photo by Adam Penney

I know it has been forever - the Canadian Mixtape project has been on the shelf longer than Gran's favorite preserves - but we getting the band(s) back together and compiling the Newfoundland edish of the Great Canadian Mixtape project. Obviously, if any fans of rock from the rock have any suggestions, feel free to send them our way, but without question, one band that will make the final cut is The Once.

The trio may only have one record under their belts, but the way the polish and tradition of their folk arrangements instantly surround you is pretty astounding. Elegant melodies built on picked banjos, guitars, mandolins all float along and allow the purity of Geraldine's voice to set the tone of your listen. Each word she delivers shines and thanks to the understated, but perfectly placed support Andrew and Phil offer, you feel like you've unearthed some old collection of folk gems from decades ago - the one giveaway is a Tom Waits cover - not just a year ago.

So to get you excited about The Once and this upcoming mixtape, here's a nice little medley that shows the talent this folk troop has to offer.

MP3:: The Once - Is The Big Man Within/Hound's/Gerald Thomas' Burnt Potato
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/nowtheonce
BUY:: http://www.theonce.ca/

Labels: Canadian Mixtape, Newfoundland, Quick Hitters, The Once

I know. I know. This took forever! We were hit in the grill with real life and then were waiting on some songs that took a bit longer than we expected, but like Tag Team says - "Whoomp. Here it is." The Great Canadian Mixtape:: PEI style. Even though PEI is the smallest province, the scene is unreal and several bands are already getting National attention. Finding good bands was easy... whittling it down to the final was the hard part. Well, that and tying in an 80's hip hop reference to the whole affair.


Of course we are heavy on the Collegan Rock acts. Two Hours Traffic is one of the best bands out there right now, but The Danks have been know to crank up the party and Smothered in Hugs - at least according to Matt Charlton - might be the best band out there. But PEI is more than just cruching riffs. The Grass Mountain Hobos. Meaghan Blanchard. Catherline MacLellan. Pat Deighan. Tim Chaisson. Eric Broadbent. The Barnkats! The list is endless, so take the time to get to know some of these bands. You won't be sorry.

Thanks to Matt Charlton, Lloyd @ Sandbar and Killbeat Ken for getting us some exclusive and new tracks for the mix.

Great Canadian Mixtape:: PEI - The (Confederation Bridge is Over)
Download entire zip here.

Armchair General - Milks & Rectangles || MP3
Die Young - The Danks
Territory - Two Hours Traffic
Don’t Touch That Dial (demo) - Paper Lions || MP3
Should’ve Said No - Battery Point || MP3
Bloody Bone - Racoon Bandit
Tiny Paws - The Robots || MP3
Jackson Leftfield - Boxer the Horse
Say What You Want - Pat Deighan & The Orb Weavers
Broken Hearted Beat - Tim Chaisson & Morning Fold

Tired - Meaghan Blanchard || MP3
Take a Break - Catherine MacLellan
Don’t Know What You Got - Grass Mountain Hobos
Haunted Hearts - Haunted Hearts
Dear Departed - Nudie and the Turks
Cold Ottawa Wind - The North Lakes
Live and Die by the Cut - Eric Broadbent and DJ Ghost
Dance - The Barnkats
Ghost Believah - Smothered in Hugs
Charlottetown P.E.I. (Eddie) - Practical Academics || MP3

Labels: Battery Point, Canadian Mixtape, Grass Mountain Hobos, Meaghan Blanchard, Milks and Rectangles, Pat Deighan, PEI, The Barnkats, The North Lakes, Tim Chaisson, Two Hours Traffic

We are back in full swing here on the Great Canadian Mixtape Project and honestly, hats off to you Saskatchewan. Not only did you come through with a ton of quality tracks, you really personified the reasons we started this thing. When we stumbled on an act we wanted to include, it was followed up with three or four suggestions of other bands that deserved to be heard.

Saskatchewan really has a terrific collection of artists, and runs the gambit when it comes to style. The pop stylings of Maybe Smith (who offered up a preview of the new record, a duet with Christine Fellows) and Library Voices, the gritty punk of The Ultimate Power Duo, the electric roots of acts like The Deep Dark Woods and Shuyler Jansen and a hip-hop community that offered up a cornucopia of jams were obviously fantastic finds, but the real hidden gems were the complete surprises like a brand new song from Foam Lake (ex-Blood Lines - RIP) and the crazy country, shoegaze instrumental goodness of the Lazy MKs.

