It's Valentine's Day, and sometimes you want to hear love songs and sometimes you want to here just the opposite. So each of us decided to pick our favourite Canadian love song, and an anti-love song. Enjoy them below! (And if you're looking to hear some Vancouver musicians live tonight - check out Vintage Valentine's at the Fox Cabaret - event page here.)

Kirk's Picks

Love Song:
"Infamous" by Basia Bulat
I think this one might fall a little more under the category of "Unrequited Love Song", but I have a little more experience with that than anything else, and this is one of those song I could listen to over and over and never get sick of. How can you not get chills when Bulat belts out "Don't waste my time pretending love is somewhere else"?

Anti-Love Song:
"Could You Wait 'til I've Had My Coffee?" by Lisa LeBlanc
This whole album, Why You Wanna Leave, Runaway Queen?, could probably fit here with songs like "Dump The Guy ASAP" and "I Love You, I Don't Love You, I Don't Know" but "Could You Wait 'til I've Had My Coffee?" is the best bitter breakup song I've heard in a long while; probably since "Mama's Boy" by Hannah Georgas. Because, as LeBlanc herself puts it: "Don't be a dick to somebody who writes tunes or this will happen."

*Bonus* Lust Song:
"Alone With You" by Youngblood
You know it's a bad idea, but you can't help yourself. Or as Alexis Young sings in the chorus, "When your feelings don’t feel like your own / Holding on to something that fell through / Oh baby, I can feel the chemicals / But I can never be alone with you"
(Fun fact, when I first heard this song, I misheard the lyrics as "I can never be in love with you" which changes the song quite a bit.)

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Christine's Picks

Love Song:
"Hockey Teeth" by Bahamas
I shoot weddings every year, and try to pick a Canadian indie song for the slideshow of images, so I know a TON of good ones... "I'm So Glad" by Royal Wood, about half of the Said The Whale catalogue applies (my fav being "Love Is Art/Sleep Through Fire"), but Bahamas has a plethora of songs to choose from, but my favourite (because the reference is so Canadian) is "Hockey Teeth".

Anti-Love Song:
"Free Drink Ticket" by Peaches
The anti-love song could go in many directions...a break-up song ("Piano Blink" by Hawksley Workman gets me every time), straight up anti-love (I'm looking at you, Lisa LeBlanc album Why You Wanna Leave, Runaway Queen?), an unconventional love song ("Fuck The Government, I Love You" by The Burning Hell literally says "Love songs are dumb" in it) but I'm thinking mad and dark for my pick. Peaches has a few good 'f-you' songs on her album Rub but "Free Drink Ticket" really lays in. [Video NSFW, as most Peaches isn't...]

*Bonus* Lust Song:
"Good Sex" by Kevin Drew
There are a few songs that came to mind when we decided to add the bonus song, "The Other One" by JP Maurice (I built that mud pit in the video & definitely was in it), and "Bad Love" by Miss Quincy & The Showdown was almost my pick ("I'm only wearing this dress, so that you can take it off"!!!), but Kevin Drew's "Good Sex" was just way to obvious not to pick. From it's name to the video below, I'd say it's lusty (his song "Body Butter" is a close second too).

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Jessica's Picks

Love Song:
"Heart in Two" by Reuben and the Dark
One of my favourite songs of last year, full stop. This song is so deepy poetic and romantic, and really invokes such beautiful imagery. Also, Reuben's voice is so rich you won't even need chocolate this Valentine's day.

Anti-Love Song:
"Not Coming By" by Emma-Lee
Okay this is more of a "frustration" song than a "anti-love" song, but if you find yourself in a situation this Valentines Day where you wish that, just FOR ONCE, your lover/crush/admiree, etc. would put in a little effort [but you know better and you're well aware that's not going to happen] well, this is a great song to sing/yell/stomp along to. Get that frustration out and get on with enjoying this day for what it is - an opportunity to drink sparkling wine and eat chocolates all night long.

*Bonus* Lust Song:
"Clothes Off" by Ria Mae
If V-day has come down to a sexy ending, you'll want this song somewhere on your playlist. It's no subtle, poetic nudge, but it's a pretty blatant and unmistakable message to... well, take your clothes off!