Rocky Votolato is coming to Toronto!

I feel old. I saw Rocky Votolato six years ago, March 9, 2004 with the Get Up Kids and Recover. Two bands that I had the opportunity to see again after that gig.

What a line up. I barely knew any of the artists but I was smart enough to be at that show. I fell for Rocky Votolato after he played his last song - "Suicide Medicine". He fully won me over when I heard the line - "Looks like it's over please remember all of the things that I never got a chance to say. Like you look smashing in your fourth grade picture in house that looks so beautiful in our little home". I'm a total suck. He's on Barsuk - the same label that Death Cab started out on and Chris Walla produced one of his albums for sure. He has all the pieces to be big but he hasn't broken even the surface. Which i'm totally OK with because HE'S PLAYING THE DRAKE. Last time round which was nearly three years ago he played the El Mocambo. Regretfully, I had to give up my tickets to play on my school baseball team.

I'm quite excited for this show.

Tegan and Sara

I've never been a huge fan, but So Jealous is still one of my favourite albums to listen to from start to finish.

Finding albums that are quality all the way though his hard to find. Unless you're looking at the Beatles' collection.

Fionn Regan

I first learned about Fionn Regan on a limb. I found his name in an advertisement of Now for upcoming shows. He played the Rivoli, probably three years ago and won me over completely.

When he played his first single "Be Good or Be Gone" off his album The End of History, he stopped singing to let people join in. No one sang, and he said over his playing "This is where you guys are suppose to sing". Everyone joined in after and enjoyed this moment of the newly emerging artist.

He came back shortly after that show, either later that year or a year later and played the Horseshoe. We've yet to cross paths again, I really hope he plans another tour.

Regan is from Ireland, go figure with a good Irish name like Fionn.

"Canadian Girl" by the Walkmen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWoKoorqL2k

My Favourite tune off the album You and Me. It has the best artwork ever! It's a little off thinking that this album was released two years ago!

Brushing Up

I find I don't brush my teeth nearly as long as I should. So in keeping up with personal hygiene I devised a plan that includes music and a lot of dancing - That's brushing my teeth to a '60s pop song each time.

'60s pop songs are distinct because they're very short and upbeat.

Here are a few suggestions on my end:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8LmTaVrPl8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY9mBWuLRL4&feature=fvw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJSe9dBjtf0 (my favourite opening credit)

Piers Faccini

Is it pathetic to find new artists from watching Grey's Anatomy. I guess it compensates for the sobfest, chick flick television that I've been comsuming my life with.

Piers Faccini is not young, he's pushing forty and has the raw sound of a twentysomething heartbreaker with an acoustic guitar. He reminds me of Alexi Murdoch, the heart and soul of the movie Away We Go.

I hope he tours soon, I wouldn't mind seeing him at a tiny venue like the El Mocambo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mudlkrSMeWw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdZTAOEtt4M&feature=related

and just to legitimise him, La Blogotheque is all over him too: http://www.blogotheque.net/Piers-Faccini,3483

Johnathan Rice on Grey's Anatomy

http://www.casttv.com/shows/grey-s-anatomy/sympathy-for-the-devil/oo5wof1

In the last few minutes of this Grey's Anatomy episode Johnathan Rice's tune "The Acrobat" was played to tie the whole episode together. It's really nice to know the song has a shelf life of over four years.

Remarkable.

Here's a great live rendition of the tune, he's pretty young here!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w98P8eqY-Zs

and because I can laugh at myself for liking this stuff:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS5KvBdP_NQ

Real Estate

I saw Girls, but I skipped on Real Estate ... Shitty! Because they're pretty great.

http://hypem.com/#/search/real%20estate/1/

Camera Obscura solved.

At the end of every concert, Camera Obscura has played a beautiful flourish of what I thought was nothing.

I was wrong. After passively listening to the album Let's Get Out of This Country I heard the last song called "Razzle Dazzle Rose". Which sounds like a modern take on Blondie's "Tide is High".

That beautiful flourish they play at the end of all of their shows is from this song!

http://hypem.com/#/search/razzle%20dazzle%20rose/1/

Wintersleep

a forgotten friend.

Ce Weekend

I listened to absolutely nothing this weekend because I am out of headphones. I just ordered some new ones online!

But the last song I listened to was "Let's Get Out of This Country" by Camera Obscura. I am going to listen to it right now!

Greg Laswell

Greg Laswell is actually pretty good. Just as I was getting cheesed at Grey's Anatomy for playing Bon Iver they introduced me to someone great.

http://hypem.com/#/search/greg%20laswell%20and%20then%20you/1/

Camera Obscura!!!!!!!

Timber Timbre February '09

I have a really talented friend who doodled the entire time we were at a show together.

Timber Timbre at the Music Gallery in February of last year. Almost one full year ago. I hope Taj doesn't mind that I stole it from his blog.

Most of the Shows I attended in 2009 in less than Five Pages!

I saw over Forty Shows this year alone , pretty mind boggling - and scary expensive. In retrospect, it was totally worth every penny I spent.

I saw some lousy shows, and some amazing shows. Here's a few words on each show I went to dug out right from the back of my brain, I even forgot some gigs I had went to as well!

