them.

Featured on January 25, 2012
 

Degrees 85-87

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DEGREE 87: The Rheostatics
In October 2007, Ida Nilsen moved from Vancouver to Toronto, where she now resides. At one point Great Aunt Ida was playing monthly at the Tranzac Club. When she played there her band  included a former Rheostatics member Tim Vesely on bass.

DEGREE 86: Great Aunt Ida
A member of Choir Practice is Ida Nilsen. She heads up and is the namesake of the band, Great Aunt Ida.

DEGREE 85: Choir Practice
The band, Hot Panda was signed to Vancouver-based label Mint Records in 2009. Another band on Mint Records is Choir Practice, a musical collective consisting of a rotating cast. They released their self-titled debut album two years earlier on Mint Records in May 2007.

 

Featured on January 18, 2012

Degrees 82-84

DEGREE 84: Hot Panda
The Boats' album 'Cannonballs, Cannonballs' was recorded by Hot Panda's Ryan McVeigh and mixed by some of The Weakerthans, Cam Leoppky and Shawn Dealey.

DEGREE 83: Boats
Imaginary Cities debut album was cut at Winnipeg studio, Prairie Recording Co. Boats also worked at that same studio for their 2010 release, 'Cannonballs, Cannonballs'.  

DEGREE 82: Imaginary Cities 
Based in Winnipeg, the band consists of vocalist Marti Sarbit and multi-instrumentalist Rusty Matyas, formerly of The Waking Eyes and a sometime collaborator with The Weakerthans.

 

Featured on January 11, 2012

  

Degrees 79-81

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DEGREE 81: The Waking Eyes
The Arkells toured across Canada in early 2009. During that tour, they were on the road with the Winnipeg, Manitoba-based, four-piece band Waking Eyes.

DEGREE 80: The Arkells
Hannah Georgas grew-up in Newmarket, Ontario before moving to Victoria, British Columbia to attend university. While in high school she played in a band with Tim Oxford of The Arkells.

DEGREE 79: Hannah Georgas
Buck 65 released the album ‘20 Odd Years’ on February 1, 2011. The album was named in honour of Buck 65's 20 years in the music industry and featured various other Canadian musicians including Hannah Georgas.

Featured January 4, 2012

Degrees 76-78

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DEGREE 78: Buck 65
The six-piece band, The North Lakes, also worked with Charles Austin at Echo Chamber Studios. Austin has done work with Buck 65.  

DEGREE 77: The North Lakes
Maritime-based sound engineer Adam Gallant did production work on Milk & Rectangles album 'Dirty Gold' as well as the most recent material from The North Lakes.
You can download their 2010 release 'Cobra' from their bandcamp page.

DEGREE 76: Milk & Rectangles
In-Flight Safety established their own label Night Danger Records in Halifax in the fall of 2008. The rooster of artists is small but hearty. It includes Milks & Rectangles. There is also a family connection as In-Flight Safety has Daniel Ledwell and Milk & Rectangles has brother Christian Ledwell.
You can download their 2010 release 'Dirty Gold' from their bandcamp page.

Featured on December 28, 2011 

Degrees 73-75

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DEGREE 75: In-Flight Safety
In 2006, Matt Mayes and El Torpedo released the music video for their song ‘Time of Your Life (‘til You’re Dead)' which was directed by Drew Lightfoot. Drew Lightfoot is a Canadian director of commercials and music videos. He’s also worked on Lightfoot's music videos for k-os, Constantines, Guster, The Cure and In-Flight Safety.

DEGREE 74: Matt Mayes
Ruth Minnikin was formerly a member of Booming Airplanes, The Heavy Blinkers and The Guthries. The Guthries were originally formed by Ruth Minnikin and Dale Murray, the band included their respective siblings Gabe Minnikin and Brian Murray, as well as high school friends Serge Samson and Matt Mays.

DEGREE 73: Ruth Minnikin
The Russian Futurists did a holiday-themed duet with Ruth Minnikin called '100 Shopping Days ‘Til Christmas'.

Featured on December 21, 2011

Degrees 70-72

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DEGREE 72: Russian Futurists
Label mates of Girlsareshort on Upperclass Recordings are the Russian Futurists originally from Cornwall, Ontario.

DEGREE 71: Girlsareshort
The other half of MSTRKRFT is Alex Puodziukas, aka Al-P. In 1998, he joined Daniel Zabawa and David Regan to create another band Girlsareshort. 

