Saint-Jean-Baptiste Playlist

Howdy!

As you may or may not know, June 24th is the Québécois National Holiday. Now, Québec's History is a tad complicated, born by treaties between the Aboriginals and French allowing for French settling, the French-Canadian forces helping the Americans first fight off the Brits to get their own country then assisting with some tribes in the "discovery" of the West, then modified by a losing battle against the British forces that resulted in the nullifying of the Settlers Pact, and subsequent attempt by the newly-formed English-Canadian political elite to assimilate and exterminate both French and Aboriginals on the Canadian territory, yet with all minority nations showing a sense of resiliency to remain alive - sometimes in name more than in fact - to this day.

Worth celebrating? I honestly don't know. Again, there are too many points to ponder and explain, with the word "nationalism" itself bearing a very different meaning in French (existence of a nation) than in English with the current undertones (superiority of or focus on one nation more than others), but I thought it'd be cool to concoct a hopefully-not-too-cheesy playlist for the 24 hours that will encompass June 24th.

Midnight - 1 AM:

ARCADE FIRE: Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
ROBERT CHARLEBOIS: Lindbergh
SERGE FIORI & RICHARD SÉGUIN: Deux Cent Nuits À L'Heure
ME MOM & MORGENTALER: Héloïse
HARMONIUM: Pour Un Instant
BRAN VAN 3000: Forest (French and English versions)
DANIEL BOUCHER: Chez Nous
COEUR DE PIRATE: Tu Oublieras Mon Nom
DEAD MESSENGER: Fat Black Heart
LES PARFAITS SALAUDS: 200 Jours
LEONARD COHEN: First We Take Manhattan
JEAN LELOUP: Balade À Toronto

1 AM - 2 AM:

ARCADE FIRE (with DAVID BOWIE): Reflektor
OCTOBRE: La Maudite Machine
VULGAIRES MACHINS: Compter Les Corps
TSPC: Connaître La Suite
DEAD MESSENGER: Toothcomb
GHETTONUNS: Invitation To Love
GROOVY AARDVARK: Dérangeant
HOT SPRINGS: Cellophane
PLUME LATRAVERSE: Bobépine
HOLE: Gold Dust Woman
GRIMSKUNK: Gros Tas d'Marde
B.A.R.F.: Wô Wô Tabarnak
ANONYMUS: Décrisse
PRIESTESS: I Am The Night, Colour Me Black

2 AM - 3 AM:

OFFENBACH: Deux Autres Bières
ROCK ET BELLES OREILLES: Bonjour La Police
VILAIN PINGOUIN: Délinquance
MEN WITHOUT HATS: Sideways
SCARLET BEAST: Our City
CANAILLES: Titanic
BRAN VAN 3000: Drinking In L.A.
FRENCH B: Je Me Souviens
LOCO LOCASS: Libérez-Nous Des Libéraux
RAY CONDO AND HIS HARDROCK GONERS: All Night Long
ROBERT CHARLEBOIS: Entre Deux Joints
OFFENBACH: Chu Un Rocker
LES FURYS: Aide-Moi
LA RÉVOLUTION FRANÇAISE: Québécois

3 AM - 4 AM:

RENÉE CLAUDE: Le Début D'Un Temps Nouveau
JACQUES MICHEL: Un Nouveau Jour Va Se Lever
ROBERT CHARLEBOIS: The Frog Song
LOCO LOCASS: Le But
GRIMSKUNK: Looking For Gabbio
ME MOM & MORGENTALER: Your Friend
ORKESTAR KRIMINAL: Der Schmayzer
ARCADE FIRE: Abraham's Daughter
SAMIAN & KASHTIN: Tshinanu
JEAN-PIERRE FERLAND: Un Peu Plus Haut
RICHARD DESJARDINS: Tu M'Aimes-Tu?

4 AM - 5 AM:

NUANCE: Vivre Dans La Nuit
DEAD MESSENGER: The Glass Hotel
GERRY BOULET: Un Beau Grand Bateau
DANIEL BÉLANGER: Respirer Dans L'Eau
PAUL PICHÉ: Mon Joe
VINCENT VALLIÈRES: On Va S'Aimer Encore
MITSOU: Lettre À Un Cowboy
LUC DE LA ROCHELIÈRE: Ma Génération
JEAN LELOUP: Je Suis Parti
LES COLOCS: Dehors Novembre
LEONARD COHEN: Closing Time

5 AM - 6 AM:

ALACLAIR ENSEMBLE: St-Roch
GEORGES DOR: La Manic
MARTIN STEVENS: Love Is In The Air
LOCO LOCASS: Le Mémoire De Loco Locass
LUC DE LA ROCHELIÈRE: Sauvez Mon Âme
LEONARD COHEN: Hallelujah
LEONARD COHEN: In My Secret Life
ALEX NEVSKY: J'Aurai Les Mains
COEUR DE PIRATE: Comme Des Enfants
MALAJUBE: Étienne D'Août
LES COLOCS: Pis Si Ô Moins
PHILÉMON (CIMON) CHANTE: Dors Poupée Dors