I started off the year with Jessica Lea Mayfield, a ridiculously young songstress who did a ton of work with the Black Keys and was produced by Dan Auerbach. In February I saw - Timber Timbre at one of my favourite venues in the city - The Music Gallery. His haunted, bare performance was full of heart and was completely sold out. I later heard him play "Demon Host" from the outside of 6 Nassau a tiny dive in Kensington. He's big and in the future we'll be lucky to see him at a tiny venue. I had the pleasure of seeing Kathleen Edwards at Trinity St. Paul, she proved that she didn't wear thongs as she told the audience about her full bottomed underwear. She is also an incredible songwriter and performer which I gathered from this particular gig. Her band was also quite good, she had Jim Bryson playing the keys to accompany. I really enjoyed this show! I went alone to see Blitzen Trapper at the Horseshoe which was pretty impressive as I saw them last open for Okkervil River a few months prior at the Phoenix - the gig was sweaty and absolutely happening they're really a great band to see live - because they're experienced and have a great full sound. At some point I saw the ever-charming Ben Kweller who won my heart two times in one day - I first saw him at Sonic Boom and then at the Mod Club. As a part of Canadian Music Week, I saw a brilliant show at the Reverb, which looks to be my last as they're closing it down soon!! - I saw Jenn Grant and Amelia Curran - the apples of Rich Terfry's eye - play a batch of songs. My big regret was leaving early to meet Derek after his Brutal Knights show and missing Melissa McClelland's set. It was just before she released her dazzling album Victoria Day. I saw Flight of the Conchords before they disbanded! This show sold out like hot cakes, even though I believe there were two gigs. I went with my best friend who enjoyed it a hell of a lot more than I did. I felt as though my seats were so lousy it ruined the show. They did get a chuckle out of me when they opened up with "Too Many Dicks on the Dance Floor" a song I had never heard before! One of the best shows and most dynamic albums of the year is Charles Spearin's Happiness Project. I first heard him showcase it at Jason Collett's Basement Revue TWO YEARS AGO! After two years of telling people about this amazing project Charles Spearin finally released an album, the CD version is even embossed in Braille!! I'm not sure if I was dazzled by this show because it was at the Music Gallery and I was sitting on the floor in front of the first pew with a perfect view of all of the music happening or if the music actually won me over. Regardless, it was one of the most beautiful, inspiring shows I have gone to all year. I was disappointed by Lisa Hannigan at the Mod Club with openers The Low Anthem. I really wish that she stayed with Damien Rice because that's where she belongs. I was however incredibly surprised by her cover of Air's "Playground Love" - which was really beautiful! I saw Maria Taylor play a venue she has in the past few years made her resident home in Toronto - the El Mocambo. A total dive, Taylor was able to play with her usual drabby vibe in an appropriate venue for it. The last time I saw her with Johnathan Rice, this time she took the wild child group Whispertown 3000 a band of women who look and act like little girls - I first saw them with Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins four or five years ago (with Jonathan Rice!). As last time, I was completely disappointed with their crazy mindless set! Julie Doiron is my first love this year! I was introduced to her this year by a very special person. I feel as though he said to me: "Do you like Julie Doiron? ... No? ... I'm sure you would!” And I did. I purchased the vinyl copy of her 2009 album I Could Wonder What You Did with Your Day days before the concert and fell in love at the concert. Hopefully 2010, over fifteen years after Eric's Trip got big, I will get into them. Someone told me the only people who don't like Eric's Trip are people who haven't heard them. Julie Doiron was in Eric's Trip. For the first time ever, I saw the legendary M. Ward who dazzled me at the Phoenix of all places. He looked shy and uncomfortable, but I still felt really into the show. I can't believe I missed the opener Joe Pugh, fortunately my housemate bought his album to smear in my face that I missed a great solo artist with a ton of talent. Maybe next time! I saw Neko Case finally! She played Trinity St. Paul's. I bought the ticket not really knowing her stuff, but knowing that this show would be one to reckon with, Case projected, talent, charm and beauty at this show. It was worth it 100% - people were also killing for tickets. I went to the first show, and I biked by when they were playing the second the following day and I could hear her voice billowing from outside, it was beautiful. I can't believe I went to Taste of Chaos! I went to see one of my favourite bands of high school - Thursday. The bouncer asked me if I was sure I was going to the right show as I had my helmet in hand, not fitting the 'punk' attire of the young crowd. I was let down by this show. I looked back to when the Taste of Chaos could sell full Arrow Hall. Yikes. I was charmed by the lovely, Vetiver at the Horseshoe Tavern. They were pushing their beautiful album Tight Knit. It was lovely to hear Andy Cabic play these tunes live. Tight Knit is easily one of my favourite releases of the year for the music and the art work it has. I went with Nicole. I believe the Paper Cuts opened this gig, they're getting big and touring a bunch - we weren't feeling it, but I really like their recorded album and wish I did my homework beforehand! I saw Steamboat play at Sneaky Dee's - I was amazed by Steamboat's The Band-like ability to shine as a backup band to all their special guests. This was my first time seeing Sandro Perri and the Deadly Snakes' Andre Ethier. It was brilliant to hear Ethier play the "Pride of Egypt". I also saw Doug Paisley for the first time. I saw Camera Obscura at some time in June, I was impressed with their sound but found them to be extremely dull to watch. Each time they play they play a full, lush ending of all their instruments together sort of as thanks for everyone seeing the gig. It impresses me every time! They didn't play "The Sweetest Thing" which really let me down. Their new album My Maudlin Career is one of the finest releases of this year - leaves Stuart Murdoch's God Help the Girl in the mud, sorry Taj! I saw Grizzly Bear, FINALLY at a real venue. I last saw them at the Molson Amp, with Radiohead but I really truly equate this as my first time really seeing them. They were brilliant and even had Feist sing the Victoria LeGrand part (of Beach House) of the tune "Two Weeks". This was the only show this year I felt like I was going to pass out at - it was completely sold and it felt over capacity too! I was bored by Amy Millan, thank goodness it was a free show. It was at Harbourfront. I did enjoy her cover of "I Will Follow You into the Dark" despite how much flack Pitchfork gave it. I was totally shocked when she put it on her boring release of this year. I saw the Walkmen for the second time, this album You & Me shook