Pawa Up First

I have to admit that Pawa Up First have me stumped. There's no easy way to describe Introducing New Details. For the most part (as on "Goodbye Pluto"), the band seems to fit into a post-rock template. Everything is mellow, with nice atmospheric guitars and keyboards standing out above everything else.

But at the same time, songs like "Big Breeze" and "Mixed Blessings" come out of nowhere and force you to re-evaluate that opinion. Featuring rappers Belle and D-Shade, respectively, both songs are electro-tinged hip-hop, their semi-dissonant noises and energy levels totally at odds with the rest of the album. They're jarring, but in a good way; they ensure that you won't fall into the trap of just letting the songs wash over you, and instead of passively enjoying the album you have to stay ready for the album to break into something totally unexpected at any moment. It makes it really difficult to describe Introducing New Details if you haven't heard it, but it also means that if you do hear it, it's not likely to slip out of your memory. - iheartmusic.net

I have to admit that Pawa Up First have me stumped. There's no easy way to describe Introducing New Details. For the most part (as on "Goodbye Pluto"), the band seems to fit into a post-rock template. Everything is mellow, with nice atmospheric guitars and keyboards standing out above everything else.

But at the same time, songs like "Big Breeze" and "Mixed Blessings" come out of nowhere and force you to re-evaluate that opinion. Featuring rappers Belle and D-Shade, respectively, both songs are electro-tinged hip-hop, their semi-dissonant noises and energy levels totally at odds with the rest of the album. They're jarring, but in a good way; they ensure that you won't fall into the trap of just letting the songs wash over you, and instead of passively enjoying the album you have to stay ready for the album to break into something totally unexpected at any moment. It makes it really difficult to describe Introducing New Details if you haven't heard it, but it also means that if you do hear it, it's not likely to slip out of your memory. - iheartmusic.net

I've been working on a new descriptor for Montreal's pre-eminent instrumental soundscapers: urban-spaghetti-western? Gangsta-Morricone? Whatever it is, the follow-up to their debut, The Scenario, picks up where the previous left off, presenting a dark grey world of muted emotion with flickers of redemption and levity. Goodbye Pluto is the album's standout, opening with a xylophone (I think) reminiscent of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, but there is no shortage of intelligent moody indie rock-hop here, from the opener Inuit Wedding to the expansive Ambivalence. While the only guest vocalist that seems truly married to the material is D-Shade, I have every confidence that they are only improving.

- Hour

I've been working on a new descriptor for Montreal's pre-eminent instrumental soundscapers: urban-spaghetti-western? Gangsta-Morricone? Whatever it is, the follow-up to their debut, The Scenario, picks up where the previous left off, presenting a dark grey world of muted emotion with flickers of redemption and levity. Goodbye Pluto is the album's standout, opening with a xylophone (I think) reminiscent of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, but there is no shortage of intelligent moody indie rock-hop here, from the opener Inuit Wedding to the expansive Ambivalence. While the only guest vocalist that seems truly married to the material is D-Shade, I have every confidence that they are only improving.

- Hour

French-Canadian types Malajube are the icing on the Day Six cake. The Montreal dwellers released their latest album, the hook-laden Trompe-L'Oeil. The album was a hit with critics, garnering them a nomination for the Polaris Prize, and seemingly every other award available in Canada including a Félix award at l’ADISQ for Revelation of the year, two Félix awards at l'Autre Gala ADISQ, for Alternative album of the year and Album cover. Today, they are sharing their top ten with us:

Malajube

1. Sam Roberts, Chemical City (Universal)
2. Sonic Youth, Rather Ripped (Geffen)
3. Avec Pas D'casque, Trois Chaudières De Sang (Dare To Care Records)
4. Charlotte Gainsbourg, 5:55 (Wea International)
5. ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, So Divided (Interscope)
6. Vulgaires Machins, Compter les corps (Indica)
7. The Dears, Gang of Losers (Arts & Crafts)
8. The Beatles, Love (Capitol)
9. Pawa Up First, Introducing New Details (Dare To Care Records)
10. Thom Yorke, The Eraser (XL Recordings) - Filter Magazine

French-Canadian types Malajube are the icing on the Day Six cake. The Montreal dwellers released their latest album, the hook-laden Trompe-L'Oeil. The album was a hit with critics, garnering them a nomination for the Polaris Prize, and seemingly every other award available in Canada including a Félix award at l’ADISQ for Revelation of the year, two Félix awards at l'Autre Gala ADISQ, for Alternative album of the year and Album cover. Today, they are sharing their top ten with us:

Malajube

1. Sam Roberts, Chemical City (Universal)
2. Sonic Youth, Rather Ripped (Geffen)
3. Avec Pas D'casque, Trois Chaudières De Sang (Dare To Care Records)
4. Charlotte Gainsbourg, 5:55 (Wea International)
5. ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, So Divided (Interscope)
6. Vulgaires Machins, Compter les corps (Indica)
7. The Dears, Gang of Losers (Arts & Crafts)
8. The Beatles, Love (Capitol)
9. Pawa Up First, Introducing New Details (Dare To Care Records)
10. Thom Yorke, The Eraser (XL Recordings) - Filter Magazine