!earshot Top 200 of 2021

Flavour of the Month

PAPERBAG RECORDS (Toronto, ON) - www.paperbagrecords.com

Paper Bag RecordsThink: pop, boom, bam! & then sizzle, sizzle, sizzle...... This statement sums up the 18 month historical-time line-narrative of Toronto�s up-start indy label Paper Bag Records. It all started with the out-of-left field/now-legendary release of Broken Social Scene�s You Forgot it in People - way before all of the mainstream critical praise and Juno win. The �who could have predicted this?� success of the BSS�s release put Paper Bag Records in a position where they had to grow up fast, but the newly formed/wet-behind -the-ears label was taking smaller steps compared to the giant footprints left behind by BSS. Like George Harrison stated, �all things must pass� - the Broken Paper Social Bag relationship came to a loving end on amicable terms - ahhh!h!. BSS started their own imprint, Arts and Crafts and Paper Bag Records - who had just gotten its start - moved on to release some choice cuts from some of today�s premier Canadian musical acts.

With all of the �who knew it would happen...?� publicity stirred up by the BSS link, Paper Bag Records started out as an independent imprint in pretty good standing. PBR has only gone on to earn itself a solid-cred reputation for delivering a great variety of music. They have put out �of note� releases from artists like Matthew Barber (now signed to Warner), the Stars, Plastikman (yes, the Windsor based-techno guru!), the Fembots, controller.controller and Hawaii. There�s no doubting it - it seems that everything Paper Bag touches turns to gold! � but it is no coincidence. PBR is a well-run label, run by dedicated people who really work hard at (& love) what they do. No wonder a number of their acts have been, or are well-on-their-way to being, picked up by majors. Hopefully this T.O. imprint sticks around for a while because they are keeping a spotlight on a scene that needs to see the light of day..

controller.controller - toronto loft-scenesters who earned their reputation playing giggs in places nobody knows about. Their debut release History (2004) is seven tracks of 4/4 melodic alt-disco that will make even the straightest hipster wiggle.
plastikman- Closer (2003)The band references Joy Division, P.I.L., Fugazi, punky crunchcrunch guitars and the all-out energy of 80's disco. The combination of these heavy musical influences is only bettered by the vox of Nirmala Basnayake. All of the ingredients in controller controller work so well together it�s hard not to love their vibe. The crits call it �death-disco�.

Plastikman - It has been five years since Richie Hawtin released a record as Plastikman. The Windsor-native keeps it in the family with his come back album Closer (2003) released on PBR. The sounds on this record are classic Plastikman: removed, psychic and surreal. There are vocal snips allover this album and the music is minimal(thundering)-minimal(shuddering)-minimal(quiet).

Fembots - Small Town Murder Scene (2003) - one of the absolute most
Matthew Barber�will grow on you� recordings ever. It starts out one dimensional upon first listen, but every new listen reveals more and more dimensions to this great ghostly recording. Dave MacKinnon, David Poirier & company weave a beautiful tapestry of Sherwood Anderson narrative, southern ontario gothic, organic electric blips/ yelps/&hums and m-m-m-murder. PBR will also be re-releasing the Fembots� 2000 release Mucho Culdado sometime in 2004.

Stars - The Stars are soft-core pop-kings. Their PBR releases: Dead Child Stars (2002), Heart (2003) are cultivated pop music masterpieces. Their music will break yr heart � and then break it again (&again, etc...).

Matthew Barber - Released Means & Ends (2003) on PBR.
HawaiiNow signed to Warner Bros. Music Canada.

Hawaii - the duo of Samantha Terry and Sam Goldberg (Bionic, Bodega) meld beautiful harmonic interludes that sound like your hiding from the rain under a blanket on the beach. Their self-titled debut Hawaii (2003) was released on PBR. The recording is an atmospheric pastiche of beautiful voices, beats, organs, samples and guitars. Are currently working on new material.