if i had a nickle for every...
ah. never mind.
seriously.
anyway, the title of this post is one of the tracks of ida maria's debut album, fortress 'round my heart. (i really like this font in italics, but the (sort of) writer in my prohibits me from writing this entire post in italics, unfortunately.)
back to it - i haven't lived with this album for long. a few hours only, to be honest. however, those few hours have made quite the impression. admittedly, i have a thing for chicks with guitars. probably in the same way that wayward philosopher types and lesbians do; i just don't fantasize about them. chicks with guitars are sexy. rock and roll music should be sexy. "i like you so much better when you're naked" is sexy.
what i like about ida maria is she can be tough and aggressive, like on "oh my god" and the track above, sensitive and vulnerable on "keep me warm," then totally fun and "bedroom dance party worthy" on tracks like "louie."
the album is fresh and fun and worth passing along to your friends. i have a funny feeling ida maria won't wear on me like kate nash. she's not novel or trendy. she's not trying to do anything besides write solid rock/pop/punk songs, and it works.
that's it for now folks. emusic subscription renewed today. bet your bottom dollar you'll see a few more posts from me over the next few days.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
it makes me mad
that no one knows this band. they're amazing songwriters. i've posted about slow runner before, but i'm going to do it again. buy their records, please. i'd do their publicity for free, on weekends, i love them that much. tell me you're writing a new record, slow runner, and i will do your publicity for free. you've got that in writing.
http://www.myspace.com/slowrunner
http://www.myspace.com/slowrunner
Monday, December 7, 2009
songs that make me happy
you know those songs. those songs that always make you smile no matter what kind of mood you're in. i especially love hearing them on the subway at about 7 p.m. when everyone is in the worst mood ever and you know that no one's having as much fun as you are with your headphones on. sometimes, i'd like to walk up to the most miserable looking person in the car and pop my headphones on their head for a minute, if it wouldn't scare the crap out of them. it would be oh so fun though.
here's a selected list of happy songs. enjoy!
Tom Petty - Learning to Fly
i can't tell you how much i love this song. i'm not entirely sure what it is about this song that makes me love it so much, besides the fact that tom petty is amazing. ps - the body painted stripper might be a little nsfw.
i can't embed this, but please watch it anyway: Journey - Don't Stop Believing
why, you may ask? well, for one, we've got some wicked cropped t-shirts. two, we've got the silkiest hair i've ever seen on youtube. three, the whole audience is asain and for some reason i find that funny. i mean, there's probably a logical explanation for it, like journey was touring japan, but it's still comical on some politically incorrect level. four, the drummer is wearing hot pants.
in any event, this song always makes me smile. like that big, stupid, i just unexpectedly ran into the dude i've got a crush on kind of smile.
springsteen - dancing in the dark
is it just me, or does bruce look like he's got a massive head in this video? just wondering. anyway, i've been known to bust out these moves while walking down the street and no one's around; it's that good. ps - at about the 3:10 mark, check out the dude with no rhythm in the crowd. he's wearing a tie. he'll make you smile all day too just thinking about how ridiculous he looks.
camera obscura - french navy
try not to foot tap to this one. actually, fuck that. try not to twirl and skip down the street while cartoon birds fly overhead and bunnies hop beside you and squirrels bring you chestnuts and raccoons don't scare the crap out of you and that deer that was trapped on university ave a few weeks ago trots by your side. yeah, it makes me that happy. and yeah, i have a thing for 1940s/50s disney cartoons.
annie lennox - walking on broken glass
i loved this song when i was 10 and i'll love this song until the day i die. when i was a kid, i can remember putting on my mom's CD and dancing around my living room, probably jumping on furniture i shouldn't have been jumping on. i still do that. just now i'm generally alone in my bedroom wearing my pjs.
bob seger - night moves
i've always said a good song should make you want to makeout. this is a song about making out. enough said. i loved this song in the 90s. i can't imagine muchmusic played bob seger, so i'm not too sure where i saw it, but i loved it nonetheless. i also just realized that bob seger is probably, totally the reason i tend to crush on old dudes with beards.
again - cannot embed, but please click on the link: pulp - disco 2000
i love how no one's wearing pants in this video. it's sort of amazing. this song makes me so happy, i want to jump around and pump my fists in the air like i'm at a concert. it's the drums.
new order - bizzare love triangle
this video alone will make you smile. i love music videos from the 80s. i should spend a whole goddamn day watching music videos from the 80s sometime. it would be the best day ever.
peter gabriel - solsbury hill
so, i would have picked my favourite video of all time, "sledgehammer," but the song doesn't make me smile like solsbury hill does. everyone fucking loves this song. also, i can't get over the fact that gabriel is wearing man-leggings. amazingness.
here's a selected list of happy songs. enjoy!
Tom Petty - Learning to Fly
i can't tell you how much i love this song. i'm not entirely sure what it is about this song that makes me love it so much, besides the fact that tom petty is amazing. ps - the body painted stripper might be a little nsfw.
i can't embed this, but please watch it anyway: Journey - Don't Stop Believing
why, you may ask? well, for one, we've got some wicked cropped t-shirts. two, we've got the silkiest hair i've ever seen on youtube. three, the whole audience is asain and for some reason i find that funny. i mean, there's probably a logical explanation for it, like journey was touring japan, but it's still comical on some politically incorrect level. four, the drummer is wearing hot pants.
in any event, this song always makes me smile. like that big, stupid, i just unexpectedly ran into the dude i've got a crush on kind of smile.
springsteen - dancing in the dark
is it just me, or does bruce look like he's got a massive head in this video? just wondering. anyway, i've been known to bust out these moves while walking down the street and no one's around; it's that good. ps - at about the 3:10 mark, check out the dude with no rhythm in the crowd. he's wearing a tie. he'll make you smile all day too just thinking about how ridiculous he looks.
camera obscura - french navy
try not to foot tap to this one. actually, fuck that. try not to twirl and skip down the street while cartoon birds fly overhead and bunnies hop beside you and squirrels bring you chestnuts and raccoons don't scare the crap out of you and that deer that was trapped on university ave a few weeks ago trots by your side. yeah, it makes me that happy. and yeah, i have a thing for 1940s/50s disney cartoons.
annie lennox - walking on broken glass
i loved this song when i was 10 and i'll love this song until the day i die. when i was a kid, i can remember putting on my mom's CD and dancing around my living room, probably jumping on furniture i shouldn't have been jumping on. i still do that. just now i'm generally alone in my bedroom wearing my pjs.
bob seger - night moves
i've always said a good song should make you want to makeout. this is a song about making out. enough said. i loved this song in the 90s. i can't imagine muchmusic played bob seger, so i'm not too sure where i saw it, but i loved it nonetheless. i also just realized that bob seger is probably, totally the reason i tend to crush on old dudes with beards.
again - cannot embed, but please click on the link: pulp - disco 2000
i love how no one's wearing pants in this video. it's sort of amazing. this song makes me so happy, i want to jump around and pump my fists in the air like i'm at a concert. it's the drums.
new order - bizzare love triangle
this video alone will make you smile. i love music videos from the 80s. i should spend a whole goddamn day watching music videos from the 80s sometime. it would be the best day ever.
peter gabriel - solsbury hill
so, i would have picked my favourite video of all time, "sledgehammer," but the song doesn't make me smile like solsbury hill does. everyone fucking loves this song. also, i can't get over the fact that gabriel is wearing man-leggings. amazingness.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
bring your hips to me.
i have a problem. every time my emusic downloads are about to expire, i go on a downloading spree. this means, generally, that i download about 5 albums in a day. you think i'd learn to use my subscription a little more efficiently; unfortunately efficiency isn't my strong suit when it comes to all things personal. anyway... a lot of the time, albums go overlooked for months in my itunes library, or at least weeks. this situation happened with the artist i'm about to tell you about: Thao with The Get Down Stay Down.
so ignore what is so obviously wrong with this video (the bad hipster/elaine dancing and the mustache - yeah, you know which one i'm talking about) and admit that you almost wish you were there. weird, i know. either way, i love this track. it's totally a solo-bedroom-underwear-dance party track. infectious, to say the least. i'm a big fan of "when we swam." it's my favourite on the record.
