well if ever there was a day to this to this ....today is it...
Olafer Arnalds-eulogy
Gold leaves-Ornament
The weekend-house balloons
Kathleen edwards-voyager
Damien jurado-magupqua
Naked and famous-all of this
Jonathon wilson-gentle spirit
Breton-other peoples problems
Phoenix foundation-buffalo
bart davenport-searching for bart simpson
soft swells-??
wilco-the whole love
grimes-visions
djaneo-djaneo- self titled
bridget st john-ask me no questions
oshin-Diiv
disappears-pre language
rae spoon-i cant keep all of our secrets
noah preminger-before the rain

Derek there is a new doc out on Rodriquez....called search for sugarman or something like that....Im still loving his music thanks for the intro and any of you who missed this guy check him out...late 60's early 70's latin influenced pop

Better late, than never.  Quite the task to pick out the best of the past 16 years.  I used several criteria. 

1) the album had to have been released within the last 16 years
2) The album needed to still be in regular rotation to this day.
3) Most importantly, the album needed to be significant to me for one reason or another.
I have listed my top 16 as well as the short list that followed. 16 great years!

Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra	Talkatif
Arcade Fire	The Suburbs
SOIL&"PIMP" SESSIONS	PIMP OF THE YEAR
Bran Van 3000	Glee [US version]
DJ Krush & Toshinori Kondo	Ki-Oku
Kruder & Dorfmeister	The K&D Sessions
Mike Ness	Cheating at Solitaire
Brad Mehldau	Live at the Village Vanguard
Interpol	Antics
Garbage	Version 2.0
M. Ward	Post-War
Lucinda Williams	Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
Talvin Singh	OK
Moby	Play
Macy Gray	On How Life Is
Femi Kuti	Shoki Shoki
Various Artists	Run Lola Run
Bon Iver	For Emma, Forever Ago
LCD Soundsystem	Sound Of Silver
Buena Vista Social Club	Buena Vista Social Club
Amon Tobin	Bricolage
Nightmares on Wax	Carboot Soul
Bugge Wessteltoft	New Conceptions in Jazz, FilM ing
Propellerheads	Decksanddrumsandrockandroll
Clinic	Walking with Thee
Interpol	Antics
Jack Johnson	On and On
Suba	Sao Paulo Confessions
Koop	Waltz For Koop
Jolie Holland	Escondida
Wilco	A Ghost is Born
Outkast	Stankonia
The White Stipes	Elephant
The Strokes	Room On Fire
South	From Here On In
Avalanche	Since I Left You
Slick Sixty	Nibs And Nabs

Interesting thoughts and comments boys.    Overall I have to say I agree with a bunch of Stu's points: I'd lke to re-invigorate the blog, and have always wished we did more with it than we do (like, more reflections and reviews on music we love and don't love).   And like Mike I would have to say that I'm having trouble finding music I adore, and have for a number of years, which I attribute in equal parts to stage of life, and yes the inundation of digital music.  So I would love to find a way to crack that nut.

On the other hand, I'm not right there with you Stu, in that I think the music competition nights have been a blast by and large, so I'm not so much interested in eviscerating ourselves for those night.   I would say that they were in fact a response to a music vacuum that extended to well before 2010 when we had our first one.   But I do get that we've had a lot of them so lets give it a break for now.   Wouldn't want to rule them out for the future though.   Fun will always part of the agenda for me.  And on another point, can't side with you on eschewing lists - list-making is just so part and parcel to being a guy and loving music that you will have a hard time eliminating it from this or any other music-obsessed cabal.    I've always loved making lists.    And re "oldies", there's no way I'm going to stop commenting on and loving music from the past - hell I probably buy more music from the 50's (jazz) than I do any other decade.  

So what I would like to try, and be happy if some or all of you joined in (I'm not hearing a rah rah from Kylie based on his post) is a once-a-month post of a record I really tried, i.e., had some initial interest in,   played a bunch of times, and have spent time thinking about.   Once a month seems doable.  More often than that risks being ignored (risking that already).   I will also throw out more tangible posts / discussions of music in the hopes of stimulating something from the group (although I do that fairly regularly now and not much comes of it).   No need for too much structure but I'm interesting in and willing to try a minor change in direction.   And I'll embrace the idea of bringing fewer and well-listened selections to the CD club.    Not sure about this week's get together but we'll see.

And DM, great point re the Packers.

I'd love to find time to comment more fully on the debate currently making the rounds here on the blog but for now let me just say the following:

the Packers don't play football in the summer (please try and keep up)

I don't go to concerts so that I can tell people who don't give a shit that I was the first person in Toronto to see "..xxx" when they played the Horseshoe.  I go to concerts to see bands whose music has struck a chord and because I love live music.

the reason Kyle that you found it odd that the source of the endless competitive music nights were the same one's decrying the preponderance of such, is that Brian and I were just nodding our heads and saying as little as possible in the faint hope that Stuart at some point would run out of steam or require a washroom break (no such luck)

I do think that playing a couple of well-worn records that we've lived with for a good while, whether they are likely to appeal to the rest of the group or not, is a much better way to conduct this dinosaur than bringing in the latest greatest release from the flavour of the month.  I have been guilty of this too often in the last few years and I plan to make amends.

I still greatly value the knowledge and input that you gents bring to the table and as such think that the club serves a useful purpose.

On another note I was walking around this afternoon on a perfect July day and listening to The Youngblood's "Elephant Mountain" album which I bought a while back as it's not on Rdio and man is the last track "Ride the Wind" an absolutely perfect accompaniment to a warm summers day.

all good points....im still digesting what you are all sayng....One thing though....
I overstated the oldies point... I think we were more to Kyles point....for me anyways its more of a reaction to lists ...I agree with you all that an old piece of music is more then worthy of discussion, in fact I love that stuff....Its just that competition and list thang that I think could be throttled back ...
Id love to hear derek and Brian as I was more the grouch that night we had the discussion and perhaps I have roped them in with my comments unfairly...apologies if I have done so..
s

I agree that we don't need to do any more oldies nights/competitions for awhile. Not necessary and the focus should be on the new, whether it be actual newly released music or music that may have been around awhile but that you've only recently discovered yourself.  I do find it a tad odd, however, that a consensus emerged about the group becoming too 'oldies' centric from the same quarter that devised and advocated for the oldies competitions.

Also, not entirely convinced that we were ever as cutting edge as we perhaps like to credit ourselves. Yes, Arcade Fire and Band of Horses were concerts attended before they broke big, but I'm struggling to find other examples. I think that Derek has probably done the best job of keeping up with new groups by reading exclaim!, visiting soundscapes, and checking out online sources over the years. The rest of us have then checked in with periodic bursts of discovery and sharing. Certainly not an indictment of our musical prowess--we're still likely ahead of 95% of the population--but I don't think it's fair to indict our current performance based on a false sense of past glory.

Having said that....I don't know that I have the time or inclination to keep my ear to the ground for innovative, non-released music/bands these days. There are so many sources of potentially great music and so little time to devote to them. However, bringing 3 pieces that we've listened to at least a handful of times still sounds completely do-able to me. Happy to make that a rule/strong suggestion/legally binding requirement for subsequent meetings.

In terms of this metabeats space, I suggested last year that we maybe think of shutting it down or rethinkng the format. I love reading longer form pieces and prefer these to lists. I'm also happy to ban lists completely even though I think these have really served as jumping off points for discussion when it comes to meeting up in person ("Really, you included 'x' but not 'y'?"). But when it comes to submitting longer form pieces about music that I like, probably not going to happen for me. Very little time for this during office hours, even less time in the evenings. If others feel differently or have more time, great. Please post here as frequently as you would like.

