Jan 31, 2013

The Story Of - Billy Bragg - 1983 - 2013




Billy Bragg releases his first new studio album in five years, Tooth & Nail, on March 18 2013


Tooth & Nail Tracklist:
01. January Song
02. No One Knows Nothing Anymore
03. Handyman Blues
04. I Ain’t Got No Home (Woody Guthrie)
05. Swallow My Pride
06. Do Unto Others
07. Over You (Bragg/Henry)
08. Goodbye, Goodbye
09. There Will Be A Reckoning
10. Chasing Rainbows
11. Your Name On My Tongue (Bragg/Henry)
12. Tomorrow’s Going To Be A Better
Billy Bragg 2013 Tour Dates:
03/23 – Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre
03/24 -Albuquerque, NM @ KiMo Theatre
03/26 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom
03/28 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
03/29 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
03/30 – Petaluma, CA @ McNear’s Mystic Theatre
04/02 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
04/03 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune’s
04/04 – Victoria, BC @ Alix Goolden Hall
04/05 – Vancouver, BC @ Vouge Theater
04/06 – Nelson, BC @ Live at the Royal
04/08 – Calgary, AB @ MacEwan Hall
04/09 – Regina, SK @ Orr Centre
04/10 – Winnipeg, MB @ Garrick Centre
04/12 – Chicago, IL @ City Winery
04/13 – Chicago, IL @ City Winery
04/15 – Iowa City, IA @ The Englert Theatre
04/17 – Nashville, TN @ The Belcourt Theatre
04/19 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
04/20 – Glenside, PA @ Keswick Theatre
04/21 – Morgantown, WV @ WVU Creative Arts Center
04/22 – Annapolis, VA @ Rams Head On Stage
04/24 – Alexandria, VA @ The Birchmere’
04/26 – Ithaca, NY @ State Theatre
04/27 – New York, NY @ Town Hall Theatre
04/28 – Cincinatti, OH @ The Southgate House Revival
05/01 – Ann Arbor, MI @ The Ark

Jan 29, 2013

Adam Green and Binki Shapiro - 2013



Adam Green first came to prominence as one-half of the Grammy-winning Moldy Peaches before embarking on a solo career. Binki Shapiro was one-third of Little Joy, the Brazilian-accented Los Angeles trio formed with Fabrizio Moretti (The Strokes) and Rodrigo Amarante that won many fans with its critically acclaimed self-titled 2008 album.


Together the pair make beautiful music over lo-fi guitars, more low-budget copies of 50s rock ‘n roll records than the better-produced garage rock of Green’s recent break-up/breakdown album Minor Love. The highlight here is ‘Casanova’ (“to the mentally ill”), with keyboards straight from a Beach House song, some Ronettes-style backing vocals and a DIY Roy Orbison guitar solo in the middle.

Ocean Blue - Live - 1994

Live At Ventura, California

The Ocean Blue promo cd live album, recorded by Westwood One Radio Networks on June 20th, 1994 concert in Ventura Theatre

01. Don't Believe Everything You Hear
02. Sublime
03. Bliss Is Unaware
04. Between Something & Nothing
05. Marigold
06. Drifting, Falling
07. Ballerina Out Of Control
08. Cerulean
09. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Jan 27, 2013

Grimes - Genesis - 2012


Lots of fun this video...

The End of Christianity


In this successor volume to his critically acclaimed first anthology, The Christian Delusion: Why Faith Fails, John Loftus—a former minister and now a leading atheist spokesperson—has assembled a stellar group of respected scholars to continue the critique of Christianity begun in the first volume. The contributors include Victor Stenger, Robert Price, Hector Avalos, Richard Carrier, Keith Parsons, David Eller, and others. Loftus is the author of Why I Became an Atheist: A Former Preacher Rejects Christianity. Taken together, the Loftus trilogy poses formidable challenges to claims for the rationality of the Christian faith. Amazon

Jan 26, 2013

twenty | one | pilots - Guns For Hands


Described as “schizoid pop” (a term I am not ready to accept), Twenty One Pilots – duo, Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun – became a hot buzz word in 2012 when they signed with Fueled by Ramen and then released a three-song teaser EP, aptly titled, “Three Songs.” With their debut full-length album, “Vessel,” the Columbus, Ohio natives are poised to take over the music scene.


