Nice.

Hey I finally looked at "emusic", nice downloading option. A generally better selection than itunes and at a quarter of the price. Was able to find the Clientele record there for example, which wasn't on itunes, and which is $26.99 at HMV (of course, I haven't been to Soundscapes where I'm sure it 15.99).

If I could imposed upon the more technologically inclined in our group to keep me in the loop on good sources for this stuff. Derek, I think you mentioned Limewire the other day for free/illegal downloads. Tell me a bit more....good selection? less "noise" than Kazaa? Any technical issues at all? Are there other options out there that a neophyte downloader should be aware of ?

Best new band name? Not a bad song either.

hey stuart,
thanks for a great job hosting saturday and for cataloguing the evening's selections. think you may have made a mistake with my list, though. that's right, you forgot to include diana krall's christmas album.

Cd Listings:
Derek;
Claude Lamothe - "Vivace"
Monks-"Monks"
Lula Cortes & Zeramacho- self titled
Belle & Sebastians latest

Marc;
bell orchestre self titled
Gil Scott Heron-"very best of"
Kim Hiorthay-"live shet"
Electronic Noire

Stuart;
Destroyer'"Rubies"
Glen campbell Capital years 65-76
Damien Marley- Jamrock
Carla Bruni

Brian
Novillero-"aim right for the holes in their lives"
matt Pond PA -" the green Fury & "emblems:
Alice Coltrane- "ptah the el daoourd cadd setti la youterl ben cabin"
Sagitterius- "present tense"

Kyle
Nickelback- "the long road"
Styx- "Equinox"
Eccentric Soul oo7 on deep city label
The ladies & gentlemen -"small sins"
Miotaur Shock -"maritime"
patrick watson- "just another day"

Much appreciated for the heads up on this saturday's cd club. Almost forgot about it, though I'm sure mr. doyle and mercer would have reminded me at book club demain soir. Shall we order chinese?

Kyle, its just because they are playing in China, that it bugs you, you know its that race issue again .....har har har....

by the way the pandorabox site has its problems...I tried the beatles expecting to get mersybeat grooves ie peter and gorden... et al...and up came mid 70's fleetwood mac ...it seems better with current music...

On another note, can everyone remember to bring loaned cds to my place for the cd club this weekend (ie I think you still have my Jurado and my John Adams ...brian , and I have loads of your stuff Derek)

Pretty fucking cool Stu. Just what I need. Another conduit for me to spend more of my hard earned coin on new music. I tried it with Tortoise first and it came up with Album Leaf, Do Make Say Think, Eleventh Dream Day and some other cool stuff that was new to me. I then tried the ol grandfather of skronk Albert Ayler and right on cue I got some Don Cherry and then a pretty wild band Cold Bleak Heat followed by Steve Coleman and the Five Elements. I'm going to have to give this another spin when I have more time to listen to the tunes all the way through.

Thanks.

While brian chews on the race issue for a bit, allow me to entertain you with a rant in the form of a question: does the world need another one of these?

Yes, that the Rolling Stones continue to tirelessly trek all over the Globe, singing the same damn songs they've been singing for the past 40 years, is in some respects admirable but in most respects lame, boring, enough already etc...But why oh why oh why oh why oh jesus please tell me why do is it news every time they announce a new concert?

I don't care if the Stones are set to play their first show in the colon of a 90 year old elephant, the fact that they are performing another concert, anywhere, is not news. And since every lazy-ass newscast and entertainment show will milk this 3-paragraph wire story for the next five days, I won't be able to turn on the television or flip through the radio or get on the subway without seeing or hearing a headline to announce this fact over and over and over again.

Are you with me, people? Or am I just cranky because it's cold, it's Tuesday, and I'm not used to being in the office for this many consecutive days?

Okay, here's something less crotchety, more amusing...comedian/actor David Cross using the 'shuffle songs' feature on his ipod and being asked to comment on each track.

very cool, stuart! i was so in need of another distraction at work :)

just found a new great website called http://www.pandora.com/ that goes as follows:
1) you type in the name of a band you like
2) the station automatically creates a custom radio station with set list of songs of a similar sound

I tried iron and wine and it seems to work...

Boys - Thanks for the comments.....I love this sort of lively debate (am I sounding like Michael Landsberg yet?), even if I did have to risk appearing closet-racist like. Not that there's anything wrong with that - oh wait, there is something wrong with that.

I will try to flesh out my thoughts in light of your (all very different but related) opinions on the subject, but can't do it today. Strangely, I am being asked to work.

I'm not sure that I see this polarization in terms of music critics. If you look at any recent 'Best of' polls in places like Pitchfork or Spin Magazine, you'll see a fair representation of black and white, hip hop and alternative bands, and there doesn't appear to be any tension or animosity between the two camps.

White artists appropriating black artists is arguably the foundation of rock and roll and probably much pop music that has followed. In that sense, it has always been 'black' but has traditionally only sold well to mainstream (ie. predominantly white) audiences when it came in a white package. We could go into a debate about how much of this is unspoken racism versus identification with the known vs. the unknown but I think we all might find this a little tiresome. What I think has happened in the past 10-15 years is an acceptance, by a generation that hasn't grown up with the same institutional racism as their parents, of artists who are not white and a further identification with these artists.

What's interesting to me, looking at the Billboard music chart (and aha, I recognize more than 1 song, which I'm not sure if I should be proud or embarrassed about, given the chart), and specifically the titles of the top 50 tracks, is the resemblence to disco era sexuality, be it implicit ('Lean wit It, rock with it', 'Sugar we're going down', 'We be burnin'), overt ('Touch it', 'Pump it'), or childishly overt ('My Humps', 'Ms. New Booty'). I think this is probably the main reason why 'black culture', with respect to brian's question, is at an all-time high.

Some might say this is a backlash to the puritanical political culture in the US at present but I think it’s actually quite simpler.

Look at the two bands that Derek mentioned--Nickelback and System of a Down. How best to describe their music? Angst-filled, whiny, angry, confused, brooding? Would you use the same adjectives to describe the music (not the figure, down boys!) of Beyonce or the Black Eyed Peas? Beyond the question of whether or not they are contributing anything positive to pop culture as a whole, their music sure is a lot more ‘fun’ or 'exciting'.

Other than the American/Canadian Idol contestants, who destroy the music of black and white artists with equal aplomb several times a week, I also can't come up with any near-credible white artists donning the 'street schtick' to any acclaim. I'm curious, though. Did you have any performers in mind when you asked the question?

I hate to agree with you both , but I think you're correct, in that, brian, the American Idol stuff ( for example) has this gloss of RnB often and it seems like painting a superficial gloss in the attemp to make it cool. lots of commercial radio has this goin on.

I agrree also with Derek that the current critics darlings tend to have a seperate world of sound ( at least in pop rock). Black vs White....I would add that I think that part of this separation of black and white influences in indie music ( as opposed to commercial) is due to the constant speciallization of musical styles in pop music that has been going on in a serious way since tyhe 80's . U2 being the last band to have captured more then 1 segment of the listening audience. Where I disagree is in that all black music is at a low, as Outcast and Kanye West are 2 of my current faves ....

Got to say that I can't see that black pop culture is having any significant effect on pop music these days. I think more than ever before really that the two sides of the pop coin are as far apart as they've ever been in my lifetime. If the UK pop kids are primarily digging bands like Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, Coldplay etc I would have an extremely difficult time limning the "black" influence in these bands. Likewise on this side of the pond with Green Day ruling the roost with the likes of Nickelback, System of a Down and Fall Out Boy.

We only have to look back to "big" bands of the day like the Clash, Talking Heads and a bit later the Chili Peppers to see that there were smart creative ways to incorporate black beats (be they reggae, african rythms or funk) without co-opting the source as had been the case in much of the music of the 50's and 60's. Even lesser light indie bands like Durutti Column, Orange Juice and A Certain Ratio put their own special twee white indie-kid spin on some of the black music they'd listened to growing up. Who's doing anything in a similar vein these days?

