“Rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated”

...now if you will pardon me as I dust myself off after crawling out from under a massive rock, or should I say slabs of limestone, granite and skids of cherry ply…

Frankly it’s been hard for me to get into any new music recently. I seem to have spent much of my time in the past year removed from my primary source of all things different, CKLN. It would seem that their 10w transmitter can’t quite reach the likes of Orillia and Glen Abbey. I spent much of the year acquiring some older music and making an unsuccessful attempt to learn about all things great in jazz. …I’m still working on it! I might try and post an addenda in 2007 or 2008. (haha!)

I don’t think that anything I bought that was released in 2006 is going to stand the test of time and be one of those albums in my collection that i can’t be without. Did I miss that much? Was it a lousy year for music? Am I just getting old and out of the loop?

Some notables that I actually did enjoy and think are well worth a listen:

Sergio Mendes, Timeless
Electrolane, Rock it to the Moon (2005)
Yo La Tengo, I am not afraid of you and I will beat your ass
Jamaica to Toronto, Soul Funk & Reggae
Soledad Brothers, The hardest Walk
Konono #1, Congotronics (2004)
Gotan Project, Lunatico (If any album is a must have, it is this one. Includes some very interesting work with Calexico)
Dirty Three (don’t own it but will)
Grupo Fantasma, Moviniento Popular (2004)

…but I must admit that no disks found their proverbial grooves worn thin through endless play as is the norm.

Favourite singles:
Crazy, Gnarles Barkley, (St. Elsewhere)
I got cash, Lati Kronland & Sylvester (from the Brooklyn Funk Essentials, Make ‘em like it) This is such a hilarious track you have got to check it out for yourself. DUMB FUCK! (actually released in 2000!)

…ah, if only I had a tiny bit of time to put together a couple of compilations.

Other musings on the year:

Worst concert of the year: Calexico and friend @ the Docks
Best Concert of the year: Calexico @ the Phoenix

What I would most like to ask of a rock star: Mr Dylan, what motivates you to do this year after year? Certainly there must be something else that you would rather be doing with your life than playing the same brilliant tunes over and over again in soulless and lacklustre arrangements with a band of musician you don’t seem to be able to communicate with or relate to? That having been said, Bob, I did like a couple of the cuts you performed from your new album; they were fresh and you actually put some of your heart into them. …but really. What’s with the endless tour? …is it some kind of drug for you that numbs pain? … why do you do it? Unlike other “rock stars” you don’t look like you even enjoy the adulation!

Best to all in the New Year.