POP Montreal’s acts range from underground local artists, hip American bands and Montreal’s biggest musical ambassadors.
Arcade Fire, Wednesday at Metropolis, Thursday at Place Des Festivals Maybe you’ve heard of these guys? They started around here. Not ringing any bells? They play anthemic indie rock that earned them a Grammy for Album of the Year and the Polaris Music Prize earlier this week. If you still haven’t heard them, you’re probably not going to their super exclusive Wednesday night show, but maybe you might try checking them out for their free show on Thursday.
You know, you really might like them. A lot of people do!
Jeff the Brotherhood, Thursday at Club Soda
Brothers Jake and Jamin Orrall have a contagious restless energy that feels like the band you wish you were in when you were in high school. Or even the band that you wish went to high school with you. They may have left high school years ago, but that adolescent excitement for rock ‘n’ roll hasn’t left them. Beneath this Nashville stoner sound is a songwriting and production sensibility that is a joy to behold.
Dirty Beaches, Friday at Il Motore
When people talk about the garage rock revival, they should definitely be mentioning this Montreal minimalist, not just because the fidelity sounds like he literally recorded his songs in a garage, but because he sings with a be-bop-a-lula of a voice against a backing that sounds like Suicide.
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Friday, Théâtre Corona
The former Pavement frontman is as witty as ever on the new Mirror Traffic album, populating it with folk who go streaking in their Birkenstocks and are down with “soft rap.”
Yuck, Saturday at Cabaret du Mile-End
If you like a thick wall of fuzzy guitar and pretty whispered melodies, then Yuck will make you say, “Yum.”
Boot Camp Clik, Saturday at Underworld
The diversity of this Brooklyn act is well represented by the diversity of the names they have chosen for themselves. There’s Buckshot, Smif N Wessun, Rock and Sean Price. Isn’t it cool that in such a pedigreed hip-hop group, one guy would have the audacity to use his birth name? Their beats and rhymes are just as bold.
Girls, Sunday at Théâtre Corona
This California band plays a style of music we like to call Oldies on Drugs. They use 1950s jukebox structures for a lot of their songs, but their lyrics are often about getting high. Their brand new album, Father, Son, Holy Ghost is the logical comedown from their sunny debut, Album, and it feels good to feel bad.
Peter Hook and the Light, Sunday at Club Soda
You know Peter Hook as the bass player from Joy Division and New Order. He has a new band, and his son is the bass player! Hooky sings! What does he sing? Well, the debut album from Joy Division, Unknown Pleasures, in its entirety!
