Just as the good weather took it's time getting to Toronto this summer, I've taken my time coming around to the music of Old Man Luedecke . Doing my best to rectify that, I've been taking a crash course on the Nova Scotian banjo player and "Proof of Love , " the title-track to his 2008 album, is a great place to start. The perfect example of Luedecke's ability to pair an outstanding melody with amicable sincerity, this song is as endearing as it is catchy. Give it a listen and I doubt you'll need [...]
It's been a while, but the following finally begins my account of the second day at Sappyfest 2008. For a description of the festival's first day click here . Laura and I awoke in our tent after a late evening of solid concert watching and debauchery. We were camped out behind a massive house that was being rented by students. They'd been nice enough to accommodate The Burning Hell and Bruce Peninsula in their living room while also allowing as many tents out back as the grass could hold. [...]
This weekend was the 39th annual Regina Folk Festival . Like most of the big folk festivals in major Canadian cities, "folk" is a very loose term, as most of the headliners wouldn't typically be lumped into that genre. Still, it's a relatively small, very well-organized and well-attended festival that is continually drawing "bigger" acts every year, thanks I'm sure to a brilliant artistic director. Finances restricted myself, my lady Jenny, her sister and her little boy to one day's worth of paid attendance. We chose Friday, which saw main stage acts including: Final Fantasy, the Weakerthans, [...]
You see those happy, screaming, culturally diverse people of various ages having the time of their lives? THAT COULD BE YOU! Obviously I'm kidding, but this week is the best week I can remember for the Halifax indie scene. I know you might be skeptical and accuse me of blogger hyberbole, but the amount of shows and artists shuffling around the city before Sappyfest this weekend is pretty impressive and a few people decided to make the jaunt to Halifax before heading to Sackville. I mean, just look at these shows: [...]
Back around the year 2000, I was reviewing CDs for the University of Regina's Carillon student newspaper and loving it. In my time a disc came across my desk by a fellow named Steve Dawson , a virtuostic guitar player, producer, and the man behind Black Hen Records. Since then I've yet to come across another Black Hen artist, let alone one that matched the fun spirit and playful romp of his disc Bug Parade until now. I found Old Man Luedecke on the chart I base most of the show off [...]
photo courtesy of The Artel. Man-oh-man am I behind on this. TONIGHT, May 21st, Old Man Luedecke is going to be at the Grad Club and you should go see him. It's an Apple Crisp show celebrating the release of The Gertrudes' new record and a Skeleton Park Music Festival fundraiser (no word on the [...]
If you're not familiar with the Black Hen Music label from up north of the border (Canada for those of you who are geographically illiterate), you're missing some really solid and diverse music that digs to the roots. It's run by a man of the name Steve Dawson who, when not recording his own albums, pulls together some great talent. His latest release comes from Old Man Luedecke , who's put together his second album, titled Proof of Love . If I didn't know the Old Man came from Nova [...]
Who doesn't love a little banjo love now and again? Nobody. Not even your grandfather. If you don't, well then, I guess I won't see you at any upcoming hootenannies, now will I? If you do have a fondness for some upbeat finger picking and listening to the Muppet Movie soundtrack just isn't doing it for you anymore, that lovable Canadian, Old Man Luedecke , has something that's good for what ails you. That would be his new disc, Proof of Love ( buy ). The follow up to his widely [...]
Since we feature ladies last week, we might as well shine the light on the fellas. The Black Keys ∞ Strange Days Danny Schmidt ∞ Company of Friends The Felice Brothers ∞ Frankie's Gun Marah ∞ Wild West Love Song Coconut & The Duke ∞ Extra Pale Dorian Teitur ∞ Catherine The Waitress Old Man Luedecke ∞ Proof Of Love [...]
Old Man Luedecke is the Sufjan Stevens of Canada. While, not really. But he does play the banjo and write catchy songs that resonate universally. His new album "Proof Of Love" hits shelves April 15th. It was recorded live at Factory Studios in Vancouver and produced by Steve Dawson (I blogged about Steve here ). It'll be released by Black Hen Music . The musicians on the album are a who's who of Canadian folk music: John Raham (The Be Good Tanyas, Kinnie Starr) on drums, Mark Beaty (The Be Good [...]