I just took a quick glance over at the Billboard Pop 100 and I can honestly say that I don't recognize a single tune until we get to Kanye's "Gold Digger" still on the charts at #19 after 26 weeks. So if we're talking popular music Brian you're going to have to be more specific because I am so out of the loop where that's concerned and ain't I glad.

Quiet week this week boys. Kyle, no questions to consider for the weekend?

Let me lob one out there.

I'm thinking.......

OK, how about this. What do ya'll think about the influence of black (pop) culture on pop music. Personally, I think it's at an all-time high. In the thirties, forties, fifties, sixties, seventies (the eighties seemed to drop off a bit, Run DMC, Grandmaster Flash and LL Cool J notwithstanding....I knowI missed about fifty seminal rap-sters) I believe the influence, perhaps because it was still relatively marginal (through jazz, soul, blues, etc) to have raised the level of pop music. Now I think it's hit its peak and has turned in on itself....I'm generalizing of course....

It seems to me that black culture has become the disco beat of the day - mix in a little "black" sound, or a little mysoginist body language, and the pop world sees your track as being more real, more more street-level, yadda yadda. I find it all a little "wrong" and see, primarily, the dilution of some fantastic musical pedigree and concepts.

Thoughts?

I haven't looked at how the National Playlist thing works either but was wondering if there was a way to get something off the list. Hallelujah is a great song but does the KD Lang represent the gold standard? I'm thinking Mr. Cohen or the late Mr. Buckley's renditions far outstrip a live performance at the Junos. Perhaps there's a cover of Canadian Railroad Trilogy by Our Lady Peace played at an Edgefest event in the mid-90s that would an a certain je ne sais quoi to the list? Or Choclair sampling AM's Snowbird? Or Michael Buble reimagining Maestro Fresh Wes' Let Your Backbone Slide? I'll chip in for the beers if you make it to the radio, Stu.

Gee Stewart, I don't know if I can come up with something as inspired as "Heart of Gold", the current number one. Wow. Some of the other choices aren't bad I guess. I haven't looked at the site closely, but don't really understand how songs (once we suggest them) get listed for consideration. I'll take a look. And I will buy you a beer, but only for a non-whoring choice - with the prospect of multiple pints of cold frosty beer on the line it's be mighty tempting to suggest "Sundown" by GL, or "Courage" by those Tragic guys.

Ok so Im a loser baby....I just email voted at the cbc national playlist site.
I assume you all are aware of this show which is basically a music geek show where you argue over what songs are really important, new and old. Its kind of pointless in a way, but fun nevertheless...Aside from voting for your fave song on the list ( to keep it alive), You are allowed to recommnend a song to be added to the playlist and you get credit for it on the air and on the site if its chosen. I thought maybe we should try as a mini competion since we like lists so much. If one of us gets their song on the list he gets free drinks out on the rest of us....Ok I know the odds are not good, and Ill shut up now if you like ( honestly!! it was just a thought,,,stop that cursing.....)heres the link if you are remotely interested
playlist

You can always count on me to get incensed about important issues like awards shows and hockey, Stuart.

On a less passionate, more administrative note, you may or may not have noticed that i updated the links on the right. I've separate the links into categories and added podcast feeds. For the unitiated, podcasts are broadcasts that have been saved into .mp3 files and that are automatically sent to your computer when you 'subscribe' to a podcast 'feed'. You can do this easily if you're using Itunes by searching for Podcasts in the music store.

To use the links on the right with itunes, you can click on the link, then drag the link from the address bar in the browser (click the mouse on the little picture to the left of 'http://') into the podcast section of itunes or to whatever other software program you may be using for podcasts.

Now that I've lulled you all into a quiet sleep...anyone planning on buying music this weekend?

Think I might head over to HMV today to finally use my Christmas gift card. Any ideas on how to spend it? I'm guessing it's loaded with $30 but of course I'll drop more than that.

well ....ya dont check out metabeats for a few days and .......bamm..such vitriolic attacks against the junos.....Its good to see sir kyle so riled up....Im with you on this... but I am so tired of it all , its hard to get up the rage anymore, although it is particularely gauling givin the particularly hot canadian scene these days, I mean fuck there has to be at least 20 bands now that could get the nod ahead of blue rodeo and those other fuck nuts......Ok so maybe I can still get up the rage......
by the way.....didnt someone mention something about wine tasting, Ill be at a Marlie game w Rhys (he said nodding knowingly at Brians smug face) on the 25th but I think we can make the 11th....buy the way ...the new Cat Power is the greatest (pardon the pun).....at least this year...for me., Ill bring it along.....
s

Felt the need to ask around about the Junos and here's a response from my cousin Adam, who works for The Agency Group, which represents these artists.

Here's his two cents:

The Juno’s are picked by the board of directors of an organization CARAS. Everyone in the CAN music industry is a member of CARAS including me. We all get to vote for “Best New Group” but that is it, the board picks everything else. The board is made up of some old school-ers in the business. It’s bogus we all know it, but a couple of my bands are nominated and I could use some more hardware in my office. Oh yes, I have a Juno on my desk!
--
There you have it! Apart from the New Group category, a board of directors made the selections. They seem to be as on the ball as 'the board' of strategists who ran Paul Martin's election campaign.

Isn't Harper was more a Bif Naked man...

Jesus fucking H christ!!! And here I thought the grammy award nominations were beyond the pale. At least Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder, who shouldn't really be nominated for any work after 1975 (some would say earlier for Sir Paul), are legends who will forever be remembered in pop history. But Nickelback? 2 lameass contest winners ? Jesus f...

Who selects the Juno nominees? It's not the National Playlist people, who can come up with from stinkers from time to time but wouldn't dare, on even their most self-indulgent, opiate-influenced days, advocate such a head-scratching, childish, cesspool of a list, featuring such outdated, unoriginal selections. I'm guessing it's a combination of music executives and their pre-teen offspring.

There was a time when very little Canadian music was played or heard or appreciated by Canadians. Often the Juno awards would celebrate mediocrity and I’d think, “Well, I guess they didn’t have much to choose from”. Nowadays, nothing could be further from the truth. Arguably, some of the best pop music in the world is being made in Canada, and I say this not because I’m rooting for the home team but because, well, it's true.

I guess it’s fair to say I won’t be tuning in for the broadcast but I guess the bigger question is, “Why?”

When you have so much depth from which to choose, why in the hell would you pick these nominations? And more importantly, who can I shake and maybe slap in the face to get a proper answer?

Here, by the way, is the summary judgment on Nickelback’s latest, which I looked up after wondering, “Is it just me? Or just me and Derek and the rest of the club?” Apparently not:

http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/nickelback/alltherightreasons

Wow, the Junos. Too cool for school or what? I'll go way out on a limb here and say that not a soul amongst you either owns or knows anyone who's come within 10 feet of any of these dead on arrival turkeys that are up for album of the year. And the Canadian RIA wonders why the purchase of music is on the wane. Drumroll please for these prestigious choices:

Nickelback - All the Right Reasons (the Allmusic review of this CD ends with: "they're still unspeakably awful.")
Kalan Porter - 219 Days (Canadian Idol winner for those out of the loop)
Michael Buble - It's Time
Rex Goudie - Under the Lights ( Idol runner-up for crying out loud)
Diana Krall - Christmas Songs (a fuckin xmas album!)

Since I'm assuming that neither of the Idol contestants wrote any of their own music that leaves only Nickelback of the 5 CDs above with any self-penned songs and where the anti-Nirvana is concerned that is not a plus.

Even funnier are the 5 bands up for "group of the year": Barenaked Ladies, Our Lady Peace, Blue Rodeo, Nickelback and Theory of a Deadman. And here's deluded ol me thinking we had a pretty vibrant music scene here in Canada.

