I can approach this question in two different ways, the following: what personally blew me away, what appears to have made an impact on the music scene. Let’s start with the second one and some comparison with the 90s. The 90s introduced some hallmark records and even scenes. The early 90s kicked off in the underground with swedish death metal and a sound that is being copied today by thousands of bands. These monumental albums include Entombed’s Left Hand Path, Carnage’s Dark Recollections and Dismember’s Like an Ever Flowing Stream. The mid-90s offered the definitive death metal album, At The Gates‘ Slaughter of the soul, which also created a school of its own and even mainstream nu-metal bands today rip it off without even knowing they’re doing so! I won’t refer to the USA since the death metal revolution came earlier in the late 80s there, although there is still technical death metal monuments like all albums from Death, Cynic, and brutal technical death metal like Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse and Monstrosity. The late 90s, however, in the USA introduced a style that would eventually make its impact in the first few years of the 2000s. Other notable musical revolutions of the nineties include of course Grunge and Nirvana’s Nevermind, whose success led to an unprecedented parade of grunge bands, Radiohead’s OK Computer, which reinvented progressive rock, the Bristol scene with bands like Portishead, The Hives, whose monumental first album (accompanied by some post-punk albums of the late 70s-early 80s) sowed the seeds for an awful pop-rock generation of bands like Franz Ferdinand et al, and of course the re-invention of Garage-punk-rock, first with American bands like The Humpers, later on with Scandinavian bands like Turbonegro and The Hellacopters. Many other novel things can be said about this decade, on cover art (Dan Seagrave), video-clips (Tarshem Singh’s Losing My Religion), etc.  Now what about the 2000s?

I am afraid that as far as death metal goes, the only notable records that had an impact on the scene would be Dying Fetus’s amazing Destroy the Opposition (2000) and Pig Destroyer’s Prowler in the Yard (2001). Destroy the Opposition is a monument of sheer brutality, full of the infamous break-downs and blast-beats that today’s kids value so much. Of course, the origins of the new wave of brutal death metal scene that rose in prominence in the early 2000s (Origin, Disavowed, Disgorge, Severe Torture, many many more) can be found earlier in early Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Carcass, or even early Deeds of Flesh and Dehumanized. Nevertheless, the more recent additions to the scene, such as The Red Chord and more uninspired and plain silly bands such as Suicide Silence that seem to plague the brutal scene today, definitely owe much to Pig Destroyer and Dying Fetus. As far as softer metal goes, the first thing that comes in mind is Sustem of a Down’s Toxicity. A perfect album which has a little bit of something for everyone. I can describe it as thrash fuelled mainstream hardcore-punk. Many utterly insignificant nu-metal boy-bands tried to copy them and failed miserably, I don’t even remember their names. In pop-rock, the Hives‘ second album Veni Vidi Vicious (2000), with songs like Hate to say I told you so, gave the ultimate push to bands like Franz Ferdinand who then established this obnoxious “hiccups” pop-rock that half of the bands featured in stupid NME (a british pop-rock magazine) play. In hardcore-punk some kind of an innovation that had an impact the scene hadn’t seen for many many years, came with brutal hardcore bands like Tragedy, Severed Head of State and From Ashes Rise. These bands influenced hundreds of underground bands around the world with their death metal infested d-beat hardcore. In a way, through paying attention to production and adopting a dark image, they have made hardcore-punk mainstream again. Cornerstones from this scene include Tragedy’s self titled album and Vengeance, Severed Head of State’s Anathema device and From Ashes Rise’s Nightmares. I honestly cannot think of something else that can be considered to have an impact on music the last ten years…

Now what personally blew me away! I have to admit that 80% of what I listen to came out before the mid-90s. However, there are some records that have definetely had a huge impact on me the last ten years. Here’s 20 of them:

1. Napalm Death – Enemy of the Music business (2000) The band’s first album for the millenium is their undisputed masterpiece, surrounded of course by previous and after masterpieces. However, this album’s  collaboration among musicians, musical variety, intensity and production are beyond belief! And the way it kicks off, ohhhhhh!!!

2. Dying Fetus – Destroy the Opposition (2000) The band’s third proper album, and not that much different from the previous one. However, the production in this album does justice to the capabilities of the musicians. Amazing break downs and grind, Kevin Taley is really unstopable, amazing vocals especially by Netherton, and the lyrics are just genious! It certainly kept me busy for at least two years and I still think that it paved the way on how modern death should sound. And the way it kicks off, ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

3. Nomeansno – All Roads Lead to Ausfahrt (2006) After more than two decades the band keeps delivering awesome music. Less dark, a bit more happy but equally pessimistic with One and also a bit more punky, this album comprises a remedy in a world of talentless and uninnovative popular bands. And yes…the way it kicks off, ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

4. Paradise Lost – Faith Divides us, Death Unites Us (2009) The entire Paradise Lost’s output over the last ten years deserves to be here! Probably the best thing metal music has to offer. The latest album is among the few albums that I feel like saying “I am proud I have lived to experience the release of this album!”. Hands down the best album of the year. My ears still cannot believe what they hear…

5. Bad Religion – Process of Belief (2002) A great comeback for the band, after a couple of not so amazing albums. The new drummer definetely spiced things up and of course the same goes for the return of Brett Gurewitz. The power of this album and the diversity of songs is unique.

6. Tragedy – Vengeance (2002) A cornerstone of the new wave of brutal hardcore. Some Bolt Thrower and Amebix touches mixed with british and swedish d-beat (and why not some melodies bring in mind Strebers!) and two AMAZING singers make the difference. Dolefull, polemic, offensive, heavy and intense. Vengeance is among the best songs ever writen.

7. Propagandhi – Today’s Empires, tomorrow’s Ashes (2001) See previous post on the best punk albums from North America…

8.  Sokratis Malamas – Ena (2002) A composer that has influenced me a lot and is capable of doing what greek people say “education of the soul” (ψυχαγωγία), instead of entertainment. An album that sounds extremely personal, even though most of the lyrics belong to other artists/poets. Nevertheless, this somewhat outright cooperation with some genious lyricists gave birth to this gem of contemporary music. Traditional, ethnic, classical and modern influences blent together make this album so precious to me. (της σιωπης)

9. Thanasis Papakonstantinou – Vrachnos Profitis (2000) Everything I say for the previous artist apply here as well. The only difference is that here rock music is ever present  in the mix, a venture tried many times before by various greek artists but never had this result.

10. The Hellacopters – High Visibility (2000) One of the best things that happened in the world of music the last 20 years. This album, which kicks off exactly like TYR from Black Sabbath, has both the energy of the previous ones with the bluesy feeling of the ones that followed. What is amazing about this album, and this band in general, is that it manages to distill all the good elements of 60s and 70s rock and to throw away all the cock-rock mentality. This album makes me wanna play the guitar!

