It's Not The Band I Hate, It's Their Fans

"She's coming after me, she's like a honeybee..."

2009-11-06T06:57:00.010-07:00

Quick Blurbs about Friendly Rich, The Hoa-Hoa's & Krupke

Friendly Rich & The Lollipop People - Pictures At An Exhibition

To describe Friendly Rich Presents: Modest Mussgorsky's Pictures At An Exhibition as an eclectic piece of music is an incredible understatement. His personal reworking of the Russian composer's 1874 suite is as bizarre as it gets, sounding a little bit like the unique instrumental pairing of Frank Zappa and Pee Wee Herman. The project is ambitious for sure, but unlike Emerson Lake and Palmer's 1971 attempt at reworking this intense piece of music, Rich manages to draw out the whimsical elements hidden throughout the work, making this a surprisingly fun listen. His arrangement includes a who's who of guest musicians playing instruments as varied as the euphonium, harpsichord, penny whistle, harp and accordion, along with the standard drums, guitars and bass. The CD contains moments of solemnity (Bydlo), carnivalistic intensity (Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks) and beauty (The Great Gate of Kiev), as well as downright strangeness (Cum Mortis in Lingua Mortu) but it all works together in producing an interesting listen that is jarring yet enjoyable.

His live show has been known to include puppetry, cartoons, crank calls and more so if you're looking for something truly eclectic and new, you should attend the CD Release Party at The Tranzac on Saturday November 7th. The Hamilton Trading Company are opening.

Myspace: Friendly Rich
Video: Some bizarre footage of Friendly Rich @ Sneaky Dee's is on youtube.

The Hoa Hoa's - Pop/Drone/Pedals (early review!)

I've made no bones of the fact that dreamy psych-sters The Hoa Hoa's are one of the most underrated acts in the city, if not THE most underrated. I was going to sit on their P/D/P CD until it was officially released on December 1st but, like it's predecessor, it's one of those albums that you want everyone to listen to as soon as possible. Admittedly it doesn't deviate all that far from their debut in the sense that is still boasts a psychedelic fusion of shoegaze and 60's garage aesthetics, but I would say that the playing is a little bit tighter this time around, and the sounds are just a tad more varied. As the CD sweeps into the headphones, opening with a subtle guitar part, quickly accompanied by the steady shaker and a droney bassline, the percussion comes in with that unmistakenly thumpy early 90's Manchester beat, and The Hoa Hoa's once again blast off into the stratosphere with Postcards, which is a killer opening track. That momentum remains constant throughout the course of the album. There are moments of multi-layered shoegaze (Hey Joe, Wasting Time, Vinyl Ritchie), summer of love by way of Anton Newcombe cuts (Velocity (Downtown), Feels So Good Inside) and stunning occasions of mesmerizing beauty (Waves). The best song on the album to me is one that they've been apparently showcasing on the live stage for awhile now, called Grew Up On The Seeds, which is a tribute to the Sky Saxon led 60's garage band. It's notable to mention that the late Sky Saxon even joined them on stage for a live rendition of that song at this year's SXSW festival before his untimely passing on June 25th.

The underground psych-rock movement is noteworthy for many reasons, but the timeless nature of the quality music consistently put out by The Hoa Hoa's is certainly a major ingredient in this trippy sonic stew. The band will be celebrating the release of P/D/P on Optical Sounds at The Silver Dollar on December 4th. If you just can't wait till then, make sure you make it out to Rancho Relaxo tonight (Nov 6th) as they'll be sharing the stage with a whole slew of great psychedelic acts including Montreal's Postcards, Easy Targets and Volcano.

Myspace: The Hoa Hoa's
Video: New Years Eve Ball 2009 on youtube

Krupke - Slap Bracelet Release Party (November 13th)

Most of modern music these days can be lazily summed up into two basic categories: those that wholeheartedly pay homage to the past (which is what most bands do) and those that look forward to the future by creating something new. Now I realize that this statement is faulty in more ways than I care to articulate right now, but it seems to me that local band Krupke is at least putting forth a noble attempt at working towards the latter.

So far they've only put together a handful of songs (which can all be heard on their myspace page) but trying to lump these songs into a specific genre is not an easy task. The reason that I've chosen to promote them here so early on in their career is because their music is a perfect choice for those that like to be challenged when it comes to what is being fed to their musical palate. For example, their song Dirt and Culture starts out sounding like it's going to develop into a bit of a progressive jazz number, until the off-kilter vocal yelp kicks in, turning into a piece of music that is all over the place. The real surprise though is in the second half of the song where an actual melody starts to peek through and suddenly the very song that was initially impossible to follow is now actually stuck in my head. Weird. Waltz is a mellow number that is folksy yet slightly carnival-like in the sense that it tricks you into thinking that it's a relatively simple song until you really pay attention to its varied complexities. They also have a song called My Dearest Fergie, I'm So Sorry I Haven't Called But The Pony That You Always Wanted Died Today. Yah. With that song the band manages to cram an entire art rock tragi-comedy punk opera into a nifty little three and a half minute package which is exactly as daunting and delicious as you would imagine it to be.

Krupke is a band that demands a listener's full attention and admittedly, this may be a hard sell within the ADD driven world in which we live. Still, I think that if you're willing to put forth the effort, the payoff is worth it, and will continue to be even moreso as the band continues to solidify their sound. They don't yet have a CD to release, but they have released a limited edition personlized slap bracelet that they will be celebrating the release of on November 13th at Bread & Circus. Everyone who attends the show gets one. Opening for them are a few more of the city's finest, namely The Lovely Killbots, Ex~Po and B'mo Crazy.

Myspace: Krupke
Video: Krupke performing for minilogues on youtube

Roky Erickson w/The Sadies @ Lee's Palace

2009-11-04T17:47:00.006-07:00

If you're at all familiar with the sordid past of psych-rock pioneer Roky Erickson, than you know that it was only a few years ago that the possibility of ever seeing him perform live seemed about as likely as a warm winter in Toronto. His heavily permissive lifestyle back in the 60's while he was the leader of seminal psychsters the 13th Floor Elevators led to his being diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 1968, resulting in jailtime, electroshock therapy, and even a brief stint where he believed that aliens were coming to Earth to do him harm. It was only shortly after the end of the 90's that Roky finally received both the medical and legal aid necessary to help him on the road to recovery. It was in 2005 that he performed his first full length concert in 20 years, and it was from there that the momentum continued to grow, culminating this year in a brief four date tour that brought him to Chicago, Detroit, Hamilton and right here to Lee's Palace in Toronto last Wednesday night.

Since I attended another performance earlier in the evening, the situation lined up in such a way that I got to Lee's early enough to plop myself down on an elevated stool that was right up against the stage. In other words, best seat in the house, not only for Roky, but also for the openers whom I probably don't have to tell you too much about: The Sadies.

The insane talent of The Sadies has been documented quite extensively on this here site and I really don't know how much more I can add to what I've already said. When I first heard that my favourite cow-punkers would be opening for the garage rock legend, the match-up did not seem hugely unfathomable. I've seen The Sadies cover everyone from Love to The Stooges to The MC5, so their love of all things psychedelic and garage-y has been duly noted and sharing a stage with Roky seemed appropriate. I will say that limiting The Sadies to a 35 minute set is somewhat criminal because, although their set was as intoxicating as it always is, to my ears it felt as if they were just getting started. I will also say that they made good use of their limited time by blasting through as many songs as possible, including an outstanding new song that showcases just how diverse the Good brothers are. If the new album is as promising as the new song they played, it is sure to be a significant release for them.

Photos: My shots of The Sadies @ Lee's Palace are on flickr
Myspace: The Sadies
Download: Anna Leigh mp3
Video: Flash on youtube

As great as they were, the crowd was clearly there to see the legend, and right from the start Roky and his band commenced to rocking, obviously with the intent of laying any doubts to rest as quickly as possible. Roky was smart to surround himself with some highly experienced bandmates for the evening. He had Kyle Ellison (Meat Puppets / Butthole Surfers) on guitar, Matt Harris (The Posies / Oranger) on bass and Kyle Schneider (Ian Moore / Charlie Sexton and a billion other bands) on drums and they were as tight as could be. For obvious reasons, Roky can only get so animated but the enthusiasm exuded by the band themselves more than made up for that. Actually, it was admirable to see a fully competent band care for the areas that Roky was unable to care for himself, while not using the situation as an opportunity for personal grandstanding. To the band's credit, never once did they detract from the reason we were all there in the first place, that is, to see Roky Erickson. He played for about an hour or so, and played a variety of songs from different areas of his career. My personal highlight was hearing him end with some Elevators classics, namely Splash 1 and their signature hit You're Gonna Miss Me as well as a song from his Bleib Alien days called Two Headed Dog. After leaving the stage, the band shouted, applauded and hammered for an encore but, even though the setlist indicated that he was going to come back out with 1982's Don't Slander Me, apparently it was not meant to be. Personally, I've always appreciated an artist that can just make the last song count, instead of contriving up the joint with an anticlimactic encore. This is exactly what Roky did, and the show was everything I could ask for and more.

It's not too often that one gets to see a living legend perform, especially not at a moderately small venue like Lee's. The image of Roky on that stage is one that I will not be forgetting anytime soon. I think it was expressed most eloquently by a friend of mine, who was also there, when he described the image of Roky with his back to us playing guitar, fan blowing his silver-ish hair like he was on a beach in psychedelic garage heaven as completely blissful. Nicely put.

Photos: My shots of Roky Erickson @ Lee's Palace are on flickr.
Myspace: Roky Erickson
Myspace: 13th Floor Elevators
Video: You're Gonna Miss Me on youtube

Other stuff:

There's an interesting interview with Andrew Whiteman of Apostle of Hustle and Broken Social Scene by Matt McKechnie over at Thick Specs. He will be at Lee's Palace on November 19th. [Myspace: Apostle of Hustle]

The Wooden Sky have recently put together a project entitled "The Wooden Sky: A Documentary in Pieces" directed by Scott Cudmore on their summer ‘09 Bedrooms & Backstreets tour. The first two pieces are available here. They will be playing Lee's Palace on November 13th with Hooded Fang and Brian Borcherdt. [Myspace: The Wooden Sky]

Pick A Piper also have a new video up for their song Rooms using footage from all the way over in Iceland. Although today's mild snowfall has made me hate pretty much anything associated with the word "ice", the video is still actually pretty good. You can watch it here. PaP are playing Polish Combatants Hall on Nov. 7th and Rancho Relaxo on Nov. 21st. [Myspace: Pick A Piper]

Exclaim has an exclusive on the Born Ruffians follow up to last year's excellent Red Yellow and Blue. Apparently Luke Lalonde has decided that thinking too much is overrated and they're just going to do what feels right for the new one. We'll be able to find out how well the method worked when the album is released on Warp Records early next year sometime. [Myspace: Born Ruffians]

It may be still a little bit early for such lists, but Amazon has just compiled what is, to my knowledge, the first official list of the 100 Best Albums of 2009. And, big surprise, it looks nothing like what mine is going to look like. You can see the list here.

Shotgun Jimmie @ Soundscapes (In-Store Performance)

2009-11-01T15:27:00.005-07:00

Shotgun Jimmie's latest release Still Jimmie (which I reviewed here) is not an album that I would say I pull out on a regular basis, but whenever I do, it instantly brings a smile to my face. It really is a solid album through and through, and I really don't know why I never think about it other than the fact that I listen to a lot of music and it's hard to remember everything. When I heard that he was coming to town and including an in-store at Soundscapes on his stay, I hadn't initially planned on going. But as I was preparing to head out for another show last Wednesday night, it was really by mere fluke that I stopped into the store to check him out. And I must admit, that I'm very glad that I did.

I wouldn't say that I'm much of an expert on the works of Jim Killpatrick and to be honest, Still Jimmie, his third album, is actually the only one that I've heard. However, that album alone was enough to convince me that, lyrically speaking, his was a man of charismatic whimsy, and this was doubly apparent in his laid back performance. Every song he performed that evening was preceded and followed by a quip or two and, I've got to say, that Jimmie is one funny guy. But he's quite talented also, as was made obvious as he sang and played guitar at the same time as hitting the snare drum with one foot and the bass drum with the other. Most of his set featured material from the familiar album, which he explained was all killer, no filler and filled with only the greatest "pop" hits. He then attempted to take requests, but then had to admit that he couldn't remember how to play the one that was first suggested. He did follow that up with a different request though, and then went on to play some new songs, the second of which was obviously still a work in progress as he hilariously took to improvising some of the lyrics on the spot.

Overall this was a performance filled with much laughter and good times, which, as we all know, has always been the Maritime way and I, for one, appreciated him taking the time to bring some of that joviality to us.

