Yeasayer, The Walkmen, Stellastarr* and Kanine Records Make a New York in the 00s Mixtape

It’s frightening to consider a musical landscape without the impact of the so called ‘New Rock Revolution.’ Before The Strokes, a lot of us simply felt like we were royally fucked by an age more obsessed with plastic pop than honest, simple, ‘real’ music. Our modern musical idols consisted of Britpop has-beens and transcenders, but that was in England — where they liked good music. In North America it was Britney and Justin instead of Thom and Jarvis.

Then, as if on cue, they arrived just in time to watch their city go to shit. Preloaded with real Fender amps, chugging rhythms and catchy melodies that made it cool to be an American music fan again, The Strokes’ shaggy revamping of 70s underground cool spearheaded a new musical uprising. With their brethren in the White Stripes, they went on to inspire a whole generation to pick up guitars, reject the looming possibilities of technology and embrace the authentic. This was real life; this was real music…

More after the jump

State of the Confederation: Part 1

It may be easily forgotten in our current Age of Feist, but the turn of the 21st century was not kind to Canada’s international musical reputation. The fledgling maple music industry had found its footing in the late ’80s and early ’90s with bands like Sloan, Tragically Hip and Blue Rodeo. But unlike Alanis, Sarah and Celine, these great Canadian indie/alternative hopes couldn’t quite make it across the border.