"cool yourself" is another great track. it has a 90s vibe, especially in the guitars. it's fun and upbeat. it makes you want to sing along and skip down the sidewalk while you walk home. i love the juxtaposition of thao's nonchalant vocals with the quick pace of the track.
really, the more i listen to know better learn faster, the more i realize how beautiful this little record is. i don't think there's a song i'd skip. it's fresh and modern, but takes pieces from 60s pop, 90s rock and modern indie rock, and gives the listener something new, yet familiar. it's as sweet as fresh-baked cookies on a saturday afternoon.
if you pick it up, it will totally be one of those records you want to keep to yourself because you feel like you've got your own little secret. don't, though.
so ignore what is so obviously wrong with this video (the bad hipster/elaine dancing and the mustache - yeah, you know which one i'm talking about) and admit that you almost wish you were there. weird, i know. either way, i love this track. it's totally a solo-bedroom-underwear-dance party track. infectious, to say the least. i'm a big fan of "when we swam." it's my favourite on the record.
"cool yourself" is another great track. it has a 90s vibe, especially in the guitars. it's fun and upbeat. it makes you want to sing along and skip down the sidewalk while you walk home. i love the juxtaposition of thao's nonchalant vocals with the quick pace of the track.
really, the more i listen to know better learn faster, the more i realize how beautiful this little record is. i don't think there's a song i'd skip. it's fresh and modern, but takes pieces from 60s pop, 90s rock and modern indie rock, and gives the listener something new, yet familiar. it's as sweet as fresh-baked cookies on a saturday afternoon.
if you pick it up, it will totally be one of those records you want to keep to yourself because you feel like you've got your own little secret. don't, though.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
i forgot to add this to my movie posts
http://www.myvideo.de/watch/3041991/The_Big_Lebowski_Bob_Dylan_The_Man_In_Me
Best scene in the big lebowski. hands down.
Best scene in the big lebowski. hands down.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
i think i'm developing a pattern
instead of cleaning my bathroom on thursdays while i do laundry, i have solo-bedroom-dance parties in my underwear and eat fruit pastilles. it's true. i'm on a janet jackson kick right now. specifically janet.. one of the best albums of the 90s.
anyway, now that november is coming to a close, all these best-of lists keep popping up everywhere. well, seeing as a i blog once a month, you could take this years blogs, condense them, and call them my top-10 of 2009. so, instead i'm going to do something different. here's a selected list of some of my most listened to tracks of 2009 - minus the one's i've already talked about.
here goes:
marcus foster - 14 times
it's beautiful and simple, just the way a great song should be. watch out for this kid. apparently one of his tracks is on the new moon soundtrack. yeah. i'm going to hate on new moon. sorry.
fink - this is the thing
fink is one of those u.k. phenomenons. mercury prize winning phenomenon that's popular home but no one seems to care to market over here. i think he's great and both his albums are amazing.
the temper trap - sweet disposition
500 days of summer was one of my favourite films this year. not just because i have a massive crush on joseph gordon levitt (and a massive girl-crush on zooey deschanel) but also because it helped me make sense of the breakup i went through earlier this year. i had mostly made sense of it by the time august rolled around, hah, but it gave me that extra bit of clarity i needed. anyway, i love "sweet disposition." it's just one of those feel-good songs you dance around your room to in your underwear while eating fruit pastilles.
bowerbirds - northern lights
bowerbirds' upper air is one of those albums that's in my top-10 of the year that i unfortunately didn't get a chance to write about (ahem *lazy* ahem). "northern lights" is a beautiful love song. "all i want is your eyes - in the morning as we wake for a short while" ughhhh, make me melt.
the xx - vcr
i think we all know i was born about 15 years too late. i should have been a teen when joy division and new order, the psychedelic furs, and the replacements were still writing tunes. because of that, i think we all know i love a good throwback. the xx are just that. a solid throwback. "vcr" is that kind of song that just makes me want to makeout with someone. as i've said before, a good song should make you want to do that.
phoenix - liztomania
another dancing in my underwear kind of song. i think i like to dance in my underwear. though, i do pull out the molly ringwald snap/kick move from breakfast club and that's rare.
anni rossi - wheelpusher
if you get a chance to see this little firecracker, do it. don't ask me what it's about. i don't really know. it's just pretty. sorta like megan fox... if she were a song... and a little more indie.
a.a. bondy - the mightiest of guns
so apparently i've got a thing for dudes with guitars. what? a.a. bondy's a recent discovery, but i'm in love. if you're in toronto, check him out december 3rd at the el mo. in fact, i've got an extra ticket if anyone wants to go.
young galaxy - firestruck
you have to see young galaxy live. seriously. this album just keeps growing on me. so pretty. oh so pretty.
the outfield - your love
yeah. i just did that. i blame adventureland. she and him need to cover this shit.
anyway, now that november is coming to a close, all these best-of lists keep popping up everywhere. well, seeing as a i blog once a month, you could take this years blogs, condense them, and call them my top-10 of 2009. so, instead i'm going to do something different. here's a selected list of some of my most listened to tracks of 2009 - minus the one's i've already talked about.
here goes:
marcus foster - 14 times
it's beautiful and simple, just the way a great song should be. watch out for this kid. apparently one of his tracks is on the new moon soundtrack. yeah. i'm going to hate on new moon. sorry.
fink - this is the thing
fink is one of those u.k. phenomenons. mercury prize winning phenomenon that's popular home but no one seems to care to market over here. i think he's great and both his albums are amazing.
the temper trap - sweet disposition
500 days of summer was one of my favourite films this year. not just because i have a massive crush on joseph gordon levitt (and a massive girl-crush on zooey deschanel) but also because it helped me make sense of the breakup i went through earlier this year. i had mostly made sense of it by the time august rolled around, hah, but it gave me that extra bit of clarity i needed. anyway, i love "sweet disposition." it's just one of those feel-good songs you dance around your room to in your underwear while eating fruit pastilles.
bowerbirds - northern lights
bowerbirds' upper air is one of those albums that's in my top-10 of the year that i unfortunately didn't get a chance to write about (ahem *lazy* ahem). "northern lights" is a beautiful love song. "all i want is your eyes - in the morning as we wake for a short while" ughhhh, make me melt.
the xx - vcr
i think we all know i was born about 15 years too late. i should have been a teen when joy division and new order, the psychedelic furs, and the replacements were still writing tunes. because of that, i think we all know i love a good throwback. the xx are just that. a solid throwback. "vcr" is that kind of song that just makes me want to makeout with someone. as i've said before, a good song should make you want to do that.
phoenix - liztomania
another dancing in my underwear kind of song. i think i like to dance in my underwear. though, i do pull out the molly ringwald snap/kick move from breakfast club and that's rare.
anni rossi - wheelpusher
if you get a chance to see this little firecracker, do it. don't ask me what it's about. i don't really know. it's just pretty. sorta like megan fox... if she were a song... and a little more indie.
a.a. bondy - the mightiest of guns
so apparently i've got a thing for dudes with guitars. what? a.a. bondy's a recent discovery, but i'm in love. if you're in toronto, check him out december 3rd at the el mo. in fact, i've got an extra ticket if anyone wants to go.
young galaxy - firestruck
you have to see young galaxy live. seriously. this album just keeps growing on me. so pretty. oh so pretty.
the outfield - your love
yeah. i just did that. i blame adventureland. she and him need to cover this shit.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
i give up
i've spent the last hour and a half attempting to search out my favourite movie soundtrack clips and i've managed to round up four. goddamn copyright infringements. seriously? you think in this day and age we'd be past that. apparently not.
