Build a Bridge and Bring Both Sides Together

2006-05-01T23:47:00.000-06:00

Why do they play so much barenaked ladies on the radio?

The Radio

2006-04-25T21:28:00.000-06:00

We all hate commercial radio for it's lame djs, endless commercials, and above all, the terrible music. Still i thought i'd say a few words after beginning a new job which takes place in an environment where the radio plays:

-i got all primed up for what was advertised as a song from "the BRITISH INVASION!!"...who could it be? some early kinks? maybe a little my generation era who? no...it was fucking bohemian rhapsody! I do love that song, but considering the setup i was most dissapointed.

-Copperhead Road is one of the worst songs of all time

-How are Kiss so popular? They do not rock in my books

-turning the dial from lame programming on c95 to another station, only to find "Up on Cripple Creek" playing really makes your day

-99% of new music played on the radio is absolute crap...it boggles my mind to think that artists like Joel Plaskett are still relegated to indie status, while a whole host of tuneless bands with no idea how to write a melody get played on the radio

Ok, that's enough radio ranting. It's pretty old news. But still! it's infuriating!

Baby you got me on the run!

2006-04-25T21:21:00.000-06:00

So despite the new Sam Roberts album's shortcomings, i just keep on listening to it over and over. It's really weird, because i love to listen to it, yet i don't love the album... I do love a couple tunes on it. "Mind Flood" is probably the best. The first half the band bounces along, just another rock tune, before opening up a huge rock-out session on the final 4 minutes. The transitions between tempos is just awesome.

I threw on Roberts' first full length just now(we were born in a flame) and if i gave the new album 3 1/2 stars, this one gets 4 1/2. Nearly all of the 14 songs are good or better, with a couple standouts like "Taj Mahal". It also makes me realise how the 2 albums are different in their own ways. The first is more a collection of really strong pop-rock tunes. It's better than just a mere collection of snappy tunes thanks to the variety of moods that Roberts hits. The new album (called "Chemical City" by the way) is a bit more unified. It's very moody, and feels a bit more cohesive, that is, most of the songs have the same sort of lost/downer feeling to them. Still it's not that depressing, except for the last song, but mainly for the fact that it sounds like the kind of Ryan Adams song i hate (simple piano chords and heavily reverbed vocals).

still, i just can't stop listening to this disc.

Lately...

2006-04-23T19:28:00.000-06:00

...i've been listening to mainly Joel Plaskett and CSN(& Y).

Plaskett's coming to town next month with the Emergency which is awesome, i don't think CSN will be coming by anytime soon.

The new Sam Roberts disc got a 2 star review from the globe and mail, and while i agree with most everything the reviewer said, i disagree with the rating. It is true that the album lacks strong song writing (a real strength of Roberts' first album "we were born in a flame"), but the album sounds really good. The guitars, keyboards, organs, vocals, it's all really strong and well-done. I'd probably give it a 3 and a half star rating out of 5 (if i had to give such a rating).

Sam Roberts is also coming next month, as is my man Matt Mays. And guess who's opening for MM? The Sheepdogs! Woohoo! that's may 9th for the record.

back to studying...

P.S. "Almost Cut My Hair" by CSNY is a wicked song.

Hey Bloggers

2006-03-22T13:17:00.000-07:00

My posting sucks, i know. I wanted to just let you folks know that the Sheepdogs are playing their cd release part on March 31st at Louis Pub. It's a friday and i would love to see your smiling faces there. You can even harass me about not posting, although Caitlin's not allowed to. Just kidding.

P.S. i just bought the Arctic Monkeys record, good disc!

Here 'tis

2006-03-01T23:59:00.000-07:00

Dr. Dog

www.myspace.com/drdog

2006-01-20T14:41:00.000-07:00

If you still download illegally (i do it sparingly, but mainly because of the viruses that inevitably overflow your poor computer when you do it) try to find "It Isn't Exact" by the Bees. It's from their early days of just Paul and Aaron in the shed and boy is it lovely. It's got that lazy and sweet sound that they perfected on Sunshine Hit Me. It's not every day that you find a Bees song you haven't heard, so i'm playing this one over and over today.

ALso, check out "Jackel head" which is from the same Bees era. It's more in their 60s psychedelic style.

One more thing, please don't make Canada a Conservative ruled country...

Random thoughts from 2006.

2006-01-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

I really dig pop-culture, but by no means is my knowledge of it complete. I mean, whose is? Well some people try to be all knowing, taking in all the movies they can, listening to the years' hot records and watching the top-rated tv shows, etc. Personally, my approach is a lazy-man's approach. I half-assed check out things that seem to be of interest and if i dig, then i check them out some more. Having said that, i present my random thoughts on things enjoyed and not enjoyed this year.

Most enjoyed DVD - Little Britain season 1.
A brilliant mix of silly men in drag (shades of Python and Kids in the Hall) and excellent comedic performances made this british series a great follow-up to the Office, which endeared itself to me the previous year. Little Britain has great premises that really get the laughs thanks to the hilarious portrayals by David Walliams and Matt Lucas. Sure to have you busting that terrible english accent out to not impress your friends with your bad imitation of Lou and Andy.

I also must through a shout-out to the great Arrested Development season 2, where the character of Gob finally came into his own, stealing every scene he was in. "Yeah, the man in the 5 thousand dollar suit, come on!"

Best movie of the year - Walk the Line
ok, so i only saw about 5 movies, 2 of which were Wedding Crashers and 40 year old Virgin (both i liked) but nothing got me more than Walk the Line. I saw it in the theatres twice, just as i saw Troy twice the past year (haha...), and it was awesome. Joaquin was fantastic he had me totally convinced, even though he didn't sound like Cash that much, his presence pulled it off.

Hon mention to Grizzly Man, the movie i was completely depressed by amongst a theatre of laughing viewers. See this documentary if you can.

The movie that needed an hour cut from it - King Kong
It was great, amazing, spectacular. Oh the effects! Oh the action! but really, do we need all that storyline...3 hours worth? I want Peter Jackson to make a 100 minute movie next time around.

Series that finally showed some balls for the first time in 20 odd years - Star Wars 3: Return of the Sith
This movie kicked ass, and so did the characters. Who knew Ewan McGregor could be badass with that goofy beard?

Most dissapointing album of the year - Kings of Leon "Aha Shake Heartbreak"
By no means a bad album, but just incredibly disheartening to hear the Kings trying to be hip dance-rockers, when they were true-blue southern rockers... I used to believe every dirty word out of Caleb's mouth...but now...

Hon. mention to the White Stripes' album, whatever it was called...i've already forgotten...sorry Jack, i just don't want to hear you play piano, go get your guitar again.

Best Concert - Arcade Fire
Hands down. I don't even really like their songs, but they blew me away live. They had the crowd in complete rapture, it was near spiritual. I couldn't have been more impressed and despite my personal reservations about them, i'll never question their legitimacy amongst the top bands of our age.

Released 2 too many albums and needs an editor award - Ryan Adams
4 discs of material...whoo i was tired listening to it all. Some of it was awesome, check out "magnolia mountain", "let it ride" or "sweet illusions" from Cold Roses, but when it's all over 3 albums, it's just too much. How are we supposed to take him as sincere when he releases so many songs all on the same old themes...the man's ego is really getting in the way me thinks.

Best super-gay song - Franz Ferdinand "Do You Want To"
So gay and so damn good. Gay in that way that Blur's "Boys and Girls" made you mince about. Well it made me mince about at least.

Song of the Year- The Redwalls "Build a Bridge"
It's nothing new and sure it bites Joe Cocker's cover of "with a little help from my friends" but man this song brings the good vibes.

Hm...that's about it for now. I may think of some more.

Later Alligators.

1

2006-01-13T13:06:00.000-07:00

1) The Bees - Free the Bees

From the second i first heard "I Love You" i was captivated, I knew i needed to find as many songs as i could by this band. When finally i got my hands on a british copy of "free the bees" i was blown away by every song. Sure they sounded like a 60s group, and what do you expect when you put a bunch of hairy englishman with drums, guitars, bass, hammonds, rhodes, and loads of brilliant songs into Abbey Road?
And talk about brilliant songs. From big rockers like "Wash in the rain" and "Horsemen that left me with visions of long haired guitarists trapsing across festival stages, to the psychedelia of "These are the Ghosts" where we're urged to "think of a lesson as a weapon in love and teach your sister teach your brother", this album has it all. It gets quiet too such as the beautiful waltzing "the Start" and the soul inspired "I Love You" as well as mastering that beatlesque pop with "No Atmosphere" and the awesomely fun "Chicken Payback".
In short, the Bees are exactly the kind of music i like. Sometimes it rocks, sometimes it's sweet, sometimes it's weird, but always it's with a positive word and a keen ear for melody and rhythm.

2

2006-01-10T16:50:00.000-07:00

2) Hal - Hal
"What a lovely dance, wasn't looking for romance...but i found it".
That's how Hal's debut begins, with a crashing chord and some simple words floating on one of their briliant melodies, before a soaring synth lifts the chorus to sky high pop-rock bliss. Bliss is i think the right word. Hal are happy little guys, singing about sore eyes and keeping love as your golden rules, so if you're not one for the sacharrine maybe stay away. Having said that, there's more to them than just goo. The songs are well crafted, starting with their basic piano, guitar, bass and drums lineup, and adding plenty of extra keys (be it organ, piano or synths), loads of percussion, and a whole lot of harmonies. Inevitably Hal get the Beach Boys label, and that's fair, but these guys sound more like the 70s to me, which is just enough to distance them from another bunch of Irish popsters, the Thrills.

Another thing I especially like is that earnest quality that Hal have. There's nothing ironic, cool or hip about them, and for whatever reason, that endears them to me a whole lot more than say the New Pornographers.

I've listened to this record over and over and i must say, for me, it's close to pop-perfection. However, the question remains...what album was better this year? You may actually already know the answer...

5-3

2006-01-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

5) Matt Mays& El Torpedo - Selftitled
This album really came out of nowhere for me. I didn't like "Cocaine Cowgirl" when i first saw the video, but eventually i heard the album at the Cave's Cavern Lounge of all places, liked what i heard, so i bought it. Within a couple days i was spinning it multiple times a day. Matt Mays' tough, blue-collar voice reminded me of what i liked in my favourite roots-rock veterans like John Fogerty and Levon Helm of the Band. The guitar heavy sound is augmented by lots of organ and the occasional dash of pedal steel. It's a fine sound, melding the heavy distortion of big guitar rock with the finer side of country-rock.. Mays' voice may seem overdone to some, but when he's singing about the Canadian coast, such as on the great "the Good People", it sounds totally authentic to me. Bonus points: easily the best guy amongst any 'rock-star' i've met, and he puts on one hell of a show.
4) The Coral - The Invisible Invasion
The first Coral album was fantastic. It was exploding with energy and ideas, but still showed their inexperience. Surely their next albums would be even better. The followups, "Pass it On" and "NightFreak and the Sons of Becker", were pretty unimpressive compared to their debut, the latter a really lame set of seemingly unfinished ideas. Fortunately, the Coral's newest disc makes good on the promise of their selftitled debut, finally combining their love of psychedelic atmosphere, the bizarre and rock n roll. I love the way every song is loaded with sounds, be it weird organs, odd ambient noises, or one of those ridiculous squiggly guitar sounds that only the Coral can do. James Skelly's voice is lovely and even, sounding perfect in the still "Late Afternoon" and maniacal on "Arabian Sand". But i must say, i do miss when he lets his voice get a little bit rough, such as on "I Remember When" from their debut. However, it's perhaps the only missing ingredient on what is a fantastic pop record.

3) The Blue Van - The Art of Rolling
Easily the most kickass straight up rock record of the year. Take your classic 60s combo of guitar, bass, madman drummer and organist and you have the Blue Van. They don't sound a thing like modern music, but too bad. They're so damn good it's hard not to get swept up in one of their rave-ups. I listened to this cd close to 20 times in the space of 3 days once, i was that hooked. It's the most simple and exciting music that got made this year. Want to check out a track? Try "Product of DK" and just try not to bob your head with the music.

8-6

2006-01-01T19:32:00.000-07:00

Made a little mistake on the last post, it's only 11 songs, not 12.