I see from the Junos website that both the Department of Canadian Heritage and Factor (which seems to receive most of its funding) from the DCH are listed as National Sponsors of the Junos. Why is taxpayer money going into encouraging this sort of rubbish? Anyone care to write to our new PM. I hear he's a big fan of Godspeed YBE.

Hey you'll be crying out for more Sagittarius half-way through "Galveston". "Please, Brian, save us! Play more light derivative psychedelia!".

Kyle - nice clear thinking on a way around the whole downloading issue. Well done, and I'm on board. Have you ever though of selling educational software for a living?

I'm cool with bringing downloaded music. The only thing about putting your songs on to CD is that you'll likely be selecting songs from the 10-15 tracks on any given record to play back on the night of the CD club. Thus removing the opportunity for the rest of us to shout out drunken requests to hear track #4.

A print-out of some info on the music is a definite as it does help to have somewhere to hide your eyes when Brian puts on another track from his Sagittarius CD.

Interesting stat about Mats Sundin, Bri. Only 4 days? I'll fight the urge to insert a bitter 'joke' about his piss-poor point total or or overall ineffectiveness this year and instead will move on to your question about bringing downloaded music to the meetings.

I'd say that more than half my music purchases these days are downloads and I suspect this percentage will only increase over the coming years. It's just a hell of a lot easier to download then it is to find the time to make it out to hmv or soundscapes and most of the time the first thing I do with the disc when I open it is rip the tracks to mp3 so I can transfer to the ipod. Though I still enjoy owning a cd, and appreciate the artwork and the overall package, it's really all about the music, isn't it?

Though we call it the 'cd club', we have all brought some vinyl at some point and to me, the format doesn't matter, provided the sound quality is decent and I get to listen to everyone explain (or in some cases, defend) why they've brought what they've brought. The solution would be to burn your tracks to disc so we can play them on a cd player. My only caveat would be a request that, in light of liner notes that we can fumble with while listening to the track selections, you bring a printout from allmusic or an online review that you can pass around and satisify our need for tactile reinforcement.

Does this sound fair to everyone or should we give Brian a cold shoulder anyway, if only because his image approaches Beckham-like exposure in the transit system?

Hey boys, glad to see you're enjoying my noggin.

Kyle, good outing Saturday, though I can only imagine it got a little sloppier after my very early departure. Apparently you and Mats Sundin are only four or five days apart in age, by the way. Man.

Re wine tasting, always a fantastic idea. The D/W's are not 100% on either of those days, unfortunately only because we have baby-sitting type adventures already planned for this weekend and the 4th, so may be pushing our luck to do something on the weekend(s) in between (ahh, kids). I'll check with V and get back to you.

For the music club, how do you suggest we handle downloaded (iTunes) selections? I imagine they will constitute 20-30% of my purchases for the next little while, so am reluctant to also buy the disk (though I will likely do it on a selective basis).....but sharing a generic Memorex disk with the group will lack a little oomph. Everyone OK with that or will I get the cold shoulder?

Perhaps a good theme would be 'wines that pair well with large pictures of Brian's head'. Since you're off to South Africa, I'm thinking that would be a good country to use as theme as well. At some point, I'd love us to to an Italian wine tasting, perhaps with a focus on 1 or 2 specific regions or varietals. Either of those two dates you've suggested work for Sarah and I.

Thanks for reminding me about Steely Dan, which I actually enjoyed hearing on Friday. Though I'll cover this shortly in an email, a big thanks to all of you for coming out on Friday. I drank far too much and parts of the night are blurry, I do remember having a blast and I hope you did as well. Muchas gracias!!!

Mey and I ran into a larger than life-size version of Brian's mug this afternoon in one of the underground walkways downtown. He truly is the man about town.

Finally getting back to normal after having a few too many on Friday night. Good times even if the music was crap. Do I really need to explain to the uninitiated why hearing Steely Dan at full club volume in 2006 can't be a good thing.

Kyle mentioned on Friday night that we might be overdue for a wine tasting. I wouldn't mind hosting one before we take off on our vacation but there are probably only two Saturdays that would work. I'm thinking either February 25 or March 11. Any interest gents? I'm open to suggestions for a theme and Marc is only allowed to come on the condition that he actually sticks around long enough to taste the stuff.

dammit Brian that damn ugly mug of yours keeps cropping up everywhere....
how much longer are we to endure this?
s

So 'Rhinestone Cowboy' is not GC's finest achievement? Very well, then I await March 4th and the coming Glen Campbell love-in.

Has anybody heard the new 'Destroyer' album? Heard a bit on the CBC Radio 3 podcast but was wondering if any of you Dan Behar fans out there had picked up the disc?

On the liner notes it mentions his gig w the beach boys, I suspect his good looks was a factor, but its not known aside from country music geeks that his guitar work is very good.......not that I think you will all be running off to buy yurselves a stack of Cambell discs.....

Speaking of Glenn Campbell, Derek and I got together for a little music listening the other night and I brought along a re-release from the under-exposed sixties band Sagittarius, which had a great psych pop song from 1967 called "My World Fell Down", which I knew from the original (and best) Lenny Kaye (the lead guitarist for Patti Smith) "Nuggets" collection from 1972. Anyhoo, the lead singer on this sparkling orchestral Good-Vibrations-era-Beach-Boys-inspired track was none other than....you guessed it, Dennis Wilson. I mean, Glenn Campbell. I'll bring it along to the March 4th gathering.

Is Stuart taking a piss or does he truly believe that Brian's doppelganger print-model is featured in the car show ads?

Also, Glen Campbell? Wasn't he the coach of the Edmonton Eskimos during their big Grey Cup run?

Wow look at that likeness!!

Stu, just to simplify your perspective on the world, I will say that there is only one BD.

I saw the same ad in the papers on the weekend, and even though I know it is not Brian, It is a perfect resemblance, I showed it to Yvette and she concurred...its very dishartening to think there are 2 of them out there, god ....perhaps there are even more, imagine Brian clones ruling the world....

I look forward to hearing the Belle & Sebastian, but im thinking do I reallty need 17 of their discs, well maybe I do......

finally, on a disc buying note, you will be interested to know that you can buy cds from Amazon.ca under the lising " new and used " waaaaay cheaper then under their regular listings,...After picking the album you want ( in my case a double cd Glen Cambell compilation I could only find for $38 after taxes in Toronto),click where it says items new and used, click on new and you get american independant cd store suppliers, click on one of the cheaper ones which has high customer satisfaction, and 2 weeks later I received a new sealed copy for $19 canadian including delivery and taxes ( 1/2 the price of the amazon listing and 1/2 the price if I bought it here)....
couse no one actually buys cds nowadays....especially Glen campbell ones at that!

Glad to hear that B&S are back in fine form. Perhaps you can send a disc to Matt Hasselback and the rest of the Seattle Seahawks, with references to track 2 as a potential tonic.

Having made a sports reference, I can now segue to my surprise this morning when I was reading an online article on Gretzky's gambling problems when I noticed an interesting ad.

Looking good, Mr. Doyle!

New Belle & Sebastian hit the stores today and despite my lukewarm feelings towards their last album (Dear Catastrophe Waitress) I was still keenly anticipating this new record and I think the boys and girls in the band have come up trumps with this one. I've only given it a once through so it's early days but tracks 1-3 are probably better than anything on DCW and the second track has my favourite line "We're playing for our lives the referee gives us fuck all".

Track 4 "The Blues are Still Blue" is probably the weakest song on the record and then they tread water for a couple more songs until track 8 "Song for Sunshine" which sounds like an homage to Sesame Street and the 70's and is quite unlike most B&S songs. I like it a lot. Track #9 "Funny Little Frog" is also a keeper and it sounds like an old fave from their first record 10 years back but sounding just as fresh today. Nary a weak track to take us through the rest of the record with 14 tracks in all.

Whatever you do don't pick this up through e-music or any other downloadable option. Buy the disc, get the lyric sheet, enjoy the irreverent fan questions in the liner notes and revel in the three Scots lassies who adorn many of the come hither photographs in the CD booklet. Wish they were playing somewhere other than the Docks as I'd be more than happy to see them live a second time.

