JANN ARDEN - 'Insensitive'

Origin: Springbank, AB
Category: NORTHERN ELIXIR
Cherchez La Moose: I feel bad making Insensitive Jann Arden's Northern Elixir, because it is the only song that she didn't write on 1994's Living Under June. It's a great album, one that I heard many times on road trips with my family when I was younger. There is something exceptional about Insensitive though, and it has long been considered her shining moment by many fans. I have always liked this video - the colours somehow match the mood of the song really well.

BONJAY

Origin: Toronto, ON
Category: EMERGING ANTLERS
Cherchez La Moose: Is it just me, or is Toronto bringing it right now? There is so much quality music coming from the T Dot that it takes work picking and choosing who I should write about. You guys remember urban electro duo Thunderheist? Bonjay is not Thunderheist....(I initially thought that they were the same group under a different stage name). Stumble is Bonjay's debut single, and it is pure fire. The additional staccato vocals in the chorus are a really nice touch. I also like how difficult it is to make out the lyrics in the verses. It's a bit frustrating at first, but the vocals just sort of melt into the beat, which is the true star of the song.

MATTHEW GOOD BAND - 'Everything Is Automatic'

Origin: Vancouver, BC
Category: NORTHERN ELIXIR
Cherchez La Moose: I loved Canadian alt rock as a teenager. I didn't realize how neutered most of it was until a few years ago, when I decided to play through my old CD's. Matthew Good Band were more radio-friendly than I had remembered, but good songwriting is good songwriting, and they wrote a lot of excellent music. Everything Is Automatic is one of many songs I could have posted. 1997's Underdogs is still a classic album, and 1999's Beautiful Midnight was a perfect follow-up. Matt Good's lyrics became very depressing over time, to the point where I didn't feel like listening to him anymore. He is still releasing music though, now as a solo artist.

THE WEEKND

Origin: Toronto, ON
Category: EMERGING ANTLERS
Cherchez La Moose: How's this for bragging rights - having The New York Times write an article about you after releasing only 3 songs. Such is the case with The Weeknd, a mysterious new R&B duo from Toronto. Drake, 2010's It-rapper, discovered them last Fall and plugged them on his popular blog. Their buzz started building from there, and the rest is history. I found The Weeknd's What You Need on Pitchfork a few weeks ago and I have been obsessed with it ever since.

NEVEREST

Origin: Toronto, ON
Category: VOLCANO TOSS
Cherchez La Moose: This band perplexes me. How did they come up with their band name? "Hey guys, ever climbed Mount Everest?" "Never." ".......OMG! NEVEREST." Their stroke of genius continues on their revelatory first single, About Us. It is the band's debut single, so first impressions count. They seize the opportunity with these profound lyrics - "I hate hearing about us....I'm tiiiiirrrred."Neverest is overproduced to the max, and I get a manufactured feel from them. Young girls supposedly find them attractive, but the singer's 1cm forehead is nothing but a distraction to me. 

GEORGE

Origin: Toronto, ON
Category: LOST IN THE WILDERNESS
Cherchez La Moose: Where is George?! He brought us two memorable videos back in the mid-2000's - Talk To Me and Lie To Me. I loved George from the get-go because of his stage name. Madonna....Beyonce.....George. George Michael? OF. COURSE. NOT. Just "George." I also love his dance routines. Both videos had cheesy yet enjoyable choreography, but this video takes the cake for unleashing a new move that sent Canadian audiences into a frenzy back in 2006: the arm piano at 2:25.  

OWEN PALLETT - 'Your Ex-Lover Is Dead' (Stars cover)

Origin: Toronto, ON
Category: NORTHERN ELIXIR
Cherchez La Moose: Owen Pallett has written a lot of amazing music, but this cover of Stars' Your Ex-Lover Is Dead literally took my breath away the first time I heard it. The original version is gorgeous as well, and is one of Stars' shining moments (pun intended, bahaha). If you ever get the chance to see Pallett perform live, drop everything and go immediately. His live show is one of the best that I have ever seen.

STARS - 'Ageless Beauty'

Origin: Montreal, QC
Category: NORTHERN ELIXIR
Cherchez La Moose: Pure magic.