Power-pop trio The Hundreds and Thousands might be new to you, but the Ottawa band formerly known as Starling have been around for more than a hot minute.

This fact becomes quite clear in their well-honed, high-energy concerts. So here's a live performance video for their fantastic single "Rat Race."

And If you dig it, then download this free MP3 of "Rat Race"

Shove it. That was the message emblazoned on Nickelback singer Chad Kroeger's t-shirt and one can't help but assume it was directed at his band's critics.

After all, the hometown mook-rockers did kick off the show with their dumbest-ever anthem "Something In Your Mouth"-even the edgy host Russell Peters joked "Ay oh, my mom's watching!"-and upon picking up their best album award, a grinning Kroeger quipped "The press are going to have a field day with this one."

Montreal's latest world-beaters Land of Talk, led by singer/songwriter/guitarist Elizabeth Powell, are about to follow-up their acclaimed EP Applause Cheer Boo Hiss with the recently reformatted indie-rock trio's first full-length Some Are Lakes, due out October 7 on Secret City here in Canada and on Saddle Creek down south.

Artist: Land of Talk
Songs: 'Corner Phone'
Album: 'Some Are Lakes'
Sounds Like: Sonic Youth, Blonde Redhead

Download: 'Corner Phone'(MP3)

Land of Talk tour dates after the jump...

Toronto electro overlords MSTRKRFT may be best known as DJs (and in-demand remixers), but the omnipresent party-rockers are prepping the launch of their second full length next month, humbly titled Fist of God.

Here's a taste with their first single, "Bounce."

Artist: MSTRKRFT
Songs: 'Bounce' Ft. Nore (Felix Cartal Remix)
Album: 'Fist of God'
Sounds Like: Simian Mobile Disco, Tom Neville

Download: 'Bounce' Ft. Nore (Felix Cartal Remix)(MP3)

Upcoming tour dates after the jump...

London, Ontario retro-rapper Shad is three feet high and rising fast, thanks to the slow build of his last CD, The Old Prince Lives At Home, and it's nomination for the Polaris Prize.

Rather than retreating from his throwback style, Shad has just dropped a crazy-awesome video that looks a little familiar and a little, shall we say, fresh.

Enjoy!

Shad - The Old Prince Still Lives At Home

I dunno who the heck decided to book indie-pop stars Metric as headliners for the debauched "extreme sports" Wakestock fest on Toronto Island, but thank goodness the wasted mookish masses had mostly departed by the time Emily Haines and the boys took the stage, leaving behind mud pits, empty beer gardens and shoulder-perched girls punching the air rather than doffing their tops.

Even the whipping wind and rain, which began falling almost to the second that Jimmy Shaw kicked into "Dead Disco's" indelible guitar line, merely added an epic booster shot to their typically epic sound. How these cats aren't a massive stadium band is beyond me, but hopefully their long-awaited (and reportedly finished) upcoming album will do the trick.

The set was mostly filled with supersized versions of old hits like "Combat Baby," "Monster Hospital" "Calculation Theme," "Rock Me Now," "Poster of a Girl" and, in my opinion the best song yet produced by Canada's post-millennial indie surge, "Hustle Rose."

A few more new tunes would have been appreciated, but rocky new track "Satellite Mind," with its "I'm not suicidal/I just can't get out of bed" refrain, was a nice addition to the fan-fave setlist. Then Emily and Jimmy emerged by themselves to encore with a powerfully intimate, slow-clap-inducing version of "Live It Out."

Then with a promise to "put out our record soon," Metric left the stage and the small-but-enthusiastic crowd headed over to the ferry terminal to put another wonderful, albeit wet, weekend to bed.

Retro-soul may be the music's current coolest genre thanks to the post-Winehouse wave of Brit crooners and the sheer awesomeness that is Sharon Jones. But Canadian R&B diva Divine Brown (no, not that one) first made waves back in 2005 with her radio smash "Old Skool Love."

Then she went away. But now she's back with a hot new summer single that arrives right on time to join the equally hot Canadian soul revival. (Read our recent run-down of Toronto's surging scene).

Peep Divine's new track "Lay It On the Line" and keep an eye out for her album, The Love Chronicles, dropping in mid-August.

And for flashback fun, we have "Old Skool Love" after the jump...

Feist sure isn't the first pop singer to pay a visit to Sesame Street's muppet ghetto. The Canadian crooner's appearance, airing next month, is following in the footsteps of Stevie Wonder and Johnny Cash. But few have arrived with a song as perfect a fit as her smash "1234."

Who wants to bet Count von Count invited her?



More 'Sesame Street' music videos, including REM "Furry happy Monsters" after the jump...

Could Montreal's favourite retro-electro funk hipsters Chromeo--aka Dave-1 and P-Thugg--be on the friendship rocks a la Lauren and Heidi from The Hills? Watch this clip from their new reality show and find out!