11. Broken Hope – Grotesque Blessings (2000) Monumental album which also set new standards in death metal. This album is unconventional and honest. It is totally unique in the sense that it sounds like nothing else. The melodies are from another dimension, and the lyrics are ingenious! An album that I never got bored of, because it has so much detail in its inventive structures. Masterpiece!

12. Immolation – Unholly Cult (2002) I was not sure if I should put this or the previous album here. The reason why I chose this one, is because it is more accessible. It has songs that you can remember, with bridges, choruses and everything. And they are all inspired like hell! I realised after years of listening to death metal, that at the end of the day what matters is not a thousand notes per minute or a hundred riffs per song. What matters is a good structure with a begining and an end, and songs that will be different from each other on their entirety as entities and not as riffs glued together. This is what Immolation always delivered.

13. Death Breath – Stinking Up the Night (2006) You have Nicke’s compositional skills, music and lyrics,  and Jorgen’s and Scott’s voice in one album. What else can one wish for? Christ all fucking mighty must be one of the best songs ever writen…

14. Entombed – Serpent Saints (2007) New line-up and a fierce return to 100% death metal for Entombed. Arguably the record I’ve been looking forward to for more than a decade (although I love all entombed albums before that)! Again here we have an amazing beginning and ending of the album, just like old times. In between we have a big variety of amazing songs, one better from the other! Once again old bands show how music should be played, and that does not include flawless musicianship, a thousand notes per minute and fake plastic productions, just passion and inspiration.

15. New Model Army – Carnival (2005) Surrounded by new musicians, Sullivan makes an impressive return with both this and the previous album (Eight). Much heavier and organic sound in relation to a glorious past, this album has made me think, close my eyes and travel to places I’ll never be and it has made me cry.

16. Slayer – World Painted Blood (2009) Not too much to say here. Slayer are gods! Are they the best group to have walked the earth? Why not! With their new album they demonstrate that only they can do what they do and no matter how many years will pass, no matter how much more extreme scenes will emerge, Slayer will always be able to make you wanna jump out of your body!!! Since I got the new album a couple of months ago, each time I listen to it I feel like I’m in a Slayer concert and I seriously want to hit somebody. Best song of the decade is Beauty Through Order!

17. The Partisans – Idiot Nation (2004) See previous post on the best punk albums from the UK…

18. Disfear – Live the Storm (2008) A monolith of brutal hardcore and a testimony of the state of humanity in the 21st century. All the angst and fears that we experience in an average day and refuse to admit to ourselves. At the same time it is a call to arms, although it does not spell out how… What can you do? Anyway music is supposed to heal the soul, if that will eventually cause a revolution it will be coincidental and I doubt it.

19. The Knife – Deep Cuts (2003) Not exactly my type of music, but still this album is so attractive that I don’t think is possible for anyone to resist. I don’t know how to describe it or why I think it is so important, I just love it.

20. Zeke – Death Alley (2001) Finally the record which I think symbolises the lust for life, having fun, partying and listening to all types of rock ‘n roll music, hehe. Oh, and of course our love for Satan…Amen.

50. Dutchess and the Duke
“Scorpio”

The harmonizing voices on this song perfectly capture the heartbreak of the narrator. Despite being near his lover, he still feels miles apart. A few weeks ago I was playing this song in my classroom during journal time, and one of my students commented that it sounded like something from “Juno”. I agreed, although I don’t remember Moldy Peaches ever sounding this damn beautiful.

49. NOFX
“Best God in Show”

Despite releasing a couple lackluster albums in the past few years, NOFX still have a gift for catching you off-guard. On the surface, “Best God in Show” is a happy-hippy jam, but when you get past the joyful ska riff and cheery organ, NOFX is once again questioning religion in a way that is both humorous and thought-provoking.

48. M. Ward
“Never Had Nobody Like You”

Once you get past the use of a double negative in the title, you will find M. Ward has written another hum-able gem that would fit perfectly alongside other classics on “Transfiguration of Vincent”. It’s just too bad he had to let Budweiser throw it into a comercial about guys hi-fiving…who okays these things and deems them as funny?

47. Jay-Z
“DOA (Death to Auto-Tune)

Jay-Z is the godfather of the rap world. When the Hova says auto-tune is dead, you better take notice. Like a modern-day Biz Markie, Jay-Z howls “Na, na, na, na! Hey, hey, hey! Goodbye!” off-key throughout the song, along with the use of live instrumentation, ranging from a squealing saxophone to a sultry guitar line. While most of the rap world has become a caricature of their former selves, Jay-Z continues to sing his own song, even if it is out of tune.

46. Bon Iver
“Woods”

Wait just one second Jay-Z…like a musical zombie, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon breathed new life into the auto-tuner with this captivating new approach to the played-out device. Somehow the old timey lyrics of “I’m building a still” work perfectly through the 21st century lens, sounding like a robotic barbershop quartet. And somehow, Vernon is still able to convey the loneliness and solitude of being alone in the woods.

45. Slayer
“Americon”

In a year where we got a glimpse of the stock market’s dirty under-belly and the corruption of American big business, it’s nice to see Slayer take a break from wreaking havoc on Christianity and focusing on the sick fucks who have preyed upon the middle class of this country for too long. There is something poetic about such an “evil” band taking on the true evil of this “land of deceit”.

44. Ty Segall
“Lovely One”

Ty Segall is often banging away at his guitar from start to finish, but on “Lovely One” he takes a break from his distortion pedal, starting off with a calming little guitar strum, eventually leading into the infectious chorus that would fit perfectly alongside The Animals and The Loving Spoonful on a classic oldies station.

43. Lightning Dust
“I Knew”

This song seems pressing despite the lack of a real drum track. The pulsing undertone continues from start to finish while the piano and organ truly take shape as percussion instruments, driving the two-minute romp through its existential path. How can something sound aged and cutting edge at the same time?

42. Pissed Jeans
“Goodbye (Hair)”

Historically, hardcore punk songs are about several defined topics: criticizing the government, criticizing the use of drugs/alcohol, or conveying how horrible it is to be a teenager. Pissed Jeans like to take a different stance. On past albums they’ve lamented the difficulties of being a stalker, the shame felt when cumming, and the perils of scrapbooking. On their 2009 release “King of Jeans” they even present the misery felt during the process of losing your hair:

I still can’t believe this is happening. I’m not fifty years old. I consider myself a young adult and want others to see me this way. If my looks deteriorate, it’ll wreak havoc on my self-esteem. Is that what I have to look forward to?

 Although humorous (and hitting a little close to home for a bald fella like myself) the song also conveys the anguish and frustration that is associated with growing old and losing your youth, one hair at a time.

