>> I'm no expert on Canada or even alternative rock, nothing but a casual enjoyer of both. However, sometimes I come across a track, then two or three, until I realize I'm looking at a localized scene of very cool and underrated bands or songs. Makes me wish I knew how music was made and stuff, I held a trumpet for a number of years and made sounds with it and shit, but yeah, I'm no Spice Girl. So, without much talent and musical prowess, I would like to offer you a little weekly playlist of some cool and underrated Canadian 90s rock. Canadian rock? Is it any different from all North American rock? Um...I guess not, though arguments can be made. When I was younger (it all started with Tokyo Police Club) I was actually really into a number of Canadian bands like Metric, The Zolas, Arcade Fire, Hot Hot Heat, Ladyhawk, Hollerado, Japandroids, and the aforementioned Tokyo Police Club. Later in the years, I got into older stuff like Sloan, or even older with April Wine and Chilliwack. Still, the 90s alternative scene was relatively unknown to me, until now...
1.
MONDAY>> The Killjoys are a still active band hailing from Hamilton, Ontario. Formed in 1992, the track selected for this list came from their second 1996 album Gimme Five. The band is a three-piece, and has enjoyed moderate success throughout the 90s within the landscape of Canadian alternative rock. Interesting thing, the band has broken up four times before finally coming together again in 2022. So, this song is my least favourite of the seven, but its still a solid tune in its own right. Its got good energy and I like the vocals.
2.
TUESDAY>> Easily my favourite song of the bunch here. I quite like the Grapes of Wrath and I was suprised I haven't heard of them before this year seeing as they started as early as 1983 in Kelowna, B.C. All The Things I Wasn't is my favourite track overall, but from their 90s albums, I have to give it to You May Be Right. The third single of the album was promoted through a competition that could end in you winning a fishing trip with the members of the band. That's so awesome!
3.
WEDNESDAY>> This is my third favourite of the playlist. Sandbox was a band out of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia that was active between 1993 and 1998. Curious is the biggest single off the 1995 album as well as from the band's entire repertoire. Sadly, the label sucked and wanted the band to move to commercial alternative rock as opposed to their power pop style. They were dropped and later disbanded. The track is a banger though.
4.
THURSDAY>> While I do dabble both in the accumulation of 90s and Canadian alt rock songs, this song began the culmination of the conjoined beast that is this playlist. First off, it's my fourth favourite in the list. Second, while the Odds had broken up in 1999, they have been back since 2007. Truth Untold is likely their biggest hit, definitely a track off their most commercially successful album. Its a great song, bit of a heavy guitar and a great melody.
5.
FRIDAY>> The Inbreds, of Kingston, Ontario, also love a frequent break-up with a current total of five break-ups with the last being in 2012 from which they have yet to come back. The sexy thing about this band is that its a purely bass/drum and vocals duet. You can hear the sound of that on Any Sense of Time which is biggest track of the band and my second favourite on the list.
6.
SATURDAY>> Formed as early as 1989, Age of Electric, out of Regina, Saskatchewan, was a band between two friends who were waiting for their kid brothers to get out of high school. Make A Pest A Pest is their biggest album with a number of hit songs, but my favourites are Remote Control and I Don't Mind. So, so catchy. Woohoo-hoo! It's the fifth best song on the list.
7.
SUNDAY>> See Spot Run is probably the only band to have avoided a break-up on this list. Starting in 1997 in Montreal, the album Weightless provided them with success in 1999. They are also the only band to have any Francophonic songs in their discography. This song's bassline is sexy, which is why it's the sixth best on the list.
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Sources & References
Band lore and other info from Wikipedia pages of the bands and their websites: Killjoys, Grapes of Wrath, Sandbox, Odds, The Inbreds, Age of Electric, and See Spot Run.
Images from Discogs.
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