Everything I wanted to know about the current state of Norweigan electronica/soul but was afraid to ask. Very cool updates, Marc. Am now trying to locate some Eivind Aarset mp3s....

'Licensed to Ill' probably makes more sense if you're in your mid-teens and you haven't heard a lot of sampling, or rap, and you're driving around the suburbs, looking for a party and hoping somebody can buy you beer, which is how I first experienced this album. Lines like, "A lotta BEER/a lotta GIRLS/and a lot of CURSIN'/22 automatic on my PERSON" can only be fully appreciated while accompanied by loud shouting that reflects the nervous bravado of a burgeoning youthful male ego; some 20 years on, I can imagine it's a little dated. I know the 'Boys have since distanced themselves from some of the more overtly misogynistic lyrics that have tarnished an otherwise energetic and impressive full length debut. Still like the Zeppelin guitar line from 'The Ocean' on 'She's Crafty' demonstrates how sampling can really work well, and 'No Sleep till Brooklyn', if beat-mixed into any RunDMC track from the same period, takes me back to those (sorry) high school days.

'Post' and 'Debut' are the two Bjork discs to own, in my opinion. Though she's had some interesting releases since then, those first two discs are seem to gell more as complete albums, and offer some really great songs like, "Hyperballad" and "Isobel". I can't think of any of her subsequent releases that contain songs that match these efforts.

"This is Hardcore" is a bit of a grower. I thought it was a little overwrought when I first heard it, especially compared with "Different Class", but found that I came to enjoy it more with time. Also think "Help the Aged" is one of their best.

Questions as we head into the weekend:

Are the Grammy Awards the worst piece of shit awards show ever? If a certain Canadian band wins this award, will this change your opinion in any way?

Music? you ask… I think I’m a bit of a binge purchaser. Months will go by without my being able to find the time to swing by a store and browse or get on line to do some digging, but when I do it’s as if I’m consumed by irrational emotions and needs to possess. I think I might stem back to fantasies from years ago when stores used to have prize shopping sprees in which you could run around a store and grab all the vinyl you could in 60 seconds.

I dropped by a little used cd store on the north side of Dundas near Derek’s place and started browsing around. Picked out a few things and then came across the $5 bin…a lot of good stuff but I already had so much of it, but did manage to snap up a couple of good pieces including The Tragically Hips “Phantom Power” and “Beautiful Garbage” by Garbage. Two decent albums by two of some of my perennial favourites.

Amongst others I picked up:

-Bjork “Post” – lovin’ it!
-Bob Marley “Exodus” …figured it was time to dig deeper than “Ledgend”
-Beastie Boys “Licesned to Ill” told I should like it but don’t…but it helps to put perspective on “To the 5 Boroughs” that made it onto my top ten a couple of years back.
-Pink Floyd “Atom Heart Mother”…what the fuck?…I’ll give it a few more listens!
-Pulp “This is Hardcore” …to me, really lacks the playfulness that makes “Different Class” so fun….was not aware that they put out their first album in 1983!
-Gotan Project “A Gotan Project DJ Set” – Bullshit! …But if you do not yet have “La Revancha Del Tango” do yourself a favour and pick it up for those evenings you want a little sexiness happening in the background. It still gets slipped from the shelf on a regular basis after all these years around our place.
…plus a hoard of other crap that I won’t get into.

So new stuff that is coming to the next metaBeats gathering…

I searched out a bunch of stuff from the Jazzland label out of Norway from which you might remember I brought you Bugge Wesstletoft. I would still highly recommend his releases “Moving” as well as “FILM iNG” (sic.) …and “sick!” it is, as well. His grooves take me away…beautiful explorations of the boundaries of jazz and electronica and the lands in between. I just picked up two others of his…”Live” which as the name suggests was actually recorded live…direct to a two track recorder with the exception of one track that was recorded for the Gilles Peterson show on BBC. Again, a really nice groove that will get many, many more playings from me. I can’t say enough about this guy. Sweeeet!

I picked up a collaboration of Bugge with Sidsel Endersen “Out There, In Hear” Once again, well worth a listen (and a couple more on my part to do it justice) but I find that Sidsel’s at times inane lyrics and poetic form of address get in the way of the Wesseltoft’s music and the album as a whole. Pretty at times, exploratory at others, it’s a stretch as a whole. This album has a lot of quiet time…solo piano and a beautiful rendition of Neil Young’s “Birds” …just goes to show what you can do with a great song. As they say, if you don’t make mistakes, you aren’t taking enough risk! …a hard listen, but worth it.

From the SmalltownSupersounds label, you might recall a few sessions back I brought you “For the Ladies” by Kim Hiorthoy also from Norway(spelled with a slash through the “o”, but I have no idea how to get that on my keyboard and am not willing to find out!) …anyhow, it was shit…absolute crap…barely a note on the album, let alone any harmonics. Well, the album I was actually trying to get my hands on was “Live Shet” which is actually well worth a couple listens. Filled with a combination of sampled sounds from physical instruments as well as a hoard of clicks, blibs and samples, this album has a real jazz feel to it. Some may argue it’s not jazz, but to my ear it is full of improve and exploration.

And now for Something Completely Different! More Norwegian music from Jazzland…actually two albums I really love by Eivind Aarset…I really have to get some work done now…it’s not as if I’m employed after all! …to be continued.

Beyond 'Juicebox', I've heard little of the new Strokes. The reviews have been fairly subdued but of course this doesn't mean anything. I haven't been all that motivated to go out and buy it, though. Perhaps owning two albums is enough for now. Should I pick it up? Would I be a food not to? (Am I a fool now regardless, you may well ask, though please don't or at least don't answer in the affirmative).

Animal Collective continues to grown on me. The opening track, 'Did you see the words' was probably my most listened to song for January. Structurally, it reminds me a bit of the Arcade Fire's 'Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels)', with its slow-build, quiet vocals giving way to almost a pleading desperation, joined by a harmony of 'oh's and 'woos', incessant drumming and...okay, i'm getting carried away but needless to say, I'm digging it.

Bands like AC and Deerhof tend to make albums that practically demand further listening. I never quite got my head around all the songs on 'Milk Man' or 'Apple O', but there are definitely some interesting moments on both. 'Four Runners' seems a lot more coherent than the former two, as well as being a little more cheerful.

The only other new stuff I've been listening to recently has been the High Dials and Quantic Soul Orchestra, both very different but both very good. The former has a Montreal-based, Teenage Fanclub pop sound while the latter is more rousing, funky party music, with some great vocals (from the UK I believe).

Music!

Thoughts on the new Strokes?

And what's everyone listening to?

I'm still fixated on the Animal Collective and the Deerhof, both of which are outstanding, and yes, I will be bringing them to the CD club (may as well completely eliminate any chance I had of surprising anybody). Derek and Kyle both made me some coolio disks recently which I'm working through, and which will no doubt create spin-off purchases, but it's too early to tell.

well kyle since you didnt say mar 4 is bad for you I will assume you mean it is OK and with that I can officially confirm march 4th is the date of the cd club.( Applause Applause!!!!...I can also confirm that the date for the following CD club will be wednesday june 21 Applause!!!! Applause!!!!

I like the idea of fixed dates, though I've gotta say, never has there been such a flourish of activity in this space in the span of two or three days. Perhaps we should switch the focus of the blog from music appreciation to the art of scheduling.

The Queer Dance night at Lee's is a hoot. The music tends to be typical dancecave fare, which is a plus, but the crowd is better costumed. A few summers back, I witnessed a thin little man disrobe in the middle of the dance floor. He made it through 2 songs before the staff realized that he'd shed the tiny speedo he'd been wearing. Not a pretty sight but a funny one!

