The Sunparlour Players are probably my favourite band. And their my favourite for a variety of reasons: they're small enough that they don't play huge venues, they're from Toronto so I can see them frequently enough, and they put on a hell of a live show. I've seen them, in their various incarnations, I'd guess at least a half dozen times (many of which pre-dated this blog), and so my expectations for their album were extraordinarily high. So high, in fact, that I may have [...]
I tried to avoid choosing "Faerie Dance" by Montreal-based Plants and Animals for this installment of Song of the Week. I really did. I told myself that I should try to pick a song off an album that is more recent than the 2008 Polaris Prize-nominated "Parc Avenue," which came out over a year ago. Come on, Mr. G, there must be something more recent that warrants a shout-out in this blog column. You want your readers (I know you're out there) to think you're hip and with it. But try as I [...]
I mentioned a few weeks ago that I had picked up A Life of Crime , the documentary by Jon Eagan and James Loftus on the Parkas , their 2004 cross-country tour, and the subsequent "re-organization" of the band. It was a little strange watching the moving since, as I mentioned previously, I know Mike Brown from school; and, after seeing him in that context for the last 8 months, it was neat seeing him in his other life. The movie itself was a really interesting look at life in [...]
So, round 4 with Dog is Blue, or, Paul Watson, if you prefer. Paul has recently released an album called ... Makes Ghost Noises , which is a really neat folk album. It's an album that I haven't reviewed fully, and may not for a little while, but its like Matt Damon in Rounders , 'hanging around'. And while its not an album that is going to blow you away (I'm not sure "ghost-folk" albums are capable of doing that), but its an album that is kind of like comfort food. It makes [...]
("No pictures... ") It was unclear whether the first act was called Dave and the Clouds, Davis LaCloud, or something else entirely... turns out it was (and presumably still is) David MacLeod . And he (and the band) were pretty solid I thought. Kind of a hybrid b/w Paul Simon and the more rock 'n' roll sensibilities of say... Plants and Animals . Note to self: remember that name. But before P&A went on there was a "special guest": Joe . Half burlesque act, half [...]
The best thing about this (or that, depending on where you're reading this... not that these other sites aren't good) here blog is that people send me music (for free!), which incidentally is also the worst thing about this (not that) blog. As I discussed with Jonathan of Ketch Harbour Wolves , this internet thing has allowed just about everyone and their grandmother to make their music available, and as you may have guessed not all of them are good (but a good number of them get sent to me!). But, thankfully, one in every, [...]
Initially I planned on waiting for a dry spell to post these videos, but they are just to good to sit on... They're all video solicited by the once great, now firmly in the Dave Matthews Zone where it wouldn't be a surprise if he put out an album of songs he has sung in the shower, Ben Folds, who is releasing Ben Folds Presents University A Capella . Andy Bernard would be so proud ... " Kate " by [...]
No band paints a more vivid picture of the Canadian landscape than do Kingston, Ontario's own, The Tragically Hip . In a melting-pot country that often has difficulty defining itself, it's a good thing we have them to remind us what it means to be Canadian. And what, pray tell, is more synonymous with Canadiana than the art of ploughing? That's a rhetorical question. But such is the subject matter covered by this week's song of the week, "Queen of the Furrows." That's right folks. The Ontario [...]
See part one here . I Was Young When I Left Home Antony w/ Bryce Dessner Dark Was the Night Jerk It Thunderheist (Toronto/Montreal) Thunderheist Kettering The Antlers (Brooklyn, NY) Hospice [mp3] Oberkampf [...]
At the end of last year I cleared my computer of all my "2008" music and decided to start my computer with a blank slate for 2009. So, what I've compiled here is more of a "Best Songs That Have Landed On My Computer '09" rather than, a "Best Songs (so far) of '09", but, by 'n' large, these are songs are 2009 releases (since I'm cool like that). I think the most interesting part of transcribing this list (collecting the myspace urls and the iTunes deets) was how much great CanCon, in particular TronCon. For [...]