DEGREE 70:  MSTRKRFT
Owen Pallett has contributed remixes to Death from Above 1979. Death from Above 1979 are a Toronto-based Canadian dance-punk/noise rock duo. The band broke up in 2006, but announced a reunion in 2011. Jesse F. Keeler is the bassist for Death from Above 1979 and is also in the musical act MSTRKRFT.

Featured on December 14, 2011

Degrees 67-69

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DEGREE 69: Owen Pallett
F*cked Up has collaborated extensively with other artists on record and during live performances. The band's debut album 'Hidden World' featured guest instrumentation from Owen Pallett.

DEGREE 68: F*cked Up
The Hidden Cameras' song 'Boys of Melody' was featured on the soundtrack of the John Cameron Mitchell film 'Shortbus' which starred former Much Music host Sook Yin Lee. Now the frontman, Damian Abraham, of the band F*cked Up has hosting duties on channel.

DEGREE 67: The Hidden Cameras
Joel Gibb and his band The Hidden Cameras have played The Osheaga Festival in Montreal, Quebec. The Saskatchewan band The Sheepdogs have also played the festival and won the 2011 Western Canadian Music Award in the Best Rock category. Alberta's Wool on Wolves were nominated  in that category.

Featured on December 7, 2011

Degrees 64-66

 DEGREE 66: Wool on Wolves
Ted Ani the lead singer for Red Shag Carpet is also a school teacher. A fellow Canadian musician who was also a fellow teacher of Ted's is Thomas Reikie of the Wool on Wolves.  A side note, Nik Kozub also produced their second release, Grey Matter which we heard the cut 'G-Arp'.

 DEGREE 65: Red Shag Carpet
Nik has a label Nrmls Wlcm Records and he also works as a sound engineer and producer. He's worked with the likes of Cadence Weapon, Michael Rault, The Floor and Red Shag Carpet. We heard the song 'Showtime' from the Kozub produced 2011 Red Shag Carpet release 'Down Like A Lion'.

DEGREE 64: Shout Out Out Out Out
Luke Doucet was in the Vancouver band, Veal, with Edmontonian Nik Kozub as the bassist. Since then, Nik has gone on to create the dance punk/electro group Shout Out Out Out Out. From the 2006 release 'Reintegration Time' from Shout Out Out Out Out, we listened to 'Run'.

Featured November 30, 2011

Degrees 61-63

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DEGREE 63: Whitehorse
Recently the 'Engineer of the Year' award went to Michael Chambers at the 2011 Hamiton Music Awards. He worked with Paint on their 2011 release 'Where We Are Today' through the Catherine North Studio. Another band that worked at the Catherine North Studio is 'Whitehorse'. We heard 'Killing Time Is Murder' from their self-titled release of 2011.

DEGREE 62: Paint
A former member of Paper Moon is Robb Johannes. He is currently in the band Paint. Paint is a Canadian indie rock band based in Toronto.
We listened to Paint's song 'She Leaves' from this year's release 'Where We Are Today'.

DEGREE 61: Paper Moon
Galaxie has been on the C4 label. Brandon Friesen founded the Winnipeg-based label. Founded in 2004, their records are distributed in Canada by Koch Entertainment. A band that Friesen has worked with is Paper Moon as a producer. We sampled the song 'We Can Take The Long Way' from Paper Moon's 'What Are You Going to Do with Me?' album.

Featured November 23, 2011

Degrees 58-60

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DEGREE 60: Galaxie
The Les Breastfeeders’ former drummer is Fred Fortin. He has also been associated with the band Galaxie. He has also released several solo albums. His 2009 album Plastrer la lune was a longlisted nominee for the 2010 Polaris Music Prize.
We heard Shanghai, the closing track on Galaxie's album 'Tigre Et Diesel'.

DEGREE 59: Les Breastfeeders
The Besnard Lake’s Jace Lasek also runs a studio called Breakglass Studios. It is an analog and digital recording studio in Montreal. Local and international bands have recorded there including the likes of Sunset Rubdown,  Islands, Patrick Watson, Stars, Wintersleep, Wolf Parade and Les Breastfeeders. Les Breastfeeders are a francophone rock 'n' roll band from Montreal.
From Les Breastfeeders' 2011 release 'Dans La Gueule Des Jour', we listened to '400 Miles'.

