MIDLAKE

The first song I posted on this blog was from the upcoming album by a group called Midlake. I checked out their first album from 2004, and I like it a lot. A really lo-fi sound, but very beautifully crafted songs. From the new song(Roscoe), it sounds like they've improved the production value quite a bit from the first album, and it really sounds more sophisticated. Here's a taste of the older stuff:

MP3: Balloon Maker
MP3: Kingfish Pies (I love the lyrics in this song)

The Go! Team

I checked out another performance on KCRW and I'm pretty happy I did. It's not normally the kind of music I go for, but I've never really heard anything quite like it before either. It combines sampling, wailing guitars, horns, banjo, with a rapping female vocalist, and a group of background singers that sound like a chearleading squad. Pretty crazy. But they really find a way to make it work. I checked out the album, and it's really all I've listened to for the last couple days. Here's a track. Do you love it, or hate it?

MP3: We Just Won't Be Defeated

This is the live version from KCRW, not the album version. I prefer the live versions of most of the songs, especially this one.

This is also the next song to be featured in Hoiner's Song Review, coming soon.

KCRW

Been kind of a slow week musically for me. Then I remembered a site I haven't checked on in a long time. It's an archive of live performances from a radio station in L.A. - KCRW. It used to be just audio, but they started recording video and streaming the show live. They get great artists in, including a lot of bands just starting to gain momentum. Click Here to check out the list of shows. There is a link at the bottom of the page that lets you search the archive (If you leave the search fields blank, you get the whole list). I highly recommend checking out: Willy Mason, M. Ward, Supergrass, Ed Harcourt.

So, I picked one of the new additions to their list and was pleasantly surprised. The Elected. Great set, and good interview. The album ain't half bad either. Here's a track:

MP3: Would You Come With Me

Trews

Went and saw THE TREWS last night at the Roxy. It's too bad the Roxy is such a crappy venue. I wish Saskatoon had a better "bar venue". The ones we have are either not that cool, or to small.

Anyways, the show was pretty great. Those boys are a talented group. Starting with Colin MacDonald on vocals, I was instantly impressed with the range, and power of his voice. Even by the end of the night, he was still screaming his heart out, hitting and sustaining ear-splitting notes with ease. Next, on bass and vocals, Jack Syperek provided half of the backup vocals that really makes a lot of their songs really jump out. Pretty killer bass player too(although I couldn't really see him for most of the show). Solid drumming from Sean Dalton, including a 5 minute(at least) drum solo that made ME exhausted. The rest of the band left the stage and grabbed a drink, or oxygen masks, or whatever and just let him go nuts for a while. Jesus-like guitarist John-Angus MacDonald also had the stage to himself a little later on and was equally exhausting to listen to(in a good way, of course).

It's too bad I went in not knowing most of the songs too well, because they really played a high energy show. I only have to think about the first time I saw Wilco live to realize how great it is to be blown away by a band who really kicks it up a notch when they play live. Definitely a band I will see again next time they come through these parts.

No live tracks to post, but here's one from the new album "Den of Thieves" (Buy it here)

MP3: Got Myself To Blame

Notable covers nicely integrated into the mix(often mid-song):
Fat Bottomed Girls
You Can't Always Get What You Want
Sloop John B.
54-46 That's My Number
Come On Feel The Noise

Cut Me Open! Vol. 1(A song Review Column by: Hoiner)

MP3: Cathedrals – Jump Little Children

Three words to describe this song: 1. Haunting 2. Smooth 3. Distinctive

Instrumentation: acoustic guitar chords strummed offer up the structural backbone. Violin slowly creeps in (and potentially cello?) and provides the ‘feeling’ as they rise and fall with the vocals. There is zero percussion with the exception of a couple bass bongo beats towards the very end of the song.

The instrumentation is simple, and it is perfect for a song consisting of these lyrics. It is clean and pure.

Vocals: I love Jay Clifford’s voice! He does a tremendous job of combining tenderness and power. He is controlled, patient and possesses a somewhat unique delivery; ie: “of New York and Rome…” He doesn’t remind me of anyone else upon first impression, and that is grounds for me to be excited!

Lyrics: Essentially the song outlines the writer’s description of Cathedrals inside and out, the impact they have on him emotionally, and his opinion of the impact they have/should have on the world.

Although I truly appreciate the fact that the subject matter is very unique, I have a bit of a contradictory opinion of the lyrics for this song. I like the poetic-ness of the writing b/c I happen to enjoy poetry. However, I found the lyrics to be almost ‘purposely poetic’ – like someone took an existing poem and decided maybe it should become a song. Of course there is a fine line between song writing and poetry (or some may argue none at all), but that was my initial feeling when I first read the lyrics as I listened to the song, and we all know how hard it is to shake off initial impressions.