"kissing you" by des'ree - romeo & juliet
so i think i understand the whole twilight phenomenon. i'm pretty sure i went to see romeo & juliet three times at the cineplex in Guelph. romeo & juliet is ridiculously better than twilight, but, after re-watching this clip, i remembered how much i loved this movie and how great of an impact it had on my perpetually heartbroken 16-year-old self. needless to say, this scene (that kicks in at about the 1:40 mark) is simply beautiful. honorable mentions go out to "young hearts run free" too.
"born slippy" by underworld - trainspotting
even though this scene is only one minute long, it's the best minute in trainspotting, as far as i'm concerned. it fits the mood of the film perfectly. i wish the clip rolled into the credits but sadly it's all i can find. it's intense. it's urgent. it's trainspotting.
"try a little tenderness" by otis redding - pretty in pink
oh john hughes. the master of the soundtrack. i don't think there's anything i can say about john hughes that hasn't already been said since his passing so i'll just focus on the scene.
i don't know about you, but i didn't have some geek serenading me with otis redding tunes when i was in high school. but, if i did, i'd be all over it (as long as he wasn't as so obviously in the closet as duckie was). molly should have done him a favour. note to any potential bfs: serenade me with otis redding and i'll do you a favour.
"in your eyes" by peter gabriel - say anything
one: i can't find this fucking clip to save my life. ffwd to 1:45
two: i, and almost every other woman on the planet, will eternally crush on john cusack because of this scene, no matter how bad his films get.
three: cameron crowe is a close second behind hughes - honorable mentions go out to "secret garden" by springsteen in jerry maguire. couldn't find that clip either. oh, and all of almost famous - specifically "something in the air."
"hold me up" by live - zack and miri make a porno
okay, so this may seem a little weird and out of context. AND nsfw. i love this scene though and the song makes it. literally - wha wha. i feel like most people would find this choice odd, especially considering kevin smith's gift for picking extraordinary music for his films, but for me, it fits perfectly.
"all i want is you" by U2 - reality bites
okay, ignore the fact that the dialogue is in fucking spanish. i hate YouTube right now. HATE. anyway, i love this song. i love this scene. i love this movie. i now blame U2 for my desire to date dirty, greasy, asshole philosopher types. everything about this is beautiful.
"kissing you" by des'ree - romeo & juliet
so i think i understand the whole twilight phenomenon. i'm pretty sure i went to see romeo & juliet three times at the cineplex in Guelph. romeo & juliet is ridiculously better than twilight, but, after re-watching this clip, i remembered how much i loved this movie and how great of an impact it had on my perpetually heartbroken 16-year-old self. needless to say, this scene (that kicks in at about the 1:40 mark) is simply beautiful. honorable mentions go out to "young hearts run free" too.
"born slippy" by underworld - trainspotting
even though this scene is only one minute long, it's the best minute in trainspotting, as far as i'm concerned. it fits the mood of the film perfectly. i wish the clip rolled into the credits but sadly it's all i can find. it's intense. it's urgent. it's trainspotting.
"try a little tenderness" by otis redding - pretty in pink
oh john hughes. the master of the soundtrack. i don't think there's anything i can say about john hughes that hasn't already been said since his passing so i'll just focus on the scene.
i don't know about you, but i didn't have some geek serenading me with otis redding tunes when i was in high school. but, if i did, i'd be all over it (as long as he wasn't as so obviously in the closet as duckie was). molly should have done him a favour. note to any potential bfs: serenade me with otis redding and i'll do you a favour.
"in your eyes" by peter gabriel - say anything
one: i can't find this fucking clip to save my life. ffwd to 1:45
two: i, and almost every other woman on the planet, will eternally crush on john cusack because of this scene, no matter how bad his films get.
three: cameron crowe is a close second behind hughes - honorable mentions go out to "secret garden" by springsteen in jerry maguire. couldn't find that clip either. oh, and all of almost famous - specifically "something in the air."
"hold me up" by live - zack and miri make a porno
okay, so this may seem a little weird and out of context. AND nsfw. i love this scene though and the song makes it. literally - wha wha. i feel like most people would find this choice odd, especially considering kevin smith's gift for picking extraordinary music for his films, but for me, it fits perfectly.
"all i want is you" by U2 - reality bites
okay, ignore the fact that the dialogue is in fucking spanish. i hate YouTube right now. HATE. anyway, i love this song. i love this scene. i love this movie. i now blame U2 for my desire to date dirty, greasy, asshole philosopher types. everything about this is beautiful.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
and thus continues my love for all things u.k.
my coworker nelson has wicked taste, sometimes. our itunes collide when it comes to u.k. imports. it was nelson who introduced me to florence + the machine. we swapped a bunch of records about a month ago but i only got around to uploading them to itunes this weekend. disappointing, only because i wish i had listened to LUNGS a month ago. it was on repeat all turkey-weekend long."dog days are over" is clearly the stand-out track. check the video here. i have to say, it's totally amazing and weird, complete with creepy clowns, children and a tree fairy. however, the track shows off 22-year-old Florence Welch's impeccable, organic sounding vocals.
the video for "rabbit heart" is as equally creepy and weird - think jane austin on acid and a tea-party with entirely too much pork. i love wacky videos. but back to the song; it's the perfect indie-rock-dance-party-anthem. the chorus is soulful and powerful. the verses are pretty and ethereal - a great juxtaposition.
"between two lungs" was the first u.k. single. it's very pretty and quirky... and here's where the kate nash comparisons start. not because they sound the same, because on most tracks they don't. you could never confuse one artist for the other. the comparisons start because when kate nash released her debut you could argue she was trying to do the same thing: quirkify pop music.
florence and + the machine does it better and they're a better band too. not because her voice is amazing, which it is, but because florence + the machine do a better job of making their pop music legitimately different by taking bits and pieces of contemporary pop and indie rock and melding those pieces with dance, some r n' b and a healthy dose of 80s pop. (sidenote: i accidentally wrote poop and only caught it on my final read-through. i should have left it.)
the production is also totally brilliant. it sounds like the album was recorded in a big empty theatre with every instrument, synth and beat at their disposal. for an example of amazing production value, check out "cosmic love." you can check out the live video below, but do a little hunting for the mp3 to really get what i mean.
needless to say, this record will be the soundtrack to my solo-bedroom-dance-parties for months to come. if someone has an extra ticket to their sold-out toronto show, i will happily take it. please.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
it's bands like this
that make me so glad i work in the music business.
Mumford & Sons / Little Lion Man video
i just adore mumford & sons. please buy their album when it's released here - just so i can see this band live. i have a funny feeling they're capable of melting faces.
and band, if this pops up in your google alerts (and i know it very well might because i'm a publicist and i get google alerts for my artists all the time), please talk to that dude from toronto, cananda who keeps emailing you. his name is chad and he's totally rad.