41. Phoenix
“1901″

I know what you’re thinking: “How could he put this song so low on his list?!” Yes, I will admit that when I first heard this song during the spring, I played it endlessly. It’s catchy as hell and is even capable of getting a white boy like myself on his feet dancing (after a few beers mind you). Unfortunately, my love has turned to loathing due to the Cadillac ads played in heavy rotation during the commercial break of every football game. Despite this hatred, I still can’t deny what a great song it is, or was (don’t worry, Phoenix gets more cred on this list…)

40. The Love Language
“Lalita”

You’ve heard this song before, but in actuality you haven’t. Weird? That is the power of The Love Language my friends. Quit trying to remember where you heard it and just sit back and enjoy the tune you’ve never heard before but swear you have.

39. Morrissey
“Something’s Squeezing My Skull”

When Morrissey expresses that he is “doing fine”, you know he’s lying. Despite being an older gentleman, he still seems to be dealing with his demons, some of which take pleasure in squeezing his skull. Drugs? The perils of relationships? Insanity? Who cares really. At least musically Morrissey sounds better than ever, with a Gang of Four, angular riff and the closing chant of “Don’t give me anymore!” that you just can’t get enough of.

38. The Thermals
“Now We Can See”

The fact that you are hooked on this song within 10 seconds says it all.

37. Sonic Youth
“Thunderclaps for Pyn”

When I lived in Omaha I liked to go to the Old Country Buffet on barbeque night. I’d skip over the salad bar, the fried foods section, and even noodle salad row in search of one thing: BBQ ribs. I’d fill my plate with ribs, and ribs only. When all that remained was a plate with meat-less bones I’d go back for seconds, engulfing a pig’s entire rib cage by the end of my visit.  Sonic Youth’s “The Eternal” is much like a buffet line, featuring a wide range of Sonic sounds from over the years, ranging from the art noise of early days to the sparser atmospheres of recent albums. But, like a plate of short ribs, this past year I often found myself skipping over the other tunes in search of a nice earful of “Thunderclaps for Pyn”.  Yummy!

36. Lightning Bolt
“Sublime Freak”

How do you make a Lightning Bolt song more chaotic? Add bongos. But there is so much more going on in this song; there is actually a chorus! YES FOLKS! A CHORUS! And if you listen close enough, it almost sounds like a 1960s surfer tune. I can see the beach blanket gogo dancers now…

35. Japandroids
“The Boys are Leaving Town”

Sure, this song has sentimental value for me, reminding me of my road trip this past summer where Paul and I listened to this at the beginning of our trip and later saw the band perform in Boise, Idaho. But this song made its way on this list for more reasons than the memories associated with it. Simply put, it kicks ass. Being the anti-thesis to Cheap Trick’s “Boys are Back in Town”, Japandroids have taken the classic teenage angst of leaving town and given it a jolt with rolling, jumpy drum fills and passionate, lo-fi vocals.

34. Andrew Bird
“Fitz and the Dizzyspells”

Every interview/review I read about Andrew Bird’s 2009 release “Noble Beast” focused heavily on the album’s use of whistling. This is for good reason. Every song on the album features whistling at some point, an aspect that becomes annoying pretty quickly. Only on “Fitz and Dizzyspells” does Andrew find a happy medium between his violin and pierced lips, creating a joyful romp that begs you to put a smile on your face.

33. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
“Zero”

Karen O singing about leather? I’m sold.

32. Animal Collective
“Brother Sport”

In the past few years the tribal sounds of bands like MIA and El Guincho have become more and more popular.  How soon we forget that Animal Collective brought this sound to the forefront years ago.  On “Merriwether Post Pavillion” the boys finish the album off with “Brother Sport”, a tropical rumpus that works perfectly as a final track due to its celebratory tone. It also serves as a reminder that the Collective can still make you shake your ass off if they really want to.

31. Lou Barlow
“The One I Call”

I know, I know. I hate love songs too.  And I’ll admit, Lou Barlow’s “One I Call” would probably work great on a John Cusack chick flick.  But you can’t resist its earnest lyrics nor can you deny the comfort of the combination of Lou’s voice and his guitar. If I saw Lou on the street, I’d probably yell to him, “Great song Lou!” to which he’d glare at me in disgust (inside joke).

30. Blank Dogs
“Open/Shut”

Guided By Voices meets The Cure circa 1980s? Oh, what a sweet combination, like peanut butter and jelly.

29. Propagandhi
“Dear Coach’s Corner”

Propagandhi usually rage against racism, government, and of course the fact that “Meat is murder”.  But never before have I heard them write about such unique subjects as they do on “Supporting Caste”.  The best has to be “Dear Coach’s Corner”, a vial criticism of the Canadian hockey show “Coach’s Corner” (I guess with Bush out of office, their song material got cut in half). The ranting tune basically states an annoyance with announcers conveying their own agendas when in the end, it’s just a game. Shut the fuck up:

Dear Ron McLane, I wouldn’t bother with these questions
if I didn’t sense some spiritual connection.
We may not be the same, but it’s not like we’re from different planets.
We both love this game so much we can hardly fucking stand it. 

 There is something admirable in Propagandhi’s approach; no one is free from being criticized. Who wouldn’t like to hear a song ripping into Bill Walton, Bob Davie, or Joe Buck?

28. Jay Reatard
“Wounded”

Everything in this song has its function. The “lade-da-da” that starts the song leads into a sweet little acoustic guitar lick, jumping straight into Jay’s yelling anthem, and finally kicking into the fist pumping chorus. And then, when you think you’ve figured it all out, the song finishes off with a killer closer that would put “Hey Jude” to shame.  Jay Reatard is a master songwriter; it’s about time we all accept his God-liness.

27. Matt and Kim
“Good Ol’ Fashion Nightmare”

Matt and Kim songs are so simple. A plinking piano over a pounding drum beat and Matt’s nasally whine. Yet, with only these few elements they are able to write irresistable pop hits. While “Daylight” may be considered their breakout hit in 2009, “Good Ol Fashion Nightmare” is just as charming and replay-able.

26. Beirut
“My Night With the Prostitute From Marseille”

When I heard Beirut was releasing a double CD (one disc of them performing with a mexican mariachi band and another of Zach Condon singing over electronic music), I expected the first CD to be the better of the two but was disappointed by his Mexican offering.  Instead, I fell in love with the second disc of five dance songs, devoid of trumpets and accordians.  While two of the songs are about hookers, “My Night With the Prostitute From Marseille” is the obvious stand-out of the album.

The past ten years have been a tumultuous one.  In fact, Time magazine went so far as to say it “sucked”.  This is no more clear than in the world of public policy.  From international war to domestic marriage issues, there was no shortage of debates.  The positive?  There was no shortage of protest songs to keep the tradition up-to-date.  Here is my list of the top 6 politically charged protest songs.

