Canadians in Portugal: 2011

And yet another year comes to a close, one that was undoubtedly full of great music coming out of the Great White North, aka Canada.

And so for the second year running, I give you my 20 favourite Canadian albums of 2011. Without any further adieu, here they are with myspaces, bandcamps and soundclouds for your further listening if you're interested.

1. Sam Roberts Band – Collider http://www.myspace.com/samrobertsband

2. Cuff the Duke – Morning Comes http://www.myspace.com/cufftheduke
3. Elliott Brood – Days into Years www.myspace.com/elliottbrood
4. Sloan – The Double Cross http://www.myspace.com/sloan
5. Matthew Good – Lights of Endangered Species http://soundcloud.com/matthew-good
6. The Sheepdogs – Learn & Burn www.myspace.com/thesheepdogs
7. Hooded Fang – Tosta Mista www.myspace.com/hoodedfang
8. One Hundred Dollars – Songs of Man www.myspace.com/1hundreddollars
9. Dog Day – Deformer http://www.myspace.com/dogdaytheband
10. The Rural Alberta Advantage – Departing www.myspace.com/theraa
11. The Flower City 3 – Brampton Comes Alive! http://theflowercity3.bandcamp.com/album/brampton-comes-alive
12. The Deep Dark Woods – The Place I Left Behind www.myspace.com/deepdarkwoods
13. Sun Wizard – Positively 4th Ave http://sunwizard.bandcamp.com/album/positively-4th-avenue
14. Sports – Sports http://sports.bandcamp.com/
15. Hey Rosetta! – Seeds www.myspace.com/heyrosetta
16. Arkells – Michigan Left www.myspace.com/arkellsmusic
17. Chad Vangaalen – Diaper Island www.myspace.com/chadvangaalen
18. Dark Mean – Dark Mean http://darkmean.bandcamp.com/
19. Dinosaur Bones – My Divider www.myspace.com/dinosaurbonesband
20. The Dears – Degeneration Street www.myspace.com/thedears

Compilation: Have Not Been the Same - Vol. 1: Too Cool to Live, Too Smart to Die, tribute album based on the book: Have Not Been the Same: The Canrock Renaissance, 1985-1995. http://www.zunior.com/product_info.php?products_id=3362

So there you have it. For any of you out there who check in from time to time, we thank you and all the best in 2012 to everyone.

As it was written a few post ago on this blog, the current month here in Portugal - which we are now seeing come to a close - is synonymous with the homecoming of Portuguese emigrants. From all over the world they fly in and from European countries they drive as well. The month of August, as many emigrants will tell you, is the month of complete and utter happiness, when the yearning to return, if only for a few weeks, is finally realised; when family and old friends are again seen; when senses, smells and visions of other times are re-encountered; and when spirits are renewed. Many are the songs written about Portuguese emigration, but arguably non capture this sentiment (as simple as it may be stated) as that of the song Voltei, Voltei by Dino Meira. If you don't know it, it goes like this: "Voltei voltei, voltei de lá; Ainda ontem estava em França e agora já estou cá. ... Vale mais um mês aqui do que um ano inteiro lá", or in other words: "I came I came, I came back from their; I was in France yesterday and now I'm here. ... One month here is more valuable then an entire year there".

And so every year during the month of August, villages, towns, municipalities through parties, or festas, if you will to commemorate the homecoming of its son and daughters. The Festa do Emigrante serves up food, drink, live music, folklore, games, fireworks, dancing, and many other things. In some towns they are the biggest parties of the year, prepared for ahead of time and in some cases even payed for by the emigrants abroad.

With this post we pay homage to this tradition by showing posters from some of this years Festas do Emigrante from different parts of Portugal. At the same time we take this opportunity to wish all emigrants who have been here during this month of August safe journeys "home". Hang in there during the Fall, Winter and Spring as next year there'll be more. Here are some posters from this years festas.