Had we known we could bring snacks, we’d have got into live classical music years ago.

There’s no need for cultural apathy with Les Mélodînes lunch-hour concerts at Place des Arts. Each Thursday until April, the Studio-théâtre opens its doors to brown baggers and top-notch musicians like pianist Daniel Moran and classical guitarist Daniel Bolshoy. And, if you’re looking for something pretty to catch the eye of that handsome oboist, carry your lunch in this.

But please leave the crunchy carrots at home.

Tickets $8, Les Mélodînes, 12:10 – 12:50 pm, February 18 to April 8, Studio-théâtre, Place des Arts, 175 Ste-Catherine Street W., Montreal, 514-842-2112, www.laplacedesarts.com

Those days of waiting until 4 a.m. to catch the latest hot DJ set have lost their appeal.

Thankfully our favorite Montreal turntablist Misstress Barbara has come out from behind her mixers with I’m No Human. This debut album blends her signature synth sounds with drums, bass and actual (gasp) lyrics. We love the catchy "I’m Running" single with Sam Roberts, the electro version of Leonard Cohen’s "Dance Me to the End of Love" and the newly released remix of "Four on the Floor," sung in English, French and Italian.

She performs with her band Girls On A Ducati tomorrow night at the very civilized hour of 9 p.m.

February 4, 9 p.m. Club Soda, 1225 St-Laurent Blvd., Montreal, tickets from $20, 514-908-9090, www.geg.ca

I’m No Human, $7.99 on iTunes.

Call us Gleeks what you will, we’re mad about our Wednesday night musical mash-ups.

Now we can get our Glee fix all week long with the release of Volumes 1 and 2 Glee: the Music ($9.99-$12.99 each). Sing along to catchy tunes like Neil Young’s (You’re) Having My Baby, Cabaret’s Maybe This Time and Bill Wither’s Lean on Me, brilliantly reinterpreted by the show’s hodge-podge cast.

Hopefully no one will toss a slushy in our face if we’re out of tune.

On iTunes.

Your blood thins at this war within/By the soft night, while the lights, they dim

Whether performing with Stars or Broken Social Scene, Montreal singer Amy Millan may be soft spoken, but her lyrics pack a punch.  With a folksy sound that’s just a little-bit-country, her sophomore solo album, Masters of the Burial makes us feel as if someone’s been reading our private diary in the deepest of winter.  In addition to the dulcet tunes she wrote while couch surfing in Montreal, Millan adds her own perfect spin to songs by Death Cab for Cutie and Sarah Harmer.

La di da, lovely.

$13.99 at Amazon.ca. Amy Millan performs September 30 at Pop Montreal, tickets ($15) at www.etix.com

Is it just us or did everyone seem to be having way more fun in the Sixties?

We’re taking ourselves and our best Mrs. Robinson dress to the Wooly Weekend Festival, a three day celebration of music, film and fashion from the revolutionary era. Twist the night away to Montreal’s own The Gruesomes (August 6), rock-out to psychedelic throw-backs The Electric Prunes (August 8), then hunt for mini-skirts, records, and younger men at Saturday’s vintage trade fair. 

Coo coo ca choo.

August 6-8, Théâtre Plaza, 6505 St-Hubert St., Montreal, www.teenbeattakeover.com, tickets from $35/day at www.admission.com

Press play on our summer song list, chosen by our music lovin’ editors. And the beat goes on…

Julie Whelan, Toronto guest editor
Sure “Ahead of my Time” by the Teddybears (featuring Daddy Boastin) is played in a commercial, but you’ll be pounding the hot pavement to the infectious electro-rock beat all summer long. Preview at www.amazon.com

Marianne Wisenthal, Montreal editor
Sip sangria to the sultry sound of Grizzly Bear’s single “Two Weeks.” Grrrr! Preview at http://grizzly-bear.net/music/

Elsa Vecchi, Montreal editor, French edition
“Bruises” by Chairlift is the quintessential summer pop tune. Beware: after one play, you’ll be hooked. Preview at www.chairliftmusic.com

Malwina Gudowska, Calgary editor
“All my Days" by Alexi Murdoch from the Away We Go soundtrack is a ballad made for summer evenings on the porch. Preview at www.aleximurdoch.com

Joy Pecknold, Vancouver editor
Soft, dreamy and with a dash of electronic, pair the ballad “Daniel” by Bat For Lashes with a summer sunset. Preview at www.hmv.ca

Sarah Bancroft, Editor-in-chief
When we're not playing vintage Michael Jackson, the iPod will be cranking Metric's melodic “Gimme Sympathy.” Preview at www.myspace.com/metric

Maria Tallarico, Managing editor
More gated community than ghetto, hip hop breakout Asher Roth’s single “I Love College” makes the under-25s get down like a certain white rapper before him (we mean Eminem, not Vanilla Ice). Advisory: explicit lyrics. Preview at www.myspace.com/asherrothmusic

All songs available on iTunes.

Broken French can be quite charmant so it’s no surprise that Andrea Lindsay has become the latest anglo darling of Quebec.

This Guelph-born, Montreal-based songstress is so enamored with her adopted tongue that she writes and sings all her music en francais. The breezy ballads on La Belle Etoile evoke memories of first crushes and strolls along Parisian streets. In fact, we just might be inspired to practice our French verb conjugations.

La Belle Etoile at HMV, $19.99. See her in concert on May 9 at 8 p.m., tickets $18, Théâtre du Grand Sault du Centre Henri-Lemieux, 7644 Édouard St., Lasalle, 514-367-5000.

Stressed and strung-out?  Perhaps all you need is a little lie-in like John and Yoko.

We’re finding peace at the Montréal Museum of Fine Art’s Imagine exhibit commemorating the couple’s 1969 Bed-in at The Queen Elizabeth hotel. Featuring photographs, drawings, film and artwork, there’s even an all-white room where visitors can plunk out chords to the famous song on a replica of John’s ivory piano.

Now if someone would just let us in on Yoko’s ageless beauty secrets we’d really feel at peace.

Imagine: The Peace Ballad of John & Yoko, until June 21, Montréal Museum of Fine Arts, 514 285-2000, free, www.mmfa.qc.ca

Looking to spice up romantic evenings with your petit chou?

It doesn’t get any more ooh la la than the sensual sounds of Serge Gainsbourg.

His controversial Histoire de Melody Nelson caused quite a stir in 1971 for its Lolita-esque lyrics. So iconic are his duets with hot model-wife Jane Birkin, you’d never know the album was a bomb when it was first released. The re-issue of this classic album comes with 20 pages of background notes including an interview with Gainsbourg, and an English translation of the saucy lyrics.

Now to make the evening complete, all you need is a shag rug and your best come-hither look.

Available March 24 at Amazon.ca, $28.99

Ever since we saw Les Triplettes de Belleville we’ve been besotted with the husky voice of Béatrice Bonifassi.

Since her impressive 2004 Oscar performance, she’s joined forces with drummer/composer Jean-Phi Goncalves (leader of Plaster) to form experimental band, Beast. A blend of rap, trip-hop beats and spoken word, the self-titled debut album is perfect for holiday soirees and will keep you toe tapping right through until January.

Available at Amazon.ca, $13.99.