In terms of needing that filter, or relying on the kindness of friends to curate some good stuff, definitely some ways that we could do so more effectively via other social media. Twitter would be the easiest, most obvious.

Stuart, there are so many fish in the sea.  I for one, am not feeling the need to fall in love this summer; to find something that "sticks".  I'm happy dating and occasionally getting laid.  I'll try and find some suitable matches for you (and the others) to bring to the "CD" club.

I certainly agree that the amount of music that is readily available now presents a challenge.  But I think that a group of trusted guides has immense value in these circumstances.  I can understand the thinking about looking backwards - as enjoyable as I've found those evenings to be, you can only get together to play old favourites for each other so many times.  But I don't think that means that our focus needs to be firmly and exclusively on very new material.  Whether playing songs for each other at a gathering or typing a blog entry late at night, if you have found a piece of music that you think is appealing that at least some of your fellow metabeaters are likely to be unfamiliar with, then no other criteria is needed.  It could be brand new or 10 years old - the original purpose and real value of this group is the potential to help each other find good music.  I'd give an example, but personally, I'm in a bit of a rut...

Well Marc that is a perspective I had not considered.... Unlike you I have been struggling to find new music I like... I find all the access points you mention like rdio to be too much information so nothing really sticks.....If you are saying that you are finding tons of new music that you love so much you listen to it regularly, bring it along to the cdclub in a few weeks and let us hear it....maybe you have a system wherein your new found music doesnt get lost in the avalanche of new daily listings of new music.........

Stuart, to a great extent I agree with you that we should get back to basics and listen and talk about new finds, but, I might question how relevant the forum has become.  Don't get me wrong, i'm all for the get togethers that are now largely anachronistically called "cd club", but I wonder how relevant they are as a source for new music these days.  The group started back in the day before file sharing, blogs, the resurgence of vinyl, and well before streaming audio services, when the only way to hear something new was to spin a CD.

With instantaneous access to SO MUCH good music, is it now really necessary to get together with friends to share one's latest find except for to say ...look how clever i am that i found this before you did!

Now really, don't get me wrong, i'm all for the beer, chat and music, but really, if i want to really listen to something you recommend i listen to, the best way for me to do it is on my own without a bunch of guys talking over the music about how the Green Bay Packers are going to do on the weekend!

But really, don't get me wrong, but are we not all just a bunch of old farts hanging around listening to music together, and is that not in and of itself a little bit behind the times?  Should we heed the words of Marshall McLuwan? is the medium really the message?

A week or 2 ago Brian, Derek and I were kicking around some issues with the "cdclub"....( or more like I was bitchin and they were patiently lisnin...)  Remarkably there was a consensus around the following although i may be putting it in slightly stronger words then strickly necessary;

• We are now becoming an oldies club who obsess only about the past with our too many to name battle of the decades, bands, favorite whatever bullshit
• As an entity we used to be on top of most of the new up and coming bands prior to them breaking commercially as evidenced by Arcade Fire, band of Horses etc... etc...
• With rdio and other streaminf services none of us has a chance to listen to new music more then once before we forget everything about them
• When we come to the rare cd club where we are actually playing current music , no one really knows if the selections they are bringing are any good as they have only given it cursury listens due to the previous point about streaming combined with our busy family lives....
• In short , the whole exercise has become pretty pointless in a lot of ways

In hopes of rectifying this we came up with a few suggestions

• Do less oldies greatest hits cd club nights and more new music nights
• on metabeats less lists of songs, albums, girls, porn, that you like and more talk about either new music worth hearing or a serious written piece on why some past artist from the previous decades deserves being listened to now perhaps w recommended album purchases and why
• have a new rule that everyone must bring at least 2 or 3 NEW pices of music that you ahve actually listened to more then three times... You dont have to pretend its the best cd  you have ever listened to, but the hope is that if we focus on less rather then more thoses cds that require multiple listens to appreciate may start filtering bacik into our cd club nights

I had another thought which is that at the cd night one can state that this is one of the seriously listened to cds and then rate in on a scale of 1 to 10.... Even if there is only one cd that you listened to a lot , that would be great... for the cds you dont know as well perhaps you can say you think it has potebntial or not and for those you dont rate yh=them at all...they are works in progress....

I realise this all sound dictatorial and I encorage you all to challenge any of this... I may be way out in left field and you all like the format the way it currently is... If so i promise to shut the f.. up


s

97-01 Summer Songs

Okay, so Mike came up with a great list of albums. Brian came up with a set of a-sides and b-sides. I've opted to go in a slightly different direction, limiting my year selection to within 97-01 and focusing on music from that period that both brings back fond memories and also reminds me of summer. Came up with 50 tracks. No order in terms of year, preference, or artist. Many aren't even the best or even my favourite songs from the albums. But (I think) they're not too played out and still may be approachable today.

Name	Artist	Album	Year
Hunted By A Freak	Mogwai	Happy Songs For Happy People	1999
Find My Baby	Moby	Play	1999
Kiss Me Like You Mean It	The Magnetic Fields	69 Love Songs Volume 2	1999
At The River	Groove Armada	Vertigo	1999
Stone Wobble	Gomez	Bring It On	1998
Chained To The Moon	The Folk Implosion	One Part Lullaby	1999
What Is The Light?	The Flaming Lips	The Soft Bulletin	1999
Tender (Radio Edit)	Blur	Blur	1997
Golden Age Of Life	4Hero	Two Pages	1998
Be Thankful For What You Got	Yo La Tengo	Little Honda [EP]	1998
Lonely Soul	Unkle	Psyence Fiction	1998
Hey, Joe	Sparklehorse	Good Morning Spider	1998
Tonite It Shows	Mercury Rev	Deserter's Songs	1998
The Best Thing	Ivy	ApartmentLife	1997
Thru The Haze	Jaz Klash	Thru The Haze	1997
Old To Begin	Pavement	Brighten The Corners	1997
You Know Where to Find Me	Portastatic	The Nature of Sap	1997
I Think I'm In Love	Spiritualized	Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space	1997
Parsec	Stereolab	Dots And Loops	1997
Martinis on the Roof	Superchunk		1997
Lucky Man	The Verve	Urban Hymns	1997
Damage	Yo La Tengo	I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One	1997
Talisman	Air	Moon Safari	1998
Nightlife	Amon Tobin	Permutation	1998
Bottle Of Blues	Beck	Mutations	1998
Chickfactor	Belle and Sebastian	The Boy With The Arab Strap	1998
Turquoise Hexagon Sun	Boards Of Canada	Music Has The Right To Children	1998
Bug Powder Dust	Bomb The Bass	The K&D Sessions [Disc 1]	1998
North Country Boy	Charlatans	Melting Pot	1998
Maniac	Cinerama	Va Va Voom	1998
Everything Is Everything	Lauryn Hill	The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill	1998
Teardrop	Massive Attack	Mezzanine	1998
So Nice (Summer Samba)	Bebel Gilberto	Tanto Tempo	2000
Distortions	Clinic	Internal Wrangler	2000
Accused Of Stealing	The Delgados	The Great Eastern	2000
Streets Of Istanbul	dZihan & Kamien	Freaks & Icons	2000
In The Lost And Found (Honky Bach)	Elliott Smith	Figure 8	2000
Flavors	Gomez	Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline [Disc 1]	2000
Hewlett's Daughter	Grandaddy	The Sophtware Slump	2000
On The Flipside	Looper	The Geometrid	2000
So Flute	St. Germain	Tourist	2000
Felicidade	Suba	Sao Paulo Confessions	2000
Puzzle	Tahiti 80	Puzzle	2000
Suzuki	Tosca	Suzuki	2000
The Host	Built To Spill	Ancient Melodies Of The Future	2001
Marrakesh	Greyboy	Mastered The Art	2001
Soul For Sahib	Koop	Waltz For Koop	2001
Lalo Caught Me Dancin'	Llorca	New Comer	2001
You And Whose Army?	Radiohead	Amnesiac	2001
Remind Me	Röyksopp	Melody A.M.	2001

Great lists, Mike and Bri. I vow to get off my ass and contribute my list v. soon.

