Feist – Metals

It’s dark, emotional, and catchy. Feist’s latest album has a massive, mostly orchestral sound that sucks you into an aural whirpool and throws you around from start to finish. I usually reserve my top spot for something heavier, but music doesn’t need down-tuned power chords and double-kick drums to be heavy.

KEN Mode – Venerable

On the other hand, a stripped-down three-piece from Winnipeg can make some of the loudest and most intense metal out there. I’m always blown away by just how powerful their songs are, and then I remember they’re only drums, a guitar, a bass, and vocals, and I’m even more flabbergasted. Flabbergasted!

Puscifer – Conditions of My Parole

With their last album entitled V is for Vagina, a lot of people had a hard time taking this band seriously. Others may have had higher or more serious expectations from Maynard James Keenan, whose other band is the “highbrow” metal outfit Tool. While musically, this album isn’t too much of a departure from the last one, it’s still solemn and groovy and thus very enjoyable.

Mastodon – The Hunter

Fanboys around the world cried when they heard more actual singing and catchier guitar hooks on this album. At the core it’s still the most intricate and sophisticated popular heavy music out there, and Mastodon still deserves a lot of credit for playing by their own rules all these years. They’ve done something different on every album, and I already can’t wait to hear what they’ll try next.

Saul Williams – Volcanic Sunlight

Like most fans, I fell in love with Saul’s spoken word, which eventually evolved into rap music, which has now evolved into an almost pop/R&B sound. Needless to say that kinda weirded me out at first, but in its essence this is a fun album held together by his always strong trademark lyrics.

Thrice – Major/Minor

This was my favourite rock album of the year. Over the years, the dudes in Thrice have carved out a very unique and heavy pop-rock sound that’s light years beyond that dreadful “emo” category they were pigeonholed as a decade ago. Why popular rock radio largely ignores them is beyond me, but their longevity speaks to their true talent.

Bon Iver

I drank the Kool-aid.

Wilco – The Whole Love

Honestly, whenever Wilco puts out a new album, I could either take it or leave it. Some of it I dig, some of it I don’t. I definitely dug this one so I took it. It’s louder and more aggressive (for a band like Wilco) than past outputs I’ve heard. Rock on Wilco!

Tom Waits – Bad as Me

Another confession: I’m not really that familiar with Tom Waits’ music. I know his hit songs, and someone left his Real Gone CD at my apartment in Toronto many years ago (if it’s yours, sorry, I think I traded it for a Billy Talent CD), but other than that I’m pretty green. My good friend Chunk sent me this one out of the blue as a gift and it’s been the nicest musical surprise of 2011 for me.

My Morning Jacket – Circuital

I first listened to this album on a sunny spring afternoon drive through Algonquin Park. I fell in love with it right away. But then I listened to it again after a shitty Tuesday at work and didn’t really like it. Now I like it again.

Rock on in 2012!

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My Morning Jacket
Ottawa Bluesfest
July 13

Jim James is a genius, and I truly believe his talent is muffled by his studio outputs. A My Morning Jacket show is something to truly behold. Circuital is a great new album, but hearing the songs live made me love it even more. Also, remembering hearing them play the classics “Dancefloors” and “One Big Holiday” to close the show still makes me shiver.

Mastodon
Metropolis, Montreal
November 23

Their new album is probably the most polarizing amongst fans. Some love it, some hate it. I’m in the former camp. While I really enjoyed the live versions of the new tunes, I was still blown away by the intricacies of their past gems. Mastodon is the most exciting band in hard rock/light metal, and I was thrilled to hear them play my favourite tune of theirs – “Megalodon” – at Metropolis.

Queens of the Stone Age
Metropolis, Montreal
March 27

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I’m pretty happy I was there. Josh Homme announced prior to this tour they’d be playing their self-titled debut album the whole way through in each city. Ask any QOTSA fan and they’ll agree that’s their best album. Hearing it live from start to finish was a real treat, along with some deadly cuts like “Turning on the Screw” and “Song for the Dead” in the encore.

Feist
National Arts Centre, Ottawa
December 5

Metals is probably my favourite album of the year, but prior to this show I really wondered how she’d pull off the huge sound on that album live. I was even more skeptical when I saw only four backing musicians and three backup singers take the stage with her, but they quickly proved me wrong. They rearranged the songs on the album nicely to fit a stripped-down band, all the while filling a huge concert hall with epic sound.