So, wherever I read this book was like The Office was completely wrong. I mean, its set in an office, so that's kind of the same. But the comparison would be like saying Titanic and, say, Master and Commander were the same (hint: they both have boats). The book is about the group of people who work in a failing Chicago advertising firm (its also like MadMen!), the rumour mill within the office, and the slow and steady collapse of the aforementioned ad firm. It took me [...]
Both Bob ( itsnotthebandihateitstheirfans ) Battams and Sean ( everythingispop ) Wright have been talking up Olenka and the Autumn Lovers (London, On) for a good time now. In fairness, I think I might have written something about them before now were I still living in the burgeoning metropolis, but, I've moved on to bigger, swinefluier pastures. But, ironically (or not) it was a trip back to the forest city (London, On) that really made me take notice of OatAL . They were playing a CHRW (Radio Western) fundraiser/my buddy Elliot mentioned them [...]
"Haunting" is the adjective that comes to mind when describing The Low Anthem 's opening track off of their latest album, "Oh My God, Charlie Darwin." In Bon Iver-esque fashion, this trio of musicians from Providence, Rhode Island have managed to take a simple melody, performed gently on acoustic guitar with sparse harmonica accompaniment, and through sublime harmony and vocal nuance, transform it into a stunning piece of music. And it goes without saying that any comparison to Bon Iver naturally boasts a lead singer with eerily beautiful falsetto. The message [...]
I think Ketch Harbour Wolves are one of the/the most underrated bands in Toronto, maybe in Canada.... hell, maybe in the entire world. I came across their album on Herohill's top Canadian EPs of 2008 , and it took me approximately 15 seconds to figure out that the guys at Herohill had really hit the nail on the head with KHW. They (KHWs) ended the year in a three way tie for BM 's album of the year with Kanye West and Chad Van Gaaelen , so, pretty select company for a pretty [...]
As many of you know I have the attention span of a 6 year old and this blog is a fun outlet for me to try out new stuff. Some stuff lasts (see: my pick of the week ), some doesn't (see: virtually everything else ), and its hard to tell what's going to happen with this, but I had a lot of fun creating these posters this (Sunday) afternoon. If you're in a band and saying to yourself, "GAWD, I wish I could get the R.O.B. to make me a poster" just ask, I can't imagine [...]
Last night was just about the perfect ending to what was a pretty spectacular week off for me (Tues: Dodgeball, Wed: FoTC , Thurs: Jays game). Especially since, 1/the Tranzac turned out to be a pretty cool venue; 2/the show ran very on time; and 3/ I made it home to catch the last 3 mins of the Blazers v. Rockets in time to see the Blazers get within 3 only to have Steve Blake chuck up a brutal shot with 10 seconds still on the clock... I digress... The only downside with the [...]
There were a few weeks at the beginning of the year where I really felt like I was struggling to find a quality album to recommend. Now, over the last 2/3 weeks I feel like I could be making 2 or 3 picks every week. In fact, this week I had 5 albums which I haven't picked that I suspect will end up on a lot of lists at the end of the year, but, Wooden Arms - I think - is the best of the bunch. Remember Patrick Watson the guy [...]
There were a few weeks at the beginning of the year where I really felt like I was struggling to find a quality album to recommend. Now, over the last 2/3 weeks I feel like I could be making 2 or 3 picks every week. In fact, this week I had 5 albums which I haven't picked that I suspect will end up on a lot of lists at the end of the year, but, Wooden Arms - I think - is the best of the bunch. Remember Patrick Watson the guy [...]
I think Flight of the Conchords are the kind of act that you want to keep to yourself, you don't want other people to know about them (unless you can recommend them to get cool points), laugh at them, and generally be 'in' on their jokes. It's not the type of humour that you want to share. Heading to the theatre (makes it sound classier, right?) I was a little unsure of what to expect from the crowd, and after having a group of what must've been 8 or so co-workers sit down beside Liz and [...]
Hopefully some thoughts tomorrow... and my pick of the week on Friday...
London, ON: Burgeoning Metropolis
Album Review: alt-J – An Awesome Wave
Azealia Banks – ’1991′ & ‘Van Vouge’
[LISTEN] Gotye (Passion Pit Remix)
Big Boi & Theophilus London (feat. TRE LUCE) - 'She Said OK'