me to my core, which in retrospect, I can't believe it was released last year - it still resonates hard. It was my move in mix to my last apartment. I remember playing it in an empty room as I was piecing my life back together on Palmerston Avenue! It's always a thrill to hear the tune "Canadian Girl" live. I remember being blown away by the guitarist, who plays this one wouldn't believe came out of the guitar! I saw Jenn Grant yet again, but for free! I biked down to Harbourfront on a lovely summer evening. I remember this was my first time recording something on my phone and it sounded impeccable. I really enjoyed this show! I saw the Zombies with my parents. My Dad has a huge affinity for this band. It was fantastic to hear "Care of Cell 44" live. Blunstone's still got the voice and Argent's still got the fingers. I was amazed by how many young people showed up, and how many of them were willing to drop $50 bucks on a band from sixty years ago! I was also amazed that they'd play this teeny tiny venue. I told myself last year I would see the legendary Dave Brubeck live, and I did this year. Brubeck is 87 years old, the same age as my Grandpa. His hands on the piano however, sound as young as ever. He would occasionally stumble towards the microphone to say a few words that sounded extremely airy and shaky. His son, Matthew Brubeck stepped on stage and played the cello, although they're American, young Brubeck is a music instructor at York U. What a catch. Brandi Disterheft put us to sleep but she's young and Canadian with a solid sound. My regret of the Toronto Jazz Festival was missing Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. A big secret of the Nathan Phillips shows is that you can just hover around outside and listen as they're just in covered tents! Hope for no rain though! I went to Sudbury for the very first time this summer and was greeted by lovely music and mosquitoes. I went down to see the Sudbury Folk Festival where countless Canadian artists went to play - I saw Sudbury locals Tuba Boy play their 1920's inspired music, Joel Plaskett play solo, which was really lovely and bits of Hawksley Workman - my absolute favourite was hearing Jenn Grant with just her violin player. It was a beautiful summer day and it was a wonderful way to close the festival. I saw Beirut, the love of my life - Zach Condon at the Phoenix. He played an incredible set - I couldn't help but compare it to his La Blogotheque sessions - absolutely mind blowing. He is a musical genius! I had the privilege of seeing Cursive at the Horseshoe. Six years ago I wanted to see the Good Life play at the Horseshoe. I remember it was at the time I got my first fake ID and I didn't feel confident to do so. I really wish I did because the Good Life has yet to come back. This gig was Cursive's first headlining show in Toronto - I saw them last year or the year before play with Against Me! and Mastadon, a really messed up lineup. The show was great - my favourite part was hearing "A Gentleman Caller" and many other songs from the album The Ugly Organ. Kasher's got so much heart when he plays - he sort of has that dodgy stance that Joe Cocker has. This gig got me into the song "Bad Sects" from their 2006 release titled Happy Hollow. It's one of those songs that make me remember why I love Tim Kasher to pieces for his lyrics. I hope they come back - it was interesting to see that their fan base was consisting of mainly late twenty-somethings and early thirties. Brilliant. I saw Do Make Say Think at a teeny tiny venue - called the Polish Combatants Hall, tucked away just south of College Street on Beverley. They played a very rough show at a brilliant venue in support of some bike alliance. I remember Justin Small gave a serious rant about wearing a helmet when biking - believe it or not it has definitely stuck with me. I remember hearing the song "Do" and thinking that their new album was going to be terrific. I was right. I finally saw Sufjan Stevens as anticipated he blew my mind - this show was intended to sample his newer longer material - some of which I adored, unlike his horrible release this year titled The BQE, which I think is everything I hate about Stevens. I hope he releases it soon! He played a ton of Illinois - an instant crowd pleaser! I saw Dead Man's Bones some time in October - it was a real treat to be in the same room as Ryan Gosling. I'm not sure how he got so famous from his starts in Breaker High, but he did. His band is no different - a show that was supposed to be at the Music Gallery (much to my chagrin) was shifted to the Opera House. Again, completely sold out. He took young choirs at random and used them in his music. It was a good welcome home show that showed just how absolutely charming Gosling is on both the eyes and the ears. On the eve of Nuit Blanche I saw the '90s rockers Yo La Tengo - they played nothing I know but it was still a tremendously great show - I scored the tickets on Craiglist for FREE. Remarkable just how kind people are and what luck you can have when you want something bad! I saw Sondre Lerche play for the third time at the Mod Club. Nothing will compare to his first show I saw - it was really fantastic as he played with a full band. This time round it was a solo-acoustic show. He was still great but he really rocks with a full band. I'm still waiting Sondre! Three years ago I saw him with a full band and to this day it was one of the best shows of my life! It's sad to say that the one show to ruin an amazing band for a dear person to me was the Atlas Sound gig. Although a completely separate project - Atlas Sound ruined the amazing Deerhunter for someone close to me. Although Atlas Sound's new album has been tearing through indie charts I still think it sounds pretty lousy with the exception of the song "Sheila". I have to say the same about the live show as well - that and Bradford Cox was a total dick! Deerhunter still remains one of my favourite bands. To kick off the month of November I saw Thao with the Get Down Stay Down, who I first saw open for Rilo Kiley at the Phoenix. Seeing Thao at a tiny venue like the El Mocambo this year really changed how I felt about her. She's from San Francisco and has a fierce sound to her that really allows for a distinct character to her tunes. I hmm-hawed over it for a long time but I'm really happy I decided to buy the ridiculously expensive Monsters of Folk ticket. It was a horribly rainy Monday that I saw them at Massey Hall in mid-November but it was one-hundred percent worth it. It was like seeing each member individually with a bit of group work. The self-titled album is easily one of the finest albums to be released this year. I was most happy to hear the M. Ward dominated tune by the band titled "The Sandman, The Brakeman and Me" and the M. Ward solo song "One Life Away" which I believe he sang with Jim James, I mean Yim Yames! This was easily one of the best shows of the year. I soon after saw the Black Keys' Dan Auerbach at the Phoenix. It's funny because his solo-project has a full band set up, in comparison to his two man set up in the Black Keys. I use to think it sounded exactly like the Black Keys but I was wrong times ten! This album has a very distinct sound to it that strays away