I share your lack of enthusiasm for the Constantines, Bri, but anything I've heard from opening band The Deadly Snakes has been quite good and would probably be even better live. You can always start off at the 'shoe then cab it up to Bloor for gay dancing.

the broken record speaks...since march 4th "ain't February 9, 10 or the weekend of the 18th" i'm in. As for this evening, i suspect that i might be one of the kiddies that gets tucked into bed early! I like the idea of preset dates, possibly tied to the lunar cycle, but can't honestly imaging how it would work out in the end. Let me check my tide charts and get back to you.

Fixed date works for me too, and I will say March 4th is good (and check later). I'm particularly fond of referencing the fixed date to the equinox and/or solstice - and can we do an extra one when Jupiter next aligns with Mars?

Constanines are supposed to be good live, but I find them so numbing on record that to hear those songs "brought to life", well.....anyway, and more relevantly, I've made very simple (and yes, a tad boring) plans to stay at home with the fam tonight and watch movies. For those heading out and looking for non-Constantine options, I note with interest that tonight is the monthly Queer Rock Dance Party at Lee's.

Like the idea about having a fixed date. I'm good for March 4th.

The Constantines are playing at the Shoe tonight. Aren't they supposed to be a much better band live than they've ever been on record?

ok.....lets giver another shot....I feel like a game show host....saturday march 4th.
I also have 2 suggestions.....this process has made me very thursty....anyone up for a show tonight say 9pm after kiddies are down...also how about we formalise the cd club to the first friday night of the solstace and equinox months...ie march june sept dec...I know Kyle doesnt have much control over this but it has to be a little easier then the process we are now going through....
s

...ergo: February 25th works for everyone?

i'd have to vote for march over this saturday, as i have another commitment that night (don't you too, derek?). i'm pretty good for most fridays and saturdays throughout feb or march.

Hey morning glories, what's the story? Is this thing on for Saturday or not? If we're going to use the blog as a conduit please keep it up to date.

This Saturday is great for me.

In going through previous blogs it looks like this Saturday January 28, February 4 and 25th are the only possibles outside of pushing it back to March. I'm good for any of the above.

RE CD club dates; a saturday night or wait for march???what do you guys prefer?? Im flexible
s

hey there...ufortunately, i can't do this friday. i won't be back from phoenix until saturday....

like i said, if it ain't February 9, 10 or the weekend of the 18th, i'm in....don't know how much music i'll have to bring by Friday, but i'll make up for it in beer....consumption that is.

CD club this friday 27th january???? still waiting for confirms from Kyle and marc

That Brian, he’s such a clever little lad! Here’s the perfect opportunity to ask Al in person. I hear he is playing at an intimate little venue just west of Toronto. …I can just see it now…Brian standing in the back of the room, pint in hand…HEY AL! WHAT THE H…

What the hell is a "morning form a Bogart movie" anyway? All of Bogey's films (well, not all nut I don' think he's talking about Treasure of Sierra Madre here) were set at night. They didn't call it Film Noir for nothin'.

On a morning from a Bogart movie
In a country where they turn back time
You go strolling through the crowd like Peter Lorre
Contemplating a crime

Could I show up just to hear Time Passages and then leave? I'm out of the country on those dates so I have a built in excuse. I would still like to see a show at some point at Hugh's Room however so keep trying Stuart.

This Friday is OK for me.

Please ignore my previous inquiry re shuffling songs. Found 'er.

Stu, re Al Stewart, no thanks. And now I have Year of the Cat playing constantly in my head you bastard.

This Friday for CD Club would be my first choice so let's hope that y'all can do it.

OK dont throw stones at me a polite decline is acceptable....Al Stewart is playing HUghs room April 7th , 8th and I was a big fan back some years ago and its a great venue if you have not been....You eat dinner and watch the show from your table...20 feet away from the stage...you are home by midnight...It is very civilized (its a venue Yvette loves) Anyone wanting to bring wives along ....?
Yvette and I will probably go to this one.....let me know ...$35.00 per head
s

marc is unavailable on the 10th,,,bookclub the week after, Im away the weekend after....sooooo Im OK this friday or we have to shift it to a Saturday night or march....Im oK with any of that...
s

Stu - I'm a possible for the 3rd but would prefer this Friday (Jan 27) or Feb 10th, reason being that my mother in law, visiting from Australia, is leaving the night of the third, so that's a hectic time. Hopefully we can all move it one way or the other but if you can't you can't.

Well, I've got 700 songs on my iPod and am playing away - it is great technology- but haven't figured out how to shuffle songs. So Kyle I'm interested in your last e-mail. A brief description would be most helpful (we can go off-line if you're concerned about boring the other bloggeres......hah!) - amazingly I couldn't find it through the on-line help, but then again I realized last night I was looking at the help for the nano and I have the iPod30. Blah blah.

I'm in for February 3rd, Stuart. Thanks for taking on the hosting duties. I'll brave the 45 minute streetcar glide along Queen St. by listening to some of the great, free podcasts I've subscribed to over the past year. To do this, Brian, you click on the 'Music Store' in Itunes, then the 'Podcast' text link that appears on the left, beneath the 'Choose Genre' drop down menu.

Once you 'subscribe' to the podcasts of your choice, every time a new show is available, it will automatically download whenever you have your itunes software open and then will sync to your ipod each time you sync. Some of the podcasts I enjoy: CBC Radio 3, KCRW's The Treatment, and NPR: All Songs Considered.

Another fun tip for using the ipod is to use the 'shuffle songs' feature that plays songs randomly, which can be fun if you have several thousand songs on your player and get to hear, probably for the first time in history, a Maria Callas aria followed by 'The Sporting Life' by the Decemberists followed by 'Blasphemous Rumours' by the recently much discusssed DM, followed by 'Round Midnight' by the Derek's suggested artist MD in a fifteen minute span.

Happy listening.

Barry Manilow is about the same age as my dad and there he was prancing about on television the other night with that same bleach bond perm and leather togs like he was still 25 and singing Mandy for the gazillionth time. I'd rather listen to my dad sing.

I'm in for February 3rd.

Ok...how is friday Feb 3 ...( no barry manilou since no positive response..)
s

I'm good for your place too Stu. My new location next to the subway makes the whole "west" thing much more do-able. Though, make no mistake, compared to us (left-wing) city folk, you are essentially a 905-er.

Count me in for a CD club at your place Stuart. I think we've scheduled the next book club for Thursday February 16 so we can probably rule out that week as you'll all no doubt be taking your sweethearts out for dinner on the Tuesday night.

The Depeche Mode song you heard might have been "Precious" which is a pretty fine song.

Brian, if you're looking to fill up that iPod and quickly you could probably do worse than start with Miles Davis 6CD set "The Cellar Door Sessions" from 1970 and just released at the end of last year.

I'd be up for a gathering at your place, Stuart...it's not that far...it's not as if it's Oakville! The only days i am not available are, at this point, February 9, 10 and the weekend of the 18th.

There is this song Ive been hearing recently which sounds just like a hit 80's song ....but I think it is current as there is just a hint of a contemporary feel to it and I thought I heard the dj say Depeche Mode....if it is ....its the the only time I can remember a comeback song that is really good and sounds exactly how they used to sound 20 years ago....Anyone think of another example...?
with such a long span between....??

RE the cd club....I offer my place if you feel up to the trudge westward..but if you want to do it more centrally I understand.....however....I can promise a nice hot fire....french red wine...candlelight....perhaps a little Barry Manilow...you know ..."Weekend in new England".....ahhhhhh yes.... oh sorry lads!! Axel Rose it is then...

Really Mark?!! Jack Johnson the boxer from the tw - oh, right, the other Jack Johnson. The surfer dude with the silky voice. Nice job on the top ten, makes my year, and my exercise in list-building, look even more dull. Which sadly, it appears that it was. But never fear, there is no chance of a diminished appetite chez BD - I've found that my appetite for all things cultural is if anything growing every year, inversely related to my access to free time (not just a coincidence). So here's to 2006.