DEGREE 58: The Besnard Lakes
Ladyhawk is on Jagjaguwar. Also on that label, The Besnard Lakes out of Montreal, Quebec. Formed in 2003 by the husband and wife team of Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas. Two of their three albums have been nominated for the Polaris Music Prize.
We sampled the song 'Disaster' from the band's 2006 disc 'Are the Dark Horse'.

Featured November 16, 2011

Degrees 55-57

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DEGREE 57: Ladyhawk
Daniel Romano designed the cover art for his band, Attack in Black, first album, ‘Marriage’. He has also designed t-shirts and posters for M. Ward, Ben Kweller, City and Colour as well as Ladyhawk.
 
Ladyhawk is a Canadian indie rock band formed on February 27, 2004 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Their debut album, Ladyhawk was released on June 6, 2006 on Jagjaguwar Records.
 
We sampled 'My Old Jacknife' from Ladyhawk's self-titled 2006 release.
 

DEGREE 56: Daniel Romano
Dallas Green aka City and Colour often is accompanied by a rotating roster of Canadian indie rock musicians, such as Spencer Burton and Daniel Romano of Attack in Black.

Daniel Romano is a Canadian visual artist and musician. Romano is also a partner in his own independent record label, 'You've Changed Records', along with his Attack in Black bandmate Ian Kehoe and Steve Lambke of Constantines.
 
From Romano's 2011 album 'Sleep Beneath The Willow' we heard 'There are lines on my face'.
 

DEGREE 55: City and Colour
Tragically Hip frontman, Gord Downie, worked with fellow Canadian act, City and Colour, to contribute vocals on the track ‘Sleeping Sickness’ for City and Colour 2007 album, ‘Bring Me Your Love’.
 
City and Colour is the recording alias for Juno Award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter Dallas Green, who was also the guitarist and vocalist of the post-hardcore band Alexisonfire. The name City and Colour comes from his own name: Dallas, a city, and Green, a colour.
 
We listened to the 'Sleeping Sickness' from the 2007 release 'Bring Me Your Love'.

Featured November 9, 2011

Degrees 52-54

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DEGREE 54: Tragically Hip
The lead singer for Steppenwolf, John Kay, was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2004. Two years prior, The Tragically Hip, were inducted.
From the Hip's 1991 album 'Road Apples' we sampled 'Twist My Arm'.
 

DEGREE 53: Steppenwolf
Working with Amelia on her album ‘Hunter, Hunter’ was Don Ellis. He acted as the producer and engineer on the 2009 release. He has also worked with other Canadian acts like Great Big Sea, The Once and even Steppenwolf.
We heard the 1968 classic 'Born To Be Wild' from Steppenwolf.
 

DEGREE 52: Amelia Curran
Hey Rosetta! had their song ‘Red Heart’ used during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games in an Olympic Montage video celebrating Canada's national pride. A fellow Newfoundlander performed as part of the various music concerts at the 2010 event, one of which was Amelia Curran.
We listened to 'You Won’t Find Me' from Curran's 2006 release 'War Brides'.

Featured November 2, 2011

Degrees 49-51

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DEGREE 51: Hey Rosetta!
A six-piece Canadian indie rock band from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. We heard 'Black Heart' from their album 'Into Your Lungs'

DEGREE 50: The Express
A band that features Two Hours Traffic's Liam Corcoran, his cousin Kinley Dowling of Hey Rosetta! and Cuff The Duke's Dale Murray.
 

DEGREE 49 : Two Hours Traffic
The band from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. They are often described as the band that Joel Plaskett took ‘under his wing’ after handing a copy of their EP to him. In 2005 the band released their self-titled full-length album, which saw them work directly with Plaskett, who produced the album and added guitar tracks to two songs (3 and 10). Plaskett's sister, Anna Plaskett, also played French horn on two of the album's tracks (7 and 12).
We heard Two Hours Traffic sing 'Noisemaker' from their album 'Territory'.

Featured October 26, 2011

Degrees 46-48

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DEGREE 48: Thrush Hermit
The Dears has a multi-instrumentalist named Rob Benvie on their roster. He joined the group in 2001. That was after the Halifax-based band he was in, called Thrush Hermit, split in 1999. Thrush Hermit also included Joel Plaskett, Ian McGettigan and Cliff Gibb.
We heard Thrush Hermit sing '(Oh Man!) What To Do?' from their 'Clayton Park' album.