Photos: My shots of Shotgun Jimmie @ Soundscapes are on flickr
Myspace: Shotgun Jimmie
Download: Mind Crumb mp3

Other news:
Sorry I haven't done these for awhile but I've been meaning to start them up again. And here goes:

Local psych-folk experience The Space Between Things is planning on re-issuing the Songs About You EP with additional songs and artwork on Friday November 13th. Like the original it is going to be offered as a free download on the TSBT website. [Myspace: The Space Between Things]

Tracy Shedd has a new video for a song called City At Night that will be the first track on an upcoming EP entitled EP88, which will be available on Eskimo Kiss Records in early 2010. [Myspace: Tracy Shedd]

Entire Cities will be re-releasing their amazing album Deep River on white vinyl. The show will be at The Garrison in Toronto on November 19th. [Myspace: Entire Cities]

Spoon is finally releasing a new album and it will be entitled Transference. It will be released in North America on Merge on January 26th and in Europe the day before on Anti-. Stereogum has the track listing as well as some live versions of a few of the songs. [Myspace: Spoon]

The amazing Montreal folkster Leif Vollebekk has just been signed to Nevado Records, which means that the label's streak of signing only the best in Canadian indie is still very much in tact. His debut album Inland will be re-released on January 19th on both CD and 12" vinyl. [Myspace: Leif Vollebekk]

'Sup in November: Ten Picks

2009-10-31T13:50:00.010-06:00

I went to a lot of shows in October (including a Shotgun Jimmie instore and an historical Roky Erickson show with The Sadies that I still have yet to tell you about) which means that I think I'm going to chill out a bit for the month of November. I'll still be catching a few, but I'll likely be limiting it to a few of the smaller ones. Still, there's a lot to do, and here are my picks.

For more detailed listings, as usual, go check out Stillepost, Zoilus and Jen's Weekly List (of shows under $10)

1. Monsters of Folk @ Massey Hall
(Monday November 2nd; Cost: $36.50-$49.50 w/$1 of each going to Foodshare)

If you haven't yet heard about this project, (which, if this is the case, where have you been?) this is the name of a new supergroup consisting of Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis, My Morning Jacket's Jim James and She & Him's Matt Ward. Initially I wasn't all that enthused about this project simply because I'm no longer as big a fan of each of these talented artists as I once was. Conor jumped the shark at the time of the truly boring Cassadega. My Morning Jacket's last two albums also left me wanting, and I never really was a huge fan of M. Ward. But the Monsters of Folk self-titled debut is actually really good, providing some of the best material that any of those artists have produced in some time. I've also heard that the show will feature two and a half hours of material spanning all of their respective careers.

[Myspaces: Monsters of Folk; Conor Oberst; My Morning Jacket; M Ward]

2. Postcards / Easy Targets / The Hoa Hoa's / Volcano @ Rancho Relaxo
(Friday November 6th; Cost: $7)

Psych rock is alive and well in the city of Toronto and 4 of Canada's finest are sharing a bill at the mighty Rancho. Montreal's Postcards play a minimalistic blend of 60's jangle guitar psych and Phil Spector-ish pop. The Easy Targets capture a mid-90's psychedelic shoegaze vibe, not unlike the Brian Jonestown Massacre. The Hoa Hoa's are one of the best garage bands in the city who are currently in the midst of releasing an outstanding new CD entitled Pop/Drone/Pedals that would've made Ian Curtis proud. And opening the evening is Volcano, the side project of The Space Between Things' Chris Hobson, which takes a lo-fi approach into the psychosphere.

[Myspaces: Postcards; Easy Targets; The Hoa Hoa's; Volcano]

3. Rural Alberta Advantage / Fox Jaws / Bahamas @ Lee's Palace
(Friday November 20th; Cost: $15)

The RAA are officially the hottest band in Canada this year, and they're playing another hometown show at Lee's Palace which is sure to be well supported. They're being accompanied by a couple of Nevado Records' finest; namely Fox Jaws and Bahamas. Hopefully the RAA's supporters will get there early enough to give the openers the exposure they rightfully deserve, enabling them to find a spot on next year's list.

The RAA are also playing a free in-store at Soundscapes on Nov 17th.
[Myspaces: Rural Alberta Advantage; Fox Jaws; Bahamas]

4. Ume @ The Horseshoe (Tuesday November 3rd; Cost: Free)

I finally got around to listening to the Sunshower EP by Austin trio Ume (pronounced ooo-may and pictured above) and it's pretty spectacular. The songs are tight examples of only the best in melodic power pop, but with an edgy guitar sound that rips right through you. Apparently frontwoman Lauren Larson is a guitarist with amazing shred all wrapped in a tiny little amicable persona which sounds to me like a compelling contrast. They've been labeled a must-see by several reputable sources, and to fulfill that recommendation for free is an opportunity not to be missed.

[Myspace: Ume]

5. Camera Obscura @ The Phoenix (Thursday November 26th; Cost: $20.50)

Although they're not the most animated performers I've ever seen, it's hard to deny the power of the music. Their latest album My Maudlin Career may not be quite as magnificent as their star making turn with 2006's Let's Get Out Of This Country, but it's still pretty sweet in its own way, and it will definitely be securing a spot in my personal best of in '09.

[Myspace: Camera Obscura]

6. Devendra Banhart @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre (Friday November 27th; Cost: $29.50)

As much as I admire this beacon of eccentricity, for whatever reason I haven't heard any of his albums since 2005's Cripple Crow. No real excuse for this other than just simply never getting around to it. I also have never actually seen him live, which is an even bigger atrocite considering the fact that he's apparently a very unique performer. Even more unique and eccentric, from what I've heard, is a room full of hippy, freaky Devendra Banhart fans, the entertainment value in which is also likely worth the price of admission. Sadly, I can't make it to this one either, but I will see him one day, just you wait!

[Myspace: Devendra Banhart]

7. The Swell Season @ Massey Hall (Tuesday November 3rd; Cost: $29.50-42.50)

Unlike some people, I never had the opportunity to catch their surprise intimate show at Dakota Tavern in September, but apparently, although the romantic involvement of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova is no more, the sounds are still as sweet as ever. This means that Massey Hall will be the perfect setting for them to perform not only the hit songs from Once, but also the newer material from their latest effort entitled Strict Joy.

[Myspace: The Swell Season]

8. The Pretty Faces / Maned Young Lions / Born To Busk @ Rancho Relaxo
(Friday November 27th; Cost: TBA)

The Pretty Faces are an incredibly hooky band that used to live in Waterloo, Ontario before settling in Coral Springs, Florida. Their style is right up my alley as it borrows from many of my favourites like Big Star, Elvis Costello and The Kinks. In other words, the perfect power pop band. Maned Young Lions are a band from Orangeville that I only know in a casual way, but I've had the privilege of hosting a show in the past featuring lead vocalist Rayelle Stainton and I can say with absolute certainty that her talent is staggering. If you're looking for something new and accessible, this show comes highly recommended.

[Myspaces: The Pretty Faces; Maned Young Lions; Born To Busk]

9. Amos The Transparent / The Love Machine / Rival Boys / Michou @ Rancho Relaxo
(Saturday November 19th; Cost: $8)

Looks like the Rancho is the place to be this month, as we witness the return of the always entertaining (especially at the Rancho) Amos the Transparent. Joining them on the bill are fellow Ottawans The Love Machine whose infectious high energy rock throughly impressed me at this year's NXNE. As far as Rival Boys and Michou are concerned, I'm afraid I don't really know much about them other than the fact that they are a couple of Rancho faves whose reputation has become quite the buzz of that particular bar.

[Myspaces: Amos the Transparent; The Love Machine; Rival Boys; Michou]

10. Steely Dan @ Massey Hall
(Wed Nov. 25th & Thurs Nov. 26; Cost: $59.50-159.50)

Well, I'll bet you weren't expecting to see this one on my list. There is no band that raises more eyebrows amongst friends when asked to reveal my favourite bands of all time, but these 70's AM progressive jazz popsters settle nicely in the lower reaches of my top ten. 1977's Aja is an album that I actually crave from time to time and when that craving hits me, nothing else will do. My love of The Dan also explains my attachment to bands like Zero 7 and Midlake, not to mention local acts like The Paint Movement and Make Your Exit. Say what you will, but their influence is obvious (at least to my ears) and I'll bet their highly distinguished sounds would sound amazing at Massey Hall.

[Myspace: Steely Dan]

Honorable Mentions:
There's only a few other shows that I'd like to mention. Former Reily vocalist Megan Bonnell (Nov 1st @ C'est What); Dog Day, Immaculate Machine & Balconies (Nov 5th @ Horseshoe); Islands (Nov 7 @ Mod Club); Peter Bjorn and John & El Perro Del Mar (Nov 11 @ Phoenix); Young Galaxy & The Junction (Nov 13th @ Horseshoe); Invasions, Planet Creature & Davey Parker Radio Sound (Nov 13 @ Silver Dollar); Andre Williams & The Sadies (Nov 19th @ Horseshoe); Devo (Nov 23rd & 24th @ Phoenix); Elvyn (Nov 30 @ Horseshoe)

Where I'll Be:
As I mentioned, I'll be sticking with some of the smaller shows this time around. I'm hoping to catch Ume at the 'shoe, and it would be great to see RAA, Fox Jaws and Bahamas again at Lee's. I will definitely be taking in the psychedelic experience at Rancho Relaxo on the 6th, and I'll certainly be back there again on the 27th to support my friends in the Maned Young Lions. Other than that, the rest of the month is a toss up, so we'll see.

Final Notes:
Just one more thing that I'd like to mention: My computer is currently on its last legs meaning that it's running very slow and overheating regularly. This means that a post like this, which would normally take an hour or so to do, has been taking me approximately a billion hours to do. I'm hoping to get something new early in the month, but until then, my posting might me a little bit on the non-existent side. But I will get those aforementioned reviews up as soon as possible, and when the new 'puter is up and ready to go, I'll hopefully be posting a little bit more regularly again, which means a few more recommendations and rants than I have been providing lately. Until then, enjoy the stupidly colder weather.

[Above Ume photo by Michael Thad Carter]

My Top 10 Hottest Canadian Bands 2009

2009-10-30T17:30:00.007-06:00

Well, it's that time of the year that every Canadian music blogger loves the most: I (Heart) Music's carefully calculated compiling of The Hottest Bands in Canada. Matthew is the head maestro of that high quality music blog from Ottawa and what he does is he asks several of the country's finest music aficionados (and me) for their personal picks of the 10 hottest bands in Canada. He then takes our respective lists and, using a team of highly respected scientists and mathematicians, puts together the final selections. I was flattered to once again be asked to contribute my thoughts.

The two points of criteria remained the same: the bands had to be Canadian and they had to have a particularly "hot" year. As far as how these rules were to be defined was left up to our own discretion. I decided that the first point meant that they had to be in Canada, but I took a slightly different approach to that second point this year. Last year, I basically went with hot = popular, which meant that I included a couple of acts that were not necessarily my cup of meat, but included because they were everybody else's. This year I decided, screw that. I'm an opinionated music blogger and therefore I made the list a little bit more bob-centric. But fair.

This meant that I didn't include the bands I don't like, even if everyone else does (see Gentlemen Reg, Chad VanGaalen) and I also excluded the ones that I sorta like but find incredibly overrated (see Metric, Joel Plaskett, Still Life Still.) There are also the choices that were originally on my list but I opted to leave off in the end since I had a good feeling that they would ultimately make the list just fine without my help (see Great Lake Swimmers, Coeur de Pirate.) This allowed me to give that extra nudge to the not-so-sure-they'll-make-it-without-my-vote bands on my list. (By and large, that didn't work.) Finally, by definition, a band's hotness factor is, of course, not all about me, which means that the band needed to have a measure of significant buzz this year that made them stand out, which means that I also had to leave out a couple of my own personal favourites too, as much as it hurt my feelings to do so (see Fox Jaws, Amos The Transparent.) The only exception to this rule was my number 10 pick, whom I knew would likely not make the list, but I thought that I had a pretty strong argument for their inclusion so there you go.

Which brings us to my personal ten selections. Only a select few made the final cut, but this was a pretty difficult year for limiting the choices to only ten, since the level of quality this year was immense. And here they are:

1. Rural Alberta Advantage- Having reaped praise from just about every noteworthy music source over the last year, both here and south of the border, culminating in the support of the mighty Saddle Creek label, the RAA are now mere steps away from being a household name. Very impressive (although I'm still struggling to believe that Stephen Harper honestly listens to their music.) [Myspace]

2. The Balconies - Their debut album encapsulates a brave form of ambition that most bands save up for their third of fourth album. This means that, in theory, their third or fourth album is going to be the greatest thing ever. [Myspace]

3. Bruce Peninsula - Successfully duplicating a live performance that is amongst the most uplifting anywhere onto a studio recording is no small task, but Bruce Peninsula have done so with ease. [Myspace]

4. Wilderness of Manitoba - Folk bands are a dime a dozen these days, but this band's hotness factor lies in their ability to make a semi-tired genre sound fresh and beautiful again. [Myspace]

5. Ohbijou - Beacons is a reminder that even though life in the city can get pretty ugly at times, there is always an inner beauty to be discovered and exposed. [Myspace]

6. Zeus – They’ve made classic rock cool again. And, most impressively, by covering Genesis’ That’s All, they’ve made Phil Collins (semi) cool again. For these reasons, along with the fact that they're ridiculously good, they definitely get my pick for hottest new Arts and Crafts signing. [Myspace]

7. Whale Tooth – I’ve said it before, but in an indie world that tends to take itself too seriously at times, it’s refreshing to have a band like Whale Tooth around to remind us to have some fun. [Myspace]

8. Green Go – Finally, a dance band with a sound that is both organic and honest. [Myspace]

9. The Paint Movement – Not only have they released what, in my opinion, is the most captivating local release of the year, but they’ve done so with a brass rock comeback that, unbeknownst to most of us, was desperately needed. [Myspace]

10. The Hoa Hoa’s – They may not be hot in the sense that everybody has heard of them, but within the massively overlooked Canadian psych-rock scene, they are the saviors of aural experimentation, simultaneously urging us to gaze at our shoes while floating into a sonic high. Reaping praise from psych legend, the late Sky Saxon, is no small feat either. [Myspace]

[RAA photo above by Patrick Leduc]

Elvyn @ Silver Dollar

2009-10-26T05:10:00.003-06:00

Brothers Joel and Ryan Beerman have been playing music together as Elvyn for just over 11 years now, and their professionalism and abilities have only increased during that time. Elvyn's mix of pure pop and alt-country is as catchy and accessible as it gets, filled with soaring harmonies and heartbreaking lyricism. If you've ever listened to either their 2002 release Ten Car Stereo or their 2004 EP The Big Bay, then you're likely scratching your head also as to why they've never had so much as a hit song, let alone nationwide success. Of course, with the overwhelming onslaught of music these days, I suppose this is just a product of the musical climate that we live in, and a band such as Elvyn has to settle for making an impression by playing as many gigs as they can and letting the buzz flow that way.

