Yes, I am Canadian (I wish that phrase, 'I Am Canadian', didn't stir up memories, for me, of an old beer commercial with jingoistic overtones) and I have found yet another Canadian talent worth sharing with you (the last one being Dark Mean).
Andy Shauf makes his home in western Canada, in the city of Regina, Saskatchewan, where he has nurtured a talent for clear-eyed intimate pop. Darker Days is his latest release, a full length on P is For Panda Records, and it is surprising to me that I've never heard mention of his name or music until now. His songs bear the shadows of his influences (he is a young guy, who appears to me, even younger in photographs) and yet they still manage to sparkle with his own personality.
Vocally Shauf has a charming inflection, a timbre perhaps, which almost recalls a drawl, it also brings to mind singer/songwriter Josh Rouse in it's quieter moments. I can also hear the critically acclaimed Luke Temple in a song like the third track "You Remind Me". Highly recommended.
Darker Days Track List: Your Heart Crushes You Remind Me In Town Gone The Darker Night The Greatest Moments Let's Be Were You In Love With Me How Long Give Me Words
Dark Mean make their home in the medium sized city of Hamilton, Ontario, right around the corner from Toronto on the shore of Lake Ontario. Hamilton isn't striking in a big city way, there are no majestic towers, towering skyscrapers, or hipster-centric shopping areas, but it does impress with a natural rugged physicality that fittingly matches the working heart of the city, the steel mills. Now you may expect this band to blaze forth a molten slab of metal, but you'd be wrong, very wrong, Dark Mean have their roots in indie rock, with branches reaching into alt country and folk.
What they're offering on their EP, Frankencottage, is four songs that all bear a distinct personality offered in differing moods, or shades. I'm especially enjoying "Happy Banjo" and "Lullaby". Both these songs gain strength from that much maligned instrument the banjo. The banjo being the guitar's forgotten brother. Many of us love the guitar, it's like a nice cold glass of milk, or warm milk, whereas the banjo is a glass of curdled milk, the sound is murkier, veiled, much more mysterious. Yes, the banjo has a sunny brightness to it, but there's something else there, it's like watching a scary film about a haunted house and the scariest scene in the movie takes place on the sun drenched front lawn. That's what the banjo can bring to a piece of music... a sunny menace--and, as I said, Dark Mean use the banjo and use it well.
Visit the band's website to find a FREE download of the EP, Frankencottage. What you won't find there, or in the band's music is darkness, or meanness.
The latest release by The Arctic Monkeys, Humbug, takes the young band in a different direction than what you might expect. Working with Queens of the Stone Age leader, Josh Homme, in the producer role, the Brits take a confident step away from their past and come up with something that works for the most part. I can't get enough of a song called "Cornerstone", the only track not attributed to Homme, but to their old producer, James Ford. Any of you familiar with Arctic Monkey singer/songwriter Alex Turner's sideproject, The Last Shadow Puppets, and it's step back into the sound of the '60s, won't be too shocked that his main band have shifted gears a bit... but not so much into the '60s as towards the dry desert throb of Josh Homme's QOTSA.
"Cornerstone" is a lovely song (and my favourite), with the emphasis on melody bolstered by Turner's restrained melancholic vocal. These boys are growing up and looking back, but don't we all?
Now, I know what you want. Yeah, you, sittin' over there all alone in the corner, with a pile of books on the table, a laptop across your lap, and a smudge of ash from that last cigarette across your little finger, or is that newsprint? What you need is some Nick Cave. Some Bad Seeds. I'm here to do the plantin'.
There are an endless number of talented singers and songwriters toiling under the mainstream radar. We call it (okay, I call it) indie land, and it's a great place to travel, you never know who, or what, is right around the corner. Sometimes you even rediscover a place you'd found before (quite often the places in indie land move around on their own, it is a magic place) and feel the same wonder or maybe even awe, but definitely surprise. Well, Jenn Grant is one those those places, I first found her back in 2006, not long before the release of her second album Orchestra For The Moon (I wrote about it here).
Echoes, her new album, out since February, offers 13 tracks like it's predecessor, but unlike that record this latest lacks that knockout standout track that "Dreamer" was to Orchestra For The Moon. What it does have is the outstanding voice of Jenn Grant and that's a great bonus... I've got to say that I am extremely picky. I'm fifty years old and don't listen to the music I listened to when I was twenty, hell I don't listen to what I listened to five years ago. What I'm saying is this: You should give Jenn Grant a chance, give her a listen, her myspace is here. Her website has a player that streams some of the new record (five Echoes' tracks and the aforementioned "Dreamer"). I know many of you who take this advice will like what you find. I recommend you explore her music and I highly recommend you get a copy of her album Orchestra For The Moon. Oh, one last thing, she's Canadian... enough said.
