Went to Pressed for Experimental Music Wednesdays.
From April 4 – May 16 there was a series of live experimental music, which turned into a great Wednesday night hangout spot.
This was final instalment of the series, and everyone’s hoping it will be coming back in the future.

Playing at this series was:
• Decomposing Pianos

• Matt Morel

• Jason Yung

• Radioactive Bishop


The set started off with Radioactive Bishop, who played an ambient electronica set.
The last two tracks were a bit livelier, and kind of made me want to dance.

Next was Jason Yung, who put on more of a performance piece, with samurai like moves and sounds coming from the sword.
It was pretty interesting to see and hear.

Next was Matt Morel.
He had a cello and did a piece called Howl, which was pretty experimental and had the audience howling by the end.

Then I caught a bit of Decomposing Pianos, with their experimental noise set that I wish I got to see more of.

Overall, it was a crowded last night of Experimental Music Wednesdays at Pressed, which will hopefully return soon.
Here are the rest of the photos.

Rap and hip-hop are genres that don’t get featured a lot on this site.
When Atherton, Ottawa’s hip-hop MC and musician, contacted me to check out his album, I decided not to pass up the chance to do something different.
No Threat (an anagram of his name), drops on May 22, 2012 with two free tracks available for download on Bandcamp.

No Threat is his third full-length album, and for this one he pulls out all the stops.

“Atherton is a hip-hop artist from Ottawa Canada, who likes to take inspiration from many genres.”
As I read the above about Atherton aka Devin Atherton, I was surprised that despite being a rap and hip-hop artist, many musicians outside these genres are featured in collaborations on this album.
Among these collaborations are Dean of Wildlife in Kid On A Corner and Miserable December, Whitney of Sound of Lions in No Threat and Good Gone, and Jordan David of the Love Machine in Get Happy Or Die.

I like this album, which is saying something, as again I’m not the biggest rap/hip hop fan. It is kind of sad that 1 in 6 (The Tim Hortons Rap) didn’t make the cut, as it is one funny music video.
But all else considered, if you like hip-hop with a mix of dance, electronica, experimental and rock, definitely check out his work.

Best tracks:

• Kid On A Corner feat. Dean Povinsky of Wildlife
  

• No Threat feat. Whitney Delion of Sound of Lions
  

• Lights Out
• Miserable December feat. Dean Povinsky of Wildlife
• Good Gone feat. Whitney Delion of Sound of Lions
• Get Happy Or Die feat. Jordan David of The Love Machine
• Jacob’s Ladder

• Paul Simon Songs

I’d give No Threat 8/10.
Also – don’t forget that there is a Album Release party on May 19th at Ritual.

It’s back again this year!
It will either be a mesmerizing experience or we’ll see a train-wreck bound to happen.
I’m talking about the Ottawa Rock Lottery.
Mark it on your calendar - May 19, 2012.


Click here for previous Rock Lottery Events.

Here are the details for this year’s event.
25 musicians from all local bands, including The Love Machine and The Peptides, will gather together for the fourth Ottawa Rock Lottery on Saturday, May 19th, 2012, 7pm, at Mavericks.
Hosted by Meg Wilcox from CBC Radio One’s Bandwidth, the Ottawa Rock Lottery is a celebration of all things local: local music, local art, local business, and local charity.
Net proceeds go to the Ottawa Food Bank with a $2,000 goal this year.

HOW IT WORKS
On Friday, May 18th, 25 local musicians from a huge variety of genres and bands will throw their names into a hat to be randomly grouped into 5 new bands.
Each new band has 24 hours to create a 20- to 30-minute set of all original music; indie rockers could be paired with hip-hop artists, rappers with a violinist and a band could end up with two drummers—it’s all in the draw.
It could be great, or it could be awful.
What it definitely will be is an exciting, not-to-be-missed event that any local music lover will appreciate.

This year’s Rock Lottery includes:
• 2012 Bluesfest performers:

• The Love Machine

• Fevers

• Zoo Legacy

• Loon Choir
• The Strain
• Fire and Neon
• Josef Pollock

• Wildcard element: Each band will be assigned a random instrument to incorporate into their set
• A special intermission performance by Ottawa’s Rockalily Burlesque!
• Audience “Lottery” for door prizes

SPONSORSHIP
Ottawa Rock Lottery (ORL) would like to thank all of their sponsors for their generosity:  

• ZaZaZa Pizza with Pizzaz
• Urban Capital
• Metro News
• Vertigo Records
• Kelp Records
• Quoi Media
• Gypsy and Company
• Auntie Loo’s
• Slaysh
• Kitchesippi Beer
• Pressed Cafe
• Partus Films
• Halt Imaging

HISTORY
Originally conceptualized by a promoter in Denton, Texas, Rock Lotteries have been held everywhere from New York City to Los Angeles since 1997.
Since it’s raging success last year, ORL has partnered with the Ottawa International Film Festival to host the Music Video Challenge, providing music for the 72 Film Challenge using all local bands and being the subject of a short feature documentary. 
Most importantly, it’s connected musicians with filmmakers and media contacts to take their career to the next level.