This is exactly what they did when they played The Silver Dollar on Friday night. Rounded out with Jason O'Reilly on bass and Jeremy Knibbs on rhythm guitar, the band played a set that was subdued but tight as their classic sounding tunes caused more than a couple of people to get up and dance. Besides playing a number of familiar ones, they also showcased a number of new songs that are slated to appear on an upcoming CD that should see the light of day in the near future. These new songs are impressive in that they see the band going for an even more polished sound while still keeping an intentional imperfection in tact, allowing the songs to maintain their human "heart on their sleeve" approach. In between songs, Joel the drummer would toss out the occasional quip, while in the rockier moments, Ryan and Jeremy would showcase a little dueling Gretsch action that was entertaining also.

Admittedly, the show did have a few things going against it. The weather was all kinds of bad (I'm pretty sure the monsoon-like conditions wrecked my umbrella,) and there were a lot of other shows taking place in the city too (as is usually the case on a Friday night.) Most noticeably, the sound guy didn't exactly bring his 'A' game this time around, missing cues and messing around with levels, and it was clear that this dampened the band's enthusiasm a little bit. Still, overall, the band handled these setbacks with professionalism, taking it all in stride which the same laid back attitude that is portrayed in the music they make.

Elvyn are playing a free show at The Horseshoe on Monday November 30th.

Photos: My shots of Elvyn @ Silver Dollar are on flickr
Myspace: Elvyn
Video: All Is Lost on youtube

Wilco / Liam Finn @ Massey Hall

2009-10-20T15:42:00.004-06:00

Jeff Tweedy's recent attraction to the mellower side of making music in the vein of mid-70's AM pop made me a little bit unprepared for last Wednesday's Wilco show at Massey Hall. Of course I was still excited (this is Wilco after all) but one could understandably be forgiven for assuming that the show was going to be more of a "sit back and relax" type of affair. While it's true that the last time I saw them, they blasted out a set that included a phenomenal three song suite of Being There's greatest rockers, I know that this was more of an exception to the rule, and I walked in to the venue assuming that this would likely be a tad tamer. Still, I had every reason to assume that even that would likely be a sweet slice of fantastic, especially considering the fact that the grand hall of Hart Almerrin Massey is probably the most sonically pleasing venue in the city, especially in an acoustic setting. However, if there's one thing that was proven at the Sonic Youth show earlier this year, Massey Hall is equally equipped for rocking out, and it was with that particular mindset that Tweedy et al approached the first evening of a two night, sold-out stay in Toronto last week.

I was looking forward to seeing opener Liam Finn since I had heard several good things about his live show from some friends who saw him open for Crowded House (featuring his father Neil Finn) and Pete Yorn at this very venue a couple of years ago. He leaped out onto the stage sporting a scraggly beard and a Michael Jackson-like jacket before lunging into a brief set of hyperactive rock that ranged from strongly melodic pop stuff to slightly uncontrolled acoustic numbers, both heavy in drums and looped guitar. Joining him onstage was Eliza Jane Barnes, who helped by filling out on keys, guitar and harmonies. Liam himself was quite adept on both guitar and drums, although rather frenetic when it came to the heavier moments of percussive pounding. During his whole set, I remember thinking that his animated presence would make him a delight to see in a smaller venue, not to mention the fact that the 30 minute time restraint prevented him from bantering much, (although he assured us that when he does, it's hilarious!) For others that may have felt the same way as I did, there's an opportunity to witness a banter-full, complete set when he returns on October 29th for a show at Lee's Palace.

Wilco's self titled opening song (entitled Wilco (The Song), in case you couldn't figure that out) was about the only thing that didn't surprise me about the evening. Following that up with the truly cacophonous one-two punch of I Am Trying To Break Your Heart and Black Bull Nova on the other hand, was an incredibly pleasant surprise and the evening continued on a similarly energetic course that featured a balanced mix of both newer songs and a few select classics. For the first six or seven songs, it looked as though we were going to have to settle for a banter-less Tweedy, but when he finally did end his silence, he was in full "wit and quip" mode as he did everything from appealing to our national pride in order to encourage a singalong during Jesus, Etc. to mocking our singing and quickly apologizing because, in his words, he "didn't realize that we were so needy."

The evening was full of highlights. Nels Cline's insane extended guitar solo on Impossible Germany was truly a sight to behold. Hearing A Shot In The Arm, I Can't Stand It and How To Fight Loneliness from Summerteeth was also an unexpected thrill. Despite Tweedy's jokey comments, the aforementioned singalong sounded more amazing than those usually do, no doubt amplified by the superior acoustics of the hall. I would have to say that my favourite part of the evening though was during the encore when they came very close to displaying a slightly different version of the magic Being There moment of my previous experience when they played Monday and Outtasite (Outta Mind) from that album, only to follow it up with Hoodoo Voodoo from Mermaid Avenue. Classic!

Reading some of the reviews of the following night's experience, I was sorry that we didn't get the expected Feist appearance that they got, (she was busy making an appearance at Amy Millan's Mod Club show on our night,) and I would've liked to hear California Stars (which they pulled out during the Thursday night encore) but otherwise, I'd say that Wednesday's show was every bit as good as Thursday's. At this point, it's pretty much an indisputable fact that a Wilco show is basically a sure thing, and I plan on embarking on that sureness as often as I can. The next opportunity will be when they play Hamilton Place Theatre on February 24th, 2010.

EYE Weekly also has a review of this show (that is even gushier than mine), along with Back In 15 Minutes and The Ampersand, while Chromewaves, For The Records, Blog TO and The Ampersand (again) have reviews of the following night.

Photos: My shots of Wilco, Liam Finn @ Massey Hall are on flickr
Myspace: Liam Finn
Myspace: Wilco

Loney Dear / Asobi Seksu @ The Horseshoe

2009-10-19T22:13:00.003-06:00

When I went to see Loney Dear at Lee's Palace a couple of years ago, the experience was far and away a much more thrilling one than I ever could have anticipated. I walked away from that show converted from casual fan to rabid fan, and I couldn't wait to see singer songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Emil Svanängen again. Sadly, my wait had to be postponed a tad when his bus broke down back in May, but all can now be forgiven since the rescheduled show at The Horseshoe was every bit as satisfying as the first one.

The fact that this leg of the tour was billed as a co-headlining set with shoegazers Asobi Seksu was a bit of a surprise to me since I really didn't know anything about them, other than the overhearing of the occasional mentioning of their name whilst eavesdropping on various indie hipster conversations. As usual, I've remain consistently out of the loop. Apparently their presence on Polyvinyl makes them labelmates with Loney Dear, although their sound couldn't possibly be more different. Still, I enjoyed their set quite a bit, as their material was presented with a raucous edge, that was never at the sacrifice of a dreamy melody. Their set was loud and feedback-y, with Yuki Chikudate's vocals hovering just on the positive side of piercing, making me very glad that I remembered to bring my earplugs. It's hard to believe that such a powerful voice can come from such a tiny girl. The hyperactive strobe lights that struck intermittently throughout their set added significantly to the frenzied ambiance, making for a very energetic performance.

The music of Loney Dear is made for the live stage as it consistently strikes a balance between the downtrodden and the uplifting. What I mean is that Emil's voice can't help but have a hint of the "woe is me" in its delivery, while the epic soundscapes that usually kick in within the last minute or so of his average song manages to leave me feeling celebratory. Likewise, the live show is a comparable contrast of highs and lows. Not being familiar with every aspect of his career, I was still surprised at how many songs I recognized, not only from the CD's I own, but also from what I remember about his last show. His memory was equally as sharp as he managed to even remember some of the familiar faces in the audience too. It was very amusing to watch him joke around with some of the mildly inebriated audience members that were hurling crazy requests his way, and it was also great to see him performing in such a way that showed that he was having as great a time as we were. The highlight of the show was when he approached the front of the stage and sang one of his songs without the aid of the microphone to an audience that was paying rapt attention as the din of the crowd's chatter was brought to an impressive halt. At the end of the night, he opted to simply let us know when the encore was taking place as opposed to going through the trouble of leaving the stage only to come back on, and the second highlight was hearing him perform a triumphant version of I Am John, which is easily one of the five best songs of the decade as far as I'm concerned.

I can honestly say that there are few things as uplifting as a Loney Dear show and I sincerely hope that I won't have to wait another two years for his return. Call me crazy, but being uplifted through song is just something I can't seem to get enough of for some reason. Go figure.

Both Chromewaves and NOW also have reviews of the show.

Photos: My shots of Loney Dear are on flickr
Photos: My pics of Asobi Seksu are also on flickr.
Myspace: Loney Dear
Myspace: Asobi Seksu
Download: Loney Dear's I Am John mp3
Download: Loney Dear's Airport Surroundings mp3
Download: Asobi Seksu's New Years mp3
Download: Asobi Seksu's Thursday mp3

Yukon Blonde / The Prince Brothers @ The Horseshoe

2009-10-15T04:26:00.009-06:00

I have become convinced that the staff of Nevado Records sneak into my apartment when I'm not home and peruse my personal CD collection for inspiration. For now I'm afraid that I don't have any physical evidence to support this theory, and they haven't stolen anything yet so I guess that it's no big deal. But I can't think of any other way to explain the way that they consistently sign acts that so perfectly cater to my own scattered taste. The latest example of this is Yukon Blonde, who performed last week as part of Nu Music Nite at the Horseshoe.

I thought that I had timed everything perfectly, especially since I got to the venue just shy of the band's supposed 10:50pm start time. However, as I got there another band known as The Prince Brothers were just setting up. This was a bit irritating to be honest, since it was a rainy night and I wasn't really in the mood to be out, and the prospect of being able to just get out, quickly see a set by this band that I've been hearing all kinds of good things about, and getting home early-ish, was just enough to convince me to go. This irresponsible setback was definitely putting a wrench in my plans. That's the bad news. The good news is that The Prince Brothers were actually a really good band.

This Toronto band, led by brothers Eric and Bryan Prince, have a very warm and organic sound that puts them in a unique place for a pop rock band. Usually those adjectives are reserved for artists that dwell in earthier, folksier territory but The Prince Brothers take those roots and accentuate them with grand chorus's and addictive hooks. This is what makes them the type of band that I don't think a person could truly dislike unless he was deliberately being contrary. Their set was mainly composed of songs from their latest release entitled From This Place, and if there were any aspects that stood out for me, it was their very tight musicianship, as well as their impressively smooth sound. I'll admit that my description makes them sound somewhat generic, but that's not what I mean at all. If I was grasping for some sort of comparison, I suppose The Rheostatics would be a good place to start, along with perhaps Wilco's Summerteeth period. Also, if you're looking for a bit of a visual, the drummer does the bulk of the singing, and the other vocalist looks like Trey Anastasio which led me to think that he sort of sounds like him too, but that could just be my mind doing that warped comparison thing that it sometimes does. Anyway....good band.

Photos: My shots of The Prince Brothers @ The Horseshoe are on flickr
Myspace: The Prince Brothers

As explained earlier, Yukon Blonde was the band that I really wanted to see. While waiting for them to take the stage, I was greeted by several other attendees who couldn't stop assuring me that this band's live show really was a sight to behold. A couple of songs in, and it became obvious that Yukon Blonde have been taking in a steady diet of all of the great classic rock bands of the past, and have carefully honed their live show as a sort of tribute of sorts to them.

In the 70's and early 80's, stadium worthy rock bands would cater to the audience with every note, and every rock star pose. In a similar fashion, Vancouver's Yukon Blonde were very aware of their audience, and they put on a rock show that was similar to those epic performances of the past, while still managing to stay away from anything too grandiose or bombastic. They played with an energy that made it obvious that the band not only loves what they're doing, but they also thrive on the attention they garner from an enthusiastic crowd. The songs themselves were just as good as the performance, ranging from straight ahead guitar rockers, to mildly psychedelic mini flourishes. During one of the trippier numbers, they encouraged the audience to dance around all 60's-like, which apparently meant to flair your arms in the air and wave your hands around in a semi-interpretive dance-like fashion. If you don't know what that means, don't worry, Jeffrey Innes did a humuorus job of demonstrating it for us, and it was fun to see the audience flailing along with him during the song. In the grand tradition of classic gems like Fleetwood Mac, Supertramp and Boston, Yukon Blonde are one of those bands that I plan on checking out again.