6. Molotov – Frijolero [explicit]

One of the most controversial issues in America was immigration.  One of the bands which highlighted the battle of the border was the controversial spanish speaking band from Mexico City named Molotov.  The chorus is a profanity laced, racially charged argument between a white and brown-skinned person.  One line which would make Glenn Beck pee his pants would be when they begin to rap in English and say, “look down at where your feet are planted, that US soil which makes you take [explicit] for granted, but if it weren’t for Santa Anna I’d have to let you know, that where your feet are planted would be Mexico.”

5.  The Nightwatchman – The Road I Must Travel [he says the "A" word]

By the time I was able to follow music, being born in the mid 80s and all, Rage Against the Machine had become a major player in the music world.  Therefore, my excitement for “The Road I Must Travel” could be a product of bias.  Who cares, it is still amazing.

4.  Propagandhi – War is Peace

What’s cooler than a political punk band from Canada that’s as old as I am?  A political punk band from Canada that lifts a line from Orwell to call foul on the elections of 2000.  They also get the award for the most entertaining alliteration, “like Nader bounced in boston by state troopers.”

3.  Bright Eyes – When the President Talks to God [clean version]

Conor Oberst is commonly known for his lyrically talented approach to somewhat cliché topics, girls.  It was his reputation, and devoted following, which showed mainstream America that protest songs were still alive.

2.  Merle Haggard – That’s the News

Merle Haggard is no Hollywood liberal.  During the sixties, Haggard’s patriotic songs (i.e. “The Fighting Side of Me” and “Okie from Muskogee”) made it clear what side of the cultural divide he was on.  Therefore, his protest song, inspired by the Iraq War, held significant weight.

1.  Willie Nelson – Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly (Fond of Eachother) [clean version]

A good protest song turns cultural stereotypes on their heads and brings light to previously taboo topics.  Willie Nelson achieved this when he released Cowboys are Frequently Secretly (Fond of Eachother). After Brokeback Mountain shattered America’s symbol of machismo, Nelson found it the proper time to release the song which had been a part of his party repertoire for years.  Nonetheless, there is something to be said for a country icon writing a song which highlights the divisive issue of LGBT rights.  Nashville is pretty far from Stonewall.

It’s finally done, after much deliberation and whatnot, I’ve compiled a list of my favourite records from this year, and written a poorly crafted blurb for each of them. My words don’t do them justice, so check them all out for yourself and hopefully I’ll be able to expose you to something new and interesting!

01) Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

No record got more play at home, in the car, or in the club for me then Phoenix.  I genuinely enjoy the whole disc from front-to-back.  Remixes, love them, instrumentals are mighty, catalog (now that I am going back) all good.

02) Propagandhi – Supporting Caste

Propagandhi will be a band that i will always adore.  I forgot how much I listened to this record this year till I hit my Last FM, and for bands that had new music in 2009, Propagandhi was number 2!  I remember looking forward to this record, then getting as soon as I could.  Admittedly, a lot of those spins for this record were for the song “Dear Coaches Corner.”  My great rock and roll shame is that I still have never seen Propagandhi live, ever in all my years.

03) The Dudes – Blood Guts Bruises Cuts

The Dudes get to be one of those bands that I love hearing the singles on the Zone, and I love exploring their album.  Another front-to-backer that I can put on and let it play right through… into their previous record.

04) The Rural Alberta Advantage – Hometowns

a summer record for me.  It got heavy play on the iPod when Coral and I visited Alberta.  Just too cliche to not love while I was driving around Wetaskiwin.  Very pretty music.

05) Japandroids – Post-Nothing

Finally some local(ish) rock on the list.  I have a huge hard-on for Japandroids.  I can’t remember why I was taking the ferry by myself last year.  I am generally herding an entire family with my on the voyage, but there was a time I had the opportunity to listen to music for the crossing on the boat and Japandroids were so perfect.  “Its raining, in Vancouver… but I don’t give a fuck!”  Super fuzzy.  Super great.

06) Silversun Pickups – Swoon

This album remains a steady play on my stereo at home, I enjoy hearing the singles on the Zone and a highlight of the year in concerts was the Zone Show at the Royal.  I loved their set at Sasquatch last May.  Lots of stand-out cuts on this record, but basically, the first 5 song son the record I never skip over.

07) Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz

The sound track to our trip to the Sasquatch Festival (well this and Passion Pit and Bon Iver and Explosions in the Sky and ….).  It’s Blitz is one of the few 2009 vinyls Coral and I added to our collection and I enjoy the dancier ones when I am DJing.

08) Alice In Chains – Black Gives Way To Blue

Growing up, AiC would have to be one of my top 5 90s bands.  Their catalog songs still get regular play at home.  I wanted to pan this record when it came out but something funny happened, its good.

09) Pearl Jam – Backspacer

Another record that hipster Jeremy wanted to hate-on… but its good.  “Just Breathe” is a highlight of the my sets on The Zone Afternoon Show.  I missed the concert in Van but hear only great things.  When I read about Eddie Vedder in the music gossips its for good things.  PJ makes me smile still and I enjoy this record as a stand alone or mixed in with a set of PJ catalog cuts.

10) Passion Pit – Manners

Passion pit got slightly more spins at home this year than PJ… but PJ crushed in total times (because of the Zone) so I made PJ 9 and Passion Pit 10.  I like Passion pit at the club and sometimes at home.  Great in the car.  They were a huge disappointment for me at Sasquatch (maybe I wasn’t drunk enough?) and some album cuts I skip over.

Still, can’t deny that the songs I like from Passion Pit, I REALLY like and play them often. “Little Secrets,” “Moth’s Wings,” “The Reeling,” “Sleepyhead,” all magical.

***

My favourite album covers (if Coral reads this and wants to know a Christmas present) are the Japandroids, Rural Alberta Advantage and Propagandhi.  Just say’n dear.

***

Go with yourself.

Chris Hannah, Propagandhi

It’s good to have you guys back in Dublin, you’ve been here three times in the last nine years and a lot has changed in that time, not least your music; In my opinion you’ve evolved and matured from your early days and I would say that’s definitely for the better- what would you say?

I would say thank you, and obviously we would too and I think all bands should evolve and mature really, otherwise somethings wrong.

But it’s always good to hear the old stuff?

Yeah, of course, and it’s easier to play too!

You guys added another guitarist in Beaver a couple of years back, has that made a big difference to the band?

Well, yes. As a three piece, we struggled to reproduce the songs live as they were on record; it was always mildly disappointing to hear it live-  all our records have two guitars, and sound more layered. So this has helped us to get something more accurate when we play live- When Beaver plays, it gives things a better sense of atmosphere.

