Here's part two of my gig-crazy summer trip this year. I left you off where we staggered away from Pulp's gig at Wireless only two days into our trip. The next day, after an afternoon at the Tate Britain, we headed off to see Lou Reed at the Hammersmith Apollo. I'm sure there are people out there who will tell us "I told you so." Yes, Lou Reed is a notorious curmudgeon. Yes, he's made some very unfavourable career moves. While it was special to see a legend I never thought I'd see in my life, he [...]
Hello...how are you? Well, it's been quite a long time. Perhaps there are two or three of you out there who still may read this. It's been a landmark year for me in terms of the gigs I managed to see. Mainly because I kept leaving Winnipeg. In February, I got to see Gang of Four in Toronto, and they were one of the most exciting bands I've ever seen. Unlike The Buzzcocks, who I saw last year, GoF are still clearly passionate and earnest about what they do. Andy Gill was a badass, and Jon King was a maniac. [...]
Hello...how are you? Well, it's been quite a long time. Perhaps there are two or three of you out there who still may read this. It's been a landmark year for me in terms of the gigs I managed to see. Mainly because I kept leaving Winnipeg. In February, I got to see Gang of Four in Toronto, and they were one of the most exciting bands I've ever seen. Unlike The Buzzcocks, who I saw last year, GoF are still clearly passionate and earnest about what they do. Andy Gill was a badass, and Jon King was a maniac. [...]
This post has a back story. And a reason for me to come out of the hiatus once again. I was quite surprisingly contacted by 24 Hour Service Station , a Florida-based record label that released a double-disc New Order Tribute Album earlier this year. They were looking for a decent cover of The Smiths' Hand in Glove by an indie band for an upcoming Smiths tribute album. I would say I have a fair collection of covers by one of my favourite bands of all time (estimated at around 400), but it seems nearly no one [...]
I'm breaking hiatus once again. And once more, it's for a band I believe in, albeit a fledgling band that deserves support. Like one of my previously loved bands, the sadly now defunct Stroszek , this one is taking musical genres in different directions by shifting the lyrical ground in fiercely intelligent and sociopolitical ways. The Young Hegelians (not to be confused with the New York band of the same name) are based in Middlesbrough. Led by songwriter, Carl Jackson, this band has that fantastic self-belief and commitment to lyrics that are so often out of fashion. Without getting [...]
As promised, here is my email interview with Simon Indelicate. As expected, he gives thought-provoking, articulate answers - enough to stimulate many further intellectual debates. He did the The Indelicates' b(r)and proud. Remember to go over to The Indelicates' Corporate Records , pay for the privilege of listening to their music, and then if you're so inclined, participate in their Versions Project, which you can find out more about at their website . CTRR: This latest album is full of references to decadence, especially that of the 20s and 30s, musically [...]
I had to come out of hiatus for this. Look at that album cover. How could I deny those puppy eyes and broken necks? Then there was the press release, which read: Songs For Swinging Lovers is a stunning, diverse and intellectually complex record that marries the band's trademark lyrical precision and songwriting skill with a broad palette of musical styles and influences. The strains of country, Weimar cabaret, holy bible-era manics, belle epoque cafe music, Muder (sic) Ballads-era Nick cave, 90s indie and 70s sleaze can all be heard in the arrangements. [...]
Some of you loyal readers may have noticed both my rather spotty posting record last year and my two month absence this year before finally revealing the Day of 200 Songs. I apologize, something I've been doing for a long time now. Soon after the Christmas holidays, I came to a difficult decision: I'm going to take an indefinite break from CTRR. There were several factors, including my workload with my full-time job and with the couple of freelance gigs I've picked up. There was also the rather frightening breakdown over the holidays, which saw my regular [...]
It's finally here. The Day of 200 Songs held in honour of my 200th post, which happened way back in April of last year. A brief recap for those who don't know the whole story: to celebrate my 200th post, I decided to try a little community-building project. I wanted to get 200 people who read this blog (or perhaps those who even only read that 200th post) or friends they know to submit their favourite songs so that I could then compile them into 10 mixes for everyone to share. While I received several submissions, I didn't receive many, [...]
I didn't really want to attempt a list of my favourite albums of the decade - the list for this year alone was more work than I needed. Instead, I decided to hit some of the ways this decade dealt with music - how technology has changed the musical landscape further, what globalized capitalism has done to the music industry, and what media convergence did to help out. Then as a second part, I thought I should add some of my musings on the decade as far as my own musical development goes - after all, I became an adult [...]
So, it's the end of year two on CTRR. It's been a surreal one, and for this blog, a sporadic one. I realize that I sort of fell behind on my blogging because of my new job, and I feel quite guilty about it. Balance is something I need to work on in the coming year. This was the year I switched over to this new home on WordPress, and it's treated me quite well so far. There haven't been any mysterious deletions of posts like there was on Blogger, and I like the flexibility this [...]