Joel Plaskett Emergency
Stockey Centre, Parry Sound
March 19

I had never seen a concert in my quasi-hometown of Parry Sound until this one. I loved his Threes album and it was great to hear a lot of those tunes in the Stockey Centre, along with some of his other hits. He was a bona fide gentleman and seemed to appreciate the love a small central Ontario town gave him.

KEN Mode
Cafe Deckuf, Ottawa
August 5

Straight outta Winnipeg, they’re one of the most unique and innovative modern metal bands out there. While only a three-piece, they wrestle out some of the most monumental heavy music and launch it into the ether. Seeing them live, it’s hard to believe those songs come from just a guitar, a bass, drums, and a couple voices.

The Roots
Ottawa Bluesfest
July 6

I very much prefer these guys far away from Jimmy Fallon.

Pearl Jam
Bell Centre, Montreal
September 7

Nostalgia bubbled to the surface in many ways in 2011, and this was one of them. I hadn’t seen them since the last Canadian tour in 2005, so it was a treat to catch them in both Montreal and Ottawa. Ottawa had a better set list (including the elusive “Breath”) but thanks to my good buddy Bob we were up close in Montreal. Old dudes rocking out!

A Perfect Circle
Ottawa Bluesfest
July 10

I seem to see Maynard in some form almost every year. I don’t mind making him richer as long as he puts on shows like this one. Best APC show I’ve seen.

Soundgarden
Ottawa Bluesfest
July 5

The first time I ever saw Soundgarden was in 1994 at Molson Park in Barrie, Ontario on the Superunknown tour. Nine Inch Nails opened and obviously blew them out of the water. We left after “Spoonman”. I saw them a couple years later at Lollapalooza in the same venue. Chris Cornell’s voice sounded even worse at that show and they were pretty much booed off the stage. All these years later I finally saw them again and they actually really impressed me.

So those were my favourite shows this year. What are yours?

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The past couple of months have been quite busy. On top of my usual day job, I’ve been fortunate enough to take Midnight Sweatlodge on the road for a few readings and a festival, and I’ve also had the opportunity to work on some features for CBC’s upcoming 8th Fire project. While these storytelling and sharing experiences have been immensely fulfilling, this fall, nothing has warmed my heart and lifted my spirit as much as reconnecting with the traditional language of my people. Every Monday and Wednesday evening since early September, I’ve been taking Ojibway language classes at Carleton University. It’s a unique program available to students for course credit, and it’s also open to Ottawa community members (like me) for free. I’ve neglected Anishinaabemowin for far too long, and being able to learn it again has been fun, enlightening, and most importantly, it’s been healing.

As a small child I learned a handful of words and phrases growing up in Wasauksing. The older generations offered a few grains of the language here and there, but it never dominated everyday dialogue. The elders often spoke it regularly with each other, but rarely with us kids. I suppose there was still a great deal of shame attached to it as a “primitive” language. We went to Ryerson Indian Day School on the reserve, and when that became Wasauksing Kinomaugewgamik in the late 1980s, I remember learning a lot more Anishinaabemowin in school. It became like a refurbished old toy for me and my peers – we shared jokes and funny words in Ojibway because we thought it was neat. But we never really understood how fragile it was, or how important it was for us to maintain it.

Then we all went to high school off-reserve. Some of us kept it up, but for me, it dropped from my priorities. I really don’t know why. I became interested in sports, music, literature, and popular culture, and I guess my native language didn’t fit in with those western ambitions. Learning how to play a D minor chord on guitar was more important than knowing how to say the act in Ojibway. I then went to Germany for a year and rehashed some lines for the novel benefit of my hosts, but after a while that didn’t feel right, so I stopped.

Soon after returning to Canada I moved to the city to go to University and I sparsely revisited Anishinaabemowin until now. I have been an urban Indian for 13 years, spending time in Toronto, Winnipeg, and now Ottawa. I always found it somewhat difficult to find ways to speak Ojibway in each city. Every time I went home to Wasauksing I attempted to pick the language back up through conversations with my grandmother and other relatives, but when you’re only doing that once every couple of months, it’s never gonna stick. They always seemed like feeble attempts just to make myself feel better as an Anishinaabe person. So there’s always been a fog of guilt hanging over my head that’s just been easier to ignore than to try to clear.