(note: this isn't really a reality show...though that would so rule!)

More Chromeo videos after the jump...

For the third year in a row, Canada's music critic nation--journalists, broadcasters and bloggers alike--have pooled opinions to determine who deserves to slap "Polaris Prize-winner" on their resume and deposit $20K in their bank account.

Modeled after Britain's Mercury Music Prize, the goal was to shine a little northern light on some excellent records unfairly ignored by industry awards like the Junos. The first year went to deserving avant-pop violinist Final Fantasy. Round two was handed to Patrick Watson, a quasi-controversial consensus pick which I, not having personally been inside the mysterious room of award awarding, assume was chosen based on certain jurors feeling Feist needed neither the spotlight nor the cash, excellence be damned.

This year's prize is still in process, with the Top 40 long list released this morning based on every voter's first round picks. Three of my top five picks made the long list--including Holy F*ck, Shad and The Constantines, with almost all of my nearly-made-its showing up as well. I wasn't too surprised that Toronto ethno-soul outfit Lal failed to appear. Though their new album remains worthy of consideration, I'm more than happy to move Ghislain Poirier up the rankings.

But I was pretty shocked that surging electro-rock geeks Woodhands didn't even place.

The band's singer/synther/keytarist Dan Werb and off-the-chain drummer Paul Banwatt have been riding a wave of buzz for months, fuelled by Heart Attack, their recently-released album of dirty, poppy dance anthems, as well as their wonderfully unhinged live show.

Woodhands is exactly the kind of exciting young band that Polaris was purpose-built for. But while they're sadly out of the running for the award, with Heart Attack about to drop Stateside they still have a good shot at winning over the world.

The full "long list" and some footage of Woodhands in Beijiing after the jump...

Kardinal Offishall may be a hip-hop hero in the Tdot--hell, all across and back in Jamaica, too--but no northern rappers have yet been able to truly break through that southern border.

Sure, Cadence Weapon, Buck 65 and Ghislain Poirier all have cult followings down south, but there's been little mainstream impact. But Kardi, with his dancehall-inflected sound, has always been our best bet for an American success story.

That became even more likely after he signed with Akon's Kon Live label. The Senegal-born R&B hitmaker is executive producing Kardi's fourth album, titled Not 4 Sale --an ironic choice since they're clearly taking no chances . It hopes of a commercial crossover, the record will boast big gun guests--on the cool side are Lil' Wayne, Clipse's Pusha-T and Brit rapper-singer Estelle; on the less cool side are T-Pain and, sigh, Pussycat Dolls.

Akon himself will sing on a couple cuts, including this first single "Dangerous" about a girl who is, er, dangerous and which we're premiering after the jump.

Hit it!

7:01 pm The Juno red carpet nonsense begins with a bang. OK, so it really begins with a whimper -- Avril's interview includes such revealing statements as "I miss my dog" and "Everyone's really nice in Canada" -- but within moments Ben Mulroney has placed his foot firmly in mouth by introducing the Juno host "Russell Simmons." Awkward.

Russell Peters, the, y'know, host and well-loved Canadian comic, seems endlessly amused by being mistaken for the founder of Def Jam records and, without missing a beat, asks the crowd to "give it up for Brian Mulroney!" He then quips that the Calgary Saddledome looks like a panty-liner.

7:08 Belly, the Palestinian-Canadian winner of best rap recording, discusses his bling. It is enlightening.

7:20 Sigh. Why do they bother with these red carpet interviews? Maybe at the Oscars the celebs are trained for the inanity but the likes of Bedouin Soundclash get stumped. "We're here and, uh, having a good time." And that is the most comfortable the exchange gets.

7:30 Dragonette won't win best new artist, but should totally win for best pants...

Feist pretty much owned '07 and girl doesn't look ready to share 2008, either. She just racked up a bunch of Indie Award nominations (them's the prizes doled out during Canadian Music Week in March) and will be performing at both the Junos and, it's just been announced, the Grammys, too.

But Leslie knows you're plumb sick to death of "1234" so here's her sparkling new video for "I Feel It All," another single-take marvel by the ever eye-popping director Patrick Daughters, who first collaborated with Feist on breakthrough hit "Mushaboom."

Seriously, how many videos are equal parts adorable and explosive?

Edmonton rapper/producer Cadence Weapon made waves a few years back with the future-hop sounds of his Polaris-nominated debut Breaking Kayfabe.

But for new single "House Music," Cadence takes a page from rap's golden-era playbook to revive the late-80s "hip-house" style, albeit with modern electro ferocity, bad-ass club beats and boasts about how "on the CBC they film me above the hips."

Free MP3: Cadence Weapon, "House Music"

Keep an eye out for his post-breakthrough LP Afterparty Babies, dropping March 4 on Upper Class in Canada and Epitaph/Anti- down south.