I like the idea of having a title that is a lyric. I started this yesterday, now let's see how long I can last with this trend.
Like I mentioned yesterday, I have just gotten back from a mini vacation and am settling back into my work life. One of the perks of my job is that every other week we have an RDO (an extra day off) most people choose Fridays, I have decided on Mondays. With most people being gone on Friday, it has rapidly become one of my favorite days simply because I can play my music louder. As much as I dig my co-workers, it's also nice to have a relitively empty office to work in. I gravitate towards alone time anyways; so this suits me just fine.
On to this week in music reviews.
They Might Be Giants - No! In typical TMBG form, not every song is great, but there is enough to keep my interest. Now generally I don't listen to kids albums, but I figured I would make an exception when I know it's a group that doesn't pander to kids and treat little people like idiots.
Simply this is fun, upbeat music with clever lyrics. 24 tracks it's quite an outing, but the last 6 tracks are live and provides a glimpse into how kids react to the music and how this duo has evolved and can create music for kids and the kids at heart. Personal favorite is Lazyhead and Sleepybones (probably because it describes me perfectly). http://www.theymightbegiants.com/
Offspring - Days Go By. Sort of a mash up of genres that are likely band member favorites. Classic punk style with guitar riff driven songs with a dash of Reggae thrown in for good measure. Whether you dig the new influence or not, is irrelevant because at the heart is their "sound" there is no mistaking this is an Offspring album. There is not much surprising here, but after 20 years, that is sort of refreshing, especially when the talent is there. It sounds great, and I am sure will become a staple for many this summer. http://www.offspring.com/
Everclear - Invisible Stars. Like the Offspring, it's like time has stopped for Everclear. But, again I don't mind that they have not evolved past their sound, but that is a good thing. It suits them. The writing and music is strong and I appreciate that nothing sounds dated. Welcome back, it's been too long! http://www.everclearonline.com/home.html
Air Traffic Controller - Nordo. Wow, I totally dig this. It chugs along at a great pace and it's a lot of fun. Vocally they remind me of the Decemberists, which is a plus in my books, and each song has something to offer. I will be coming back to this over over and over. http://www.airtrafficcontrollermusic.com/
Beachwood Sparks - The Tarnished Gold. Very mellow, alt country-ish album. This group is new to me, but I think I will have to dig into their previous releases. I really liked this CD. It sort of reminded me of Elliot Smith vocals with a Blue Rodeo/Buffalo Springfield rhythm. This L.A. based band have embraced the whole "Laurel Canyon" sound without giving up who they are or sounding like a wanna-be group. This is another CD I will re-visit happily over the summer and beyond. It's great to focus on or to have as a background. It is appealing on so many levels. http://www.myspace.com/beachwoodsparks
I am still listening to music, trying to catch up, but this is where my post is ending. I have to get back to work.
Happy Canada Day long weekend!
Friday 29 June 2012
Thursday 28 June 2012
Vacation; All I ever wanted. Vacation; Had to get away
I don't think you can ever go wrong by quoting the Go-Go's.
So the reason you haven't heard from me in over a week was because I went to New Hampshire for a wedding. It was great to get away from Edmonton for a week. Other than the stifleing humidity, the trip was great. I flew into Maine on Wednesday so that I could catch my friends Niahm Parsons and Graham Dunne perform in Portland, ME. If you have never heard her sing or Graham play the guitar you are doing yourself a diservice. They are brilliant. As soon as I was told they were playing, it took less than a second to decide to book my flight a day early just to see them. http://www.niamhparsons.com/
The wedding was amazing, I met a bunch a awesome new people and will have memories to cherish for a very long time. If you ever get a chance to visit the Eastern states, I highly reccommend it. They are so close, and there is so much to see and do. My only tip would be to not go in the hight of summer unless you love the humidity.
Well, I am back in the swing of things and will post on new music very soon. In the meantime check out this picture of their wedding cake, created by Ace of Cakes:
So the reason you haven't heard from me in over a week was because I went to New Hampshire for a wedding. It was great to get away from Edmonton for a week. Other than the stifleing humidity, the trip was great. I flew into Maine on Wednesday so that I could catch my friends Niahm Parsons and Graham Dunne perform in Portland, ME. If you have never heard her sing or Graham play the guitar you are doing yourself a diservice. They are brilliant. As soon as I was told they were playing, it took less than a second to decide to book my flight a day early just to see them. http://www.niamhparsons.com/
The wedding was amazing, I met a bunch a awesome new people and will have memories to cherish for a very long time. If you ever get a chance to visit the Eastern states, I highly reccommend it. They are so close, and there is so much to see and do. My only tip would be to not go in the hight of summer unless you love the humidity.