Photos: Yukon Blonde @ The Horseshoe are on flickr
Myspace: Yukon Blonde

CONTEST: Win tix to The Schomberg Fair's CD Release Show and a copy of their latest CD 'Gospel'

2009-10-13T14:59:00.006-06:00

CD Review: The Schomberg Fair - Gospel

For many, the phrases "gospel" and "punk rock" should never be lumped together unless one is having a discussion about opposites. But one listen to the latest release by The Schomberg Fair, and you come to realize that there really isn't any other more fitting description than to classify these roots rockers as an unusual amalgam of dirty punk and speed gospel. Although this seems to be a new concept, if you do a little digging you'll see that it really isn't.

Artists like Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and even Uncle Tupelo have always incorporated tales of good verses evil into the lyrics of their songs, but it seems that many modern artists that fall under the alt-country tag have strayed away from that subject matter for one reason or another. This is what is so uplifting about the sounds of The Schomberg Fair. They know that this classic battle is timeless and makes for great storytelling, as do the sounds that it inspires. Gospel sweats, it shakes, it quakes and more than anything else, it rocks!

Although they incorporate several traditional numbers throughout the album, it is the band originals that really impress. After a brief introduction, the album gets started with Angel's Wings which is an authentic sounding bluegrass number with the banjo taking center stage, although the number races along at a frantic pace that is highly infectious. That song is just one example of the rampant energy that invades the entire album. Songs like Tall Grass, Pretty Bird and Heaven's Rain are destined to be cow-punk classics with their pounding drums and distorted bass lines, not to mention the deep barritone backing vocals of Nathan Sidon. When they take it down a notch, like on Strange Kind Of Grace, for example, the effect is not any less potent as it allows the listener to take a breather and focus on Matt Bahen's deeply personal and poetic lyrics, showcasing the fact that, although he is an impressive vocalist, his major talent is to be found in his songwriting abilities. My favourite song on the album is Drunkard's Prayer, a song that is laced in such impressive authenticity, that I could've sworn that it was another traditional number that the band had simply put their own unique spin on. Surprisingly this is not the case, as this song is actually another band original, although if it gets the publicity that it deserves, then mark my words, we will be singing it around the campfire to our grandchildren forty years from now.

That is actually, a perfect way to sum up this album, in the sense that is boasts an energy that is new and uncharted, while still showing enormous respect and homage to what has come before. The Schomberg Fair have really come a long way, and it'll be interesting to see where the journey takes them next.

Myspace: The Schomberg Fair
Download: Drunkard's Prayer mp3

CONTEST: The Schomberg Fair are having their Gospel CD Release Party at the El Mocambo on Saturday October 24th. If you've ever seen them live then you know that their show is one of the best parties in town. The cost is $8 and they've got a couple of top notch supports in The Speaking Tongues and The Unsettlers. Thanks to The Musebox, I've got the following to give away to one happy winner:

1) Two tickets to the October 24th show at El Mocambo
2) A copy of Gospel on CD

To enter, just send an email to quadb2001 [at] gmail [dot] com with "I wanna sing the Gospel of The Schomberg Fair" in the subject line, and your full name in the body.

Contest is now closed. Congrats to Morgan D. and thanks to all who entered.

Nuit Blanche 2009

2009-10-12T17:18:00.003-06:00

This is the 4th year in a row that I've roamed the streets of Toronto all night to ask myself over and over again that invaluable unanswerable question: "What Is Art?" Toronto's Nuit Blanche is an event that I've consistently looked forward to every year since its inauguration, although I have to admit that my enthusiasm is as much about the urban experience itself, the thrill of watching a city teem with life well past the hours that it normally would, becoming a literal 'city that never sleeps' for one night only, as it is about seeing priceless works of art. Let's face it, if my love of art was the only reason for doing this, I probably would not have made it past the second year. It's true, there is usually a lot of neat stuff going on, but the number of exhibits that leave me scratching my head far outweigh the amount of really impressive moments. The most impressive thing is the enthusiasm that our city's patrons continue to show for something that, I think, the majority of observers are still trying to wrap their head around.

Unfortunately, this year's experience failed to capture the magic of the last three years, partially due to personal scheduling problems. Although it's rare that I pick up tickets for a show far in advance, for some reason this time I did, namely for the Destroyer / Andre Ethier show that I reviewed a few days ago. Clearly I enjoyed the show, but that doesn't change the fact that slapping a show in the middle of a Nuit Blanche experience will most certainly kill the momentum. It also made it difficult to meet up with my usual cast of art loving peers, and unfortunately I never did get the chance to do that. This is how I realized that, left to my own devices, in this setting, I'm actually quite useless.

Still, the wife and I did see a couple of neat things, and here are some of the highlights:

Prior to the show, we started out at Liberty Village where we saw the beginnings of some exhibits that likely got more interesting as the night progressed. There was the Take Shelter exhibit, where people were invited to build a shelter using the cans and cardboard boxes that were provided. Right inside the local Metro Grocery Store, there was Invade, which involved ceiling projections of aircrafts that simulated the sounds and effects of a plane flying dangerously close to the store. And of course, there was A Sultry World, which was a Japanese exhibit involving an artist sitting atop a three-meter high chair wearing a massive scarlet coloured velvet dress that literally encompassed the entire room that it was in. After the show we made our way to Bay Street which gave off a bit of a carnival vibe as a couple of amusement park rides were displayed and offered for free to the public. We didn't bother waiting in line for them, but apparently the exhibit (known as Wild Ride) was meant as a kinetic contemplation of the ups and downs of the recent economic crisis. I didn't hear so much contemplation as I did just a lot of screaming, but maybe that's how some people kinetically contemplate. We also saw a pool made out of Vodka that was known as Vodka Pool, and a balloon shaped like a rabbit which was known as Rabbit Balloon. Not a lot of need for interpretation there. Unfortunately some of the exhibits that we wanted to see the most had ridiculously long lineups in order to get in, the most notable one being Space Becomes The Instrument wherein Massey Hall was converted into one giant instrument. The 75 minute wait just didn't appeal to me at 4 o'clock in the morning. I also heard that there was a lot of cool things going on at the Ditillery District but again, at 4am, that just seemed to feel like it was just a little bit too far.

The verdict from most of my friends was that this year's event wasn't as exhilerating as in years past and although I may be inclined to agree, I wouldn't say that it was a complete washout either. For next year, I will definitely make a more concerted effort not to book anything else on that day, and I will partake in a little thing known as preparing ahead of time. Still, when my head hit the pillow at 5am, I slept like a baby. That was pretty good.

My Photos: Nuit Blanche 2009
More photos of Nuit Blanche: Flickr Pool

Destroyer w/Andre Ethier @ The Horseshoe

2009-10-06T18:55:00.008-06:00

Penciling myself in for a show on the night of Toronto's annual city wide art festival may not be the greatest example of "thinking ahead" but if you're going to do it, then it may as well be with the likes of Andre Ethier and Dan Bejar, who are currently a couple of the most interesting songwriters around, in my opinion.

Despite the rabid amounts of praise I've hurled in the direction of the former vocalist for The Deadly Snakes, this is actually only the second time that I've ever seen Andre Ethier perform live. His combination of introspective lyrical folk and progressive barrelhouse jams has made both On Blue Fog and Born Of Blue Fog a couple of CD's that I always keep nearby. There are a lot of artists that I enjoy seeing on the live stage, but in recent months I actually found myself craving his live show. This is why, as much as I enjoy the headliner, it was Andre Ethier that turned this gig into a must-see for me.

For this show, Ethier chose to focus on some of his more upbeat and rockier material. This was no doubt emphasized by the fact that he had accompanying him a few members of Steamboat, who are a local rock band who boast some very talented musicians, some of whom I've seen accompany acts as diverse as Henri Faberge and The Hylozoists. This performance was basically one soul stirring jam after another, with Ethier's relaxed yet mercurial moans wafting through the air in a way that conjured up images of Lou Reed. His set contained many of his own songs as well as a few evenly placed covers. There were way too many highlights to mention, but it's hard not to focus on just how cool the song Cop Killer sounds with full band accompaniment on a live stage.

Photos: Andre Ethier @ The Horseshoe on flickr
Myspace: Andre Ethier
Video: Little Saddy on youtube
Video: Live @ Soundscapes on youtube
Download: By The Stables mp3

Destroyer's Dan Bejar is an interesting character to say the least. From his daunting presence to his bizarre lyrical whimsy, Destroyer has carved himself a niche that is currently unmatched. I've been obsessed with his latest 2 song EP entitled Bay of Pigs, which has a sound that is definitely still Bejar at his best, while still managing to tread in formerly unchartered territory. The 13 minute title track for example, is an ambient disco raveup of epic proportions that just may be my favorite song of the year. As soon as he stepped onstage equipped with only a guitar, a glass of scotch and two bottles of beer, it became obvious that the chances of him playing the new song with all of its electronic elements was highly unlikely, although I wouldn't put it past him to find a way. He didn't.

Instead, he played several stripped down versions of songs spanning the length of his career, which meant that there were songs that I recognized from his last two (pre-Bay of Pigs) albums, as well as some older cuts that I was unfamiliar with. I personally found it hard to take my eyes off of him while he performed. There's just something very intoxicating about the coupling of his Shakespearean vocal accompanied with the strumming of a lone guitar. Because his lyrics are so detailed and unique, I personally find it next to impossible to memorize them, but judging by the way the audience sang along, it became clear that I may be the only one who feels this way. The audience's participation led to some pretty interesting moments, including their singing of the la-la-la's during European Oils. However, as great a performance as it was, I must admit that hearing that many solo acoustic numbers in a row was causing my ever-active mind to wander a little bit. Perhaps anticipating that this may be the case for many, Bejar proceeded to call the members of Steamboat back to the stage to rock with him, leading to a couple of full band numbers that were absolutely outstanding. The indisputable highlight was hearing Rubies, which culminated in an epic jam that was filled out with some incredible sax playing by Joseph Shabason (of Toronto's Everything All The Time). For the encore, Bejar came back out and performed a couple more solo numbers including my fave, Painter In Your Pocket, which I was starting to worry wouldn't make the cut for the night.

Despite a couple of brief lagging moments, the show overall was immensely satisfying, which means that I didn't have to leave the Horseshoe overly disturbed that I scheduled a show on Nuit Blanche day. Still, this didn't make it any easier to hook up with my usual cast of art loving peers afterwards. More on that story later....

Photos: Destroyer @ The Horseshoe on flickr
Stream: Bay of Pigs at Stereogum
Video: Painter In Your Pocket (live @ Cat's Cradle in Carborro, NC) on youtube
Download: Dark Leaves Form A Thread mp3
Download: It's Gonna Take An Airplane mp3

'Sup In October: Ten Picks

2009-09-30T18:58:00.004-06:00

It was incredibly difficult to narrow my gig picks for October down to only ten. There are literally a ton of great shows going on this month, and the thought of setting aside all other responsibilities and just taking in a different live show every night of the week has never been more appealing. Well, almost. I mean, call me crazy, but I actually enjoy being a semi-responsible guy, most of the time. But I digress. Here are my picks for October '09.

For more detailed listings, as usual, go check out Stillepost, Zoilus and Jen's Weekly List (of shows under $10)

1. Roky Erickson w/The Sadies @ Lee's Palace
(Wednesday October 28th; Cost: $29.50adv/ $30 door)

So far this has been the best year I can remember for having psychedelic legends perform here. We've had The Sonics, The Zombies and Love all come to town and now you can add to that list the legendary frontman for 13th Floor Elevators: Roky Erickson. What's doubly interesting about this show is the fact that The Sadies are scheduled to perform as well. Now I don't want to start any rumours or get any hopes up, but I'm thinking that there's a good chance that The Sadies might be Roky's band for the evening which, if this is true, which I'm not saying that it is, would be awesome! Either way, just seeing them both on the same night is sure to make this show a memorable one for sure.

[Myspaces: Roky Erickson; 13th Floor Elevators, The Sadies]

2. Wilco / Liam Finn @ Massey Hall
(Wed Oct 14th & Thurs Oct 15th; Cost: $39.50 - $45.00)

Although my personal feelings for the works of Wilco have not been as strong in recent years as they once were, that doesn't lessen the fact that the live Wilco experience is one of greatness. I'm sure that the show will be heavy on material from the latest album, but since they've recently cut their teeth on some of the classics, I'm hoping that they'll throw in a few of those also. Add to that, the possibility that Feist might pop by, and a splendid time is guranteed for all. Once again, I'm not saying that she will be there; this is all just mere speculation on my part. The fact that Liam Finn is opening for them is also exciting since I've heard more than a few good things about his show from people who've actually seen him.

[Myspaces: Wilco; Liam Finn]

3. Loney Dear / Asobi Seksu @ The Horseshoe
(Tuesday October 13th; Cost: $13)

There was no way to hide the disappointment in my walk home from The Rivoli a few months ago after finding out that Emil Svanängen's van broke down and the Loney Dear gig was simply not going to happen. I love seeing this band live and I'm crazy giddy that they are able to return to our city to give it another try. If you enjoy smiling, then I sincerely hope that you'll put this show on your to-do list, because a Loney Dear show is all about shining happiness on everyone in attendance. Don't believe me? Go to this show!