I know what you think in the morning
When the sun shines on the ground
And shows what you have done
It shows where your mind has gone.

And you swear to your parents
That it will never happen again
I know, I know what that means
I know

That you all have guns
And you never put the safety on
And you all have plans
To take it, don't take it

I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep
I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep
But I can't, but I can't when you all have
Guns for hands, yeah.

Let's take this one second at a time
Let's take this one song, this one rhyme
Together, let's breathe
Together, to the beat

But there's hope out the window
So that's where we'll go
Let's go outside and all join hands
But until then you'll never understand...

We've turned our hands to guns, trade in our thumbs for ammunition,
I must forewarn you, of my disorder, or my condition,
'Cause when the sun sets, it upsets what's left of my invested interest,
Interested in putting my fingers to my head,
The solution is, I see a whole room of these mutant kids,
Fused at the wrist, I simply tell them they should shoot at this,
Simply suggest my chest and this confused music, it's,
Obviously best for them to turn their guns to a fist.


Guns for Hands’ is the showpiece of the album. If you have to choose one song to listen to, make it this one. The heart-pounding chorus explodes in waves, the drums and vocals combine to give us a nice ebb-and-flow that will keep listeners coming back. The verse is deceivingly mild; the message hidden within is more serious than the light-hearted tone lets on. It’s big, it’s deep, and it’s the best song on the album. ‘Trees’ follows, and it gives ‘Guns for Hands’ a run for its money. It makes the album go out with a bang before ‘Truce,’ the softest song on the album. ‘Truce’ ends the album on a somber note, but one of freedom and hope. TD

Jan 23, 2013

The Deep Freeze Is On - 2013

Today's Temperature Hit - 40 Degrees... 
From Weather Station:
The bitter cold continues to make the province of Quebec shiver. Extreme wind chill conditions are affecting a portion of Southern Quebec as well as western, central and part of Eastern Quebec. In some of these regions, these conditions will continue through Friday morning. The intense cold should persist across the province until the end of the week. In addition to this very cold weather, blowing snow is strongly reducing visibilities along the St. Lawrence River east of Rivière-du-Loup and in Schefferville. Winds could even be severe this evening over the northern part of the Gaspé Peninsula.

Sleepy Vikings - They Will Find You Here - 2013



Sleepy Vikings had previously and unsuccessfully described it's sound as "southern shoegaze", but this tag is really just window dressing for hick towns and beer plus Pavement and Sonic Youth. This is a band that accepted an invitation to play its first show before it even had a set of music to play, so fitting into a genre is not a top priority.


What really is tops is the band's music. The songs on 'They Will Find You Here' are filled with dreams and nightmares that have already caused the local press in Florida to call Sleepy Vikings "...a swooning squall" (Orlando Sentinel) and note that the band is "...king-hell committed on blazing a trail" (Miami New Times). 

Jan 21, 2013

Surly Gates - "Pisces"


Game On!


After 510 cancelled games and over 41% of the season cancelled the NHL has begun once more after a long negotiation process.
Our team lost their first 2 to 1... The sprint is on!
Fans were wooed with a beer, a hot dog trio and a water bottle. Long live the Habs...

Jan 20, 2013

Eddi Front - 2012


"It took a long time for me to not hate the sound of perfection," says 27-year-old Brooklyn-based songwriter Ivana Carrescia, who records as Eddi Front. Ever since she was a kid-- an only child, Vegas-born, who moved around constantly with her restless mother-- she has gravitated towards dark, murky sounds.


The violin that her conductor father gave her when she was five was too shrill ("I thought it sounded like a whiny cat… especially if you kind of suck"); she wanted a viola or cello instead. Her favorite music as a teenager followed a similar pattern: the gloom of the first few Cat Power records, the cassette hiss and dark humor of Liz Phair's self-recorded Girlysound tapes. These were the albums that inspired her to create her own brooding, decidedly unpolished bedroom recordings. "I was sending around demos which I thought were a finished product," she laughs. "Some of my friends were like, 'Maybe you should try to record these in a studio.'" pitch