Well, I am back in the swing of things and will post on new music very soon. In the meantime check out this picture of their wedding cake, created by Ace of Cakes:
Saturday 16 June 2012
It feels like SUMMER
Well it has been raining off and on now for a while, and by a while I mean days and days and days. So to finally have a break in this weather and then to hear some great new music just totally make my weekend. And did I mention it's a long weekend for me. yay!!
Wildlife Pop by Stepdad. Okay so their description describes their sound as sounding like Depeche Mode. In my mind that is a pretty lofty association. DM is pretty amazing in my books. But while they do not sound exactly like DM the influence is there. They are fun and all in all the CD is a very solid effort. Actually I would suggest checking them out.It's the right amount of retro and a whole heap of unexpected exuberance. http://www.stepdad.us/
Traps by Jaill. So this is Jaill's second release on SubPop! and I usually trust what they have on their label as a decent artist. So it was no surprise that I was taken by their latest CD Traps. Their sound is sort of minimalist, but with some sweet hooks and a jangly sound that reminds me a bit of Violent Femmes and Sloan. Here is a link to theor myspace; enjoy: http://www.myspace.com/jaill
Hello Hum by Wintersleep. I am a fan of Wintersleep and I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit weary of what they would release next. This new CD is a natural progression in sound and writing and reveals a evolving maturity that compliments their early sound and retains the spark of fun that drew me to them in the first place. Nicely done fellas, the new CD is fantastic. I especially love the track Permanent Sigh. http://wintersleep.com/
On a side note, I am excited about the Polaris Music Prize. They just revealed their long list. Check it out here: http://www.polarismusicprize.ca/ I highly suggest clicking the link and listening to what you can.
Wildlife Pop by Stepdad. Okay so their description describes their sound as sounding like Depeche Mode. In my mind that is a pretty lofty association. DM is pretty amazing in my books. But while they do not sound exactly like DM the influence is there. They are fun and all in all the CD is a very solid effort. Actually I would suggest checking them out.It's the right amount of retro and a whole heap of unexpected exuberance. http://www.stepdad.us/
Traps by Jaill. So this is Jaill's second release on SubPop! and I usually trust what they have on their label as a decent artist. So it was no surprise that I was taken by their latest CD Traps. Their sound is sort of minimalist, but with some sweet hooks and a jangly sound that reminds me a bit of Violent Femmes and Sloan. Here is a link to theor myspace; enjoy: http://www.myspace.com/jaill
Hello Hum by Wintersleep. I am a fan of Wintersleep and I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit weary of what they would release next. This new CD is a natural progression in sound and writing and reveals a evolving maturity that compliments their early sound and retains the spark of fun that drew me to them in the first place. Nicely done fellas, the new CD is fantastic. I especially love the track Permanent Sigh. http://wintersleep.com/
On a side note, I am excited about the Polaris Music Prize. They just revealed their long list. Check it out here: http://www.polarismusicprize.ca/ I highly suggest clicking the link and listening to what you can.
Thursday 14 June 2012
Music saves the day
What a crazy few days. I feel like I just started this blog and then immediately abandoned it. But, I have decided to move past the chaos of this week and take a moment to post about a few new CD's that are out.
Hot Chip - In Our Heads. I don't mind Hot Chip and I was actually looking forward to listening to the new music. Now it's not terrible by any stretch, but I just wasn't aware that Erasure put out a new album. Some of this music actually became predictable, and not in a fun sing-a-long kind of way. http://hotchip.co.uk/
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - The Lion The Beast and The Beat. This is okay. It reminds my of Joan Osbourne and Sheryl Crow but with a vocal that is a bit more country. I could see this artist at festivals and really doing well, but there is something about it that makes me think it might disappear as quickly as it has appeared. I will say I totally dig how the opening track builds. Great opening track. http://www.gracepotter.com/
Bouncing Souls - Comet. This is simply FUN. It's a lot less punk than their previous efforts, but I can see this blasting from cars all summer especially track 6 We Love Fun http://onesheet.com/bouncingsouls/
Motion City Soundtrack - Go. Each CD, they get better in my opinion. This is a solid effort and they are once again capturing my attention through good writing and super catchy hooks. I have gone back to it a few times over the past few days to listen. http://motioncitysoundtrack.com/
That's all for now, I am at work and have to get back at it. Just wanted to take a few minutes to catch you all up on what I've been listening to and what I think of it.