When it comes to Saskatchewan, it's hard not to think of the flat prairie landscape, but for us it's even harder not to think of the quality mustache of CFL Hall of Famer, Ray Elgaard. Like the man himself, the artists on this mix really showcase toughness and heart, and have skills you wouldn't expect. Elgaard's legendary hustle also inspired us to give you more than our normal 20 songs and include the perfectly titled jam from Kay the Aquanaut, The '89 Grey Cup.


So without further ado, here it is: Elgaard Your Grill (download zip)

1. Jeannette Stewart – Prairie Skies (MP3)
2. A Gentle Forest - Springtime
3. Slow Down, Molasses – Slow Motion
4. soso & DJ Kutdown - Under the Yoke
5. Rah Rah – Duet For Emmylou And The Grievous Angel
6. Deep Dark Woods – Mountain (live unreleased recording) (MP3)
7. Ultimate Power Duo – Jack the Ripper
8. Sylvie – Please Make it Home
9. We Were Lovers – Mirror, Mirror (MP3)
10. Volcanoless in Canada – She Moves
11. Foam Lake – Die Fighting (MP3)
12. Eekwol feat. Mils and Stic.man of Dead Prez - The Gauntlet
13. Lazy MKs – Pakowki
14. Epic - The City
15. Polymaths - Duets (MP3)
16. Library Voices – Kundera on the Dance Floor
17. Maybe Smith – Bloopers (ft. Christine Fellows) (MP3)
18. Factor – One Record
19. These Hands – Zoe Montreal
20. Shuyler Jansen– Totally Anonymous (MP3)

BONUS TRACK:: Kay the Aquanaut - The '89 Grey Cup

So thank you SK. You really went above and beyond. Special thanks go out to Ken Beattie, Tyson from Slow Down, Molasses, Shuyler Jansen and Michael from Young Soul Records. You guys really helped us track down some terrific artists. Also, we want to thank Lauren Burrows from CBC Radio 3. The interview and attention you gave the project will really help these artists get heard, which is why we are doing this.

Up next is PEI. So, lets get some recommendations in and keep the momentum going.

Labels: Canada, Canadian Mixtape, Music

Wow. This one took forever and a day to finish, but the end results are pretty stellar. We had some delays on songs, a redesign of the cover art (who knew that Winnipeg was lousy with 'Keeping it Riel' shirts and our idea wasn’t original) and general half assedness on our side.

Luckily, by waiting we got some absolute treats for you guys:

• A Ruby Jean & the Thoughtful Bees remix of I Hate Dell by Oldfolks Home.
• The first sneak peak at of the new Romi Mayes record.
• A Hot Little Rocket cover.
  
• A terrific collabo between Pip Skid and bluegrass loving The Magnificent 7s.
• A Halifax recording of the most identifiable song about Winnipeg ever.

Most importantly, we proved that Manitoba is not only chock o block full of terrific roots artists, its got a budding hip hop scene, some nice electro acts and a fair chunk of indie rockers as well. Oh, and for those unfamiliar with the image that adorns the cover, it’s the Eternal Youth statue on top of the Manitoba Legislative Building – aka Golden Boy. So, in the immortal words of Johnny Cade... "stay gold Manitoba, stay gold."

Download Manitoba zip - here

1.) I'll Be Free - The Western States
2.) Down With Safe - Paper Moon (MP3)
3.) Nurse - Flying Fox and the Hunter/Gatherers
4.) 500% - Boats!!
5.) Toothpaste - Birdapres
6.) Dovercourt Road - Len Bowen ft. Grand Analog (MP3)
7.) A Little Tradition - Novillero
8.) Who Will Run the Starfish Hospital? - The Paperbacks
9.) Hold Tight - Crosstown Rivals
10.) All Empires Fall - The Waking Eyes

11.) Charlie's Back - The Liptonians (MP3)
12.) I Hate Dell (Ruby Jean and the Thoughtful Bees RMX) - Oldfolks Home (MP3)
13.) I'll Walk Alone - Grand Analog
14.) Pip's Kid Retake ft. The Magnificent 7s - Pip Skid
15.) Highest Mountain - The Crooked Brothers
16.) Trois Rivieres - D. Rangers
17.) This City - The Magnificent 7s
18.) Achin' In Yer Bones - Romi Mayes (MP3)
19.) Height of the Land - The Details
20.) One Great City! (Live @ Summersonic '08 in Halifax) - The Weakerthans

Thanks to the all the readers who wrote in as well as Ken Beattie, Marc Leblanc and Ricardo Lopez for helping us track down the bands. Up next? Saskatchewan and we already have some killer stuff in the vault for you... so get ready.

Labels: Canadian Mixtape, Music