6 AM - 7 AM:

KEVIN PARENT: Fréquenter L'Oubli
GILLES VIGNEAULT: Mon Pays
RICHARD DESJARDINS: Les Yankees
LUC DE LA ROCHELIÈRE: Amère America
FÉLIX LECLERC: Le Petit Bonheur
PAUL PICHÉ: L'Escalier
COEUR DE PIRATE: Des Maisons
LUC DE LA ROCHELIÈRE: Si J'Te Disais Reviens
FRENCH B.: Quitter Son Pays
LES COWBOYS FRINGANTS: Mon Pays
LES COLOCS:  Tout Seul
KNLO: Justeçayinque

7 AM - 8 AM:

BAD NYLON: Jingle Dead
ME MOM & MORGENTALER: Everybody's Got AIDS
MELISSA AUF DER MAUR: Meet Me On The Dark Side
LOCO LOCASS: M'Accrocher?
GRIMSKUNK: Head Games
MOZART'S SISTER: Mozart's Sister
GROENLAND: The Things I've Done
MARTHA WAINWRIGHT: Four Black Sheep
ALEXANDRE POULIN: Couleurs Primaires
RICHARD SÉGUIN: Sous Les Cheminées
JEAN LELOUP: Zone Zéro
BEAU DOMMAGE: Le Blues De La Métropole
VANESSA LAVOIE: Down By The Bonfire

8 AM - 9 AM:

LEONARD COHEN: The Partisan/Le Partisan
THE HOT SPRINGS: The Fog And The Horn
DEJA VOODOO: Down In Mexico
PRIESTESS: Run Home
NO JOY: Califone
DOUGHBOYS: Shine
THE DEARS: Lost In The Plot
FRED FORTIN: Mélane
SAFIA NOLIN: Va-T'En Pas
JIM CORCORAN: J'Vais Changer Le Monde
WD-40: Je Reviens De L'Est
ARIANE MOFFATT: Je Rentre À Montréal

9 AM - 10 AM:

DANIEL BÉLANGER: Dans Un Spoutnik
LYDIA KÉPINSKY: Andromaque
ARIANE MOFFATT: Jeudi 17 Mai
HARMONIUM: Comme Un Fou
FRED FORTIN: Gratte
SALOMÉ LECLERC: Tourne Encore
STARS: What The Snowman Learned About Love
THE BARR BROTHERS: Half Crazy
WD-40: D'Aussi Loin
RAID: Capitaine Vodka
GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR: Storm

10 AM - 11 AM:

LUC DE LA ROCHELIÈRE: Cash City
JEAN LELOUP: Le Dôme
LES COWBOYS FRINGANTS: Les Étoiles Filantes
TRICOT MACHINE: L'Ours
ROBERT CHARLEBOIS: Les Ailes d'Un Ange
GILLES VIGNEAULT: Les Gens De Mon Pays
PLUME LATRAVERSE: Les Pauvres
FRED FORTIN: Moisi Moé'ssi
RICHARD DESJARDINS: ... Et J'ai Couché Dans Mon Char
OFFENBACH: Seulement Qu'Une Aventure

11 AM - noon:

MARC DÉRY: Ostie Qu'y S'Lève Tard
ZÉBULON: R'viens Pas Trop Tard
JEAN LELOUP: Feuille Au Vent
LES COLOCS: Le Répondeur
MY EMPTY SCREEN: Deux Et Demi
MARTHA WAINWRIGHT: Leave Behind
RICHARD SÉGUIN: Journée D'Amérique
KANDLE: Not Up To Me
THE LINDBERGH LINE: Alissar
BRIE NIELSEN AND HER OTHER MEN: Be Alone
VILAIN PINGOUIN: Le Train
JEAN LELOUP: Printemps Été
MALAJUBE: Pâte Filo

Noon - 1 PM:

MARA TREMBLAY: Le Printemps Des Amants
GHETTONUNS: Blue Checks
LES ANTICIPATEURS: Sapoud
GHETTONUNS: Out On The Horse
LES DEUXLUXES: Springtime Devil
SÉBASTIAN HELL: Bitter End
KNLO: Mai (Ayayaye) (feat. Jam)
MANU MILITARI: Je Me Souviens 
SANS PRESSION: Vagabond Ma Religion
MUZION: La Vie Ti-Neg
YVON KREVÉ: Dans Nos Rues
KORIASS: Montréal-Nord
MANU MILITARI: La Traversée Du Lac Nasser
NOMADIC MASSIVE: Konba

