The Bends remains one of my all-time favourite albums. I remember discovering Radiohead in the 90s and being absolutely mesmerized by the music video for "Just" when it came out over twenty years ago. This was before the days and Directed by experimental filmmaker Jamie Thraves, it still holds up today.
Here we go on a 90s alternative rock tip...
🎶 Don't be afraid
I didn't mean to scare you
So help me Jesus 🎶
Those of you who know, know.
Told you she was good. Here's more Esthero, channeling a little bit of that Milla Jovovitch vibe out of The Fifth Element in this music video, filmed in Toronto. Plus, we get to see those classic Rocket streetcars.
Some might say this is slightly deviating from my intentions to feature only Canadian artists this week, but here I go anyway because this one is such hot fire...
Some of you might remember the other-worldly, ethereal Esthero, who hails from our beloved theatrical town of Stratford, Ontario. She brings her smooth vocals to the hook on this track from B.E.P.'s finest record, before they got all tangled up with that Fergie noise.
🎶 Jumping music, swift DJs
Smoke machines and laser rays
Look out weekend cause, here I come
Because weekends... 🎶
This one's coming hot out of Toronto, the Big Smoke before it was the 6ix. Tasha's showing up on all kinds of rising star lists and been dubbed one of the main artists to watch for SXSW 2017. This video is pure lady swagger and I hope it gets your weekend going right.
More tracks from Canada this week.
Looking forward to walking down Yonge street on a Friday soon enough...
Keepin' this Canadian train rollin'...
When this video came out, I couldn't stop watching it. So catchy. That choreography. One take? It even snagged the JUNO Award for Video of the Year.
(Also worth a listen off this same record is her cover of Haddaway's "What Is Love," totally reimagined.)
Next up in this week of Canadian content: Alessia Cara. Because I love my girls from the GTA.
While the original has a soaring beat that can't help but make you feel resilient and powerful, Alessia's acoustic cover below (scroll down) cuts me to my core. That voice, those lyrics. Happy to know young girls have this one to look up to -- can't wait to see what other magic she cooks up for us to listen to in the years to come.
🎶 So aye, we brought our drum and this is how we dance
No mistakin', we make our breaks, if you don't like our 808s
Then leave us alone, cause we don't need your policies
We have no apologies for being... 🎶
Getting ready for a trip back to Toronto so I thought a week of Canadian tracks would be in order. Let's keep these R&B vibes going steady...
We're gonna throw it back to the late nineties just like this.
Smooth like butter-soft leather. Plus you got J. Cole trying to celebrate his Independence Day (Will Smith).
Tonight we caught Yasiin Bey (fka Mos Def) close out the night at Oakland's Fox Theater, after a performance from the always-entertaining Reggie Watts. Although he was missing Talib, this track is still one of my all-time favourites nearly fifteen years later.
🎶 Breathe in, inhale vapors from bright stars that shine
Breathe out, weed smoke retrace the skyline
Heard the bass ride out like an ancient mating call
I can't take it, y'all, I can feel the city breathing
Chest heaving, against the flesh of the evening
Sigh before we die like the last train leaving 🎶
🎶 I was wondering of a white dress
And the mistress
And a spirit holding my hand 🎶
And here's a fun remix, for those of you who made it this far.