Racy post.

Election season in canada.  Spelled with a lowercase C, you best step back, learn ya abc's ygh.

With A Vengeance

Wehrwolfe - Amen - M1A2 Battalion of Hate


Pretty Heavy

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Tuesday 7 23, Wild West Edition

The Dynamite Daze - Mescalita - Tango With the Devil


Sounds like Tom Waits joined a rockabilly band, and they only made unplugged sets. Lots of Blues, dry, rhaspy vocals and a likely grin on all their faces as they play these deep south inspired songs.







Evil Creek - Everything's Gone Gray - Dirt Road


Ottawa musician Mark Garrod's band, Evil creek has found an old desert rock genre from the 90's and crafted something that is timeless. When I listen to this track, I imagine travelling under an open blue sky with not a cloud in sight, as my feet carry me accross the desert floor. I think quiet thoughts to myself about how everything came to be, and what i need to do going forward.







The Native Howl - Pappy - Pappy


Imagine 'The Great Big Sea' decided to make metal, and use classic western/ southern instruments - crafting a largely accoustic set.. You have "The Native Howl!". These guys are story tellers and crowd provokers. If you have the chance to see these guys on a play-bill anywhere.. GO! You will be treated to Banjo's and mosh pits. If you think about that for a second...







Grandpa's Cough Medicine - The Murder Chord - The Murder Chord


This is a throwdown! A showdown.. And i'm gonna go..... (lol) These guys are cool.. this whole genre is a developing interest in me... They call it 'Thrash Grass'.. And that conveys accoustic thrash metal.. With a folky blues sound! These guys are great fun!







Blackgrass Gospel - AmenBlackgrass Gospel (Debut)


Listener discretion is advised! It's a fun track made by a bunch of tough guys and it has an edge.. It's wonderful musicianship.. But i can't imagine them drawing a diverse crowd.. Listen and you'll know what I mean!







The Pine Box Boys - 56, Ar - Arkansas Killing Time


This song is kind of disturbing.. the story telling is that of an HBO epic! And the instrumentation is top notch, edge.







Steve ´n´ Seagulls - Thunderstruck - Farm Machine


A 'Polka/Thrash Grass' rendition of AC/DC's Thunderstruck.. Banjo's, Accordians.. Fast drums.. nothing else to say!

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MONDAY's positive energy MIX!!!

Good Morning everyone! I hope you had a 'Most Excellent!' weekend! We're back with a killer playlist for Monday! Like the others before it, there was no holding back when creating it. Try not to sit back with this one.. We're all about waking up!

If you're wondering what happened to Friday's playlist, have no fear.. it's not a problem with YOU! or a problem with our ESP! It happened on purpose as Friday is a very busy day for the POA team. Going forward you can expect some impromptu Friday editions, but dont count on em'! OK!?

Vampire Weekend - A-Punk - Vampire Weekend (DEBUT)


When I first heard this track, "A Punk" I thought it was the funnest song to listen to - it's fast paced, upbeat, whimsical.. has warm sounds and fun energy. It's a blast to sing along too!







NOFX - Linoleum - Punk In Drublic


NOFX has a huge discography.. and if you ask anyone who follows them, one of their most successful and quality albums is 'Punk in Drublic'. 'Linoleum' follows up Vampire Weekend quite nicely.. We are ramping up the bpms to match your heart-beat after the couple of coffee's you've already had!







Gob - Soda - Too Late... No Friends


Gob.. Canada's punk-rock band.. These guys hit the scene hard with their album 'Too Late... No Friends'.. listen to all those shining notes, obnoxious vocals.. You're going to bounce! This song has all the elements of a juvenile Summer!







Metallica - Stone Cold Crazy - Garage Inc.


Originally, this is a Queen song.. So yeah yeah it's a cover. But man it's good. We still have that tempo and now we're distancing ourselves from the punk scene, evolving towards rock/thrash







Van Halen - Hot for Teacher - 1984


The introduction to this song is incredible, fast, intenese.. the song is smug.. Those solo's.. woooooo!







Junior Wells - Snatch it back and Hold it - Snatch it back and Hold it


Junior Wells, imo is of the elite blues crew.. This track serves to calm us down a bit after that last one.. gotta "Snatch it back, and hold it!"







