New Metz

Metz rocked us all with their first album. They've got a new one on the way for a May 5 release and we get to hear the new tune "Acetate". The new album is simply called II and if this tune is any indication, it's going to be another super-intense bludgeoning cacophony of barely-restrained power. I've got to see these guys live.

They're on tour and playing Toronto's Lee's Palace May 1-2 and somewhat locally at Ontario's WayHome Festival in July.

Pic from Facebook.

Way Home Festival Line-Up

There's a new festival coming to town. It's called WayHome and it's taking place north of Toronto, near Barrie, in Oro-Medonte, at Burl's Creek, July 24 through 26. All the details are on the festival site. It's put together by Republic Live and AC Entertainment who just happen to be the co-founders and producers of Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, so you know this is going to be a well-run festival. Tickets go on sale today, so check out the great bands that are playing, get excited, choose your camping options, and break out your credit card!

Here are a bunch of the bands that I want to catch at the festival:

Modest Mouse

The Decembrists

Passion Pit

St. Vincent

Vance Joy

Future Islands

The Gaslight Anthem

Walk the Moon

Hey Rosetta!

July Talk

Metz

Alvvays

Yukon Blonde

Broods

Viet Cong

Lowell

Just for starters.

Looking forward to this new addition to the Toronto area festival season.

Pic from Facebook.

The Top 20: The best albums of 2013, according to me. The year's most awesome and cool pop, indie, and alternative albums.

As has become my habit, I'm not ranking my albums list. These are the 20 albums that made the biggest impression on me in 2013, alphabetically.

1984 Influenza

Biffy Clyro Opposites

Chvrches The Bones Of What You Believe

Cults Static

Frank Turner Tape Deck Heart

Frightened Rabbit Pedestrian Verse

Haim Days Are Gone

Lorde Pure Heroine

Metz Metz

MS MR Secondhand Rapture

Neko Case The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You

Sleigh Bells Bitter Rivals

Small Black Limits of Desire

Superchunk I Hate Music

Telekinesis Dormarion

The Darcys Warring

The Joy Formidable Wolf's Law

The Naked And Famous In Rolling Waves

The National Trouble Will Find Me

Young Galaxy Ultramarine

Cool songs from the Polaris Prize long list

Those music-loving folks at The Polaris Music Prize have released this year's long list of nominees. I'll be picking through it and discovering some new stuff I've never heard before, but for now, I'll just post a few of the familiar standouts from the list, from my perspective.

Best of luck to all the nominees for exposure, success and music-making.

The Luyas, Animator, "Fifty Fifty"

Metric, Synthetica, "Youth Without Youth"

METZ, METZ, "Wet Blanket"

AC Newman, Shut Down The Streets, "I'm Not Talking"

Purity Ring, Shrines, "Fineshrine"

Tegan and Sara, Heartthrob, "Closer"

Young Galaxy, Ultramarine, "Pretty Boy"

I really don't want to make a prediction on who will win for three reasons:

1. I'm not familiar with all the albums, so it would be unfair
2. Even among the artists I know, there are so many great songs
3. I don't usually like the band/album that wins

Metz with Wasted

Get ready for some loud, noisy music. The band is Metz, they're from Toronto and they sound exactly like this.

Their eponymous début album is out now.

Metz with Wet Blanket

This band has been getting tons of buzz. They're loud and aggressive and they're called Metz. Probably no relation to Belinda Metz.

Here's the track "Wet Blanket" from their eponymous début.