DEGREE 47: The Dears
Sam Roberts formed a band in 1993 and called it William. The band's name was changed to Northstar in 1996. They broke up in 1999 after failing to release an album. Roberts' bandmate George Donoso went on to significant success with The Dears.
We listened to 'Yesteryear' from the most recent release from The Dears 'Degeneration Street'.

DEGREE 46: Sam Roberts
Patrick Watson's song 'The Great Escape' was featured on episode 16 of the third season of Grey's Anatomy, on a tv commercial and in the movie 'One Week' starring Joshua Jackson. Also on the film's soundtrack: Great Lake Swimmers, Wintersleep, Luke Doucet, the Sunparlour Players and Sam Roberts.
We sampled the title track from Sam Roberts' album 'Love At The End Of The World'.

Featured October 19, 2011

Degrees 43-45

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DEGREE 45: Patrick Watson
The year 2010 wasn’t the first time, Karkwa were up for the Polaris Prize. Their third album, Le Volume du vent, was longlisted nominee for the 2008 Polaris Music Prize. The Canadian musician Patrick Watson featured on that 2008 recording.
We heard the song 'Beijing' from the 2009 Patrick Watson release 'Wooden Arms'.
 

DEGREE 44: Karkwa
The Sadies released Darker Circles was a shortlisted nominee for the 2010 Polaris Music Prize. The award went to Karkwa for their album Les Chemins de verre. It was the first French language album to win the award.
From the Polaris prize-winning album 'Les Chemins de verre' we listened to 'Marie Tu Pleures'.
 

DEGREE 43: The Sadies
Carolyn Marks was in a duo called The Corn Sisters. The other half of the pair was Neko Case who is Marks’ label mate on Mint Records. Neko is not Canadian but she has worked with many a Canadian including Sarah Harmer, A.C. Newman, Kathryn Calder and The Sadies. For ‘The Tigers Have Spoken’, Case’s 2004 live album, The Sadies as well as Carolyn Mark performed as part of the three live shows, one in Chicago and two in Toronto.
We sampled 'Another Day Again' from the Sadies 'Darker Circles' album.

Featured October 12, 2011

Degrees 40-42

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DEGREE 42: Carolyn Mark
Carolyn Mark has recorded at the Woodshed Studio. We heard the song 'Officer Down' (featuring N.Q. Arbuckle) from her album 'Let's Just Stay Here'.

DEGREE 41: Blue Rodeo
Blue Rodeo started The Woodshed Studio in the East End of downtown Toronto. It was originally conceived as a place where the band could record their own albums. The first album they recorded was ‘Palace of Gold’ in 2001. Since then, various bands have recorded at the studio including Cuff The Duke, Luke Doucet, Neko Case, Justin Rutledge, Bruce Cockburn, Oh Susanna and Carolyn Mark.
From the Blue Rodeo's self-titled album we heard the song 'Lost Together'.

DEGREE 40: Bob Wiseman
Bob Wiseman has collaborated with Royal City. The Juno nominated Canadian musician and filmmaker was an original member of Blue Rodeo. Wiseman joined his first band in 1984 Blue Rodeo and quit in 1992 following their fifth record.
We listened to the song 'If I Knew' from the 1989 release 'In Her Dream: Bob Wiseman Sings Wrench Tuttle'.

Featured October 5, 2011

Degrees 37-39

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DEGREE 39: Royal City
In 2011, Sarah Harmer participated in the National Parks Project, visiting British Columbia's Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site. There she created music with Bry Webb, Jim Guthrie and which was captured by filmmaker Scott Smith. Jim Guthrie is both a solo artist and as a member of the bands Islands, Human Highway and Royal City.
We heard 'The Nation Will Sing' from their self-titled album.

DEGREE 38: Weeping Tile
In 1995, Peaches started the Shit, a noisy four-piece combo with Chilly Gonzales, Mocky and bassist Rebecca "Sticky" Henderson who would later play in Weeping Tile. The band, Weeping Tile was started by singer-songwriter Sarah Harmer in 1993. Between 1995-1996, the band's line-up changed completely with the exception of Harmer. This regrouping saw Sticky join the line-up.
From Sarah Harmer's album 'You Were Here', we listened to Basement Apt. which was originally a Weeping Tile song.

