Canada is marking its 145th year today (July 1), and we've rounded up some fine Canadian albums to help you celebrate our home and native land. We all know that our country has a rich history when it comes to music -- from Neil Young to the Band to Rush to Joni Mitchell and Gordon Lightfoot -- but this year, the aforementioned greats are being left on the shelf to make room for some more recent aural awesomeness.
The following ten albums are still quintessentially Canadian, but none of them precedes 1989. Read on to check out which albums make us truly proud to be Canadian. And of course, there are even more great Canadian albums than those listed below, so feel free to share which records you would have included in the comments.
And if you're curious, yes, it was heartbreaking to leave off classic albums like New Pornographers' Mass Romantic, D.O.A.'s Hardcore '81 and Godspeed You! Black Emperor's Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven, among many, many others.
Exclaim!'s 10 Quintessentially Canadian Albums for Canada Day:
10. Voivod
Nothingface (1989)
Quebecois thrash troupe Voivod have been pushing the boundaries of heavy metal since forming 30 years ago. It was on their 1989 album Nothingface, however, that they took a turn for the more progressive with excellent results. And nothing says prog rock like a Pink Floyd cover, which Voivod delivered with "Astronomy Domine" on this record. The original material still stands up, and while asking for another 30 years of Voivod might be a bit ambitious, at least we know Nothingface isn't going anywhere.
9. Caribou
Swim (2010)
Psychedelic electro master Caribou (Dan Snaith) may have picked up the Polaris Music Prize for Andorra, but instead of resting on his laurels, he gave us something even better when he dropped Swim in 2010. Opener "Odessa" is giant, and the album gives us a strong, experimental blend of electronic, pop and folk right through to the Luke Lalonde-assisted finale "Jamelia." For pushing genre boundaries and remaining ever-innovative, Caribou's Swim is a quintessential album for any Canadian's collection.
8. Propagandhi
Less Talk, More Rock (1996)
Always outspoken Winnipeg punks Propagandhi make the list with their classic 1996 LP Less Talk, More Rock. Shooting off 14 songs in 25 minutes, it's fast and fun Canadian punk at its best. It's also the last album the band put out with bassist John K. Samson before he left to wax poetic as the frontman of the much-loved Weakerthans. Aggressive tunes about class war and animal rights from Chris Hannah drive home the band's political agenda, while "Gifts" and "Anchorless" are little pop punk gems courtesy of Samson. For managing to make a point without sacrificing the rock, Less Talk, More Rock makes the cut.
7. Feist
Let It Die (2004)
Feist's breakout album, Let It Die caught the attention of everyone in 2004. Spawning damn-catchy singles like "Mushaboom" and "Inside and Out," this one catapulted Leslie Feist beyond the realms of Broken Social Scene -- and Canada for that matter -- and into hearts everywhere. She gets bonus Canuck points for showing off her French on the rendition of "L'amour ne dure pas toujours" and for covering Ron Sexsmith's "Secret Heart."
6. Shad
TSOL (2010)
Shad's been breathing life into Canadian hip-hop for some time now, but 2010's stand-out TSOL showed everyone that the Kenyan-born, London, ON-raised rapper wasn't a fluke. Dropping hyper-literate rhymes that incorporate pop culture and politics, but range to the extremely personal, Shad even brought on guests like Lisa Lobsinger and Brendan Canning. This album ended his reign as The Old Prince, but he's certainly still in the running for Canada's hip-hop king.
5. Thrush Hermit
Clayton Park (1999)
Joel Plaskett has consistently churned out some of the finest Canadian rock'n'roll throughout his career, but it's his final album with Thrush Hermit that makes our list. Named after a Halifax suburb, Clayton Park pays tribute to the West Coast on tracks "Western Dreamz" and "The Day We Hit the Coast," making the record a sea-to-sea affair. Ian McGettigan, Robert Benvie and Plaskett all showcase songwriting chops, and although it serves as Thrush Hermit's swan song, they definitely went out with a bang.