from the Black Keys' vibe. The tune "Real Desire" was extremely eye opening as they had strung Christmas lights across the venue - lighting up the entire audience at the bridge of the song. Another top album of the year I'd say. It's different, not like any other album I've heard this year. A question that's haunting me night and day is why Girls are so effing big. What does this band have going for them? I'm going to take a stab here and say that their fame and popularity was largely shaped by Pitchfork's fond endorsements. Girls have a genre/time stretching sound that makes it difficult for me to put my finger down on where they fit musically. They don't make my best list but they have a very distinct charm to their live gig - I saw them at the El Mocambo - which I can kind of say with a bit of pride because this band is bound for a bigger venue real quick. I had the opportunity to hear and see Gordon Lightfoot live for the very first time. He played a series of gigs at Massey Hall. I used the last of my privileges at Sunrise to score amazing seats. He's 71 and still quick. He even brought out former Canadian Prime Minister John Turner to the show. It was by far the quietest show I’ve ever heard at that venue - but he had the entire audience at the palm of his hand, I included. It's always such a treat to see older bands that I love play, and an ever greater treat to hear them play songs that I can remember fondly at their live shows today. Brand New is a stellar example of this - they're a band who in the past has not played much older stuff, sticking to their new material. They played a killer five song stack of: 1) "Sic Transit Gloria (Glory Fades)" 2) "I Believe You but My Tommy Gun Don't" 3) "Mix tape" 4) "Jude Law and the Semester Abroad" 5) "Seventy Times Seven". REMARKABLE. As normal they closed with "Play Crack in the Sky". The eye opener song this show was the tune "Limousine" off of the album The Devil and God Are Raging Inside of Me - it repeats the line "I love you so much, do me a favour baby don't reply, cause I can't dish it out but I can't take it". It's a song about a car crash and death of a three year old girl. Jesse Lacey always picks the finest topics - no sarcasm. Yet another reason why I love this band. I will always fondly remember their gig at the Kool Haus in 2004 in support of their stellar album Deja Entendu as one of the finest gigs I have ever seen. I still stick to that. If I were asked to make a top ten album list of the decade - Deja Entendu would make it no questions. I saw the new comers Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros play at the El Mocambo. They received so much popularity they played an additional show the following night. This band is big, probably like ten or twelve people just having fun. This band is fun, unfortunately they sort of lost steam on my end but their tune "Home" will always be a pleasant, happy song in my mind. They got the entire audience to sit on the grimy floor of the El Mocambo for their final song, pretty impressive! I did it again, I saw Camera Obscura light up another venue in Toronto. I feel like I enter a time warp when I listen to this band - they have a delightful sound that few bands capture. I was very pleased to hear "Forests and Sands" - their Toronto name dropping tune live again and for the first time "The Sweetest Thing" which was lovely! The guitarist always gets me in this band; he's got that classic sound down pat. This year I saw one of my favourite bands live - Zero 7 - It's not often that I love a band solely for one album but this band did it for me. They released an album nearly nine years ago that stopped my heart about six years ago. The album is titled Simple Things an album they've yet to top. I could tell at this show they didn't want to touch any of it - they played their two hits from it "Destiny" and "In the Waiting Line". You are sure to recognise both, especially the latter if you saw Zach Braff's film Garden State. When they played those two songs they were remodeled by different singers and reshaped to the point where they just didn't sound the same. "In the Waiting Line" was played acoustically, yikes! The majority of the crowd was nearly twice my age. I would make bold here and say that Simple Things is in my top ten of the last ten years. I'm surprised I have yet to see it on anyone's lists yet. I had the opportunity one more time to see Thursday this year. This go 'round it was at the tiny Mod Club, a huge step down from the Kool Haus and a huge step up in my mind! They were playing with Dillenger Escape Plan, who I intentionally missed. What I didn't mean to do was miss a few Thursday songs - Damn early shows. The crowd was thin and there were few people there to see Thursday. I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb, but it was fantastic to hear "Jet Black New Year" live in concert. Geoff Rickley responded to the audiences cheers for certain tunes saying - "It's amazing how many songs we aren't playing of the ones that you are shouting". I feel like this may be the last time I see this band live - I'm not sure though. I saw Jason Collett's Basement Revue for the third year in a row - a beautiful medley of musician, all of which are a surprise with the exception of Collett. This particular night showcased Doug Paisley playing three covers, John K. Sampson's long rambling speech in memorial of someone I wish I could remember and a series of poetry readings. I loved watching Andrew Cash play as well as hearing CBC Radio 2 personality Rich Terfry tell an engaging story about a man with no legs farting in his face ten years ago. Which I assure you is much funnier than what it sounds like. It was amazing to hear Collett live although he modestly plays three or four songs at the beginning and end of his shows. I can feel that the Dakota is Collett's new home; I hope he plays more gigs there to compensate for the incredibly fast sell-out rate of his shows in December. The last show of my year was Do Make Say Think - it was at the Enwave Theatre, down at Harbourfront. I'm not crazy about the venue - as I sat way high up in the sky, a view I have never seen the band in - from above. They none the less blew me away with their new material and old alike. They're tune "Do" is one of my favourite tunes of the year and they played it at the beginning of their set. They however played a ton of old material including the wonderful - "Hooray! Hooray! Horray!" off of Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn released in 2003. Again one of my favourites of the '00s, with no words they manage to melt hearts. Upon buying my ticket I was saddened twice by, first, the seated admission and secondly to find out that the Happiness Project was only opening for the first night. I had a ticket for the Years gig to open. Years is Do Make's guitarist Ohad Benchetrit's solo project. He takes his noodling to a great extreme in a full album apart from the band. It's really fantastic project, and it was lovely to be able to hear him alone. It was unfortunate to hear so much sound looping which I think really takes away from the live show. I like to know what I'm seeing and hearing and the looping really throws my ears off. That's my year in retrospect!

