Destroyer

When it comes to the Stanley Cup finals, Vancouver is not a lucky town. They are lucky for one thing though: the word “quit” is missing from Dan Bejar’s vocabulary. As Destroyer, Bejar has been a leading voice in Vancouver’s underground music scene for nearly two decades. Despite a critically acclaimed run in The New Pornographers, it wasn’t until last year that the 39-year-old singer/songwriter stepped out of obscurity and into the spotlight. Kaputt, his ninth solo release, was met with raving reviews, topping many 2011 “album of the year” lists and earning a nomination for the Polaris Music Prize. And with good reason: Bejar has an ear for what made the music of the ‘80s so damn appealing. You’ll be hard pressed to find anyone in 2012 who can make a sax solo or a drum machine sound so unironically respectable. (Appearing with Sandro Perri at Metro on June 24) –text: John Taylor