And on that note, I finally got my iPod up and running last night and the future is mine. Very exciting. Now I need approximately one thousand recommendations from each of you (so get working on it).

Re CD club, and me hosting it, truth is that until the little bastard, or pardon me, the wee bairn, starts going to bed a bit earlier - he's already sleeping through the night so I'm not complaining - holding it chez me is not a great option. I'll do the next one. This time 'round, why don't one of you other dudes take it on and I will be there with bells on.

Thanks for the props on the comp, marc. Glad you liked it. Also, good to have you back!

I hope that I don't lose my enthusiasm for new and interesting music as I age. So far it hasn't happened but then some would argue that I haven't necessarily matured with age yet either. I go through phases where I don't listen to much new music and other times where I'm listening to something new every day. October through December were big music months, where I downloaded and listened to close to 30 albums (legally) and almost 400 tracks. I do the same thing with movies and books. Sometimes I think a person needs those down times to better appreciate those up times. Just don't focus too much energy on work....you'll betray the essential thread which binds us to this blog and the cd club: enjoying that which isn't work.

Kind of agree with you with respect to BSS. I'm hesitant to use the word 'disappointed' but, after 3 or 4 listens, I'm not taking to it as quickly as I did 'You Forgot it in People'. I'm hoping that this will change with repeated listenings. The problem with a followup to a great album like 'YFIIP' or Moby's 'Play' is that the artist can either try to recreate the same sound or structure as the great album (ie. '18', which has always sounded to me like a B-sides companion to 'Play') or opt for a different direction altogether (ie. The Strokes' 'House on Fire'). BSS opted for something more inventive and while I'm not sure that it works, I do respect the effort. Also have to agree with Brian re: the 'Pavement' track which is good but comes across as a lesser 'Summer Babe' than an homage to, or titular 'dream' about, the 90s band's sound. Also, has anyone here ever seen them live? Sarah and I were speculating that one of their concerts would probably be more enjoyable for the band than the audience (ie. an extended, self-involved jam session). Is this an unfair assumption?

Stuart, ah dinnae ken ye gave tha rite cheek ta Derek, ye gormless numptie.

"Ah've nivir seen tha lek..." was what you should have said. I suggest you pick up an Irvine Welsh book to use as a reference for all future posts incorporating Scottish vernacular.

Hey Marc, great to have you back. Nicely done on the year end wrap up as well. I totally agree with you on the latest Metric disc. After one or two listens I was finding it all a bit underwhelming but stick with it and the album really comes together. Much more so than their first one I find. Sorry I can't agree with you on the B.S.S. but that seems to be a disc that is creating rather divisive opinions.

I too am extremely guilty on the Moby front. How is it though that an artist can release a disc where for 12 months you cannot go anywhere without hearing his music and then with 2 subsequent albums I haven't heard a single track?

Feel free to borrow my copy of Nostalgia 77. I've had it for a while and it's very groovy. Shall I bring it tomorrow night?

What, …hunh? Did somebody say something? …sorry sir, could you repeat the question?…school was never this bad…the peer pressure!…marc, have another beer…why are you leaving so soon? you,ve only had six!….marc, when are going to get an mp3 player…a digital camera….a blackberry…high def tv decoder! Marc, when are you going to take some time off work so you can post something on the blog! Marc, when are we going skiing…well, considering the weather, at least I’m off the hook for the skiing.

Ok, ok, so I guess maybe I should make an effort on my top ten of the year before I have to start worrying about buying Christmas presents for 2006.

2005 was a peculiar year for me. In it’s twelve months, I don’t think I ever really got excited about anything other than work….how sad is that? No running, no biking, no climbing, no skiing, and way to little time spent with music, friends and loved ones (in no particular order). Maybe 2006 will see a change in that, although I somehow doubt it.

When I was young, I remember lamenting my father’s growing lack of interest in music over the years and it disturbed me because I could not understand how someone who had such a passion for something could loose it. Over the past few months I have found music taking a back seat in my life as well, and although it’s not as if I don’t have an interest…I just have little time for it…and I don’t even have kids!

So here goes. Since I bought scarcely 10 recordings 2005 my list is going to take on a slightly flavour…but then I always feel the pressure to be unconventional anyway.

#1 indie compilation: “Melodies” by KP? Sweet, energizing, crafted, and soulful. Finishing with Brubeck brought it all back home! Nicely done!

#1 worst highly anticipated compilation that I actually bought : Giles Peterson “digs America” I really expected more from this guy; Britain’s lord of the crates…he digs deep into the bins and usually come up with gems but his year he seems to have come up with a handful of beat up 45’s that were transferred directly to digital. The audio quality on a lot of this stuff blows and although some of the trax do have soul, the comp lacks direction and coherence.

#1 album released by a singer song writer that scored a score of classics over thirty years ago. Bruce Springsteen’s “Devil and Dust” Dark and gritty at times, always genuine and somehow manages to tweak the genre enough to bring new blood to the surface. …indeed, Stuart, a precious few artists are good for more that 10 years!

#1 album featuring an upright bass, violin, French horn, trumpet and a typewriter. Belle Orchestre. The concert at the music gallery blew me away (thanks Derek), and although the album has really strong moments, to me it somehow looses the thread on occasions. The sound is so different that maybe it’s me…I’m not able to stretch myself to fit within the space of the music. I find the production of the album fascinating, but the jury is still out on all the intervening street noise. That having been said, I really have the feeling that I am in an another physical space when I listen to this recording.

#1 Swedish pop rock album that I was able to buy used before it was actually released in Canada: The Shout Out Louds “Howl Howl Gaff Gaff”. Really good solid, driving pop. O.k, it turns a little Cure at times but we can excuse it for that, can’t we? Favourite stupid line from Oh sweatheart: “Someone studies archYtecture, someone works with fabric texture.” What’s that all about?

#1 revisited album: I had picked up Metric “Live It Out” back in the summer and was disappointed in it perhaps only because it was not what I was expecting it to be. The great thing about a year end review is that it forces you to look back at things that you might have overlooked though the year. “Live It Out” is a well structured album with many decent trax. Besides, you have to give cudos to an album that has a track called “Patriarch on a Vespa”

#1 disappointing follow up that I have not yet been able to get my head around: Broken Social Scene. It lacks the sweetness, drive, charm, craft and diversity of “You Have It In People”…I just don’t get it….yet. I’ll give it another try…again. To me it is still just a bunch of noise! I loved YHIIP to death. If it were on vinyl it would be worn out; but this, it just doesn’t click with me as much as I want it to.

#1 new-to-me band/album. Spoon: “Gimme Fiction” This was fresh and exciting. Nothing groundbreaking at all, but well worth listening in a “I want something that I don’t hear on the radio but is not too out there kinda way”

#1 industry discovery of a recording that was hidden deep in the library of congress…I don’t even have to go there do I ?

#1 album from a short bald guy who often deifies himself on stage: Moby. “Hotel” This is really solid stuff, and although it is not as ground breaking as “Play” was, both “18” and “Hotel” are really good offerings of well crafted songs assembled in fluid packages. The problem with creating an album like “Play” is that you set the “inventive” bar so high that few artists ever meet other’s expectations. A shame in a way that an artists work should be disregarded on the merits of it’s not living up to former brilliance.

#1 concert for which I have yet to buy any of the bands music. The Decemberists

#1 album that I have only heard a few trax of…have never seen and certainly do not own a copy of but am sure to pick up before the next get together: Nostalgia77 “The Garden”

#1 comfort food album: Jack Johnson “In Between Dreams” (no Brian, not that Jack Johnson…the other one!). Call it what you will…a guilty pleasure?…I can’t get enough of Jack Johnson. Something about his simple words and easy, melodic guitar… it’s a happy place for me to go, and it takes me there every time I put it on. Jack’s music brings contentedness to my body and soul and wafts of ocean salts and the moistness of air ripped by the breeze from a warm surf . It’s all good when I listen to JJ!
Peace, love and happiness.

metaBeats

weell listen ta tha cheek...Ive never seen the like...