But now at age 32 I have the opportunity to devote some serious time to reconnecting with it, and I’m thankful that my classmates, friends, family, and Carleton have allowed me to learn with them. Some may find it ironic that it took a contemporary classroom in a higher learning setting for me and my peers to accomplish this, but this shared understanding transcends the classroom. We challenge each other. We laugh. We continue our dialogue well beyond the classroom. It’s some of the most fun I’ve had in a very long time. But as my friend Geraldine pointed out to me the other day, although we may not know it, we’re healing. This language was supposed to die. But mere decades after the authorities tried to beat it from us, here we are, speaking it proudly.

Nmwendis. Wii Anishinaabe-gaagiigido. Wii mino bemaadiz. Miigwech ndikid.

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Nearly three months after its initial release, Midnight Sweatlodge is headed for a second printing. I’m not sure exactly how many people have picked up copies by this point, but the good news is there’ll be lots more out there. On that note, I’m happy to announce a few more reading dates over the next month. The above poster is for tomorrow’s event at the University of Toronto. It was organized by the brilliant and talented Cherie Dimaline and features the amazing Lee Maracle. So far I’ve had the honour of reading with some legendary Aboriginal authors on this tour, and that greatly humbles me. If you’re in Toronto, I hope you can make it!

I’m also thrilled to be part of McGill University‘s Aboriginal Awareness Week in Montreal. Check out the schedule here. I’ll read a story from Midnight Sweatlodge then have a little Q & A with students/community members. The McGill bookstore will have copies for sale. And the week after, I’m returning to Winnipeg to be part of Thin Air – the Winnipeg International Writers Festival. Check out this link for my schedule. The organizers are also in the process of lining up a class visit or two while I’m there.

Many of you have been wondering about a “hometown” event in Wasauksing/Parry Sound. I can tell you something is in the works for October – stay tuned for a formal announcement. I also hope to bring the book to Edmonton or Calgary in November, and I’m crossing my fingers for a visit to British Columbia in the new year. If you’re interested in booking an event, please don’t hesitate to email me at waub@waub.ca.

Having this book out there has been a dream come true. When it was coming together, I fantasized about being able to do an actual “tour” to promote it, but I didn’t think it would actually happen. I can’t explain how excited I am to take these stories on the road. I want to thank you all for your interest and support, and I have to give a huge shout out to my employer-by-day and the publisher for letting me explore these options. Miigwetch!

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What: Midnight Sweatlodge Ottawa Launch
When: Tuesday, August 9th, 2011, 7-9PM
Where: SAW Gallery, 67 Nicholas St.
Who: Waubgeshig Rice, Vera Wabegijig, Lisa Marie Naponse, and other performers TBA
Admission: Free

I’m honoured to be joined on stage by writer/artist Vera Wabegijig and singer/songwriter Lisa Marie Naponse. I hope to add a couple more performers/artists to the bill in the next couple of weeks. You can also check the Facebook event page for updates. You’ll be able to buy your own copy at the launch.

Readings have been confirmed for Toronto, Montreal, and Parry Sound/Wasauksing before the summer’s out. Dates and venues will be announced soon. Also, I’ll be reading from Midnight Sweatlodge and taking part in panel discussions at this year’s Winnipeg International Writers Festival at the end of September. I can’t wait to be able to share some of these stories in Winnipeg again.

In the meantime, check your local book store for a copy, and if they don’t have it, ask them to order it. You can also get one through the Theytus website or from me. I’m hugely grateful for your interest and support. Miigwetch.

By the way, Midnight Sweatlodge is now intercontinental. Here’s one of my best friends Geoff reading it on a train to Paris.

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I debuted the book’s first story “Dust” at a reading in Winnipeg last week. I was in town to work on CBC’s ReVision Quest, and coincidentally, Midnight Sweatlodge was printed the same week. Kelly Hughes from Aqua Books was kind enough to quickly organize a launch with Rosanna Deerchild and Duncan Mercredi (two of my literary mentors). About 50 people showed up, and I’m truly honoured that I was able to read one of my favourite (and oldest) stories in front of such an amazing crowd. Chi-miigwetch!

