With probably the longest entry of 2011 we give the floor to regular MM contributor and top ten compiler...Dr Roddy. Well it seems to be that time of year again. I always spend 340 days looking forward to doing this and 25 agonising over it. This year especially though, as I think there has been a bumper harvest of great songs. When I looked at my Top Ten playlist (with over 100 songs in it) I just thought one thing: bugger! I got there in the end though. There have been certain parties that have tried [...]
Matador Sunset is an interesting but flawed album that doesn't exactly congeal all of its rootsy and folksy influences. I grew up in the small Ottawa Valley village of Barry's Bay, Ontario, Canada. Being pretty much the last major centre with stores and a hospital for most people en route to camping in Algonquin Provincial Park, it's a community that's almost literally in the middle of nowhere, which means you have to make your own entertainment. That conversely means there have been some interesting bands that have come out of the region, to provide...
Another Round Up of the good, the very good and the exceptional tunes that have recently wormed their way in between our ears via our In-box or the internet and blogosphere. Let them do the same for you. We have a few new tracks from artists we've previously posted about, some new bands and a couple of big names too. First up , The Warped 45s follow the brilliant Grampa Carl with another track from new album Matador Sunset . Talk About Evil is more of a fiddle and bluegrass [...]
So hear it is. The result of months of hard work from some of our favorite bands across this nation (and even a special cameo from one of our favorite American outfits). Basically, the idea was simple: Pay tribute to a Canadian legend on Canada Day. Oh, and get some free content for the blog of course. In all seriousness, Gordon Lightfoot has been making music for decades and his stories are passed from generation to generation. Unfortunately, when asked about the greatest Canadian songwriters, Gordon is often left off the list. [...]
Hey, folks. We are putting the final details on something special for Canada Day, but since the lovely and talented Lana Gay was kind enough to have us on CBC3 today to talk about the project, we thought it made sense to release a trailer of sorts. Basically, we begged and pleaded with some of our favorite artists and cobbled together a massive tribute to the man, the icon, Gordon Lightfoot. Tomorrow we will put the whole kit and kaboodle online for any music lover to grab for free, but to whet your appetite [...]
The grind of being a touring band is a son of a bitch. No matter what metaphor you try to spin or how you try to glorify the experience, being trapped in a van for six or seven hours a day watching the odometer turn and the gas tank empty isn't really living the dream. The road, is however, a necessary evil. Melodies are tested and emotions are processed. Harmonies are tightened and filler is harshly graded by crowds night after night. The friendly confines of the jam space Matador [...]
We're a little behind with this one - The Warped 45s new album Matador Sunset came out at the end of last month. Taster track Grampa Carl is a wonderful tale of prohibition, the story unfolding on the back of a foot stomping riff and a climactic cacophony of electric guitars - wonderful stuff. Like us, you can track the album down at Maple Music here . Check the band's blog here . Download The Warped 45s - Grampa Carl mp3 (from Matador Sunset) [...]
Canadian culture is an odd thing. In a lot of respects it is as much a mirror of the pervasive American entertainment spectrum we're inundated by through no fault of our own. But while Canada struggles to create mainstream, popular art in the film and television realms truly Canadian music is a lot easier to come by. You know it when you hear it, whether it's the punk-tinged story songs of John K. Samson or the choral allegories of Bruce Peninsula or, yes, even the overtures to modern rock radio of The Tragically Hip. That's a big [...]
With a blue collar work ethic and pride born from small town Ontario roots, the Torontonian based road warriors The Warped 45s are back with a follow up to their smash debut, 10 Day Poem to Saskatchewan , and we're happy to give y'all a sneak peak. Matador Sunset isn't out until May 31st on Pheromone Recordings , but the band is getting ready to road test new songs that took shape on long drives through remote areas of Northern Ontario, so it's the perfect time to [...]
I was in dire need of a rock and roll soul cleanse, so I headed out to the Horseshoe last night to catch a few of my favorite locals acts. I had a late conference call, so I missed opener The Matthews Brothers , but made it just as The Warped 45s started their set. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the Horseshoe was at about three-quarters capacity. Lots of fans out to support the local acts, plus a bunch of grumpy Leafs fans, with a few noticeably double fisting bottles of beer. [...]
Review of the 2010 Hillside Festival, Guelph Conservation Area, Ontario Part one of three Mediocre photography by me. Background and Day 1 The 27th annual Hillside Festival took place July 23-25 at the Geulph Conservation Area, slightly northeast of the city of Guelph in southern Ontario. I like to refer to [...]
Here are some of the bands I am going to try to see tonight. Realistically, its already been a long day, and I may just plop my sorry ass down at Lee's Palace all night. 8:00 Andy Kim , Lee's Palace Did you know that Andy Kim wrote a bunch of hits in the 60s and 70s? Me neither. 9:00 The Besnard Lakes , Mod Club Theatre My friends want [...]
For Canadian music bloggers lucky enough to be selected to submit a ballot for our Nation's coolest music prize , the last few days have been a hectic time. With so many people screaming suggestions, it would be hard not to revisit your choices and the names you hear around the ole cyber water cooler before hitting submit. As it was, my list was pretty locked in and really, the only shifting was for the coveted number 5 spot. Being the transparent blog we are, I figured I'd share my picks with you [...]
So, we have a few big shows coming up here in Halifax. Obviously, the weekend of the 19th and 20th is going to be insane with the Thrush Hermit reunion shows, but for those unfortunate cats that didn't get tickets, I will humbly suggest people venture to The Seahorse to check out Toronto's The Warped 45s . When I reviewed their debut LP - 10 Day Poem For Saskatchewan ( review ) - I was pretty impressed with their gritty roots sound. Since that time, The Warped 45s have won some prizes and [...]
This may be a news flash to some of you, but I am not cool. I have serious envy of bloggers who are better writers than I am, who have their shit together enough to post every day, who get lots of free CDs, tickets, backstage passes, and other swag. Most of the people who solicit me for a review for their new album clearly don't even read my blog. My most recent e-mail solicitation was from an Australian group who describes themselves as a "blend of hip hop and electro-pop." I have nothing against [...]
Warped 45's, Stand By Me What really constitutes a break out band these days? It certainly doesn’t revolve around record sales or record deals, and it’s not as clear cut as getting posted on a few blogs. With so many people simply cutting and pasting press releases or falling in line with the few big dogs that drive popularity, even the shittiest (most persistent) band can get love from a hundred blogs. To be honest, despite the insane amount of people talking about music these days, popularity has little to do with who is [...]
Circle it on your "Upcoming Special Events" calendar. On October 23rd, the Fast Folk Underground concert series will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a special evening at The Dakota Tavern (249 Ossington) in Toronto. Performing will be Eugene Ripper, The Warped 45s, and Toronto's legendary celtic rockers The Mahones. Artists who have participated in Fast Folk Underground over the years reads like a who's who of Canadian indie rock. The Lowest Of The Low, The Sadies, hHead, Matt [...]
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