My Top 25 Listened of 2009

So what we have to follow is a list of my top 25 artists and songs of the year. This year has been a good year and the most comprehensive as far as reviews go for live gigs. So instead of top albums, I will have a series of blurbs about my favourite concert moments of 2009. I will also blab on about some of my favourite releases this year too. I feel like I still haven't heard enough and I just got a virus so i'm a little wry at the best time of the year to be diving into the things you missed. Anyways, enjoy!

Artists:

25. Cursive
24. Dan Auerbach
23. Lily Allen
22. Little Joy
21. Rilo Kiley
20. Death Cab For Cutie
19. Grizzly Bear
18. Ray LaMontange
17. Brand New
16. Neko Case
15. The Velvet Underground
14. Sondre Lerche
13. Timber Timbre
12. Alexi Murdoch
11. Elliott Smith
10. Beirut
9. Bon Iver
8. Feist
7. Camera Obscura
6. M. Ward
5. Iron & Wine
4. The Beatles
3. Jenn Grant
2. Julie Doiron
1. Radiohead

Songs:
25. "Shampoo Suicide" by Broken Social Scene
24. "All We Ask" by Grizzly Bear
23. "We'll Find Out" by Timber Timbre
22. "Skinny Love" by Bon Iver
21. "For the Trees" by Matmos
20. "Upward and Over the Mountain" by Iron & Wine
19. "The Way That I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson
18. "Cover Me (Slowly)" by Deerhunter
17. "Stumbling Gingerly Back To Emily's Apartment" by Luke Doucet
16. "All of My Days" by Alexi Murdoch
15. "Duet For Guitars #2" by M. Ward
14. "Creature Fear" by Bon Iver
13. "Forests and Sands" by Camera Obscura
12. "Fireflies" by Jenn Grant
11. "Lump Sum" by Bon Iver
10. "Unattainable" by Little Joy
9. "Lion's Mane" by Iron & Wine
8. "Sailing by Silverships" by Jenn Grant
7. "Middle Cyclone" by Neko Case
6. "Sorry Pt. 1" by Julie Doiron
5. "Hawaii" by Jenn Grant
4. "(I've Got) The Two Of You" by Jenn Grant
3. "French Navy" by Camera Obscura
2. "Demon Host" by Timber Timbre
1. "Meet Me At the Pier" by Doves

The XX

I like em'

http://hypem.com/#/search/islands%20the%20xx/1/

plus one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui5TGMWNEPo xx does Florence.

Great Christmas Tunes

"The Christmas Song" by the Raveonettes

MY FIRRRRRST PODCAST!

Each week I will have a new podcast featured on my blog, compliments of my producer - SASHA JAMES, creator of The Final Girl Project. If you have any taste in film at all you will check out this brilliant website. She looks critically at all films, whether she actually likes those sort of films at all.

I would like to draw your attention to the player above, it's my thoughts and voice in a tiny box. You can now listen to what i've been listening to. I will be putting a new one out each week, each feature is an hour long and as of now no theme.

I plan to release other shows shooting off this one. The only one I have in mind is one titled "Verses", where I will be battling it out with someone else in a music related discussion of course. So stay tuned for that.

I also have some live gigs i'm going to post.

Please leave comments and suggestions, would love to hear what oyu have to say... Or maybe even guest appear on my show.

If you want the tracklisting please fire me a comment - as I like the surprise of not knowing what's coming next!

Take that CIUT.


Also, I will be posting a picture of myself with every podcast as a visual companion. It's a complete joke because I have very few pictures of myself alone. There will be a story to accompany the photograph.



This is me earlier this year. I needed campaign photos for a student leader position that I was running for. It was taken with my telephone. I couldn't stop giggling - where's Dan Epstein when you need him?

Similarity

Is it me or does the song "Paper Ships" by Dead Man's Bones (Ryan Gosling's band) sound a ton like "Crying" by Roy Orbison?

Not exactly the same but pretty damn close.