Jan 19, 2013

The Pogues in Paris - 30th Anniversary - 2012




Tracklist:
01 – Streams of Whiskey
02 – If I Should Fall From Grace With God
03 – The Broad Majestic Shannon
04 – Greenland Whale Fisheries
05 – A Pair of Brown Eyes
06 – Tuesday Morning
07 – Kitty
08 – The Sunnyside Of The Street
09 – Thousands Are Sailing
10 – Repeal Of The Licensing Laws
11 – Lullaby Of London
12 – The Body Of An American
13 – Young Ned Of The Hill
14 – Boys From Teh County Hell
15 – Dirty Old Town
16 – Bottle of Smoke
17 – The Sicked Bed of Cuchulainn
18 – Sally MacLennane
19 – Rainy Night in Soho
20 – The Irish Rover
21 – Star Of The County Down
22 – Poor Paddy On The Railway
23 – Fairytale of New York
24 – Fiesta

Jan 17, 2013

Mothersday - 2013



Lonesome Heights - 2013


An astonishing debut from Lonesome Heights. A strange mix of indie, anti-folk, psychedelic blues and quintessential English song writing. Catchy tunes, bold intelligent lyrics. A simply smashing first album.


Special thanks to azurehum for this one, a really cool album.

Jan 15, 2013

Timid, the Brave - 2012


Genre: lo-fi, folk soul


The first song opens things up instrumentally with simple light acoustic picking, some reeds, and the occasional fiddle embellishment. The vocals are what carry the piece along opening up am autobiographical story of writers block ... leaving the listener to wonder if the writing of this very song may have been an exercise in confession and rejuvenation.
Overall songs on the album are very well written... they accompany the vocals quite well setting a subtle mood. ex

Despite its decidedly quaint proclivities, one needs only look at the success and critical acclaim of Ray LaMontagne or Iron & Wine to answer the question of whether traditional folk music is still relevant today. It's been said many times before, but there really is something universal communicable through good folk music, and when it's good enough to find its way into your heart and mess around with your emotions, the feeling is always fresh and special. Hamilton, Ontario's Tim Selles, recording solo as Timid, the Brave, has managed to pen a self-titled album of that type of folk. Released November 16 on Other Songs, Timid, the Brave is a strong, deeply honest album best enjoyed alone with one's thoughts...IYS

Neil Young - Live - 1971


All songs written by Neil Young.

"On the Way Home" – 3:42
"Tell Me Why" – 2:29
"Old Man" – 4:57
"Journey Through the Past" – 4:15
"Helpless" – 4:16
"Love in Mind" – 2:47
"A Man Needs a Maid/Heart of Gold Suite" – 6:39
"Cowgirl in the Sand" – 3:45
"Don't Let It Bring You Down" – 2:46
"There's a World" – 3:33
"Bad Fog of Loneliness" – 3:27
"The Needle and the Damage Done" – 3:55
"Ohio" – 3:40
"See the Sky About to Rain" – 4:05
"Down by the River" – 4:08
"Dance Dance Dance" – 5:48
"I Am a Child" – 3:19

Live at Massey Hall, 1971

Though the set of songs featured that night was similar to other concerts during the tour, the bulk of the songs played would have been unfamiliar to the audience. Of the eighteen songs Young performed during his second set that night, only eight had already appeared on record. These include songs that Young recorded with the bands Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, or had released on one of his three solo albums to date.

Jan 14, 2013

Blanket Truth - Urban Wildlife - 2012



Genre: indie folk

Blanket Truth have a real genuine feel to their musical arrangements. Acoustic guitar reminds me of a Jeff Mangum strum, while the vocals are raw but true à la They Might Be Giants; the female voice helps tame an otherwise singular tone. These guys make fun music with tons of cool beats... me thinks some serious beatboxing is happening here! All quite endearing.


Jan 13, 2013

VA - One For The People - 2012

This is a great selection of sounds. They all push the other to force the max, but it works in my garage rock, lofi kinda world.


Kim The Lion - 2012


"This is the brainchild of young Ontario singer-songwriter Stephen Pepler. He makes his debut in impressive fashion with this understated, but subtly convincing release. Pepler has a slightly breathy and sweetly melodic voice that perfectly complements his soft folk-rock approach. Reference points include the likes of David Gray and Jose Gonzalez. Pepler co-produced with Toronto roots stalwart David Baxter, who contributes typically tasteful guitar. 
The cast list of instrumentalists include such Baxter regulars as Blake Manning, Burke Carroll and Treasa Levasseur, while Pepler and Dave Saliba impress with their guitar work. Judiciously employed mandolin, banjo, accordion and pedal steel add a rootsy tinge, but Pepler’s voice is unaffected and twang-free. Kim The Lion saves the best for last, closing with the potentially anthemic “We Will Rise” and the rousing “I Walk This Road.” EXCLAIM REVIEW

Parquet Courts - American Specialties - 2012


Genre: lo-fi country garage rock

I missed this album when it was first released, and just love it. It has a great lo-fi quality to it, plus killer tunes - rhythmic and true to their nature. If you haven't heard of these guys yet, stop waiting!