Check her tour dates here. If she's not coming to your neck of indie land, try contacting the friendly people at Six Shooter Records, they might be able to bring indie land to you.
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds played Melbourne Australia last January and the show was broadcast on FM radio. I believe this is just part of the show, as there aren't many new songs in this bunch, but there are some great ones (and great sound). PART 2 of the performance will be available soon!
I just noticed a link on another blog for email subscriptions and then took a look at my own link for that service. Oops, that link doesn't work... who knows how long it's been like that. So, I've fixed that problem, this is the new link for those who want to subscribe and receive updates via email: Subscribe to *sixeyes by Email. The email link can also be found in the right sidebar under the heading SUBSCRIBE.
Thanks to all who've subscribed in the past.
Also, I'm seriously considering switching to my own domain sometime this year, sooner than later, I hope.
This is another new song that The Nationaltrotted out during their just wrapped East coast mini-tour. The new songs sound great, but it's how they sound if (and that's a big IF) they make it on the new record. I, for one, am hoping that if they do make it to the next album, that they grow and evolve into something a little different than these live mp3s. Live versions that I will grow to know too well before the new record is out.
"BLOOD BUZZ OHIO" Stand up straight at the foot of your love I'll lift my shirt up Stand up straight at the foot of your love I'll lift my shirt up
I'll rest my eyes till the fever's outta me I'll rest my eyes till the river's in the sea I'll rest my eyes till the fever's outta me I'll rest my eyes till the river's in the sea
I was carried to Ohio in a storm of bees I never married but Ohio don't remember me I still owe money to the money to the money I owe I never thought about love When I thought about home I still owe money to the money to the money I owe The floors are falling out from everybody I know
I'm on a bloodbuzz Yes I am I'm on a blood buzz I'm on a bloodbuzz God I am I'm on a blood buzz
Lay my head on the hood of your car I take it too far Lay my head on the hood of your car I take it too far
GET the lyrics and a live mp3 of new songs, "Vanderlylle Cry Baby"hereand "The Runaway"here.
This is my transcription from listening to a live recording and youtube vids . Of course there may be errors, or you may hear it differently, so if that's the case, please leave your changes in the comments. Thanks.
"Vanderlylle Cry Baby" Leave your home Change your name Live alone Eat your cake
Vanderlylle cry baby cry Oh the waters are rising Still no surprising you Vanderlylle cry baby cry Man it’s all been forgiven Swans are a swimmin’ I’ll explain everything To the geese
All the very best of us String ourselves up for the All the very best of us String ourselves up for the All the very best of us String ourselves up for the All the very best of us String ourselves up for the
Vanderlylle cry baby cry Oh the waters are rising Still no surprising you Vanderlylle cry baby cry Man it’s all been forgiven Swans are a swimmin’ I’ll explain everything To the geese
Hanging from chandeliers Same small wall At your heels
All the very best of us String ourselves up for the All the very best of us String ourselves up for the All the very best of us String ourselves up for the All the very best of us String ourselves up for the
Vanderlylle cry baby cry Oh the waters are rising Still no surprising you Vanderlylle cry baby cry Man it’s all been forgiven Swans are a swimmin’ I’ll explain everything To the geese I’ll explain everything To the geese I’ll explain everything To the geese
All the very best of us String ourselves up for the All the very best of us String ourselves up for the All the very best of us String ourselves up for the All the very best of us String ourselves up for the
GET the lyrics and a live mp3 of new songs, "Blood Buzz Ohio"hereand "The Runaway"here.
A great session done in October of 2008 by Broken Social Scene member, Jason Collett (with backing support from the band Zeus). I think you'll like this, I love Jason Collett. These are almost all new songs (except for "Blue Sky") which haven't been seen on any album yet.
I wonder how much great music I've missed out on by not checking other blogs as much as I should. I Am Fuel You Are Friends, for example, has some great new live songs by The National right here.
This is a quick transcription of the new song by The National, tentatively titled "The Runaway". There's sure to be a mistake or two, if you feel the need to reprimand me for my bad hearing, feel free. Here's an idea, since the song title isn't set in stone, perhaps all of you faithful and rabid National fans out there can leave a comment as to what you feel the song should be called... if we get a good variety of answers I'll send them to the band. Get a free, remember it's free (and low quality) preview of the song here.