You obviously knew him since his I-Spy days – Was there any other Canadian bands that had an influence on you guys?

Well, older bands like SNFU, Guilt Parade, Voivod, NoMeansNo, Sacrifice, Razor – Mainly bands that had their heyday in the 80s. Some of them, like Voivod and SNFU are still playing, and are staging a revival having made some of their most compelling music in the last five years, and that’s really inspiring for us, we’re getting fucking old now, two of us are hitting forty and we’re starting to feel it!

So as you get older then, are there any bands from Canada/ North America you see as taking the torch from you guys?

Well, Protest the Hero are really young guys, when they started, they told us that they had been really into our records, and that’s cool. Since then, they’ve obviously evolved so much and become such amazing musicians. Hardcore is only really being heard in small basement shows in Canada now, it’s hard to find anything that’s above the radar!

Punk rock bands can be two a penny these days – What keeps driving you guys to play the music you do?

Well, being able to play with friends is a huge thing, playing with guys I’ve been friends with for many years. I always had this sense of wonder – I remember being six or seven and my mom bought home this tape recorder, pressed record and played it back; I remember listening back to my voice with this sense of wonder, and that’s something that has stayed with me, I have it when I listen to our songs back through the speakers, and I guess when that dies…

Propagandhi

I’m sure it must be an amazing feeling when you hear something you’ve put so much into back?

For us, because each of us, separately don’t have much going for us, together  we’re able to cobble together songs that remind us of bands that we really like so we’re always impressed!

I wouldn’t say that- For me, you guys are probably one of the more technically proficient Hardcore bands out there!

Well, thanks for saying so!

Todays Empires in probably still my favourite Propagandi album; so what’s yours?

Well, the new one, but I’ve got a soft spot for Potempkin because it sort of disappeared from the radar, nobody knew much about it!

Would you say that it disappeared off the radar because you guys left almost five years between Todays Empires and Potempkin?

Partly that and partly because at the time, we didn’t really do any promotion, we didn’t tour and let it sit there; the record company knew that and just didn’t bother telling anybody about the record and I think also at that time we were a three piece and something was missing, and something it took us almost a year to work it out, so when we realized, we were like… get Beaver over here!

 So would you say you are as political as you always have been? The new record comes across more personally reflective than overtly political…

More-so than ever I would say. There’s individual members who are more politically engaged back home, whether that’s in progressive community initiatives or supporting international solidarity movements, the only thing that’s changed for us is the sense of the scope and the scale of what’s wrong – We haven’t felt as if we’ve mellowed at all… As for the new record, well it’s just a different writing style.

How do the songs come about? Is it words or ideas or music first?

It’s just a big mish-mash really; sometimes it’s easier when you’re playing with friends… sometimes. But again, Beaver is the only guy with any training or musical background so it’s sometimes hard to communicate ideas.

You guys were a driving force behind G7, but you seem to have pulled back from that a bit now. Are there any other projects you guys are involved in back home?

Well, the reason I pulled back from the G7 thing was to do the band full time, and that’s taken up all of 2009, and actually most of 2008 too, so that’ll probably be it until next year. When we’re home, Jord does a lot of organising with the Canadian Haiti Action Network,  he does a lot of stuff in the Refugee Centre down town, Beaver is working on a music programme in a poor area of the city. Also OCAP (Ontario Coalition Against Poverty,) they’re a kick ass organisation.

Your music has always been political in its lyrics and has stayed pretty true to its punk and thrash origins. Punks aren’t necessarily political as we all know – Do you guys ever get stick from crowds for your political beliefs?

Not really; not much anymore. It seems like a lot of those people have been weeded out over the years and they don’t come to shows any more, like back in the nineties, a lot of people were quite aggressive to the things we were saying but thankfully, that died down towards the end of the nineties…

I don’t want to  dwell too much on the past and talk about the Fat Wreck days but do you think there were some bands who hung around that scene who have, effectively, sold out on the political aspect of their music in order to make a quick penny?

The idea of “selling out” is hard because there is a spectrum of compromises you have to make within the framework of a capitalist society, and ones that we have to make sometimes, although we might not like them, but some people have a different zone, where that changes from necessary compromise to a “Sell-Out.” Not everyone agrees with this, but take a band like Rage Against the Machine, they did something worthwhile with what they did with a major label; I don’t think it’s impossible to use ubiquitous media to a large degree and come out with a positive experience. But it’s not for us, none of us has the facility to engage with mass media- We’re just these guys, we’re not well spoken, we play songs that aren’t particularly well received by the general public. Even the things we talk about has the capacity to offend more peoples core values explicitly than say, Rage, so there’d be no point in moving to a bigger label, it’d just be the same people listening to us anyways!

Even moving to Small-Man Records after a very well received album, staying true to your political beliefs and still managing to get to places like Dublin, I have to say, is enheartening! So what’s the next step for Propagandhi?

Go home, get our heads together and start, as far as the band goes, putting together new material to record next year, politically, Jord has his work with the community stuff he’s doing, Beaver has the music programme, and I’ll try and help out somewhere!

So will it be another three years before the next album?

No, I’d hope in perhaps a year and a half…

Fingers crossed!

Yeah, here too!

I think I have managed to hide it quite well, but I used to be a bit extreme when it came to my views on veganism — making-plans-to-sabotage-pet-stores extreme.* I still practice the art of animal liberation, but let us just say I used to be a bit more gung ho.

My freshman year in college I was offered a place at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, commonly known as PETA. Free room, food and a bicycle. Perfect.

But I started hating PETA when they did an ad campaign featuring Suicide Girls, aka sluts. I may love animal rights radicals, but I also hate distributing the belief that women are sex objects.

I have two friends that are Suicide Girls. They are lovely people, but they are still lame for what they do. I just cannot grasp how oppressing women can stop the oppression of an animal. Because people lose focus on the animal? No. There is a direct correlation between how people treat each other to how people treat animals.

To sum it up, I decided to not be involved with PETA anymore. That is until now. Possibly. Today I received this email:

Please join us on Thursday, December 10th, for a demonstration in Ft.
Lauderdale promoting veganism. Lying nearly naked in large trays and
covered with clear plastic in front of signs reading, “Meat Is
Murder,” members of PETA will mimic packages of meat while others pass
out leaflets with information about the suffering animals endure while
crammed inside of filthy factory farms and when they reach
slaughterhouses. They aim to demonstrate that all animals are made of
flesh and bone and can feel pain and fear and that eating meat is,
literally, eating a corpse. The packages will be labeled with
oversized price stickers that warn, “Billions of animals are abused
and violently killed because you eat meat.”

