Favourite 5 Singles and Delicious Noise|December 2024
Before we post our Favourite 50 Records of 2024 list next week, we thought it would be fun to ask our contributors to write about some of their favourite 5 singles from this year! The next edition of the newsletter will have our favourite 5 albums and EPs from 2024!
Em's Top 5 Singles of 2024
“Giving Up” - SOURPUSSY - ♫ Listen
Every so often a song will come along that I will have trouble turning off. I’ll listen to it on a loop and I’ll find myself singing (or humming) it at different times throughout the day. This was the case with “Giving Up” by Ottawa-based SOURPUSSY. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve listened to their excellent blend of emo, alt rock, indie pop, and post-punk. The lyrics perfectly capture the frustration and exhaustion that comes with living under late-stage capitalism with great turns of phrase, stellar vocal delivery, and a hint of humour. “Giving Up” is relatable, fun, and cathartic.
“Goblin” - Shunk - ♫ Listen
On “Goblin” Montreal-based experimental punk rockers Shunk take you on a journey into a world of temptation, longing, and desire with imagery-laden lyrics based on Christina Rossetti’s 1862 poem “Goblin Market”. The band builds up the song with driving drums, insistent bass, and start-stop guitar which blossoms into sharp riffs. The vocals go from expressive post-punk-inspired spoken delivery to pure chaotic punk intensity, showcasing not only lead vocalist Gabrielle's range but also their storytelling prowess. With every note Shunk not only prove themselves as experts of dynamics, they also add to the compelling world that they're painting.
“Weed Whacker Vigilante” - Salmon Ella - ♫ Listen
Have you ever been rudely awoken at 3am by some inconsiderate asshole doing some early morning weedwhacking? And have you ever wondered what exactly they’re doing weedwhacking at that time of day? I certainly have and so has Ottawa-based Salmon Ella, who have written their debut single about this mysterious person whom they’ve dubbed the “Weed Whacker Vigilante”. The band blends elements of post-punk, indie rock, pop, and punk rock together to create an incredibly catchy and incredibly fun track. This song also features one of my favourite choruses of the year with bassist and lead vocalist Cynthia Cheng and rhythm guitarist and backup vocalist Katie Temple King coming together to ask, “Who the fuck is the weed whacker vigilante?”
“Pretty Good 4 A Girl” - Skunk Motel - ♫ Listen
With a count of “1, 2, 3, 4!” Halifax-based grunge-infused punk rockers Skunk Motel are away to the races on their debut single “Pretty Good 4 A Girl”. The band pulls no punches as they take aim at sexism within the music industry with lyrics full of fury, bite, and sarcasm which are delivered perfectly by both lead vocalist Sarah Ellen Morrison and melodic group vocals that include each member of the band (and are impossible not to join in with). The song has that splendid mix of control and chaos, polish and anarchy, that urges you to turn it up loud and dance your heart out.
“No Pride In Genocide” - NIIVI - ♫ Listen
On July 1, Nunavik-based folk punk artist NIIVI released their debut single - and one of the most powerful songs of the year - “No Pride In Genocide”. They start off the song with contemplative guitar and vocals simmering with pain before unleashing their rage, bringing in reverberating drums, expansive riffs, and layered vocals. NIIVI’s voice is strong and clear as they tear into the oppressive systems that perpetuate genocide including the government turning a blind eye to the high rates of suicide in Indigenous communities, the broken policing and justice system that routinely fails to properly investigate (that is if they look into them at all) the concerningly high rates of Indigenous people (especially women, girls, and 2-Spirit people) who go missing or are murdered every year, and the purposeful spread of disease. “No Pride In Genocide” is not only an expertly crafted song, it is a call to action to recognize and fight against genocidal, colonial tactics in all their forms.
Alyssa's Top 5 Singles of 2024
Checkout Queens - “Ballad of a Trapeze Artist” ♫ Listen
If you aren’t moving when you start listening to “Ballad of a Trapeze Artist”, the song will make you move. It’s punchy, and, in plain words, it’s a bop. Let you figure yourself out, don’t even worry about the audience.
Basement Revolver - “Red Light” ♫ Listen
Basement Revolver has a distinct melancholy sound that carries through all their music. “Red Light” is no different, but somehow this song is both melancholy AND fun. It also dropped right at a time when I believe we’re all struggling to make ends meet and things just keep kicking us while we’re down.
The Garrys - “Cakewalk” ♫ Listen
“Cakewalk” is a dynamic clash of surf-rock and spaghetti Western, which seems a little odd because the ocean isn’t exactly a known feature in most Western movies.