8) Queens of the Stone Age - Lullabies to Paralyze
No Nick Olivieri? No problem. The queen's resident madman is nowhere to be found on Lullabies, but frontman Josh Homme saves the day anyway. Opening with Mark Lanegan's gravelly voice on "this Lullaby", running through hard-hitting rockers, "Medication" and "Tangled up in Plaid", and ending with the sweet "Long Slow Goodbye", Lullabies is another great QOTSA album. The entire disc is given a dangerous vibe, thanks to the demonic sounding "Burn the Witch", easily one of the best songs of the year, and the wonderfully sleezy "You've got a killer scene there, man...".

7) Mando Diao - Hurricane Bar
That magic combination of Gustaf Noren's sneer and Bjorn Dixgard's booming holler is above all else what makes Mandio great. The 2 are a great vocal duo, each bringing what the other can't, lending instant credibility to the exciting rock of Hurricane Bar. While the song-writing lacks the raw brilliance of their debut, Bring 'em In, it's still fantastic stuff. Like a supercharged Oasis, they dress up pretty brit-pop melodies in a dirty garage rock aesthetic, using little more than electric guitars, organ, bass and drums. But Mando stop short of borrowing Oasis' stoicism, they cut loose letting screams and 'yeah's fly, making for a far more exciting record than Oasis ever made.

6) the Redwalls - De Nova
If you can get past the inevitable, that is, the fact that Redwalls front man Logan Baren sounds almost identical to John Lennon, particuarly resembling Lennon singing in his "Dylan" voice, you may just like the Redwalls. De Nova is filled with great 60's style rock and soul, each song stacked with classic sounding harmonies and guitar fills. It's certainly nothing new, the majority of these songs would fit perfectly on AM radio circa late 60s/early 70s, but the Chicago foursome write and execute the songs with such quality, it's hard to ignore. I love Beatle-esque pop, and De Nova was an album i never grew tired of going back to. Note: for one song by these guys, check out the great "Falling Down", a very catchy and clever 'fuck-you' to the FCC.

11 albums, here we go...

2005-12-31T15:45:00.000-07:00

Sorry, just couldn't whittle it down to 10...anyway here it is.

11) The Cribs - The New Fellas
The problem with talking about these lads is that inevitably you have to compare them to the Strokes. Yes, they certainly have that rough, late 70s new-wave punk sound a bit, but they also have a healthy dose of sing-songy melodies, making them a bit more like the Libertines. Ok, that's enough comparisons. What the cribs do well is combine punchy melodies with a rough and tumble sound. It's dirty, fast and exciting. It's indie sounding, but it's also catchy. I'm liking this disc the more i listen to it.

10) Oasis - Don't Believe the Truth
My view on Oasis is that they have a talented songwriter and a unique vocalist, but otherwise they are not great musicians. Every song on "Definitely Maybe" (a great album) is wall to wall guitars, save i think one track. This is the first album where the instrumentation is as good as the songwriting. There's a variety of guitar tones, lots of shakers, keyboards, all that good stuff. As a result, the songs sound extra-sharp, and i listened to this album alot. "Lyla" sounds awesome cranked up and there's plenty of pretty tunes too: "Love like a bomb" for example. The album's best track is probably "The importance of being idle", a great ode to laziness that's close to being the most interesting song Oasis has ever done.

9) Supergrass - Road to Rouen
It's short, only 9 songs and just over 30 minutes long, but none of these songs feel rushed. It's less like their last disc "Life on other Planets" and more like their selftitled album, where song structures were varied, allowing for extended instrumental sections. The result is a breezy, easy-going album. I've heard people say it's good for late-night listening, which is true, but it's not limited to the evening. For example, the creaky accoustic guitar and shuffling McCartney piano of "Low C" is a perfect summer afternoon song. The one drawback to this album- the fact that it's Supergrass that made it. It's not quite as good as the last album, and knowing that, it's hard to really love this record. However, it's still the sound of a great group exploring the sounds of the studio.

Hey there

2005-12-29T12:20:00.000-07:00

I made a list of albums i liked from this year. I'll be posting on them soon, maybe later today even. Also, check out my sheepdogs site for a couple new things. Just click here.

2005-12-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

I've been making some little weird song-like things on my computer lately. If you wanna check them out they are here.

Here's an album i've always underrated...

2005-12-13T11:24:00.000-07:00

Wings - Wild Life

Do you Believe in Magic?

2005-12-13T11:15:00.000-07:00

The Library...

2005-12-07T18:53:00.000-07:00

Excuse me while i continue my advertising for public libraries... but the library continues to be a valued source of new sounds. Today I picked up a bunch of stuff including an Os Mutantes greatest hits! Shit yeah!
Also very pleasing thus far is this cd of Orquesta Casino De La Playa, sort of like cuban bigband. It's recordings from 1937-1944. Boy it's good.

I'm taking a break from watching Apocalypse Now for an essay i need to write. It's been awhile since i last saw it and i've forgotten how good it is. Full of excitement, danger, drug-induced paranoia, it's obviously a classic, but one i always felt was maybe a tad overrated. I disagree now, there's no denying the authenticity of the film, and plus there's Marlo...actually it just occured to me that it is from a combination of Apoc Now and the making of documentary Heart of Darkness that i formed my Marlon Brando imitation.

Joe Jackson

2005-12-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

I got both Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson cds out of the library, and for some reason i'm listening to the Joe Jackson ones a hell of a lot more. He's got that slick, rock-pop sound of that era and it's some sharp stuff. That is all.

2005-11-29T09:11:00.000-07:00

It's starting to feel more and more like winter where i am, just that overwhelming darkness at 8 am...bloody pitch black....

So my refuge from the cloudy skies are the fantastic sounds of the Bees' Sunshine Hit Me. So warm and dreamy, it's like a little summer capsule for me crawl inside.

Also, I really like "off the record" by My Morning Jacket.

She's a devil in disguise

2005-11-24T08:10:00.000-07:00

As i sit here avoiding the last 20 minutes of work my essay needs to be completed, my mind wanders to the Flying Burrito Brothers! Not just a great name, but a great band, led by Gram Parsons no less! A mix of soul music and country, Parsons called it 'cosmic soul', but to most it will sound just like country. If you're interested check out a couple tracks: "Christine's Tune (A.K.A. Devil in Disguise)", "Hot Burrito no.2" (which is surprisingly spiritual), and "Wild Horses", which they didn't write (it was Keef and Mick) but they were the first to record.

2005-11-23T13:44:00.000-07:00

I keep forgetting to post on them, but i've stumbled across yet another fantsatic Swedish band. What is it about those Scandinavians? Mando Diao and the Blue Van! (not to mention the Hives and many others). Anyway, this band is called Dungen, and before you get visions of some local grindcore metal outfit, let me assure you they are rocking. They play psychedelic rock mixed with 60s folk and the results are explosive. Super fuzzed out guitar rock mixed with a nice helping of the surreal thanks to big walls of harmonies and lashings of hammond organs.

Here's there rather handsome looking album cover for their 2004 release.

2005

2005-11-23T08:16:00.000-07:00

It's getting close to the end of the year and i've been thinking about my favourite records from this past year. Last year i did a sort of top 10 albums of the year, naming N.E.R.D.'s "Fly Or Die" the number 1 (yes you read that correctly). I've been listening to what i think are the best albums of 2005, but before i start compiling the final list, there's a couple more releases to consider. Pharrell, for example, has a solo album coming out in Dec. The first single, with Gwen Stefani, is pretty much rubbish, but i have faith that the man will have some killer album tracks. Untill then, i'm enjoying listening to what will no doubt be among the top 10, Supergrass' "Road to Rouen". It sounds good anytime.

To recap last year's list:

10) the Beastie Boys - To the 5 Buroughs
9) Air - Talkie Walkie
8) Gwen Stefani - Love, Angel, Music, Baby
7) the Vines - Winning Days
6) the Thievery Corporation - the Outernational Sound
5) the Thrills - Let's Bottle Bohemia
4) DJ Nu-Mark - Hands On
3) Razorlight - Up All Night
2) the Black Keys - Rubber Factory/ the Datsuns - Outta Sight/Outta Mind (tie)
1) N.E.R.D. - Fly Or Die

Looking at this list again, i like alot of the choices,but man did i get sick of Gwen's disc. It didn't help the airplay that her singles got. Who needs to be bombarded by Hollaback girl like that? Also that Beastie Boys Disc i doubt i've listened to since '04. The rest are all still albums i really enjoy listening to.

Os Mutantes!

2005-11-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

So officially the coolest band of all time is Os Mutantes, a Brazillian band from the 60s. They combined Brazillian pop, with 60s orchestral pop, garage rock and a touch of psychadelia. What a brilliant combination! Fans of the bees may be familiar with their song "A Minha Menina" which they covered, and not that much differently from the original. Check out this weird and wonderful band if you can, cause they're certainly unique and bloody good.

Wednesday afternoon relaxation.

2005-11-16T14:42:00.000-07:00

In a search for a new means of relaxation, i've stumbled across a pretty awesome combo: A cup of tea and listening to the Kinks. The kinks began their career as a bunch of rowdy british invasioners, but eventually Ray Davies love of melodic pop-songwriting took them into a different direction. As far as tea goes, it features in many Kinks songs, such as "Afternoon Tea" and "Have a Cup of Tea". The two go very well together.

number 5

2005-11-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

Here's my own five:
5 songs worth checking out (decided on a whim)

The Coral - A Warning to the Curious
The Coral get even spookier on their new album, while retaining their wonderful sense of studio exploration. This song is especially creepy, with reverb-drenched guitars and the hypnotic "if i never had you..." chorus.

Louis XIV - Marc
A timeout from their big glam rock (which is also worth attention) Marc is a pretty ballad in the vein of late 60s Harrison or eary 70s Bowie. Surprisingly beautiful considering their songs are usually about picking up/servicing young girls.

The Soundtrack of our Lives - Believe I've Found
With a super 60s pink floydian riff and a kickass wall of guitars, this swedish band open their new record with a bang.

Supergrass - Coffee in the Pot
Oh those supergrass boys! A ridiculous almost-vaudevillian sounding track. Complete with old-timey "hey!"s.

Spoon - That's the Way we get by
i can't stop listening to this song. It's just so fucking right on! Download it right now, any explanation from me would only sour the joy of it.

Brian Jones and others

2005-11-14T23:11:00.000-07:00

Here's Brian Jones. Not only was he one of the founding members of the most overrated (but still fucking awesome) bands of all-time (the rolling stones), but he was the original shawn kemp. Like the NBA superstar, Brian fathered numerous children with various mothers throughout the U.K. even before he was in a famous rock band! He's also famous for being very paranoid, taking way too many drugs, and supposedly drowning in his own swimming pool.

I like Brian because he had a sweet '70s retard' haircut, played a firebird and was just really weird in general.

The British Invasion

2005-11-13T12:40:00.000-07:00

Nothing gets me going the way some good ol' british invasion music does. Young English Lads doing there best black r and b singer imitations over jangly guitars and crashing drums. I just love it.

I especially like the Who's "Anyway, anyhow, anywhere". I'm not sure why. It had rediculous falsetto harmonies and a goofy call and response verse section. Still, something about Daltry singing "Nothing gets in my way, not even locked doors" is pretty awesome.

Everybody knows this is nowhere

2005-11-08T16:50:00.000-07:00

Last night i travelled down to Regina to catch Matt Mays and El Torpedo. I missed them here, as i was playing a show that night as well. It was well worth the trip, as they rocked the Distrikt with a great set of southern/country rock. Even though the organ was too quiet and the pedal steel was absent, the set was great. Matt Mays' voice was every bit as strong as it is on the album and his guitars sounded awesome, especially his main axe, a Gretsch featured on the left there.

In an effort to spend less money, i made a trip to the library and took out a few things including this Donovan greatest hits album. Damn, it's real good. I love his folky pseudo-psychadelia. It's good cold weather music as it has a really warm studio sound to the arrangements. Listening to this cd makes me feel like i'm in a Wes Anderson movie.

A long post revisited...in pictures!

2005-11-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

I've talked about it on here before, and now i present visual evidence. On the left is Eric Clapton circa 1968 with Cream. Note that sweet painted SG he's using. On the right we have a modern shot, with EC rocking his now trademark short hair and glasses. As i said before, i'm not asking for Keith Richardsesque fashion, just maybe some kind of glimpse into how cool EC used to be.

One final pic, this is EC with a firebird in the Cream days. Scroll down a couple posts to compare it to another EC with a firebird.

