The World Provider

I didn’t know that the World Provider was so tight with the dude who announces the destinations of the arriving trains for Via Rail, but they must be because he opens the record with a bang, appropriately listing all of his favourite cities. After all he is the World Provider, and he’s made his small rounds, starting out in Toronto and moving on to Montreal. It’s a suitably grand entrance for a personality so wide it has to fit through the doorframe sideways. Since his persona grew out of its sidekick-to-buddies (the Peaches/Gonzales Berlin-based gang) stage, the Provider has quickly gained a reputation as the king of karaoke, and for good reason. Not only are his Casio-beat ditties catchy and stinking of talent, they’re also a whole lot of goddamn fun. The first song "The Future of Our Kind” is the perfect lead-off with its upbeat and anthemic melody. He follows with "Heavy Metal Life,” the punked-up track that proves he was worthy of that handlebar moustache. And the record is only half of it. It is impossible to listen to without imagining live — even as your first exposure, it feels like a memento from a happy experience, a reminder of an innocently joyous childhood fantasy. Enjoy yourself and the rest will follow!