DEGREE 37: Peaches
In 1996, Feist moved from Calgary to Toronto. Then four years later, Feist moved in with a friend of a friend, Merrill Nisker, who then began to perform as an electro-punk musician Peaches. Feist worked the back of the stage at Peaches' shows, using a sock puppet. The two also toured together in England from 2000–2001. Feist even appears as a guest vocalist on 'The Teaches of Peaches' album.
'Mommy Complex' is the track we heard from Peaches' 'I Feel Cream' album.

Featured September 28, 2011

Degrees 34-36

DEGREE 36: Feist
Leslie Feist, known professionally as simply Feist, is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Her Vancouver Olympics appearance wasn't her first on the world athletic stage. At the age of twelve Feist performed as one of 1000 dancers in the opening ceremonies of the Calgary Winter Olympics in 1988.
We heard from Socalled's 2011 release 'Sleepover'. The cut was 'Work With What You Got'

DEGREE 35: Katie Moore
A montreal-based vocalist who has released two albums of her own. She's also been is featured on many of SoCalled's recordings. Katie Moore did a live collaboration with Feist at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
From Katie Moore's second album 'Montebello', we sampled the song 'We Have Had Some Good Times'.
 

DEGREE 34: Socalled
Josh Dolgin, aka Socalled, the Canadian rapper and producer, has recorded at the same studio as Hidden Words. The studio is called Thee Mighty Hotel2Tango. It is an analog-based recording studio in the mile end of Montreal.
We listened to Feist's 'I Feel It All' from her 'The Reminder' album.

Featured September 21, 2011

Degrees 31-33

DEGREE 33: Clues
The Unicorns broke up in late 2004. The story goes that while performing a show in Houston, Texas, Nicholas Thorburn looked over at Alden Penner and said something along the lines of, "I quit, I can't do this anymore" and walked off stage.
After the break-up of the band, Alden Penner worked on various musical projects including the score for the independent film 'The Hamster Cage' and managed the Canadian-based record label 'Take This Hammer', which he has since put to rest. Penner since debuted a new band 'Clues' at the Pop Montreal festival in October 2007. Clues' self-titled debut album was released on May 19, 2009 on Constellation Records, with a North American tour to follow. In 2010, Penner announced the creation of a new band called Hidden Words.
We heard from the self-titled Clues album, the cut was 'Perfect Fit'

DEGREE 32: The Unicorns
Islands' Nicholas Thorburn has also fronted Th' Corn Gangg, Reefer, and Human Highway and The Unicorns.
We sampled the song 'Jellybones' from The Unicorns.

DEGREE 31: Islands
Mike Feuerstack used to be a member of the band Islands. Currently in the band is Nicholas Thorburn.
We heard 'Rough Gem' from their album 'Return to the Sea'.

Featured September 14, 2011

Degrees 28-30

DEGREE 30: Julie Doiron & The Wooden Stars
Mike is also in band called the Wooden Stars. A Canadian indie rock band formed in the 1990s in Ottawa. The vocalist and guitarist is Julien Beillard, guitarist Mike Feuerstack, bassists Josh Latour and Mathieu Beillard, and drummer Andrew McCormack.
We tapped into the song ‘Gone Gone’ from the collaboration between Julie Doiron and the Wooden Stars released in 2000.

DEGREE 29: Snailhouse
Many Montreal-based bands share members, Bell Orchestre is a six-piece instrumental band crosses over with Arcade Fire. Pietro Amato is a part-time member of Arcade Fire. Sarah Neufeld and Richard Parry are full-time members of Arcade Fire. Whereas Mike Feuerstack makes music under the pseudonym Snailhouse.
We heard ‘I Never Woke Up’ from his album ‘Sentimental Gentleman’.

DEGREE 28: Arcade Fire
Brendan Reed (http://nocarsgo.org) is a multi-instrumentalist from Williamsburg, Virginia known for his work with bands from Montreal, Canada including Think about Life and Arcade Fire. Reed was a member of Arcade Fire prior to their first album, Funeral. His drumming and vocals appear on their debut EP.
We heard 'Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)' from the album Funeral.

Featured September 7, 2011

Degrees 25-27

DEGREE 27: Think about Life
The Montreal band Miracle Fortress is primarily a project of songwriter Graham Van Pelt. He is also in the band Think About Life. From their album 'Family' we sampled the song 'Young Hearts'.
 
