!earshot Top 200 of 2021

The Best, The Worst and the Rest

As the year draws to a close, it is the tradional time to look back and take stock of all that has come to pass. All in all it was a pretty good year for music and Canadian music in particular. This year saw strong showings from the likes of Destroyer, The Organ, The Sadies and newcomers The Arcade Fire. But that's the stuff that got everbody's attention. Here we take a more subjective look at the year. We asked some music snobs and radio nerds from across the country for some of the highlights, lowlights and unexpected surprises of the thier musical year.

Not surprisingly, the The Arcade Fire made a few people's lists. More that one person identified the Fiery Furnaces as the yearsmost over-rated release. But it is the bands and artist you may have heard little or nothing that are most interesting. Peter Elkas, Shotgun and Jaybird, John and Sisters. And what about the local bands that have yet to make a name for themselves beyond their hometown. Have a read, you may find a few gems you missed this year.

Of course, the year isn't over yet. We have more picks and reflections from across the country next month along with a serious look at the year past and the year ahead.

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Kevin Doyle
VoodooHealin' blues, Monday nights 6 - 9 pm , 100.3 CKMS FM Waterloo, www.ckmsfm.uwaterloo.ca - 12 strong years comin' at ya baby

Best of 2004

1. John & the Sisters - John & the Sisters. - Northernblues

Heavy,Funky, Crunchy, Amazing production & songwriting. What's not to love. Kevin Breit at his finest. One of   Canada 's top vocalist brings this in ...over the TOP. Canadian blues to a fault.

2. JW Jones blues band- My Kind of Evil - Northernblues

Just a great performance from this young man (23)from Ottawa . JW decided to push it one wrung higher up the ladder and succeeded. Not only writing a fine Texas jump/swing blues album but writing out all the horn lines as well. Bringing in Kim Wilson (Fabulous Thunderbirds) on production didn't hurt either. This is the album that the Thunderbirds should have made (or might be next). Kim also lends his vocals and harmonica to a couple of songs and Colin James pitched in to sing one cut that absolutely rocks any dance floor.

I expect many great things to come in the future for this young band. JW will soon be headlining major festivals around the world. Sit up and take notice today.

3. tAngle eyes/Alan Lomax - Southern Journey remix - Zoe

These two producer from New Orleans may just help BLUES music to hit the dance floors, again. Not only does this disc incorporate the vocals and emotion of the fabulous field recordings by Alan Lomax for the national Library of Congress/Smithsonian Institute but brings in New Orleans hot piano king Henry Butler, Corry Harris's stringed mastery and world renounced banjo player Tony Triska, to fill out between the beats. This is truly blues for the 21st century.

4. Mel Brown - Chicken Fat - Impulse

Back in 1967 a little known guitarist stepped out of a Los Angeles studio and with the help of Herb Ellis delivered a funk blues jazz fusion album that would last decades. Hitting # 38 on Billboard magazine (ahead of Ray Charles and Charles Brown) it didn't see CD re-release until this year. Herb Ellis had heard of this new guitarist from Mississippi strutting his stuff around town and asked to play with Mel. Mel showed Herb why he was the go to guy for the likes of Johnny Otis, T-Bone Walker, Pee Wee Crayton, Johnny Guitar Watson, Billy Preston, Sam Cooke and many more music legends since.

This disc well surpasses the test of time.

5. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Abattoir Blues - The Lyre Of Orpheus - Anti-Epitaph

An amazing collection of new songs, two complete albums from the prince of darkness. Singing the gospel

Most Under-Rated Record of the Year

The MiniaturesComa Kid Maplemusic

Ian Smith is the most prolific songwriter on the scene today. He keeps a tight reign on his band and they do keep it tight.

Best Local Release - Waterloo

Shannon Lyon Someday Mourning Busted Flat

Shannon is a marvelous songsmith, his voice is spectacular and he plays guitar with a ton of emotion. It is no wonder that he is revered in his adopted home of Holland . This live disc is from a tour in Germany

Most Anticipated Record of 2005

Julian Fauth & the Chain Gang

ex- KW singer songwriter band leader piano wizard. Julian has the left hand of groove. His walking bass lines keep your toes tapping & fingers snappin', then gets you swinging on the dance floor with his dangerous right hook.. His songwriting evokes the spirit of 1940's Chicago with a twist of 2004 cabbage town. He feels most comfortable singing murder ballads & prison songs and the man can sing with conviction. Yeah and he is only 34

and recently signed to Toronto label Electro-Fi records. Home to Fathead, Curley Bridges , Mel Brown, Snooky Pryor, Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne, & more.

Daddy Long Legs KW blues band (4 guys under 35), I've been following their development for the past 4 years and I really like the outcome.

Best Personal campus/community radio moment or experience of the year.

I switched to Monday nights after 11.5 years on Saturday nights. Not that I didn't like Sat. nights, hell I love Sat. nights. I just needed a change.

Kevin Doyle, VoodooHealin' blues, Monday nights 6 - 9 pm , 100.3 CKMS FM Waterloo,

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