[Myspaces: Loney Dear; Asobi Seksu]

4. Yo La Tengo / The Horse's Ha @ Opera House
(Saturday October 3rd; Cost: $25)

I have not yet heard Yo La Tengo's latest release entitled Popular Songs, but I'm sure it's great. Why can I be so confident? Because they always are! I am of the opinion that Yo La Tengo's music contains a consistency that is only rivaled by Sonic Youth. They are currently in their 25th year of existence, and they have yet to release a mediocre album. The show kind of caught me by surprise and I'm already slated to catch another one, but if there was ever a strong argument for cloning myself, this would be it.

[Myspaces: Yo La Tengo; The Horse's Ha]

5. Broadcast / Atlas Sound @ Lee's Palace
(Saturday August 24th; Cost: $13)

I really like that Bradford Cox. Deerhunter never ceases to amaze me and the same can be said about the prolific works of Cox's solo project Atlas Sound. Although his alienating antics have made a few headlines in the past, I thought he was an absolutely mesmerizing frontman when I saw Deerhunter last year and I'm sure that the same can be said about this show too. Last year, he put out a collaboration CD with electro poppers Broadcast, who are headlining the show. I don't know much about Broadcast. I like what I know but I only know a little. I'm sure they're good.

[Myspaces: Atlas Sound; Broadcast]

6. Happy Mondays / Psychedelic Furs @ Kool Haus
(Wednesday October 14th; Cost: $31.50)

Although these two bands were never really contemporaries as such, they both evoke the same nostalgic feelings in me since their music was featured equally at every party I ever attended from 1988 to 1995. My arms flail madly just thinking about it. Of course, the show's at the Kool Haus which means that if there are any flailing arms happening, they would likely be hitting me in the face and annoying me, because this is generally what happens at the Kool Haus.

[Myspaces: Happy Mondays; Psychedelic Furs]

7. Echo and the Bunnymen @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
(Tuesday October 20th; Cost: $67.00)

If you'd rather get your 80's fix at a seated venue, then QET is the way to go as Echo and the Bunnymen (pictured above circa 1980) will be performing their entire Ocean Rain album in its entirety with a full orchestra accompanying them. That is sure to be one uplifting show. For 67 bucks, it better be.

[Myspace: Echo and the Bunnymen]

8. Destroyer / Andre Ethier @ The Horseshoe
(Wednesday October 3rd; Cost: $13.50)

I've been longing to see Dan Bejar since Destroyer's Rubies became one of my most listened to albums of the decade. I still have trouble listening to Painter In My Pocket less than three times in a row. He's put out a lot of great stuff since that masterpiece, including the solid Trouble In Dreams album and this year's soaring Bay Of Pigs single, which is a 13 minute electronic disco rock amalgam of pure bliss. Sweetening the pot is the fact that he's being supported by local songwriting genius Andre Ethier, whose live show I've actually been craving lately.

[Myspaces: Destroyer; Andre Ethier]

9. Daniel Johnston @ Mod Club
(Saturday October 17th; Cost: $27.00)

A Daniel Johnston show is a bit of a risky endeavor since you never really know how it's going to go down. It could be amazing, bordering on genius, or it could be confusing, annoying or perhaps even offensive, depending on how he's feeling. However, if you're at all familiar with the story of Daniel Johnston, then you're likely as curious as I am to attend a performance, at least once. The fact is, that his music has been covered by everyone from Tom Waits to Beck to Sparklehorse and his influence is undeniable.

[Myspace: Daniel Johnston]

10. Shonen Knife / The Modern Superstitions @ The Horseshoe
(Sunday October 18th; Cost: $15.50 adv/ $18 door)

My weakness for Japanese pop is something that I haven't revealed all that often on this here blog, but truth be told, I may not always know what they're talking about, but they always warm my heart anyway. Shonen Knife is one of my favourites, and their show at The Horseshoe is bound to be all kinds of fun.

[Myspaces: Shonen Knife; The Modern Superstitions]

Honorable Mentions:
As I alluded to at the outset, I could honestly be honorably mentioning my brains out, since the number of great shows in town is staggering. Bruce Peninsula and Sunparlour Players (Oct 1st @ Horseshoe); Built To Spill (Oct 6th & 7th @ Lee's Palace); The Horrors (Oct 15th @ Lee's Palace); Cuff The Duke (Oct 16th & 17th @ Horseshoe); The Dodos (Oct 17th @ Lee's) Elvyn (Oct 23rd @ Silver Dollar); In Flight Safety (Oct 29th @ El Mocambo); Bishop Allen (Oct 30th @ El Mocambo) and many many more. You add to that the Pop Montreal Festival that is taking place RIGHT NOW in Montreal, and this weekend's city wide art festival Nuit Blanche, and this month becomes more action packed than a Michael Bay movie. But with significantly more substance.

Where I'll Be:
I'm actually mildly prepared this time around since I'm holding a ticket to the Destroyer / Andre Ethier show this Saturday (after which I plan on attempting the all night thing again with Nuit Blanche.) I'll also be checking out Loney Dear for sure, and Wilco's first night as well. I hope to catch Elvyn's show at the Silver Dollar and I'm really hoping to go to my number one pick with Roky and The Sadies, although I don't actually have my ticket for that one yet. See you around!

Joe Pernice w/Kate Boothman @ Dakota Tavern

2009-09-28T19:18:00.004-06:00

I've been a fan of Joe Pernice for quite a little while now, but I'd be the first to admit that my knowledge of him is not as extensive as it could be. For example, I only found out recently that, not only has he been living here in Toronto for several years now, but he's actually been living only a few blocks away from me. A 'few blocks away from me' is also the location of The Dakota Tavern, which apparently is part of the reason why he chose that particular venue for his return to the local music stage after a four year hiatus from doing so. His return was certainly welcome, not only to me, but also to everyone who attended the sold out venue to see him perform in support of his first novel, as well as the accompanying 'soundtrack' album that he's recently released on his own Ashmont Records label.

I arrived partway through the opening set by local musician Kate Boothman, who has spent some time touring with Pernice south of the border. She has just released an album with her band Sunbear entitled Sun Streaming In, which was recorded by Blue Rodeo's Greg Keelor (who I noticed was in attendance.) I found out when I got there, that the full band would be playing later in the night, but for now, Boothman was there to perform a mellow set of solo acoustic numbers. I thought her brand of folky introspective material was pretty good, although not particularly earth shattering. There were a couple of times where I heard hints of the Cowboy Junkies, which is certainly a good thing, but overall the set lacked anything that I personally found all that memorable.

Joe Pernice's set was rumoured to be not only a concert, but also a book reading from his new book It Feels So Good When I Stop, which I finally had a chance to read this weekend. It's not bad. If you've read the reviews than you know that Nick Horby's High Fidelity is mentioned in pretty much every one of them which means that if you liked that book, then you're likely to find something appealing about this one too, although it must be noted that Pernice's debut definitely stands on its own. Feels So Good's nameless narrator is certainly more messed up than High Fidelity's Rob Gordon, with Pernice's style being a tad more sardonic. I'm a bit of a prude that blushes easily, so some of the content is not really my cup of tea, but overall I thought that there were enough humourous moments to keep me interested.

His witty nature was prominent throughout his set as he mentioned his Canadian status right at the outset, enabling him to make coments about the night being all CanCon and even alluding to the benefits of OHIP. After reading a portion of the book, garnering a significant amount of laughs in the process, he performed his cover of Dream Syndicate's Tell Me When It's Over, which is probably my favourite song on the album. He played several more covers from the new album and then, after playing a cover of Sebadoh's Soul and Fire, closed off that portion of the show with a fictional anecdote about Lou Barlow, also from the book. Although he was apologetic for making us stand there while he reads, I found myself equally as riveted with his reading as I was with his performance overall. The second half of his set was filled with many of his classics, including a set of material from his Scud Mountain Boys days. People were shouting out all sorts of requests and, impressively he regularly deviated from the setlist in order to accomodate, although he made no secret about the requests that he wasn't going to do. (Crowd member: 7:30!!! - His response: Yah, right! (in other words: no.)) By the time he finished, we had been treated to almost two hours of material, many of which were obscurities from his career which made for a very special night. At the end he promised to perform more often around here and I, for one, am holding him to that.

Photos: My shots of Joe Pernice / Kate Boothman @ Dakota Tavern are on flickr.
Myspace: Sunbear
Myspace: Pernice Brothers

No Shame's 100th @ The Horseshoe

2009-09-25T15:58:00.007-06:00

featuring Green Go, Ruby Coast, Pick A Piper and The Skeletones Four

It was with grand enthusiasm that I was looking forward to this particular landmark on the local indie music scene. Whether she knows it or not, Lauren Schreiber has been personally responsible for a healthy percentage of my local musical knowledge, having introduced me to some excellent bands by means of her No Shame Concert Series. And this special commemorative show was destined to be pretty special with its inclusion of a couple of established greats along with a couple of new up-and-comers.

The Skeletones Four were the first band of the evening and the only one that I knew virtually nothing about. There were also the most difficult band on the roster to pigeonhole into a specific genre. Lead vocalist and apparent mastermind Andrew Collins has created a band that specializes in odd time signatures and intricately crafted instrumental breakdowns that came across to me as the oddly neglected lovechild of Rick Wakeman and Joni Mitchell. Believe it or not, I mean that as a compliment of the highest degree. There is certainly a touch of mathematical pomp in the proceedings, but Godspeed You! Black Emperor these guys are not. To create a style of music that is challenging, yet endearing is no small task but The Skeletones Four pulled it off nicely. Unlike the rest of the bands that evening, they are the type of band that requires concentration and undivided attention as opposed to being a band that you can just shake and dance too. I certainly intend on doing just that once I get around to picking up their works in some sort of physical form.

With due respect to all of the other bands on the bill, Pick a Piper did not only steal the show, they crammed it into their carry-on luggage and boarded a flight to Mexico with it. To describe their set as breathtaking would be a bit of an understatement since their tribal assault of intense percussion actually left me feeling exhausted once they were done. I had seen them before at Rancho Relaxo and was suitably impressed, but with the shoe's far superior sound system backing them up, they were able to showcase a sound that pounded right through you. What I really like about their style is the way that it creeps up on you. They like to start out pleasantly with some subtle melodies and minor hooks before bursting into a heavy drum crescendo that continued to build significantly throughout the course of their set. By the time they played their last song, a couple members had brought their percussion of choice onto the dance floor as they encouraged the crowd to break out whatever percussive toy they could find and participate in this all encompassing blast of sonic exhilaration.

Up next was Ruby Coast. I don't know why I continue to forget this, but the fact that they have some of the craziest fans around always catches me off guard. As usual, they put on a show that was lots of fun and enthusiastic, thanks to the crowds overwhelming encouragement. In reviewing and listening to their music in the past, I have always had high hopes for this band. Although they shared a certain air of familiarity with some of the basic pop stylings of many of their contemporaries, I always figured that these kids were just weird enough to stretch beyond that and create a sound that is more unique and slightly more interesting. Upon seeing them this time however, I guess I have to resign myself to the fact that I currently like them as much as I likely ever will. This isn't a bad thing, since some of their songs are amongst the catchiest tunes I know. But as far as them becoming a band that I'm likely to go out of my way to see, I don't think that's going to happen. That having been said, I don't think that anyone can deny the fact that they put on an excellent show, and as long as their fanbase continues to remain as excitable as they currently are, I'm pretty sure that the band has nothing to worry about.

Which brings us to Green Go. If your goal is to create a frenzied party-like atmosphere, then there really is no better band to end with than Guelph's Green Go. They've got all of the right ingredients for a Friday night: spazzy electro-pop beats, excitable vocals, and stellar stage presence. The fact that they look like they're having so much fun up there just adds to their charm, and the crowd was buying into it hardcore! I find it amazing (not to mention slightly educational) that a band is able to create such a great electro-friendly atmosphere while still displaying a vibe that is equally in debt to all of the great rock shows that I've attended through the years. Vocalist and synth player Ferenc Stenton even jumped onto the floor with his electric guitar and proceeded to work the crowd with all of the moves of rock star 101. The chemistry between all of the band members was equally as electric and the show was filled with such great intensity that I can't wait to see the band again. Being one of the hardest working local bands of the moment, I'm sure that they'll be plenty of opportunities.

Photos: My shots from No Shame's 100th @ The Horseshoe are on flickr
Myspace: The Skeletones Four
Myspace: Pick A Piper
Myspace: Ruby Coast
Myspace: Green Go

I'm literally running out the door right now to go to the cottage for the weekend, so have a good one and I'll post a review of last night's Joe Pernice show at The Dakota Tavern upon my return.

Beautiful Nothing w/Live How You Live @ The Horseshoe Tavern

2009-09-20T18:04:00.005-06:00

On a Friday night just over a week ago, the Juliette Lewis / Band of Skulls show ended early enough that I had plenty of time to grab a late night veggie burger and head on back to the west side of town to catch an old favourite at The Horseshoe. As far as local(ish), under the radar indie bands go, there probably is no band that I've been following longer than Burlington's Beautiful Nothing. It had been several years since I'd seen them last perform, and I was curious to see how much they've progressed since the days when they were a bunch of high school kids competing with other young 'uns at Burlington's Annual Sound of Music Festival during one of those teenage battle of the band competitions.