Mumford & Sons / Little Lion Man video
i just adore mumford & sons. please buy their album when it's released here - just so i can see this band live. i have a funny feeling they're capable of melting faces.
and band, if this pops up in your google alerts (and i know it very well might because i'm a publicist and i get google alerts for my artists all the time), please talk to that dude from toronto, cananda who keeps emailing you. his name is chad and he's totally rad.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
sunday aka hunting the depths of the internet for music
i love movie soundtracks. for a long time, i wanted that job. movie soundtracks. i thought that a movie-soundtrack-job consisted of watching movies/hunting the depths of the Internet for new music, then placing the fruits of your labour over top of those movies you watched. sounded pretty rad to me, until i learned that a music supervisor's job really consists of negotiating contracts between labels, publishers and the studio - most of the time. not so rad. who knows though. i'd still like to see for myself. i think my description makes more sense.
(yes. i'm getting to my point.)
one of my favourite movie soundtracks (of life) is empire records - and not just because i have a long-standing crush circa 1995 on ethan embry and maybe even liv tyler, just a little bit - but because the soundtrack was, most literally, another character in the movie. amazing soundtracks always play that role.
another movie soundtrack i love is adventureland. same reason. a common thread from both those soundtracks is the band big star. long story short (because i just linked to the wiki): they're a band who got caught up in the record label machine. it's a sad story that is unfortunately repeated all to often. you know a couple of their songs. most notably, "the ballad of el goodo" (empire records soundtrack, though it's a cover) and "in the street" (that 70s show theme song.) they're a band that heavily influenced a number of other bands who heavily influenced blah, blah, blah... and so on. most exciting though (in my little musical world) is that both rem and the replacements cite big star as a major musical influence. so much so, the replacements actually recorded a tribute song, "alex chilton."
moving on, with the help of the adventureland soundtrack and hyperspace, i got my hands on their first two records: #1 record and radio city. buy them on emusic.
seriously. buy them (or it). it's timeless, classic, rock and roll songwriting. you can't help but fall in love. they're the kind of songs you wish that a greasy man (who looks like he might be homeless) would sing to you just to make you smile.
i love, love, love "i'm in love with a girl" from the adventureland soundtrack.
and speaking of greasy, incredibly adorable men, here's a cover of "thirteen" by sebastien grainger.
(sebastien grainger released one of the best records of 2008, as far as i'm concerned, and i'm sort of mad at myself for neglecting to post about it. in lieu of that, the cover. buy his record too though. it's quite fantastic. sebastien grainger & the mountains. i thought it was & les montagnes? maybe that's just in canada... haha)
(yes. i'm getting to my point.)
one of my favourite movie soundtracks (of life) is empire records - and not just because i have a long-standing crush circa 1995 on ethan embry and maybe even liv tyler, just a little bit - but because the soundtrack was, most literally, another character in the movie. amazing soundtracks always play that role.
another movie soundtrack i love is adventureland. same reason. a common thread from both those soundtracks is the band big star. long story short (because i just linked to the wiki): they're a band who got caught up in the record label machine. it's a sad story that is unfortunately repeated all to often. you know a couple of their songs. most notably, "the ballad of el goodo" (empire records soundtrack, though it's a cover) and "in the street" (that 70s show theme song.) they're a band that heavily influenced a number of other bands who heavily influenced blah, blah, blah... and so on. most exciting though (in my little musical world) is that both rem and the replacements cite big star as a major musical influence. so much so, the replacements actually recorded a tribute song, "alex chilton."
moving on, with the help of the adventureland soundtrack and hyperspace, i got my hands on their first two records: #1 record and radio city. buy them on emusic.
seriously. buy them (or it). it's timeless, classic, rock and roll songwriting. you can't help but fall in love. they're the kind of songs you wish that a greasy man (who looks like he might be homeless) would sing to you just to make you smile.
i love, love, love "i'm in love with a girl" from the adventureland soundtrack.
and speaking of greasy, incredibly adorable men, here's a cover of "thirteen" by sebastien grainger.
(sebastien grainger released one of the best records of 2008, as far as i'm concerned, and i'm sort of mad at myself for neglecting to post about it. in lieu of that, the cover. buy his record too though. it's quite fantastic. sebastien grainger & the mountains. i thought it was & les montagnes? maybe that's just in canada... haha)
Thursday, August 6, 2009
giving up on love
yep. i'm going to do it again. i'm waiting for my laundry. that's the only reason why. i'm never, ever, ever this motivated.
so, i have a rad record to share with you. i found it one day when i was browsing emusic: the best online music retailer - IN THE WORLD. it's so convenient. no foolin'. emusic is sort of like online dating. you obtain an account because you like to date/like music and you'd like to find dates/music that you maybe wouldn't encounter otherwise. you might (will) make a few mistakes along the way, but you could come across a real winner. it's the idea that you might come across a real winner that keeps you coming back for more and makes the real duds tolerable.
so, without further non-related rambling, i'd like to share the best seat dancing routine of LIFE. no seriously. check it out. this might be one of the best videos ever made.
that video above is from slow club!
(i had to hard return and add punctuation because it wouldn't let me continue on with the next sentence un-hyperlinked. i'm not really that excited)
and, just as i linked to the myspace, i realized that they played the mother effing dakota on tuesday night. #fml. why do i always find out about shows after they happen? someone help me out here.
anyway. i'm a massive fan of the album. it took a few listens. at first i thought, "big whoop. another male/female duo. i'm over ra ra riot." but, slow club are different. they're british. and no, that's not wholy sarcastic. i mean that in the best way possible. i think that music coming out of the uk right now is a little less serious, a little more quirky and a whole lot more fun.
yeah so is one of those records that tricks you. it's one of albums that makes you think it's all happy - filled with unicorns and cotton candy and sparkly rainbows. but really, they're songs about breakups and other depressing things. i'm in a phase where i dig that sort of thing right now.
fav tracks:
"giving up on love" has a great retro sound, beatles meets the beach boys maybe. it makes me want to do the mashed potato in a polka-dot swimsuit. i'm afraid no one would care to see that though, i'm sure.
"when i go" - see below. you know it. you know you like it. too cute for words. the song and the commercial. who doesn't like dude on chick folk. the back and forth is super sweet and works, so well.
"our most brilliant friends" is a ten minute song. a bit long, if you ask me. really, it's a secret track, i think. i like the tin-ey production on this one. it's got a frantic build. the build is common throughout most of the album, to tell you the truth. i appreciate it. it helps to take you along for the ride.
well. that's it. go get it and i'll go get my laundry.
so, i have a rad record to share with you. i found it one day when i was browsing emusic: the best online music retailer - IN THE WORLD. it's so convenient. no foolin'. emusic is sort of like online dating. you obtain an account because you like to date/like music and you'd like to find dates/music that you maybe wouldn't encounter otherwise. you might (will) make a few mistakes along the way, but you could come across a real winner. it's the idea that you might come across a real winner that keeps you coming back for more and makes the real duds tolerable.
so, without further non-related rambling, i'd like to share the best seat dancing routine of LIFE. no seriously. check it out. this might be one of the best videos ever made.
that video above is from slow club!
(i had to hard return and add punctuation because it wouldn't let me continue on with the next sentence un-hyperlinked. i'm not really that excited)
and, just as i linked to the myspace, i realized that they played the mother effing dakota on tuesday night. #fml. why do i always find out about shows after they happen? someone help me out here.
anyway. i'm a massive fan of the album. it took a few listens. at first i thought, "big whoop. another male/female duo. i'm over ra ra riot." but, slow club are different. they're british. and no, that's not wholy sarcastic. i mean that in the best way possible. i think that music coming out of the uk right now is a little less serious, a little more quirky and a whole lot more fun.
yeah so is one of those records that tricks you. it's one of albums that makes you think it's all happy - filled with unicorns and cotton candy and sparkly rainbows. but really, they're songs about breakups and other depressing things. i'm in a phase where i dig that sort of thing right now.
fav tracks:
"giving up on love" has a great retro sound, beatles meets the beach boys maybe. it makes me want to do the mashed potato in a polka-dot swimsuit. i'm afraid no one would care to see that though, i'm sure.
