Each week, Mixtape assembles a playlist of songs connected by a common theme, designed to kickstart your weekend and get you movin’ throughout the day.
For this week’s Friday playlist, we thought we’d send some love to our neighbours to the south, with Canadian songs named after U.S. places. There were lots of great songs to chose from. We hope you enjoy these, wherever you are!
“Philadelphia” by Paper Lions
This Canadian dedication to the home of the cheese-steak is hot off the press, appearing on Paper Lion’s fifth full-length album, My Friends, released August 20, 2013. Formerly the Chucky Danger Band, these four P.E.I. pals (including two brothers) have been at it since 2004. Following the release of their third album, Trophies, in 2010, they were invited to perform at the 2010 World Expo in China, the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C., and the Paralympics in Whistler, B.C. They’ll spend this fall touring the U.S, and you can stream the new album and download “Philadelphia” for free on their website now.
“Centralia, PA” by Pat LePoidevin
After his performance at this year’s SappyFest and the Dooryard Arts Festival in New Brunswick, Pat LePoidevin hit the road for the Yukon, where he officially released his latest album, American Fiction, and kick-started a two-month Canadian tour. LePoidevin was born in B.C., is half-American and was raised in cities all over Canada. He recorded American Fiction, his fourth record, along the Nova Scotia coastline. “Centralia, PA” isn’t the only track titled with an American town name, though – the album is a collaboration with childhood friend Lewis Smith, featuring ten songs about small American towns, and accompanied by a book of short stories written by Smith. Listen to two more songs from the album on his website.
“Detroit, 67” by Sam Roberts
“From Jimmy Hoffa to Cadillac / some look ahead / I’m going back” sings Sam Roberts in this ode to “Rock City” and to great American-made music. This 2009 track helped inspire this week’s theme, and while it’s the oldest on the list, it’d be a crime to leave it out. “Detroit, 67” was the closing track on the band’s well-received third album, Love At The End Of The World, and the video above won a Juno for Video Of The Year. The band has been hinting, via Twitter, about an upcoming announcement regarding their fifth album. Get ready.
“Arkansas” by Gabriel Minnikin
When Gabriel Minnikin got out of bed one night to write this understated standout track off his 2012 album, Parakeets with Parasols it reminded him of Bruce Springsteen’s “Nebraska.” So for a name, he went with a different state. Since his days with Halifax’s alt-country alumni, The Guthries (including his sister Ruth Minnikin, Matt Mays, and Dale Murray, among others), Minnikin has continued as a solo artist and frequently collaborates with other Canadian musicians. Minnikin performed at NXNE in Toronto in June, and he’s on the line-up for this year’s Halifax Pop Explosion in October.
“Wisconsin” by Whitehorse
Finally, the last track comes with a bonus: an artist named after a Canadian city, singing a song about an American state. Whitehorse (the band) was formed by Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland, both successful Canadian solo artists in their own right before getting hitched in 2006 and focusing their efforts on collaborating. Since then, they’ve released two albums and an EP, with their latest, The Fate Of The World Depends On This Kiss,shortlisted for this year’s Polaris Music Prize. This song appears on that album. On Sept. 23rd, you can see them perform live online, as part of the Polaris Music Prize Gala.
For the full playlist, head to our YouTube Channel