Top 5 Albums

1. M83 – Saturdays = Youth

Mirroring the minds tendency to only remember the good, Anthony Gonzalez revisits his formative years to make an album that is able to capture everything great about the 80s and touch up everything that wasn’t. One of a select few artists that are able to create full albums that are enjoyable from beginning to end, this french producer made an album from the past that sounds completely new.

2. The Cool Kids – The Bake Sale

In a year that has seen rap hit new lows (a circus freak named T-Pain and the abuse of the auto-tune), The Cool Kids single-handedly brought cool back to a genre in desperate need. This album can appeal to such a wide variety of people, it’s no wonder it’s such a success. Whether you’re a music freak who obsesses over the sparsely perfect production, a fan of the flow that revels in the ease that Antoine “Mikey Rocks” Reed and Evan “Chuck Inglish” Ingersoll communicate, a lyrics man who laughs along with the tongue and cheek rhymes, or just a fashion fiend who appreciates the forward thinking threads that The Cool Kids have adopted as their signature style. Let’s hope that in 2009 rappers stop trying to be Cher and bring the same originality that The Cool Kids brought us in ’08.

3. Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago

Recording the basic tracks of the album in his father’s hunting lodge deep in the woods of Wisconsin, Justin Vernon creates an almost heartbreaking recreation of the sparse and harsh beauty of winter.

4. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles

I got into this CD late because of listening to a bunch of Crystal Castles in ’07 but the album is surprisingly good. Anyone who reads this blog knows my love for 8-bit sounds and Crystal Castles do it in the best way possible. ‘Nuff said.

5. Girl Talk – Feed The Animals

I honestly didn’t understand why people liked Girl Talk after his first album. It was way too hectic and A.D.D. for me. He wasn’t able to allow any of the songs to breathe and it all kind of sounded like a jumbled mess. With ‘Feed the Animals’ Girl Talk has honed his skills and compiled a mish mash of classic songs that creates a straight up feel good, sing-a-long, party album. Nicely done.

Top 5 Shows

(I shouldn’t really get to participate in this because I only saw 3 shows but they were all pretty rad shows so I will comment on them anyway.)

1. Justice – Montreal

I was lucky enough to attend this show (almost) completely sober and experience all the raw energy of Justice and the crowd (if you’ve seen the DVD ‘A Cross The Universe’, the scene where the shirtless guy is making a blood curdling scream towards the sky at what I can only imagine are the Electro Rock Gods was the Montreal concert). After being completely satisfied by a nice re-working of ‘Cross’ I was awarded with a Justice remix of Metallica. As a giant fan of both Metallica and Justice it immediately became one of my favorite concert moments of all time.

2. Radiohead – Glasgow, Scotland

I truly felt like I was watching rock royalty during this show. They worked the crowd just as you would imagine them, playing hit after hit (with such a large and illustrious catalogue it makes it easy for them). There are so many memories from this show that it’s hard to pick just one but I will go with singing Fake Plastic Trees with thousands of drunk Scottish people as the rain began to pummel us from above. That’s Scotland for ya.

3. Yelle – Toronto

This was a solid concert that had a very carefree and playful attitude to it. I had a damn hard time singing along to words I didn’t know and songs I didn’t understand, but Yelle made it clear that it didn’t matter that a lot of the crowd wasn’t familiar with any songs besides “A Cause de Garcons”, she was here to have a good time. Having TEPR and Grand Marnier backing her up was a great treat as well.

Top 5 Remixes

1. Vitaminsforyou – B4U (TMDP Remix)

A journey of a song that has sounds you’ve never heard before. When the laser synth starts hitting later in the song I have to close my eyes to avoid sensory overload.

1. Kanye West – Love Lockdown (1994 PILOTPRIEST Remix)

I have to tie this with TMDP’s remix because I really can’t pick a favorite between the two. I have 3 songs by this relatively unknown artist (outside of Toronto that is), and they always make it into my setlists. Someone please give this guy a ton of money so we can hear what he can do with a whole album.

3. Robbie Robb – In Time (Futurecop! Remix)

A perfect pairing. I feel like Futurecop! started making music just so they could eventually remix this song.

4. Van She – Changes (G.L.O.V.E.S. Remix)

This song is always appropriate to play. I guarentee you’ll be singing “Orange juice won’t stain” for hours after you hear this song. I can’t wait to hear what G.L.O.V.E.S. does in ’08.