Overall

Now don’t get me wrong, I like this song, in fact, I like this song very much. It smoothly rolls in, and pulled me along (although I didn’t offer up much resistance).

And if you’ll allow me a some poetic liberty, I offer you a summary in the form of a similie; this song builds and backs off like a lazy Sunday afternoon of comfortable, semi-passionate sex. After my third listen I was left with a strong desire to smoke a cigarette.

Top 10 Most Played (According to iTunes)

Completely dominated by Wilco (not surprisingly), and Ed Harcourt, here is what iTunes tell me i have listened to most often since October 2003. I've provided the top 3 for your listening pleasure.

1. MP3: Black Dress - Ed Harcourt
2. MP3: I'm A Wheel - Wilco
3. MP3: Panthers - Wilco
4. Be Not So Fearful - Jeff Tweedy
5. Promising - Jeff Tweedy
6. Muzzle of Bees - Wilco
7. Born in the 70's - Ed Harcourt
8. Metaphorically Yours - Ed Harcourt
9. Wait Up - Jeff Tweedy
10. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - The Arcade Fire

At 3 minutes and 16 seconds, I've listened to Black Dress for over 5 hours. That's a lot of Ed.

Can't get enough...Destroyer

First off, major computer problems have kept me from making updates, but things seem to be mostly back to normal, so that makes me quite happy. To celebrate, I thought I'd begin a new feature called "Can't get enough...". Basically, I'll post a few tracks from an artist that I currently can't get enough of. First up: Destroyer. I posted a song by Dan Bejar(aka Destroyer) earlier, but here are a few more.

MP3: It's Gonna Take an Airplane
MP3: Watercolours Into The Ocean

I love his writing style, his lyrics, his delivery, and his voice. Not everyone's cup-o-tea possibly, but repeat listenings have only strengthened my appreciation.

Dolly kicks ass.

Ok, this might be a bad idea, especially in the early stages of a new music blog, but I have to admit that I fell in love with Dolly Parton today. I still can't really believe that it happened, and I have to say that I'm not the least bit embarrassed by it.

It started yesterday when I saw Kenny Rogers on a show on muchmoremusic about the year 1984. He was talking about how the Bee Gees wrote this song ("Islands In The Stream") and how he thought it wasn't really working, or how he couldn't really sing it very well-or something, so they brought in Dolly, and WHAM!, huge hit.

Now, I remember that as one of the main songs from my childhood. Mom loved Dolly and I heard her all the time. Back then(and still today I suppose), it isn't really all that cool to like the music your mom likes, so I never really appreciated it that much.

Anyways, tracked down a 2 disc, 37 track, best of Dolly album, and listened to it ALL DAMN DAY! When I rate song in iTunes, a really good album will usually get 3 or 4 songs that get 4/5 stars, and very rarely, there's an album that has 6 or 7...

18. 18 4 star songs. I can't explain it, other than to say that Dolly kicks ass. Listen to these two tracks, and tell me that they aren't legit.

MP3: Touch Your Woman
MP3: The Seeker

Who's next? Conway Twitty??
(p.s. Thanks Mom!)

Jump, Little Children

Don't know too much about this band yet, but they've been generating some buzz for a while now, but have yet to receive widespread attention. Here are a couple tracks from their library that stand out for me.

MP3: Vertigo
MP3: Cathedrals (*Check back soon, as this will be the first song to be featured in "Cut me open!", a song analysis column written by Hoiner.)

A quick Shins fix...

Here are a couple live, acoustic, solo James Mercer tracks from a weird radio show a while back. I'm just starting to get prepared for a new full-length from The Shins this summer, and so should you. :)

MP3: Gone For Good
MP3: Young Pilgrims

I like this quote from Mercer about one of the new songs: "One song is about the Fifties, when all of these modern conveniences were being invented-- like microwave ovens. People predicted that we wouldn't work as much, but we work just as much, just more efficiently. Human life is about enjoying it, and this American work ethic prevents people from really experiencing life."

The Superhuman Efforts of Scott McCaughey

The Minus 5
Not everyone's cup of tea, I'm sure, but Scott McCaughey writes fun songs with endearing lyrics. Also, a close affiliation with Wilco doesn't hurt their cause in my books.

MP3: Hotel Senator
MP3: With A Gun (with Wilco)

All in all, not quite as genius as "Down with Wilco", but a strong effort nonetheless. Buy it here.