Hank

2005-11-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

A cd that i've been enjoying recently is this Hank Williams greatest hits. It's pretty easy to see where Elvis' style of singing came from. As my friend Ryan Boldt would say, "he was the first rock n roller".

I rather like this pic. He looks like he really doesn't want to be there. I also like the lighting and his huge hat.

If you haven't heard any Hank Williams i suggest you do so. It's pretty dang cool.

2005-10-31T23:22:00.000-07:00

So this is me looking sort of mysterious in my black and white glory. It's courtesy of Brigid "Swambo" Ward.

I still haven't gotten any kind of thoughts to write, but i'm kind of enjoying this picture posting ability.

Hey there...

2005-10-31T09:25:00.001-07:00

Howdy. So i finally figured out the picture thing. Actually, it's really easy, i think they must have recently changed it. Anyway, i've posted a picture of Gerry and the Pacemakers for no apparent reason.

In My Leisure Suite...

2005-10-13T07:22:00.000-06:00

Feist was very good on tuesday. However, i wasn't quite as impressed as most. I think it had to do with the venue. Something about that voice and those songs in an over-crowded university bar... if only it had been some kind of semi-deserted Parisian cafe...ok a bit specific, i know... maybe i just liked her better when it was just me listening to her in my lonely bedroom.

She was, however in fine form. Any doubts about her live performance skills after that rough Juno performance are erased. She sounded almost exactly as she does on the record (fantastic!). Great vocal control and a mastery of loops was demonstrated, as she doubled her voice over and over, harmonizing with herself, while doubling guitar lines, creating her own wall of sound. It was a strong set.

New Buffalo was rather unexciting. Singing over a recorded track, i didn't even realise someone was actually performing when i entered. I thought it was just a cd playing while somone was setting up onstage.

Jason Collette was pretty good, but a little dry. It's always welcome to hear a little country-rock in this town, but several people agreed that one of his songs sounded near identical to the Rolling Stones' 'Wild Horses".

Matt Mays and el Torpedo remain the cd i keep spinning the most. I've also been listening to a lot of Tom Petty, which is fitting b/c Matt Mays is rather remiscent of Petty.

A cd that i've been putting of getting is Paul McCartney's Chaos and Creation in the Backyard. It's been getting strong reviews from critics and my friends alike and i think it's time i checked it out. I've heard it once through with a casual ear and it didn't grab me, but don't i owe sir Paul another listen? I find it hard to bring myself to listen to music by 60 year old men (i couldn't get into Brian Wilson's updated Smile) but this may be an exception.

Lonely, lonely that is me... - Feist

3 shows.

2005-10-07T08:38:00.000-06:00

Last Friday was Tricky Woo along with openers Starvin' Hungry and C'Mon. It was a real rock n roll night at amigos. Probably something like 50 songs played that night. Starvin' Hungry didn't do much for anyone, but C'Mon had the place rocking as did Tricky Woo. I was very excited for this show, and it was enjoyable, but i must admit, i was a little dissapointed. Both C'Mon and Tricky Woo stuck to the short, hard and fast format for their songs, but the repetition certainly wore a bit thin. There just wasn't enough variety, even for a big garage rock fan as myself. Also, i was a little bored by their stage show. I had heard about how crazy Tricky Woo could rock out on stage, only to find them relatively stationary during their performance.

Also disconcerting: the age of both bands lead singers. Ian Blurton of C'Mon could pass for 50 with his greying beard and beer belly.

All in all, the show was fun, if repetitive, but good bang for your buck.

The Arcade Fire at the odeon on Sunday was a much different experience than the sweaty rock of friday night. I missed the first band, but the second opener, Wolf Parade didn't do much for me. They sounded alot like modest mouse, which doesn't usually move me too much either.

The Arcade Fire, however, were fantastic. Their songs were performed really well, with plenty to watch and listen to. The stage set up with a big backdrop and lamps all over the stage was a nice touch, and everything worked together very well. I'm not a very big fan of the Arcade Fire, but they really impressed me. I think the opener, "Wake Up" was the best song. Right from the get-go they had the crowd in the palm of their hands.

Wednesday at Amigos Black Mountain played, and boy it was boring. Both openers set the boring tone and Black Mountain brought it on home. Lost in a sea of long hair and beards, they seemed uninterested in the crowd and gave a really boring performance. I can't imagine how these guys opened for Coldplay in an arena.

Interesting how i loved the Arcade Fire show, yet not a huge fan of their music, but Black Mountain, who's music i do enjoy, put on a show i left early.

Upcoming shows? Well i thought i had my own show the night of Feist, but it's been moved, but now they're sold out. So i'll try and get tickets at the door for that one. Matt Mays plays the 21st, but so do the breaks, so i may have to sneak away after our set opening for In Media Res that night.

Standdown at sundown.

2005-10-05T00:06:00.000-06:00

I keep putting of posting till i have time to make a very complete post, but i think that puts to much pressure on my writing and makes posting far to infrequent. So i'll keep it casual, cause i like reading casual writing and it'll help me post more often.

Firstly, Ryan Adams' "Jacksonville City Nights" is starting to grow on me. I guess i was comparing it too much to "Cold Roses" which has a grander, bigger feel. I'm starting to enjoy the ways in which Jacksonville is different from Roses.

I picked up Franz Ferdinand's new album and spun half the disc. So far it's comparable to their first album, in that there's a couple songs that immediately grabbed my attention, like the opening track, "the Fallen", which is super hooky in that fantastic FF way. The other tracks so far are sort of garden variety arty-dance-rockers (funny that such a specific genre now has garden variety). I expect the relationship between this disc and their first will be similar to Hot Hot Heat's "Make up the Breakdown" and "Elevator", that is both are good, but the first was more charming.

The Beatles cds were cheap at one store, so i finally broke down and got the 3rd volume of those Anthology cds. You know, the ones with the demos and alternate versions of many beatles as well as future solo beatle tunes. I should have gotten the 3rd voume long ago, instead of the 2nd one i bought a couple years ago. It's way better, with lots of cool white album outtakes, including a really cool slow version of "Helter Skelter" which still rocks like a motherfucker. It's also pretty cool to hear John swear and say "wrong chord".

Matt Mays and El Torpedo's selftitled album remains the most listened to disc of these days. It's really growing on me. I love the way he has that southern/country style, but sings about things from the Canadian landscape, such as the pelicans and fisherman of nova scotia (where Mays is from). It really adds to the authenticity. He's not singing about buffalo and other things he could only have seen in movies. I also just really dig the songs, they are nicely written and the 70s album-rock attitude of 'who cares how long the song is' is something i'm starting to appreciate more again.

Speaking of abandoning tight song structures, Supergrass' new album seems to do just that. I've only heard half this one too (so little time i'm afraid) and it's like the studio sounds and harmonies of the last record, "Life on Other Planets" mixed with the more sprawling song structues of their selftitled album. I'll keep spinning this disc till i like it, cause i know it'll get me in the end. Supergrass will go down as one of my all-time fave bands i'm sure.

I also want to talk about the shows i saw this weekend, Tricky Woo and the Arcade Fire, so i'll post in a day or two on that.

Is Ryan Adams spreading himself too thin?

2005-09-29T15:11:00.000-06:00

Ok, it's still too early to tell, as i've only listened to the first half of Ryan Adams' (and the Cardinals) Jacksonville City Nights, but i don't really dig it so far. He sounds worn out and tired, and when he doesn't sound tired he sounds false and put on. Maybe it'll grow on me, but at this point it's a much weaker effort than Cold Roses was. I know he writes at an impressive rate, but fuck man, edit yourself. Anyway, i'm getting ahead of myself there, because as i said, i haven't gone through the whole thing, but i thought it'd be amusing to write down these first impressions.

The new Supergrass album however...is amazing!...just kidding...i actually haven't got it yet. Only a and b had it and it was rather expensive, but i'm just gonna have to bite the bullet i guess.

A rather nice suprise is Matt Mays and el Torpedo's selftitled album. It's remniscent of Tom Petty, and i'm really digging it. Rock with a subtle southern/country flavour. Nothing too flashy, but all the players are solid and Mays' voice has a good raggedy rock sound to it. They're coming to town soon as well it seems. This is the album i've listened to most since tuesday, when those other new albums came out. I sure wasn't impressed by the lead single 'Cocaine Cowgirl', but now that it's just another song on the album, i can dig it. If you're looking for some really solid rock 'n' roll, especially on an album that has great song by song strength, Matt Mays may be your man.

According to Cam Fuller's article in the paper today Boy had a rough show last night opening for Collective Soul. That's really too bad, as they're vastly better than the headliners, or the band that preceeded them, the dreadful rap-rock group Kazzer. I guess their brand of rock was maybe too Brit or classic sounding. It's too bad, b/c they'll leave with the impression that this town is just for hicks...sigh.

It's Love You're On.

2005-09-26T15:13:00.000-06:00

Picked up a couple of debut albums last week, by the Magic Numbers and the Stands. I still haven't listened a great deal to the Magic Numbers one yet, but from what i have heard it is rather good. I'll expand on them when i listen a little more.

The Stands are rootsy-sounding pop, they always get compared to Dylan and the Byrds, and i've been listening to their debut album "All Years Leaving" alot. Their singer has that great yearning quality to his voice, that really lends itself to this type of music. The instrumentation doesn't vary alot from song to song, but the song-writing is good and the arrangements are solid. It's great fall listening as it matches well with the chilly fall breeze and the brown colours. I recommend the following if they sound up your alley:

"When this River Rolls Over You" (although the melody sounds almost exactly like the Beatles 'Rain')
"It's Only Everything"
"Always is the Same/Shine On"

I guess they have a new album out already too, "Horse Fabulous". I've only heard one track, "turn the world around", but it is a gooder, as they say.

I'd also like to say a couple words about the Redwalls. They're a group I got into at the start of Summer. They are the most Beatlesque of all the Beatles imitators. At times they sound identical to the fab four, usually from the mid 60s period and sometimes the Let it Be era. This is in large part due to the lead singer sounding almost exactly like John Lennon. Sometimes it's so close that it gets distracting, but most of the time they make damn good rock n roll, real 60s stuff. Check out:

"Hung Up on the Way I'm Feeling"
"It's Love You're On"
"Build a Bridge" (where the new name of my blog comes from, don't ask why, i just like it for some reason)
"I Love Her"

Upcoming Releases.

2005-09-20T09:13:00.000-06:00

There hasn't been alot of new album that i've been anticipating over the last couple of months, but finally things are starting to come out that i'm interested in. Next week alone has Ryan Adams' second album this year (the first, "Cold Roses", was damn good), Supergrass (who have made 4 albums all of which are good to great), and Blackalicious (whose "Blazing Arrow" was a fantastic album i listened to over and over). I may just buy all 3...if only i didn't want to buy cds by Tricky Woo and Black Mountain at their upcoming shows...

There's also new albums by Neil Young and Big Star (an awesome pop-rock band from the 70s) and quite a few mainstream stars like Sheryl Crow and Gretchen Wilson.

Then the next week there's a bunch of notable releases again:
-the Go Team (overhyped UK band)
-Franz Ferdinand (exciting!)
-Broken Social Scene
-Fiona Apple (alot of people waiting on this)
-Metric
-Atmosphere
-Nickelback (woohoo...)
-the Magic Numbers (i think i'll be getting this one)

Of course, the real fun is in finding new music that is already out. Although i made a top 10 list for 2004 back in December, a remade list would probably only feature half the original entries.

One particularly album that comes to mind that i missed from 2004 was Lesley Feist's (i don't like just calling her Feist) "Let it Die". She's gonna be playing Louis in october i think, and you better believe i'll be there

Today's Listening

2005-09-19T15:29:00.000-06:00

I've been pumping a couple of songs over and over today.

Black Mountain - Druganaut
It was on the radio this morning (cfcr) and i've been playin it twice in a row throughout the day. It rocks and has a sweet groove. Black Mountain are opening for Coldplay on a couple dates and their coming to Amigos for 10 bucks!

The Magic Numbers - "Love Me Like You" and "Don't Give Up the Fight"
It's pretty poppy-rock, and the square delivery of these singers is kind of cool. I love that there's nothing ironic about their singing too. That's a strike i have against the new pornographers who sound as if they're sort of laughing at the whole pop-rock thing (as well as sounding like music for 40 year olds). I like these magic number guys
i'm gonna check them out some more.