4. Broken Social Scene
You Forgot It in People (2002)
Broken Social Scene has done a lot for Canadian indie rock in the last decade. Not only did they make it cool to be from Toronto again, but the individuals within the collective have continued to provide us with excellent solo and side-projects, even beyond the group's recent hiatus. Sure, the band's most Canadian song title goes to "I Slept with Bonhomme at the CBC" from Feel Good Lost, but their sophomore effort You Forgot It in People remains the crowning jewel of the BSS discography and one of the finest Canuck albums of the 2000s. Delivering masterpieces like "Cause = Time," "Stars and Sons" and "Almost Crimes," You Forgot It in People still holds up ten years later and remains one of our nation's finest exports.
3. Maestro
Symphony in Effect (1989)
Back in 1989, Maestro Fresh Wes changed the face of Canadian rap with his debut album Symphony in Effect. It would be irresponsible to celebrate Canadian music without a tip of the hat to "Let Your Backbone Slide," which made Maestro the first Canadian rapper to ever get a Top 40 hit. Maestro laid the foundations for many of rap's future players, but for doing it first, Symphony in Effect stands out as an innovative piece of Canadian history.
2. Arcade Fire
Funeral (2004)
Arcade Fire's Funeral remains one of the biggest achievements in recent Canadian music. Eight years after its release, having made appearances on countless "best-of" lists, the gorgeous ten-song collection hasn't lost any of its sheen. Perfecting the art of orchestral indie rock, it's hard to find any fault with the record. From the urgency of "Neighbourhood #3 (Power Out)" to heartbreakers like "Crown of Love" and "Haiti" to the slow build of "Rebellion (Lies)" and, of course, the undeniably anthemic "Wake Up," Funeral is a beautifully crafted piece of music that should make any Canadian proud.
1. Sloan
Twice Removed (1994)
Haligonian Canrock heroes Sloan top the list with their classic 1994 album Twice Removed. The record saw the four-piece refine their grungy roots into pop-rock perfection, easily earning the forthcoming deluxe reissue. From the playful ridiculousness of opener "Penpals," through a couple of their best singles to date ("Coax Me" and "People of the Sky") and all the way to the closer "I Can Feel It," Twice Removed proved that the sophomore slump was no issue for any of the band's four songwriters. It's so good, we can even forgive Patrick Pentland for the frosted tips he's rocking on the album cover. They may have never really hit it huge outside of their home country, but as Canadians, we couldn't be happier to have Sloan all to ourselves.
The following ten albums are still quintessentially Canadian, but none of them precedes 1989. Read on to check out which albums make us truly proud to be Canadian. And of course, there are even more great Canadian albums than those listed below, so feel free to share which records you would have included in the comments.
And if you're curious, yes, it was heartbreaking to leave off classic albums like New Pornographers' Mass Romantic, D.O.A.'s Hardcore '81 and Godspeed You! Black Emperor's Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven, among many, many others.
Exclaim!'s 10 Quintessentially Canadian Albums for Canada Day:
10. Voivod
Nothingface (1989)
Quebecois thrash troupe Voivod have been pushing the boundaries of heavy metal since forming 30 years ago. It was on their 1989 album Nothingface, however, that they took a turn for the more progressive with excellent results. And nothing says prog rock like a Pink Floyd cover, which Voivod delivered with "Astronomy Domine" on this record. The original material still stands up, and while asking for another 30 years of Voivod might be a bit ambitious, at least we know Nothingface isn't going anywhere.
9. Caribou
Swim (2010)
Psychedelic electro master Caribou (Dan Snaith) may have picked up the Polaris Music Prize for Andorra, but instead of resting on his laurels, he gave us something even better when he dropped Swim in 2010. Opener "Odessa" is giant, and the album gives us a strong, experimental blend of electronic, pop and folk right through to the Luke Lalonde-assisted finale "Jamelia." For pushing genre boundaries and remaining ever-innovative, Caribou's Swim is a quintessential album for any Canadian's collection.
8. Propagandhi
Less Talk, More Rock (1996)
Always outspoken Winnipeg punks Propagandhi make the list with their classic 1996 LP Less Talk, More Rock. Shooting off 14 songs in 25 minutes, it's fast and fun Canadian punk at its best. It's also the last album the band put out with bassist John K. Samson before he left to wax poetic as the frontman of the much-loved Weakerthans. Aggressive tunes about class war and animal rights from Chris Hannah drive home the band's political agenda, while "Gifts" and "Anchorless" are little pop punk gems courtesy of Samson. For managing to make a point without sacrificing the rock, Less Talk, More Rock makes the cut.