This made me think. It would be kind of fun. You know, just to be there. Casually tell people about veganism without actually using the word. Maybe invite some people out to lunch. We can oogle over Chris Hannah and Todd Kowalski — my everlasting crushes.

* There is a pet shop in Lake Worth, FL that has baby alligators. That’s right. Baby alligators. This may sound odd, but alligators in South Florida are considered an endangered species. Once the captive alligators grow to five feet long (this takes about five years) they must be destroyed. For some strange reason letting them into the wild is not an option; even a reservation such as the Everglades. The only logical thing to do is take the alligators and set them free. No one I know has done this. It just makes a lot of sense.

I love punk rock. Honestly if you’ve noticed the connection between the genre and the great game of hockey, it probably isn’t much of surprise.  Both are niche entities with aggressive, passionate undertones. Those are things I can get behind.

A few years ago I had heard a lot about a band called Propagandhi and decided to take a chance on a CD of theirs I found in the “used” section of a local store. I played it until there was a hole in the disc. Any band that openly criticizes the ill-fated “laser pucks” are good in my book.

On their most recent release the Canadian band wrote a song confronting famed Hockey Night in Canada commentator, Don Cherry. Months after first hearing it, I listen to both Supporting Caste and “Dear Coach’s Corner” at least once a day. It is the perfect melding of punk rock and hockey, not to mention they’re right on point with the lyrical content. Don Cherry is a nationalistic, misogynistic dick.

Since that song has been released it seems that the hockey blogosphere and fans in general are talking about the band more. (Seriously, if you don’t see the link between punk and hockey, you’re insane.) It’s just something about that song that seems to hit the core of most fans. The lyrics even talk about a “spiritual connection” that two fans of the game can share even if they have differing opinions and that is something I’ve always noticed with hockey fans.

Imagine my joy when I came across a headline on Puck Daddy that made me audibly exclaim my excitement, “Five reasons punk band Propagandhi loves hockey.” One of my favorite bands talking about my favorite sport via one of my favorite features on my favorite hockey blog. Basically, it was a massive amount of favorites converging into the perfect storm of awesomeness. It was nice to see the band talk about their love of the game, not just because of who they are, but also just because I love to know why others love hockey.

So I figured I would finish off this post by just sharing the link to both the article mentioned above and another that was also linked to in the Puck Daddy article. Also, I thought I would leave a suggested listening list for those whom want to give Propagandhi a listen.

“Five reasons punk band Propagandhi loves hockey” [Puck Daddy]

“Interview with Propagandhi” [Silver Seven]

Suggested Listening (all songs can be found on their myspace, but watch the Dear Coach’s Corner video for lyrics):

Dear Coach’s Corner

A Speculative Fiction

Die Jugend Marschiert

Fuck The Border

A new assignment in Beth’s class is making me rethink my Plan B. Please allow me to explain:

Plan A: Get into UCSC, spend my next seven years there ,chillin’ with Angela Davis, move on. Be more educated, deeper in  debt, but happier.

Plan B: Finish my last SCAD class online while I am in New York interning with Democracy Now. Re-apply at UCSC.

So, do I need grad school? Probably. I have no idea if I am ready for the real world yet. I think I need to learn a lot more. For example, I should really get better at AP style. I try. I always have the book with me while writing. It is on my desk right now.

In other news, I want to start  an all girl Propagandhi cover band. It will be fun. If you know anyone that shreds on the guitar let me know.

Fat Wreck Chords estará editando un boxset de 3 cds, esto por motivo de celebrar sus 20 años de creación. La label empezo en 1990 pero edito su primer material dos años despues. El pimer disco incluria exitos del pasado, el segundo canciones raras o “lados B”, el tercero será el 7″ Club del 2001 en un solo cd.

El release incluira 88 canciones de Against Me!, American Steel, Anti-Flag, Avail, Bracket, Chixdiggit!, Consumed, Dead To Me, Descendents, The Dickies, Dillinger Four, Enemy You, Epoxies, Face to Face, The Flatliners, Frenzal Rhomb, Goober Patrol, Good Riddance, Hi-Standard, Lagwagon, The Lawrence Arms, Less Than Jake, The Loved Ones, MxPx, Mad Caddies, Me First and The Gimme Gimmes, NOFX, Nerf Herder, No Use For A Name, None More Black, One Man Army, Only Crime, Propagandhi, Randy, The Real McKenzies, Rise Against, The Sainte Catherines, Screeching Weasel, Sick Of It All, Smoke Or Fire, Snuff, The Soviettes, Star Fucking Hipsters, Strike Anywhere, Strung Out, Swingin’ Utters, Tilt, The Vandals, Western Addiction, Wizo y Zero Down.

I’ve decided to start a monthly feature that gives me a way to share some of the tunes I’m digging at the moment, some brand new, and some not so new.  For my first installment of ‘The Best from Bee See’ I went a little vague, featuring songs and bands I’ve been trying to hype all summer, like “Night Letters” from Propagandhi’s newest album Supporting Caste, “American Names” from the incredible Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains album, “I Can See The Future” by Iran (members of TV on the Radio), and Bon Iver’s “Brackett, WI” and a Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings zinger, both from the infamous Dark Was The Night.  I also threw in a couple of new tracks; J. Tillman’s “Year In The Kingdom”, Lucero’s “Sound of the City”, and a brand new track from Said the Whale from Islands Disappear hitting stores this Tuesday!  Enjoy this amazing 15-song download, absolutely free!  Click on the cover below to download.

I hope this is confirmed, but im super excited about Propagandhi playing in bournemouth later this year. A band that a brings back so many memories from 9 Flora St and bombing it down the M4 with mates for a surf at our favourite wedge on the gower.