Reading at Aqua Books, Winnipeg. Final tally: Applause 5, Boo 4

I was also fortunate to do a bit of press to promote Midnight Sweatlodge while in Winnipeg. The Winnipeg Free Press ran a short Q & A with me in their weekend edition prior to the launch. CBC’s Manitoba Scene also posted an interview, along with audio (at the bottom) of a chat I had with CBC Radio’s Weekend Morning Show. APTN National News invited me onto their show for an interview about how the book came about. Chi-miigwetch to everyone for the support! Keep coming to this site for more press and reviews.

We’re now planning launches for Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, and Parry Sound/Wasauksing (hometown show). We hope to have those confirmed in the coming weeks, and I promise to keep you updated. I’ll also be taking part in this September’s Thin Air festival in Winnipeg, and I hope to make other festival appearances in the next year. This book would not have been possible without the hard work and confidence of the great staff at Theytus and the editorial guidance of the brilliant Jordan Wheeler. Most importantly, it was inspired by young Aboriginal people everywhere – especially in my home community of Wasauksing. Last, but certainly not least, I would have never accomplished this goal without the love and support of the Rice and Shipman families. Chi-miigwetch!

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The main reason Exit works so well is the massive array of visual elements. There’s unprecedented access to a world most viewers know nothing about. While the interviews generally lack emotion, the footage is what carries the film. And that’s what I love about visual documentaries. There’s a delicate balancing act in effectively marrying comprehensive and emotional interviews with powerful pictures. It’s something I’m still learning.

I loved documentaries long before I became a journalist. This is mostly due to my early exposure to the tremendous work of Alanis Obomsawin. I saw Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance in high school and it blew me away. It would later inspire me to dedicate my life to telling the stories of Aboriginal people across Turtle Island. I now find myself in the fortunate position of producing my very first hour-long television documentary. Capital NDNs will begin production in early June, and will air at the end of August on CBC TV. Stay tuned for more information on this look at contemporary urban Aboriginal life in Canada’s capital. On that exciting note, here are the films that inspired me to follow this path:

Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance
Alanis Obomsawin, 1993
It’s the most powerful and comprehensive look at the most important moment in modern Canadian history. Obomsawin successfully tells the real story of the 1990 Oka Crisis in Quebec and exposes viewers to the crucial moments and facts withheld by the Canadian military and federal government.

A Place Called Chiapas

Nettie Wild, 1998
Another intense Indigenous struggle is done justice on film. Chronicling the 1994 Zapatista revolution in Mexico, A Place Called Chiapas is another story of a subordinated group of people desperately trying to have their voices heard by a government who would rather have them wither in the periphery.

Gimme Shelter

Albert Maysles, David Maysles, and Charlotte Zwerin, 1970
One of the first “rockumentaries”, and probably the best. It chronicles the debacle that was the Rolling Stones’ free concert at Altamont Speedway outside of Oakland that tragically marked the end of the 1960s.

Memorandum

Donald Brittain, 1965
Holocaust survivors return to Germany two decades after fleeing the Nazi’s scourge. It’s a riveting illustration of the attitudes of both 1960s Germany and the Jewish people who initially fled – generally, shame and bitterness respectively. It looks at how everyone was coping in the aftershock of one of the greatest horrors in human history.

Inuit Knowledge and Climate Change
Zacharias Kunuk and Ian Mauro, 2010
The climate change debate goes right to the contact point of its biggest impact: Canada’s north. Kunuk and Mauro talked to dozens of Inuit leaders, elders, hunters, and scientists to gauge just how the earth’s changing climate is affecting their day-to-day lives. All the interviews and dialogue are in various dialects of Inuktitut.

Manufacturing Consent

Mark Achbar and Peter Wintonick, 1992
An ominous look at how government and corporate media work hand-in-hand to create a monstrous and indestructible propaganda machine. It’s based almost entirely on the ideas of media watchdog Noam Chomsky and his struggles as a political outsider. Required viewing for anyone working in media.

Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey
Sam Dunn, 2005
A lifelong heavy metal fan travels the world to trace the roots of an eclectic, powerful, and misunderstood genre. Dunn’s anthropological approach to uncovering the loudest music on the planet is a treat for both fans and unfamiliar listeners.

When We Were Kings

Leon Gast, 1996
Director Leon Gast went to Zaire in 1974 to make a film on the “Rumble in the Jungle” – a highly touted boxing match between Muhammed Ali and George Foreman. But because of legal issues, the material he gathered sat idle for more than 20 years. It was finally released, with old and new interviews with some of the key figures.

Little Caughnawaga
Reaghan Tarbell, 2008
Few people realize that the mighty New York City skyline was constructed with the help of dozens of Mohawk steelworkers from Kahnawake, Quebec. From the 1920s to 1960s, they carved out their own community in the heart of New York. The film goes back and forth between the rez and the city, chronicling this unique exodus and contribution to modern urbanity.

Buena Vista Social Club
Wim Wenders, 1999
Legendary guitarist Ry Cooder seeks out long-forgotten musical counterparts in Cuba to explore their traditional music and tell their life stories. A classic album resulted from the sessions, which were thankfully filmed.

Feel free to leave your favourites in the comments!

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One of my old Winnipeg connections shared this video with me via Facebook. Doug Thomas of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs created it to engage Aboriginal people in the Canadian federal election campaign and encourage them to vote. It’s simple, straightforward, and honest – and hopefully, it’s effective. I already voted in the advance polls, and I hope my Aboriginal brothers and sisters across the country follow suit tomorrow on election day. As so beautifully articulated in the above piece, it’s about being counted, and most importantly, being heard.

First Nations leaders across Canada are encouraging all of us to vote. As we grow as a people, they want us to become a much more formidable presence in the Canadian political theatre. In many ridings across the country, we have the ability to sway the results. Aboriginal voter turnout is usually generally much lower than the rest of the population, but grassroots activists and leaders are trying to reverse that trend.

However, there’s been a movement afoot for years rooted in academia that urges Aboriginal Canadians NOT to vote. Intellectuals cite a variety of reasons for abstaining from the democratic process. Some say it compromises our sovereignty as nations. Others say it keeps us subservient in the traditional Canadian political hierarchy. While I have the utmost respect for some of these illustrious thinkers, I couldn’t disagree more.

This country and political system were forced upon us. We were strong-armed into signing deals that kept us subordinate and in the periphery. Today, many of our communities continue to suffer because of these old colonial ways and they’re still on a long path to healing. But excluding ourselves from the process that determines the leadership and direction of the entire system won’t solve these problems. We are a part of it, whether we like it or not, and it’s up to us to start exercising this basic democratic right. Federal leaders need to be aware of us and our potential as political juggernauts.

I vote in every election, from my rez right up to my federal riding. When you’re on the rez, It’s difficult to see how your vote will trickle down into any sort of meaningful change in your community. But as our numbers grow, and as we become more engaged in Canadian society at large, we won’t be ignored anymore. Our problems are Canada’s problems, and the only way Canada will recognize that is if we become engaged in Canada’s system.

I voted this year because I believe our people need to embrace Canadian politics and shape it to suit us. Even in cities, we’re becoming more visible. We’re emerging in many professional scopes. We need to obtain and develop the tools of Canadian democracy to carve out our own special place in it. Stepping aside will only keep us on the outside, perpetually looking in as our own rights outlined by this country deteriorate. These rights define us as a people in Canada. By voting, we’re standing up for them, and more importantly, we’re standing up for ourselves and future generations. I voted because I’m proud of who I am and I believe in the power of our people.

For a great list of ridings where the Aboriginal vote could make or break leaders, read this exceptional post by mediaINDIGENA’s Rick Harp.

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I never used email or the internet until I was forced to in my first year of university. I used to hate watching TV. I only bought one because I got a full-time job working for a television broadcaster. I bought a cell phone because the roommates I lived with at the time got rid of our landline. Now all of the current implements that are conduits for these media command my attention at almost every waking moment.

