Where: Montreal

What: Pop/acoustic

Visit: www.domesticcrisisgroup.com

Woah, where did this come from?

Domestic Crisis Group describe themselves as having a “great songwriting front” with “lyrics relevant to domestic drama that all can relate to.” I had already said to my computer, “Thanks, but I don’t really want to listen to music that reminds me of domestic issues.” But then I listened DCG, centered by Gen Blouin and Dane Ratliff, and there was no turning back.

The duo crafts absolutely beautiful music. Blouin’s vocals are clean, elegant, and inviting. Meanwhile, Ratliff’s guitar work is as much a product of his Texas background as it is lazy ‘90s acoustic college rock. They’ll convince you to lean back and relax just a moment before shaking you awake with how greatly they pull everything together.

Hey, if The Good Life can write an album about breaking up, and Hard Drugs can focus on two lovers on a path of self-destruction, there’s no reason we can’t fall in love with songs about domestic issues.

Sure, sometimes artists get a little caught up in being artists. They can forget that there are people who want to enjoy the art they make. Domestic Crisis Group comes close to crossing this line, but actually straddles it in the most beautiful of ways.

Where: Toronto

What: Hip-Hop/Rap

Visit: www.hiphopdropouts.com

Jamie P. might not have a clever name, but don’t let that fool you. The hip-hop MC has been honing his craft since high school, when he was freestyling in the hallways. His goal seems to be making simple, gimmick-free hip hop in the vein of the genre’s ‘90s sound.

Jamie’s focus on wordplay and naval gazing might remind us of the ‘90s, but there’s a real sense of contemporary production in his new songs. “Show ‘Em Up” has an industrial beat and grimy sound. You can almost feel the spit coming off the rapper’s lips as he shouts criticism of modern hip-hop. His lyrics, though, are sharp and full of references to current pop culture and the hip-hop scene in general. It’s too clever not to commend.

He’s not there yet, though. His bio sheet focuses a bit too much on who he’s worked with, which local DJs have spun his music, and what name he records under. If we could offer some advice to Jamie, it would be to focus on his music and let it speak for itself. If we could offer some advice to you, it would be to listen to his music, because it’s good. If he can turn his new songs into an album’s worth of music, then we’d really have something to get excited about.

Where: Toronto, ON

What: Rock/Pop

Visit: www.thecrafteconomy.com

The Craft Economy may call Toronto home, but the band’s members come from all over the country – Guelph, Montreal, Vancouver, and PEI, to be precise. Much like the band’s geographic roots, its sound is rooted in diversity. Alright, “diversity” might be a bit of a stretch, but The Craft Economy’s ’70s punk/’80s new wave/’00s danceable rock is a combo that’s tough to pull off, and rarely done well.

The Craft Economy sound young, snotty, and all too likable. They don’t only want to make you dance; they make you want to crawl inside your stereo and hug vocalist Linda McKenney, while high-fiving bandmates Scott Birke (guitar/synth), Jake Janzen (bass), and John Britton (drums). Their songs are filled with the kind of
optimism and outlook birthed by the city on a Friday night in the summer.

To date, the band has released All On C, an EP available for free download, which resulted in 5,000 people snagging a copy. They followed it up with Is On Your Side, which was released in 2008 and received justifiable acclaim from several Canadian media outlets.