Perhaps Kyle was just kidding about the next CD club or maybe he's just tongue tied as a result of his Downy induced affliction. At any rate I just hate to see Stuart left dangling in the breeze twice over and I am long overdue to post something.

In catching up on my Sunday NY times reading I came across an article from 2 weeks ago that dealt with the resurgence(?) of 80's bands and their music. Can't actually say that the re-emergence of Tears for Fears, Billy Idol and Motley Crue is taking up much of my headspace but that was partially the gist of the article. One particular segment in the article did stand out for me and that was only because I thought it was entirely ridiculous. I will lay it out here for your edification and comments.

The woman quoted below is speaking in regards to 30 somethings not turning up in droves for the new work put out by these aging musicians.

According to Ann Fishman, president of Generational Targeted Marketing, the problem's not with the music, it's with the memories. The fans from Generation X, she says, "are not particularly grounded in their youth."

"Would you be grounded in something where you had divorced parents, poor schooling?" she asks. "We presume nostalgia is a great selling tool. It is to the baby boomers. It's not to Gen X. The history of their youth has forced them to grow up more quickly. Nostalgia is not necessarily something that's going to move them ahead. They enjoy the music of their youth but it's not a need."

What is this woman talking about? Normally I'd just read right through paragraphs like these without a second thought but I just couldn't ignore the ramblings presented here. The only thing I partially agree with is the last sentence. Yes the music of my youth (for me 1976-1983) was enjoyable but probably not a necessity at this stage of my life. But isn't that true of most intelligent, maturing, and responsive music lovers?

I also did not realize that a fine education and a solid family life were the keys to my subsequent realization that "Pass the Dutchie" was indeed a musical milestone.

And finally weren't we always being told that for Gen X'ers growing up was the last thing on our rather empty agenda? Weren't we the group that was happily postponing all the pleasures that come with responsible adult life? Apparently we were mislead.

I guess that was a real conversation stopper.....

name your date....
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Kylie - I'm good for late March / early April. Let the buying frenzy begin.

re: Bright Eyes. I bought Sarah one of the discs last weekend, the more acoustic of the two, "I'm Wide Awake, it's Morning" but haven't listened to it yet. I saw the 'Digital Ash in a Digital Urn' on sale for $9.95 US yesterday so I might as well pick it up and we can all have a listen at the next cd club. You're welcome to rip the tracks off either disc to check it out.

I'm not around much these next few weeks (and am fact, not around at present) but would like to host a cd club towards the end of March. Are there any dates that would not work for anyone, say the weeks of March 20 to April 1?

I knew you'd be all over that one Stu. I also love Pag's "Some Sing Some Dance". Didn't you say you had a disk (or a few) of 70's tracks that you were playing at the office? I might be ready for that.

Brian. one of my favorite singles " lovin you aint so easy, I ,in fact, have the album. Which also has the great track "rainshowers" you know "rain-rain-rain showwwers.....I previewed Bright eyes at soundscapes and Ill pass, way too sweet for me (which is saying something!)
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Oh sure, why not? Not like me to turn down an offer to buy a disk, even something that strikes me as puerile. I'm in.

Can't say how the music is, having not heard any of it yet but on several occasions on the weekend I had both discs in my grubby little mitts and just couldn't pull the trigger. I just didn't want to feel like I was succumbing to the tidal wave of hype that has surrounded these records.

Having said that I'm still extremely curious and if anyone wants to go halvsies on the discs that would work for me. That way I just pay for one but get to rip and listen to both of them. Let me know if anyone is interested in said arrangement.

I downloaded a few Bright Eyes' tracks on the weekend - I can only ignore the critical groundswell for so long - and it sounded to me like over-earnest cutsie crap. This based on about five minutes combined listening, mind you. Before I write it off and move onto the next flavour of the month, is anybody listening to and liking it? And if so, which songs?

Thanks for the tip Stu, but much as I love Soundscapes it's not in my nature to order/wait for music I'm interested in to save a few bucks. I just don't have it in me. Kind of like the way I drink beer.

Kyle, re fave Canadian tracks - interesting time to be choosing since CBC/Gomeshi are re-visiting the 50 tracks concept with a Canadian skew.

Thinking of songs that have slid into relative obscurity....

One I've always liked (strong childhood/nostalgia element) is "Me, You, and Mexico", by Edward Bear (1969) - you guys will likely think that is shit - and (this was played by Jay Ferguson on last week's Gomesh-orama and gave me chills I remembered and loved it so much) "Lovin' you Ain't Easy" by Michel Pagliaro. Gorgeous.

Couple of comments,
1) Soundscapes has proven to be the cheapest by far for classical recordings. I picked up Beethovens cello/piano sonatas by Perenyi for $35 there, vs $6 and $10 more at sams and HMV, I ordered the new Berg/ Britten violin concertos that were $26 and $28 at sams and HMV and it was only $19.99 at soundscapes (it took 3 weeks to arrive). Greg sais he can get pretty much anything we want as long as we dont mind the wait.
2) Kyle - I too am truly lovin that Kos cd , it has been constantly getting play at our office. Anyone half way interedted in this stuff should pick it up.