5. Kid Cudi – Day ‘N’ Night (Crookers Remix)

Dagada Dagada Dagada Dagada BAOOOM BAOOM BAOOM! Dagada Dagada Dagada Dagada BAOOOMBAOOMBAOOMBAOOM! If it wasn’t so good I would wish that didn’t get stuck in my head every time I hear it. Undeniably catchy.

Handsome Clothing is going to be dropping their new line on January 2nd. Handsome will be hosting Rollin’ & Scratchin‘s first event of the year, R$S DJs Battle Royale. It’s gonna be at Supermarket starting from 9pm. It’ll feature 4 DJs battling it out as well as Handsome’s new line of shirts for sale. Pretty much your girl’s dream. Reach!

You know you’re not in high finance considering second hand underpants. How did it get so bad? What happened to all those other underpants you had? Life can get you down sometimes, but no need to worry because you can watch the premier of Flight of the Conchords season 2 now. It airs on HBO.com on December 22nd or if you’re in The States check it out at FunnyOrDie.com right now. Enjoy.

Billionaire Boys Club just dropped their Season 8 lookbook. This season sees more of a focus on their design and tailoring as opposed to the sole graphic focus of previous collections. If you’re in Toronto and are looking to attract some fashion-conscious gold-diggers this summer, look out for the new line at Livestock.

Being ⅓ of Handsome can sometimes be a challenge and a treat at the same time. Keeping a balance is part of that ongoing process. Like today I’m chilling in my room for the whole day (cause there’s snow on the road and I’m not Evil Knievil) and thinking of ways I can use Handsome to get some love from the ladies. There was that slightly adolescent looking cutie at New York Fries in the private school uniform (the flannel pants version cause skirts are for straight up hoes). I’m thinking she’d probably make a good wife and Handsome could be my means of achieving this. I didn’t end up talking to her, but it did get me thinking. I need to be able to let the ladies know there’s a tiger in me (symbolic of my sexuality) but it’s not gonna be all arrogant and shit (symbolic of my arrogance).

So then I’m trying to think of things to say when the opportunity for courting a wife inevitably arrises again. I need to think of what one of my role models would do if they owned their own clothing line. Teenage Simba was a pimp in The Lion King. I can relate to that and Nala was definitely one of the fittest ladies Disney ever dropped on us.

The answer like the answer to life is balance. I gotta show the ladies I am Simba at all ages combined. I’m adventurous like Cub Simba (voice of Jonathan Taylor Thomas), but smart enough not to go into the elephant graveyard like some reckless gangster. I can kick it like Teenage Simba with Timon and Pumba, but know you can’t always choose bros over hoes. Lastly, I’m confident as one day I will be King Simba, ruler of everywhere the sun touches, but this will not overwhelm me with arrogance like in the scene where Simba is all arrogant and shit and disrespecting Zazu.

So now I’m thinking I’m pretty desirable and I own my own clothing company. If a girl isn’t down with me it’s probably cause she’s stupider than Donna in 90210.

A little while ago Richy posted an awesome video of Bloody Beetroots upcoming DVD ‘Cornelius’. If you are anything like me, you were thinking “What the fuck is that song!?”, as the wild images flickered on your screen. Well I found out it is also called ‘Cornelius’ so I grabbed it off the EP of the same name and now you guys can have it too.

It’s pretty insane, frightening, and relentless… perfect.

Bloody Beetroots – Cornelius

There have been a handful of recreations of the classic varsity jacket, but this is definitely one of the most legit ones. Respect to the Japanese for this dope design from The Journal Standard. It’s like your favourite three jackets got together 9 months ago with that girl from your womens’ studies class and this hooded, varsity, duffel jacket showed up.

Time Magazine‘s annual “Person of the Year” issue will reach newstands on December 29th featuring Barack Obama. The cover is graced with Shepard Fairey‘s iconic portrait of Obama. Respect to anybody who saw the transition from Andre the Giant to President-Elect Obama coming.

Kidz in the Hall has teamed up with Reebok to drop their own colour-scheme for the SK-7000s. You’ll be able to get them in March as part of the “Classic Re-Mix” Collection. What’s super cool is when you buy a pair you’ll get a Kidz in the Hall remix that only comes with the kicks. Believe that.

Handsome went to visit our friends Astro Printers today. They’re super sweet dudes and can print just about anything for you. Our next line of shirts is being printed as you read this and will be ready for you in 2009. Much Love.