DEGREE 26: Miracle Fortress
When Adam & the Amethysts were crafting their debut album they received help from Montreal music scene friends, including Nathan Ward who is the drummer from Miracle Fortress.
We heard the cut 'Everything Works' from Miracle Fortress' album 'Was I The Wave?'
 

DEGREE 25: Adam & the Amethysts
Kelp Records (kelprecords.com) is the home label of Jim Bryson. Although it was formed in March 1994 by Jon Bartlett in Fredericton, New Brunswick, the label is now based in Ottawa, Ontario. It has worked with a number of Canadian artists, including The Acorn, Jim Bryson and Camp Radio. The newest addition to the label is Montreal's ‘Adam & the Amethysts’. Their second album, entitled Flickering Flashlight, will be out on that label on October 4, 2011. We heard the song 'Prophecy'.

Featured August 31, 2011

Degrees 22-24

DEGREE 24: Jim Bryson
On Jim Bryson’s fourth studio album The Weakerthans played as his band. The album was recorded at a cottage on Falcon Lake in Manitoba. Other guest musicians on the album include Gord Sinclair of The Tragically Hip and Jill Barber. It was released October 19, 2010 on Kelp Records and MapleMusic. We listened to the song 'Up All Night' from that album.

DEGREE 23: The Weakerthans
John K. Samson formed the Weakerthans in 1997 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He created the band after he left the punk band Propagandhi. We heard ‘Night Windows’ from the live album, Live at the Burton Cummings Theatre recorded live off the floor at the Winnipeg theatre.

DEGREE 22: Baby Eagle
The Constantines formed were formed by Steve Lambke, Bryan Webb, Doug MacGregor, and Dallas Wehrle in 1999. Steve Lambke created lo-fi Baby Eagle created a solo project in 2006 and released a self-entitled first album on Outside Music. The album includes contributions from Shotgun & Jaybird as well as wife and husband Christine Fellows and John K. Samson, along with their dog. We heard from Baby Eagle's second album 'No Blues', the song was 'Baby Come on Home'.

Featured August 24, 2011

Degrees 19-21

DEGREE 21: The Constantines
Jennifer Castle has lent her voice to a diverse list of recordings, including albums by Doug Paisley and Woolly Leaves. She also was featured on F*cked Up’s songs 'Year of the Pig' and 'David Comes to Life' as well as The Constantines’ 'Kensington Heights'. We heard the duet between Feist and the Constantines from Feist's The Reminder [Limited Deluxe Edition] on a cover of 'Islands in the Stream'.

DEGREE 20: Jennifer Castle
Andre Ethier is on Blue Fog, a record label from Toronto, Ontario. They specialize in releasing small runs of great Canadian true Psychedelic folk, rock, and metal music on CD and 12'' vinyl. Also with Blue Fog is Jennifer Castle. We heard 'Poor As Him' from her Castlemusic album which was released on Blue Fog/Flemish Eye in 2011.

DEGREE 19: Andre Ethier
The Silver Hearts were on hiatus until they temporarily regrouped in 2006 to make 'Dear Stranger' (2006) with Andre Ethier. Ethier is a Toronto-based musician.
We heard Andre Ethier's song 'Pride of Egypt'.

Featured August 17, 2011

Degrees 16-18

DEGREE 18: Silver Hearts
Another Peterborough, ON band is the Silver Hearts. They formed in 2000.
'Dreaming of You' was the track we heard.

DEGREE 17: The Kindness Killers
The Weather Station is currently on the road, with a stop in Peterborough, ON. There she will be sharing the stage with hometown band The Kindness Killers on August 23. We listened to 'Weeping Willow' from the band self-titled December 2010 release.

DEGREE 16: Weather Station
The recent release 'All of It was Mine' from the Weather Station (aka Tamara Lindeman) was produced by Daniel Romano. We heard the cut 'Know It To See It' from that very 2011 album.

Featured August 10, 2011

Degrees 13-15

 
DEGREE 15: Daniel Romano
Julie is in many bands, including: Daniel, Fred & Julie. This three piece is completed by Daniel Romano and Fred Squire on vocals and guitar. One of those gents’ solo album was long-listed for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize. That’s Daniel Romano's album Sleep Beneath The Willow from which we heard the cut 'Helen's Restaurant'.
 