Holy toledo...

2005-09-19T10:23:00.000-06:00

...this is an ugly blog template. I can't find one i like yet, but i'll keep trying.

So back to the music: i got a couple more Rolling Stones albums this weekend (they're going cheap to coincide with the release of their new album). The more Stones i get, the more i do actually like them, but the more their mystique dissapears. Any argument about them vs. the Beatles is ridiculous. The Stones basically had 5 great songs and then they did them over and over. Case in point: Sam saw them at Sarsfest a couple years ago and swore Keith started one song and had no idea if it was Brown Sugar, Bitch or whatever song untill everyone else came in.

Anyways, the Stones do rock a hell of a lot, they just lack the variety of the Beatles.

More later.

"

Build a bridge and bring both sides together.

2005-09-13T16:00:00.000-06:00

so i guess i might start blogging again. But i was looking at anders blog and it's pretty sharp looking. It made me realise how lame mine is. I dont' even know how to post photos...

so could someone help me out with this. Help me spruce it up a bit.

Let me know.

I Can't tell you how i feel...my heart is like a wheel...

2005-07-14T15:17:00.000-06:00

Sorry, i haven't had much to post about lately. It's summer and i'm doing the summer things. I suppose blogging fits more neatly in with avoiding doing homework while your sitting at the computer. Anyway, rather than force some posts i'll simply return when the blog bug bites me.

Cya soon.

"You Can Make it if You Try!" - Sly and the Family Stone

Hm...

2005-06-20T12:16:00.000-06:00

Well summer is a busy mofo of a time. Every time i begin to feel guilty for not blogging i justify it with the busy-ness of work, my band and the enticing outdoor weather.

The Breaks are really rolling along very nicely. We just finished a couple of opening gigs, one for touring band Castle Project, the other for local band Surface at their cd release party. We also had a couple of our own headliners that went well too. We just finished up a batch of our home recordings that you can check out here.

I just got a new guitar (well it's just rented right now, but it will be mine!) and it's a beauty. It's an epiphone semi-hollow body and it just sings through my amp. It's got a big round tone that is a nice contrast to my strat.

I'll post again sooner with other musings on the usual topics.

"It will be mine...oh yes..." - Wayne's World.

My Summer Plan

2005-06-08T18:59:00.000-06:00

So i have a billion cds, many of which i haven't listened to nearly enough. (so why are you buying new ones Ewan? shut up rationality!). Anyway, i know i've heard Joel say often "i have that album but i haven't really listened to it" or something to that effect, and i'm guilty of the same thing. So i have a new plan to rectify the problem. I'm going to pick a cd from my collection that i don't know particularly well and listen to it intensely for a period of time. I won't put a set amount on it, b/c rules are no good, so i'll just listen to it untill i think i've given each song a fair chance. I think this will be really cool because:

-i will save money as i'll be listening more to the cds i own and desiring new things less
-i'll improve my knowledge of many artists' catalogues (every music nerd's dream)
-i may find a bunch of great songs that i never knew existed!

the last one i'm particularly excited about, nothing beats finding a great new song.

I'm pretty excited by this plan. My first cd will be the Byrds' "the Notorious Byrd Brothers", a cd i bought to try and get into the Byrds. I dug it out recently to listen to "I wasn't born to follow" and i've been listening to the whole thing more and more.

I'll keep the blog updated on how this experiment goes.

"10 little soldiers screaming in my soul" - Mando Diao, "Mr. Moon"

Man I love the Gallaghers!

2005-06-08T12:05:00.000-06:00

Check out this story on Liam vs. Oasis.

New Albums

2005-06-07T17:53:00.000-06:00

Today's post is brought to you by the Byrds' "I Wasn't Born To Follow" which i've been listening to over and over today.

Today was a big day for new albums. The White Stripes, Coldplay and BEP are the big ones. I picked up the Stripes and Coldplay. So far i haven't listened to the coldplay one, i'm reserving that for when it's late and dark and all that, and i've only listened to half the Stripes disc, which hasn't grabbed me immediately, but how many albums do that?

I also got HAL's debut album, which is sort of like the Thrills....well not really, they're just a poppy Irish group so they get that tag. The first song on the album is very nice "what a lovely dance" so i'm hoping that album grows on me with subsequent listens.

I also got Chappelle's season 2 dvds. We watched the episodes to death on the internet last summer and were pretty sick of Rick James right around the time every drunken guy started saying "I'm Rick James, Bitch!". My buddy Gotts (who's currently playing with the Riders) and i were all about the Prince sketch anyway. It's Dave playing Prince, playing basketball. Absolutely hilarious.

"I will want to die beneath the white cascading waters
She may beg, she may plead, she may argue with her logic
And then she'll know the things I learned
That really have no value in the end she will surely know
I wasn't born to follow"

Jack White Marries?

2005-06-03T12:45:00.000-06:00

So jack got married in Brazil. The statement they released informed us that it was the first wedding for both bride and groom....

....so everyone knows that Jack and Meg were married...or were they? or does it matter? Is it all just working up attention and publicity for the release of Get Behind Me Satan? next tuesday?

Plus Renee Zellweger just got married. Does that have anything to do with it?

Oh Jack White, why are you so enigmatic?

"I wanna be the boy to warm your mother's heart" - The White Stripes

The White Stipes

2005-05-29T14:16:00.000-06:00

The new album is about to come out and the first review i've read, from SPIN, gave it a B. Now, b is a good grade, but not for the stripes, who are worshiped by all rock critics. And considering the way Rolling Stone truck out 4 stars for Eminem's most recent garbage album makes me wonder if SPIN is still being kind to a disaster of a record.... We'll see. I may even like this album best, but i'm guessing that the Stripes stumble a bit on their steady ascent to greatness. Like i've said before, they haven't made a truly great album yet, in my humble opinion.

The B letter grade also belied the review which was loaded with veiled dissapointment.

The new Oasis album, however, got an A-. That has me very intruiged. I think i may just buy that one after all...

I know, i always criticise crtics, but sometimes they accidently make the right judgements.

"I Can Hear the Grass Grow" - the Move

More Random Thoughts

2005-05-27T19:46:00.000-06:00

-I don't get paid for a bit, but when i do i'm going to snag the new Coral album for sure. I have 4 of the tracks off of it and they get played every time i open my winamp

-Oasis' lead single "Lyla" has everything a song could ask for, except for a chorus. There's no payoff to the song.

-I don't think much of the first Coldplay single (speed of sound). It's not bad, but it ain't amazing. I'm pretty sure i'll get their new album, but i wasn't the biggest fan of a rush of blood to the head. Their first album, Parachutes, is a fantastic album and remains their best work.

-The White Stripes lead single has a definite Death From Above 1979 sound to it. Very heavy on the low end, messy distortion. It's not really growing on me though...but of course i'll buy the album.

-Mando Diao and the Soundrack of our Lives have been battling it out for the most plays this week. Sort of a battle of the swedes i suppose. That has me wondering- along with the Hives and the Hellacopters, what's going on in Sweden to create such sweet rock n roll? Likewise with Denmark and the Blue van and Ravonettes.

-I was saddened but not surprised to see Bo Bice lose American idol. He has a pretty wicked voice, but he's no bubblegum singer. Even though people have been saying, "Just cause he lost doesn't mean he won't have a career.." etc., i doubt we'll hear from him for much longer.

-Eminem's latest song is a fucking joke. Absolute dog shit.

Finally, would some band come along and just grab the continent by the throat and throttle it with a big guitar riff? It's been awhile, but we had a few contenders with Jet's "Are you gonna be my girl" and the Stripes "7 nation army" . Now what do we have? "Jerk it out" by Caesars? fuck me... I'd love for some kick ass rock group to just kick the fuck out of every bloody lameass Ludacris and 50 cent video. Not to mention the fucking lame-ass BEP, who even on their last album, were pretty cool.

"....it's the motown blood in my veins!" - Mando Diao, "Motown Blood"

Worst blogging ever...

2005-05-22T14:49:00.000-06:00

I've joined the ranks of Joel and Ryan with my infrequent blogging....time to get back on track. Here are a few thoughts:

-Mando Diao are rising the ranks, quickly becoming one of my favourite groups. I got their debut album finally and boy does it kick ass. A lot more old garage/motown influences. Like a more melodic stooges. I'm glad i heard their second album first b/c it allowed me to enjoy it's different tone before really sinking my teeth into this album, which is better.

-Ryan Adams and the Cardinals "Cold Roses" is really good stuff. Probably the shortest double album of the cd era...but that's Ryan Adams being Ryan Adams (complete with the mock lp cd case). The best tracks are the first 2 "Magnolia Mountain" and "Sweet Illusion".

-the new Star Wars is the best of the new movies. It's the first time i like characters and dialogue in a new star wars movie and not just the f/x

-the life aquatic is a great movie that will find much love from the hardcore Wes Anderson fans, but will always be a dissapointment to casual fans. In short, i'm glad i have this dvd.

-Kingdom of Heaven is pretty good. It's funny- i enjoyed that they didn't try to ring emotional impact out of every single death (which annoyed me in movies like LOTR) but at the same time, the movie failed to make a lasting impression. Still it was better than Troy and it's nice to see a bit of sword fighting action. However, i had just seen star wars 4 days prior...so it pailed by comparison there.

-the Royal Tenenbaums is fantastic even after all these viewings. I love all the characters and the whole presentation. Wes Anderson has always struck a chord with me (ew i hate that cliche...).

-it's nice to see the Kinks' "Picture Book" on that ad.... i know i know, sell outs or whatever, but it's cool to hear that tune. I don't have it on cd cause i can't find Village Green anywhere but i love that song.

"I wanna love you but i'm growing old..." - Mando Diao, "Mr. Moon"

This and that.

2005-05-14T13:03:00.000-06:00

The Sadies were great last night. Their brand of country rock and spaghetti western instrumentals was fantastic. I especially loved the way the lead singer would say the same phrase between each song: "thankyou very much ladies and gentleman...this next song we'd like to play for you..."

I've become a bigger fan of Mando Diao with each day i listen to them. I think the best 2 band description would be the Libertines meets Oasis. They have a great raw almost punk like energy that mixes with strong melodic choruses.

I often make those 2 band descriptions. They are fun.

I haven't listened enough to the new Ryan Adams album, but what i have listened to i really enjoy. It's odd how summer has found a way to be busier than the school year.

For some reason i can't find much else to write about...
...oh i guess we didn't make ness creek, it certainly didn't help that less than half the commitee was in attendance at our audition, but oh wells. The Breaks are headlining tonight at Amigos and that should be a good time. Also, we jammed with Mark and Johnny D from North of Shorty last night and had a blast with more guitars than any band should ever have. Look for some kind of onstage collaberation in the future.

"Well i turn left just like you told me to, mmm i get excited by the moves you do" - Mando Diao, "God Knows"

The Summer Job

2005-05-05T12:47:00.000-06:00

One of the benefits of working in the library is that i get to listen to music while i'm working. This was a big reason for my getting the ipod. So, thus far, i've worked just about a week as part of my summer job in the library, and so far i've been listening to lots of Beatles, particularly MMT and the White Album. The newest Mando Diao has been getting regular listens as well. It's really a lot better than i initially thought. They are rather similar to the Libertines, and i'm finding that part comforting as the Libs have split for good (and their most recent album just wasn't that good anyway).

In my room i seem to just keep playing the same disc over and over- Rubber Soul. I guess i'm partly just too lazy to change it, but why fix something that ain't broke. It never gets old, so i just keep listening to it.

Football camp/hell starts tonight and goes till Sunday so i'm gonna try and get my zen on this afternoon. I might dig out something that reminds me of summer and just chill to that.

"Say the word and you'll be free" - The Beatles, "the Word"

The woes of money

2005-05-02T16:59:00.000-06:00

My money woes continue... Ryan Adams has a new album out tomorrow and i cannot afford it. Oh well, i'll just have to wait till i get the cash. But it still sucks, cause this is one of my big artists and early indication is that this album is the stuff i've been waiting for. It's credited to Ryan Adams and the Cardinals and it's a return to his country-rock stuff (which i absolutely love). Critics have called it his strongest work since Heartbreaker (after all they didn't all care that much for Gold).

