1
K-OS
Exit
EMI
The Toronto MC’s long-delayed, much-hyped debut was worth the wait. Sure, the guy’s all too aware of his prodigious talents, but when you can rap, sing, play and write as well as he can, it’s understandable. Exit is a genre-defying triumph—hip-hop with heart and soul. K-OS’ recent deal with influential U.S. label Astralwerks may finally open some eyes across the border to the renaissance in homegrown hip-hop.
2
Sarah Slean
Night Bugs
Warner
The Toronto piano songstress has been a local fixture for years now, but she finally introduced herself to the rest of the country with her major-label debut, a small jewel of a record that heralds an immense new talent. Kudos to co-producer and kindred spirit Hawksley Workman for fleshing out Slean’s marvellous songs in brilliant Technicolor, each tune a mini-opera of its own, full of tragic characters and magical places. Pop music as high art.
3
Broken Social Scene
You Forgot It In People
Paperbag/Arts& Crafts
If you haven’t yet heard of Broken Social Scene, consider yourself warned—you will. The Toronto indie-rock collective started off as the brainchild of Brendan Canning (By Divine Right) and Kevin Drew (kc accidental), but has since expanded into a multi-headed beast populated by their vast roster of musical friends. You Forgot It In People is a sprawling sonic collage that runs the gamut from fuzzed-out indie rock to lounge-y jazz to sunny pop without ever sounding disjointed or boring. There’s a reason this is the buzz album of the moment—it’s a real achievement that sounds like the very heartbeat of the city. Tremendous.
4
Emm Gryner
Asianblue
Dead Daisy
Why Emm Gryner isn’t a star by now remains a mystery, as the Toronto singer-songwriter writes some of the hookiest songs on the planet, the kind of melodic wonders that stick in your head for days after you hear them. Asianblue is the perfect pop album Gryner’s had in her all along, boasting new textures like breakbeats and Wurlitzer and her trademark poetic-yet-caustic lyrics.
5
Aimee Mann
Lost in Space
SuperEgo
If you needed proof that Rolling Stone has gathered way too much moss, consider their recent pronouncement that Aimee Mann’s latest album was a “disappointment,” while rapidly fading popster Justin Timberlake’s album was deemed worthy of a 4-star review. Hmm. The only thing disappointing about Lost in Space is the bleak world Mann’s characters inhabit, the murky place where depression and drugs are the norm, not pop starlet ex-girlfriends and choreographed dance numbers. The artful production is note-perfect, and bonus points for introducing Guelph comic artist Seth (he illustrated the elaborate liner notes) to a wider audience.
6
The Roots
Phrenology
MCA
Something’s wrong in the hip-hop nation when the likes of Nelly are dominating the airwaves instead of Philly heads The Roots. The ridiculously talented crew pulled together the Philly massive (Jill Scott, Cody Chesnutt, Musiq) to create an album that rocks and rolls joyously. Phrenology leapfrogs through genres on the back of drummer ?uestlove’s supremely funky live rhythms—let’s see The Neptunes try to beat that.
7
Jason Collett
Motor Motel Love Songs
Independent
Everyone needs to stop talking about Ron Sexsmith. There, I said it. While Sexsmith is an excellent songwriter, we’ve got dozens more honing their craft quietly under the radar, including Jason Collett. Collett toiled away in obscurity before becoming host of the popular Radio Mondays local songwriters’ series, and Motor Motel Love Songs is a compendium of songs from his two overlooked indie albums. Both those records were marvellous in their own right, especially last year’s brilliant Bitter Beauty, but this new release is a good introduction to Collett, interspersing the 70s AM rock sounds of his first album with the rootsier, acoustic-based fare on the second. Someone tell Sexsmith to watch his back—there’s a new guy in town.
8
Sam Roberts
The Inhuman Condition
MapleMusic/Universal
What’s in the water in Montreal? Consider this year’s crop of Canadian “buzz bands”: The Dears, Stars, Marlowe… and Sam Roberts tops the list. Bursting outta la belle province with a record deal in one pocket and a hit single in the other, Roberts parlayed flat-out hard work and a handful of great songs into an opening stint for the Tragically Hip and furious word-of-mouth. The jangly retro pop-rock Inhuman Condition EP was just a teaser—expect even bigger things when Roberts’ full-length finally drops this spring.
9
Norah Jones
Come Away With Me
Blue Note
Forget about the critics carping that it’s not jazz. Never mind her exotic good looks or her famous father. Bottom line is, the girl can sing. Whether you want to call what she does roots-pop or coffeehouse blues-folk, there’s no denying the seductive power of that red wine-and-smoke voice. Admit it, the first time you heard “Don’t Know Why,” you wished that certain someone was nearby so that you could lace your fingers through theirs.
10
The New Deal
Live: NYC 05.31.02/06.01.02
sound+light
Now free from their mismatched major-label deal with pop factory Zomba Records, the Toronto live breakbeat house trio go back to what they do best—with this group, it’s all about the live show. This 2-CD set from a smokin’ NYC gig this past summer highlights the progress the Toronto trio has made since releasing their debut last year. Several intricate drum+bass sections lay waste to the “jamband” label and portend exciting things for the band’s forthcoming sophomore album.
