torontopian songs

A while ago, I spent a whole day putting together a mix CD of the ultimate (relatively recent) Toronto songs. It was supposed to be for Travis Nicholson for sending me the cutest postcard from Amsterdam, but it is too good not to share (although I’m sure he will get his own copy eventually).
We have friends in town for the weekend, visiting from all the way over in Vancouver, and we are going to send a copy home with them too (I think I’m going to wait for them to blog about this weekend though, since they took pictures of our escapades.)
In order to avoid issues of bandwidth and illegalities, you will have to find/download these yourself - (though I could probably mail out a copy to a few of you if you asked real nice).
So without further ado, here is my list (it is by no means extensive but it had to fit on a two hour cd, so many cut’s were made - it was totally like Sophie’s choice):

Terminal City – Ron Hawkins And The Rusty Nails
Ron Hawkins is to Toronto as Grant-Lee Philips is to Stars Hollow. He’s totally this town’s troubadour. Here he sings about gentrification.

High School – The Flashing Lights
They were THE Toronto indie band for a while (even though they, like Sloan are originally from Halifax). This song is why.

Come for a Ride – By Divine Right
I looove this song. It reminds me of High School. This is especially suiting, because some of the members of this band went to my High School. Also, sometimes I get them confused with The Flashing lights, who sing a song called High School.
Now they are yet another casualty of Broken Social Scene.
Feist also played guitar for them for a while, apparently.

The Other Man – Sloan
Sloan is supposedly a Halifax band. But half the band lives in Toronto now, they play most of their concerts here, they got famous here and this song was written about Feist. That makes them effectively a Toronto band.

Mushaboom – Feist
It’s impossible to compile Toronto songs without brushing past a few Broken Socialites. She is one I don’t mind, and it would be pretty impossible to not mention her. I especially like this song. I think it captures a certain: Toronto cottager, let’s get outta here, frame of mind.

Poster Of A Girl – Metric
I don’t want to like Metric, but, this song is too catchy. They are somehow involved with BSS.

To The Lullabies – The Constantines
A classic styled Toronto indie band - in an old-school, rock-and-roll sense.

The Constant Lover – Magenta Lane
These chicks are hot right now. Both in the musical, and physical sense. They are not as good as the Like though.

Crabbuckit – k-os
I met k-os once at a private/industry De La Soul concert at Palais Royale. That makes me cool. Very cool. I could practically be in Broken Social Scene.

We R in Need of a Musical Revolution – Esthero
Esthero was part of that weird neo-soul/trip-hop thing that happened in Toronto a few years ago, and only Nelly Furtado managed to make a go of - which is too bad, because Esthero is pretty cool too. She has the most gorgeous voice.

F*** The Pain Away – Peaches
Apparently, Feist was Peaches’ roommate. That girl gets around.

NHS is gonna ROCK YOU – Ninja High School
One of the hottest bands to play:
a) at the boat
b) with Dollarama

PF – controller.controller
Disco rock, Toronto style.

CA Va Cool – Tangiers
Tangiers is pretty cool. I guess. They’re no Clash though.

Jealous Of Your Cigarette – Hawksley Workman
Hawksley is sexy and silly at the same time. One might sometimes see him biking down Queen Street (when he’s not holed up in Muskoka or Paris).

Weight – Sarah Slean
Sarah Slean makes me swoon.

This Lamb Sells Condos – Final Fantasy
Another song about downtown gentrification, from yet another hot Toronto band (although technically it’s not a band - technically it’s just one guy).

Mississauga Goddamn – The Hidden Cameras
No one from Toronto is really from Toronto - it’s like Manhattan that way. Rarely though, does a band write a song admitting to it’s suburban roots.

I Will Never See The Sun – Great Lake Swimmers
Total Toronto street name droppers, theses guys are.

Basement Apt. – Sarah Harmer
Living in a basement apartment is totally a Toronto thing. When you’re young and idealistic and move to the big city for the first time, you invariably end up in one.

Rosy & Grey – The Lowest of the Low
Possibly the most romantic song written about Toronto, ever, of all time.