The opening track is the only one i've heard and it's absolutely killer. Plus, it's a double album! Which is vintage ryan adams, seeing as it's the first of a planned 3 releases this year. He loves to put out every bloody song he ever thinks of. Gotta love that ego.

"The best things in life are free, but you can keep them for the birds and the bees"

Saturday and I'm feeling tired

2005-04-30T13:38:00.000-06:00

But that's expected, as we had 3 gigs this week (and we are just not used to it) but they also had us on very late, but i'm not complaining cause it means our stock is rising.

Thanks to all who checked out the gigs this week. It kicks ass to have people there like you guys supporting us.

In other news, the Coral's new album comes out mid-May and it just became my most anticipated album of the year for the following reasons:
-Noel Gallagher was quoted as saying their new material was fucking amazing or something to that effect after seeing them play live
-I've been listening to their albums more than any other artists' lately
-Lead single "In the Morning" is a brilliant little pop song

If you're not too familiar with the Coral i suggest you check them out. They have a fantastic sense of melody and as Jessica would say, are very 'pirate-y'. They have a very nautical sound to them and they do sing about skeleton keys and spanish mains. Lead singer James Skelly has a fantastic voice. It's lower and it's got a real warmth to it. His liverpudlian accent is very comforting too.

There, trying to tip the Blog scales back towards musings on music and away from being an advertisement for my band.

"She wrote my name on the red telephone box. when i got there she'd already rubbed it off" - the Coral, "In the Morning"

The Breaks...again

2005-04-28T12:04:00.000-06:00

I know, another Breaks post...but we've been very busy with the band lately. A couple dates to let y'all know about:

-tonight (Thurs, the 28th) we're opening for the Mudmen, some band with 2 bagpipes in it (i think they are kind of pop punkish, but hey it's a paying gig). It's at Lydias, we should be on around 10

-Friday the 29th (tomorrow) we're the last band at the S.O.L.D. benefit at Amigos. It's our first amigos gig and we're looking forward to it alot. We've got a very cool opening segue into our first song planned.

I'm tempted to blog more, but the keyboard i'm using (i'm in the library learning commons) is sticking like a mofo so i'll do it when i get home.

"You gotta Cool it Down!" - the Velvet Underground, "Cool it Down"

The Breaks

2005-04-26T00:28:00.000-06:00

Tuesday night (tomorrow or tonight depending on when you're reading this) the Breaks will be playing at Lydias around 1130 i'm told. We're doing 6 songs, 3 of which are new and i'm very excited about! If you could come down and shout a bit we'd be most appreciative. For one, we'd get to see your lovely faces, and two we need the support!

Refferals

2005-04-26T00:04:00.000-06:00

I've been enjoying a few things that have been recommended to me lately. Firstly, Arrested Development is a fantastic show. I've been watching it with Anders and Anton who have been borrowing Joel's copy. It's a truly wonderful show. It's got that Seinfeld knack of creating nifty terms for weird things (i.e. "never-nudes") and the Curb Your Enthusiasm way of earlier events coming around to affect later events. It's manic and the characters are hilarious characterizations. There are no weak actors. Seek out this show if you haven't already!

Secondly, I've been thoroughly enjoying Mando Diao who Bruce recommended based on my hyping of the Blue Van. They are a splendid mix of garage rock aesthetic and Oasis melody. I'd love to see these guys play live.

Finally, i discovered today that Anders had a burnt copy of my beloved Bees' "Sunshine Hit Me", apparently courtesy of Jessica. So he graciously burnt me a copy and i've been loving it since. I knew it was a less 'band'-like album, more studio-style recordings, and that's fine with me! I love this stuff. It's full of lovely, soft tones. Hammond organs, all kinds of percussion, delay and tremolo effects, high and low horns, falsetto vocals, just fantastic stuff! I absolutely envy bands like this. 1) they have the luxury of recording all types of instruments and effects in a studio and 2) these guys are just damn good. Not only do the Bees have a knack for finding ways to get the best out of a variety of instruments, they have a talent for melody and atmosphere. Sure Jack Johnson can sing softly about good times on the beach, but the Bees' "Binnel Bay" does it in a way that affects me more. The lyrics are odd, there are all kinds of sounds meandering in and out. It sounds more like my pleasant memories- because memories aren't photographic and they aren't narratives. They are coloured by moods and half-images. Nothing is complete and everything is changed. This is something i think about constantly. Memories of the past always intrigue me in this melancholy way. I should post on that another time i think....

....in short, the Bees' first album is a fantastic piece of work from 2 near-geniuses. I'll call them the white-neptunes. Hey, i like that! Their second album showed a desire to write more 'pop' or 'rock' songs, probably so they could play live (obvious consdering they played all the instruments on album 1 and brought in 4 new guys for # 2), and it was a late cut from my greatest albums of all time. There is no band who's album i await more eagerly than the Bees.

"I wanna hold you like the sky holds the sun" - the Bees

Albums part deux

2005-04-24T16:10:00.000-06:00

Alphabetized, albums 8-14 are:

Elton John - Rock of the Westies (1975)
Often considered one of the worst albums of his prolific career, Rock of the Westies is John at his most rockin'. It's not quite as expansive as Yellowbrick Road, but it veres off in new and exciting directions. John's songwriting was always strong, but the real star of the album is Gus Dugeon's production. 'Dan Dare' and 'Island Girl' are great examples of this. Simple songs filled with crunchy percussion, synths and guitar licks that float in and out, there's so much for the ear to hear. But it's not all ear-candy. The opening medley of Yell Help/Wednesday Night/Ugly is sublime rock n roll and 'a bullet in the gun of robert ford' is classic Elton piano-man songwriting. This is one of those albums that i love turning up loud.

Jurassic 5 - Quality Control (2000)
The 6 man crew from L.A. will always be my favourite hip hop crew. Their beats are funky and innovative. The rhymes are fun, meaningful and positive. The MCs have great diversity, from Zaakir's cocky bounce to Akil's slurred delivery to Marc 7s subtle flow to Chali 2na's jawdropping baritone. DJs Nu Mark and Cut Chemist are master beat makers and turntablists. How much do i love this album? I once listened to this cd 20 odd times in a 2 day period. Jurassic 5 were responsible for my renewed interest in hip hop (i used to love hip hop as a kid and lost interest during early teen years), and in part modern music in general.

The Kings of Leon - Youth and Young Manhood (2003)
Before they shaved their moustaches, dressed in designer clothes and played cutting-edge rock, those 4 lads from Tennessee played jangling dirty guitars and sung about whisky, hookers and sleazy sex. The combination of Garage Rock boogie and Caleb Followill's freakout vocals were exactly what my ears needed to hear. I still can't get enough of this album. There's so much atmosphere in songs like "Joe's Head" and "Trani", and the driving power of "happy Alone" and "Red Morning Light" have me coming back to this album again and again. At one point, the Breaks did 6 Kings of Leon covers, all off of Youth and Young Manhood. And we ended both Battle of the Bands shows with "Molly's Chamber".

Paul McCartney - Ram (1971)
Ram is the sound of a master song-writer given free-range in the studio. For Paul McCartney, it resulted in a wonderful collection of songs. There's warm and cute songs like '3 legs', 'Ram On', and 'Heart of the Country'. There's epic rockers "Monkberry Moon Delight" and "The Backseat of My Car". If you don't mind Paul's tendency towards sweetness, this is a near-perfect album. The songs are diverse, brimming with charm and filled with musicality. Perfect harmonies, studio effects, hummable melodies, varied instrumentation, Paul fills the album with every element and balances them all with ease. If you're like me and you have a capacity for silliness or a tendency to find whimsy endearing, this album is nearly unbeatable.

N.E.R.D. - In Search Of... (2002)
Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams are masters at song-writing. They write good melodies, catchy riffs and have an endless assortment of synth sounds and drum patterns. "In Search Of..." is a truly remarkable album. There are so many great songs; the album has no weaknesses. The combination of the slick instrumentals and Pharrell's masterful falsetto croon are a wonder to my ears. It amazes me that this album wasn't bigger than it was. The songs are so strong and the appeal is hip. I can listen to it endlessly...not to mention endlessly drunken-dance to it.

The Strokes - Is This It (2001)
There was a point where i basically turned my back on modern music, listening only to older music, predominantly the Beatles, Chicago and Led Zeppelin. The one band i hold responsible for renewing my interest is the Strokes. I know they were the hippest of the hip (and therefore no longer to hip to be a fan of) but i will always love the Strokes. I happened to catch them on the New Music while flipping around and was instantly attracted to them. I downloaded all that i could (wasn't quite buying cds at that point) and listened to them endlessly on my minidisc player. They were the sound of my grade 12 year. I loved that it was skinny guys with long hair playing music again. I hated the rock stars of the time such as Fred Durst, and love to see these guys with ties and leather jackets playing again. It's such a cliche, especially now, but it really got me back into new music.

Stevie Wonder - Innervisions (1973)
One of my most listened to albums, both as a kid and now, Innervisions has alot of sentimental attatchment. But i have no doubt that my love is also founded on the strength of the music as well. Songs like "Golden Lady" and "Visions" are beautiful and moving, "Too High" and "Higher Ground" are funky and exciting, and the album's greatest track "Living for the City" is the perfect blend of song and story. I can remember being horrified at the use of "nigger" during the mid-song 'skit', as well as the grittiness with which Stevie sings the final verse. Both moving musically and emotionally, Innervisions is a fantastic album.

Well there you have it. To Recap:

Ryan Adams - Gold (2001)
Air - Moon Safari (1998)
The Beastie Boys - Check Your Head (1992)
The Beatles - Abbey Road (1969)
Chicago - Chicago III (1971)
Al Green - Let's Stay Together (1972)
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland (1968)
Elton John - Rock of the Westies (1975)
Jurassic 5 - Quality Control (2000)
The Kings of Leon - Youth and Young Manhood (2003)
Paul McCartney - Ram (1971)
N.E.R.D. - In Search Of... (2002)
The Strokes - Is This It (2001)
Stevie Wonder - Innervisions (1973)

The 80's didn't get an entry, but i still like the variety of years and the combination of old and new entries. That's pretty much it. Those are the 14 albums i would take on my desert island or whatever.

My Favourite Albums

2005-04-22T17:39:00.000-06:00

If you're a music nerd, there is nothing more sacred than your favourite albums. Sure there are individual songs and artists that you love, but it all comes down to that ultimate nerdy concept of an album. So with much further ado, here are my favourite albums:

Only one album per artist is allowed (this rules out multiple entries from the likes of Stevie Wonder and obviously the Beatles). The selection is based on a number of variables including personal significance, the overall strength of the songs, number of individual great songs, the flow from track to track, etc. Ultimately it's just my choice.

The list has been whittled to 14. Hardly a pretty number, but it's the best i could do without continuosly adding more and more albums and at the same time, i didn't feel that i left anything out that was equal to an album that had been included.

It's also worth mentioning that while i love Led Zeppelin, the Kinks, CCR, David Bowie, Supergrass, the Beach Boys, the Wu-Tang Clan, Outkast, Prince, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan and the like, they have no single album that stands ahead of the rest and demands inclusion. For the record, my favourites by those artists respectively are Zeppelin I, Arthur, Green River, the Man Who Sold the World, Life on Other Planets, Pet Sounds, Enter the 36 Chambers, Stankonia, Dirty Mind, Court and Spark, and Pretzel Logic.

So in alphabetical order by artist, my 14 favourite albums from 1-7 are:

Ryan Adams - Gold (2001)
In Ryan Adam's Gold i can hear the sounds of summer. Some songs evoke the rousing, communal fun of block bbqs and busy summer-related festivities. Others are the quiet and lonely nights, spent outside under the stars. He took heat for being a copy-cat on this album, but i could never agree. The songs are diverse, reaching from sparse folk to country-rock, and all the while maintain Ryan Adams lyrical and emotional honesty. When i listen to a song like "Firecracker" i feel the joy shine though the opening harmonic lick as well as the longing in the chorus that asks 'maybe be my baby tonight'. Each song sounds like alot of good and bad days and nights i've had, and i'm sure i'll have in the future.

Air - Moon Safari (1998)
Some music make you feel like you're on psychadelic drugs (i.e. jefferson airplane or early Pink Floyd) or they give the feel of a stoner's haze (i.e. the Doors), but Moon Safari is like being incredibly high on oxygen. Your head feels huge, filled with air and you float about in a state of bliss. But it doesn't just elevate your mood. It is musically quite interesting. Layers of synths dance beautifully with horns, gurgling sound f/x, lovely french vocals, all combining to make this album perfectly suited to providing background relaxation, as well as music worthy of examination. I used to listen to this album whenever i walked onto campus, helping to reduce the feelings of anxiety associated with School.

