Some leftovers from Moody Week - for dustin who wanted to hear the Dears, and for the masses who don't know the Hip. [updated 5:58pm]

The Tragically Hip - "Nautical Disaster". Canada's biggest rock band, and, believe it or not, pretty darn great. This song rises from "rockin'" to wholly majestic when you pay attention to the lyrics. The Hip don't just crown the Canadian rock canon - in terms of 1990ish to 2000, they are the canon. They play rock music that ranges from the heavy and guitar-strewn ("100th Meridian," "Grace, Too," etc.) to the woodsy and acoustic ("Ahead by a Century," "Bobcaygeon"). The lyric play is pretty wonderful - like a more down-to-earth (or, er, Canadian) R.E.M. - and although their recent releases have felt a bit tired, the band continues to innovate like crazy. Day for Night, Road Apples, Trouble at the Henhouse and Phantom Power are all amazing, vital rock'n'roll records. The Hip's inability to break into the States or the UK remains frequent fodder for late-night bar conversations, and Globe-and-Mail columnists. (NB: The Tragically Hip's typical fans are notorious for being clod-brains.)

The Dears - "Hollywood". Taken from the Dears' debut, End of a Hollywood Bedtime Story, it is best described by turning to the title of the band's 2001 EP, Orchestral Pop Noir Romantique. It's pretty much Blur crossed with Serge Gainsbourg, glorious in the way it crests a cabaret beat and swirls towards a martini-laced, organ-fuelled, hazy psych climax. In the last couple of years, the Dears have gotten noticeably more aggressive - live, they are deafening - and 2003's very good No Cities Left has drifted away from the music hall and towards the avant-rock of OK Computer. (Track down "We Can Have It" for a worthy sample.)

Also worthy of attention:

Those of you who haven't yet heard Toronto's The Blankket do his schizoid neaderthal version of "Hey Ya!" should download the mp3 here. Unfortunately, the EP is already sold out (I checked); While Dave of The Diskettes managed to nab a copy, I was left empty-handed. Still, tantalized by the sample on that page, I'm going to order the record by Les Mouches.

One of Matthew's tracks for today at Fluxblog is absolutely worthy of attention: the DFA Remix of "Sun Plus," by J.O.Y. It's silly and complicated-simple, it's festive but vicious, it makes me want to dance in a wiggly Winnie the Pooh way. It's fine.

nb: i've changed the Hip lyrics link to something less nefarious (sorry, andrew!).