Hey Stuart if you plan on using the Scottish vernacular you should know that bairn, not being French, does not have a trailing "e" and if you want to discuss the size of these bairns then "wee" might work better than we, so dinnae be glaikit.

Since you have the we little bairne...and since I have not seen the house since before the purchase....how about your place Brian?? for la supper club cd
s

Great idea re CD club - I've actually purchased some music in the last few weeks. You know, music is pretty cool.

Oh and somebody wake up Marc!

May I suggest that we schedule a CD club for sometime next month? The last time we got together was in September and anything I can fill in on my calendar that helps me get through January and February is most welcome.

Stormy Monday is the album most often talked about ....but I think a posthumously released well selected double cd would be better....I await optomistically for such a thing...

Any albums of Rawls' that you'd recommend, Stu? The only song of his with which I'm familiar is the one you mentioned. Perhaps with his passing, a new compilation will be released. Which Wayan brother will play him in the biopic?

Lou Rawls died today...,and though some of you may only know him by his big hit "You'll never find.... another love like mine" from the mid 70's ( which is actually a stellar pop/disco track deserving of any dance mix cd)...,he has a backlog of very good R&B/Souls stuff from the 60's which deserves a better compilation then is out there due to changing labels so often in his career. He also deserves better critical attention then is generally given...R.I.P.
see link for more

I wanted to wait until seeing some important films over the holidays before posting. Then I realized that there wouldn't be any important films released this holiday season. Yes, Brokeback Mountain came out in mid-December so technically qualifies as a holiday release but I'm referring to those movies that are usually released on Christmas Day, that I look forward to seeing on December 27th when Sarah and I get back from our family visitations. This year? Bubkus.

I thought that Woody Allen's 'Match Point' was supposed to be released on the 25th but alas, since I do not live in NY or LA, it was not playing at a theatre near me. I guess 'Munich' is supposed to be an important film but the reviews have been pretty mixed thus far.

Okay, I'm rambling about film in a space that's supposed to be about music. Let me just say then:

1) 2005 was a far better year for music than it was for movies, given that I can easily name 10+ 'great' discs but am forced to google my way through different online lists to try to recall even a handful of movies that come close.

2) Movie audiences have to learn to shut the fuck up. Children seem to know this--I recently saw 'Narnia' and 'Harry Potter' and the kids were far better behaved than the adults. But instead of worrying about declining attendance or piracy, those in the movie business should be doing more to muzzle their audiences. And I'm sorry, Varsity Theatre, $12 for a matinee on a Wednesday? Fuck off.

3) Glad you liked 'Aberdeen', Derek. I know you're a big Lena Headey fan and though her pulchritude is nicely showcased in this film, it's also a pretty moving story about a woman's relationship with her father.

4) Here were the best films I saw in 2005, in no particular order:

-Cache´ (Hidden)
-The Squid and the Whale
-Sympathy for Lady Vengeance
-Broken Flowers
-Nobody Knows
-Syriana
-Goodnight and Good Luck
-A History of Violence
-The Ice Harvest
-2046

I haven't seen: Capote, The Constant Gardener, Munich, King Kong or Crash, so it seems odd that I've excluded any of these, that's why.

Finally, the worst piece of crap I couldn't watch 5 minutes of even though I was on a 5 hour flight award goes to: 'Bewitched' Runner-up: 'Elektra' .

Here's the link to the Least Essential Albums of 2005, always a good laugh. And now, no more lists for awhile. I'll try to post some thought-provoking questions and insightful observations. At the very least, I will link to some.

Since I don't see anything that's coming out over the holidays that's likely to knock off any of my fave films from 2005 here's my top 10 in no particular order:

The World
Crash
Me, You and Everyone We Know
Tristram Shandy
Moolaade
Broken Flowers
Syriana
The Squid and the Whale
Good Night and Good Luck
History of Violence

Also enjoyed some films that were not released in 2005: Elephant, Brief Encounter and Aberdeen.

Biggest piece of shit fawned over by the critics: Last Days. No doubt Brian will find it magical.

Forgot to mention the Coltrane/Monk record, outstanding. Plus, yes, I did enjoy the Decembrists record, they're incredibly consistent from release to release. No doubt seeing them live would have sealed their standing for me in '05.

Also forgotten, I really liked the Bjork release in '05 - The Music from Drawing Restraint 9. Not a Bjork record in some ways, but very rewarding mood music.

...I 'd have to say for me its the year of the decemberists....Picaresque for best album and also for best concert at the Pheonix....after that in no order I have a group of ;
Kanye West - Late Registration
Antony & Johnsons - I am a bird now
Monk & Coltrane - Carnegie Hall
Sigor Rios- Takk

Next bests group Rounding out the top 10 would be ;
Sufjan Stevens - Illinios (should have been 7 songs less, but that song about john wayne Gacy gets in the top songs of the year for me)
Broken Social Scene- Tragically both Brian & Derek are wrong with their opinions..the first record is a masterpiece, but this is too aimless & rambling but still a very good record....
Julie Doiron- Goodnight Nobody -The song "When the snow falls in December " this song evoking heartbreak and the early cold november snow.... ya all must have been here at some point ...download the one song if the whole album is too much
Richard Hawley-Coles Corner

Finally 2 reissues...Belle and Sebastians-Push Barman...2 cd set of all singles and eps is pure bliss...I have all the records and thought I had all the good stuff ...but this would be what I would recommend to a neophyte....the most consistent band in the world...
Bill Fay self titled...I am a sucker for 70s sound ..horn section...production values...etc and this cd although it took me 3 or 4 listens has come to be a real favorite...

A final note...this is my last day at work and I dont have access to my email at home so if you want to contact me...its the phone baby ...

I had a lousy listening year as you all know (I've complained about it ad nauseum) due to renovations and baby, but still emerged with a few favourites - all of which you know as well. Nevertheless, in the spirit of inclusiveness, I will add my brief list.

My favourite by far is Illinoise by Sufjan Stevens. I haven't had a connection to a pop record like this for a few years. It seems to me that he creates in his own space, with a musical/psychological idiom that is entirely his own. On Illinoise, the mix of folk, choral, and orchestra, combined with his soft voice made my heart do tricks on almost every track. His mix of supreme earnestness and goofy humour works for me as well (hmm...BD insight, maybe it's because I am also over-earnest and goofy?). It's funny, because I know that I could find the whole package, or certain aspects of it, very irritating, but I find myself caught up in the songs, and unable to criticize even their most cloying elements.

I was quite surprised (a little worried, frankly) to find that Pitchfork was on the same page for 2005: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/top/2005/

Other fave albums for me were:
Teenage Fanclub - Man Made
Paul Motian/Bill Frissell/Joe Lovano - I Have the Room Above Her
Cardinal - re-issue of their 1994 (only) record (great chamber pop).
Bill Charlap - Somewhere (from 2002) - Songs of Leonard Bernstein

First few listens of the Animal Collective sounded very good to me, so I'm hopeful. And I really enjoyed The Woods but haven't listened to it enough yet.

Disappointing albums for me (Have I become very hard to please in the last 12 months?):

- Broken Social Scene - Derek and I disagree, but I find this record (and the previous) somewhat devoid of personality (perhaps too many contributors), with overthought arrangements, and lacking great songs. The song D chose as his fave is a good song, but it sounds almost exactly like Pavement (so what's the point?).

- the New Pornographers - some great songs, but overall the band lacks cohesion, and the generic AOR (ie., CFNY "rock" music) mixes destroy some of its originality for me.

- Xiu Xiu - maybe just not my thing.

Songs I loved - I could pick a bunch form the records I enjoyed (or was disappointed with) above, but never mind. I can think of one that is on an unmentioned album, which is Black Mountain's "No Satisfaction". Great anthemic Lou Reed-inspired number.

Enough for now. Gotta work.