"when i go" - see below. you know it. you know you like it. too cute for words. the song and the commercial. who doesn't like dude on chick folk. the back and forth is super sweet and works, so well.
"our most brilliant friends" is a ten minute song. a bit long, if you ask me. really, it's a secret track, i think. i like the tin-ey production on this one. it's got a frantic build. the build is common throughout most of the album, to tell you the truth. i appreciate it. it helps to take you along for the ride.
well. that's it. go get it and i'll go get my laundry.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
you know
when you hear a song and it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy and you think that if your heart could smile it would totally have a giant, goofy, toothy grin slapped across its... left ventricle?
WELL, almost every single song on DAWES debut album, North Hills, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and heart-smiley. signed to ATO in the US, the album hits stores states side on August 18. If you're a canadian, you can pick it up on iTunes NOW. DO IT.
in my opinion, dawes does new-folk better than fleet foxes. heavy claim, i know, but listen to my reasoning. i loved the fleet foxes album when it dropped. i listened to it, religiously, for a few weeks after acquiring it. i loved the aesthetic, the harmonies, the throwback. but, after a while, it was just TOO much. i had a new-folk hangover that i just couldn't shake. eventually, i just gave it up.
then came along dawes.
dawes have all the nostalgia you need for one sitting. it's folky, but delivers a healthy does of country-rock (heavily influenced by bands like the band) to balance it all out. the lyrics are solid, the hooks are traditional and the harmonies are beautiful. it's not perfect, but that's what makes it so endearing. and it's so easy to listen to. i can solidly say it's passed my tests. i'm a month in, or close to it, and i routinely go back for more.
check out "that western skyline," "give me time" and "peace in the valley" (my personal favourite.)
ALSO, i'm a huge fan of "love is all i am." the video is beautiful.
WELL, almost every single song on DAWES debut album, North Hills, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and heart-smiley. signed to ATO in the US, the album hits stores states side on August 18. If you're a canadian, you can pick it up on iTunes NOW. DO IT.
in my opinion, dawes does new-folk better than fleet foxes. heavy claim, i know, but listen to my reasoning. i loved the fleet foxes album when it dropped. i listened to it, religiously, for a few weeks after acquiring it. i loved the aesthetic, the harmonies, the throwback. but, after a while, it was just TOO much. i had a new-folk hangover that i just couldn't shake. eventually, i just gave it up.
then came along dawes.
dawes have all the nostalgia you need for one sitting. it's folky, but delivers a healthy does of country-rock (heavily influenced by bands like the band) to balance it all out. the lyrics are solid, the hooks are traditional and the harmonies are beautiful. it's not perfect, but that's what makes it so endearing. and it's so easy to listen to. i can solidly say it's passed my tests. i'm a month in, or close to it, and i routinely go back for more.
check out "that western skyline," "give me time" and "peace in the valley" (my personal favourite.)
ALSO, i'm a huge fan of "love is all i am." the video is beautiful.
Dawes "Love is All I am" from THE FEAR on Vimeo.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
i know it's been forever
but fuck off. i had swine flu. no joke. it basically put me out of commission, and by out of commission, i mean asleep with a fever between 100 and 103, for five days. i could have brain damage. who knows, really.
this isn't a real post anyway either, so i can fuck off for that one.
i've been a bit down lately and i found myself searching around for some new tunes to cheer me up a bit. anyway, i did find some sweet tunes so i'll rustle up the gumption and post about them soon. tonight i just want to feel bittersweet.
anyone who knows me knows that i'm obsessed with frightened rabbit. anyway, i was perusing a few blogs and happened across a frightened rabbit live video. not the one below, but the same song:
anyway (and i preface this with the following comment: "yes. i'm aware that i'm being lame and a teeny bit pathetic") but anyway, all of the sudden i remembered being in my ex boyfriend's car, just after christmas, when i went down to visit him for 10 days, on our way to a movie. we were running a bit late because he made this red thai curry for supper. he made fun of me because i didn't quite trust that the chicken was cooked all the way through. i totally didn't think it was cooked all the way through.
it was incredibly cold and his car always took a little to while to warm up. it was old.
we had to take the highway to get to the theatre on time. we listened to frightened rabbit the whole way there. i swear, i can remember that song playing in the car and looking over at him and just feeling so. incredibly. happy.
it's just bittersweet. it's a great memory, but it's marred by the fact that we don't talk anymore and probably never will. that week, i was happier than i'd ever been, almost certainly. i know i'll be that happy again someday. but, i do miss him. just a little. from time to time.
i guess this is sort of inappropriate for a blog about music. but, in a way, it all relates. a song, a good song, always has meaning. this song in particular has the ability to actually bring back the smell of the cold, cold air that night. that's a pretty powerful track, if you ask me.
this isn't a real post anyway either, so i can fuck off for that one.
i've been a bit down lately and i found myself searching around for some new tunes to cheer me up a bit. anyway, i did find some sweet tunes so i'll rustle up the gumption and post about them soon. tonight i just want to feel bittersweet.
anyone who knows me knows that i'm obsessed with frightened rabbit. anyway, i was perusing a few blogs and happened across a frightened rabbit live video. not the one below, but the same song:
anyway (and i preface this with the following comment: "yes. i'm aware that i'm being lame and a teeny bit pathetic") but anyway, all of the sudden i remembered being in my ex boyfriend's car, just after christmas, when i went down to visit him for 10 days, on our way to a movie. we were running a bit late because he made this red thai curry for supper. he made fun of me because i didn't quite trust that the chicken was cooked all the way through. i totally didn't think it was cooked all the way through.
it was incredibly cold and his car always took a little to while to warm up. it was old.
we had to take the highway to get to the theatre on time. we listened to frightened rabbit the whole way there. i swear, i can remember that song playing in the car and looking over at him and just feeling so. incredibly. happy.
it's just bittersweet. it's a great memory, but it's marred by the fact that we don't talk anymore and probably never will. that week, i was happier than i'd ever been, almost certainly. i know i'll be that happy again someday. but, i do miss him. just a little. from time to time.
i guess this is sort of inappropriate for a blog about music. but, in a way, it all relates. a song, a good song, always has meaning. this song in particular has the ability to actually bring back the smell of the cold, cold air that night. that's a pretty powerful track, if you ask me.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
TV ON THE RADIO
Were everything I expected and then some. Couldn't have asked for a better show. But, what the fuck is with all the Torontonians who wouldn't bust a move?? Seriously. Best show to dance at, ever! I'd write more but I'm tired and I have to work at a photo shoot allllllll day tomrrow.
A-Mazing
A-Mazing
Sunday, May 31, 2009
i declare a mutiny
many thanks to a coworker who just introduced me to one of the freshest artists i've seen in a long time.
William Elliot Whitmore
he's signed to anti - one of the best labels out there in my opinion. according to his bio, whitmore grew up on the banks of the mississippi (what a shock. it's not like he sounds like a 60 year old black man who's been singing/playing guitar since he was 12 or anything) and a according to iTunes he's released five full-length albums. with all that music underneath his belt, i'm shocked i've never heard of him before. i can tell you one thing though, i'll be picking up a ticket to his show if he ever makes his way to toronto.
my coworker gave me songs of the blackbird and i instantly downloaded animals in the dark. i'm in love. his songs are everything i look for in good music. solid story telling, melodic, rhythmic music and that thing that makes a good song a great one: in whitmore's case, it's his voice.
check out "dry" and "mutiny." if you're a country fan, you'll dig "johnny law."
i'd write more but i must get a head-start on some work for tomorrow. it's newsletter time at work...