Mike, holy wow, look at you just blogging out of the blue like that.  Impressive!  I had decided that the 16 for 16 concept was another BD exercise in musical masturbation.  Glad to see you joining me (so to speak).   Good list, and yes a few surprises and eyebrows up at my end.    There's a fairly equal balance of rock and more rootsy singer songwriter.  Remember when you used to like Rush? Ted Nugent?  John Denver?

I'm finally getting around to posting my list, having decided to focus only on songs, whether they be rock, pop, folk, or jazz.   Nothing longer than 11:00-ish here.   Once you get into choosing songs, it is of course much different than albums.   Less of an intellectual exercise, and more about little packets of joy.    It still seemed to start with favourite albums for me, but in many cases I decided against choosing a track - too bloody predictable be half,  and we besides don't you think we over-listen to our favourite records?  We just end up choosing them by rote - and moved onto to songs I hadn't heard in a while, but remembered with fondness.    So in the end I probably have an equal mix of the uber-familiar and the somewhat less so.    Lots of quieter music here, reflecting my advancing years and years in early fatherhood in this period (I'll rock out more in the next 16 years).

Also, given the time I spent on it, I have decided that I am justified in posting up two lists of 16.   Think of it as "32 for 16", or "16 more for the next 16".

The A Sides (in no order)


(1) Barbara H. - Fountains Of Wayne (first record)
(2) Time Stops  - Teenage Fanclub (Man-Made)
(3) Scythian Empires - Andrew Bird (Armchair Apocrypha)
(4) Dusk - Andrew Hill (Dusk....best jazz record of the last 16 years, imo)
(5) Kissing The Lipless- The Shins  (Chutes Too Narrow)
(6 ) Someday - The Strokes (Is This It....too bloody predictable damn it)
(7) John Wayne Gacy, Jr - Sufjan Stevens (Illinoise...yes I think the whole album is utterly brilliant)
(8) We Gathered In Spring - Midlake (Trials Of Van Occupanther)
(9) Banished - David Murray Black Saint Quartet (Sacred Ground)
(10) Angeles - Elliott Smith - (Either/Or....best songwriter of the past 16 years)
(11) Motor Away - Guided by Voices (Alien Lanes)
(12) Out Of Gas - Modest Mouse (The Lonesome Crowded West...how did this sneak on?)
(13) What Were The Chances - Damien Jurado (And Now That I'm In Your Shadow)
(14) Don't Ask - Grizzly Bear (Horn of Plenty)
(15) Young Sensualists - Throw Me The Statue (Moonbeams....unexpected favourite show of the past ten years; and yes, Throw Me the Statue is the band name)
(16) New Hampshire - Matt Pond PA (Emblems....best overly sentimental ballad about going back to your small-town home after you've lived in the big city for a few years, in the past 16 years)

The B Sides 

(1) Jessica - Avi Buffalo (self titled)

(2) Between The Bars - Elliott Smith (Either/Or....still the best songwriter ten minutes after I wrote it up above) 

(3) Sim Sala Bim - Fleet Foxes (Helplessness Blues)

(4) The Crystal Lake - Grandaddy (The Sophtware Slump)

(5) Market Girl - Headlights (Some Racing, Some Stopping)

(6) July Flame - Laura Veirs (July Flame)

(7) My Roots Are Strong And Deep - The Microphones (The Glow Part 2)

(8) Denial - Pure (Generation Six-Pack)

(9) My Gap Feels Weird - Superchunk (Majesty Shredding)

(10) The Funeral - Band Of Horses  (Everything All The Time)

(11) For Science Fiction - Maritime (Heresy and the Hotel Choir)  

(12) The Chalet Lines - Belle and Sebastian (Fold Your Hands Child...always loved this sad and slightly horrible number) 

(13) Hear Me Out- Ben Kweller (On My Way)

(14) Choose Drugs - Juliana Hatfield (Beautiful Creature) 

(15) Downtime - Gandharvas (Sold for a Smile)

(16) Winona Ryder - Egolillys (from their epochal first record, Pithy)

Derek, given that the exalted concept of a 16 x 6 playlist hasn't materialized for Saturday night,  I do expect to hear a smattering of these songs at the very least pal.

I've been wading through my music, and I've compiled my "16 in 16" list.   Brian's concept was broader than "albums" - "pieces of music" was his phrase, I believe.  But I started thinking about songs and backed off because the volume was too daunting.  So I've chosen 16 albums, and I've introduced a somewhat arbitrary restriction of one album per artist on my list.  I'm not suggesting that the rest of you apply that rule - it just helped me narrow things down faster.  I also started with the intention of ranking my 16 choices, but after a few minutes I abandoned that too!  Clearly I lack the decisiveness and discipline required of a music critic.  So in no particular order, my 16 are:

OK Computer – Radiohead

Funeral – Arcade Fire

Music Inspired by the Film “Dead Man Walking” – Various Artists

The Trumpet Child – Over the Rhine

Picaresque – The Decemerists

We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions – Bruce Springsteen

Birds Make Good Neighbors – The Rosebuds

Jerusalem – Steve Earle

Fisherman’s Blues Part II – The Waterboys

Mermaid Avenue – Billy Bragg and Wilco

East Nashville Skyline – Todd Snider

Mule Variation – Tom Waits

By Baby Don’t Tolerate – Lyle Lovett

Either/Or – Eliot Smith

Garbage 2.0 – Garbage

A New Day at Midnight – David Gray

I've been in this group long enough to know that there are some choices on this list that won't be on any other Metabeats lists, and I would guess that a few eyebrows were raised questioningly at a few of these choices.  Nonetheless, I recommend them all highly - they're great albums!

As an accountant/auditor/forensic investigator by trade I for one find accuracy rather useful so in regards to Brian's 18 for 18 project it might need to be whittled down to 16 for 16 as the very first CD club took place at 214 Brunswick Avenue on the momentous evening of Wednesday September 25, 1996 when Brian was still a young pup of 32 and Kyle I believe was 19 and in his 2nd year at uni.

Cusp of mid 30s, if we're going for accuracy, but why bother. Was fully ready to dismiss Beachwood, given how much it was being talked up and my predilection for negative/harsh blog comments but...really liking the 2002 6 song disc currently streaming on Rdio. Hoping they sold more copies a decade ago than are streaming now. With 52 listens at present, they'll likely well on their way to earning a nickel sometime in the next week.

Oh indeed, it is quite a burden being so prescient and influential. 

Re 18 in 18, the more I think about it, the more I'm inspired to simply choose my favourite 18 pieces of music over the period 1994 - 2012.    By which I mean, songs and/or short pieces, rather than albums.   It'll be less about the obviously great (like, by the way I like Pavement's Crooked Rain?) and influential, and more a wide open selection (heck, a celebration) of songs I loved then and still love now, across all genres....which means mostly indy pop/rock.    That way it'll be fun coming up with the list through heavy late-night sampling.   And yes I will hearken back to MetaBeats on occassion, since y'all have had a big influence on my listening sicne way back when I was in my twenties (or was it early 30's).   

Saw the Beachwood Sparks were even reviewed in the G&M this weekend. Clearly, you and others here played an integral war in heating up demand for their music in the blogosphere. Clearly.