My Favourite Canadian Albums of the Past 20 Years:

- Labour Day – Spirit of the West
- Harvest Moon – Neil Young –
- Twice Removed – Sloan
- Poses – Rufus Wainwright
- The Electric Version – The New Pornographers
- Everything I Long For – Hayden
- You Forgot it in People -- Broken Social Scene

I didn’t include the Arcade Fire or K-Os because they’re still kind of new and I’m not sure if I’ll be as gaga a year from now as I am presently.

There are some glaring omissions. I’m not a big fan of the Rheostatics, Rush, or Alanis Morissette so my list is far from quintessential. I’m probably more familiar with songs from the 70s than complete albums so I’d be willing to scrape my memory glands for a list of the greatest Canadian ditties. What are the best/your favourite Canadian tracks of all time?

Sorry Destroyer record listed below is Streethawk a seduction....I really should proof read...
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I would agree with the Band, Sloans' twice removed, Neils Harvest, Daniels' Acadie as all faves of mine and I'd add in no particular order:
1) Neil Yonge's - On the Beach (side 2 being my favorite single LP side period)
2)Gord Lightfoots - Summerside of life (side 1 being my favorite single LP side period)
3) Joni Mitchels Ladies of the canyon ( the perfect rainy day record)
4) L. Cohens -Songs of ...( the perfect late nite by yourself and a little wasted)
5) Bruce Cochburn- Stealing Fire.. (still hangs together really well notwithstanding that 80's production)
6)Spirit of the West- (Faithlift) (perfect mix of celtic and alt rock)
7)Blue Rodeo- 5 days in July (Keelers depiction of standing under that streetlight as the snow falls after you have fucked up has to be the quintesential depiction of the canadian moment, (mine repeatedly anyways))
8)Lowest of the low- Shakepere- ( to make you forget what you fucked up - see item 7 above)
9)Destroyer- Bejars glam rock twisted lyrics opus that has melody and musical twists that never tire from repeated listens)
10)Neils -Rust never sleeps ( for making me survive my youth)

Some excellent choices Marc. I love that Art Bergman record, and the previous one (with "Empty House" on it). I also liked the Inbreds "Winning Hearts" record - it might make my top ten - and was a pretty big fan of the Doughboys' "Crush" before it went multi platinum and got played every thirty seconds for two years, and the Guess Who's "Canned Wheat shouldn't be wholly ignored (thought go ahead if you want to). Also Hardship Post's "Somebody Spoke" was a fave of mine for about six months in the mid nineties.

Stuart, did you want to extol the virtues of Canadian folk? You're a little more sensitive than I.

Top 10 Canadian albums in no particular order

Neil Young – Decade, I know, that’s cheatin’ but as you say, an argument can be made for the top 5 albums being all Neil so here we have 6 solid sides all in one package…with a poster to boot!

Joni Mitchell – Court and Spark, I have only recently picked up Blue and it may well overtake c & b as my fav. Joni. It’s interesting that my first two picks transplanted themselves to places other than Canada.

Tragically Hip – Up To Here, the band still young and edgy…and so quintessentially Canadian

Art Bergman – Sexual Roulette, so dark and angry and largely overlooked

Blue Rodeo – Outskirts, was this album the birth of a new Canadian music scene?

Daniel Lanois – Acadie, brings a modern edge and interpretation to very strong folk (French) roots…haunting at times

Robbie Robertson – solo debut, admittedly not very Canadian sounding at times

Leonard Cohen – The Future (1992) nobody says “get naked” like Lenny. I find this work to strongest when listened to with an understanding of his earlier writings. Here we have a great artist with a very respectable end to his career.

Arcade Fire – Funeral …I know, I know, it’s far to early to be calling this one of the all time great pop/rock albums but it’s a great representation of what great things might be on the horizon for mod. Rock

Broken Social Scene – You Forgot it in People, Again it’s a little preme to be calling it a classic but I still love it.

There you have it. Not a bad representation of 4 decades in CDN rock

People, people, people. Four days without a blog. Four lonely days. Quiet and lonely. Four. I'll be fine.

OK, re the much ballyhooed Brian Doyle Best Canadian albums of all time...was that my imagination or did I hear a collective gasp of excitement?

Here they are:

1 - Harvest - Neil Young. I expounded on this at the Vino Espanol Noce but am prepared to argue it again. But it's obvious, so figure it out. A case could be made for the top five all being Neil Young.

2 - Sloan - Twice Removed. Best Sloan album by far if you ask me (didn't you?). How is it they've become (almost) a parody of themselves?

3 - Circle C - Great eponymous angst-rock album from Vancouver-based group in the early nineties. Only album they released and you'll likely never find it anywhere (helpful eh?) - I'll bring it along to the next music club.

4 - The Band - Music From Big Pink. Phenomenal songs from start to finish, and played with a beautiful looseness that has inspired musicians ever since.

5 - Hayden - Skyscraper National Park. My favourite album of his - I love this guy - though I think a compilation of his best songs is better than any one album, unlike some artists.

Done for now.....and expecting this to generate some excitement.

In the unlikely event that nobody cares, perhaps I can entice you to consider (and blog on) the Best English albums of all time. Or is that the same as the best albums of all time?

No wait, Dylan's a Yank. And REM. And Nirvana. The Pixies too. Somebody stop me....