Because of this barrage of information, I find it hard to be really productive or even hold basic linear thoughts when all these things are within reach. So I often shut them off, pick up a book, put on music, play guitar, go for a run, or even sit in silence. The hilarious irony is that I worked hard and saved money to purchase these gadgets and have all kinds of information at my fingertips. As the fictional, misguided visionary Tyler Durden said, “The things you own end up owning you.”

In my line of work, and living in urban North America, it’s almost impossible to live without them. They’re half status symbols and half knowledge necessities. It’s imperative to know what’s going on and to stay connected in these complex layers of relationships and interactions in the city. That being said, I don’t really need to be playing Angry Birds on the bus or in those few minutes between meetings/appointments.

And that’s where balance comes in. When I talk to my grandparents on the rez and in small-town Ontario (face to face), they’re both mind-blown and vexed that we walk around with computers in our pockets these days. They never needed them, and they still don’t. Because that wholesome attitude still exists, smartphones should be obsolete in the grand scheme of life.

But they aren’t, nor will they ever be. They’ve made my life easier, and I’m not abandoning any of these toys to become a born-again Luddite. The other day a random couple stopped me on the street to ask where a certain restaurant was. I didn’t know, so I pulled out my phone and called up an app – and within seconds I sent them in the right direction. My phone made me a hero for a moment. But silence and balance are golden, and I’ll never forget about the things that challenged and captivated my mind before 21st Century attention defects.

By the way, my favourite apps are Word With Friends, Angry Birds, Twitter, Instagram, and the new CBC News App.

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The five-hour drive from Ottawa to Parry Sound started well enough. It was 11 degrees C and sunny in the nation’s capital that afternoon. But an hour outside of the city the weather took a disgusting turn. And that didn’t bode well for the route I was about to take:

View Larger Map

Anyone who’s driven Highway 60 knows it’s a winding and treacherous road, especially when the weather’s bad. But when it’s nice it’s a really pleasant tour. I reduced my speed to about 40 km/h for a good chunk of the trip, so I had lots of time to think. Staring death in the face in the bleakest of seasons, I pondered some of my favourite music to listen to in winter. Not the kind of stuff to make you feel warm and upbeat to cope with the cold and snow, but the tunes that help you relate to and understand the desperate and dangerous environment around you. So I came up with this short list of my favourite winter albums:

Radiohead – Kid A
It could have been because they released this in the fall of 2000 and I listened to it constantly throughout the following winter, but the songs on this album always invoke vast, bleak landscapes for me. It’s almost like the music is meant to fill those great and barren voids. At the time Kid A was revolutionary and it hasn’t really been matched since.

ISIS – Panopticon

This is a unique band that plays epic, ambient metal that can sweep you right across the emotional spectrum. Anything that’s long, slow, and heavy is perfect for a backdrop of white-capped mountains surrounding a frozen river and bare trees. This album makes me want to strap on some snowshoes.

Tricky – Maxinquaye

Tricky helped define that terrible term of “trip-hop” in the 1990s. It’s a narrow label that always sells the songs short. I always thought the music he and the dudes from Massive Attack played had the perfect layers of psychedelic musical elements and mesmerizing rhythms that would make you feel at home in a snowed-in cabin.

Sigur Ros – ()

They’re from Iceland. Enough said.

Joanna Newsom – Ys

Winter is probably the most legendary of seasons so it deserves songs that are sagas. She writes tunes that are sweeping fables about mythical creatures, set on top of ancient instruments like the harp. If you have time to kill on one of these cold, isolated nights, throw this album on.

Bonnie Prince Billy – I See a Darkness

I won’t sugarcoat it – a lot of the songs on this album are pretty depressing and some deal with death. No one said winter was a happy time.

Deltron 3030

Towards the tail end of that epic drive last week I was hard-pressed to think of a hip-hop album that would suit this particular list. The only one that came to mind was this particular gem about life in the distant dystopian future.

PJ Harvey – To Bring You My Love

A commanding and powerful voice needs to tame the fiercest of seasons, and she has it. Couple that with songs about isolation and loss – produced in the guitar-heavy mid-1990s – and you have the perfect recipe for blizzard listening.

The Sword – Age of Winters

Sometimes in winter you just gotta crank it to 11 and prepare for battle.

I’m sure if I was trapped in another highway blizzard I could think of some more. What’s your favourite winter music?

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