As for 18 years, plenty of good stuff. Are you asking for a review of music brought to meetings (which will take a hell of a long time to try to recreate) or just fave music since 1996 (which will still require some time)?

18 for 18?

Gents, my goodness all is somnambule on the Beats of Meta. So,I've been flipping through the "allmusic 20's" in recent days, in some cases admiring, in others, questioning and criticizing the best 20 picks from some of their writers. Given that we have been a Meta group for (roughly?) 18 years, which is a stunning fact in its own right, I thought it might be worthwhile for each of us to list our favourite 18 albums, or just pieces of music, from the last 18 years. I'll give mine some thought, particularly with an eye to avoiding the old familiar choices. As a P.S., I was amused and then (post-listening)very pleased to see and hear that Beachwood Sparks have released a new record this week after a 10-year haiatus!? Their ears must have been burning.

Incidentally have any of you lads listened to the new Charlotte Gainsbourg record?  I "spun" it quite obsessively on the fiight to HK and really love some o fit. Not to show my hand for the upcoming CD nght, but (what the hell) check ot White Telephone, a brilliant mood piece and my new favourite song.  A number if similarly appealing tracks - All the Rain, for one.

Reporting from Hong Kong Park
Brian

thanks Kyle, far and away the most succinct and all encompassing article I have ever read on this much debated topic....Very spock like in its unarguable logic....I plan to email this to all my neices and nephews who are decidedly of Emilys point of view...I suggest you all do the same.....but the real question is........we all take a number of discs from free places and burn them, but I think most of you are like me and still spend a lot of money on music (for me 97% of my music)....do any of you now not buy much and if so will this article change your habits?
s

A frank admission of file-sharing by a young twenty-something at NPR and a thoughtful response by D. Lowery.

Free Wilco ipad book. Content doesn't seem all that riveting but certainly priced right for some leisurely reading and scrolling.

@ Brian re First Aid Kit; apologies, i was not aware that they had come out with a new album; if you like it you should check out The Big Black and the Blue, the first album (track of note I Met Up With a King), the one i brought to cd night, and @ Stuart, The Lion's Roar is a might fine follow up .

yes Brian just the 1 album Spirit Stereo frequency

I just came across an album by R Stevie Moore released in 1976, fascinating crap that some of you might want to take a listen to.. I had originally clicked on it on as i opened a new Rdio session not knowing what it was and thought i would give it a spin.  Not having read the liner notes, at first i thought it was a current work.  I don't love it, i just think it's worth a once over spin if you can stomach it. (damning praise if i ever gave some)  "

One of the most unique albums of the 1970s, R. Stevie Moore's debut long-player is an uncategorizable mess that somehow keeps from falling apart completely, kind of like a one-man band version of the Beatles' White Album cross-pollinated with late-1960s Frank Zappa at his most antic. Yet just as the album seems hopelessly self-indulgent and bizarre, Moore suddenly veers into some of the sweetest and catchiest pop songs of the pre-punk '70s. That dichotomy is what makes Phonography special. Recorded in bits and pieces over the course of two years of living room sessions, with Moore playing and singing every part, barring the tambourine on the Soft Machine-like opening instrumental "Melbourne," the album shares much with such one-man band predecessors as McCartney, Todd Rundgren's Something/Anything?, and Roy Wood's Boulders. However, having been made on a cheap four-track with one microphone, a borrowed guitar, and no mixing deck, Phonography also has a funky lo-fi charm that anticipates post-grunge D.I.Y. savants like Guided By Voices and Pavement."

Hey Stu, thanks  for the post, I've checked out a couple of the bands you mention, still lots to look at though.  I'm not sure how I missed out on All Night Radio, given that they're apparently a follow-on from Beechwood Sparks, one of my very favourite retro bands from around the year 2000.  Looks like ANR made only one record - is that right?  Are you listening to the '04 release?

forgot to add one comment... I came across this song a week ago from a reviewer I like and I cant get it out of my head....it is a very comercial tune in fact its a cover of a huge pop hit from 5 years ago, but something in it rings passionate and true to me, in an Adele kind of way....if only all comercial pop music was this good....perhaps none of you will be able to get past the trappings but give it a shot..

I must admit to onlt knowing a few off that list.... Grimes is a record I just previewed last night and thiought would be a good summer disc, I am loving the Julia Holter disc, which Uncut put me onto a few weeks back, and i love the new Beach House , and am surprised to nsee mixed reviews on it........
anti beatles songs....??? inevitable I guess, ....I must say for a band I often critically deride, they still get a lot of airplay at my house, but thats a discussion we ahve all beenm down before

coincidentally her Kyle loaned me his LA nuggets box a few weeks ago and I have been immersed in it as of late... i tracked down the history onlt recently and was amused to see you lot on about it... we really do see too much of each other....

in addition to those mentioned above, new stuff I am listening too  ( as opposed to new releases);
memmoryhouse   the years ep...lovely laid back vibe like beach house on qualudes

all night radio...fantastic modernish but not really take on the 60's L.A. late 60's scene...really great this

destroyer kaputt....didnt like previewing it at all, but picked it up on Dereks advice anyways and didnt    really love it untill the warm weather hit...damn it makes a fine hot weather wine sipping disc of the summer

cant stop listening to EMA song california, not sure bout the rest of the disc

trent rezners ssoundtrack to the girl w the dragon tatoo makes for interesting early or late hours music to work to

rae spoon...fuckin fantastic electro pop from a person who sounds like a girl but aint... has that androgenous vocal over xx like minimalist electro beat...yum///!!!

finally a note to lamb lovers.... had a rachk of lamb bbq'ed w a oregon pino nopir and yes folks that combo can work...was always a sceptic , but after hearing various mentions that it was great have dabbled and if its a heavyer pino its a great combo...highly recommended...

Basking in the glow of your compliment, Bri, I was able to find a link to the Nuggets: album you mentioned on Rdio.And yes, bonus points for referencing The Clash.

If you happen to play this at an outside event, though, watch out! The Copyright Board of Canada apparently wants a cut of that cut you're spinning. My response was a two-worded directive but perhaps you feel differently.

Funny and interesting link Kyle. Can I say, for the record, that you have a remarkable ability to source entertaining stuff for the blog? Well done amigo.

Re the anti-Beatles, a couple of thoughts. (a) I liked the reference to the somewhat obscure (meaning-wise I mean) Peter Paul and Mary song, which in fact lays waste to many hallowed artists and their bandwagon-esquing around the Peace and Love movement, all under the quite funny banner of "I Dig Rock and Roll Music".  (b)  I love the Barbarians song, and am likely the only Metabeat with an album of theirs (don't rush to purchase it though....that early garage sound has I would imagine a limited appeal among the M/Beats'ers.). Having said that, (c) those of you who don't have the Nuggets collection of Psychedelic / Garage classics from the 1965-68 period (compiled by Lenny Kaye in 1972) truly are missing out on something. Go get that one.  Having trouble with my linking so I'll just list the URL

http://www.allmusic.com/album/nuggets-original-artyfacts-from-the-first-psychedelic-era-1965-1968-mw0000599845

Althought they've bolstered the release with 3 new disks of music, the original album was just the first Disk, which was pretty formative for me when I came upon it in the late seventies.
Finally I'm surprised not to see London Calling on the list, given its famous reference to "phoney Beatlemania".  Anytime you can link the Clash into a music discussion you score points, don't you?

Thanks Stu. Also, did you know there was a whole genre of anti-Beatles songs?

thursday aug 2 at my place then for the cd club...apologies, a bit swamped here...
s

Meh on The Books but see that you're listening to Perfect From Now On by Built to Spill...excellent choice for a sunny humid afternoon sir! Also, I'm fine with Thursday August 2nd, and will happily consume Marc's share of whatever booze will be on offer that evening.