Beastie Boys - Check Your Head (1992)
Forget Paul's Boutique, this is the Beasties album. Funk, hip hop, rock, it's all mixed up and mashed together, but never does it feel like a departure. The Beasties are adept at every turn they make. The rapping is their trademark style of goofy self-deprication and the funky jams are energetic and tight. The flow on the album also deserves mention. The album serves up a perfect balance between rapping and instrumentals, mixed with humourous samples including the always hilarious "Blue Nun". It is always a joy to listen to check your head, and it's usually best listened to with a friend who knows it as well as you (looking at my man Ryan here).

The Beatles - Abbey Road (1969)
Like i said in a previous blog, i can't believe there's better music in existence when i'm listening to this album. From the onslaught of single-calibre song after single-caliber song (think "Come Together", "Oh Darling", "Something", "Here Comes the Sun") to the wonderful medley of Because to the End, it's the greatest band's greatest work (in my opinion, obviously). How it all ends with that last line (excluding her majesty) "the love you take is equal to the love you make" just kills me. When i first heard it it was an absolute revelation and it still moves me to this day (what a softy, i know). I could go on for every about it, but i'll just finish by saying i can't listen to any other music for about a day after listening to Abbey Road in its entirety.

Chicago - Chicago III (1971)
For 2-3 years i listened almost exclusively to Chicago. When you play jazz and love rock, it's appeal is huge. I know chicago are synonymous with lame-ass ballads, and they certainly have their share, but their early work is something worth checking out. Chicago III reminds me of a billion things because i listened to it so much. It has what may be my favourite song ever "Happy 'Cause I'm Going Home", a blissful la-la-ed melody with crunchy accoustic guitars and flute. The albums' also filled with suites of songs that move from one to the next, with blazing instrumentals and impeccably strong pop song writing. Early Chicago had that great combination of musical virtuouso and tight song-writing that i still admire today.

Al Green - Let's Stay Together (1972)
The personal importance of this album has a huge bearing on it being here, but i'd rather focus on the music side of things. Al's voice was great, because he always knew how to hold back. He'd scream and immediately haul that scream back in and make a sound of anguish. And boy does that ever sound more powerful than just letting it go. Let's Stay Together is a very warm and loving sound, the humming organ, the simple brass, the tight rhythm section and on top of that Al's crooning. Nobody crooned with more expression and passion than my man Al.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland (1968)
A fucking epic album. There's every kind of song on this album, tight pop songs, big expansive moody pieces, blues jams, and on every type Jimi jams in as much fuzzy guitar pyrotechnics as possible. This is the greatest guitar album ever made. Just witness Jimi take "voodoo chile' or bob dylan's "all along the watchtowe" and blow them right open. As a young kid this stuff made my jaw drop and put stratocasters in my dreams. And the album isn't just flash guitar work. There's soul in Electric Ladyland. Jimi's voice is expressive and heartfelt. He was one of the most loving and kind people around say those who knew him. He just happened to be able to blow things apart with a guitar.

I'll do 8-14 tomorrow or something.

Radiohead # 1

2005-04-20T18:09:00.000-06:00

Has anyone seen the MSN list thing that has the top 100 albums of all time according to some survey thing. It puts Radiohead's "OK Computer" as the best album of all-time.

Everytime i read about OK Computer's greatness all i can do is go "oh come on, are you people actually listening to other albums?". Yes it's a good album and it did things that were different for the time, but it's really not that special.

But then again...music is subjective...lists don't matter...it's just whatever you like yourself...but why do i get worked up by these lists and arguments?

"Radiohead look like a bunch of fuckin' students" - Noel Gallagher

Help me make money.

2005-04-18T19:19:00.000-06:00

I NEED new pickups for my guitar. The ones i have hum like a mofo so i gots to replace them. The only problem is i'm a little short on the moola. So my question is, does anyone have any ideas on how i can make quick cash? I want to get these pickups before we play the show on the 29th. I've already done my recycling so that's not a possibility. And please don't suggest prostitution...despite how hilarious and original that would be...

In other news, i bought the Louis XIV ep (see, i save money by not buying the full length disc) and it's very good. The rock songs stomp about in glammed up glory. Lead singer Jason Hill sings like a cross between Marc Bolan and Rex Harrison (quite the combination, i know). The real surprising track is "Marc" which is like a magical mystery tour era slow Beatles track. They use that vocal effect that's on "Blue Jay Way" so it's got this great melancholy feel to it.

"Me, me, me, me is all i think about" - Louis XIV, "Louis XIV"

I felt like a kid again.

2005-04-16T13:00:00.000-06:00

Hot Hot Heat made me feel like i was 10 years old last night, them and all the beer i drank. I had a great time dancing like a fool. A few thoughts:

-Louis XIV looked very impressive in a glam way on stage, but once they came off they were incredibly short
-the Futureheads sounded a hell of a lot like they do on their record
-Steve Bays' perm is ridiculous
-Guys who do the thing where they push the big group of people infront of the stage (i'm not gonna say mosh pit, it was Hot Hot Heat afterall) suck
-girls who act as if you've taken their first born child every time you bump into them because someone else pushed you shouldn't be at a rock show

I thought all 3 bands were very good, and what i heard about Hot Hot Heat not being a good live band i can't support after last night's performance. It can't be easy for Steve to sing like that night after night and he sounded like he was in great voice.

"...I feel like i'm 10 years old" - the Zutons, "Zuton Fever"

Ness

2005-04-15T18:55:00.000-06:00

The Breaks auditioned for Ness Creek last night, and what a mighty audition it was. We played what was basically an open stage at Lydia's and we played well. So it's up to the commitee to decide if we're going to be well received by old hippies and young stoners alike...just kidding.

It'd be great to play at Ness, an open air stage, the camping, playing for a big crowd. Very cool stuff.

Ok, off to Hot Hot Heat now!

"He was in the habit of taking things for granted, granted there wasn't much for him to take" - Hot Hot Heat

My Blog

2005-04-15T13:34:00.000-06:00

My blog predominantly deals with music, most of which is the popular music i'm listening to, etc. I sometimes wondered if i should maybe make a conscious effort to include some other topics in my blog, but decided against it. Case in point- my post on Charles Darwin. A pretty nerdy post, i'll admit, but there was just something about the way my brain was working after all that studying that made me do it i guess.

Anyway, my blog will continue to be a journal of my listening as well as a soapbox for me to spew my opinions.

So Hot Hot Heat, Futureheads and Louis XIV tonight, allright!

"Running with scissors wasn't smart, i tripped and cut up in your heart" - Hot Hot Heat

The Greatest Scientific Mind

2005-04-14T07:08:00.000-06:00

I was thinking recently, and it's only been strengthened by my studying for this historical geology final, that Charles Darwin is among the greatest minds of all-time. His theory of evolution is truly astounding. The implications it has in a number of fields, including my own 'beloved' psychology, attests to its incredible importance.

"Come on, Do the Evolution!" - Pearl Jam, "Evolution"

Music News.

2005-04-11T17:40:00.000-06:00

3 things:

1) US government is putting Nirvana's "Nevermind" album in some vault for the future so that future generations can listen to it. As if there won't be copies existing in future audio formats...
But the things is, the article on this mentioned Nirvana, Public Enemy and the Beach Boys as being in the vault which had me wondering- what about the Beatles? Surely the greatest music act of the 20th century deserves to be in there. And just as i started typing this up i realised it's because they're not American...

2) The new White Stripes album is called "Get Behind Me Satan". What?...

3) The Glastonbury festival lineup has been announced and it's another in a long line of reasons why i wish i lived in England.

PYRAMID STAGE

White Stripes
Coldplay
Kylie
The Killers
New Order
Doves
Elvis Costello
Brian Wilson
Van Morrison
The Zutons
The Coral
Ash
Kaiser Chiefs
Goldie Lookin' Chain
Jools Holland
The Thrills
John Butler Trio
The Undertones
The Subways
Taj Mahal
Hayseed Dixies
Garbage
OTHER STAGE
Razorlight
Kasabian
Ian Brown
Fatboy Slim
Royksopp
Bloc Party
Interpol
Rufus Wainwright
The Bravery
The Futureheads
Echo And The Bunnymen
Athlete
The Dears
The Cooper Temple Clause
Hot Hot Heat
Soulwax
Cake
Thirteen Senses
Brendon Benson
Martha Wainwright
Tom Vek
Black Bud
Dead 60's
KT Tunstall
Modey Lemon
Engineers
JOHN PEEL STAGE
The Tears
The Go! Team
Bright Eyes
The Earlies
Willy Mason
MIA
Secret Machines
M83
Yourcodenameis:milo
Maximo Park
Nine Black Alps
Jem
James Blunt
Dresden Dolls
The Subways
Be Your Own Pet
Rilo Kiley
The Rakes
Art Brut
Hard Fi
The Longcut
Morning Runner
Infadels
Outset
El President

I think i just shat myself looking at all the really cool bands that are on that bill. Why oh why do we live here in the middle of nowhere...

"Please remove the dagger from my back i stagger as i walk" - the Blue Van

Check out the Blue Van

2005-04-11T11:29:00.000-06:00

I'm still riding high on the Blue Van, you can check their myspace site out here with 4 of their songs. I sent a message saying how much i liked their music from our breaks account and they messaged back saying they thought our tracks were great! Breaks/Blue Van World Tour! Ok, that's enough.

"I remember the days when we were broke, without a dime" - The Blue Van, "I remember the days"

Get in the Blue Van

2005-04-10T13:25:00.000-06:00

The Blue Van are a 4 piece from Denmark that sound straight out of 1966/67. Shades of the Kinks, Who, Yardbirds all that fantastic maximum R & B stuff. They're lineup is vintage: guitar, bass, hammond, drums, and it really suits their 'rave-up' style. The drums roll and scrash, the guitar riffs and the organ coats it all with that lovely 60s sheen. Very retro, but still very cool. I'm just loving it. Plus they use mellotron, so that's pretty much a greats start right there. Then there's the song names "What the Young People Want", "Word from the Bird", etc. Anyway, if you like mod, british invasion, maximum r and b, any of that, GET IN THE BLUE VAN!

"Come on Comrade, use Humanity" - The Blue Van, "Word from the Bird"

great meaningless lyrics too

it's so close i can feel it...

2005-04-06T16:15:00.000-06:00

...summer that is. I like us all am eagerly awaiting the great break from school and the change in weather. I'm gonna need to get a couple new pairs of flip flops (pretty well all i wear in summer, even at the bar) and that new Hot Hot Heat album. Michael was playing it today and boy does it sound good....hang on, maybe i've got my gst cheque and i can afford it, i'll check...Yes! i did! ok i'm gonna get the new HHH.

Michael also tracked down the Kaiser Chiefs for me, so i'm enjoying those lads as well, good stuff. The sounds of summer! This time last year i was pumping Jet, Kings of Leon and Franz Ferdinand. I love those associations you have with new music.

"Oh my god i can't believe it, i've never been this far away from home" - Kaiser Chiefs, "Oh My God"

The Breaks

2005-04-02T12:26:00.000-07:00

11:20 at Louis.

The times keep changing cause the promoter is a spineless loser.

The Breaks

2005-04-02T12:21:00.000-07:00

11:20 tonight at Louis.

The times keep changing because the promoter of this event is a spineless loser. More on that at a later date.

New Discs

2005-04-01T22:56:00.000-07:00

Got 3 cds on Tuesday to satisfy the craving for new music. The last disc i bought was Who Killed the Zutons which i listened to death already (a sign that it was a good purchase). So far, the newest 3 are shaping up to be good choices as well:

The Coral - The Coral
Every review of the the Zutons hints at the similarities between the two bands (both from Liverpool, both play similar styles of english sea-side rock n roll) and it's true. Most of the reviews label the Zutons as sort of knocking off the coral, but they have some differences. The Coral are a little more out there in some of their songs, and they are more nautical, if that makes sense. Nonetheless, they have great tunes and their singer has a great voice that switches from early 60s beatlesque to gruff on a dime.