it all began around 5,000 years ago with a strange old man in either modern day iraq or turkey depending on what time of day you ask a scholar.  he was married to an old barren bird and so he got it on with his egyptian handmaid and had a son.  later on, his wife said “surprise, i got a bun in the oven, too” and all hell broke lose.  you’ll be happy to know no further problems arose from these two sons both claiming lineage from the same patriarch (oh wait, nevermind).  the 2nd son would have a couple of his own, one being renamed yisrael after rasslin’ with an angel, and then having 12 sons, who would also have no problems with each other and do nothing innappropriate (oh wait, nevermind).  there names were reuben (from which we get the delicious kosher sandwich), simeon, levi, judah (a descendent of this tribe would come along a few millenia later and cause a fuss – something about beatitudes and forgiveness and crucifixion – also, the lion of judah was emblonized on the ethiopian flag for a while, so that’s cool), dan, naphtali, gad, asher (my friend ian’s middle name), issachar, zebulun, joseph (who had an amazing technicolor dreamcoat) and benjamin.  sadly, only two of the tribes that came from these boys would survive, those of judah & benjamin.  thus giving rise to lots of conspiracy theories about what happened to the lost tribes and who they “really” are today.  here’s an idea – they were LOST.  and not like kate, jack, sawyer & hurley.  but, i’m getting off track.  the patriachs of the hebrew people have now been given to you.  flash forward to levi’s great grandson and you’ve got moses.  once upon a time moses found himself on top of a mountain and God said “hey, moses, go tell your friends i say hi”, so moses did.  the people asked moses, “well, what does he want with us?”, so moses goes back up the mountain and says “they asked what you want”, and God says “i want to be their God and for them to be my people, you know, i’ll be their heavenly baby daddy”.  so moses goes back down the mountain and tells the people, and they say “well that sounds all touchy-feely.  can’t he just give us some rules to follow or something?”, so moses goes back up the mountain, meanwhile thinking “you know, sandals are not the best for all this hiking, and this is the friggin’ desert, i’m schvitzing over here!“, and tells God.  well, God was pissed, and said “rules?  they want rules?!?!  i’ll give ‘em rules!  613 of ‘em!!!”, and you can find these – most of which are by even ancient standards way crazy – in the 2nd half of exodus – deutoronomy (the majority of the torah, aka the first 5 books of the bible).  leviticus is perhaps the wackiest, and also gives us the details on the day of atonement, what we now know as yom kippur.  and long story short, that is today until sunset.  in celebration, this music monday will feature videos by some descendants of the tribes of judah & benjamin, the modern day jewish people (again, i implore you to ignore anyone saying the “true hebrews” are northern europeans or africans (well, excluding converts or the ethiopian falasha – descendents of king solomon) or anything other then the goldsteins and horovitzs and cohens that you know).  begin!

now, everyone knows about dylan.  and, a lesser known fact is elvis’ mother was jewish.  but, what might surprise you most is how influencial the israelites have been on punk rock.  and the godfather of punk himself, iggy pop, is a hebrew.  here he is with the stooges doing “i wanna be your dog”.

fellow detroit proto punks the mc5 were primarily a jewish group, as well.  and they kicked out the jams, indeed.  in nyc, nearly all the early cbgb proto-punks were down with the dreidel.  from the fugs to the new york dolls to the modern lovers to television to blondie to the patti smith band to the misfits all had jewish members.  and of course there was the leader of the pack, lou reed, and his velvet underground.  here’s “i’m waiting for the man”.

a few years later, the ramones would come out and change the whole “what it means to be punk” ideal, and the sound got faster, sloppier, louder and, imo, much more fun.  joey ramone, you’ll always be my favorite punk rocker.  here’s “cretin hop”.

punk went ‘cross the pond for a bit, seemed to die out, but then a re-birth in the form of hardcore punk took place in southern california.  it took me a long time to give credit to the early LA area scene as being where hardcore punk began, b/c i was all about d.c., boston & nyc.  but, though the bad brains perfected hardcore punk, a lot of bands were coming out of cali with only one adjective that could describe their version of punk:  hardcore.  from jello biafra’s dead kennedys to the circle jerks to x to bad religion to the adolescents to agent orange to the youth brigade to this crazy bunch of punks, the angry samoans.  here’s “lights out!”.

of course, the best of the bunch was social distortion.  the early stuff was great, but the band was one of few who just kept on making better and better music.  and mike ness & the boys are still doing it.  here’s “makin’ believe”.

heading back to nyc, reagan youth & the dictators were bringing the hardcore, as well as three kids who decided to leave the instruments for 2 turntables and some microphones.  that’s right, the beastie boys.  they started out punk, went hip hop, and the world has never been the same!  given the occasion i find it only fitting for the song to be “shadrach”, and here’s a cool animated live version.

out in the midwest in the mid-80’s, some amazing post-punk music was being made.  husker du and the replacements were the best of the best.  bob mould & paul westerberg are geniuses, and, as my luck would have it on this music monday, both are jewish.  but, which to choose?  i gotta go with the replacements, one of my all-time favorites.  here’s “color me impressed”.

there are 4 bands credited with being the “big 4″ of thrash, a mix of punk & metal that emerged in the 80’s.  and guess what?  3 of 4 were made up of primarily jewish members – slayer, anthrax & megadeth.  no surprise metallica was the one with all goyim.  let’s go with slayer, i mean seriously, is there another?  interesting side note:  anton lavey was jewish, as is glenn barton, frontman of the terribly awful deicide.  i’m not sure how i feel about that.  anyways, here’s the one & only “raining bloooooooooooooooood!!!”.

one of the best punk bands out today is canada’s propagandhi.  love those commie bastards.  check ‘em out if you’re unfamiliar.  off their latest, here’s “supporting caste”.

and to end it, i’m not a huge nofx fan.  fat mike just bugs me.  but, what kind of jewish punk rock music monday would it be without the anthem, “the ‘brews”?  here it is!

of course, i suppose that the fact barry manilow & michael bolton are both jewish kind of even things out.  oh well.

l’chaim.

Propagandhi’s UK tour dates along with Strike Anywhere and Protest The Hero can be seen after the jump.

November
30th - London, Koko

December
1st - Leeds, Rios
2nd - Cardiff, Coal Exchange
3rd - Dublin, Village
5th - Belfast, The Speakeasy
6th - Edinburgh, Studio 24
7th - Bournemouth, Academy
8th - Nottingham, Rock City

In the 1990s the revival of ska music, known as the third wave, came in a raw form with strong ties to the punk rock music scene. It’s no surprise since ska music comes with a fast-paced rollicking energy that appealed to young working-class youths. British and American punks ate up reggae and ska, and the sound fused well with rip-roaring punk rock. My favorites from this genre include Operation Ivy, Fishbone, Rancid, and Sublime. Brad Nowell of Sublime had a knack for making great third-wave ska punk rock.

The Aggrolites have mad a distinct impression on the third-wave ska movement, bringing their California soul-drenched sound to the mix. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are symbolic of this genre, laying grimy vocals over ska horns and rock guitars. Some of the great punk bands have made their own ska-infused tracks, including NOFX, Goldfinger, the Offspring, and even the hardcore punk group Propagandhi.

Propagandhi’s track “Ska Sucks” is really a critique of the ska revival. As a representative of the punk intelligentsia, Propagandhi questions everyone and everything, including authority, religion, and the quality of the ska revival.  The song makes a captivating argument why the ska revival “sucks,” singing the message over a wonderful third wave ska sound.