AC/DC - It's a long way to the top (If You Wanna Rock 'N' Roll) - High Voltage


It's a 'Jock' style rock song now, but I imagine when this came out it was genre defining and most rebellious. To me, this track is the same kind of motivational instruction as the rap we hear today about making 6 figures and having all the success. Only this song is rude, dirty and straight up rock and roll. This is early AC/DC before the band figured out their own commercial formula. We are listening to this song now because we have a lot of work to do here in POA land.. and Hard, Honest work puts us ontop of the clouds, feet stomping to the beat of this song. Rock on dudes!







Anthrax - Metal Thrashing Mad (Live)- Armed & Dangerous


Turn up the volume.. This is a live recorded track.. IMO this is the best song in all of Anthrax's discography. If we were ontop of the clouds during AC/DC's recommendation, this guy has us speeding mach 10 down towards the earth! That energy is explosive! This is an excellent example of 'good' thrash metal.







Lamb of God - Redneck - Sacrement


Taking a lot of their influence from thrash metal, L.O.G. knows how to carry a hard hitting song. This song is the 15 minute mark into your workout.. You should be sweating by now ;).. This track will help you push through those streneous moments







Testament - The Pale King - Brotherhood of the Snake


We still Thrash! This time though, we're telling you a science fiction story - not sure why.. This is the only song on the entire album that does this.. But its HELLA GOOD! If Pale King turned into a book or an animated television series (Think Todd Macfarlane's Spawn, or those dudes who made Heavy Metal) I would guess it would be epic and binje watch it until i die!







Animals As Leaders - The Brain Dance - The Madness of Many


And now we take you down from your high octane Monday Journey with an instrumental track from Animals as Leaders. If you liked last weeks recommendation of 'The Human Abstract' you will loooove this track.

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For Thursday - ULTRA ENERGY EDITION!

Pantera - A New Level - Vulgar Display of Power


If you can stomach the grinding guitars, the gritty, explosive lyrical delivery of Phil Anselmo, then consider yourself in for a treat. An oldie - and of the best there is - 'A new Level' will pump you up, sort out your self esteem, and make you stand up for what you believe in. This is how we start our day!







Death Grips - Get Got- The Money Store


I've been waiting to fit an entry from Death Grips into the playlist, this song has exactly what we're looking for - a fast tempo, listenable melodies and lyrics that don't make much sense. In my opinion, the energy from this song drives production. "get get get get, got got got got...."







Between The Buried And Me - All Bodies - Alaska


We're rocking hard now, we're primed with Pantera's positivity and structure and Death Grips' 'anything goes' chaotic punk attitude.. So let's remix those expectations and punch ourselves in the face a bit with this high octane track from prog metal group, 'Between the Burried And Me'. I'd seen these guys open for the 'Dillinger Escape Plan' in 2007 and man, do they ever deliver a performance!







The Human Abstract - Harbinger - Nocturne


Ok, we've got a good thing going, momentum is built, let's get it peaked! The Human Abstract is a bit of a music study in classical music gone Progressive Metal. Their entire discography is quite the treat, enjoy :)







Devin Townsend - Genesis - Empath


I don't have many words for this entry. This is a 'hearing is believing' kind of song. Take the themes that we've been listening to above, add some funk, some jazz, some lounge, some thrash metal and I guess you have Devin Townsend's 'Genesis'. It's a very odd track but incredibly in-line with our theme of today!.







Converge - Bare My Teeth - No Heroes


Devin Townsend has sent us into the Abyss with his absurd masterpiece, Genesis. Now it's time to embrace some dark emotions so we can purge any of the weirdness that may have latched onto us during that experience! Converge is quite masterful in exploring darker themes in prog metal.. However, to be honest with our Audience, I think Converge fits better as a 'Post-Hardcore' group. This track should open the lot of us who like these genres - up to their library.







Gojira- The Heaviest Matter Of The Universe - From Mars to Sirius


We are Progressive Metal, bleeding into grind-core a bit here.. There's a lot happening with this band, it explores composition of thrash.. It's quite lovely, and should keep that energy train-a-rollin!