4^th Ottawa Rock Lottery
Saturday, May 19th, 2012 – Mavericks (221 Rideau Street)
Doors at 7 p.m. – Rock at 8 p.m. – 19+ $10 ($9 with a food donation)
Contact event organizer Samantha Everts for more info:  ottawarocklotto@gmail.com

Check out the web commercial for this!

Cold Specks, might be their year to explode.
Being featured on BBC’s Later… With Jools Holland and some loving from the critics.
I was lucky enough to see them open up for St.Vincent back on December 16, 2011.
Cold Specks is the stage name of Canadian singer-songwriter now based in London, UK Al Spx.
Apparently it is not her real name but it is intriguing and elusive.
I Predict A Expulsion, the debut album will drop on May 22, 2012 on Arts & Crafts in North America & Mute in UK/Europe.

The album has been called “Deep Soul & American deep south gospel with a strong goth streak”.
It’s more like a female version of Timber Timbre but without the creepiness and not about death.
There is a intimate feeling when Al just belts out those vocals.
Kind of reminds me of Joni Mitchell, Michael Kiwanuka, Tracy Chapman and Tasmin Archer. (Anyone remember that song Sleeping Satellite?)
Really like the song “When The City Lights Dim” which is about Toronto.
While “Winter Solstice” feels like you are trekking through the cold winter.
Something about the lyrics she sings feel very raw and real.
The whole album just gave me chills down my spine.
While the album title may not be pleasing but I am definitely putting it on my “Best of 2012″ list.

Best tracks:

• The Mark
• Heavy Hands
• Winter Solstice
• When The City Lights Dim
• Holland
• Elephant Head
• Blank Maps
• Lay Me Down

I’d give the album 9.5/10.

Toronto’s Bravestation has announced the name of their debut full-length.
It’s called “Giants & Dreamers”!
The album will drop on July 10, 2012 but you can pre-order it on Bandcamp.
Also the band dropped a second single called Tides of the Summit.
It is another mellow tropical new wave pop kind of song.
Makes you want lie down and soak up the sun.
Kind of reminds me of Duran Duran’s Save A Prayer or something from the 1980s.

Have a listen to Tides of the Summit.

I just want to feature this band for “Asian Solidarity”.
It’s been awhile since I last heard from Ottawa’s indie pop act Scary Bear Soundtrack.
Mostly due to the lead singer Gloria Song was working abroad in Africa.
Today they drop the music video for Asian Fetishist.
It’s a cute DIY music video with some underlining social commentary in the lyrics.

The song is free to download on their Bandcamp.

Here is a blurb about the single.
The music video was produced by band members and sisters Gloria Guns and Esther Song.
Esther created colourful paper dolls which were filmed in stop motion by Gloria in their Ottawa home.
The Scary Bear Soundtrack song pokes fun at subtle racism against Asian-Canadians, composing a list of odd stereotypical pick up lines often used on Asian-Canadian women.

“It’s sort of a response to an excellent Jezebel article I read online about hipster racism,” explains Gloria, the singer and guitarist of Scary Bear Soundtrack.
“It talks about how a lot of people think that it’s okay to make racist jokes because they assume it’s understood that they’re being ironic.
But sometimes racism is racism, and we get tired of these jokes, even if the joker believes himself or herself to be enlightened. And contrary to what some folks think, it’s actually not that flattering to have creepy guys hit on you because they have a big fetish for Asians.
Women generally like to be appreciated for their intelligence, personality, and beauty, and not solely on the basis of their skin colour.”

Asian Fetishist was recorded in Gloria’s bedroom while she was working on human rights issues in Windhoek, Namibia.
“Race issues were especially prevalent in post-apartheidNamibia,” Gloria notes, “and so I spent a lot of time thinking about identity, both as a Canadian and a woman of Korean descent.”
The song was recorded using a guitar that Gloria had bought from a Namibian pawn shop, a melodica, and a toy keyboard purchased from the local dollar store – all of which were stolen soon after the recording.
Luckily, the recording was saved.

