In 2002, Toronto’s Paper Bag Records had an auspicious first year by releasing a new millennial indie rock touchstone in Broken Social Scene’s You Forgot It In People, one of the decade’s most acclaimed albums, and one that helped shape thoughts and expectations of what indie rock could look and sound like in the ’00s: sentimental and anthemic but still rooted in the raucous guitar rock of the ’90s, all while featuring more members than an intramural softball team. Years later, the label still earns plaudits for curating a solid roster — most recently given NOW magazine’s award for Best Toronto label — both locally (try Tokyo Police Club, You Say Party! We Say Die!, the recent sensation Little Girls) and, increasingly, abroad (see: Swedish Italo disco princess Sally Shapiro, Danish art-rock BTW Under Byen).
From an auspicious start to an auspicious anniversary celebration, then: Paper Bag is now in its lucky seventh year, and their celebration involves giving us even more music with The Seven Year Itch: a compilation of of cover songs performed by twelve of their artists, for the perfect price of free. A few have been around for a bit, like CFCF’s take on OMC’s “How Bizarre” or Sally Shapiro’s lovely “Dying In Africa,” but many are new, including the Acorn’s rework of Gowan’s progressive pop gem “(You’re A) Strange Animal.” Refresh yourself with the original, then download this:
How bizarre:
Here’s the comp’s full tracklist:
01 CFCF – “How Bizarre” (OMC cover)
02 Winter Gloves – “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (Nirvana cover)
03 Woodhands – “Electric Avenue” (Eddy Grant cover)
04 Sally Shapiro – “Dying In Africa” (Nicolas Makelberge cover)
05 You Say Party! We Say Die! – “Falling Out” (Rick Agnew cover)
06 Josh Reichmann – “Daniel” (Bat For Lashes cover)
07 Laura Barrett – “Gamma Ray” (Beck cover)
08 Rock Plaza Central – “I Want You” (Bob Dylan cover)
09 The Acorn – “Strange Animal” (Gowan cover)
10 Little Girls – “Heinz” (Artery cover)
11 Slim Twig – “Behold A Lady” (Outkast cover)
12 Under Byen – “Du er min øjesten” (Peter Malberg cover)
Download The Seven Year Itch at the Paper Bag site. Happy 7s, y’all.
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who cares
we do not.
Well done, great bands and great covers.
congrats to anyone who can keep a record label alive these days with everyone stealing music and not caring (first comment in this thread), it’s impressive they can keep doing it!
nice! Congrats – can’t wait to hear The Acorn do Gowan!
No kidding. Superlame to be a dick before it’s even lunchtime. Go outside, it’s too early. The CFCF cover is awesome. and when’s The Acorn coming out with a new album??
LOVE the Woodhands cover, excellent comp Paper Bag!!
slim twig track is hot.
unh hun.
bat for lashes cover is good.
paper bag is a big deal in Toronto, artists like little girls and slim twig deserve wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy more recognition.
Sweet.
Hell yeah !
killer comp, great label.
perfect…great covers.