The Fall of Troy - Mouths Like Sidewinder Misssles - Doppelganger


Ok, we need a break from all these loud sounds. Let's dial it down a bit with some 'Fall of Troy'! Listen to that guitar work though, it sounds like a megaman adventure gone post-hardcore/alt metal/ some genre







War From A Harlots Mouth- How To Disconnect From Your Social Surrounding In Half An Hour - Transmetropolitan


Ok, that dial's going back up to 11, not much to say about these guys - this track is from an earlier album that seemed to be more whimsical with genre exploration - their later stuff imo has the perception of being painted into a genre which is kind of limiting. I love this oldie







iwrestledabearonce - Tastes Like Kevin Bacon - It's All Happening


Still dialed in at 11, let's have some fun. We have a female vocalist here who masterfully grunts, screams and pig-squeals. It's bizarre and if that's your thing, this peice of gonzo grindcore should be right up your alley!







Infected Mushroom - The Legend of the Black Shawarma - Legend of the Black Shawarma


Now we have come to an end, the last few miles of the journey will be wound down with Canada's 'Infected Mushroom' (At least I think they're Canadian).

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For Wednesday

Sturgill Simpson - In Bloom - A Sailor's Guide to Earth




This should surprise you for 2 reasons.

1, because it's country. Today is not exactly about country, but about exploring some of the frequently used sound textures from the genre.

2, because this is a cover of a Nirvana song! And if you're still interested in music videos (because it's 2019 and who knows what music videos are these days), the official video on youtube is great!








Warren Zevon - Desperados Under the Eaves- Warren Zevon (Debut)


There is a great deal of magic that was conjured up for the production of this song. The story about how it was crafted and the memory it burned into David Letterman of the late Warren Zevon.. says quite a bit about its existence. I just think it's beautiful. "Cause if California falls into the ocean.. Like the mystics and statistics say it will.. I believe this hotel will still be standing.. Until I pay my bill" .







Sweet Baboo - 8 Bit Monsters - SHIPS


This is a very easy listening track that has connections to the beatles, the flaming lips and something new. There is a strong sound of honesty coming from the vocalist which makes this a positive listen







MV & EE - The Hungry Stones - The Golden Road


Take Indie folk songwriter musician, Niko and then mix in some Neil Young, sprinkle it with psychadelia and you have a very interesting track







Red Sparrowes - a message of avarice rained down and carried us away into false dreams of endless riches - Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun


This is a post-rock/ country group. Very interesting sounds.. Picture yourself travelling a barren landscape with nothing but your thoughts.

For Tuesday

Led Zeppelin - Achilles Last Stand - Presence


Wiki Bio

"Achilles Last Stand"^[a] is a song by the English rock group Led Zeppelin released as the opening track on their seventh studio album, Presence (1976). Guitarist Jimmy Page and singer Robert Plant began writing the song during the summer of 1975, influenced by Eastern music, mythology, and exposure to diverse cultures and musical traditions during their travels. At ten-and-a-half minutes, it is one of the group's longest studio recordings^[b] and one of their most complex, with interwoven sections and multiple, overdubbed guitar parts..
This is a good song to prime you for the selected tracks of today. A nice, prog theme for today!


Russian Circles - Afrika - Guidance


Russian Circles is a post-rock/ progressive group exploring instrumentation like jazz.  The song Afrika will ease you up to the tallest mountain, and drop you like a rock, where you'll free-fall to the bottom.


Grails - Future Primitive - Deep Politics


Keeping the momentum of Russian Circles' roller coaster of highs and lows, Grails' Future Primitive mellows out the journey with "The Doors" esque guitar Odyssey's 


The Casualties of Cool - Daddy - Self Titled (Debut)


Picture this, you just finished listening to the "Future Primitive" by Grails, you feel like there's no more gas in the tank.  So you metaphorically pull the car into a petrol station, get the attendant to 'fill-it-up', and spend a few coins on a coffee.  The car is warm and dry, the sun is playing hid and seek and you put the key in the ignition and turn, starting your car, ready for another 400KM!
The Casualties of Cool - Mountain Top - Self Titled (Debut)


Yes, another Casualties of Cool song!  But it's manditory after listening to 'Daddy'.  This is the continuation of the road trip you unknowingly embarked on, spent money on gas and coffee for.