Beck - Guero
Big expectations and for the most part this cd satisfies. E-pro is pretty good, but tracks like Girl and Que Onda Guero are the real hits. It's not quite his old Odelay style like critics keep hinting at, but there's a similar life to the songs. Plus he's got his jokey-folky rapping back on, which is great cause it takes me back to grade 7. Que Onda Guero is like walking down the street in the most interesting way possible, it's really quite a pleasant little jaunt of a track.

Queens of the Stone Age - Lullabies to Paralyze
I kept listening to it online and eventually couldn't resist. And what a good purchase this was! An early contender for album of the year, this is fantastic. More than before, Josh Homme knows when to cut loose with a punishing riff or to dial things back and let loose a fantastic falsetto vocal. Tracks like "Burn the Witch" with its whispered chanting, "Someone's in the wolf" with its sound fx of sharpened knives, and "Lullaby" featuring Mark Lanegan's great vocals give the album a very dark and almost fable/nursery rhyme like darkness. It's hard to explain, but the album sounds dangerous, dark and straight up fucking cool. That last sentence should be used to sell it...
"...dangerous, dark and straight up fucking cool" - Ewan Currie
Anyway, i've been listening to it non-stop and i'm really taken aback by this album. It's got the album of the year spot at this point.

" The knot is tight, on my blindfold
I got my flesh full of blood, i hate rock n roll" - Queens of the Stone Age, "You Got A Killer Scene There, Man..."

Breaks in the basement

2005-03-31T15:50:00.000-07:00

We're at the basement tonight, doors at 730 but i think we'll be on probably more like 1030 or 11. We're doing all originals and a few that won't be played at Saturday's Louis performance. So come check it out if you'd like.

"She may be crazy, she may not be well, she made me feel like...like a motherfucker from hell!" - the Datsuns, "MF from Hell".

Ticket shortage

2005-03-30T18:12:00.000-07:00

So they've run out of tickets, that's what happens i guess when you have 9 bands playing at a 500 capacity bar... good planning there.

They'll be some available at the door (the organizer says 200-300, but it depends on how people come and go).

Thursday show will be a good one if you're wanting to check us out. it's at the basement.

Attention Blogger peeps

2005-03-29T18:34:00.000-07:00

nice title eh?

So i've got tickets for Saturday, if you want them just post, email, phone, msn, accost me in the halls at school, whatever.

I'll even come by your place to drop them off.

We'll be on no earlier than 10 (we've sold the most tickets so far) and i'm guessing more like 11 or even the last slot again.

On another note- i know others are having probolems with blogger, is it time to switch to a different format? livejournal or something? I'm getting pretty pissed with it.

"Everybody knows that you're insane" - QOTSA

The limitations of Radiohead (and bitching about Critics)

2005-03-28T10:14:00.000-07:00

I just read that Radiohead debuted a new song at a live performance. It had me thinking about how it is when you hear new, non-recorded material by the band. It's always a bit confusing, you don't know it and it's a bit strange lumped in with all those other familiar songs. But it must be especially confusing with Radiohead. I mean, Radiohead don't write "songs" in the classic sense anymore. Thus, i don't think anyone would have left the show with a good memory of the song.

Reminds me of a discussion i had with my friend Clint last summer. He's an obsessive Radiohead fan, i'm only a modest one. I was making the point that, although Radiohead are creating interesting albums, they are weak (in my opinion, obviously) because you're never going to walk around town singing "Mixamatosis" in your head- and if you are, then i'm sure it's not pleasantly. Now i know not everyone wants to listen to compact pop songs and they like the challenge of different forms of music, but my point is valid for anyone who's a massive fan of tight, well structured song writing.

I like melodies, harmonies, riffs, hooks,licks, those sorts of things. They get stuck in my head and i love it. They make me want to listen to songs over and over. They suck me in and i really enjoy them. I've been listening to alot of local music lately and most of it lacks those elements and alot of those musicians look down on those elements as 'derivative' or 'the stuff of sell-outs'. That's too bad, becaus what they're making often sounds like turgid crap. All the metal, emo, screamo that gets played locally makes me think that those genres are popular because they allow people who lack the talent to sing or write those memorable riffs and meloides to perform their own boring songs.

I like it how music snobs bitch about the decline of rock n roll, that is music with guitars, and then they snub their noses at Jet, who are derivative in the actual definition of the word, but undoubtebly play catchy, fun, exciting music. Then they point to their own heroes, such as the dreary Interpol (who i do like, but admit it they are dreary! and that guy with the holster is a total loser!) and wonder why the mainstream ignores them. Also, why do critics hate on Jet and the Vines for borrowing from the Stones and Nirvana, respectively, and never criticise any of the million bands who site Joy Division, the Cure, or the Smiths in the last couple years?

This all goes on and on. I really hate music critic snobbery, it's a real pet peeve of mine.

To be a music critic today you must do the following:
-worship Ian Curtis, Morrisey, and all of post-punk
-oversee the fact that the Stones made the same albums over and over and criticise any new bands that update their sound better than they did
-give every mainstream album a minimum of 3 stars (regardless of how chincy the lame-ass beats are or the pathetic gangsta lyrics that took 2 minutes to write are)
-turn on any band that gets hyped by NME
-dislike melody and all things catchy, unless it's played by a bunch of 30 somethings who've toiled away for years (i.e. Modest Mouse and the Shins)
-pay 90 percent to lyrics, 10 percent to the actual music
-admit to liking popular things only years after so as to appear ironic
-worship the blowhard that was Lester Bangs
-consider Led Zeppelin one of the greatest bands of all-time (despite their peers from years before hating on them), this makes me wonder what band will emerge as the new Led Zeppelin in years to come, that is, what band who's gotten terrible reviews all it's career but has maintained a huge popularity will eventually gain critical appreciation
-give artists that are deemed to be like the John Lennon of our times a free pass on every recording (see Eminem who's most recent record is absolutely fucking shite but still got 4 stars from RS)
-jump on the bandwagon of a confusing indie band that everyone is hoping so as not to appear 'not with it' (ie the Arcade Fire, who i will just flat out say are boring)
-worship the following artists: Bob Dylan, the Stooges, Marvin Gaye, Neil Young, the Plastic Ono Band (good god), the Sex Pistols, Nirvana, Prince, Joy Division, and others, you have to like them, all of them, despite their different styles and the fact that you may not like funk, punk, grunge, roots rock, soul, you have to like THEM.

I'll think of lots more later. Harsh i know, but they're just my opinions.

"I could write a record for 600 people in a fucking office building in London, or i could write a record for millions of people around the world" - Noel Gallagher

Oh Darling!

2005-03-26T11:55:00.000-07:00

Today i may just sit here in my house coat listening to "Oh Darling" over and over again. I'm on the third time through so far and i just keep raising the volume each time.

"When you told me you didn't need me anymore, well you know i nearly broke down and cried" - the Beatles

Random notes

2005-03-24T11:44:00.000-07:00

Firstly, want to give a big shout-out to North of Shorty, who are a fucking funtastic band, featuring my good pals Marky Mark and Johnny D. They play ska-rock, which is amongst the best stuff to dance to, and Lyd's was hopping last night. Very fun time.

The Kaiser Chiefs will be the next cd i will buy (other than the new Beck next week). They sound pretty swell and i gots to keep the flow of great new British bands coming (in a long line of Zutons, Bees, Thrills, Supergrass, etc.).

The Beatles' "Julia" is among the most beautiful songs ever written. It has great personal significance for me, but standing alone, it's just an incrediblely pretty piece of work. Among Lennon's best. Such a nice floating, dreamy sound. It's the sort of song you wish someone wrote for you.

The Breaks continue their onslaught, playing a keg party tonight (so classy!). It'll probably be a looser set, but we'll get to divulge in some things these short sets haven't afforded us, such as more songs and longer solos (yay for me!). I've been dying to really open up with my new wah.

Been listening over and over lately to Supergrass' "Life on Other Planets" album lately. Just a stellar piece of pop/rock. Great riffs, melodies, harmonies, cool effects on the glammed out guitars, bizarre synths, it's fantastic. I like to think that it sounds like T-Rex's "Electric Warrior" album cover looks. I told Michael that and he said i may have struck apon a new form of description for music.

So far i've thought of 2 albums that sound like their own cover:
Air's Moon Safari sounds like the light coloured spacey/dreamy cover and Air's Premiers Symptomes also sounds like it's black with red and yellow 70s style lights. It has a dark, night time, electronic sound, very suited to the cover.

Alright, that's quite the plethora of ideas there.

"Time waits for no one, so why don't we get it on?" - Supergrass, "Za"

on a sad note...

2005-03-22T12:57:00.000-07:00

N.E.R.D. have called it quits...apparently over arguments with Virgin.

This sucks, as they are close to the best group making music today (no lie), but Pharrell assures that they'll still find a way to make music. He says they may just leak it on their website.
Maybe this will be the start of Pharrell's bonafied solo career? I mean, he's the voice of N.E.R.D. and you know that Chad Hugo will be at the boards anyway. Here's hoping we still get more music from this fabulous duo.

"My song's in my smile..." - N.E.R.D., "Beautiful Place"

Lydia's 11.

2005-03-22T12:43:00.000-07:00

We'll be playing a short set at the illustrious Lydia's open stage night...

That is about it.

"We should be drivin'" - the Kinks, "Driving"

No more drinks

2005-03-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

That's enough. I did 3 days in a row and it's just not feasible financially. Then there's the whole health issue.

So now it's back to the grind. Football early in the morning and all the school stuff i've been putting off during the day. I may even try to go for a run or something....no i won't.

I'll just go play guitar and try to play myself out of this rut! Sounds like the makings of a good song....just kidding.

"There's something wrong with me, i'm a cuckoo" - Belle and Sebastien, "I'm A Cuckoo"

GIving a shout out to the Chocolate Watchband

2005-03-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

I'd like to give props to the Chocolate Watchband and their brand of 1960s garage rock!
Well done lads!

"You better watch yourself it might be too late!" - the Chocolate Watchband, "Are You Gonna Be There"

The Breaks

2005-03-18T17:54:00.000-07:00

We're playing Lydia's open stage next tuesday- happen to be in the area and feel like a drink? stop by.
Also, the 31st, a thursday, we're playing the basement with a bunch of bands. I don't know many of them, but Unknown Reason who played the same night as us at the battle of the bands are quite good.

But the one show we definitely want people out at (let's face it, we all have things to do and stuff that drains our money, so if you can make anything it's much appreciated) is the Battle of the Bands final on April 2nd. We'll be playing a similar set to last time, but a few new things which i'm very excited about. We'd love to have you come out. The more tickets we can sell the better time slot we can get. So let me know if you want them, i'll get them for you and get them to you.

"There's love if you want it, don't sound like no sonnet..." - the Verve, "Sonnet"

Spendin Money

2005-03-18T12:52:00.000-07:00

I'm carefully planning my purchases this month. With alot of great live shows in April, combined with some big CD releases, and the ever-present costs associated with guitars and equipment, i'm doing some financial juggling.

Yesterday i got a wah pedal! It's the classic cry-baby, and i got it off of a friend and it looks like i'll be paying little to nothing for it. So i'm indulging myself by buying the complete Office series, that is both seasons and the Christmas special. I'm very excited because i absolutely love this show.

That brings me to my next point- the new series of the Office, the american version. Normally i'd have no expectations of this show, just another lame rip off, but the fact that Steve Carell is involved has me intruiged. The guy is hilarious in everything he does (Daily Show, Bruce Almighty, and Anchorman) and the ads i've seen are pretty good. Having said that, it'll be impossible to top Ricky Gervais' unique brilliance as the Office boss.

I've got my Hot Hot Heat ticket already, that was 20 bucks, but it's gonna be a good one. Then their new album comes out early april and Beck's new one is late march. Plus the QOTSA have the new one that i'm still debating. Maybe someone will just buy it and i can ipod it.

I'm also thinking about getting a cd by the Coral, as they're supposed to be quite similar to the Zutons, whose fever i've contracted. If anyone knows the Coral let me know if it's worth my time.

Then i'm getting to the point where i need to buy a guitar amp. I've been renting this old Peavey Classic for a month and a half now, and we have 3 upcoming gigs with more to follow, so it's seeming like it might be worthwihle for me to own my own amp now.

So many expenses....so little money...