Hot Chip - In Our Heads. I don't mind Hot Chip and I was actually looking forward to listening to the new music. Now it's not terrible by any stretch, but I just wasn't aware that Erasure put out a new album. Some of this music actually became predictable, and not in a fun sing-a-long kind of way. http://hotchip.co.uk/
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - The Lion The Beast and The Beat. This is okay. It reminds my of Joan Osbourne and Sheryl Crow but with a vocal that is a bit more country. I could see this artist at festivals and really doing well, but there is something about it that makes me think it might disappear as quickly as it has appeared. I will say I totally dig how the opening track builds. Great opening track. http://www.gracepotter.com/
Bouncing Souls - Comet. This is simply FUN. It's a lot less punk than their previous efforts, but I can see this blasting from cars all summer especially track 6 We Love Fun http://onesheet.com/bouncingsouls/
Motion City Soundtrack - Go. Each CD, they get better in my opinion. This is a solid effort and they are once again capturing my attention through good writing and super catchy hooks. I have gone back to it a few times over the past few days to listen. http://motioncitysoundtrack.com/
That's all for now, I am at work and have to get back at it. Just wanted to take a few minutes to catch you all up on what I've been listening to and what I think of it.
Monday 11 June 2012
What started it all
So on my Facebook I will from time to time mention new CD's that I am listening to. I listen to at least 5 - 8 new albums a week, or try to anyways, and I feel the need to comment on the odd one. Recently friends have suggested that I start a blog. So TAH DAH, here it is.
Just starting the week I have only listend to 1 album so far so I thought, perhaps I will comment on three gems I heard last week:
Just starting the week I have only listend to 1 album so far so I thought, perhaps I will comment on three gems I heard last week:
Longshore Slim: Sort of an odd combination of Mumford & Sons, Bob Dylan and yet there are 3 songs on the CD that are pretty raucous. I really like this release and see a cult following in someones future http://www.langhorneslim.com/
Anna Ternheim: Just released a CD called The Night Visitor. I really like her. Her voice is very reminiscent of Edie Brickell meets Tori Amos meets PJ Harvey. I really like it and she's Swedish.
River City Extension: Sort of Avett Brothers meets Skydiggers meets Stars. Great new CD called Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Your Anger. http://rivercityextension.com/
Oh and the new Alejandro Escovedo is great.
I am thinking I may not blog consistantly but I will for sure blog every Friday.
And so it begins
I have contemplated for a while, starting a music blog. But then I would get trapped with the thought "who cares what I think?"
Well that all changes today. I figure that's is why people choose to follow some bloggers and not others.
I hope that you will choose to read what I write. My opinions come for a deep love of all music. I have spent my life surrounded by it. My only retail jobs were selling music and now that I no longer work retail, I market and publicise music, dance and theatre shows for a living. Cultural Arts has become my life, and I am so thankful for that.
I will blog on music, theatre and dance to varying degrees and pop culture will surely reveal itself when I ramble on about TV and movies and occasionally there might be the odd restaurant review.
Feel free to follow me on Twitter @vickytweetsnow
PS I am super new to this and am figuring things out as I go along (I don't want to say how long it took me to do a basic profile)
Well that all changes today. I figure that's is why people choose to follow some bloggers and not others.
I hope that you will choose to read what I write. My opinions come for a deep love of all music. I have spent my life surrounded by it. My only retail jobs were selling music and now that I no longer work retail, I market and publicise music, dance and theatre shows for a living. Cultural Arts has become my life, and I am so thankful for that.
I will blog on music, theatre and dance to varying degrees and pop culture will surely reveal itself when I ramble on about TV and movies and occasionally there might be the odd restaurant review.
Feel free to follow me on Twitter @vickytweetsnow
PS I am super new to this and am figuring things out as I go along (I don't want to say how long it took me to do a basic profile)
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