William Elliot Whitmore
he's signed to anti - one of the best labels out there in my opinion. according to his bio, whitmore grew up on the banks of the mississippi (what a shock. it's not like he sounds like a 60 year old black man who's been singing/playing guitar since he was 12 or anything) and a according to iTunes he's released five full-length albums. with all that music underneath his belt, i'm shocked i've never heard of him before. i can tell you one thing though, i'll be picking up a ticket to his show if he ever makes his way to toronto.
my coworker gave me songs of the blackbird and i instantly downloaded animals in the dark. i'm in love. his songs are everything i look for in good music. solid story telling, melodic, rhythmic music and that thing that makes a good song a great one: in whitmore's case, it's his voice.
check out "dry" and "mutiny." if you're a country fan, you'll dig "johnny law."
i'd write more but i must get a head-start on some work for tomorrow. it's newsletter time at work...
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
a long long-weekend
this weekend was a long long-weekend for me. i probably should do some work this evening but i'm running on a three day hangover, so instead i'm spending/spent today FINALLY unpacking the rest of my shit, watching movies and now, blogging about some sweet, sweet tunes.
i've been meaning to purchase this album since late 2008 but never got around to it. story of my life. it was one of those things where you'd hear someone talk about the album and you'd make a mental note to head over to the itunes store next time you're at your computer, but you'd routinely forget. at least i would, anyway. finally i did. thank god. because, it's one of the best canadian rock records to be released in a very, very long time.
this "indie" explosion has led to a number of mediocre, low-fi, shoegaze-esque albums hitting store shelves and i think we've forgotten just how rad it is to listen to a record that makes you heel-tap at your desk, bounce around your bedroom while you put away your laundry, and provoke the desire to clap your hands and dance like molly ringwald from that scene in the breakfast club down the alley behind your house while you're walking to the subway. well, jackson square by arkells makes me want to do just that.
it's definitely a pop infused sound, but it's fully, completely rock and roll. it's similar to slow runner, not in the sound, but in the band's talent and ability to make a super-cool pop-influenced rock album with wicked melodies, solid hooks, memorable lyrics and all around well-crafted tunes. the funny thing is that even if i think i don't particularly like a song at first, it's always capable of taking me along for the ride - like a movie that you think you might not like when you're 15 minutes into it, but soon you find that it has this weird ability to draw you in because it takes these tiny twists and turns you don't expect and all of the sudden you wind up in a place you never thought you'd be and it's fucking awesome.
jackson square also one of the best album covers i've seen in a long time, too.
the band is also pretty cute to boot. i'm not going to lie. i've got a bit of a band crush. let's get on with the show though.
dudes are from "the hammer", or hamilton, as it's generally referred to. they self-released an EP in 2007, must've made friends with dallas green along the way, re-released their EP on dine alone records, then dropped jackson square with the same label in october of 2008. i know this band draws a number of comparisons to the constantines (who are a great canadian rock band, don't get me wrong) but i just don't think the constantines have released anything as "accessible" as the arkells' record and though i hear the influence of a track like "working full time" on "oh, the boss is coming", "oh, the boss is coming" has a far greater appeal.
also check out:
deadlines (link courtesy of one of my favourite canadian blogs, i (heart) music) - this track is probably my favourite
ballad of hugo chavez
john lennon
i can unequivocally say that arkells are one of the best canadian rock bands to hit store shelves in a long, long time and i'm super-duper excited to catch a live show and see what other tracks they've got hidden up their sleeves.
i've been meaning to purchase this album since late 2008 but never got around to it. story of my life. it was one of those things where you'd hear someone talk about the album and you'd make a mental note to head over to the itunes store next time you're at your computer, but you'd routinely forget. at least i would, anyway. finally i did. thank god. because, it's one of the best canadian rock records to be released in a very, very long time.
this "indie" explosion has led to a number of mediocre, low-fi, shoegaze-esque albums hitting store shelves and i think we've forgotten just how rad it is to listen to a record that makes you heel-tap at your desk, bounce around your bedroom while you put away your laundry, and provoke the desire to clap your hands and dance like molly ringwald from that scene in the breakfast club down the alley behind your house while you're walking to the subway. well, jackson square by arkells makes me want to do just that.
it's definitely a pop infused sound, but it's fully, completely rock and roll. it's similar to slow runner, not in the sound, but in the band's talent and ability to make a super-cool pop-influenced rock album with wicked melodies, solid hooks, memorable lyrics and all around well-crafted tunes. the funny thing is that even if i think i don't particularly like a song at first, it's always capable of taking me along for the ride - like a movie that you think you might not like when you're 15 minutes into it, but soon you find that it has this weird ability to draw you in because it takes these tiny twists and turns you don't expect and all of the sudden you wind up in a place you never thought you'd be and it's fucking awesome.
jackson square also one of the best album covers i've seen in a long time, too.
the band is also pretty cute to boot. i'm not going to lie. i've got a bit of a band crush. let's get on with the show though.
dudes are from "the hammer", or hamilton, as it's generally referred to. they self-released an EP in 2007, must've made friends with dallas green along the way, re-released their EP on dine alone records, then dropped jackson square with the same label in october of 2008. i know this band draws a number of comparisons to the constantines (who are a great canadian rock band, don't get me wrong) but i just don't think the constantines have released anything as "accessible" as the arkells' record and though i hear the influence of a track like "working full time" on "oh, the boss is coming", "oh, the boss is coming" has a far greater appeal.
also check out:
deadlines (link courtesy of one of my favourite canadian blogs, i (heart) music) - this track is probably my favourite
ballad of hugo chavez
john lennon
i can unequivocally say that arkells are one of the best canadian rock bands to hit store shelves in a long, long time and i'm super-duper excited to catch a live show and see what other tracks they've got hidden up their sleeves.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
i normally wouldn't do this
because she's signed to a sister label, but i just adore this song. top of my summer '09 sweet jamz list.
maybe it would help if i told you who she was (i posted this video 3 days ago). she's misstress barbara. a montreal dj turned sweeeet summer jamz of '09 maker. this song reminds me of everything that was good about the 90s, circa trainspotting.
maybe it would help if i told you who she was (i posted this video 3 days ago). she's misstress barbara. a montreal dj turned sweeeet summer jamz of '09 maker. this song reminds me of everything that was good about the 90s, circa trainspotting.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
one of my favourite jessica lea mayfield songs
sung by one of my favourite acts: the avett brothers
LOVE LOVE LOVE it! It's one of my life-soundtrack songs right now.
ps - guaranteed, if i ever saw these dudes live, i would melt into a pile of mushy, gushy, love-junk. i adore them.
