Broken Social Scene
by Wikimedia Commons
The likelihood of stumbling into a world-famed musician is not so low when walking around the city of Toronto. Our artsy hometown is well-known for its lively music scene and is proud to be home to many awesome bands who started their careers in the garages scattered around the suburbs and played their way to success in local clubs. Today, we will introduce three hip bands that trace their roots back to Ontario: Broken Social Scene, Metric, and Crystal Castles.
Getting over the hurdle
Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene was formed in 1999 and made it to indie rock heaven after just a couple years. Their second album, “You Forgot It in People,” became a hit on the influential Pitchfork and was awarded an unbelievable 9.2 points out of 10 and tagged as best new music. Ever since, their fame has rocketed sky-high, and their newest album, called “Forgiveness Rock Record,” earned great reviews. They are praised for delivering alternative yet still accessible pop songs that never slip into oversimplification or kitsch. It’s only a pity that they do not show up in Toronto more often, as they tour the world these days. They will appear in Brazil and Argentina throughout November.
Metric
Metric by David K K
Initially in 1999, Metric was a synthesizer/guitar duo formed by Emily Haines and James Shaw, but in 2001, Winstead and Scott-Key joined in, playing bass and drums and helping to create the sound of Metric we all know and love these days. Indie rock, new wave, and dance music merges in the songs produced by the band. Their first studio album, “Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?,” released in 2003, met with positive critical acclaim and went gold in Canada. Their album “Fantasies” won the Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year in 2010. Recently, Metric became known to the wider public, as their song “Eclipse (All Yours)” was included in the Twilight: Eclipse movie soundtrack. Unfortunately for the fans, the band doesn’t perform too often; their closest event is scheduled for January and takes place in Mexico City.
Crystal Castles
Crystal Castles
by Chris Zakorchemny
The experimental electronic scene in Toronto took off and boasts some great names, including Crystal Castles. This band, consisting of vocalist Alice Glass and producer Ethan Kath, made it big from the very beginning. Their debut album, called simply “Crystal Castles,” was immediately included in NME’s “Top 50 Albums of the Decade” list. Unpredictable, melancholic, and minimalist sound and electric live shows that leave nobody untouched… that’s what we love Crystal Castles for. Critics point out that the band managed to take the genre beyond its boundaries and produce a brand new sound. Local fans will had an opportunity to enjoy a show on November 5th, in the Rogers Centre, where the band stopped by during its North American tour.