Do Make Say Think's tune "Do"

The song titled "Do" is really incredible. Ohad's guitar bit that goes throughout the entire song really makes it for me!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPPRpUKCubE

Do Make Say Think at the Enwave Theatre; Sunday December 13, 2009

Do Make Say Think, four verbs, four different songs and one band. Their new album titled Other Truths has only four songs on it, they draw from their four word band name. Their new album is a very bold release, as it only has four songs, each of them around ten minutes long. I feel like this album doesn't have the support of seven other songs to make it a 'best album of the year' release. I doubt NPR will hum about it, and I bet few lists outside of Canada will include it. With that being said, it seems like Do Make Say Think's loyalty is largely domestically. Justin Small, the childlike guitarist of the band said to everyone in the crowd that he gets really nervous everything he plays Toronto. Ohad Benchetrit told everyone at the beginning of the show that they like to keep Toronto dates to the end of their tour, so they can really shine - warmed up and ready.

This was my first time at the Enwave theatre. It only seats around three hundred people so there really wasn't a bad seat in the house. I however was stuck in the upper mezzanine, way up in the sky. I saw the band from two new angles that I have never seen them before, back and above. Do Make Say Think are a band I love seeing for all their noodling and energy. I felt like the only thing I could see was Spearin's thinning hair. In going once, I would not sit up top. Turns out local record stores that sell tickets only got tickets for up top, so I suppose Enwave box office would have been a bit smarter.

Opening up the gig was Benchetrit's solo project, he goes under the name Years. I originally thought the Happiness Project was going to open (Spearin's project) but was quite sad when I found out upon buying my tickets that years was going to open. After seeing Benchetrit play, I really don't regret going to this show, as I had seen the Happiness Project earlier this year. I think it would have been sad to see them this far away after seeing them front row at the Music Gallery. I was incredibly impressed with Years, Benchetrit held his own, on his own, calling out people only for a few selections that sounded a ton like Do Make. Benchetrit on his own however definitely has his own distinct sound, a ton of noodling and a lot of blurry music compliments of a looping machine that allows his to duplicate him self as many times as he wishes. It threw me off a bit because I love being able to spot out what a musician is doing. It was so ornate to the point I couldn't get any of the playing straight. His playing was crisp and energetic. He had a lot of things to say, which was different because I have never even heard him speak before. He mentioned he stole his acoustic guitar, and followed it up with a dear story about his daughter who he had originally bought it for (and stole it from). He then went on to dedicate the tune to her.

Do Make Say Think came on shortly after. It was so bizarre seeing them a mile away from the stage, almost disappointing. It was also very strange to be sitting the entire time, unenjoyably strange. I would have like to had the option but Enwave had a very strict usher watching my every move. People crowded the front at the end, but uppers were only limited to standing in their seats, which few did.

I was impressed with their sound, as I always am. I always remind myself how old this band is. They put out stuff in the mid-nineties, it's really remarkable they're still making more. I first found out about them at the first Broken Social Scene island show. I had no idea who this instrumental set-up was and at the time I didn't really care about them either. I later saw them at Call the Office in London, this was probably two years ago. It was a life altering occasion - small venue, big sounding band and my best friend at my side! I couldn't have been happier with the set choice. I feel like I haven't had the same treatment since then, this was probably the closest I've gotten to hearing what I really wanted to. In the encore of tonight's show they played "Hooray, Hooray, Hooray" or "Hooray times three" as Small cutely introduced it as. I could have gone for some "Chinatown" and "A Tender History in Rust" but I guess I have a reason to see them again.

Julie Penner always shines. She plays the violin. I am completely amazed by her fierce sound and grace when she plays with this band. She sounds pretty yet she has a good push behind her sound, keeping up with the booming large pieced band. Penner also produces Stuart McLean's Sunday morning show Vinyl Cafe. She's got a pretty good set up if you ask me!

I love seeing this band live, they've got such a unique sound that sets them apart from all the other "post-rock" bands. I use to always say that tehy are the Explosions in the Sky of Canada, really I'm not sure if I think so. They have a dynamic sound to them that really bridges them apart, and that's not the violin. It's sort of a unique song format that Explosions don't do. Mogwai and Explosions have powerful tunes, but Do Make's have more movement to theirs, there's more to them. I think this is one of the reasons why Do Make has been able to survive so much, their mille fois, their several layers - in music and members.

Jason Collett's Basement Revue at the Dakota Tavern; Tuesday December 8, 2009

I feel truly inspired, as I always do after seeing Jason Collett's December residency at the Dakota Tavern. This show especially got my heart racing a little faster than usual

This is my third year attending Collett's gigs at the Dakota in December. It's a special treat that makes you recall what music in this scene may have been at his Radio Monday shows at Rancho Relaxo fifteen years ago. We've sort of lost that community over the years. My idea of community for the longest time was watching Broken Social Scene play, anywhere at all. I'm starting to realise it's forming a family, a connection between music and the people you make it with. Now given, this is coming from a person who has a limited music background, I however have an extensive background as a spectator.

I have probably seen Jason Collett live over twelve times to this day. It's pretty remarkable to look back at the times that I have. I first saw him when I was in the eleventh grade with a fake ID at Lee's, KT Tunstall opened for him and nobody knew who the hell she was at that time. This summer past she had a full billboard dedicated to her trash titled album Drastic Fantastic, appealing to tweens and hip moms everywhere. I can recall two distant times ago, again with a fake ID, once at Lee's and another at the Mod Club. It's funny recalling these gigs because I specifically remember meeting with the security guards in my suave disguise - usual a pound of make up and glasses to conceal my youth. I look back now and think I wear no make up when I go out, the only person I was fooling was myself. Things aside, I got in.