"The Runaway" There's no savin' anything Now we're swallowin' the shine of the sun There's no savin' anything From the shine of the sun
But I won't be no runaway Cause I won't run No I won't be no runaway
What makes you think I’m enjoyin' being led to the flood We got another thing comin' undone That’s taking us over
We don't bleed when we don't fight Go ahead go ahead Throw your arms in the air tonight We don't bleed when we don't fight Go ahead go ahead Throw your shirts in the fire tonight
What makes you think I’m enjoying being led to the flood We got another thing comin' undone
But I won't be no runaway Cause I won't run No I won't be no runaway Cause I won't run No I won't be no runaway
what makes you think I’m enjoyin' being led to the flood We got another thing comin' undone That’s taking forever
We don't bleed when we don't fight go ahead go ahead Throw your arms in the air tonight we don't bleed when we don't fight Go ahead go ahead There’s our shirts in the fire tonight
what makes you think I'm enjoying being led to the flood we got another thing comin' undone we got another thing comin' undone That’s taking us over
I'll go bravin' anything With you swallowin' the shine of the sun I'll go bravin' everything With you swallowin' the shine But I won't be no runaway Cause I won't run No I won't be no runaway Cause I won't run No I won't be no runaway
What makes you think I’m enjoying being led to the flood We got another thing comin' undone They’ve taken us over We don't bleed when we don't fight go ahead go ahead Throw your arms in the air tonight We don't bleed when we don't fight Go ahead go ahead Lose our shirts in the fire
What makes you think I’m enjoying being led to the flood We got another thing comin undone We got another thing comin' undone That’s taking us over That’s taking forever
Last Thursday night Brooklyn's best, The National, hit the stage of Toronto's Kool Haus (let's hope they don't make that mistake again, just about any other venue would be preferable) and earlier in the day they made an appearance on CBC Radio's program Q. They were emphatic in the interview that their next album won't be called Shine, and they played a new song whose working title is "The Runaway".... with Thomas Bartlett on keyboards and their touring horn section.
There's no savin' anything Now we're swallowin' the shine of the sun There's no savin' anything From the shine of the sun
But I won't be no runaway cause I won't run No I won't be no runaway
I don't think it's happened before... not to me, at least. Wooden Arms, Patrick Watson's 3rd full length is so intoxicating, so magical, that it has pushed every thing I've heard since, down a notch, or two. And it's not just Watson's voice, one that lives somewhere between the rooted grainy echo of M Ward and the soaring mercurial grace of Jeff Buckley, it's the music which carries, and is carried by, that voice.
Some music is simpler for me to understand than others, although that doesn't mean I can't enjoy it. I understand Elvis Perkins, and his great new record, and I can intuit how he came to create the music on that record, but Patrick Watson... I can't figure this out. How does he do it? And I've even wondered... why? There's something powerful here, and it may simply be the mystery, the how and the why. Mystery is very seductive, isn't it? I've been seduced by this album, from the quiet romanticism/oddness of the Tom Waits-like title track "Wooden Arms", to the carnival-esque and woozy somnambulism of "Traveling Salesman". From "Beijing" and it's fantastic musical evocation of a city humming, buzzing, and racing with the life of millions of citizens to the deceptively simple "Where The Wild Things Are".
Opening the record is the stunningly lovely "Fireweed", a song which shows to great effect just how important the talents of the other band members are. Throughout Wooden Arms, guitarist Simon Angell shows imagination and restraint, while bassist Mishka Stein displays a fluidity which never gets in the way of percussionist Robbie Kuster's strength, presence and innovation. While this quartet does push boundaries to keep engaged in the creative process, they can, and do, slip in the occasional "pop" song, such as "Man Like You" and "Big Bird In A Small Cage", the latter song in my perfect world would be on every radio in every car and home.
If 2006's release, Close To Paradise, won the band the 2007 Polaris Music Prize (Canada's Mercury Prize), then I can only imagine what awards will be earned by this new record. Highly recommended.
Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos and Nick McCarthy were in Chicago two weeks ago and spent time with Chicago based Rock 'n Roll radio talk show Sound Opinions. During the very interesting interview (they even got onto the subject of Kapranos' book about eating on tour) the two band members picked up acoustic guitars and played a few songs, one from each of their three full length releases.
About five weeks ago I put up a mix from KCRW's long running and great program Morning Becomes Eclectic (that mix is here). Well.... here's some more great live in studio performances... and I think this one is even better.
