What:

Despite its progressive nature, punk rock is largely dominated by men; however, Ottawa’s Doll demonstrates clearly that women can hold their own as the face of a punk band.

Ragdoll Diaries is the band’s second album. With dirty bar rock forming the backbone of their sound, vocalist Christina Kasper’s singing is a throwback to ’90s grunge acts such as Hole or L7. The band’s rhythm section does a great job supporting Kasper’s vocals, which are certainly the centerpiece of the band’s music.

After releasing Inside the Dollhouse in 2009, Doll spent a few years touring much of Canada alongside bands such as SNFU, Danko Jones, The Creepshow, and others. It appears as though rubbing shoulders with some of the genre’s finest has rubbed off on the band, who demonstrate a more mature and confident style with their latest release than in previous work. If Doll is coming through your neck of the woods, you’d be remiss not to check them out.

Listen to: Doll – Plastic Lies

CBC Radio’s Chris Martin might have said it best when he described The Command Sisters by saying: “Think of Taylor Swift, but there would be two of her, and she would have a lot more soul, mixed with the kind of sibling harmonies that would make the Rankins question whether they are truly related…”

The duo, comprised of teenage sisters Charlotte and Sarah, started small, but their brand of pop-injected country quickly started turning heads and they’ve been playing festivals and clubs all over North America for the past few years. It’s great to see young women taking an approach similar to Tegan and Sara by writing great music that doesn’t rely on the overt sexualisation of the performers. The Command Sisters’ music stands on its own. Their third album is due in March 2012, and I’d be shocked if they didn’t become a fixture of pop radio shortly after.

Listen to: The Command Sisters – The Distance

What:

I would normally hesitate to endorse any band that delays recording a great album because they’re too busy playing ultimate Frisbee, but Toronto’s The Fires Of are good enough to get past that point.
Founding members Chris Hayward (vocals, guitar, bass) and Graeme Donnelly (vocals) have assembled a fantastic group of musicians, including Lisa Di Diodato (vocals, guitar, bass), Steve Canning (guitar, glockenspiel, bass), Peyton Leung (violin, percussion, didgeridoo), and Greg Heard (percussion, drums, guitar, bass).

The band creates rich and highly-texturized indie pop that’s as full of spunk as it is soul. With male and female vocals as well as a huge mix of instrumentation, there’s a lot going on in each of the band’s songs, and each stands on its own, making their 2010 self-titled LP one of the best under-discovered gems of Canada’s indie rock scene. Do yourself a favour and stop sleeping on this great band.

Listen to: The Fires Of – Memories In Flight

What: Hip-Hop

Where: Winnipeg

Visit: www.abstractartform.com

Halifax’s Classified might be trying to establish himself as the preeminent writer of hip-hop songs tied to our national identity, but Winnipeg’s Abstract Artform might just give him a run for his money.

The group, fronted by MC and producer Shea “Kid A” Malcolmson, fuses live jazz and soul-like music with vocal delivery familiar to fans of groups like Jurassic 5. Their “I Am Canadian” single from 2010’s His Story In The Making is a hit waiting to happen while other cuts share and celebrate life in a Prairie capital. Upcoming full-length As The Crow Flies is their second in as many years and the third since 2008’s Prairie Kid. The band’s work ethic has garnered them consecutive appearances at the taste-making NXNE festival, a 12-month stay on the Chart college lists, and a slew of other appearances and opportunities.

With easy flow, great instrumentals, and lyrics worth turning an ear to, Abstract Artform should be must-play material for any Canadian hip-hop fan.

Listen to Abstract Artform – I Am Canadian

What: Children’s Music

Where: Toronto, ON

Visit: www.themonkeybunch.com

With a kid on the way, this writer is consistently on the prowl for kid-friendly music that won’t drive parents crazy. The Money Bunch are a kids band, no doubt, but songs like “Poopie Diaper” (which is about inconvenient places for a kid to crap his or her pants) are funny enough for parents to be into and childish enough to make kids want to sing along. The band bills itself as “envirockumental,” and many of their songs attempt to instill some sense of environmental responsibility in their young and adult listeners alike.

While this type of music isn’t going to appeal to a large number of our readers, those with kids should be grateful for something other than the usual suspects to rock in the minivan on the way to soccer practice or daycare.

Listen to The Monkey Bunch – Poopie Diaper

What: Alternative Rock

Where: Vancouver, BC

Visit: www.liftoffnet.com

Liftoff might not be big on self promotion (their website offers little in the way of biographical information) but that works fine because they don’t seem like the kind of band that’s too caught up in maintaining a website or writing one-sheets anyways. In fact, it took a trip to their Bandcamp page to discover that their upcoming Naked LP is their third full-length since they debuted with a two-song EP in 2000.