1. Operation Ivy – Sound System
2. Fishbone – Party At Ground Zero
3. Rancid – Time Bomb
4. Sublime – Date Rape
5. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – The Impression That I Get [Explicit]
6. The Aggrolites – Countryman Fiddle (Album Version)
7. Skavoovie & The Epitones – One Mint Julep
8. Reel Big Fish– Walkin’ on Sunshine
9. NOFX – Bob
10. Goldfinger – I Love You More Today
11. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – Simmer Down
12. The Offspring– Why Don’t You Get A Job?
13. Manu Chao – Machine gun
14. Propagandhi – Ska Sucks
15. Rancid – Fall Back Down (Album Version)
16. The Aggrolites – Ghost Town
17. The Stingers ATX – Painting Portraits
18. Supervillians – Resin
19. Suicide MacHines – I I Never Promised You A Rose Garden
20. The Slackers – Don’t You Want a Man
21. Hepcat – Marcus Garvey
22. Buck-O-Nine – Irish Drinking Song
23. Sublime & Gwen Stefani – Saw Red
24. Dance Hall Crashers – Lost Again
25. Sublime – Jailhouse
26. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – Someday I Suppose
27. Rancid – Ruby Soho
28. Sektacore – Cool Cat
29. The Insteps – The Insteps
30. Mu330 – Hoosier Love
31. The Scofflaws – Grazin’ in the Grass
32. Westbound Train – Check Your Time
33. Hub City Stompers – Leave Me the Fuck Alone
34. The Pietasters – Out All Night
35. Deal’s Gone Bad – Movin’ On
36. The Aquabats – Pool Party
37. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – The Rascal King
38. Stingers ATX – Let’s Be In Love
39. Less Than Jake – We Go Together
40. Mustard Plug – Mr. Smiley
41. Sublime – Wrong Way
42. Skavoovie & the Epitones – She Sure Can Cook
43. Streetlight Manifesto – Keasbey Nights
44. Mad Caddies – Drinking for 11
45. Soweto – Blue Ska
46. Fishbone – Skankin’ to the Beat
47. Sublime – Same in the End
48. No 1 Station – Last Train
49. Skapone – Guns and Steeples
50. Soulsteppers – Warhead
51. Deal’s Gone Bad – Messin’ Around
52. Soweto – Honey Rider
53. Stan or Itchy – Feelin’ Good
54. The New York Jazz Ensemble – Haitian Fight Song
55. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – Where’d You Go
56. The Pietasters – Maggie May
57. The Slackers – Better Late Than Never
58. Hepcat – Dance Wid’ Me
59. Super Villians – Mary Jane and Jager
60. Buck-O-Nine – My Town
61. Dancehall Crashers – Don’t Wanna Behave
62. MU330 – KKK Hiway
63. Deal’s Gone Bad – Be Mine Tonight
64. The Slackers – I Shall Be Released
65. The Scofflaws – Ska-La-Carte
66. The Hub City Stompers – I’ve Got A Boot
67. The Stingers ATX – Rock and Ska
68. Mustard Plug – Brain on Ska
69. Skavoovie & the Epitones – Parakeet
70. Westbound Train - Why You Cry

Eben wieder rein zu Hause aus der radio blau Zentrale. Schön wars!

01. Samiam – Factory
02. Chuck Ragan – Cut em down
03. Tom Gabel - Cowards sing at night
04. Chuck Ragan – Don’t say a word
05. Boxhamsters - Schluchtenflitzer
06. Biestig – Ich hör dir zu
07. The Solution – You never liked me somehow
08. Dinosaur Jr. – I want you to know
09. Dinosaur Jr. – Budge
10. Propagandhi - The funeral procession
11. Paint it Black – Surrender
12. Randy Crawford – Street Life
13. Eels - In my dreams
14. Woyzeck - Zaun & Gräben
15. Eels – My timing is off
16. Warning - Faces
17. Manfred Krug – Liebe kleine Schaffnerin
18. William Elliot Whitmore – Hell or high water
19. Monozid - Waiting for the circus
20. Big Drill Car – What you believe

Whatever an authentic Quebecer is, there is no better place to find one than Quebec City on St. Jean Baptiste Day. Every June 23, pilgrims from around the province migrate to the capital for the national holiday, yet the boundaries that define the nation are as blurry as the origins of the day itself.

Having been celebrated for so long, for so many different causes, the holiday’s significance has become a moving target. “Summer solstice was first a pagan festival before it was taken over by the Pope,” said Priscilla LaMontagne, a guide at the St. Jean Baptiste Catholic Church in Quebec City.

Sometimes seen as a separatist celebration in Quebec, nationalist connotations to the festival did not begin until 1834, and it was only in 1908 that John the Baptist was made patron saint of French Canadians by Pope Pius X. Confusingly, St. John is also the patron saint of Newfoundland, where June 24 is celebrated as Discovery Day.

Advance publicity focused on tensions between francophone separatists and anglophone residents of Quebec. Debates raged over whether English music could be allowed in Montreal festivities. Anglophone university students in the province were warned not to approach anyone in English, lest they set off the hair-trigger of rabid nationalistic violence.

Finally, on Tuesday, the highly controversial religious holiday turned province-wide piss-up drew a congregation of over 250,000 to the Plains of Abraham. Bonfires and fireworks were lit over the ancient battlefields until dawn. The next morning, the plains were littered with clumps of bodies; many sleeping and others still nursing their remaining beers.

Despite the ominous warnings issued, there was little doubt, in the dark intoxication of the night, that every one of the revelers was an authentic Quebecer.

“There used to be a lot of riots, because police enforced an end to the celebration on the Plains of Abraham by midnight,” said a tour guide at the St. Jean Baptiste Catholic church. “Now, because people are allowed to stay as late as they want, there are rarely any problems.”

The difficult decision of exactly who should be celebrating St. Jean, and for what reason, was effectively sidestepped by exaggerated alcohol consumption and a lax security presence.

While most boozed away national tensions, Manitoban punk-rock quartet Propagandhi used St. Jean as a springboard for highly politicized songs from their new album “Supporting Caste.”

Propagandhi’s anglophone, anti-establishment, anti-nationalist music was a bold choice for the night. Still, the concert was sold out. “I’m a citizen of the world,” declared front man Chris Hannah, the sweaty crowd erupting into cheers.

Though hardly subtle, the band’s message was clear: “Fuck Zionism. Fuck militarism. Fuck Americanism. Fuck nationalism. Fuck religion.” Fans seemed to feel the same way, viewing nationalist tensions as old fashioned.

St. Jean is “nothing more than a reason to get drunk any more,” said a fan from Montreal standing outside the show.

Despite the holiday’s progression from paganism to Catholicism to nationalism, and now to alcoholism, an undertow of spirituality could still be felt. How else to explain swimmers’ impermeability to pollution in the St. Laurence, or to account for the superhuman endurance of revelers with no regard for tomorrow? How else, other than by some divine power, could Quebec be united for one night?