Help stop the hate

It saddens me how many young children have recently felt they must find an escape through suicide just because they are gay. I'm not gay, but I'm not ignorant either. People can be cruel. These kids shouldn't have to feel the need to take such drastic measures...help stop the hate and join the cause. Visit the Human Rights Campaign webpage and sign the petition to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Check out another movement created by Dan Savage called "It Gets Better" that features self-published stories that everything will end up being alright.

Owen Pallett's Heartland on sale!

Owen Pallett's newest album "Heartland" is on sale on Amazon for only $5. Check it out, it's got some great tracks!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows trailer

The full Harry Potter trailer is out. Looks promising...I hope it doesn't suck as much as the last one did *drops and shakes head*

The Wilderness Downtown

If you haven't checked out this interactive project for Google Chrome and the Arcade Fire, do it now. The Wilderness Downtown a piece of art really, incorporating video, music, and Google Maps for a personalized experience. Check it out and be amazed!

Polaris Prize Music Awards

As per my last post, I've told you I watched the Polaris Prize Music Awards. I discovered a lot of great new music I want to share with you all. It was a great show, with ten of Canada's best albums of the year being represented by each respective band playing a set. The way it works is there was a "long list" consisting of 40 albums, then that was condensed to the "short list" of 10. The artists featured on this elite list were the Broken Social Scene, Karkwa, Radio Radio, Dan Mangan, Shad, The Sadies, The Besnard Lakes, Caribou, Owen Pallett and Tegan and Sara. Karkwa won the Polaris Prize. You can watch the rerun online this Saturday or download it as a podcast today. Here are a few of my new faves:

"Texaco Bitches" - Broken Social Scene:


"Sold" - Dan Mangan (They've got a Mumford and Son's feel):


"Echapper au Sort" - Karkwa (French MuteMath maybe?):


"Forme Elliptique" - Radio Radio (French/English/Gypsy rap? yes please!):


Then ofcourse Owen Pallett..."Lewis Takes Off His Shirt":


And who should have won, Tegan and Sara..."The Ocean" (clip from the show, beautiful!):

Tegan And Sara on the Polaris Prize Music Awards

So I watched the Polaris Prize Music Awards for the first time last nite and it was amazing. 10 stellar bands performing a two song set list leading up to the winner of "The Best Canadian Album of the Year." Some of the candidates include the Broken Social Scene, Owen Pallett, and ofcourse Tegan and Sara. The girls' performance was easily one of the best ever, doing an acoustic set of "Alligator" and "The Ocean." There was a special treat though, Owen Pallett supported them playing violin. I'm pretty sure it was a last minute addition when the girls met him in the back. It was beautiful...

"Alligator"


"The Ocean"


Click here for the full segment, and here for the interviews after.

Owen Pallett, the real Final Fantasy

I definitely just fell in love with the music of Owen Pallett, aka Final Fantasy. I mean, check this performance of "Lewis Takes Off His Shirt." Not only is it a terrific song, he tells the stage crew he's wants to finish the song as they try to get him to stop due to the rain!


Owen Pallett (Once known as Final Fantasy), is a Canadian artist who is a composer, violinist, keyboardist, and vocalist. His newest album "Heartland" is truly special. Check it out and you will soon see what I mean. I've discovered that his music is great to not only listen to, but also to do things to...such as read a book or clean a room to. It's beautiful and upbeat, with a certain mysticism about it. The following video is the first song I heard of his and is from an older record called "He Poos Clouds." (Hehe). How did I find him? A podcast by Tegan Quin of Tegan and Sara, haha. I know, I'm kinda obsessed with them at the moment :-p. (PS: Today's their 30th birthday)

"This Lamb Sells Condos"


Also, here is a cute vid of Tegan promoting her podcast that I learned about Owen from: