Arlene Bishop  
Who: Arlene and her band of merry troubadours (Blair Packham, electric guitar; Maury Lafoy, bass; Paul Brennan, drums). Guests: Glenn Martin (drums), Todd Lumley (organ) and Gary Craig (drums).
What: Just like the album says: Snarky Girlpop
Where: Toronto, soon to be the world
Why: One of the best singer-songwriters in Canada can only be kept secret for so long.
Website: www.total.net/~blare/
To Contact: Arlene Bishop, (416) 463-9748, The Twelve Steves, 260 Adelaide St. East, #131, Toronto, ON M5A 1N1 .

First, the accolades: How Arlene Bishop has managed not to become an international sensation is one of the great mysteries of the late 20th century. In an era of angry-girl-with-appropriated-angst music, Bishop writes adult-woman-with-life-experience songs, rich with seasoned irony and despair, juxtaposed against elegantly upbeat and memorable melodies. There's no faux rage here -- when present, the rage is genuine and oh-so-sweetly presented, a freshly-sharpened knife dipped in honey and delivered with a twist. Her voice, more throaty than Jann Arden, more soulful than Amanda Marshall, delivers her anguished and wry lyrics in a commanding manner, without being overbearing or preachy. Now, the technical stuff: Produced by Blair Packham (formerly of The Jitters), Snarky Girlpop is a walking advertisement for local studios. The bed tracks were recorded over four days at The Chalet in Claremont, with "many, many, many" overdubs done at Twiddletown over the next 40 days and 40 nights. Stephen Traub handled the mixes, spending one week manipulating a Mackie d8B at Modular Music, after which Joao Carvalho took over and mastered the album at Umbrella. If you get a chance (and everyone should), see Arlene and her band live. The snippet of banter added on to the 12th track barely hints at the bawdy, savvy stage antics that are every bit as entertaining as the music.

Ann Victor  
Who: Genviève Bilodeau (vocals), Martin L'Heureux (vocals, guitars). With: Mathieu Bélanger, Nathalie Bonin, Kristin Molnar, Martin Roy, Phillipe Brochu, plus about a dozen contributing players.
What: Jacques Brel for the '90s. Ssssssssmoky.
Where: Montreal
To Contact: René Bilodeau, (514) 992-7363, FAX (514) 596-2474, .

As much a theatrical performance as a musical experience, Montreal's Ann Victor can take you on an aural tour 'round the globe in a matter of minutes. Heavy on the accordions and strings, this duet-plus-a-few-dozen specializes in world music with a definitive French Canadian twist. Recorded at Montreal's Studio Piccolo, this album could just have easily been taped live in a cozy café on Rue Ste. Catherine...in the 1940s, for that matter. Winners of the 14th annual CKOI 'L'Empire des Futures Stars' competition in 1997 -- which has traditionally gone to rock bands -- Ann Victor presents an invigorating mix of world music with a definitive Quebec twist. Not satisfied with restricting themselves to traditional cabaret, these musicians' smoky repertoire includes Latin beats, swing and even yodeling. It's rare for cabaret music to translate this well to recording, but just in listening to the tracks one gets the feeling of an intimate performance. As charming as the album is, though, the complete Ann Victor must be experienced in a live setting.

Leaderhouse 
Who: Matthew Buda (Vocals, Acoustic/Electric Guitar, Trumpet, Organ); Scott Nolan (Bass, Vocals); Dustin Leader (Lead Guitar); rotating drummers.
What: Jeff Buckley meets Alice in Chains (Unplugged) in a German Expressionist play directed by Dave Matthews.
Where: Winnipeg
Why: Truly original music.
To Contact: Scott Nolan, (204) 489-6347,

Leaderhouse is a musician's band. While their music will engage all listeners, it is truly astounding to those who realize the level of musicianship that this kind of originality entails. This band is comparable to the Rheostatics, not in the sound per se, but in the eclecticism that is borne out of a musical curiosity and the marriage of talent and exploration. Recorded off-and-on over a period of six months with Norm Dugas in Winnipeg, the self-titled album collaborations that bassist Scott Nolan admits are "heavier" than the fare they've been developing recently. "We came together as people who all liked really different things. Matt's more of a vocalist person -- he played jazz trumpet when he was young, and he sang with his dad's swing band, so he likes Sinatra and a lot of the old songwriters. Dusty's really interested in the Radiohead-U2, "sound guitar," creating sounds, and I think I'm in the middle of all that. I like a lot of old jazz, and writers like Tom Waits."

Credit: Sarah Chauncey is a Toronto-based freelance writer.

| Contents | Showcase | Music On-Line | Studio Guide | Canadian Artists |