FEATURETTE - “Next Life” ♫ Listen
FEATURETTE’s “Next Life” is a relatable tune about trying your best but hoping your next life will go more smoothly. Check out the music video for a bonus emotional attachment to a paper cup with googly eyes and a butt drawn on.
Dark Mean - “Working Hard” ♫ Listen
This song is all about letting yourself feel awful because that’s the only thing that feels normal. And it’s ok to just keep living and killing time, because what else is there to do?
zeelle - "Scarlet Red"
♫ Listen
"Scarlet Red,” the newest folk-pop track from Ottawa-based artist zeelle (Zahra Ladha), is full of stark imagery and ghostly vibes. After a little digging, it turns out “Scarlet Red” was inspired by The Hunger Games so if you have a special place in your heart for that book series (or the movies), “Scarlet Red” will get your blood pumping. But even if you don’t get all of the references, "Scarlet Red" is powerful on its own and shows that zeelle is an artist to watch out for.
Eager to hear more? Check out MAD, zeelle’s debut EP released earlier this year. • Laura Stanley
Days On Parade - Look Alive!
♫ Listen
On Look Alive! St. Catharines-based Days On Parade kick out five tracks full of their signature blend of punk, psychedelic rock, garage rock, and new wave complete with massive riffs, deep bass, hard-hitting drums, and next-level synths. The range and power of lead vocalist Riss Nixon’s voice is incredible and is showcased wonderfully on the deliciously driving opener “Gumbo”, the swaggering, tongue-in-cheek “Local Celebrity”, the wonderfully crunchy “My Blonde Friend Alice”, the weaving dual vocals of “Take On The Day”, and the epic-sounding “The Tallest Castle You’ve Ever Seen” which is a masterclass in how to build up a song. Look Alive! captures the magical energy of Days On Parade superbly and is impossible to turn off. • Em Moore
Hillsboro - White Trash
♫ Listen
Hillsboro’s White Trash is not for the faint-hearted. Dealing with gruesome topics and driven with grit, it scratches the depressed itch in the brain. It pulls the mind into a liminal space and loses the key. • Alyssa Gelata
Wise Guise, Kick The Hive
♫ Listen
Wise Guise’s Kick The Hive is one of the most exciting debut EPs to come out this year. The Toronto-based four-piece wastes no time introducing you to their high-energy sound which blends the frantic urgency of skate punk with the propulsive rhythm (and undeniable groove) of ska and the melodic controlled chaos of pop punk. The band celebrates the joy and freedom of playing music, explores the deification of social media, centres the fight for bodily autonomy, and calls violent male behaviour exactly what it is with powerful lyrics delivered perfectly by lead vocalist Molly’s amazing rasp along with dynamic group vocals. Kick The Hive will have you dancing, skanking, starting a mosh pit, and singing along in no time at all. It will also light a fire under your ass to fight for a better world. • Em Moore
PISS, three demos
♫ Listen
Vancouver-based PISS comes roaring out of the gate on their debut recording, the fittingly named three demos. The band mix noise rock and metal with hardcore punk to create a brutally heavy and frenetic sound that will have you banging your head and opening up a pit immediately following the Andrea Dworkin sample that opens “time loop at hot slit”. The vocals are incredibly dynamic and find lead vocalist Taylor alternating between screaming, whispering, and clear spoken-word style delivery as she embodies the raw emotions of the viscerally poetic lyrics. three demos has everything that I love about punk music and I can’t wait to hear more from PISS. • Em Moore
Passenger Princess, The P.P. EP
♫ Listen
Passenger Princess’ debut EP, The P.P. EP, roars to life with the strike of a match on the aptly titled “Arson Girl”, setting the tone for the following five fiery tracks. The Ottawa-based four-piece’s fierce energy is on full display for the next fourteen minutes as they kick out a lively mix of garage punk, pop punk, grunge, and a hint of metal (especially on “Switchblade”). They pull no punches as they confront living with a broken transit system, fantasize about getting revenge on those who have wronged them, take aim at misogyny, talk about the wild world of online dating, and remind everyone that life is too short to put up with bad sex with lyrics that are both hard-hitting and humourous. On The P.P. EP Passenger Princess gives voice to frustrations that many of us deal with every day in a way that is not only cathartic but a hell of a lot of fun. Not even shitty public transit can delay the bright future that Passenger Princess has ahead of them • Em Moore
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