Christine McAvoy is a freelance photographer (McAvoy.ca) who is also the indie music editor for VancouverIsAwesome.com, and jury member for the Polaris Prize. Here are her top 10 Vancouver/BC artists from her road-tripping, beach-going, festival-covering playlist.
Shred Kelly I Hate Work
I finally got to see Shred Kelly live when I was part of the epic summer train adventure that was Tracks On Tracks (TracksOnTracks.ca/). While I dont hate MY work, I still love this song everyone can relate to having a crappy job just to pay the bills, especially summer ones.
Portage & Main What Have I Done
Portage & Main are working on a new album right now, and Ive heard some of the new songs live and theyre stellar. For now Ill just have to listen to this one on repeat.
Steph Macpherson Summer Salute
Stephs song might have been written last summer, but its always great for a beautiful sunny day and makes you want to hold on to every one we get because... winter is coming.
Maurice Mistake
It took a while to pick just one Maurice song, but this is one of my favourites. If you want another shot of summer, check out the cover of Call Me Maybe he did with The Matinee on a boat in the middle of the lake...its better than the original, and not just because its no-shirt-oclock.
Bahamas Caught Me Thinking
Okay, Im aware that Bahamas isnt local, but I get ONE exception and my logic is solid: Did you SEE him perform at English Bay before the fireworks?! Epic. This is one of my favourite albums of the year and I listen to it constantly.
Japandroids The House That Heaven Built
This album is on the Polaris Prize Short List for a reason...its SO good. I especially love this one Ive cranked it in the car and sang along on more than one occasion.
The Matinee Young and Lazy
Okay, so technically this song isnt released yet, but where you CAN find it is on the CBC Radio 3 Summer Road Trip Mixtape Podcast, which is almost all you need for summer (seeing as it has the above and below songs on it). Anyways, Young & Lazy is MY song of the summer.
Yukon Blonde My Girl
This album just IS summer...start to finish. I changed my pick about 5 times because there are so many good songs. Seriously.
Hannah Georgas Enemies
Hannahs new album is going to be amazing. Fall in love with Enemies first and watch for the album this fall. Im taking the a sea full of sharks lyric as a metaphor because I accidentally smacked a jellyfish in the ocean the other day and thats about all the marine life I want to encounter this summer!
Wake Owl Wild Country
Favourite new band of the summer. They got a standing ovation at the Vancouver Folk Music Fest and deserved it. Im hoping my neighbours arent too annoyed that I just keep listening to these songs over and over. Wild Country is a great song to start a summer morning to, or wind down a summer evening with.
So thats it! I hope you got to hear something new from this and make sure to go out and support local music in the city!