When I arrived at The Horseshoe, a band from Hamilton called Live How You Live had just started their set. Vocalist Carm Milioto honed his talent in a band called The Feels who I'm pretty sure I saw at a place called The Underground in Hamilton about 6 or 7 years ago. Although I don't remember too much about them (or even if it was, in fact, them) I do remember thinking that they were pretty good (again, if it was them, which I'm not positively sure it was. Yes, this is professional journalism at its finest!) In any case, LHYL were quite talented even if they failed to resonate with me in any lasting way. It's not that they weren't good, just a little run of the mill, sounding to me like a fairly typical bluesy bar band. The fact that I had just come from seeing such a dynamic performer a mere half hour earlier at The Opera House probably didn't aid in my watching this band with a less than critical eye. Personal feelings aside though, they've obviously done a good job at establishing a name for themselves, as the crowd was singing and dancing along with them and generally having a great time. In fact, when the time came to wrap things up, the crowd literally demanded an encore, proving that my personal thoughts have yet to coincide with popular opinion. At least in this case.

Photos: My shots of Live How You Live @ The Horseshoe are on flickr
Myspace: Live How You Live

Beautiful Nothing took to the stage hot on the heels of the release of their latest CD entitled The Fruits of Youth. While their earlier recordings were steeped in an atmospheric drone of doom and gloom, I've noticed that their latter works seem to advertise a more tongue in cheek approach to angst. This attitude extends to their live show as frontman Anthony Ludgate performs with a mild theatricality wherein you get the sense that he's sort of making fun of you, although you really can't pinpoint exactly what it is he's mocking. It's hard not to be mesmerized by the band's dynamic showmanship coupled with the crazed look in Ludgate's eyes. They blasted through a set of all newer numbers that probably explained their obvious enthusiasm for the material. There was a real savagery to their performance which caused the crowd to erupt into a frenzy of moshy insanity. Although the actual number of attendees had diminished slightly, they displayed a zeal that was ten times greater, which enabled the band to feed off of that raw energy. It's hard to pinpoint exactly where their sound fits in, as it displays enough hooks to be considered pop but it also oozes enough genuine punk attitude that sliding them into the lame MTV driven power punk category simply would not do them justice. Unlike other bands given the pop-punk tag, their only schtick is to poke fun at the idea of schtick itself, and their particular brand of manic was a perfect way to end an evening that can only be described as intense.

Photos: My shots of Beautiful Nothing @ The Horseshoe are on flickr.
Myspace: Beautiful Nothing

Juliette Lewis and Band of Skulls @ The Opera House

2009-09-15T18:22:00.006-06:00

I'll be the first to admit that I was more than a little embarrassed about telling fellow music snobs that I was going to see Juliette Lewis at the Opera House last week. The credibility factor of an artist decreases significantly amongst the musical elitist community when said artist is in the much maligned and mocked 'actor turned rock star' category. That is, of course, unless the artist's first name sounds a little bit like Zooey. Still, think what you will about the musical stylings of one Juliette Lewis, but this girl puts on one heck of a rock show, and her wild onstage persona is certainly worthy of imitation, even if she borrows quite a bit from the kings and queens of rock 'n roll past.

She was in town to promote her latest release, the Licks-less Terra Incognita. Upon doing some research in preparation for the show, I was surprised to find out that she was now traveling with a new band that she's formed, known as The New Romantiques. She hit the stage sporting some pretty intense attire that was reminiscent of Bowie circa Spiders From Mars. Her makeup was also straight out of glam rock 101, which was appropriate as she boasted a flurry of rock 'n roll poses that ranged from legendary Mick Jagger to nouveau Karen O. She had recently talked about how her new album captures the many flavours of her emotional life and voice. As the first few songs whizzed by, emotional candor wasn't the first thing that came to my mind, although the pure adrenalin that she was sweating all over the appreciative crowd was more than entertaining enough for me. But then it was somewhere near the halfway mark of her show that she pulled out an intensely bluesy number that literally had me standing there with my mouth agape. When she wants to, she's got a voice that is as powerful as I've ever heard, and I honestly can't remember the last time that I saw so much emotion exuded by a performer. Contrary to the opinion's of many, ( my pre-show personality included) Juliette Lewis is the real deal, and I truly believe that she is totally sincere in what she is trying to accomplish in the world of rock music.

Upon revisisting some of the songs in her catalogue, I'm not sure that I'm ready to jump aboard as being a huge fan of her material, but as far as being a fan of Juliette Lewis the live performer, you can definitely count me in!

Photos: My shots of Juliette Lewis @ The Opera House are on flickr.
Myspace: Juliette Lewis

Now the band that I was actually in attendance to see was Band of Skulls, who opened the show for Ms. Lewis. Last week I finally took the time to give their album Baby Darling Doll Face Honey a proper listen and what I like about it is the seamless way that it combines a classic garage rock raunch with the soaring melodies of 90's Brit pop to create a sound that's dirty yet streamlined. Upon seeing them perform it was clear that the songs work even better live, as the band took the opportunity to display some extended guitar licks and show off their immense talent without ever succumbing to overindulgent wankery, even though they no doubt could have, if they felt so inclined. Lead Russ Marsden exudes a down to earth sort of grungy persona that works as a perfect complement to Emma Richardson's sonically enhancing harmonies and basslines. The way that their hard rock sound incorporates heavy elements of the blues lends themselves many comparisons to bands like The White Stripes and Black Keys, but in their more atmospheric and slightly progressive numbers, I couldn't help but hear traces of The Verve as well. It's their mild penchant for atmosphere that helps the band to escalate past being simply another powerful rock 'n roll band, although that they are as well.

It'll be interesting to see what happens to this band in the near future. The buzz is already growing at a rapid pace, but their back to basics style does not lend itself easily to becoming just another fad. They have a sound that is classic rock in every sense of the word, and I've got a feeling that longevity and stadium shows may be in the cards for this power trio from Southampton.

Photos: My shots of Band of Skulls @ The Opera House are on flickr
Myspace: Band of Skulls

Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Depreciation Guild and Cymbals Eat Guitars @ The Horseshoe Tavern

2009-09-13T17:45:00.006-06:00

It's interesting that no matter how long a band has been around, whether it's been a few months or several decades, the blissed-out fuzz of shoegaze always makes me a feel a little bit nostalgic. This is why there was no doubt in my mind that the show last Monday night was going to be right up my alley. The fact that the three bands performing have really only emerged onto the scene over the last couple of years was a perfect way to make me feel hip and relevant, while allowing me to relive my past at the same time. (Admittedly, using words like 'hip' probably decreases my relevancy rating but whatever...)

Kicking off the night was Cymbals Eat Guitars from New York. I was very much unfamiliar with their music despite the fact that everyone from Pitchfork to NME has been hyping them up pretty heavily over the past few months. More than a few sources have been tossing around overwhelming 'best of the year' praise for their debut Why There Are Mountains, and by the crowd's enthusiasm it was obvious that the buzz has reached our part of the globe as well. At first, I have to admit that I wasn't blown away. The instrumentation was tight enough, and the melodies were there, but the style seemed to be blowing an awful lot of 90's alternative air my way. My personal penchant for nostalgia does not really include the modern rock radio of that pre-millennial decade. On top of that, Joseph D'Agostino's screamo vocals irritated me. However, about three quarters into their set they pulled out an impressively ambitious number that actually caused me to take notice. Being unfamiliar with their songs, I'm afraid I can't tell you what song it was, but let's just say that it was enough to make a positive impression on me. The last couple of songs they played were also pretty good, and I'm at a point where I'd be willing to give the album a thorough listen before I pass final judgment on them.

Photos: My shots of Cymbals Eat Guitars are on flickr.
Myspace: Cymbals Eat Guitars

As much as I was looking forward to the evening's headliners, I have to say that my favourite act turned out to be the one that was sandwiched in the middle. Under normal circumstances that would be a bit of a jab at the other band, but seeing how The Depreciation Guild is made up of a few members of that band, including Pains' drummer Kurt Feldman on lead vocals, I'm pretty sure that nobody's feelings are going to be hurt. Besides the obvious shoegaze vibe, there are also sprinklings of psychedelia and electronica incorporated into their mix. The three piece hit the stage with a trippy rear projection of colour on a back wall screen, creating an ambiance that was as fuzzed out and blissful as the music they played. There were times when they sounded as much like Skip Spence's Oar, as they did My Bloody Valentine's Loveless, but it was the little Nintendo like blips and bleeps that really made them stand out from their influences. That unique sound is a product of a classic videogame system turned instrument known as the Famicom, which created not only an intense accompaniment to the instrumentation of the material, but also a necessary aural distraction during those moments when the band was tuning inbetween songs. I have since picked up their album In Her Gentle Jaws, and it truly is nothing short of fantastic.

Photos: My shots of The Depreciation Guild @ The Horseshoe are on flickr.
Myspace: The Depreciation Guild

This is the third time that Pains of Being Pure at Heart have come to Toronto this year, and although the venues seem to be getting a little bit smaller, the love and enthusiasm for their brand of fuzzy pop seems to be as strong as ever. I can't stop listening to their debut, and they're obviously eager to keep things going while people are interested, because part of the reason for their return was to promote a new EP entitled Higher Than The Stars. They showcased several songs from both of those albums and there's no denying the fact that they have a gift for melodic and affable pop sounds. While it's true that they are certainly not one of the more animated bands out there, and I'll admit that it would be nice to see them show a little more enthusiasm, the songs are definitely strong enough to hold a person's attention. There were also a few mild attempts at banter, one of which featured keyboardist Peggy Wang dedicating Everything With You to anyone who loves watching Degrassi, which got a few cheers from the crowd.

Photos: My shots of Pains of Being Pure at Heart are on flickr
Myspace: Pains of Being Pure at Heart

The show is also reviewed over at 'For The Records'

CONTEST!!!: Win tix to the Modernboys Moderngirls CD Release Show and a copy of their latest CD

2009-09-07T06:05:00.007-06:00

CD Review: Modernboys Moderngirls - I Might As Well Break It

Bands will often rely on certain tactics to get a music lover on his or her feet. One of the most popular methods is to make your head bob with a catchy melody and an infectious hook. Another tried and true technique is to blast you in the face with some high octane rock 'n roll! Oftentimes a band will go with one or the other. Modernboys Moderngirls take the all encompassing route by incorporating elements of both, creating a sound that is as steeped in a late 60's garage sound as much as it borrows from the playfulness of soul music's golden era in Motown. Borrowing from the past in such a way enables the band to create a sound that is new and fresh, yet easy to absorb.

The album opens with the new wave rhythms of Missmybabygirl, where the gruff lead vocals of Akira Alemany acts as a cool contrast with the well produced instrumentation and professional sounding backing harmonies. When the groove of that song is followed by the Detroit rock blast of Stay Under, it becomes obvious that settling for one specific style is not a path that this band is comfortable taking, which really works in their favour. The fact is, that the band shows just enough variety to keep things interesting, while still managing to keep within certain boundaries that allows them to establish a sound of their own. There's the British Invasion pop of songs like My Baby Says Boy, Don't You Ever Go and Happily Unsteady, the piano melodic soul of A Hammond Organ Singing, the 80's punk of I Don't Need To Understand and the prom night dancefloor din of songs like I Can't Hardly Stand and In Another Year. By the time you reach the classic rock of On The Line and the moody and atmospheric closer Spiral and Smoke, it's hard not to feel a little bit overwhelmed since the album accomplishes an awful lot in its 30 minute time span. After taking a few minutes to catch your breath, however, you'll likely be taking it for another spin, since the album may be fast and furious, but it's also very addictive.

Photo Credit: Rob Fournier
Myspace: Modernboys Moderngirls
Download: My Baby Says Boy, Don't You Ever Go mp3

CONTEST: Modernboys Moderngirls will be celebrating the release of I Might As Well Break It with Clothes Make The Man and Black Hat Brigade at Sneaky Dee's on September 18th. Thanks to the kind folks at Audio Blood Media I've got the following to giveaway to one happy winner:

1) Two tickets to the September 18th show at Sneaky Dee's
2) A copy of I Might As Well Break It on CD

If you're interested in winning this, just fire off an email to: quadb2001 [at] gmail [dot] com with the words "I Might As Well Break It" in the subject line and your full name in the body.

Contest is now closed. Congrats to Joanna K. and thanks to all who entered.

CONTEST: Win tix to No Shame's 100th Show and a copy of Green Go's CD "Borders"

2009-09-04T15:20:00.006-06:00

Although there are many great music series, festivals and events in the city of Toronto, very few compare with the excellent No Shame Music Series that has been taking place for a few years now. This a music series that prides itself in not simply giving in to popular opinion, or the fickle musical tastes of the average Toronto-based indie music snob. On the contrary, this is a series that believes in taking risks, thriving on eclecticism, pushing boundaries and uniting different musical palates to converge on the same dance floor. It is a series that has successfully introduced local music fans to bands that they may have never heard otherwise a total of 99 times in a row now. And it is with great pride that No Shame presents its 100th show at The Horseshoe on Friday September 18th for only $10. As usual, the lineup is stellar!