Hey I like the Books.  Unlike, I may say, many of the quickly-previwed Stereogum top 25ers.

I'm cool with any date so will leave it to the rest of you to battle it out.

And in the category of least essential upcoming release I give you this.

Hey boys, the Thursday night is probably a safer bet for me too, given that my plans aren't fully formed for that weekend yet.

Marc I'm inTrigued by Tronic.  I'll give 'er a listen today.

@marc, Ceremony, Spiritualized, Chromatics, Frankie Rose, Tanlines, Lotus Plaza, Julia Holter, Beach House, The Walkmen, and Cloud Nothing's have crossed my path but I've yet to hear any of the others. Probably some favorites missing but I'll need to go through my iTunes and Rdio collection to try to recall. Don't think the Cate Lebon album I'm digging a lot is 2012 and The Roots is late 2911 but they are two recent standouts for me.

Also, thought thiswas kinda cool.

hah @ Kyle, i'm only familiar with three bands and only one album!

I'm planning on going on a cycling trip all weekend and as such, would really prefer the Thursday.  If Friday is the only day that works for others i can change my plans to accommodate. (and might not drink and leave early)

Tronic. Saved to my collection. Will check it out. Stu, August 3rd works for me. Lock it down. Would have commented on your original post but the fucking 'enter this word' bullshit makes me want to fucking punch someone. Further to our discussion about dwelling in the past and not focusing on new stuff, a list of Stereogum's Top 25 Albums of 2012 thus far. I confess to only being familiar with a dozen at best.

ok...how is Friday aug 3 for the cd club...the friday of the long weekend....

I recently came across an album on Rdio by Tronic that, Brian, made me think of you and thought it might be right up your alley.  So much so that i suspect you already know it.  Love Backed by Force was originally released in 1981 but "lingered in obscurity".  Of particular note on the album is a cut called "My Baby's In a Coma" ...hummmmmm, sounds a little familiar ... I can't quite my finger on it Mr Morrissey!

ok...calm down all of you...I can only take so many requests... im glad you all want to do this but please just give me holiday dates you cant make.......

I was bemoaning to derek the other night about the theme cd club battles like the 80's night seem to have been dominating our time and we are losing our edge in terms of the primary purpose of our get togethers...that being namely to drink...er.....I mean that being to find new music .... That said i am offering to host the summer event in late July or early August  perhaps w a casual BBQ before....and the topic will be...new stuff that you are loving from 2012.....are any of you away on holdays for that period?
s

Well, fuck.. Very sad. Here's the No Sleep Till Brooklyn video I mentioned a few weekends back.

Full confession: I have never watched 'The Song Remains the Same'. I will now do so, if only so I can come back here and mock Mike for his positive assessment or endorse it full-heartedly. I foresee no middle ground. Also, came across this, which I think is pretty amusing.

I've got a quick post - backward looking, rather than forward, I'm afraid.  On CBC radio this morning, the DJ referred to "the late Robert Plant", and I started thinking maybe I'd missed his passing.  I came into the office and looked it up, and he appears to still be alive.  It was a bit of a coincidence because although I don't listen to much Led Zeppelin anymore, my son gave me, "The Song Remains the Same" on DVD for Christmas, and I got around to watching it on Friday night.  It was actually much better than I remembered it - at least the live music part.  I had remembered Jimmy Page as being particularly sloppy, but upon re-watching it, it was a good performance.  Not without mistakes here and there, but very listenable.  What struck me about the band as I listened to it was how good they were at putting together cool musical riffs and interludes based on very simple instrumentation - 1 guitar with bass and drums, or 1 guitar with keyboard and drums.  Sure, there were lots of self-indulgent jams (guitar with violin bow, the extended drum solo, etc), but the songs are very well written and arranged.  I've significantly upgraded my opinion of that film.  Except the goofy vignettes.  They're pretty terrible. 

There's a noticeable lack of posts on the blog gents.  No musical thoughts to share?  No new listens upon which to expound?  I'm skeptical.   What's everyone's favourite 2012 release?

To complete that thought, the "match-up" view:

Stuart 2 vs Marc 10
Stuart 6 vs Derek 6
Jeff 6 vs Kyle 6
Marc 4 vs Brian 8
Jeff 5 vs Marc 7
Stuart 8 vs Brian 4
Derek 6 vs Kyle 6
Kyle 7 vs Brian 5
Derek 7 vs Marc 5
Stuart 6 vs Kyle 6
Jeff 6 vs Derek 7 (odd, that)
Jeff 4 vs Brian 7 (that too)
Brian 8 vs Derek 4
Stuart 7 vs Jeff 5
Marc 5 vs Kyle 7

ouch...Marc beat me 10 points to 2 on our combined matches.....
otherwise remarkably close battles by all

Final 80s Night Results

Round 1


Stuart - Steve Earle - Copperhead Road - 2

Derek - The Jam - That's Entertainment - 4


Jeff - The Clash - Somebody Got Murdered - 3

Kyle - New Order - Age of Consent - 3


Marc - Michelle Shocked - Fogtown - 1

Brian - Steve Kilbey - Pretty Ugly, Pretty Sad - 5


Round 2

Jeff - The Housemartins - Flag Day - 2

Marc - The Waterboys - Don't Bang the Drum - 4


Stuart - Roxy Music - Same Old Scene - 3

Brian - Psychedelic Furs - Love My Way - 3


Derek - The Smiths - Death of a Disco Dancer - 3

Kyle - The Pixies - Where is My Mind - 3


Round 3

Derek - The Cure - A Night Like This - 2

Stuart - Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy - 4


Kyle - Echo and the Bunnymen - Killing Moon - 4

Brian - Sonic Youth - Expressway to Yr. Skull - 2


Marc - REM - I Believe - 3

Jeff - REM - South Central Rain - 3


Round 4

Kyle - Depeche Mode - Never Let Me Down Again - 3

Jeff - Beastie Boys - No Sleep Til Brooklyn - 3


Brian - The Rain Parade - Prisoners - 1

Stuart - Billy Bragg - Milkman of Human Kindness - 5


Marc - U2 - In God's Country - 2

Derek - House of Love - Christine - 4


Round 5

Stuart - The Replacements - Unsatisfied - 3

Kyle - Violent Femmes - Blister in the Sun - 3


Jeff - Pop Will Eat Itself - Wise Up Sucker - 4

Derek - Lloyd Cole - Perfect Skin - 3


Brian - Hoodoo Gurus - Bittersweet - 3

Marc - Lou Reed - Romeo had Juliette - 3


Round 6

Stuart - The Pogues - Fairytale of New York - 1

Marc - Sinnead O'Connor - Jackie - 5


Jeff - Stone Roses - I am the Resurrection - 2

Brian - Mike Oldfield - To France - 3


Kyle - The Smiths - Panic - 3

Derek - Elvis Costello - Beyond Belief - 3


Round 7

Brian - Dumptruck - Going Nowhere - 3

Derek - Tears for Fears - Head over Heels - 3


Kyle - The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary - 3

Marc - Daniel Lanois - Where the Hawkwind Kills - 3


Stuart - Simple Minds - Someone, Somewhere in Summertime - 4

Jeff - Rolling Stones - Waiting on a Friend - 2


Round 8

Marc - Pete Townshend - Give Blood - 2

Kyle - Love and Rockets - Haunted When the Minutes Drag - 4


Jeff - XTC - Grass - 3

Stuart - Bob Marley - Redemption Song - 3


Derek - Kate Bush - Suspended in Gaffa - 1

Brian - The Feelies - It's Only Life - 5


Round 9

Derek - Orange Juice - Blue Boy - 4

Jeff - Tom Waits - Downtown Train - 2


Brian - Fleshtones - The Dreg - 3

Kyle - Split Enz - I Got You - 3


Marc - Nirvana - About a Girl - 5

Stuart Neil Young - No More - 1


Round 10

Kyle - Prince - Kiss - 3

Stuart – Robbie Robertson - Showdown at Big Sky - 3


Brian - That Petrol Emotion - Cellophane - 4

Jeff - The Chameleons - Swamp Thing - 2


Derek - New Order - Temptation - 3

Marc - Violent Femmes - Add it Up – 3





Final Points Tally:

