D'EON - 'Transparency'

Origin: Montreal, QC
Category: STUFFED CRUST PIZZA
Cherchez La Moose: D'Eon is an emerging artist in the Montreal indie scene. He recently released a split LP with another buzz-generating newbie named Grimes, who directed this video. I actually love Transparency; it's strange, retro, hypnotic, and quite interesting lyrically. The video, unfortunately, is a piece of coal in a Christmas stocking. It's a wet fart on a rainy day. It's just lame. I understand that they probably didn't have much of a budget to work with, but that isn't the problem - the video reeks of pretentious Montreal hipsterdom. I want to hear more from d'Eon though; not only does he have a cool sound, but he has the talent to back it up (he is a classical pianist). 

K-OS - 'Crabbuckit'

Origin: Toronto, ON
Category: NORTHERN ELIXIR
Cherchez La Moose: K-os is long overdue for a Northern Elixir. Crabbuckit isn't my favourite from 2004's awesome Joyful Rebellion, but it's the song that many consider to be his breakthrough, at least in terms of mainstream appeal. Stylistically, it was on a different level when it came out. I bought the album and realized on first listen just how special an artist K-os is. Every song sounded totally different from the next, but they were all quite good. It feels like his star has faded in recent years, but K-os is still releasing albums. In fact, his single 4, 3, 2, 1 from 2009's Yes! is one of his best ever. He doesn't seem to be slowing down, so hopefully his audience can keep up.

NELLY FURTADO - 'Promiscuous'

Origin: Victoria, BC
Category: NORTHERN ELIXIR
Cherchez La Moose: Did Nelly Furtado sell out on her 2006 album Loose? You bet. Something funny happened though - her new image and sound worked so well that pretty much no one held it against her. Promiscuous was a smash hit that propelled both Furtado and Timbaland back into the spotlight. It doesn't hold up quite as well these days, but at the time, it was the freshest thing on the market. Maneater and Say It Right were just as great, but Promiscuous started a trend and introduced a new phase in Timbaland's career as a producer.  

MOTHER MOTHER

Origin: Quadra Island, BC
Category: EMERGING ANTLERS
Cherchez La Moose: It's Mother's Day, and I am writing an entry on Mother Mother. Clever? I wish - I didn't even recognize the coincidence until 10 seconds ago. These guys have been in the grind for a while now, and they have earned their stripes for crafting consistently quirky indie rock across three albums. If you haven't heard their music, but you're a fan of The New Pornographers, give Mother Mother a chance. They're awesome; you won't regret it.

THE ORGAN

Origin: Vancouver, BC
Category: LOST IN THE WILDERNESS
Cherchez La Moose: Although The Organ only released one album, they managed to develop a strong cult following and make their mark on the Canadian indie scene. They were ripping off The Smiths before most other bands in the 2000's started ripping off The Smiths, so The Organ gets props for that one. Katie Sketch was more than a poster child; her sexuality and androgynous look grabbed headlines (and also landed her some high profile modeling gigs), but her voice was quite powerful and well-suited for the music she was making. Memorize The City is what I consider to be their best single; I wish we could have heard more.