Don’t forget this.
“4in1″ Live in an Ottawa Park
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Location: Dundonald Park
Acoustic show with FEVERS, Jenna Tenn-Yuk and Ari Abrams
Facebook event here

There was various events happening all over Ottawa on May 12, 2012.
I decided to go with a rap/hip-hop flavor of Chiac. (An English-influenced variety of Acadian French)
The Canadian electro hip-hop band Radio Radio played at Ritual Nightclub.


They were promoting the new album Havre de Grace.
I was kind of surprised that the show was sold out.
I got at the venue and there was already a lineup.

Since there was no openers, it was just Radio Radio headlining.
Which also meant that it was one of those fun late shows.
Last time I saw them live was in 2010 and that was on the heels of their last album “Belmundo Regal” being on the Polaris Music Prize 2010 shortlist.
I was surprised with their set because they had a backing band.
The last time I saw them it was just the three of them.
I think with Radio Radio having a backing band adds that dynamic sound to their live show.

The band played tracks from the new album and of course favorites like Jacuzzi, Guess What? and Dekshoo.
I had a great time at the show despite not understanding what they were saying in French.
But I did enjoy dancing to their rap/hip-hop and electro music.
At the end alot of people got on stage and danced with Radio Radio.
Such a energetic, hot, sweaty and wild show.

Here are the rest of the photos.

Here is this week’s music singles chart for the week ending May 13 – 19.
This week’s #1 song goes to Metric.
Yes I decided to make it #1 since everyone seems excited about the new album “SYNTHETICA” which drops on June 12, 2012.
So hope you like it.
There are new debuts from Passion Pit and Animal Collective.
Check it out.

This Week	Last Week	Total Weeks	Artist	Songs
1	2	2	Metric	Youth Without Youth
2	4	5	Great Lake Swimmers	New Wild Everywhere
3	3	4	Feist	Black Tongue
4	1	3	Purity Ring	Obedear
5	*	1	Passion Pit	Take A Walk
6	7	2	Eternal Summer	Millions
7	5	7	Dirty Beaches	Tu Ne Dis Rien
8	*	1	Animal Collective	Honeycomb
9	6	6	Digits	Death and Desire
10	*	1	Family Band	Night Song

Great Lake Swimmers

Feist

Purity Ring

Dirty Beaches

Digits

It was one of those shows that I had to attend, on May 11, 2012.
The show was kind of like an “Asians Representing/Asian solidarity” kind of show.
There were a lot of other events happening that night, so at first I didn’t know of too many people going.
And for those who didn’t attend, they missed a great show.

Playing at the show were:
• Dirty Beaches

• Xiu Xiu

• Father Murphy

The show started off with Father Murphy, a band from Italy (sometimes stated as New York, as one of the members used to live there).
It was a pretty intense mix of avant-garde and experimental, with no breaks making it a long set.
I was kind mesmerized at the quietness in Mavericks, as they normally have louder bands play; at one point, the set sounded kind of like a “Chinese Opera”.

Next was Xiu Xiu, who is touring in support of Always.
There were a lot of people there that were excited to see them, including me, as this was my first time.
It was a mix of experimental and dancey music, and the audience was very attentive during the whole set.
They covered New Order’s Ceremony, which got people moving, including me!
They ended with another cover, this time of Suicide’s Frankie Teardrop.
Man was that an intense song!
I was blown away by their entire set, in which I learned frontman Jamie Stewart likes chai tea, as I could smell it from the stage.

Before their set, Sarah and I got to interview Jamie and Angelina of Xiu Xiu.
They were very nice, and once I get someone to transcribe it, it will be up here.

Last was Dirty Beaches, who was accompanied by Shub Roy.
I was overjoyed to finally see him play in Ottawa, having missed out in 2010 and last year, where I caught him in Toronto and Montreal.
He started off with Lone Runner, and I think he did a different rendition of A Hundred Highway.
I was surprised that he played Horses from Badlands, as this was the first time I heard it live.
He included a cover of US Girl’s Red Ford Radio, and played Lord Knows Best, which I couldn’t help but sway  to.
After the encore ended, Alex aka Dirty Beaches carried Shub into the audience, which was quite different to see!
Overall, I couldn’t be any happier that I got see Dirty Beaches and Xiu Xiu live in Ottawa!

Here is a video I took during Dirty Beaches’ set.

Here are the rest of the photos.

Ottawa indie electro-dance pop band FEVERS launched their debut music video “Passion is Dead (Long Live Fashion)” at the Mercury Lounge on May 10, 2012.
Accompanying that, the band did a five song acoustic set.

Going acoustic was a nice change from their electro-dance pop side, as was their cover of Radiohead’s Idioteque.

Here are the photos from their set.