Blur. "Parklife." Parklife, Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company, 1994.
Oy.
Because you can't, you won't, and you don't
Beastie Boys. "Sure Shot." Ill Communication, Capitol Records, Inc., 1994.
Here's another classic music video directed by Spike Jonze. This track always takes me back to the days of riding around in the snow park up at Whistler.
A mafioso story with a twist
Bran Van 3000. "Drinking in L.A." Glee, Audiogram Records, 1998.
Want those free Bran Van tickets...
Is this some karmic-chi love thing happening here baby or what?
Fun Loving Criminals. "Scooby Snacks." Come Find Yourself, Chrysalis Records Limited, 1996.
So many things I love about this track, not least of which is the dialogue from that classic robbery scene in Pulp Fiction in the opening.
You do it to yourself
Radiohead. "Just." The Bends, XL Recordings Ltd., 1995.
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.
I'm not gonna lie
The Toadies. "Possum Kingdom." Rubberneck, Interscope Records, 1994.
Here we go on a 90s alternative rock tip...
🎶 Don't be afraid
I didn't mean to scare you
So help me Jesus 🎶
Where lands are green and skies are blue
Spacehog. "In The Meantime." Resident Alien, Elektra Entertainment. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing, 2004.
Those of you who know, know.
Aphrodite tonight...
Esthero. "That Girl." Breath from Another, SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT, 1998.
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.
Get blessed by the beat pharmacy
Black Eyed Peas, Esthero. "Weekends." Bridging The Gap, Interscope Records, 2000.
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... 🎶
Smoke signals from my tribe
Tasha The Amazon. "Picasso Leaning." Die Every Day, The Truth Music Group / Hot Steam Entertainment, 2016.
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.
No time to get down cause I'm moving up
k-os. "Crabbuckit." Joyful Rebellion, EMI Music Canada, 2004.
More tracks from Canada this week.
Looking forward to walking down Yonge street on a Friday soon enough...
Taking me higher than I've ever been before
Kiesza. "Hideaway." Hideaway, Island Records (Lokal Legend), a division of UMG Recordings, Inc., 2014.
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.)
Gather all the rebels now
Alessia Cara. "Wild Things." Know It All, Def Jam Recordings, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc., 2015.
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... 🎶
Trust you'll find your way
Glenn Lewis. "Don't You Forget It." World Outside My Window, Sony Music Entertainment Inc. and The Heineken Foundation, Inc., 2001.
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...