Brian, Kyle – 32

Marc – 31

Derek – 30

Stuart – 29

Jeff – 26



Not quite sure how Jeff ended up with 4 points in Round 5 with him and I sharing 7 votes for the round and then he and Brian sharing only 5 votes in Round 6. I did a recount of ballots cast yesterday afternoon and this was the case. Still worked out to 180 votes in total.

metaBeats

Verboten songs for this evening

Sad to see this. RIP Levon.

Pshaw Mercer you have an 80's song in your head right now.  Don't deny it.    Everything Counts?  Wrapped Around Your Finger?  Shout?

Re your comfort, good strategy.   Two thoughts: one is you're probably still chuffed from your win at the last smackdown, and/or have realized how unimportant winning actually is, given thet it confers, um. nothing, or two, you've forgotten the cautionary tale of the man who knew a decade cold (let's say, the 90's) and believed he could show up with a list of 200 great songs and dominate by choosing as he went. 

5pm works for me. How does it suit the rest of you?

Can't say I've put in nearly as many hours poring over the music this time as I did for the 90s or the 1979/2004 combo. Don't know if it is complacency or I figure I should know this period in music inside/out (good 80s song by the way) so suffice to say my head is actually not stuck on a perpetual 80s groove and it's a good thing. (another great 80s number). Perhaps I'm fooling myself.

OK gents it's a week and a day until the big 80's showdown.   I have too many songs (surprise!).  

The question for Friday morning is, which 80's song is playing in your head today, likely from too much "research"?  And of course, by disclosing this song it pretty much rules out playing it.   Prepared to anty up?   Mine is "The Unguarded Moment".  

Derek - How about 5 o'clock?  I'll be at Oliver's ball hockey until 4:00 or so.

The posting of the 1980s tracks played by Brian on that fateful evening can be found on the blog in a post by myself dated January 11, 2012. Not that it needs repeating but for those who don't listen the first time around none of the tracks played in previous contests can be played again on the 21st.

Stuart if you feel the need to play Bach, Bix Beiderbecke, Bieber, Blur or anything else not released in the 1980s feel free to amuse yourself as you usually do with your selections anyway and rule yourself out of the "competition" before it begins. At least you'll have a stress free evening.

Speaking of which when would you gents like to kick this thing off next weekend? I'm very flexible on the start time.

It's heartening to note that you recall that decisive ass-kicking as well as I do M. Watson.  

I can probably piece together my track list, but I thought Derek had already posted them sometime in the last couple of months.  Looked and didn't find them, mind you.  If I'm right and they are posted, someone please take over......otherwise I'll figure it out.

Brian what 80's picks did you use to bludgeon Dereks head to a bloody pulpy mess?
I plan to either use them all if allowed....


also......

How many non 80's songs can we use?

As we build our lists for the pending smackdown on the 21st, some more amusing lists to contemplate, including:

• Death Metal Act or Hardy Boys Novel
  
• Hip Hop Act or Entry on US Government Watch List
  
• Rapper or Toiletry

Just so we're all clear on this:

Timeframe - January 1, 1980-December 31, 1989

ie no London Calling by the Clash and no Nevermind by Nirvana

15 songs by the Smiths, New Order and Depeche Mode should see you through Stu. That and some good bottles of wine.

sorry Brian, do you mean we are only playing music from the 80's?

Stu, there are three key rules as I understand it:

(1) Just 80's
(2) Only 80's
(3) Exclusively 80's

I would prefer to not read through all the emails re the upcoming cd club......I am not expecting to fare well in this 80's event , (so i shall bring good wine)....in short, if i bring 15 or so bad 80's tracks...is that all i need to get through this....Or do i need a smattering of songs from other eras...(please I donrt need all the rules , here)
thanks
s

It's unfortunate when people publish irresponsible and inaccurate information like that. To return MetaBeats to the firm ground of established fact and sound analysis, I offer this take on copyright law, SOPA and the economic cost of piracy.

....i guess i should be more careful.....unless perhaps this isn't Derek....but someone hacking onto metabeats.... at any rate I hope "Derek" is correct as I would miss the boxing day ritual...

More room and selection for me at Soundscapes for me I guess. Don't believe all the crap that's on the internet.

its official cds toast later this year...the major labels will no longer make them...so long soundscapes it was good to know you....

I like the new Rdio lay out quite a it. Navigating and building playlists much more straightforward.

Thought of our recent competition and in particular Marc's challenge that night when I read this allmusic post.

Taking awhile to warm up to the new Field Music; seems like they've been listening to a lot of Queen lately. Haven't listened to the new Bruce but I'm meh on Bruce at the best of times (ducking for cover). Bowerbirds is nice but very much a continuation of their previous discs. Ditto Yellow Ostrich, Damien Jurado, Andrew Bird. I've enjoyed their previous efforts so I should listen to them and all that but...just not psyched about doing so. Please chime in if you feel passionately about any of these and I'll give them some attention.

Thanks for the suggestions re: Soft Swells, which I'm giving my first spin right now, as well as the other suggestions.

Not sure if any of you have tried the new web-interface for Rdio but it's a nice improvement. Much closer to Itunes format, easier to create and add to playlists, and you can now shuffle through playlists, which is also nice. Still no ability to sort or shuffle by Genre, which I find a limiting, but shuffling through the collection, both online and through the 'Play Station' feature in the iphone/ipad app, are pretty cool.

Hey boys, millions of interesting new releases right now. Field Music, Damien Jurado, GBV, Beirut, Andrew Bird, Bowerbirds, Yellow Ostrich, Bruce and many, many more!! ....What's everyone been listening to?

I've also happened upon a few new artists that I'm quite enjoying Soft Swells and Bart Davenport, and the Golden Awesome (nice 'gaze music, this one).

Ok back to the 80's for un petit peu. How do Saturday April 28 or Saturday May 5th sit with you boys? My place around 4 pm'ish. Showdown #3 about to commence.

ah yes...I went to see the monkees at ontario Place around 1982 and recall Davy Jones' unorthodox comment about the 60's "I remember those days and I remember those gays , and I'm that man" WTF? Rob and I never could figure out what that meant coming from a straight man....

Notwithstanding the incoherant between song banter I remember dearly loving that day in the sun with rum and coke disguised in a slurpy cup or something like it baking on the grassy slopes....How many shows did I see at that greatest of venues in the summer? 30? 40?.....great show by the "non-band" .....of course I cant help but to say some of their best songs .....Im a believer, Little bit me and Look out here comes tomorrow are of course by this little known fellow whom Mike G and I love...of course I could just as well of picked this photo instead..

but I digress.......

good night Davey......

Now Kyle, couldn't you have chosen one of the countless, execrable Davy Jones' vehicles as your song to post? How about I Wanna Be Free, or Forget That Girl, or hey, how about one of the most laughable songs in the history of pop "The Day We Fall in Love"?