The Dear Hunter - Battesimo Del Fuoco - Act I: The Lake South, The River North


The Dear Hunter is 100%, a concept band who has created an anthology of albums to tell a single story using elements of prog rock, opera and soapbox musical.  The vocal delivery is very much like 'The Mars Volta'  or 'Sparta'. 


OM - Addis - Advaitic Songs


To keep the theme alive of yesterdays last track being that of a 'weird' artist, I present to you, 'OM'.  Their use of middle-eastern scales, their subject matter of psychadelia and new-age fusion.  While the track presented is not their 'heaviest', it's definitely their most accessible.

For Monday

Daniel Johnston - Walking the Cow - Hi, How Are You

Wiki Bio

Daniel Dale Johnston (born January 22, 1961) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and visual artist who is regarded as a significant figure in outsider, lo-fi, and alternative music scenes. Most of his work consists of cassettes recorded alone in his home, and his music is frequently cited for its "pure and childlike soul".

Daniel Johnston is a tortured soul, there's no denying that. When we hear his music, we can see his honesty and feel his struggle.



Grandaddy - A.M. 180 - Under the Western Freeway

Wiki Bio

Much of the band's music is characterized by Lytle's analog synthesizer and the fuzzy guitar, bass and drums of the rest of the band. The band has variously been described as "bittersweet indie space rock", "neo-psychedelic, blissed-out indie rock", "dreamy, spacey psychedelic pop", and "an uneasy combination of warm, tactile guitars and affectless electronics". Jon Pareles of The New York Times described the band's songs as "stately anthems orchestrated with full late-psychedelic pomp: fuzz-toned guitar strumming, rippling keyboards, brawny drumbeats".

I love this Grandaddy track. I'm not a huge fan of the newest Grandaddy, but this album is really great and has a lot of exciting production. Use good headphones, listen to the careful attention to detail in all the composed layering



Eric's Trip - My Room - Love Tara

Wiki Bio

Eric's Trip formed in 1990 when musicians Rick White and Chris Thompson of The Forest joined Julie Doiron and Ed Vaughan (who was later replaced by Mark Gaudet of Purple Knight). They took their name from a Sonic Youth song and emulated the distorted guitar of Dinosaur Jr., the folk leanings of Neil Young, and the lo-fi aesthetic of Sebadoh. Rick White described their sound as "sappy melodic pop music on top of thick distortion." Gaudet's description was more succinct: "dreamy punk"

Eric's Trip is a personal favorite for nostalgic reasons as well as familiarity. Growing up as a teenager in the 90's meant I got to hear a lot of great music coming out of the 'Grunge' scene. Eric's trip was created out of my home Province of NewBrunswick, it's funny that I only discovered them as an adult, well after the deflation of the grunge scene



Helium - The King of Electric Guitars - No Guitars

Helium is a great exercise of raw, lofi sounds, mixed into a sombre journey of exploration. It's like walking in the thickest fog and experiencing euphoria with each step into the unknown



Nick Drake - Man in A Shed - Five Leaves Left

The late Nick Drake, there's not much to say except, "Listening to this mans music is like hearing a musical of one's personal thoughts" - With Mr. Drake, that's a haunting experience.



Broken Social Scene - KC Accidental - You Forgot it in People

Wiki Bio

Broken Social Scene is a Canadian indie rock band, a musical collective including as few as six and as many as nineteen members, formed by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. Most of its members play in various other groups and solo projects, mainly in the city of Toronto. These associated acts include Metric, Feist, Stars, Apostle of Hustle, Do Make Say Think, KC Accidental, Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton, Amy Millan, and Jason Collett.

In my opinion, and you may agree, all of the artists who came into their own from this super-group project have not matched the energy and brilliance of Broken Social Scene. This song is a fantastic first entry into their library, and a go to track for the fans who love a little bit of whimsical chaos!



The Unicorns - Ghost Mountain - Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?

This is a very strange band, I've only heard the one album - and it was during the Indie Wave of the early 00's. Its quite obscure but plays all the right notes, and so justifies itself in this wonder list of Monday's tunes.