These British Columbians boast an alternative mainstream rock sound that sounds akin to a more rock-oriented Green Day (vocalist Carmon Leeson is a dead ringer for Billie Joe Armstrong) or an older Simple Plan while at the same time harnessing the alt-rock fashions of mid-’90s Canadian alternative rock.

Liftoff might spread themselves a little thin trying to pack variety (or eligible singles) into their releases, but standouts such as “Falling Apart” and “All Alone” are excellent testament to the fact that, if they stick to the up-tempo numbers, they’re going to get somewhere.

Listen to Liftoff – Falling Apart

What: Alternative

Where: Toronto, ON

Visit: www.freemandreandthekitchenparty.com

Freeman Dre And The Kitchen Party don’t have the most ordinary name on the block, and neither do they have a typical style. The Toronto-based band recently won a NOW Magazine readers’ poll that named Freeman as the city’s best songwriter. It’s no wonder; the band’s anecdotal songs tell tales of life in their Parkdale neighbourhood, a stretch of blocks known for its diversity of people and culture. With songs about everything from relationships to 2010’s G20 protests, there are few bands that are able to cover this much lyrical ground with any success.

The lyrics are paired with output from a six-piece band that plays a quirky alternative style, going from alternative to folk to eastern-Europeon accordion jams and back. But forget descriptions; some bands just don’t need them!

Freeman Dre And The Kitchen Party are worth checking out on record, but word on the street is that the real spirit of the band can only be captured at their legendary live shows, so make sure you don’t miss the opportunity to catch them next time they are in your hood.

Listen to Freeman Dre & The Kitchen Party – Saturday Night In Parkdale…

What: Alternative Rock

Where: Vancouver, BC

Visit: www.staticinthestars.com

Static In The Stars blast right out of the garage and into your stereo at a ferocity best experienced with your volume knob cranked. The Vancouver-based quintet plays loud stadium-ready rock n’ roll with huge guitars and soaring vocals. The band’s latest EP, Kings Of Last Call, is short, but packs a powerful punch. It’s a follow-up to their 2009 effort, No Grace In Goodbyes, and transfers just as well to the stage, which they’ve shared alongside acts including Pearl Jam, Wintersleep, K-OS, and Billy Talent.

The band has spent the last year touring, picking up some awards here and there and catching the ears of people like Hedley’s Tommy Mac, who produced Kings Of Last Call, and JUNO-nominated engineer/mixer Dean Maher (AC/DC, Bryan Adams, Nickelback, Rise Against), who also lent his talents to the effort. If the doctor has ordered you to listen to some straight-up rock ‘n’ roll, look no further than Static In The Stars.

Listen to Static in the Stars – We Are…

What: Hip-Hop/Rap

Where: Welland, ON

Visit: www.sikadime.com

Welland, ON’s Sikadime isn’t your typical hip- hop artist. The 27-year-old has been releasing music independently and through various record labels for the past seven years. In that time he’s released 12 solo albums of his tweaked version of ‘90s west coast hip hop and toured through Canada, Europe, and the United States.

While he’s yet to break through into the mainstream, he’s received plenty of recognition from those within the hip-hop industry, including members of Cypress Hill (he contributed a verse on “Ride Out” from the group’s co-vocalist B-Real) and Sweatshop Union. He’s also won a number of awards and has shared the stage with Choclair, D12, Maestro Fresh-Wes, Onyx, and others.

After releasing his last album, Chronicles Of Eli Razar, Sikadime moved to California in an effort to get more exposure. While we’ll have to wait to see if that pays off, there’s always his dozen other albums to spin in the meantime.

Listen to Sikadime – Too Late…

 What: Pop/Rock

Where: Toronto

Visit: www.sonicbids.com/
matthewgenovese

If anything can be said of Matthew Genovese, it’s that the Toronto-born singer/songwriter has a work ethic that would be hard to beat. After graduating from Boston’s Berklee College of Music, Genovese Loved from Toronto to Los Angeles to team up with producer Justin Gray. Working together, they managed to release Change, a six-song EP, before getting back to the drawing board to write a full-length.

Along the way, Genovese worked with vocal coach Roger Love (John Mayer, Gwen Stefani, The Beach Boys) to further develop his vocal abilities. Genovese says that after his lessons, his vocals had improved to the point where he felt it necessary to re-record the vocals on all the songs they had already finished. East To West is the final product of Genovese’s work. Now that it’s done, he’s excited to share his radio-ready pop rock with the world. Fans of Coldplay, Kings of Leon, and John Mayer should find lots to like in his music.

 Listen to Matthew Genovese – The Walls…