I mention this because at the start of the evening Collett hoped into a rant about how clubs aren't as loose as they once were, and you can't get away with the things he did when he was sixteen. He mentioned this in his introduction to Andrew Cash. He told an incredibly charming story about how he snuck into the Phoenix as a kid and hung around telling the band he was with the venue and the venue that he was with the band. Clever!

Collett is a story teller and I think that's why he is such a good curator for these nights. He brings together really talented artists into one tiny space for all to enjoy. Collett is wise never to take the spotlight, he however has evolved into giving each artist their well-deserved intro and mini-biography for those who don't know who these people are. He brought out the same black and white composition book each time and read out a prepared note about each person. This is the first year Collett has done this, and it definitely works, it strings together the night beautifully.

The first artist he had hop on the stage was Toronto based singer/songwriter Doug Paisley who played a few of his own compositions. I have recently stopped buying CD, or at least slowed down seeing as I will have no idea where I will be in a year and CDs seem to be literally weighing me down. I've consequently started to categorise artists in such a way where - some I will buy their CD, others I won't... Solely based on album artwork, likability, familiarity and accessibility to downloads. I immediately thought that Paisley is someone who I could never find online to download for free, and is someone who I would really like to support.

He had a woman by the name of Damien Rogers come out and read a few poems. I had seen her one year prior at Collett's gig. I wasn't taken by her performance this year, or last but I can tell she's someone who is keen to trying new things. I think she was one of the pioneer poetry-improv individuals. Apparently, she received five stars from Eye Weekly from a recent performance.

I feel as though her thunder was robbed from a charming blonde lady who was the wife of the guy who was drumming throughout the night. I really wish I could remember her name... she will soon be releasing an inspirational book for 'bush warriors,' or men. She read her steamy tips for devoted lovers and her husband played drums, Mike O'Brien (of Zeus) guitar and a guy by the name of Dave Matheson played piano perfectly. Collett revealed that the accompaniment was randomly picked by draw before the show.

Long time friend to Collett jumped out on stage following. He played two songs that belonged to him and followed it up with a special cover of Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline". He insisted that everyone sing along, due to an earlier performance by one of the men who played. I feel like it was Doug Paisley but I feel like Doug played his one tunes. Regardless, someone that played in the first set played three songs that were all covers - a John Lennon tune to start, Gordon Lightfoot's "Steel Rail Blues" and finally a Roy Orbison tune. I really loved this person set, they ended by saying that they consider themself a songwriter but he really enjoyed playing the covers. Cash's response was because people weren't hopping in to sing in the Lightfoot tune.

Cash had a lovely story of Gordon Lightfoot - who apparently was in the audience at Hugh's Room last week for a memorial of the eighteen year old folk singer Taylor Mitchell who recently passed away. Cash described how playing for Lightfoot kept him on edge.

Rich Terfry was picking music selections throughout the show. Collett described it as Terfry's opportunity to play all of his choice selections, not like on Radio 2. Rich Terfry is Buck 65, a hip-hop artist that lives in Toronto. Terfry loves music, it's completely evident in his program on weekdays from 3:30pm-7pm on CBC 94.1fm. He loves Jenn Grant and Human Highway (as Cash pointed out) - and plays very little hip-hop or rap music. His set was nearing the end and he recognised that the crowd was growing restless and tired, so he decided to tell a story and play one song. He told the crowd that everyone was getting a little restless and he'd tell everyone a goofy story about a man with no legs farting in his face and following it with an equally goofy song that he wrote. Terfry delivered the story beautifully, I was blown away by how a crass, pointless story could be delievered so well. I really had a lovely time listening to him tell me this terrible true story.

He followed it up with a stupid song about zombies. It sort of made me think how much of a kid Terfry is and how good of a performer he really is.

Collett came back on the stage, thanking everyone who stayed saying how hard it must've been. The number of people diminished to about a quarter of what it was in the first set. It was an intimate gig by the end. Collett would have normally played with his back up band Zeus, but one of them had a baby and wasn't able to make it. He instead played solo, which I much prefer anyways. He played throughout his sets, songs that I had never heard before, new material. The only tune he played was off of his album Idols of Exile, I believe the tune was "Feral Republic". Don't hold me to that though.

By the end of "Feral Republic" Kevin Drew hopped on stage playing a light piano to accompany. He then hopped on guitars by Collett's request and they played a few other tunes. Matheson hopped on stage to as well as the drummer that I can't remember. A full band. Collett told everyone about how last week he tried playing a particular tune with the band, but they never heard it before. He said that they messed up big time, which pushed him to try his luck again wtih this newly formed band. They did it with effort and mistakes but it sounded fantastic, even with some technical glitches.

What a show. I remember why I like music.

Make sure you check out some of my past Collet reviews, there sure are a ton.

Good news, he finally cut his hair!!!!

Thursday at the Mod Club; Monday December 7, 2009

I have liked Thursday since the tenth grade. They're a band who I latched on to just after their album War All the Time Came Out and to this day that album remains one of my favourites. I remember the first time I saw them was at the Kool Haus with Poison the Well and Spitalfield, where it was sold out and packed to edges of the venue. My favourite part of that show was when they played "Jet Black New Year" and the countdown confetti fell from the ceiling. It was an incredible touch that I still think to and that they'll probably never ever do it again. Fortunately, they do play that song quite often.