7. Feist
Let It Die (2004)
Feist's breakout album, Let It Die caught the attention of everyone in 2004. Spawning damn-catchy singles like "Mushaboom" and "Inside and Out," this one catapulted Leslie Feist beyond the realms of Broken Social Scene -- and Canada for that matter -- and into hearts everywhere. She gets bonus Canuck points for showing off her French on the rendition of "L'amour ne dure pas toujours" and for covering Ron Sexsmith's "Secret Heart."
6. Shad
TSOL (2010)
Shad's been breathing life into Canadian hip-hop for some time now, but 2010's stand-out TSOL showed everyone that the Kenyan-born, London, ON-raised rapper wasn't a fluke. Dropping hyper-literate rhymes that incorporate pop culture and politics, but range to the extremely personal, Shad even brought on guests like Lisa Lobsinger and Brendan Canning. This album ended his reign as The Old Prince, but he's certainly still in the running for Canada's hip-hop king.
5. Thrush Hermit
Clayton Park (1999)
Joel Plaskett has consistently churned out some of the finest Canadian rock'n'roll throughout his career, but it's his final album with Thrush Hermit that makes our list. Named after a Halifax suburb, Clayton Park pays tribute to the West Coast on tracks "Western Dreamz" and "The Day We Hit the Coast," making the record a sea-to-sea affair. Ian McGettigan, Robert Benvie and Plaskett all showcase songwriting chops, and although it serves as Thrush Hermit's swan song, they definitely went out with a bang.
4. Broken Social Scene
You Forgot It in People (2002)
Broken Social Scene has done a lot for Canadian indie rock in the last decade. Not only did they make it cool to be from Toronto again, but the individuals within the collective have continued to provide us with excellent solo and side-projects, even beyond the group's recent hiatus. Sure, the band's most Canadian song title goes to "I Slept with Bonhomme at the CBC" from Feel Good Lost, but their sophomore effort You Forgot It in People remains the crowning jewel of the BSS discography and one of the finest Canuck albums of the 2000s. Delivering masterpieces like "Cause = Time," "Stars and Sons" and "Almost Crimes," You Forgot It in People still holds up ten years later and remains one of our nation's finest exports.
3. Maestro
Symphony in Effect (1989)
Back in 1989, Maestro Fresh Wes changed the face of Canadian rap with his debut album Symphony in Effect. It would be irresponsible to celebrate Canadian music without a tip of the hat to "Let Your Backbone Slide," which made Maestro the first Canadian rapper to ever get a Top 40 hit. Maestro laid the foundations for many of rap's future players, but for doing it first, Symphony in Effect stands out as an innovative piece of Canadian history.
2. Arcade Fire
Funeral (2004)
Arcade Fire's Funeral remains one of the biggest achievements in recent Canadian music. Eight years after its release, having made appearances on countless "best-of" lists, the gorgeous ten-song collection hasn't lost any of its sheen. Perfecting the art of orchestral indie rock, it's hard to find any fault with the record. From the urgency of "Neighbourhood #3 (Power Out)" to heartbreakers like "Crown of Love" and "Haiti" to the slow build of "Rebellion (Lies)" and, of course, the undeniably anthemic "Wake Up," Funeral is a beautifully crafted piece of music that should make any Canadian proud.
1. Sloan
Twice Removed (1994)
Haligonian Canrock heroes Sloan top the list with their classic 1994 album Twice Removed. The record saw the four-piece refine their grungy roots into pop-rock perfection, easily earning the forthcoming deluxe reissue. From the playful ridiculousness of opener "Penpals," through a couple of their best singles to date ("Coax Me" and "People of the Sky") and all the way to the closer "I Can Feel It," Twice Removed proved that the sophomore slump was no issue for any of the band's four songwriters. It's so good, we can even forgive Patrick Pentland for the frosted tips he's rocking on the album cover. They may have never really hit it huge outside of their home country, but as Canadians, we couldn't be happier to have Sloan all to ourselves.