Musical Pearls...


I have started contributing to the great Jotien's music blog. 
Have a look at our recent posts; we tend to post indie, alt-country, folk, singer-songwriters, alternative, and sometimes electronic... Our styles match up pretty well and it is a pleasure contributing to an outstanding blog. Hope you enjoy.
My blog will still remain - for all the other stuff I don't post on MP.
Best colleyc

The Elephant in the Room


Jan 11, 2013

From the East - 2012/2013


Genre: Shoegaze / Experimental


Genre: New Wave Pop


Genre: Alternative Rock / Psychedelic-Experimental


Genre: Dream Pop / Alternative-Electronica

This is a grab bag of some great Halifaxian bands. Nice assortment of genres and they all have something to offer the musical world. All are name your own price. Definitely to check out!

Jan 8, 2013

Albino Father - For (2012)


Genre: psychedelic lo-fi

Their promise: Albino Father is some sort of nucleus. Awesome protons and electrons come and go, helping the nucleus to be more than it could be on its own. Or some bullshit like that.

We are not tied to a specific sound. We will change as we absorb the what not and the what have you that people tend to absorb. We'll try to write good songs at the core of whatever noise we make.

An excellent album from these Salt Lake City boys, a little big rock, a little bit psych-pop, enveloped in a lo-fi blanket. Free DL@BC.

M:alt Whiskey 🥃 • 2012


Alright guys here we go, after a long prep time, the comp is finally here. And boy is it good. I am very impressed as a whole, everyone seems to be developing and improving as artists, everyone put very solid contributions forward on this comp and it’s very good as a result.

1. I Miss You by Bojangles [ThomYorkeIsDead]
2. Sixty Four by TTK [The Telepathic Kid]
3. Full Moon Centipede High by ASMR PUNK [Venom Dream & sadsic/pikapalooza]
4. Audrey (Demo) by Moral Reef [me]
5. AAR by Jim Redgrave [Purple Mouse]
6. Rose by Agent A & Omae [meat_monster]
7. Never Laugh Harder by Z Plan [wobbuffet10]
8. Deep Blue by 105 [me & sadsic/pikapalooza]
9. Sparkles by Donny Threw A Rager [1m1n/Aman]
10. The Immoral Proposition (Words by Robert Creely) by jam pickle [flamingbeast]
11. Hold My Own (feat. Moral Reef) by New Foe [justcallmeSaucy feat. me]
12. Forward Stream by Seismograph [Asheron61]
13. One Does Not Simply Sip The Espresso by Valets [brn8976]
14. Is Is What It Is, Isn’t It? by Gender Bombs [GenderBombs]

Jan 7, 2013

Norwegian Arms - Wolf Like A Stray Dog [2013]


Genre: experimental folk pop

Recorded over the course of an intense week of at Dr. Dog’s Meth Beach studios, Norwegian Arms is set to release their debut LP, Wolf Like A Stray Dog. The record is comprised of eleven introspective songs written during songwriter/mandolinist Brendan Mulvihill’s year long fellowship in Tomsk, Russia, nestled in the heart of Siberia. Self- described as an “ember glowing in the distance of an otherwise frozen taiga”, Wolf Like A Stray Dog deals with themes of homesickness, discovery, frustration, and wanderlust. 
Wolf Like a Stray Dog is an album about the quest for identity, a resistance to permanence, adapting to new environments, questioning one's knowledge and perspective, and never being satisfied with what you know. It's wanderlust and curiosity, distilled and neatly packaged into sonic bursts of intense energy. Simply put, it’s apparent that Norwegian Arms suffers from a chronic case of the human condition.

