Thanks to everyone who came out to the B.Y.O.B. Saint Kris release party. Attendance and support exceeded our wildest expectations and thanks to Khammy we can spend Monday morning reliving the excitment. Special thanks to The Happy Unfortunate, Rosie Blais, Nikki Saint, RT, DJ Boom and all of you for making the night a very memorable one.
In conversations, the daily blog reads and conducting my annual spring/summer iTunes clean up I have realized that there have been a few albums that have come out over the last few months that I had anticipated but yet to listen to. For the most part they have sat in the ‘Recently Added’ folder or been sprawled carelessly across my desktop, abandoned. This weekend I have made it my goal to put five albums in the rotation to and from and around the cottage. Hopefully they live up to my expectations. Album: Codes and Keys Artist: Death Cab for Cutie Release Date: May 31, 2011 Available: iTunes ($10.89) Album: Peanut Butter and Swelly Artist: Chiddy Bang Release Date: May 27, 2011 Available: Free Download Album: From the Westside with Love II Artist: Dom Kennedy Release Date: June 28, 2011 Available: iTunes ($6.99) Album: Wasting Light Artist: Foo Fighters Release Date: April 8, 2011 Available: iTunes ($9.99) Album: Little Hell Artist: City and Colour Release Date: June 7, 2011 Available: iTunes ($9.99)
J Cole was in town last weekend. Unfortunately I missed the show spending the weekend at the lake and to make matters worse it seemed like everyone I talked to this week had to rave about his performance – unfortunately what I had anticipated. J Cole has been touring with Rihanna and Ce-Lo on the North American dates of the Loud Tour. The tour is currently making it’s way west with two shows this weekend at Rogers Arena in Vancouver (assuming that between now and then it doesn’t go up in smoke). I was planning on going with “Who Dat” for the Weekend Playlist but was quickly persuaded otherwise after @saintkris played me “Cheer Up”. Following the much talked about mixtape “Friday Night Lights” which came out November of last year, J Cole’s will release his debut album “Cole World: The Sideline Story” under RocNation on September 27th. Cheers.
Toronto R&B artist Abel Tesfave (The Weeknd) seemed to spring from the shadows and into the spotlight as one of this year’s most buzzed about new artists. Following this past weekend announcement of two more mixtapes before years end, 6 previously unreleased tracks popped up online. To add to the excitement surrounding The Weeknd, it has been announced that much talked about artist will be a fixture in this summer’s 2nd Annual OVO Festival in Toronto. The inaugural event brought out a slew of artists including the likes of Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Eminem, Young Jeezy, Bun B, Kardinal Offishall and Fabolous. This year it has been confirmed that Rick Ross will be among the roster. Tickets go on sale through Ticketmaster on June 3rd Unreleased The Weeknd by k.niteh
Latest tracks by The_Weeknd The Weeknd seems to have come out of nowhere, but are sure to be everywhere shortly with a co-sign from Mr. Aubrey Graham. The Toronto based R&B group released the ‘House of Balloons’ mixtape last Sunday. By the sounds The Weeknd is comprised of Abel Tesfaye (vocals) and Jeremy Rose of the She’s So Lovely Crew. You can download the mixtape here. Recommending kicking off the weekend with track 7. ‘Wicked Games’ Cheers (via. OVO)
Last summer one of the year’s most anticipated tours came through town. Along with it came one of raps next big stars. The ‘Away From Home’ tour cruised across Canada last year making a stop in town at the end of July. Just weeks after the release of ‘Thank Me Later’ -Drake’s debut studio album with Young Money/Cash Money. The performance, as expected, was pretty phenomenal. The tour also proved to be a coming out party for another one of Canada’s bright up and comers, who has since mustered his way to the forefront of Canadian music. Hailing from one of the most notorious neighborhoods in Toronto, Kingston-Galloway, P Reign was the opening act on Drake’s first Canadian Tour. It took all of about 30 seconds to recognize his talent. The ATF/RepsUP/October’s Very Own artist dropped his latest mixtape project, ‘When It Reigns It Pours’, at the end of November. It is quite possibly one of the most underrated mixtapes I can think of. His combination of lyrical confidence, brashness and wordplay immediately draws parallels to his close pal, Drake. His music addresses the “complexities of street life, both good and bad; that of women, and the pursuit of what he had never imagined growing up”. It is no question that P Reign should have been a candidate for Rookie of the Year. Hold My Own (Im Good) by OakandOar Money In My Pocket by OakandOar P. Reign – In My Hood (Prod. By T-Minus) by OakandOar Call My Name ft Lokz & Kim Davis by OakandOar Follow @Preign