The bands on the bill are as follows:

Green Go are a band from Guelph that specializes in hyperactive sweat fueled electro-pop that is guaranteed to make even the stuffiest slug dance his face off. [Download: Put Your Specs On Boy mp3]

Ruby Coast is a fun band with a knack for combining an addictive blend of shout-heavy power pop with some wickedly catchy new wave leanings. [Download: Ruby Coast's Brittle Bones mp3]

Pick A Piper are a percussive assault of tribal beats that is steeped in vocal precision and soaring melodies.

And The Skeletones Four are a newer band that specializes in a unique blend of soul and prog which combines to create a psych rock experience that is not easy to forget.

CONTEST: Thanks to the kind folks at The Musebox, I've got a prize pack to giveaway that includes the following:

1) two tickets to the show on September 18th
2) a copy of Green Go's CD Borders, which I reviewed over here.

To enter, just send an email to quadb2001 [at] gmail [dot] com with the words "I Wanna Be Shameless" in the subject line, and your full name in the body.

Contest is now closed. Congrats to Karen M. and thanks to all who entered.

Sunparlour Players w/ Josh Reichmann Oracle Band @ The Theatre Centre

2009-09-03T15:42:00.006-06:00

So here is the last of my latest batch of completely negligent classic concert reviews. This one's bordering on almost three weeks old now (as part of the Summerworks Festival) but its interesting mix of the bizarre and spastic has enabled it to lodge itself comfortably in my brain so that the details are as fresh to me as if I had attended this one yesterday. Also The R.O.B. reviewed it on his blog and I just basically copied most of the details from him.

The previous and only time that I had ever seen Josh Reichmann was when he was in an amazing rock 'n roll band known as The Tangiers. This was way back in 2003 (or was it '04?) when they played an outdoor type thing in Hamilton with some of my favourite bands at the time (The Weekend, Flux AD, Warsawpack). I thought that they were amazing and as I went into this show having not even heard a note of his current project, known as Oracle Band, I must admit that I entered The Theatre Centre reasoning, "How different can this project possibly be?" Answer? Pretty dang different!

Choosing him as the opener for a spastic folk band was kind of an odd choice to say the least, as his brand of theatrical performance art caught me, and many others I spoke to, a little off guard. This isn't to say that it was bad by any means, just perhaps a little bit out of place. The band was basically made up of Josh on vocals while accompanied by a pre-recorded electronic backing track, while Laura Bolton joined him by performing some modern interpretive dance. His between song banter was quite amusing, yet very random, and seemed to have no relation to the songs that he was singing. I thought the music itself was quite interesting though, as it straddled a line incorporating elements of soul, electronica, ska and whatever you call what Roxy Music was doing in the 70's. Upon visiting his myspace page, I have to admit that there is something intriguing about his output, and certain songs even have a habit of remaining embedded in the brain for a bit. I'm not sure if his live shows always consist of Josh, his girl and an iPod or not, but I would be very interested in seeing how the performance translates when a full band is backing him up.

Photos: Josh Reichmann Oracle Band on flickr
Myspace: Josh Reichmann Oracle Band

The aforementioned R.O.B. has mentioned on several occasions that Sunparlour Players are the best live band in Toronto. Problem is, the last time I saw them they were opening for the ACTUAL best live band in Toronto, The Sadies. (We bloggers are nothing if not unreasonably opinionated.) At that show, I remember thinking that, although their energy was undeniable, they could probably do with a little bit of control. Their unbridled enthusiasm for what they were doing seemed to run ahead of them just a little bit, resulting in a performance that was fun, but a little bit sloppy. This time around, the band on that stage was one of great control, and their instrumentation demonstrated a tightness that easily places them at a level that one would be hard-pressed to match, locally or otherwise. Well, except for The Sadies.

Probably increasing my appreciation was the fact that I've been listening to their latest offering Wave North pretty much every week since I first obtained the album. Andrew Penner's gruff vocals sounded even more forceful and penetrating on the live stage and, once again, it's hard not to be charmed by the intensity of its three multi-instrumentalist members. The fact that all three of them likely lost about 10 pounds of sweat due to their rabid performance served as no surprise to anybody who had seen them before, which I assume applied to most of the audience. There were many great moments throughout the night, but the song Nuclear was one particular highlight for me, as the song's build up sounded twice as potent on that stage as it does on record. This is an amazing accomplishment considering that the original version does a pretty good job of blasting into the atmosphere on its own. For the encore, the band played their oft lauded cover of AC/DC's Thunderstruck, which was an impassioned performance indeed.

At this point, there is no doubt that the Sunparlour Players are, in fact, one of the best bands in the city, and as they continue to grow in experience and inventiveness, it'll be great to see tham continue to progress as an active part of the local indie scene.

Photos: Sunparlour Players @ The Theatre Centre on flickr
Myspace: Sunparlour Players

Boys Who Say No w/ Fox Jaws @ The Theatre Centre

2009-09-02T04:42:00.005-06:00

For a few years now, the Summerworks Festival here in Toronto has been an excellent way to promote independent art and theatre in the city for an affordable price. Last year was the first time that the organizers decided to include live music into the schedule and I heard that it was a great success, even though I personally was unable to attend. This year thankfully I was, and even though I didn't get to have as great a share as I would've liked to, I was very happy with the bands that I did get to see.

I realize that if I cover the Fox Jaws one more time, I'm going to have to rename this blog "It's Not The Band I Hate, Actually I Only Love The Fox Jaws" but in actuality it had been several months since I last saw these guys perform, and since I wasn't going to be able to catch their CD release show at the El Mocambo, I wanted to make sure that I didn't miss this one. At first it looked like the crowd was going to be a little more modest than preferred, but thankfully they shuffled in just as the performance began, enabling the band to put on their usual powerhouse of a show.

It's a confirmed fact that frontpeople Carleigh Aikins and Daniel Allen are a couple of incredibly energetic performers and the fire that they exude on stage never ceases to amaze me. What really stood out for me this time was the fact that this energy has apparently spread throughout the rest of the band as well, to the point where the attention that I have previously devoted to the Aikins / Allen combo is now divided evenly amongst all five members. Brandyn Aikins killed the drum kit, Andrew Shropshire displayed the techniques of a very skilled guitarist and Evan Rosevear was the bass player with rock star swagger. If I remember correctly, their set was composed entirely of songs off the new album At Odds, which I reviewed last week. The songs are excellent for the live stage since their increased edginess and slightly experimental nature gives the band an opportunity to prove that their talents are genuine and not simply a result of studio wizardry. For me, the evening's highlight was Home and Native, with its infectious laughing chorus, that even had the audience singing along.

Photos: Fox Jaws @ The Theatre Centre on flickr
Myspace: Fox Jaws

My only real exposure to Boys Who Say No was by hearing one of their songs played on the previous week's Zygiella podcast, but the tune No I Won't was just quirky enough to peak my curiosity. As the band was setting up for the show, they continued to peak my curiosity further by setting up cardboard cutouts of various wilderness creatures and blown up garbage bags all across the stage. Vocalist Luke Correia-Damude commented that this was meant to be their statement against the city's garbage strike but then acknowledged that since the strike is over, most of what's onstage doesn't make any sense. That sense of humour was present throughout the course of their set as they played a collection of songs that were eccentric and unpredictable, yet rather enjoyable. There are definitely some traces of alt-country displayed throughout their mix, but definitely more of the playful kind, as opposed to the seriously rootsy variety. I was a big fan of their instrumentation, but I'll have to admit that Luke's voice will take some getting used to, although its similarity to the pipes of Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock would likely be more of a selling point for most people.

Photos: Boys Who Say No @ The Theatre Centre on flickr
Myspace: Boys Who Say No

'Sup In September: Ten Picks

2009-08-31T20:39:00.005-06:00

I've still got a couple of show reviews to talk about, both of which sprang from this year's Summerworks Festival which took place a couple of weeks ago. But before we look back, I think it's time to look ahead to what's going on in September. Normally, September is regarded as one of the saddest months of the year since it is usually synonymous with the end of summer. However this year we never had a summer, so let's hope we can still get a summer of the Indian variety in the weeks ahead as we collectively bask in the glow of some of the great shows that we can look forward to next month.

For more detailed listings, as usual, go check out Stillepost, Zoilus and Jen's Weekly List (of shows under $10)

1. The Pains Of Being Pure at Heart @ The Horseshoe
(Monday, September 7th; Cost: $12)

For whatever reason, I've never mentioned these amazing New York shoegazers before on this blog, even though their self titled release from February is an album that has remained in constant rotation on my ipod for the better part of the year. I'd like to say that I was one of the early supporters of this band, but the truth is that I jumped on this bandwagon around the same time as everyone else did. Thing is, the music has received so much hype, that I'm impressed with myself for surrendering my snobbish impulses and jumping on at all. Here's one case where I can truly say that the album at least, definitely lives up to the hype. Whether or not the show does, remains to be seen, although I can't see any reason why it wouldn't.

[Myspace: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart]

2. The Sadies @ The Horseshoe
(Saturday September 12th; Cost: $15)

Do I really need to provide any hype for this show? The Sadies = best live band in Toronto. Done. As of right now, their supporters for the evening are only listed as 'Guests' on the Horseshoe listings page, but they tend to bring only the best with them whilst playing The 'Shoe, so I recommend getting there early.

[Myspace: The Sadies]

3. Joe Pernice / Kate Boothman @ Dakota Tavern
(Tuesday September 24th; Cost: $18.50)

Joe Pernice (pictured above) has just finished publishing his first novel, which is entitled It Feels So Good When I Stop. I still have yet to read it, but it's been lauded by personal literary fave Nick Hornby, so I'll have to admit that I'm more than a little bit curious. The man is already a master at crafting a perfect 3 or 4 minute pop song, so if he can channel that wit into a piece of literature, I'd imagine that it's going to be pretty good. He's recorded a soundtrack to the novel featuring covers of songs by Sebadoh, The Dream Syndicate and even Dick Van Dyke, and I'm sure many of those songs, along with some of his brilliant originals should suit the intimate Dakota atmosphere just nicely.

[Myspaces: Joe Pernice; Kate Boothman]

4. The Minus 5 @ The Horseshoe
(Sunday September 13th; Cost: $13.50)

I'll admit that I haven't been following the career of this American rock collective for quite some time, but the idea of seeing Scott McCaughey (from Young Fresh Fellows), Peter Buck (from REM) and Steve Wynn (from Dream Syndicate) up close and personal is a pretty tough one to pass up. The fact that this band has also boasted appearances by such notables as Colin Meloy, Ken Stringfellow, Robert Pollard, Pete Yorn and of course, Jeff Tweedy can't help but fill one with all sorts of "what if" thoughts that likely will not come to fruition but, you never know...

[Myspace: The Minus 5]

5. No Shame's 100th Show @ The Horseshoe
feat. Green Go, Ruby Coast, Pick a Piper and The Skeletones Four
(Friday September 18th; Cost: $10)

The No Shame independent music series has provided our city with a high quality indie rock show 99 times in a row now, and they're prepared to make their 100th show extra special. Four of the best independent bands that I have ever heard will be taking the stage, and the show is guaranteed to be one crazy party. (This here blog may have a contest in relation to this show in the very near future. Stay tuned...)

[Myspaces: Green Go; Ruby Coast; Pick A Piper; The Skeletones Four]

6. Broken Bricks / The Assistants / Davey Parker Radio Sound @ Silver Dollar
(Friday September 11th; Cost: $5)

We all know how much I loves the psych rock, and two of the best tripsters in the city are playing the same night. I've seen Broken Bricks before and reviewed them here; and I've listened to Davey Parker Radio Sound before and reviewed them here. The Assistants are a little bit more 80's college radio than psych, but some elements are still definitely there. I've seen them before too, and I reviewed them here.

[Myspaces: Broken Bricks; The Assistants; Davey Parker Radio Sound]

7. Black Diamond Heavies / Elvyn @ Velvet Underground
(Thursday September 17th; Cost: TBA)

Black Diamond Heavies are an American band that take everything that is raw and dirty about rock 'n roll and boil it into a soulful stew that is as loud and authentic as the music of any gritty garage band to emerge out of the Detroit scene over the last 30 years. Except they're actually from Nashville. And I haven't actually heard them yet. Still, from what I've read, it sounds like they put on a heckuva rawk show. Admittedly, the main reason that this show makes my monthly ten list for September is the fact that Peterborough's Elvyn will be kicking off the night, and they'll likely be showcasing some songs from their upcoming full length, which should be out in the near future. Elvyn revels in the kind of rootsy pop music that makes artists like Teenage Fanclub and The Jayhawks so great, and they're certainly worth getting out on a Thursday night for.

[Myspaces: Black Diamond Heavies; Elvyn]

8. Hi Hat 4 Launch Night @ Rancho Relaxo
(Friday September 4th / Saturday September 5th; Cost: $10 w/CD, $7 without)

It really is amazing all that has been accomplished in recent months over at Hi Hat Recordings. Some of my favourite local bands are currently signed to that label, and to celebrate the release of a new compilation album, the Rancho Relaxo is hosting not one, but two nights of fun featuring some of the greatest bands in the city. Friday night will consist of sets by Wildlife, Spookey Ruben, Black Hat Brigade and Sandman Viper Command. As cool as Friday looks, I think that the money night for me would be Saturday, with performances by Cut Throat Briva, The Job, Sitcom and Invasions.

