Caspian - Some Are White Light

Some people have it set that they can't enjoy music without lyrics.  That's all fine and dandy for them, but missing out on good shit is something I never condone.  When it comes to instrumental music, you probably think of all things electronic, and of course, the classical genre.  What about rock without words?  And even better, what about lush rock confined to the instruments?  You end up with Caspian, a band without a lead singer, but you won't miss it.

"Some Are White Light" is five and a half minutes of lush guitar work, carefully crafted for a nice, rich sound.  This is like the score to a good slice-of-life movie, rising to a lovely climax, as it should do.  I think the introduction of lyrics would only bring this beautiful piece of art down.  There's merit in being able to tell a story with sound, and without words.  Caspian does it, and that's why they're in my good graces. 

French Montana feat. Rico Love and Mase - Grown Ups

Now, if you liked French Montana with the Coke Boys, you've got to love him tackling a mixtape solo, right?  It's the law of the universe, or at least, a law that I would enforce if I could.  Mac & Cheese 3 might be a "cheesy" name for a mixtape, but when it's good, you can name it whatever you want.  With the help of Rico Love and Mase, Mr. Montana gives us "Grown Ups," a rap ditty that sounds like a grown-up version of "Husband and Wife" from the last Coke Boys tape.  It's a mellow track, not too aggressive, but with rhymes like we'll do the things that grown ups do, it's anything but too laid-back.  You'll catch on to the story of "Grown Ups" quickly, and the song will catch on to you.  French does it again.

Sirenia - Led Astray

Let's have a symphonic metal Saturday today.  Case closed.  You're on board?  Excellent.  If you're familiar with the likes of Nightwish, Epica, Katra, Edenbridge and the like, you have to be aware of Norway's Sirenia.  They're a little gothic, enough to set them apart in the vast sea of symphonic bands, and make some damn good use of the violin.  "Led Astray" comes from 2009's The 13th Floor, and while it sounds a little like Nightwish in some parts, you still get something different here.  Trust me.

"Led Astray" belongs to female lead Ailyn, the fourth to take the position by my count.  She's Spanish, believe it or not, but fits right in here.  She's a higher register Anette Olzon with a voice made for metal, and a good contrast to some good lush orchestra movements within the track.  The instruments of "Led Astray" tell a story of their own; there's nothing outshining anything here.  I'll be surprised if you're another symphonic nut and haven't heard of this song, let alone Sirenia as a band, before, but I'll let it slide.  Just don't let it happen again.

Firehorse - Our Hearts

Who is Firehorse?  Brooklyn's Leah Siegel, who's got her place of origin on her side, which can't hurt.  "Our Hearts" is something a little Feist-y (as in Leslie Feist), but still unique.  It's chill too; something you can listen to at any time of the day with your legs up and  mug of tea in hand.  The vocals are sweet, definitely not overwhelming, and "Our Hearts" is simply...brilliant.  Short but sweet today, I know, but you know how things get around exam time: needlessly boring.  So get out of your funk with Firehorse, endorsed by yours truly.

Wuthering Heights, or "how to say goodbye to your pet frog"

Oh, it was an interesting evening last night.  About to go to bed, I swung by the small aquarium to add some more water form my African dwarf frogs, and immediately noticed one was missing.  To make a long story short, we found him behind the couch long dried out at two in the morning.  Thomas Stearns may be gone now, but he lives on through the weirdest thing I've ever made; a tribute video.  Yes, I had enough pictures to do so.

So what's this got to do with music?  I chose my latest favourite song of the moment for the backing track, "Wuthering Heights" by 80's English pop darling Kate Bush.  Weird for a video about a frog?  Yes.  But I don't care too much about how weird I am today.  There's also a decent cover of the song done by rockers China Drum, which I actually found before the original.  So let's all honor Thomas Stearns by listening to music that references the work of the Bronte sisters.  Good show.

Breaking Benjamin - Had Enough

High school was a good four years.  Well, not really.  No one can say in good confidence that those were the best times of their life.  Who knew getting blunt-cut bangs was such a bad idea?  At least it was good for one thing; exploring the alternative rock bands that would lead me to the metal I love so much today.  Breaking Benjamin is somewhere in the middle of that, a good transition band.  Still, I got their Phobia in the early spring of 2007 after frequent airplay on the Detroit alt station.  I've heard some of their other work, and this album is their best, no contest.  It might be the only album from 2007 that I still enjoy to the same extent now.

"Had Enough" is, quite simply put, a suck it song for the ages.  The lyrics say it all.  You should have learned by now, I'll burn this whole world down.  The sound is a little lush, but it's the vocals that get me.  Phobia has some of the best vocal work done by the band I've seen, and it's not only confined to "Had Enough."  But back to my original point: this is what you listen to if you're looking to pump yourself up and get you out of a funk.  We all need that sometimes, don't we?  And after five and a half years, it's passed my test of time.  Have you had enough yet?

Grimes - Genesis

There are a lot of ways to describe the obscure side of the electronic music spectrum.  Experimental, dark wave, witch house (a personal favourite of mine), noise, industrial...  Point is, the genre is a bit more complex than just dubstep and ambient.  Montreal's Grimes makes it a little easier to get into and, in turn, more accessible.  She's the current queen of the experimental subgenre; think of her as Cocorosie condensed to only one sister.  Her "Genesis" has a fitting title.  This is the beginning of something good.

"Genesis" starts out as something very dark and atmospheric, though works it way to an array of dreamy whistles and synths intermixed with Grimes' childlike (in a good way) voice.  Don't think of this track as something you can take to the club and dance to; it's meant to be listened to closely and enjoyed.  Though, that doesn't limit you to dancing to "Genesis."  I won't stop you, but I think it's more about the art and less about thumping in the club.  Grimes is the next best thing in electro, one of our more obscure Canadian treasures.