1 PM - 2 PM:

LES ANTICIPATEURS: Findsemaine
MC LA SAUCE: Fuck You Estie
MANU MILITARI: Pour Chaque Goutte De Pétrole
BLACK TABOO: Police Plein De Pisse
SANS PRESSION & YVON KREVÉ: Pète La Coche
SANS PRESSION & AKHENATON: La Tendance Se Maintient
KORIASS: Nulle Part
ALACLAIR ENSEMBLE: Sauce Pois
BEAST: Out Of Control
VINCENT VALLIÈRES: Asbestos
JEAN LELOUP: Les Flamants Roses
PLUME LATRAVERSE: Les Humains
QUÉBEC REDNECK BLUEGRASS PROJECT: Tsé Quand Ça Va Ben 

2 PM - 3 PM:

LES COLOCS: Passe-Moé La Puck
BERNARD ADAMUS: La Question À 100 Piasses
WD-40: Ma Dépendance
FRED FORTIN: Tu M'Aimes-Tu?
LYDIA KÉPINSKY: Apprendre À Mentir
JASON BAJADA & JOANNE LABELLE: Tu Peux Dormir
WOLF PARADE: You Are A Runner And I Am My Father's Son
BEAST: Mr. Hurricane
PANOPTICON EYELIDS: Solar Mind
P/DO P/DRO: Jouïr
PONCTUATION: Obéïr À Ses Instincts Dans La Mesure Du Possible
MY DOG POPPER: We're Old, We're Fat And We're Slow

3 PM - 4 PM:

THE LINDBERGH LINE: Juggernaut
ARCADE FIRE: Ready To Start
OFFENBACK: Ayoye
MALAJUBE: Montréal -40
LES COLOCS: Le Pouding À L'Arsenic
BERNARD ADAMUS: En Voiture, Mais Pas D'Char
ZÉBULON: Job Steady
PLUME LATRAVERSE: La Pompe À Stime
WD-40: Gramme De Mort
LES MARMOTTES APLATIES: Détruire
BANLIEUE ROUGE: Sous Un Ciel Écarlate
BIONIC: Learn To Love The Goverment
LES HANDCLAPS: Pastiche

4 PM- 5 PM:

MITSOU: Mademoiselle Anne
JEAN LELOUP: 1990 (Original Rock Version)
MADAME: Propriétaire
THE BOX: L'Affaire Dumouthier
KANDLE: Control Me
ARIANE MOFFATT: Réverbère
DAVID USHER & MARIE-MAI: Je Repars
AVEC PAS D'CASQUE: En Attendant Que Ça Paie
DANIEL BÉLANGER: Rêver Mieux
SOUPIR: Les Larmes De Métal
NANETTE WORKMAN: Call Girl
THE BESNARD LAKES: Albatross

5PM - 6 PM:

LES SINNERS: Ne Reste Pas Sous La Pluie
LES CLASSELS: Si J'Étais Millionnaire
LES SULTANS: La Poupée Qui Fait Non
MITSOU: Le Ya-Ya
LES SKYLINERS: Wabash Blues
THE GRUESOMES: Don't Waste My Time
CÉSAR ET LES ROMAINS: Splish Splash Tout En Prenant Mon Bain
THE KINGPINS: Manon, Viens Danser Le Ska
LES DENIS DROLET: Dans Le Poulailler
RAFFY: Le Temps Des Vacances
PHILÉMON (CIMON) CHANTE: Vaincre L'Automne
LHASA DE SELA: Rising
MILK & BONE: New York
DUCHESS SAYS: Gainsbourg
JEAN LELOUP: Sang D'Encre

6 PM - 7 PM:

ROBERT CHARLEBOIS: Je Reviendrai À Montréal
LEONARD COHEN: Everybody Knows
LEONARD COHEN: I'm Your Man
LEONARD COHEN: Suzanne
LEONARD COHEN: So Long, Marianne
LEONARD COHEN: The Future
LEONARD COHEN: Waiting For The Miracle
LEONARD COHEN: Bird On A Wire
LEONARD COHEN: Dance Me To The End Of Love
ROBERT CHARLEBOIS: Ordinaire

7 PM - 8 PM:

ADAM & THE AMETHYSTS: Dreaming
LYDIA KÉPINSKY: Pie-IX
PONY UP!: Only Feelgood
THE STILLS: Still In Love
SALOMÉ LECLERC: Le Vent Nous Portera
JEAN LELOUP: Faire Des Enfants
LES HANDCLAPS: Cliché
WOLF PARADE: Dear Sons And Daughters Of Hungry Ghosts
RAID (W/ I-RONEE): Wise Up
DUCHESS SAYS: Negative Thoughts
THEE SILVER MT. ZION MEMORIAL ORCHESTRA: Fuck Off Get Free

