The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night

There’s an argument floating around that Vancouver is the new Montreal. And while Vancouver is churning out more great albums than ever, Montreal is putting up quite the fight. The latest offering from Quebec is the third album from The Besnard Lakes. Formed by husband and wife team Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas, they signed to Jagjaguwar in 2007 for their very successful second album, “The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse”, for which they received a nomination for that year’s Polaris prize. In 2010, they have returned with “Are The Roaring Night”, which once again engages you with dreamy harmonies and sweeping melodies, drawing easy but flattering comparisons to the Beach Boys, My Bloody Valentine, and Caribou. Your move, Vancouver. The Besnard Lakes perform live at Criminal Records on Wednesday, March 10th at 6:30pm.

Broken Bells

James Russell Mercer is a guitar player and vocalist, and is the front man of The Shins. Brian “Danger Mouse” Burton is a genre-hopping musician and producer. Combine the two, and you get Broken Bells. While this may seem like an unlikely pairing from Mercer’s perspective, this is hardly new ground for Danger Mouse, who has recently produced albums for both Beck and The Black Keys. The two started recording at Burton’s studio in 2008, and in December 2009 released their first single, “The High Road”. And with the release of their self-titled debut, fans of both artists can now finally hear the project that was kept so secret for over a year.

Gorillaz – Plastic Beach

It’s not easy being a virtual band. When Blur’s Damon Albarn and comic book author Jamie Hewlett teamed up in 1998, they created something far larger than life. Unlike bands like Kiss or Slipknot who hide behind masks and alter egos, Gorillaz has the freedom to evolve into whatever its creators want it to be. In the case of Gorillaz, this includes elaborate back-stories, websites, and implementing unique technology to create live spectacles. With “Plastic Beach” being their first studio album in five years (and third studio album to date), Gorillaz are back, and doing what they do best – writing songs with hooks, while being backed by a stable of special guests, including Snoop Dogg, Lou Reed, Bobby Womack, Mos Def, and De La Soul.

Jason Collett – Rat A Tat Tat

In the world of Broken Social Scene, straying from the nest seems to be encouraged. And with the safety blanket that is Arts & Crafts, members have an outlet to do so without straying too far from home. It’s like teens with cool parents who let them party in the basement with their friends. As an avid participant in Radio Mondays some ten years ago, Collett became acquainted with many other musicians, including Andrew Cash, The Weakerthans, and many members of the soon to be Broken Social Scene. Since then, Collett has been releasing a steady stream of solo records. “Rat A Tat Tat” is Collett’s fifth solo album, and is produced by label mates (and backing band) Zeus.

Ghostkeeper – Ghostkeeper

There is simplicity to Ghostkeeper that is refreshing and pure. When many bands are constantly layering on more and more, Ghostkeeper strip their music to its bones, and parade them around with jubilance. Shane Ghostkeeper and Sarah Houle spent their youth steeping in folk and blues records. While based in Calgary, the group’s origins come from the true great white north – a small Métis community in northern Alberta. Their self-titled debut is released on Flemish Eye, home to Chad Van Gaalen and Women. Ghostkeeper perform live at Criminal Records on Friday, March 12th at 7:00pm (w/ The Balconies)