LOVE LOVE LOVE it! It's one of my life-soundtrack songs right now.
ps - guaranteed, if i ever saw these dudes live, i would melt into a pile of mushy, gushy, love-junk. i adore them.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
tom petty rocks my socks
i've been feeling a bit blah lately. i think it's the weather. winters are long in toronto, that's all i'm going to say. anyway, i was on the the subway on my way to work, having woken up to a cold, wet rain this morning, when tom petty's "learning to fly" came through my speakers and totally brightened my morning.
i love tom petty. i always seem to overlook his catalogue when i dream up my one of many attempts at an "all time favourites" list. i guess what i'm trying to say is that tom petty is one of my favourites. if i ever forget to mention him, or his work, in future attempts at an "all time favourites" list, just refer me back to this post.
and speaking of tom petty, i happened to see a fellow at the dakota tavern in toronto last thursday who reminded me of tom petty. not in the "i'm trying to steal tom petty's groove" kind-of-way, but he struck me in a tom petty kind-of-way through his presence, his phrasing and his style. this "he" to which i'm referring is dustin bentall (check his officially web page here). he's a fantastic live show. cool; that's the crucial word i used to describe his show to a coworker. he's got a stage presence much larger than the cozy, dark stage in the corner of the dakota allows for, i think. he's just fucking cool.
if you can get your hands on them, look for "handful of the blues," "see it coming," "such a shame" and "cold and lonely." you know what? just buy the album. you'll like it. especially if you dig the alt-country scene.
i love tom petty. i always seem to overlook his catalogue when i dream up my one of many attempts at an "all time favourites" list. i guess what i'm trying to say is that tom petty is one of my favourites. if i ever forget to mention him, or his work, in future attempts at an "all time favourites" list, just refer me back to this post.
and speaking of tom petty, i happened to see a fellow at the dakota tavern in toronto last thursday who reminded me of tom petty. not in the "i'm trying to steal tom petty's groove" kind-of-way, but he struck me in a tom petty kind-of-way through his presence, his phrasing and his style. this "he" to which i'm referring is dustin bentall (check his officially web page here). he's a fantastic live show. cool; that's the crucial word i used to describe his show to a coworker. he's got a stage presence much larger than the cozy, dark stage in the corner of the dakota allows for, i think. he's just fucking cool.
if you can get your hands on them, look for "handful of the blues," "see it coming," "such a shame" and "cold and lonely." you know what? just buy the album. you'll like it. especially if you dig the alt-country scene.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
i'm moving tomorrow
just down the street, but it seems easier than it is. i'm lacking boxes. seriously lacking boxes. i'm also slightly behind on my to-do list for today. i've packed up my dvds and vhs tapes, that's about it. anyway, my iTunes is on random right now and a tune from the empire records soundtrack came on. i don't know whether it's nostalgia, but there's something about that soundtrack that just makes me happy. that's all i had to say.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
PS
can you tell i just figured out what the second "embed" url means on youtube? hah. yeah. i might be slightly stupid.
i was jealous...
of everyone that could download the new camera obscura album today. i'm impatiently awaiting my downloads to refresh on emusic so i drown myself in the new album. because i was jealous of everyone downloading the new album, i decided to use up my last few downloads for the month on the new ep from the breeders, sans the final song. i'm a huge pixies/the breeders fan. and, on first listen, i do enjoy the ep. mark lanegan from screaming trees is on one track, "the last time." clearly he's got a major hard-on for leonard cohen. "chances are" is a simple cover of the bob marley tune. "fate to fatal" has a classic breeders vibe. i'm digging it. i'm still pissed i missed them last time they played in toronto. man, i love kim deal.
i also finally broke down and downloaded serena ryder's "is it okay." i'll have to keep you posted on how the album grows on me. i have to be honest - i've never been a fan of the way her albums are produced and mixed. i think her songs would just sound better stripped down. i LOVE her voice though. she's an amazing singer. i wish i could bend around notes like she does. she's a real artist. there's just part of me that really wishes she'd work with a different producer and veer away from the a/c sound and feel her albums seem to have, in my opinion anyway.
"little bit of red" is my favourite track, hands down. i love it. i especially love singing it in the shower. it also makes me dance around my room when i'm making my bed. it's true. totally just happened, like, 15 minutes ago. why i was making my bed at 10:15 pm is beyond me, but hey.
Monday, April 13, 2009
so i had the day off today
and today has just been a weird day. i woke up in a bad mood - mainly because i had a friend stay at my place for the weekend and even though i barely saw her, i was ready to have the place to myself again this morning.
i'm also not sure i like these four day weekends. the 'relatively' recent (or really not that recent and it's time for me to pick myself up by the boot-straps and move on) breakup has made me relish the time when i'm too busy to think. that's normal, i'm sure. although, perhaps i should avoid movies like Say Anything.
alas, the famous "In Your Eyes" scene is currently plastered across my screen. however, this screening has not been a completely self-loathing experience. i've noticed a few things about the movie that i've found quite amusing:
1) the dad is totally creepy. i feel like he comes across more creepy than intended. if the dad were a real person, he'd totally be in an episode of dateline's "to catch a predator."
2) diane looks like a meth addict in the scene at the kick boxing gym. sorry. when she says "i left home," does she neglect to mention the "and became a meth addict" part?
3) "I gave her my heart and she gave me a pen." is possibly the best movie quote ever.
4) seeing as almost every fashion trend in this flick can be spotted on queen west any given day of the week, i'm waiting for the feminized pirate hat diane wears in the final scene to make a comeback.
5) i'd like to meet a hopeless romantic. not anytime soon, but eventually. and i know that's not really that amusing. though, the fact that i'm making it a life goal might be. heh.
anyway, excuse the personal crap. i just needed to vent and i'm fairly certain that not a single soul reads this. it's just that, sometimes, it's nice to talk and not be talked back to. i avoid the 'talked back to' part when i write here, and, in a strange way, i still get the satisfaction of getting something off my chest. that's why people blog, i suppose.
moving on. my post for today is not supposed to be about personal crap or say anything. it's about J Tillman - another recent music love and another discovery due in part to social networking. i fucking love the internet. i came across J. Tillman one day on facebook, when a casual acquaintance with excellent music taste added his video to her FB feed.
J. Tillman's Vacilando Territory Blues is his fifth... fifth, solo record. i don't understand why i've not heard his stuff before. maybe because three of those five solo records were just released digitally this past fall, but that's besides the point (i should research before i start to write, i suppose. hah.) anyway, the album is hauntingly beautiful. Tillman also plays drums in one of the most highly acclaimed indie bands a la moment: fleet foxes. clearly this guy's got something a brewin'.
if you're looking for the fleet foxy sound on this record, you're not going to find it. that could be because he's a rather new addition to the band, but either way, it's entirely more current-sounding than anything on the fleet foxes self-titled album. i can best describe Vacilando Territory Blues as lo-fi, ryan adams-esque indie rock, with a bit of folk thrown in for good measure. non-traditional americana, howabout that.
"first born" is one of my favourite tracks. it's simple and beautiful and so is the video.
"Steel on Steel" and "New Imperial Grand Blues" are nice surprises.
"James Blues" is a stunning track, too. again. i'm in love with production on this record. it sounds like the record was recorded in a (rather large) bathroom, live, in one take. i love music that just sounds... organic... please excuse the use of a buzz word as ubiquitous as 'organic.'
love, Love, LOVE J. Tillman. Buy his shit here.
i'm also not sure i like these four day weekends. the 'relatively' recent (or really not that recent and it's time for me to pick myself up by the boot-straps and move on) breakup has made me relish the time when i'm too busy to think. that's normal, i'm sure. although, perhaps i should avoid movies like Say Anything.
alas, the famous "In Your Eyes" scene is currently plastered across my screen. however, this screening has not been a completely self-loathing experience. i've noticed a few things about the movie that i've found quite amusing:
1) the dad is totally creepy. i feel like he comes across more creepy than intended. if the dad were a real person, he'd totally be in an episode of dateline's "to catch a predator."
2) diane looks like a meth addict in the scene at the kick boxing gym. sorry. when she says "i left home," does she neglect to mention the "and became a meth addict" part?