8 PM - 9 PM:

RAID: Prendre Le Champs
THE KINGPINS: Watch Your Back
THE CARDBOARD CROWNS: Hats Off
THE BEATDOWN: The Other Side
SHALABI EFFECT: Mr. Titz (The Revelator)
NUTSAK: Innuendo Schminuendo
RIPCORDZ: Your Mother Wears Army Boots
CAPITAINE RÉVOLTE: J'Ai Oublié
ÉMILE BILODEAU: J'En Ai Plein Mon Cass
GROOVY AARDVARK & YVES LAMBERT: Boisson D'Avril
KERMESS: Y'A Pas Grand Chose Dans L'Ciel À Soir
B.A.R.F.: Le Petit Poisson

9 PM - 10 PM:

PLUME LATRAVERSE: Lisa Belle
JASON BAJADA: Loveshit
VULGAIRES MACHINS: Légaliser L'Héroïne
HOT SPRINGS: Headrush
VILAIN PINGOUIN: Salut, Salaud
MELISSA AUF DERMAUR: Out Of Our Minds
OFFENBACH: Câline De Blues
THE GRUESOMES: Hey!
THE AMERICAN DEVICES: You Wouldn't Understand
JEAN LELOUP: Voilà

10 PM - 11 PM:

ROBERT CHARLEBOIS: Indépendantriste
HARMONIUM: Un Musicien Parmi Tant D'Autres
ALACLAIR ENSEMBLE: Ça Que C'tait
JEAN LELOUP: Le Roi Se Meurt
CLAUDE DUBOIS: Si Dieu Existe
MES AÏEUX: Dégénération
LES COWBOYS FRINGANTS: En Berne
SÉBASTIAN HELL: J'Ai La Vie Qui M'Pique Les Yeux
ME MOM & MORGENTALER: Oh Well
ARCADE FIRE: Wake Up
SAMIAN & LOCO LOCASS: La Paix Des Braves
JEAN LELOUP: Paradis City
CÉLINE DION: L'Amour Existe Encore

11 PM - Midnight:

COEUR DE PIRATE: Adieu
ME MOM & MORGENTALER: Anarchie
SÉBASTIAN HELL: Selfish
DEAD MESSENGER: Master Plan
LES DEUXLUXES: My Baby & Me 
ALEX NEVSKY: On Leur A Fait Croire
HOLE: Celebrity Skin
LES TROIS ACCORDS: Dans Mon Corps
LOCO LOCASS: Sheila Ch'us Là
VULGAIRES MACHINS: Anéantir Le Dogme
JEAN LELOUP: Isabelle
ME MOM & MORGENTALER: Pepita La Pistolera
GHETTONUNS: Ten Years Down

Suggested films to watch: Elvis Gratton, Elvis Gratton 2, Elvis Gratton 3: Le Retour D'Elvis Wong, 15 Février 1839, Octobre, Le Déclin De L'Empire Américain, Jésus De Montréal, Les Invasions Barbares, Lost And Delirious, The Trostzky, Un Zoo La Nuit, Le Confessionnal, Le Polygraphe, Le Nèg, Eldorado.

Video Of The Week: Ice Cube

If you were to categorize the best rappers of all time, chances are Tupac Shakur's in your top-3; he's in mine as well. Eminem has taken himself out of contention because his most recent material doesn't match the quality of his previous output - say, anything until the 8 Mile soundtrack; it seems he's been trying to re-do Lose Yourself all the time since then, except perhaps for Berzerk. Ice Cube, the king of squared, 4/4 rap, also makes my cut, and the third spot is a toss-up between Busta Rhymes, Mos Def and a few members of the Wu-Tang Clan, particularly Raekwon and Ghostface Killah.

In terms of rap lyricists, my #1 pick would be Public Enemy's Chuck D, who's always stayed on point regardless of how long he's been in the game, his words always current, carrying the political weight of truth. I'd probably go with Everlast (House Of Pain, Warpon Industries) in second place and, again, Ice Cube in third. KRS-One misses by just a bit, as does Tupac.

My favourite current-day rapper just might be Donald Glover, though - a.k.a. Childish Gambino: smart, incisive, good flow, diverse subject mater, equally at ease  rapping about toys from the 1980s as he is politics.

Which makes Cube the rapper I find to be most important. And, as I've mentioned here before, he's kept his output quality at a high level throughout the decades - ok, maybe his records aren't all killer and there are fillers, but his records' high points are always consistent.

For Good Cop Bad Cop, which will appear on the 25th Anniversary Edition of his seminal Death Certificate album, he tackles the subject of racism and police brutality in a post-Black Lives Mater world, and his conclusion is fairly simple: we are no better off today than in 1988 when his group N.W.A. sang "Fuck The Police".
Good Cop Bad Cop (Official Video, Explicit) by Ice Cube on VEVO.
The video was directed by Gabriel Hart.