Christmas, Kwanza or Dia de los Muertos, I actually never work so having no excuse for my lamentable posting record here goes:

Songs that had me skipping down the streets of Toronto this year are as follows:

Bright Eyes - Gold Mine Gutted
Broken Social Scene - Ibi Dreams of Pavement
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth
Me and You and Everyone We Know S/T - Mirror
Kaiser Chiefs - I Predict a Riot
Kanye West - Gold Digger
MIA - Galang
Sigur Ros - Hoppipolla
Sufjan Stevens - The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us
The Go! Team - Ladyflash
The Mountain Goats - This Year
Wolf Parade - I'll Believe in Anything
Green Day - Jesus of Suburbia
The Clientele - Since K Got Over Me
The New Pornographers - The Bleeding Heart Show
The Decemberists - The Sporting Life

Best Live Show - The Decemberists at the Phoenix

Most Disappointing Show - Wolf Parade at the Shoe with Calexico/Iron & Wine at the Docks coming a close second

Fine Album that registered on nobody's radar (although Kyle is now digging it) - Beck - Guero

2005's version of Brian Wilson's "Smile" - Antony & The Johnsons - I Am a Bird Now (sorry, Stu)

Favourite Album of 2005 (keeping it singular) - Broken Social Scene - Self Titled

Best compilation of previously issued material - Orange Juice - The Glasgow School

Finally 10 solid records most of which wont end up on any year-end best of list:

The Lucksmiths - Warmer Corners
Jaga Jazzist - What We Must
Holopaw - Quit + Or Fight
David Pajo - Pajo
Drumheller - Drumheller
Akron Family - Akron Family
Thee More Shallows - More Deep Cuts
Dave Douglas - Mountain Passages
Tujiko Norkio - From Tokyo To Naiagara (from 2003)
Tinariwen - Amassakoul (from 2004)

Seriously now, what are you people doing? Christmas shopping? Spending quality time with your family? Doing the job your employers pay you good money to do? Good grief!

Well, since I said last week that I would post some year end faves I may as well get that done instead of bitching at others. First, a brief list which probably reiterates those printed in other publications but hey, what can you do if other people have good taste too?

Albums/EPs

'Be' – Common – feel good, groovy, intelligent, poppy, just good
'Late Registration' - Kanye West – sometimes too poppy but enjoyable
'Arular' - M.I.A. – like a shot of adrenaline, recommended for the treadmill
'Illinois' - Sufjan Stevens – doesn’t tire
‘Picaresque’ – Decemberists -
'Feels' - Animal Collective – energetic, inventive, weird, wonderful
'Strange Geometry' - The Clientele – warm bath harmonies, like a lost Byrds record with better sound quality; what Teenage Fanclub would be if they were “great”
'Woman King' - Iron & Wine – Sam Beam’s voice.
'In Case We Die' - Architecture in Helsinki - kind of like the Fiery Furnaces, in more easily digestible (shorter) portions, but with more instruments and singers
‘Black Sheep Boy’ by Okkervil River, another reason why KEXP in Seattle, where I first heard their music, should be replicated in Toronto someway, somehow.

Songs

‘Golddigger’ – Kanye
‘Engine Driver’ – Decemberists
‘Feel Good Inc’/’Dare’ – Gorillaz
‘Sunshowers’ or ‘Hombre’ – M.I.A.
‘On a Holiday’ – Green Day
‘I Turn My Camera On’ – Spoon
‘Upon This Tidal Wave of Young Blood’ – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
‘Something Beautiful’ – The Real Tuesday Weld
‘Evil’ – Interpol (technically last year’s release but I really only listened to it in 2005 and it’s a song that makes sensible use of the ‘repeat’ button on your cd deck)


Disappointments: 'The Cosmic Game' - Thievery Corporation. I've liked their 3 previous discs but I guess this just seems like more of the same, without any interesting new twists or directions. Thought that appearances by David Byrne and the Flaming Lips on a few tracks would be interesting but these tracks are actually the weakest on the album.

‘Solarized’ – Ian Brown. Though I’ve read others rave about this and I know, Stuart, that you kind of dug it, this is one that never quite did it for me. Maybe it’s because he seems to be doing a pale imitation of his earlier solo and Stone Roses stuff.

Grew on me:

No Title - 'Petra Haden and Bill Frissell' - An album of cover songs which at times can get a little too sugary sweet for my taste (ie. not sure why they chose to redo 'when you wish upon a star'), petra's voice is quite pretty and frissell's arrangements on 'Yellow', 'Satellite' and 'I Believe' make it worthwhile for me.

‘Guero’ – Beck – Sarah bought it and I resisted it for months, even after rave reviews her and Derek but am now digging it large. He’s a great songwriter and this disc is up there with ‘Odelay’, albeit with less distortion and more quieter, straightforward, acoustic numbers.

Old Music but New for Me:

Brian Jonestown Massacre – pretty much all their discs, most notably ‘Take it from the Man’. I wasn’t all that familiar with their music until seeing the documentary ‘Dig!’ this year but have been hooked on their sound ever since. Their jangly, psychedelic rock at times channels the best of the Rolling Stones (without sounding too derivative) and at other times more contemporary bands like Primal Scream and Verve.

‘Remember the Future’ – Creeper Lagoon, a 5-song ep of sweet, dreamy pop songs. Heard one of the tracks while listening to the forementioned KEXP on my laptop in an airport lounge, surfed over to emusic and downloaded the whole thing for a buck and change, then transferred it to my mp3 player for listening on the plane. Music I want, at a reasonable price, in seconds. What this whole digital music—ecommerce thing should be.

‘Madvillainy’ – Madlib & MFDOOM and “Vaudville Villain” – Viktor Vaugh
With thanks to Derek, who leant me these discs. A lot of the tracks stop just when they’re getting going but somehow I love the smooth, rhythmic delivery of both MCs, the sometimes strange but effective mix of drum and accordion samples, old b-movie clips, and scratching, the humourous pop culture references. Hip hop that’s more geared to lounging on the couch than it is to the dance floor.

That's all for now. Back to work.

Where can I sue this Eastern European no-hoper? He was obviously listening to me sing in the shower earlier this week and is just blatantly hoping to cash in. It makes Ian Curtis' original sound like Dusty Springfield.

It's the year of Mariah? I thought this year was all about punk-rock throat singers doing cover songs? Think I'm talking smack? Then listen to Albert Kuvezin's cover of "Love Will Tear Us Apart" which to me sounds a bit like a drunk Henry Kissinger trying to channel Ian Curtis.

I'm pretty much in sync with the Grammy people. This has been Mariah's year and let nobody tell you different.

As for MMJ I've never owned anything by them and despite liking a song here and there have never felt impelled to make an album purchase. They do seem to be getting a lot of hype for this latest however so take the plunge.

Has anybody heard the new My Morning Jacket disc? It's getting tons and tons of hype, raves, kudos, esteem, acclaim, praise, laudatory press...you get the picture...and I was wondering if it measures up?

Also, the end of 2005 fast approaches...what were your faves of the year? Overall, I think it was a pretty damn good year for indie/alternative music, with some pretty good releases from artists with which I was previously familiar (Iron & Wine, Sufjan Stevens, Sleater-Kinney), and from artists I only discovered this year (M.I.A., Okkervil River, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah). I've tipped my hand already with some of those that would make my top list so rather than come up with a list that will closely resemble what you'd see in exclaim, pitchfork, others, I'll try to come up with some more interesting categories. Hold your breath...now!

(Also, it's been at least a week since the last post. Don't tell me you people are actually working! Get off your ass and type something in here).

i've created a monster!

list/link mania continues....

here's one i discovered today that posits the 33 hottest bands in canada. lots of interesting links to other blogs as well as artists sites.

you are probably not interested in the Issac Hayes ....I just got a little excited about this links function Kyle taught me......Ill try to keep it in control ....
oops

Thanks Kyle ...check out this Issac hayes