3) "I gave her my heart and she gave me a pen." is possibly the best movie quote ever.
4) seeing as almost every fashion trend in this flick can be spotted on queen west any given day of the week, i'm waiting for the feminized pirate hat diane wears in the final scene to make a comeback.
5) i'd like to meet a hopeless romantic. not anytime soon, but eventually. and i know that's not really that amusing. though, the fact that i'm making it a life goal might be. heh.
anyway, excuse the personal crap. i just needed to vent and i'm fairly certain that not a single soul reads this. it's just that, sometimes, it's nice to talk and not be talked back to. i avoid the 'talked back to' part when i write here, and, in a strange way, i still get the satisfaction of getting something off my chest. that's why people blog, i suppose.
moving on. my post for today is not supposed to be about personal crap or say anything. it's about J Tillman - another recent music love and another discovery due in part to social networking. i fucking love the internet. i came across J. Tillman one day on facebook, when a casual acquaintance with excellent music taste added his video to her FB feed.
J. Tillman's Vacilando Territory Blues is his fifth... fifth, solo record. i don't understand why i've not heard his stuff before. maybe because three of those five solo records were just released digitally this past fall, but that's besides the point (i should research before i start to write, i suppose. hah.) anyway, the album is hauntingly beautiful. Tillman also plays drums in one of the most highly acclaimed indie bands a la moment: fleet foxes. clearly this guy's got something a brewin'.
if you're looking for the fleet foxy sound on this record, you're not going to find it. that could be because he's a rather new addition to the band, but either way, it's entirely more current-sounding than anything on the fleet foxes self-titled album. i can best describe Vacilando Territory Blues as lo-fi, ryan adams-esque indie rock, with a bit of folk thrown in for good measure. non-traditional americana, howabout that.
"first born" is one of my favourite tracks. it's simple and beautiful and so is the video.
"Steel on Steel" and "New Imperial Grand Blues" are nice surprises.
"James Blues" is a stunning track, too. again. i'm in love with production on this record. it sounds like the record was recorded in a (rather large) bathroom, live, in one take. i love music that just sounds... organic... please excuse the use of a buzz word as ubiquitous as 'organic.'
love, Love, LOVE J. Tillman. Buy his shit here.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
you can touch me if you want to, i don't really care
"oh you can kiss me again if you want, i don't mind."i think i'm in love with 1) jessica lea mayfield and 2) cyberspace (yeah. that's right. i'm bring that back: cyberspace) - i love the power of the interweb and social networking tools.
case in point:
yesterday i was on twitter and stereogum posted new video from jessica lea mayfield.
see said video below:
so. the handgun at the end is sorta lame, but i had instant music love for the track. so, from twitter i went to emusic, found the LP and downloaded it. the internet just makes life so easy. i love how i can see a twitter, watch a video and legally obtain an album all within 10 minutes. for reasons such as this, i know that in some capacity, i will always be able to find work as a publicist (knock on wood).
either way. i'm in love with jessica lea mayfield. i love her seemingly ambivalent vocal style. the way she swoops from note to note, effortlessly, but with a clear direction of where she's headed. i love her sharp, sad, honest lyrics. at 19, she's got a lot to give yet, that's for sure.
i especially love the production on the album. it's whimsical, with a healthy dose of rock and country-twang thrown in for good measure. it sounds real. it's sounds alive. it's reminiscent of of the style of production on a fleet foxes or bon iver album.
stand out tracks:
the clear front runner is "kiss me again." (see above video). i've listened to this track about 20 times in the past 24 hours.
"the one i loved the best" - it's a beautiful track. i was recently broken-up with and i have to say, if i was capable of writing a good break-up song, it would have been this one. what i'm getting at is that mayfield has this way of capturing raw emotion, through her words and tone and musicality. that's a songwriter, if you ask me.
"we've never lied" - twangy guitar picking and traditional, folksy, acoustic guitar set the mood for the track. again. the vocals are the stand-out here. they're the stand-out on any track. their painstakingly emotional. they suck you in and hold your attention for the length of the song. they're haunting, really.
"for today" is also an amazing track - "but i could care less about you, care less about you, and i love the sound of you walking away, and i can see clearer, and i'm getting closer to finding out just who i am without you in the way, so hold me, but only for today." who writes like that at 19?
jessica lea mayfield was the best birthday present. of life.
Monday, April 6, 2009
hell has officially frozen over...
i'm posting here again and it hasn't been a bajillion months since my last post. AND - i probably could post twice, i've discovered so many good bands/tunes lately. i think i'll save it up and perhaps post again next week... stay tuned... if anyone actually reads this. hah. ah well.
so. today's not about anything new, per se, though it is relatively new to me.
so, a few weeks ago i downloaded TIM, Let It Be and Hootenanny! by The Replacements. i had heard of them, casually, for years, but i was never inclined to discover them. i'm not sure what prompted me to download them at all, actually. random internet surfing, probably. but i'm so glad i did. i feel like my love for The Replacements is growing like a little music love tree in that special place in my heart that i have for bands such as pixies. no matter how old it gets, it never sounds dated. it's always current, because it's just fucking good.
anyway, so i went to ADVENTURELAND this weekend, and incidentally, the soundtrack was full of replacements' tracks. i knew, then and there, that it was a sign. i was meant to blog about the band to pass on all that is good about the replacements to the one, maybe two people that happen across my blog.
you won't be sorry. i promise.
what i love about the replacements, is no matter what the song is about, it makes me feel good.
favourite tracks:
unsatisfied - this song makes me want to hang out in my bedroom and listen to this record on my non-existent record player with a slightly chubby, slight awkward dude, smoking cigarettes and holding hands while lying on my bed. it just that kind of song.
bastards of young - this song feels like summer to me. it's the kind of tune that i could listen to and completely and utterly loose myself in while riding the streetcar, sitting down next to a window, slightly cracked, with the warm air creeping in as the streetcar barrels along dundas.
can't hardly wait - this song is totally a week-long road trip to nowhere in a shitty honda from the 90s with a tape-deck and two crappy speakers.
i could go on and on... all three albums are, hands-down, amazing. what makes me most happy, though, is that in this day and age, music as good as this is finally a possibility again. that's why i love working in this industry. there is always something beautiful to discover around the bend, if you're willing to look.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
this band is fitting, i think...
considering the shit storm that life's recently sent my way. however, that's besides the point. though, because of that i've had to take a sabbatical from all things ryan adams and neko case, which means i've been compelled to search the internets for new bands to occupy my speakers.
so, here's my latest find for you: heartless bastards.
from cincinatti/dayton, ohio, heartless bastards are a three-piece band, fronted by Erika Wennerstrom - a woman that really makes me want to join a rock and roll band, she's that fucking good. she's powerful - but soft enough to swoop you up in her bluesy, soulful, twang, laid over top distorted guitars, and cradle you to sleep in her rock and roll dreamland. she's my new lady crush. move over neko case, a new woman's in town.
The Mountain is the newest album, released on Fat Possum Records (home to wavves, townes van zandt and andrew bird) and it's solid, front to back. it bends through genres from rock, to blues, to alt-country, to hints of classic rock, and back again.
stand-out tracks:
"could be so happy" - i love it's simplicity. i love it's folky, bluesy vibe. i love how it makes me sway in my chair while i write about it.
"the mountain" - i wish this song were the soundtrack to my life. it reminds me of everything i love about music. it sounds timeless, to me. i hope this song takes this record where it deserves to go. i think it's capable of doing that.
"sway" and "out to sea" are also standout, hands down, amazing tracks.
buy it. you won't be disappointed.
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