I have to admit, I wasn’t exactly taken by the whole of Eats Darkness, the latest album from Apostle of Hustle. That said it took a definite upturn for me with the addition of “Blackberry,” the last song on the album.

Upbeat, rollicking and catchy, this tune distills everything I’ve liked about Apostle of Hustle since Folkloric Feel into one beautifully bouncy romp.

Apostle of Hustle - Blackberry

Hear more at the band’s Myspace page or grab a digital copy of Eats Darkness from Zunior.

New Pornographers front-man, A.C. Newman, has an undeniable gift for crafting engaging and epic tunes. This lead off track from 2009’s Get Guilty is a perfect example of his ability to blend monumental flourishes with subtler melodies.

Short in length, but huge in spirit.

A.C. Newman - There Are Maybe Ten or Twelve

Hear more at his Myspace page or buy a digital copy of Get Guilty from Zunior.

The Paper Cranes have an album (Chivalry’s Dead) coming out later this year and that is a very good thing. In case that’s not enough to get you drooling, they’ve offered  “Telephone” in the meantime to tide us over.

Imbued with the band’s trademark bounce and featuring some delightful lead-guitar, this is a great omen for things to come.

The Paper Cranes - Telephone

Hear more at the band’s Myspace page.

I’ve been hoping to add a “favourite songs of 2008″ feature to this year’s best-of retrospective. In that regard I’ve been digging through some standout tracks of the last 12 months and just couldn’t help but give this excellent song by Paul Linklater a chance to shine on its own first.

Taken from his epic 2008 release, Smooth Sailing and How (which I talk about here), “Hard Time of Year” is seductive, catchy and undeniably full of funk. It’s evident from the first note of the “Superstition”-esque riff that this track means business.

Of course, this song and the timing of choosing it are made all the more appropriate in the sense that the fall is a diffucult time for us bloggerly types (boo hoo), as it means digging back through the year’s best in honour of the almighty year-end lists. The thought if overlooking an album or artist weighs heavy on our keyboards—hard time of year indeed. That said, you better believe I’ll be squeezing this song onto any list I can.

Paul Linklater - Hard Time of Year

Hear more at Paul Linklater’s Myspace page, as well as the dedicated pages for each disc (Disc 1, Disc 2, EP), or grab a digital copy of Smooth Sailing and How from Jibcut Records right here.

I’ve taken my sweet time coming around to The Rural Alberta Advantage (especially considering how many times I’ve seen their name mentioned in i (heart) music), but I’m trying to make good now by getting on board.

Basically, their debut album, Hometowns, is awesome. A perfect example of this is the driven and bittersweet “Don’t Haunt This Place.” To be honest, I could have chosen just about any track from this excellent release, but I figured this is a good place to start…and start you should. If you’re like me, you don’t know what you’ve been missing.

The Rural Alberta Advantage - Don’t Haunt This Place

Hear more at the band’s Myspace page or order a copy of Hometowns from the band’s homepage.

Turns out I’m a sucker for amicable male/female duets. Who’d have thought that someone glued indoors to the internet all day would be taken by such a life affirming and joyous romp as the appropriately titled “Duet” from the Polymaths?

Upbeat, effervescent and uplifting, this song from So Long, Castle Road, the Regina band’s diverse and engaging debut EP, is a treat for the ears. It makes me want to grab my best girl and take a run through the park.

Polymaths - Duet

Hear more at the band’s Myspace page or grab a digital copy of So Long, Castle Road here.

From Cartography, the soon-to-be-released sixth studio album from Vancouver’s The Buttless Chaps, this song is a free-wheeling train-ride through a mountain range. It builds steadily to a bombastic chorus and just keeps picking up steam.

Check it out below and give this criminally underrated band a listen:

The Buttless Chaps - Coal Grey Sky

Hear more at the band’s Myspace page or keep an eye on Zunior next week to grab a digital copy of Cartography.

Actually, it might be short notice, but you can catch Buttless Chaps tonight (Oct. 10) at the Drake (with Wax Mannequin and Tim Vesely to boot!).

Hot off About a Girl, the brand new debut full-length from Montreal’s Winter Gloves, this song is a relentless dose of spastic energy.  It knocks politely on your door for the first 5 seconds before the main riff burst through and subdues any mental resistance.

Let your mind dance—if not your whole body.

Winter Gloves - Factories

Hear more at the band’s Myspace page or grab a digital copy of About a Girl here.

Just as the good weather took it’s time getting to Toronto this summer, I’ve taken my time coming around to the music of Old Man Luedecke.  Doing my best to rectify that, I’ve been taking a crash course on the Nova Scotian banjo player and “Proof of Love,” the title-track to his 2008 album, is a great place to start.

The perfect example of Luedecke’s ability to pair an outstanding melody with amicable sincerity, this song is as endearing as it is catchy. Give it a listen and I doubt you’ll need any more proof as to why Old Man Luedecke ought to be on everyone’s playlist.

Old Man Luedecke - Proof of Love

Hear more at his Myspace page or grab a digital copy of Proof of Love here.

This song by The Paper Cranes has been around since their 2006 Veins EP, but saw an updated release this year with the bands debut full-length, the highly enjoyable Halcyon Days.

Charming and incredibly catchy, this is a tune that I’ve been looking to feature for a while, but really wanted to let sink in first.  Now that I’ve had the chance to give “I’ll Love You Until My Veins Explode” the time it deserves I can’t get enough. Melodic, uplifting and upbeat without being overstated, this is definitely a tune that merits the attention.

The Paper Cranes - I’ll Love You Until My Veins Explode

Hear more at the band’s Myspace page or grab a digital copy of Halcyon Days here.