9. Regina Spektor @ Sound Academy
(Wednesday September 16th; Cost: $29)

I know this makes me sound like a major snob, but I really haven't paid much attention to Ms. Spektor since she shifted her focus from jazzy piano eccentricities to a more accessible and streamlined sound. There's also no way you'll ever be able to convince me that seeing her at the giant sweatbox that is the Sound Academy could ever compare with seeing her at the tiny Rivoli a few short years ago. Still, the fact that she's an amazing performer is undeniable, and if you haven't seen her yet, I can't help but recommend that you fork over the thirty dollars minus one and check her out. Regina Spektor needs to be experienced by everybody, at least once.

[Myspace: Regina Spektor]

10. Juliette Lewis / Band Of Skulls @ Opera House
(Friday September 11th; Cost: $20)

When it comes to Juliette Lewis: the rock star, the ratio of substance to schtick leans heavily towards the latter. Still, I can't help but find her very entertaining and although she may be a bit of a guilty pleasure of sorts, I must admit that I'm really looking forward to checking out her show. I just don't see enough punky mock rock these days! To sweeten the pot, Band of Skulls will be opening, and although I still have yet to listen to Baby Darling Doll Face Honey all the way through, I like the songs that I know, and I do enjoy their brand of anthemic garage rock quite a bit.

[Myspaces: Juliette Lewis; Band of Skulls]

Honorable Mentions:
There are a few other great shows in September that I highly recommend but I left them out of the top ten because they feature bands that I seem to recommend all the time. Burlington's Beautiful Nothing are playing The Horseshoe on Friday September 11th in support of their new album entitled The Fruits of Youth. [Cost: $6] The Balconies are celebrating the release of their new CD at Lee's Palace on with Oh No Forest Fires, Fox Jaws and Whale Tooth. Wednesday September 25th [Damn, what a lineup. Cost: TBA] Modernboys Moderngirls will also be celebrating the release of their new CD at Sneaky Dee's on Friday September 18th with Clothes Make The Man and Black Hat Brigade. [I've also got a contest for this show coming up. Stay tuned...] And Cuff The Duke are playing an instore at Criminal Records on Tuesday September 8th for free.

Where I'll Be:
I definitely plan on being at Dakota for Joe Pernice, although looking at the Soundscapes list, I'd better grab those tickets soon because they're almost sold out. I'm also sealed in for the Juliette Lewis / Band of Skulls show. Finally, Pains of Being Pure of Heart, Minus 5 and No Shame are all very strong maybe's at the moment and whether or not I make it out to see Elvyn will depend on how early they start, since we all know that getting out early on a Thursday night is a bit of a tough one for me. We'll see...

Tom Fun Orchestra w/ The Coast @ The Horseshoe Tavern

2009-08-30T21:13:00.005-06:00

Wow. My concert reviews are now reaching a point where I should probably start referring to them as my 'classic concert reviews', since the time lapse between seeing a show and blogging about a show has got to be dipping close to the 'does anybody still care' level. I swear I haven't forgotten about those loyal readers who still hinge on my every word, but I assure you that my tardiness is not due to my being a lazy man. However, instead of wasting any more time with repetitive excuses and my own delusions of grandeur, let's just get into some more rock talk, shall we?

The last time that the Tom Fun Orchestra were in town, they played an electrifying show that was exactly the type of celebration you would expect from a Nova Scotian nine piece with the word 'fun' in their moniker. I'll have to admit, that the memory of that amazing show was etched so spectacularly in my mind that a part of me was almost reluctant to see them again so soon, since I didn't want anything to tarnish what was easily one of the best shows of the year. Thankfully this show did not even come close to sullying that memory, even if it did lack the same magical feel.

Admittedly, this performance did have a few more things going against it. First of all, if memory serves, the January show was on a Saturday night, whereas this one was on the darkest of all concert going nights: a Thursday. Every band knows, that it's harder to get a crowd excited on a Thursday night. Secondly, not only is it difficult to get a crowd excited on a Thursday night; it's also difficult just to get a crowd at all on a Thursday night. Not only was there a smaller crowd this time around, there was a SIGNIFICANTLY smaller crowd this time around. The third obstacle of the evening was more of a personal nature. Whereas the last time I went into the show with no expectations, this time around I went in with MASSIVE expectations. So, needless to say, although this was still an awesome show, it certainly wasn't the spectacle that I witnessed the first time around. As can be seen by my three reasons though, this was hardly the band's fault.

The band still displayed the same time of insane energy that their East Coast Maritime rock lends itself to, and they seemed quite content with the fact that their onstage party may have been just as much for their own enjoyment as it was for all of ours. I noticed that a few members of the ensemble were different from the last show, but the key players were still the same. Lead vocalist Ian MacDougall was as witty and bizarre as ever, while Carmen Townsend displayed an intensity that I would love to be able to incorporate in my own life from time to time. What also makes this band stand out from other 'collectives' out there, is the fact that each member has a specific role to fill, whether it be banjo, accordian, fiddle or trumpet. The only shared role seemed to be that of playing really hard and shouting really loud when the song calls for it. What was really cool was that, even though the tendency to not want to embarrass yourself would understandably be heightened within a smaller crowd, this didn't stop certain pockets of people from showing their appreciation by dancing up a storm anyways. Although, it's a shame that many in the city obviously missed out, the small crowd that was in attendance certainly witnessed something special and this show was another wild party indeed, albeit a subdued one. (A subdued wild party? Does that even make sense? OK, let's say that they were wild and I was subdued. Better?)

Photos: Tom Fun Orchestra @ Horseshoe on flickr
Myspace: Tom Fun Orchestra
Video: Throw Me To The Rats on youtube
Download: Watchmaker mp3

Opening up for the Tom Funners was local band The Coast; a band that I had seen a few years ago but honestly remembered very little about. I've definitely been hearing their name mentioned around town though, with 2008's Expatriate receiving it's fair share of good reviews, and the local (mainly female) support for the band was substantially represented that night. There's no doubt that as musicians, they have become very proficient at honing a stadium worthy sound complete with the type of ringing guitars and atmospheric keys that simply beg to be heard at a larger venue. As performers however, they seemed to me to be a little bit too subdued for their larger than life sound. I found it hard to remain attentive for their entire set and there were moments where the band actually looked bored, which is never a good way to win over a Thursday night audience. Luckily, for them, their friends and supporters were all there to pick up the slack and what they lacked in performance, they made up for in relatively strong material.

Photos: The Coast @ Horseshoe on flickr
Myspace: The Coast

"I'm gonna dance my face off tonight..."

2009-08-20T20:19:00.011-06:00

Reviews of Fox Jaws, The Balconies and Daniel Hales & the Frost Heaves

There's a strong possibility that you're thinking: more CD reviews?!?! What about the usual concert reviews? Hasn't this guy been to any shows lately? Well the answer to that question is: yes I have, and I'll hopefully be posting some reviews of those shows next week. But for now, I've got a few more CD's I want to tell you about before I take off to the cottage for the weekend. Correction: I've got a few more GREAT CD's that I want to tell you about before I take off to the cottage for the weekend.

Fox Jaws - At Odds (or Exercises In Separation While United In The Fall)

I've made no secret of the fact that Barrie's Fox Jaws are one of my favourite bands. Their 2007 debut Goodbye Doris is one of my most listened to albums of the decade, and their recent signing with Nevado Records had me filled with great expectations. As soon as the album opens with Migrating Deer, my first expectation is immediately filled as the production quality is significantly cleaner, although they admirably stay away from placing too much sheen on their sound, which would have been inappropriate to the band's affable rawness. Throughout the course of the album's 50 minute length, the band shows their willingness to keep things progressively expanding as they avoid committing the all too familiar sophomore repeat. At Odds is a mildly experimental album that shuffles across a few different styles, although that magic coupling of pop sensibility and Carleigh Aikins' wicked awesome voice remains at the album's core. One of the most noticeable changes made on this album is the fact that the vocals are split equally between Carleigh and Daniel Allen. This creates another level of sound that revels due to the fact that their voices contain an incredible uniqueness that makes them stand apart from others. There are still some solid high energy rock songs like Youth Dance and Home and Native, the latter of which contains the most effective laughing chorus since Morrissey's We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successfull. There are some epic moments like Drinking Fountains and album closer The Enabler which makes good use of the build-up effect. But it's those experimental pieces that really impress, like Ahab's Ghost and I Am An Army, where the combination of distorted vocals, massive guitar sounds and intense drumming makes for a sonic experience that bears repeating. They even manage to accomplish the impossible with Himmelfarb by creating what I would describe as an experimental pop song that you can totally dance to.

With At Odds, Fox Jaws have created another masterpiece that has managed to keep the band in my personal faves list for another couple of years at least. If they continue to expand their musical palate the way that they have this time around, they'll likely grow to be one of my favourite acts ever.

Fox Jaws are celebrating their CD release party TONIGHT at the El Mocambo with Major Grange and Rival Boys.

Photo by Jenny Charlton
Myspace: Fox Jaws
Download: Ahab's Ghost mp3

The Balconies - The Balconies (early review!)

Sometimes I get mixed up between the albums that I've received early and the albums that are already released to the public. It was only halfway through my preparation of this review that I realized that the self titled debut by Ottawa's The Balconies is not to be released until September. I contemplated holding off this review until then, but ultimately I decided screw it, I'm here already. And quite frankly, it's going to be hard to contain my enthusiasm until it's official release due to the fact that this is one stellar album.

The Balconies straddle a line of influence that encapsulates so many different musical areas that it's hard to even know where to start. At times, the jangly guitar is straight out of the sixites songbook as a subtle amalgamation of garage rock and beach party swagger. Other times I hear the serious influence of 70's and 80's new wave, as if David Byrne, Ian Curtis or even Fred Schneider were in the room with them, coaching them along. And other times the album boasts a loudness that should be pleasantly embraced by fans of Pavement or Sonic Youth. What's interesting is that when all of these influences are smooshed together into one cool package, it ends up sounding like something wholly original. The album opens with an incredible foot stomper entitled Lulu, which has Steve Neville's voice at it's most mischievous; a sound that grows more interesting throughout the course of the album. Jacquie Neville's voice is introduced on the next track 300 Pieces, and that voice, along with the song's arrangement is a perfect example of the band's originality and refusal to be pigeonholed into one specific sound. It's cool when a band mixes it up throughout the course of an album; it's even cooler when they can do it within the structure of a single song. This also says a lot about the talents of drummer Liam Jaeger, since he manages to keep everything together with his calculated style. The band is capable of keeping things relatively simple when they want to, as is showcased in straight forward rock numbers like Smells Like Secrets and Skinny Dipper. They can also get downright haunting on surreal cuts like Hollow Bones and The Slo (which is probably my favourite song on the album.)

Like my review, the buzz has already started early on this outstanding Ottawa three piece, and you can bet that once the album is officially released, people's enthusiasm will continue to build. Having witnessed the band live a couple of times as well, I think that it's safe to say that this is no mere fluke. The Balconies are one amazing band.

The Balconies self titled debut will be released officially on September 15th. The will be playing The Horseshoe on Aug 26th, the TARA Secret Session at The Audio Recording Academy on Aug 29th, and they're at Lee's Palace on Sept 25th.

Photo by Ben Welland
Myspace: The Balconies
Download: Lulu mp3

Daniel Hales & the Frost Heaves - Frost Heaves

There is something very refreshing about the debut release by Daniel Hales and the Frost Heaves. It's becoming increasingly rare in the circles of indie rock to hear an artist whose lyrics are obviously the work of a well read and intelligent individual, while still maintaining a simplicity that keeps the artist from coming across as an arrogant jerk. Daniel Hales manages to accomplish this amazing feat with ease, as Frost Heaves is a warm, endearing album that is smart, yet free from all pretentiousness. The first couple of songs, entitled Bridges Freeze First and Distance From Mars are well produced slices of rootsy folk, boasting traces of Neil Young and The Skydiggers. They're decent songs but they really serve as a simple starting point to the rest of the album. The album really shifts into high gear with the psychedelia of Loose Thread, where the slight twang of Hales' voice is still in tact, but when enshrouded in the midst of swirling guitars and trippy percussion, it comes across as something totally different. Shepherd Of Lost Shopping Carts is a breezier number with a dreamy psych pop sound that is nothing short of intoxicating. Other highlights are the straight ahead REM rocker Wrong Meter, the crazy psychobilly romp of Questions For A Carjacker and the truly epic ambiance of Discontinued Road. The title track is easily the most eclectic track on the album, as it meanders on with a psychedelic glow that would be an odd ending to the album if it wasn't followed by a simple acoustic bonus track entitled Walking Home, which wraps up the entire Frost Heaves package nicely.

Frost Heaves is the type of album that is perfect for this time of year, with our all too short Canadian summer winding down to an unfortunate close. With each listen, the album grows more and more reflective, striking a perfect balance between moments of quiet meditation and tripped out mind expansion, creating a sound that is difficult to pigeonhole, yet easy to digest.

Myspace: Daniel Hales & the Frost Heaves
Download: Shepherd Of Lost Shopping Carts mp3