I've told you before about old Mr. Simoneau , the deeply frustrated, angry old coot who lived four doors down from me when I was a kid, and would always end up spoiling my fun. I still can't, to this day, understand why he went out of his way to make the lives of all the kids in the neighbourhood miserable. Like this one summer day a bunch of friends and I pulled out our hockey sticks, the orange ball and a pair of goals and set up in the street. Well, lo and behold, old [...]
" All I want is to be a little part of the things I love ." Such a simple concept, but it really sums up the reason why listening to Chris "Old Man" Luedecke's new record is so rewarding. With the help of Steve Dawson , Chris has created a record that is like an invitation to Maritime kitchen party or a back porch jam session; a collection of songs that you find yourself singing and stomping along to. Sure it helps that Chris plays the banjo, an instrument that is as friendly and familiar [...]
I know it's easy to complain about PR types, but I would like to at least get things out in the open, so that for future reference I can point to this post and say see - it's written down thus it's a formal coda or mission statement. Here goes - a la Jerry Maguire (this will probably have the same dismal results) - 1. Please don't send me any more CDs (they're so done, plus it's just a huge waste of plastic, aluminum, paper and cardboard) 2. If you must send music email me a [...]
2007 fades, Mayne Island Yes, well, here we are one week in 2008. Is it too late to look back on what has gone before, reflect on where we are now, and ruminate on what might be to come? No? Alright then... 2007 has been a funny old, by my reckoning largely good, twelve months. We are now two-and-a-half years ( OMG !!) into our life here in Vancouver, and things are comfy. Those of you who've pogoed a go-go for a [...]
Why, Herr Ernst , I would love another flugelhorn... Though I value a fundamental degree of stability, I do so love the random. Rolling the dice, waiting for the spirit to move me, sucking and seeing. So I am particularly keen to hear this week's episode of Contrast Podcast , for which participants asked their digital music players to do the empee-3 shuffle and contributed the results. Obviously the CP nation shares my fondness for music by chance, since this week it collectively yielded over 90 minutes [...]
Old Man Luedecke pickin' it in a new old skool stylee... My Dear Friends, I finally have a chance to breathe. The work week has been worked out, the sproglets are tucked up in their respective beds, the dogs (Dearest Father-in-Law's pooch is visiting) are snoring lustily, the washing-up is washed up, and Dearest Wife is out with her father at a Michelle Shocked gig. So here I am, a virtual mug of Horlicks in hand, ready to sit a spell and chat. Well, where to start? How about the Vancouver Folk Music Festival? [...]
I am ashamed to admit: I've been holding out on you again. You see, several months ago, we had this thing in Memphis called the North American Folk Alliance Conference which will, for the next several years, be in Memphis. For one amazing weekend, Memphis got consumed with the best folk music in the world presented by four generations of folk-based and folk-influenced performers. Among the many wonderful things I saw was Old Man Luedecke , hailing from Toronto before making his great escape to Nova Scotia with banjo in hand, [...]
I can't freakin' believe it: Wordpress just ate my entire post when I went to save it. Below you will find a completely re-written version…you'll just have to take my word for it that the original post I had for you was much more eloquent. ** If there are any banjo lovers among the b(oot)log faithful, they you are in for a treat this week. Kingston is going to be visited by not one but two bands which feature some awesome banjo action. First up, who I just want to quickly mention before moving on to [...]
That's Fucking Dynamite had its first run in with the law yesterday. The CRIA shut us down for posting a Kings of Leon song called "Knocked Up". I mean it makes sense...we give out one song, talk about how great it is and get people excited to buy the disc when it comes out...clearly we are fucking up business for RCA Records who would much rather stick to the usual methods of actually paying for the same amount of attention on sites just like ours, sending out endless promotional material to all the wrong places, and then blaming the internet [...]
As I write this I'm at the wonderful Sappy Records Music Festival in Sackville, New Brunswick and I've been seeing some great performers and meeting some neat people too. Which brings me to Old Man Luedecke who agreed to release "I Quit My Job" under a Creative Commons Licence, which is a wonderful song to serve as his entry into the commons. "I Quit My Job" is from his latest CD, "Hinterland". Old Man Luedecke is a man, but isn't that old, but he has an older soul that pours out through his music. With [...]
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