DEGREE 14: Julie Doiron
While going to school at University of Western Ontario stuyding English, Basia Bulat was coaxed by friends into opening for Julie Doiron.
We heard 'Sending The Photographs' from Doiron's 2002 album Heart & Crime.

DEGREE 13: Basia Bulat
In 2008, The Banff Centre started the Banff Indie Band Residency. Ohbijou was one of the first three bands selected to participate. The residency allowed the band to rehearse, write and record new work, perform, and mix with recording engineers, faculty, and other young musicians. In the second year of the residency Basia Bulat took part
We sampled the song 'In The Night' from her album Oh My Darling.

Featured August 3, 2011

Degrees 10-12

 
DEGREE 12: Ohbijou
Silkken Laumann is a brand new three-piece electro-dance project from Ottawa which features members of The Acorn and solo artist Adam Saikaley. In 2008, The Acorn and Ohbijou released a Split 12".
From Ohbijou's 2006 release Swift Feet for Troubling Times, we heard 'To Rest in Peace on Righteous Tides'.

DEGREE 11: Silkken Laumann
Rich Aucoin played at Sackville, New Brunswick's Sappyfest (JULY 29 - 31, 2011). Also on the SappyFest bill: BonJay, Chad VanGaalen, Gobble Gobble, Jim Bryson and Ottawa's Silkken Laumann.
We listened to the Silkken Laumann song 'Soleil Moonfrye'.

Degrees 7-9

DEGREE 9: Quiet Parade
Buck 65 worked on the campus radio station CKDU out of Halifax, hosting a hip-hop show 'The Bassment', which was later renamed 'The Treatment Program'. A current host on the CKDU airwaves with the program 'Halifax is Burning', Quiet Parade's Trevor Murphy plays music from the Halifax-area.
We heard the song 'I Never Wanted To Live Like That' from the album Please Come Home (We Hate It Here Without You).
 
DEGREE 8: Jenn Grant
Hawksley Workman is performing live with Symphony Nova Scotia in his first ever orchestral concert later this year. Jenn Grant has performed twice with Symphony NS over the last two years.  
From Buck 65's most recent album 20 Odd Years we heard Grant sing 'Paper Planes'.
 

DEGREE 7: Hawksley Workman
Workman took Colleen Brown on tour with him last year. During the tour she played at Edmonton's Winspear Centre where she used to work the box office.
We heard 'No Sissies' from his 1999 release For Him and The Girls.

Featured July 20, 2011

Degrees 4-6

DEGREE 6: Colleen Brown

Emm Gryner heard Colleen Brown's 2007 release Foot in Heart and decided to re-release it on her Toronto-based label Dead Daisy Record. It's was re-launched on March 16, 2011.
We heard the song 'Love you Baby' from Ms. Brown's Foot In Heart album.

DEGREE 5: Emm Gryner

Gryner worked with Danny Michel on a summer series radio program, where they featured cover songs. The musician that Danny Michel covered on his 'Loving the Alien', is Gryner's former boss, David Bowie. Gryner played in Bowie's band and sang backing vocals.
We listened to a cut from her duets album Gem and I. The duet 'Get Brave' was with Bubbles from The Trailer Park Boys.

DEGREE 4: Danny Michel

Danny Michel produced the last AA Soundsystem album Laissez Faire (2005) as well as Ayla Brooks' 2007 album After The Morning After.
We heard 'Ashes to Ashes' from Michel's cover album Loving the Alien: Danny Michel Sings The Songs Of David Bowie.

Featured July 13, 2011

Degrees 1-3

DEGREE 3: AA Soundsystem 
Kathryn Calder was a member of the Victoria, BC band Immaculate Machine. She recorded two EPs and four CDs with the band before parting ways with them in 2008. Marek Tyler has also played with Immaculate Machine. When he was an Alberta resident, he was a part of the band AA Soundsystem with Ayla Brook. From AA Soundsystem's album Laissez-Faire, we heard 'I Don’t Get You At All'

DEGREE 2: Kathryn Calder
Ms. Calder officially became a member of the New Pornographers in 2006. That's after she was a fill-in for the band while Neko Case was away on other musical adventures.
We heard 'If You Only Knew' from Calder's 2010 album Are You My Mother?
 

DEGREE 1: New Pornographers
The starting place for this feature on Lunch Box. We could go in all sorts of directions as the bandmates in this group have many connections on the Canadian music scene.
We heard the title track from their 2007 Challenger album.
 

Featured July 6, 2011