I am blaming Bruce Springsteen

Well last week I professed my love for Gotye, and the show was last night, but guess what............I missed it. I cannot believe it, I was so looking forward to this show.

I blame Bruce Springsteen, yes you're reading this right. I normally tune in to Sonic to listen to Garner in the morning, but yesterday when I got in my car the satellite radio was on and it was Bruce Springsteen's Cover Me. Cover Me is an excellent song. Pure 80's gold, so obviously I wasn't going to turn that off. I think though, had I switched to FM, I am sure the concert would have come up in chatter, and sparked my memory.

Oh well, it's done with and now it's just funny.

On with the reviews:

Fragrant World by Yeasayer. I never gave them a chance before, but this CD really intrigued me early on with it's dashes of R&B and mixed with a bit of synth-pop, it actually made for a decent combination that for the most part, worked. I especially liked the songs Henrietta and Longevity. If you like a mix between Daft Punk and Air, this is worth seeking out.   http://www.yeasayer.net/

Four by Bloc Party. What a great rock record. Lots of guitar and it's a "back to basics" type of release that for me, re-energised a group that I was starting to lose interest in. Tapping into a fuzzed out sound at some points in the record, they push themselves, thankfully back to their roots, with energy to spare. Buy it and play it loud. http://blocparty.com/

Cast the Same Old Shadow by Dylan LeBlanc. Oh woe is me, this album is filled with heartache. I think for the most part it's a natural sound for him but by the end I wanted a hug, I was so blue. Something about this CD stayed with me, it's simple easy lyrics combined with relaxed melodies and it was lovely in it's spareness yet as it progressed I felt like it was manufactured, like following a blueprint. I ended up becoming distracted. I am unsure of my recommendation. There is beauty here for sure, but just not a full album worth.
http://www.dylanleblanc.com/

Earning Keep by Christopher Smith. Very mellow sound but it suits his lyrics and music. I found the CD atmospheric and lovely. This Vancouver based singer-songwriter offers a simple sound that compliments his writing. On a funny/odd note, he looks like his music. It's worth a google. http://boompa.ca/bands/christopher-smith/

All I Did Was Tell Them the Truth And They Thought it was Hell by King of Spain. This duo has produced an incredibly full sound with beautiful harmonies. In parts their voices blend like The Byrds and the momentum, for the most part, moves along at a decent pace. If I had one complaint, I found their songs go a little long. It's not that noticeable at first, but each song I felt could be edited a bit on time. That aside it was a great listen, for the dreary day I was having. http://kingofspain.org/

I also wanted to mention a soundtrack that came past me this week. Lawless, Compiled by Nick Cave and drawing from Mark Lanegan, Ralph Stanley and Emmylou Harris is worth listening to.

That's all I have for reviews this week. Ask your local record shop about these artists and others, they are jewels of the music scene in any city, and it would be a shame if they disappeared. Shop local!

Puzzle with a Piece Missing

I love Gotye, and this little love affair started pre- Making Mirrors, we're approaching 10 years and I am excited that he has reached a level of fame that allows him to tour Canada and more specifically Edmonton at the end of this month. The problem now is that I might have to miss it, which breaks my heart. I am not sure what to do. I have a lot of thinking to do before the 29th.

While I contemplate, I listen

Underwater by Joshua Radin. Instantly smitten is what I would say about this record. You may not know his name, but I would be shocked if you've never heard his music before. He has his music everywhere, yet I am not saturated by it. That's always a good sign. He has had music in over 60 TV episodes/movies - impressive considering this is album number 4. Vocally bittersweet with writing that pierces the soul. This seemingly overtly private album is publicly welcomed by many. Give it a listen, you won't be disappointed.  http://us.joshuaradin.com/

Instinct by Niki + the Dove. Well isn't this the little gem. They remind me a great deal of Empire of the Sun (which is a guilty pleasure). This Swedish band, signed to Sub-Pop, has left an impression with me. Pop music with a dash of darkness. While it won't change the world or be a long lasting, impression leaving album, it is fun. It falls apart a bit in the end, like they ran out of ideas. Or maybe their final idea was Stevie Nicks on crack, but there are fun moments and a few tracks will show up on a future play list. http://www.nikiandthedove.com/

Between the Ditches by Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band. The first time I heard them play was live at the Calgary Folk Festival, and they were dynamic. I think because of that impression I was expecting a bit more. I liked this album, but they are one of those bands where their magic isn't captured on recording. With a Delta-blues infused sound this albums shifts smoothly from track to track. My only complaint is his annunciation. I just plainly do not always understand what the hell is being said. Oh well. http://www.bigdamnband.com/

Listening by Ben Taylor. I think this can be described as silky smooth. Taking a page out of the Mraz.Meyer songbook, Ben Taylor delivers a nice album of sweet song. Nothing surprising. I don't want to be a jerk about it, but wow, it feels like little effort was put forth. Perhaps I am expecting more from Carly Simon and James Taylor's son, who in the past has impressed me, but I don't think so. Well written, nicely crafted songs that fade to the background. http://www.bentaylormusic.com/

I am listening to a whole heap more of music and will likely have another post by the end of the week. In the meantime, go listen to music and take in a fringe show while you're out and about. Support the Arts!