So yes, Davy was almost without exception absolutely godawful and horrendous. The only Monkee that couldn't play an instrument or write a song - get a load of his bass-dance in the Pleasant Valley video - OMG that is hilarious. Whereas Tork and Nesmith were bona fide musicians at least, and Dolenz learned the drums (well, that's being kind) and wrote a bunch of pretty great songs. First to die, and fair 'nough I say.

So I appreciate the chance to eulogize as I do like the Monkees, particularly the brief period after they broke away from the tyranny of those bastard record labels and fascist producers and made their own record, the outstanding "Headquarters"! Yeah baby. (well, it's pretty good anyway - four or five songs that are genuinely cool and of-the-moment). And then the follow up, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones, is filled with strong, lesser known tracks. Both those records will be featured by moi at a future music night, as a solemn memorial to Pre-Fab Four.

So, while acknowledging all of the absolute dreck that Davy Jones will be remembered for, I guess the question I'm left with is, what was his best song? Slim pickings, and many would say Daydream Believer, or, even better, this one, but not I. For me this track always packed a bit of punch very uncharacteristic of Davy's "ouevre".

(Wacky semi-live recording here too, though Dolenz isn't playing the drum part and Nesmith is only playing part of the guitar part - fair enough, he's not a flamenco expert :) ). The pure studio version sounds better but I love the visual of this one, with Davy getting on the crane.

Davy Jones RIP.

Isn't 'My Devotion is Queried' one of Robi's signature tracks? You should have seen it coming, man. Of course, having to trek out to Glencairn was likely a very discombobulating experience.

Brian, any final thoughts on Davy J?

My faith has been crushed, my devotion queried, my
world turned topsy-turvy ...my preconceptions of performance thrown ruthlessly into
the quagmire of day to day life. Oh, how
the mighty have fallen from the rafters on high!

Last night m.e. and i went out to Chalkers Pub to
check out Robi Botos. I thought, hey we
need to eat, the food at Chalkers is decent, m.e. has never seen Robi live and
i just can’t seem to get enough of his energy and creativity. We took the TTC to Chalkers and i gotta say
that for a place stuck in the middle of butt-fuck-nowhere it is really pretty
easy for us to get to by transit, possibly less time than it might take to get
to the College Street strip ...it’s just around the corner from the Glencairn
station.

Robi’s performance was atrocious, miserable,
lifeless, soulless. I’m sure you’ve all
been in a bar or restaurant where there was a pianist playing in the background
...playing a loungey jazz that fails to move you ...a jazz that leaves you cold
and bored with your mind wandering, but you are forced to listen in the hopes
that the object of your attention is warming up and is going to open his eyes,
pick up the pace and let loose? ...it never happened.

Robi was billed as performing a single solo set
starting at 7:30; fine, i figured it was a nice way to spend an hour and a half
over dinner ...it was painful. I was
about to make a request (Night in Tunisia that i have seen him rock out on) so
that he might be ignited, but alas, he said he was done. I have never been so disappointed in a
show. If i am correct, i think he was
off to the Rex to play a real gig. I
have to hand it to Robi that he is an exceedingly hard working musician, and i often
wonder how great musicians get themselves motivated to play, night after night,
often playing in front of tiny audiences ...well, apparently sometimes they don’t!

Pool tables at Chalkers were a welcome substitute
for more disappointing music.

Two great gigs to review, (well I guess three). The first was Robi Botos and Hilario Duran at the Four Seasons Center, part of the after work free concert series. I had seen Robi the week before up at Chalkers Pub performing in front of an audience of about nine. Robi is doing a regular gig there on Tuesdays and I gotta say that it's not a bad setting. The pub is not small and has a load of pool tables but the space is laid out in an L shape with the noisier play far away from the performance space. The result is a nice focus on the music. Botos worked his way through an evening of standards moving a tad predictably between fast and slow numbers, but, always gave it heart and a boat load of soul. I confess to being drawn deeper into the music when it rocks out but then again, you can't appreciate it without the grace between the energy. I'm a huge fan of his. Still. It was funny. After his first set, as the last note still resonated from the grand, two massive plates of food appeared and Robi flopped himself down beside me to chow down. Despite the modest artists cover charge, I could not help but think that Robi was playing for his dinner. I asked him about the bill which said that he was going to playing with a trio and he said "'things are slow, it's cold outside, can't afford to pay the guys to come out to a gig like this" (paraphrased). BTW I now know why Robi is such a big boy; he wolfs like it's going to be his last meal!

The gig at the FSC was a marked contrast. Hilario Duran and Botos duelled and sparred on a pair of Steinways (Duran on an Orchestra Grand and Botos on a Small Concert Grand) on the second floor landing, hammering out a series of standards and a few traditional tunes from their homelands that left the crowd astounded; The week before when we were at Chalkers someone had asked about the upcoming gig and had asked if they had rehearsed together and Robi's response was "we have exchanged e-mails!"

The pairing was stellar. Botos and Duran danced around the lead feeling each other out and riffing off each other, but playing as if they had know each other for years despite the fact that it was the first time they had played together. Although they at times approached the music with wanton abandon, the music was always crafted and precise. On occasions Botos played the lowest register with his right in the guts of the grand dampening the strings and walking out a base line as if he were standing at an upright double, Duran improvising on a melody, allowing the moment to fuel his imagination as well as our own. Sweet mellifluousness tone floated into the gallery were I stood awaiting every fresh note.

The performance started at 5:30 and I arrived at 5:16 and was the penultimate one to be allowed entry as the hall was filled to capacity. I found John Good who was parked on the upper level. Cautionary note; if you ever go to a performance in the atrium, if you are on the upper level, try to keep your ear within a direct line of "sight" with the instruments below. I was standing about two paces back from the glass railing (or guard as Stuart will be sure to correct me). At first I found it a rather discombobulating experience to be able to see the pair playing but not being able to hear them directly, the sound (some of it) bouncing off of the acoustical ceiling that usually does such a stellar job of muting the din of the glass lined atrium.

The last gig i saw was Rachel Therrien and her Quintet on Thursday night. It was an awesome evening. It was my first time at the Trane Studio and it’s a pretty good space. The focus at the Trane is without a doubt on the music. The Trane has no taps, a modest selection of wines, beers, other libations and a limited dinner menu that is really quite nice. I had salmon with a mango salsa that was one of eight items on the entire menu, but then, when you do something reasonably well, why mess it up with too much diversity.

Therrien at the Trane
with all apologies for quality and editing

Rachel Therrien is a young up and coming composer and horn player from Montreal. The quintet played a sort of post-hard-bop-bop; rhythmic, soulful, at times hard hitting and even bombastic but almost always tight and full of ideas. The quintet played an entire evening of original compositions, both from the September 2011 release “On Track” as well as previously unreleased newer compositions. Therrien draws not only from the tradition of bop but as well from the Cuba where she studied for nine months and from the heart of African rhythm on some compositions. Listen closely and you can hear the energies of the likes of Tony Allen thrashing away on the skins. Nary a moment went by through the two sets when i found my mind wandering from the music, it was that good. Therrien has been recording for several years but only put her own quintet together about a year ago, the two night stand being their first visit to Toronto. Charles Trudel (keys), Simon Page (base), Alain Bourgeois (drums) all add a youthful insight and energy to the compositions that are steeped in a classic tradition of bop, but are somehow fresh and relevant. Perhaps my only reservation might have been towards Sebastien Fortin (sax), who for me, left me wanting. Oh well, four outta five ain’t bad! Rachel is moving to New York next year ...there’s a woman who’s taking her music seriously!

Derek, thought I'd respond to your comment around April / May and the 80's. Not sure everyone saw this. Yes.