Jan 6, 2013

I Was A King - Frozen Disease [2013]




Introducing the pride of Norway, I Was A King. This unique group sounds part Death Cab for Cutie, but more so like the Shins. Good Company. This is a really chill song and video from a rad mellow band from across the Atlantic. This song is off their album.

Jan 4, 2013

Veronica Falls - Covers [2012]


Tracklist:

01 Under My Thumb (The Rolling Stones) 2:28
02 Sooner Or Later (Slumber Party) 2:12
03 Eighteen Is Over The Hill (West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band) 2:23
04 Thorn In My Side (Eurythmics) 3:29
05 Joed Out (The Verlaines) 2:51
06 Starry Eyes (Roky Erickson) 2:37

Jan 2, 2013

People On Vacation - It Must Be Christmas

Indie Covers 19 [2013]


Rebellion (Arcade Fire) - Benjamin Francis Leftwich
In Between Days (Cure Cover) - Superchunk
Never Understand (Jesus And Mary Chain Cover) - Asobi Seksu
If I Can't Change Your Mind (Sugar cover) - The Decemberists
Maps (Yeah Yeah Yeahs Cover) - Rogue Wave
Don't Look Back In Anger - Ryan Hamilton
Fix You (Coldplay cover) - Matthew Mayfield
Calling All Angels (Jane Siberry cover) - The Wailin' Jennys
Hey (Pixies) - Eskimo Joe
Such Great Heights (Postal Service) - Ben Folds
Kids (MGMT) - The Kooks
I Will Follow You Into The Dark (death cab for cutie) - Amy Millan
Mansion On The Hill (Bruce) - Joe Purdy & Garrison Starr
One of us cannot be wrong (Cohen) - Father John Misty
Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) Arcade Fire - Meklit Hadero and Quinn DeVeaux

Hope you enjoy the newest compilation of covers... Indie Covers 19

Jay Jay Pistolet - Hooked up on us [2009]


I really miss drinking chocolat chaud
You'd pick me up discretely at the end of my road
We would go somewhere quiet and drink 'em slow
And I really miss taking drives with you
Forests, fields, and villages we'd pass through
There is not one single thing I'd rather do

But you can move on quickly if you want to
Forget about our history if you must
You could find a new guy if you'd like to
But I'm still hooked up on us

Well I really miss the spring in my step
The one that I contracted from that bed in which we slept
When our hands first intertwined and our lips first met
And I miss my clothes being ripped from me
You found out where I was and got there rapidly
Oh, I know not other, purer form of beauty

But you can move on quickly if you want to
Forget about our history if you must
You could find a new guy if you'd like to
But I'm still hooked up on us

Well, I know sometimes I'm horrid
Baby, I can be pretty mean
And I know sometimes I'm dirty
But darling, this is me coming clean

I really miss you spending time with me
And keeping us in contact almost constantly
There is no one that I know I'd rather see
And I really miss playing songs for you
I would guage your reactions, let your favourites through
You're the only girl I've ever let review

You can move on quickly if you want to
Forget about our history if you must
You could find a new guy if you'd like to
But I'm still hooked up on us
Yes, I'm still hooked up on us

SOKO & LOW ROAR & CHRISTINE OWMAN - TONIGHT WILL BE FINE (Leonard Cohen)


Sometimes I find I get to thinking of the past.
We swore to each other then that our love would surely last.
You kept right on loving, I went on a fast,
now I am too thin and your love is too vast.
But I know from your eyes
and I know from your smile
that tonight will be fine,
will be fine, will be fine, will be fine
for a while.
I choose the rooms that I live in with care,
the windows are small and the walls almost bare,
there's only one bed and there's only one prayer;
I listen all night for your step on the stair.
But I know from your eyes
and I know from your smile
that tonight will be fine,
will be fine, will be fine, will be fine
for a while.
Oh sometimes I see her undressing for me,
she's the soft naked lady love meant her to be
and she's moving her body so brave and so free.
If I've got to remember that's a fine memory.
And I know from her eyes
and I know from her smile
that tonight will be fine,
will be fine, will be fine, will be fine
for a while.

LOW - Album trailer [2013]


“While driving through Chicago on tour, we finally stopped to visit Wilco at their studio, The Loft. They had invited us to come check it out several times over the years, but this would finally be the day…What really converted us was hearing the new Mavis Staples tracks they were working on – big, simple, raw and intimate. Plans were made then and there.” – Alan











Happy New Year