It's finally the last part of my year-end round-up of weekly mixes. The themes included here are: twee, female singer-songwriters, rock, literature, commiseration, numbers, post-punk, Manic Street Preachers, autumn, cover versions, Halloween, Germany, Remembrance Day/war, winter and Christmas. Speechless With Tuesday - The Apartments Friday, Saturday, Sunday - DJ Hell Weekly Mix #77 - Revolt Into Childhood ( Download ) Come Saturday – The Pains of Being Pure At Heart Hit the Ground – The Darling Buds Sensitive – [...]
I realize this is a week late - I apologize. It wasn't just to build suspense; I suppose I decided to get a bit of actual relaxation in when I finally started my holidays four days ago. At any rate, let's dip into what autumn brought for albums. September gave us releases from Sondre Lerche, frYars, The Cribs, The Big Pink, Dragonette, Boys Noize, Yo La Tengo, Noah and the Whale, Sliimy, David Sylvian, Jamie T, The Voluntary Butler Scheme, and surprisingly, Prefab Sprout. Wild Beasts broke through with their sophomore album (being contrary, I thought it wasn't as good [...]
See here for Part 1 of this series. This second part includes mixes with themes of: senses, 80s film soundtracks, Australia/New Zealand, cover versions, robots, acoustic, London, New Wave, 2009, summer, dance/electro, Canada, France, and wit. Next weekend, the last of weekly mixes will make their appearance, and hopefully, at the end of the week, you'll find out what my top eight albums of the year are. Weekly Mix #62 - Why Can’t You Touch, Taste and Smell Evil? ( Download ) It’s Your Touch – The Black Ghosts Taste [...]
I know...it's even later than the last one, but I'll push on. Let's take a look back at who released albums in the summer of 2009. July produced new albums from Stellastarr, Trashcan Sinatras, The Most Serene Republic, and Nicky Wire's brother, Patrick Jones. There were also records from the latest Jack White project, Dead Weather; former Boo Radley, Martin Carr; and finally a debut from folk duo Slow Club. And the ginger quiff that is La Roux dropped her first album. August sweltered on with music from Mew, Japandroids, Calvin Harris, Patrick Wolf, The Antlers, Imogen Heap, and [...]
Here's another music meme I got off Rol . List 10 musical artists (or bands) you like, in no specific order (do this before reading the questions below). Really, don’t read the questions below until you pick your ten artists!!! 1. Manic Street Preachers 2. IAMX 3. Patrick Wolf 4. The Smiths 5. The Clash 6. Pulp 7. The Indelicates 8. McCarthy 9. David Bowie 10. Stars What was the first song you ever heard by 6? [...]
When I was taking my communications diploma in between my BA, we were assigned groups in which we would have to create a concept for a local magazine and see it through from conception to publication. As my luck always runs, I was saddled with an incompetent, uncreative, unproductive group, whose best idea was some very vague Manitoba showcase magazine. At any rate, one of my journalistic contributions was to be an interview with David Steinberg while he was in town for the Winnipeg Comedy Festival. Slightly daunting to me even now, but pretty tongue-choking intimidating for an nineteen-year-old with [...]
It's a little difficult to believe another whole year has passed since I started this blog - in January, CTRR will hit its second birthday. Once again, I didn't make a weekly mix for every week this year, though I tried to make up for as many as I could. In this part of the series, there are mixes with themes of: lullaby/sleep, Scotland, colours, John Peel, work/unemployment, Valentine's Day, underdogs, cover versions, synthpop, Wales, Ireland, dance, spring, paranoia, and science fiction. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my friend, Roland, who has [...]
Yep, it's a day late. Probably two if you live in a different time zone. It's part three of my top 40 albums of 2009. If we look back at the month of May, it seems like the majority of my favourites were released all at the same time, including albums from the Manics, IAMX, Morton Valence, Jarvis Cocker, Archivist, and The Rest. We also had new records that have already graced this list, including The Horrors' Primary Colours and Phoenix's Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix . The month was rounded out with albums by Maximo Park, Peaches, Esser, [...]
I explained my loathing of Christmas last year , and all I can say is how happy I am not to be working retail (it was getting pretty close as the resumés kept going out to no avail last year). I'm already feeling the funk creep in (not the Parliament kind) as I avoid the shopping centres and try my hardest to block out my mother's moaning about not having enough extended family for holiday occasions (the dig at my singleness is duly noted - if only she could understand what pure joy I have in my own company...she'd [...]
Condemned to Rock 'N Roll
“Is Burial actually Four Tet?” hoax resurfaces online
Song : Porcelain Raft : “Think of the Ocean”
The Postal Service – “A Tattered Line of String”
Serena Williams weighs in on Steubenville, gets everything wrong