Late to the Link Wray discussion but can definitely see the influences for Primal Screen, Gomez. Thanks for pointing it out, Stu.

Stu, I'll pass. Hated it when it was current, hate it now. The full throttled style bravado of the chorus delivery in "I Will Always Love You" belongs to the 'Let me show you how big my dick is' style of singing that continues to haunt American Idol and all its variants. Blech. Listening to music like this is like having a cockroach run up your arm. Unfortunately, this will likely mean more Whitney being played now than less. Thank God in heaven that I'm never in a position where I have to listen to the radio for any length of time.

one of the guys in our office as a lark has put whiney houstons greatest hits on....and really you will know every word to most of the songs...and we all joke that this sort of music is bad but....its actually so bad it is making me ill to my stomach... since this doesnt get much airplay anymore i find it interesting how grateful I am to not be subjected to this anymore if I happen to be out in public somewhere.... really just try it on rdio... it is so over the top bad it is absurd..

I dont think we have spent much time as a group playing past favorites Derek, , which is why Brians lost classics blog is a good one...I am hoping to delve into the others mentioned by you guys shortly..perhaps a future club night we can dust these off for each other....
Re Link Wray, I have recently heard that he was an important innovator with his guitar style but frankly I have recently listened to these early recordings and not liked them that much.....I tend to be a sucker for the early 70's era and stumbled across it back when i was obsessed with that singer songwritter period of 70-72......you may want to see if his early stuff works for you

Sitting here in my hotel room in bloody cold Charlottetown but much warmth emanating from my speakers here as I just listened to the Link Wray disc all the way through on Rdio. Pretty fucking great record. Wondering why you've kept this one a secret for so long Stuart.

The deeper I got into the record the more I kept thinking that Primal Scream frontman Bobby Gillespie has to be a huge fan of this guy so I gave it a google and here you go.

I have been enjoying looking back thu my old vinyl replaying some gems not played in years in search of a worthy lost classic...2 more:

Thunderclap Newman : Hollywood Dream... Discovered this back in early university days and if I am not mistaken I think Marc VG and maybe a mutual friend Ray loved this too??? Marc???

At any rate wonderful pop rock from 69 I was going to play the single Something in the air on our battle night but forgot to bring the album.... It feels like a greatest hits to me especially side 2...its the songs that are melodic but messed with enough to be original and memorable...against a warm falsetto voice...

Link Wray : self titled from early 70's is a country / folk/ blues base, but with a singer songwriter originality dose thrown in...not just derivitive roots music which a lot of this stuff is...You may know Fallin rain the standout track.....no artiface on this lp

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Super Bowl Blog. Derek and I talking music, trying to avoid the Madonna songs. Not hard to do. An idea to consider: the next all-in get together is all1980's music. No years assigned, just wide open within the decade, and may the best man win. Thoughts?

Here are a few of my faves from that much maligned and sadly negelected decade the 80s.

Few of these might be considered classics and there are others from this period that I love and you lot are probably well aware of so let's call these some lesser known gems. Sorry I won't be providing a rationale for my love of these records. I'll leave that up to Brian. He's pretty good at it.

The Undertones - Hypnotized (1980)
Teardrop Explodes - Wilder (1981)
The Chameleons - Script of the Bridge (1983)
The Men They Couldn't Hang - Night of a Thousand Candles (1985)
The Woodentops - Giant (1986)
Jazz Butcher - Bloody Nonsense (1986)
That Petrol Emotion - Manic Pop Thrill (1986)
The The - Infected (1986)
The Triffids - In the Pines (1986)
Bill Pritchard - Three Months, Three Weeks and Two Days (1989)

Nico? Wow. Nice! The Moby Grape is much more of a relic of its age than the Quicksilver, Stu. It's remarkable for its time but isn't always very contemporary sounding. The QMS has some of those issues too but I think it translates better. Then again, it might only take some extraordinary artist to re-create elements of the sound for it to sound fresh again, who knows.

I am defintiely re-trying the Faces - I'm not sure why I've resisted that one. And the Crosby is a great album. Some tracks very reminsicent of his later Byrds work, plus leading the way for CSN. It's only when you hear Crosby in isloation that you realize how influential he was on the sound of those more commonly acknowledged-as-major artists all round him. Crosby's sound is CSN's sound, to a great degree.

A similarly great (not as great, mind, let's say very good) record from a little after that is Roger McGuinn's first solo record (self-titled). Worth a listen if you haven't.

forgot to mention am actually starting to get into Nico thanks to that mix cd Brian but that Moby album aint turnin my crank yet, just picked up that quicksilver , but will try those others out..

I too had somehow missed your post too, which is odd as I recall reading posts above and below it...let me put down my scotch now and carry on...

I do have a feelies record but not that one and did have a cracker record once but generally all this is new to me for the exploring thanks Brian.....

as for the early stuff , as I looked through my music I found that the stuff that I used to play people as unkown gems have mostly been found out now with the plethora of lost masterpieces being released every year now on cd....so what constitutes a lost gem masterwork of the past these days...I will post a few that I think qualify as really unknown to most but for me I am finding that there are a number of great albums by known artists that have never been acknowledged as such and will post some now....

:

1) FACES ...OH LA LA.....(I know you are sick of me plugging this band) This album was panned by Rod on the eve of its release to the labels amazement...and it then got duely panned by all shortly after , never to resurface.....The album only has roughly half the songs with involvement of Rod... It is really a Ronnie Lane songwriting showpiece...It also has Ronnie Wood lead vocals on the hit Oh La La....though most credit that vocal to Laine....

great mix of english rock and pop...hugely under rated

2) David Crosby....If Only I could remember my name....roundly slammed by American press , who typically rate anything American 3 stars above the british as a starting point...his etherial vocals and writing style are timeless now and age better then a lot of post CSN solo material..For me this is better then anything by and ex alumni of that band and beat a number of records a famous member of an expanded CSN group of greater notoriety

It's a good thing that you mentioned your tome, because I completely missed it. I thought I had kept up on the thread, but after I saw your somewhat whiny message, I scrolled down and realized that I had somehow missed your thousand word contribution. I'm glad I found it, though. I don't know all of the albums that you listed, but the ones that I do know I like a lot. So I'll have give them a listen and maybe pick some of them up.

Just to point out that my tome of a post is now sitting three posts down given that it took me two days to write it. Nice, Brian.

I agree that perserverence can make a difference - some albums have certainly taken a long time to grow on me. When I was a young music fan with boundless enthusiasm and very limited funds, perserverence was natural. I listened to everything I had over and over again and deliberately forced myself to keep the less loved music in the mix. However, with such ready access to massive volumes of music now, I am much less likely to invest the time to perservere with a challenging album. It's too easy to just move on to something else.

Seems to be some general themes here...
- generalization bias : firstly, I find like Marc that Q does have some great artists on the playlist, like those mentioned by kyle , but the problem is they only play the same 4 songs from each artist, whether it is Bowie or the beatles...2 artisits of whom you could play hundreds of different songs....( How many great stones, dylan and bowie songs have never been played on Q107? 300?) , Second, One does tend to seek out lesser known artists or lesor known albums of major artists as it is good sport for one of out lot to bring an unkown gem into our circulation...This is a good thing , in that i tend to feel, If I dont like it , i am the loser and i prefer not to be a loser .....however, If after 5 or 6 plays and i still dont like it then I tend to give up to a degree, unless one of you wankers insists I am so wrong... It is true that some like Villiage Geen, Stony ponys and Yankee Foxtrot I came to love , after a longer period of attempts, and others like Sonic Youth and that Frank black band which name excapes me have not , so there is something to be said for perserverance......
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