Lead singer, Geoff Rickly's voice is all there. When he was younger he was always pitted for being ton deaf. Naturally, they called him Tone Geoff for his bad voice and horrible pitch. I noticed this gig, when he was sitting on notes his voice went ridiculously flat. Despite that, his voice sounds fine, it's strong and it definitely has improved. When I saw them at the Kool Haus earlier this year I thought the sound was really terrible and his voice sounded very bare. It felt more full this time.



I got to the gig late - it was a really early show. I came in to a pile of new shows I didn't recognise. They eventually played "Division Street" off of War All The Time. I didn't catch any songs off of Full Collapse, apparently they played a song off that album before I stumbled in. I have this feeling it was their louder tune "Paris in Flames," as I heard someone mutter it before I got in. I also apparently missed, a couple of songs off of War All the Time as well... They played "Signals Over the Air" later on in their set too and the only other song they played that I knew was "Jet Black New Year" as the closer.



This show was bare, something was very wrong with it. The band hadn't dragged many people out to the show, the Mod Club was empty. As soon as I walked in, I felt like I was seeing one of my favourite bands at a tiny venue. The most pit was only four guys and a girl, and I kept seeing struggling crowd surfers form and kick people in the three or four rows of people in front of them.



Jet Black New Year by Thursday

Doesn't Sean MacKay look like Geoff Rickly??

Zero 7 at the Phoenix; Thursday December 3, 2009

First off, I can't believe i'm still biking. I know something's up with the weather but I can't help but enjoy the mild weather we've been having. On my way home from the show I saw far too many bare legged girls, OK it's not that warm out ladies!

Anyways, Zero 7 we're pretty good. Sound wise they were spot on, just really fantastic sounding band. Their song selection as I expected was from their new album titled Hey Ghost. It's sort of a fusion of pop and overly electronic tunes. Their pop as usual has an extremely strong female voice leading the tune.

I feel as though this band will never live up to their 2001 release Simple Things. That album is definitely on my top twenty albums of the decade. From start to finish it has a really distinct sound, one that I would call electronica but I wouldn't call rock. It's sort of in between. I look at RJD2 the same way too... It's sort of a mystery but it's alternative music that people who like rock are interested in. So i'll just leave it as alternative music.

I have to say Simple Things had a tremendously long shelf life. I think I first purchased that album in Miami, Florida, probably six years ago. It's sort of stayed on my radar non-stop since then. I know when Garden State was released it got a serious kick up. I believe MTV used the tune "Destiny" in an ad as well... Zero 7 never got that push that the Shins got from Garden State, but I guess they never needed Natalie Portman's seal of approval.

Zero 7 are from London, England, the two guys names are Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker. Throughout the whole show they sort of stayed behind the seams, but always keeping the energy high. Since their first albums they've always had tremendously strong women fronting the majority of their tunes, or at very least their best ones. For their live gig they had two women, Eska and Olivia Chaney. I really dug the bit they put on their Myspace page:

Zero 7 Live Band

Zero 7's live show features singers Eska and Olivia Chaney as well as long time collaborators and band members Eddie Stevens, Robin Mullarkey and Tom Skinner.
Eska has worked with Mercury nominees The Invisible, Cinematic Orchestra and Matthew Herbert and Olivia Chaney will be introducing a folky flavour to the Zero 7 sound with her harmonium and acoustic guitar. Vocalist Martha Tilston will also be joining them on stage at selected shows.

More info on the singers via the following links:
http://www.myspace.com/eskaonline
http://www.myspace.com/oliviachaney
http://www.myspace.com/marthatilston

Pretty much sums it up. Olivia Chaney gave their tunes a folkier flare, especially the tune "In the Waiting Line". I really had to leave the gig early because I have a colossal paper due tomorrow (that I should be doing now...). This was the second last song I heard and the first song of their encore. I told myself I wasn't leaving until I heard this song, as I knew they'd playing because of some pre-concert homework. Chaney came out with an acoustic guitar and the guitar/bass/cello player came out with the cello. Given he plucked most of the time giving it a light bouncy feel - and the only time I felt like they were similar songs was when she say the chorus lines of the tune.

I much prefered the rendition of "Destiny" which was sung by the delicate, but strong voice of Eska. It really worked with what they were doing. I read a review before that said she wasn't a good match for the tune, but I really enjoyed it. It was a livelier version that moved quicker but the song sort of found it's way. The thing I really liked about the recorded version was the sounds heard right at the beginning and the sound of the acoustic guitar. Neither were present, there was an electric and different sounds to accompany compliments of Hardaker and Binns. The tune found its way nearing the bridge where it actually sounded like the original. I got the drift that they didn't like playing their older material anymore. One of the two guys introduced it as one of their "really fucking old ones". I guess it is, it's been eight years since that album came out. I would've really like to have caught that tour, that would've been a really solid tour and I bet they had both Sia and Sophie Barker (voice behind - "In the Waiting Line". And my favourite scene from Garden State!

I feel by this time i've seen Zero 7 twice, as last year I had the pleasure of seeing Sia at the Opera House. I remember going alone and I wasn't completely comfortable with the idea of going alone to shows but I did it anyways. I think I was living at my first place out. I really like my Sia review, i think it reflects how I wish i felt at this concert.

I feel like I saw the Zero 7 I wanted to see at the Sia show. Pitty. I'll go see them when they tour with Sia, I think the show would be that much more powerful! The women they had on board were great, they have really lovely voices, I just wasn't feeling it, although Eska's really got me on the very first song she did live. I thought Chaney did a really nice job of the Binki Sharpiro song "Swing".

Hope Sia tour soon! I couldn't get "Day Too Soon" out of my head after seeing her at the Opera House.

And who could forget the ending to Six Feet Under...