"Did you think that money was heaven sent?" - The Beatles, "Lady Madonna"

Lullabies to Paralyze

2005-03-17T12:55:00.000-07:00

I'm digging the new Queens of the Stone Age album. It doesn't come out till next week, but you can hear it online here.

It's got some cool stuff on it, 'burn the witch' is very bowie like. I'm kind of in between on whether or not i'd buy it at this point, but at the very least it's got me interested. I'm gonna keep listening to it online for now.

For some reason i can't really think of things to post about...

"My mind is blank" - me, right now.

An update.

2005-03-14T21:13:00.000-07:00

I've been in a non-blogging mood lately. Party attributable to the sucess of Saturday, but also the attention i'm turning to the final that is already approaching.

Anyway, come out and support the Breaks on April 2nd at louis in the battle of the bands. If you want tickets i'll be glad to get them in advance for you guys for 6 bucks. Let me know.

In other news, i've set my turntable up in my room. I'm currently listening to my Endless Summer LP by the Beach Boys. Good stuff. Only problem is my turntable is fuct so it doesn't play too loudly. But it's fun nonetheless.

"My favourite vega-tables" - Beach Boys, "Vegetables"

Tonight

2005-03-12T11:22:00.000-07:00

The Breaks are live on stage tonight, midnight, Louis.

Please come check it out!

"I can't get this pressure point out of my head, i feel it at work you know i feel it in bed, can't get this pressure point out of my head..." - the Zutons, "Pressure Point"

Quick shout-out

2005-03-10T16:53:00.000-07:00

just want to give a shout out to my man Ryan, who's blog is often worse than Joel's in terms of regular updates, but nonetheless you should check it out every so often. He's got some cool pics of his Mexican vacation on there.

"I give a shout out to my Dad and my Mom, for bringing me into this world and so on" - Beastie Boys, "Root Down"

Who Killed the Zutons?

2005-03-10T16:43:00.000-07:00

So the Zutons are my current band. I tend to really get into one band and sort of listen to them constantly. I got their album yesterday and i've been listening to it solidly ever since.
It's great folky pop and 60s garage rock all together in a very solid album. It's actually from last year, and they sound fantastic. They've got lots of the Kinks to them which is always a plus. It's a guitars, bass, drums and sax lineup, and apparently they put on dynamite shows.

If you want to download yourself a little Ewan presents the Zutons ep, get these tracks:

Pressure Point
Railroad
Confusion
Remember Me
You Will, You Won't

A great mix there. Some have beautifully simple melodies, backed by accoustic guitars, and gentle percussion, others like "You Will, You Won't" are great stomping rock songs.

In summary, the Zutons are great. If you like most great British rock and roll, you'll probably like these Liverpudlians.

"Doctor oh Doctor I willin to learn, my arm and my bones really toss and they turn" - the Zutons, "Pressure Point".

Regina Spektor

2005-03-08T17:44:00.001-07:00

I've been listening to "Samson" by Regina Spektor over and over today. She sounds like Joni Mitchell, Sarah McLachlan and a bit of Bjork's accent (she's from Russia). It's a very beautitul track, just her and the piano.

I first heard her on the Strokes' B side to Reptilia, a track called "Modern Girls & Old Fashion Men". Her voice was intruiging so i've been downloading some stuff and i'm very impressed thus far.

Her's is the kind of voice that stops you in your tracks. It's got me captivated right now.

"You are my sweetest downfall
I loved you first..." - Regina Spektor, "Samson"

The Vines

2005-03-07T22:53:00.000-07:00

I've been listening to the 2 vines albums over and over lately. They mix the sublime psychadelic melodies i love with that great rock n roll power. They know when to be pretty and when to cut loose and scream and smash things.

I think they got burned by the hype they initially received, but they will always be a favourite of mine.

Winning Days, their most recent album, got pretty bad reviews, but they're unjust. The album has great songs (the order's not too good, the hard songs are all together and the soft ones all at the end), but when Craig Nicholls screams, it's hard to beat. Likewise, he's great at sounding drugged out and fascinated by nature.

Does anyone else like them?

"It's 1969 in my head..." - the Vines, "1969"

I went for a walk

2005-03-06T21:25:00.000-07:00

So i did end up going for a walk, just to return Huckabees, but I didn't listen to Van Morrison. Instead i listened to A Tribe Called Quest. They suited the 10 o'clock dark quite well. The sidewalks are absoulte murder to walk on right now so i had to sort of dance to the music around the ice and puddles.

"If knowledge is the key then show me the lock" - Q-tip, "Check the Rhyme"

Suggested Activity

2005-03-06T15:52:00.000-07:00

Today the sky is overcast and it's raining/slightly sleeting, and it makes me feel like going for a walk while listening to Van Morrison. It's very much suited to this particular weather, after all he's from Ireland.

Half a mile from the county fair
And the rain keep pourin' down
Me and Billy standin' there
With a silver half a crown
Hands are full of a fishin' rod
And the tackle on our backs
We just stood there gettin' wet
With our backs against the fence

Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Hope it don't rain all day

from "And it Stoned Me" by Van Morrison

Changing names

2005-03-06T15:40:00.000-07:00

I don't know if anyone's noticed, but i've been changing the name of my blog lately. It was "It's Like That and That's The Way It Is" at first, a reference to the Run DMC song. Then i made it "That's All Right Mama" which was Elvis' first hit and now it's "Who's House? Run's House", which is from the great track "Run's House" by Run DMC. It appears i have some affinity for Run DMC and i guess that's true. I like to quote them i suppose.

"name is Run my son
number one for fun
not a gun that's done and get done by none
the others act in fact ya just wack i kill
why?
because its fun my son and Run heads the bill!" - Run DMC, "Run's House"

The Last Waltz

2005-03-04T10:39:00.000-07:00

I watched it last night. It's the documentary of the last show by the Band, directed by Martin Scorsese.
Good stuff. Here are some thoughts.

-the band sure don't play complicated songs, but they play them well
-the cheesy synths sound dated and tacky, plus they don't suit their style
-Van Morrison gained alot of weight some where along the line, but he gave a really good drugged up performance of 'radio', easily one of his best songs
-Joni sings live just as she does on record, sweetly!
-Dr. John looks hilarious when he sings
-Neil Diamond is a fucking terrible singer
-Bob Dylan too, but not as annoying
-Neil Young also, but less cocksure as Diamond
-most of the songs that these guests played were actually quite boring, the best songs were the Band's songs
-too many drugs i think...
-Ron Wood didn't even need to be there for his appearance, nor Ringo, no love for the Englishmen...

".and...you put the load right on me" - the Band, "The Weight"

Hot Hot Heat

2005-03-03T12:04:00.000-07:00

So contrary to their website, Hot Hot Heat are in fact coming to Saskatoon! and they're bringing the futureheads! Well that kicks much ass cause those are 2 of the best bands making music today. For those of you that don't know the Futureheads, they are like a more spazzy version of franz ferdinand. In fact, they fit between Hot Hot Heat and Franz quite well.

Well now i'm all excited!

"Cause you look confused and you don't know what to do, it's hard to get an answer when you haven't got a clue" - The Futureheads, "Decent Days and Nights"

Aaaah

2005-03-03T01:14:00.000-07:00

AAAugh

Down in the country yard.

I'm writing this to see if i come up with anything while i'm in this state.

my spelling is good so far....

When you are a child, all you know is the whole world. As in, you only know what's out there and that is used to create the knowledge you have of the world. YOu don't think about there being parts of the world you don't know. You just find each new fact so surprising.

Haha, this is ridiculous, i'm already imagining myself commenting on this sober tomorrow.

"I'm so tired i never go outside, every night i sleep" - The Vines, "The Factory"

Rappin' like it's 1992!

2005-03-01T15:43:00.000-07:00

That last post had me digging my Pharcyde and Freestyle Fellowship cds out. Man i love those guys! Both crews just had a blast tradings ultra-fast rhymes about a whole range of topics. Some serious, most just silly fun, but it all makes for great listening. Consider the Pharcyde song "Ya Mama" which is comprised of yo mama jokes, but all rhyming and with good flow. Just fantastic. Then there's the Freestyle Fellowship's "Hot Potato", half children's rhyme, half serious education in freeflowing rhyming.

These 2 crews are amongst the funnest of all musical artists. Fellowship was all about freestyling, obviously, and the Pharcyde started off as dancers on In Living Colour. Don't let that deter you though, they are great mcs.

"Before I could say alakazam
I took this old bitch in a doggie style
Greg walked in the room that nigga cold had a fit
But all this numbskull could say was ooooooooooooooooooh shit!' - Pharcyde, "Oh Shit"

Classy i know, but they make it sound so funny. The way they all come in together on the "oh".

Also, i watched the 30 minute documentary of the making of Fatlip's video by Spike Jonze last night. Fatlip was one of the guys in the Pharcyde, who ended up getting kicked out and has pretty much lost his money to drugs. It was a pretty sad story. The song "What's Up Fatlip" pretty much details his problems and it's one of the best hip hop songs ever in my opinion. It's actually a piece of confessional lyric writing. It's so strange to have a guy admitting his faults and how he feels like a loser in a hip hop song, a genre that is built on bragging and egomania. If this intruiges you in the least i urge you to download Fatlip's "What's Up Fatlip" and check it out. You can't help but feel sorry for the guy.

"Cause i am the nigga with nothing to hide
(what's your name?)
Fatlip from the Pharcyde" - Fatlip from the Pharcyde, "I'm that type of Nigga"

Up All Night

2005-03-01T12:50:00.000-07:00

I haven't really been up all night, i'm just listening to that particular track by Razorlight right now.

I don't really have much to say right now, but i was just noticing that i hadn't posted since Sunday so i thought i'd try and keep a regular thingy. I know i feel dissapointment when i see that the blogs i regularly check haven't been updated.

I really want to get the Office complete series. I know you can buy the set that includes the 2 seasons as well as the xmas special. If anyone knows where i could get this please let me know. That show is a smash hit with my close circle of friends. I absolutely love it to death and the repeat viewing appeal is high.

Also deliberating over whether to get the Chemical Brothers' new album. The first single has really grown on me, but i'm worried it won't have enough else on the album to warrant the purchase.

Checking today's releases i see that J-Lo's new album is released today. Boy i hope it bombs. She has the lamest voice. There's nothing on her tracks that makes it a J-Lo song. She just comes in and sings in her mild little voice and jermaine dupree or whoever supes it up, throws on huge strings and beats, etc. Her newest single is another load of bullshite.

What's with critics and rap music? They give every album at least 3 stars. They have no idea what's going on. I think it may be racial (most critics are white) and let's face it, most critics are not cool and probably rate these albums well because they don't want to be perceived as being dorky white critics, which is what they most likely are. So the result is we get the Game getting universal acclaim (despite being absolutely terrible) just as the shite 50 cent did a couple years ago, and decent artists like Kanye West get hailed as the greatest thing ever.

I hate it when people compare 50 cent style rappers to NWA and the Notorious B.I.G. These are not the same artists as early NWA and Notorious B.I.G. When those artists came out, they were original. NWA had geniunely intimidating rhymes with matching aggressive beats. Biggie sure glamorized gangsta life, but at least he did it with imagination and creativity. Guys like 50 and the Game toss of rhymes about drinking and getting laid that put me to sleep. The beats are like cheap japanese video games.

This is the cliched part of the argument, but what happened to the positive hip hop artists like De La Soul, a Tribe Called Quest, Pharcyde, Freestyle Fellowship, crews where the mcs were skilled and left you in awe of the clever rhymes they'd come up with. Well there are still great crews. Jurassic 5, Outkast, Blackalicious, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Mos Def, and MF Doom are just a few that spring to mind. There's lots of great hip hop, but it gets lost in the 'underground' in favour of these wanna be thugs who drop lazy rhymes about clubbing.

Time to start giving the Chingees, J-Kwons and Young Bucks the shit-canning they deserve. Fuck 50 Cent, he's a no talent hack. Start bringing the funk and sould back to hip hop beats, leave the Mario 3 samples behind. Eminem should retire, he got stale 2 albums ago. Roots Manuva is the best british hip hopper, not Dizzee Rascal. Dilated Peoples' newest album got some of the worst reviews in all of music last year, but still managed to be better than almost any 'mainstream' album.

Well then. It looks like i found something to talk about.

"...sick of phony mobsters controlling the dance floor" - Chali 2na from Jurassic 5, "What's Golden"