Four Strong Winds

There is so much I love about the Edmonton Folk Music Festival. When I describe it to people I always mention the music of course, but I know it's more than that.

One of the main reasons this festival is strong and successful is the people and the fact that they are working for a common goal rather than themselves. I volunteer for many things, and trust me when I say you can certainly tell when the philosophy is not there. I am a volunteer on a rather large crew of about 45, but there is also the staff of the festival itself (seasonal and permanent) that I get to work closely with. These are the people we work for and work hard for. For this pocket of time every year my family grows to almost 100 strong, and regardless of how time passes we are all there for each other and for the same reason. I know I am not alone in my sentiment.

Each year I look forward to seeing old friends and visiting. The festival has a strong social pull for me. It's often the only time I get to see certain people so when the gates open and patrons, guests and artists start arriving there is a certain electricity in the air that is difficult to describe.

This year was another stellar line-up of artists that dazzled the sold-out audiences. Whether you are enjoying the more intimate sessions or the party atmosphere of the main stage everyone I encountered had a story to tell or a favourite musical experience to share. I love when people get excited about music.

Each night had stand-out moments and as much as I could and would love to chat about each, I like to keep my posts short. Let me just say that EVERY mainstage performance was incredible. Sure there are peaks and valleys, and some were better than others, but it's so subjective. I was excited for the opportunity to hear Bonnie Raitt, Mavis Staples, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Corb Lund, Emmylou Harris, James Vincent McMorrow, Jim Cuddy and a Guthrie Family Reunion (to name a few) was pretty damn awesome.


Lots going on



I saw many concerts on smaller stages also and was blown away. It's always nice to see an artist do well and rediscover artists that you've liked for sometime but are now seeing them in a new light. I also dig the combinations Terry Wickham dreams up for the sessions. Sometimes you look and think, "hmm what's the common thread?" then you see and and think "D'uh it's the music that's the thread", and if the performer approaches it with an open mind, magic is created.



Four Strong Winds, closes each year. Some think it's corny, but I love it. This year, Corb Lund closed the festival in song with help from the amazing Geoff Berner, T. Nile and Kim Beggs.

And of course no festival is quite complete without Don's farewell speech:

What to Keep and What to Give

Last weekend, July 27-29, was the inaugural weekend for the Interstellar Rodeo. Now normally I would be in Calgary volunteering at their festival, but there were circumstances that led me to bow out for this year (first time in 16 years). Initially I was sad, but then I caught wind of this new festival. As chance would have it a friend asked me if I wanted to help with media, and so I jumped at the chance. By the end of the weekend, Calgary was a memory. In fact, I will likely continue supporting the Interstellar Rodeo, and give up on Calgary altogether. If I am honest CFMF had been letting me down for years anyhow, so I don't really think I will miss it. Plus why drive to Calgary when this gem is in my own backyard.

Back to Interstellar, and boy what a festival. There were a few first year hiccups that I won't bother to go into, because they are a non-issue, also if they were not ironed out right away they will be fixed for next year, plus the audiences didn't see it so why shine a light on it.  What is most important is that the festival was a success. It was not a sell out, but it felt full.

Audiences and bands alike were smitten with each other, and isn't that what's important.

From the moment the gates opened until the last encore of Blue Rodeo everyone who attended had a great time. There was enough variety to keep even the fickle of audiences intrigued, and if you somehow didn't enjoy yourself - maybe you just need to stay home, because nothing will please you.

It's pretty obvious I love music and this festival had great variety and a few bands I had never seen perform and even a few I had not really even heard music for, so win, win for me. I am always dazzled by Hawksley Workman , Alejandro and Gillian. 



Hawksley & Mr. Lonely



Richard Buckner blew me away as did the Carolina Chocolate Drops and The Sojourners.

Cadence Weapon

A pleasant surprise was Cadence Weapon, who I must admit I have never seen perform more than one song. His style of rapping is intriguing and clever and I am now a fan and finally Randy Newman, every song was one we all knew. It's incredible when you take a moment and think of his career, mind boggling.

I enjoyed everything I saw and it was great to see old favourites and make new discoveries.

What sets this little festival apart from others is the intimacy. It is in an outdoor, yet covered, amphitheatre, the sound is amazing, the food vendors were all local food trucks who have amazing offerings and one final touch that initially I thought was bizarre was each artist was paired with a wine. That particular wine was only sampled/sold during the artists set. They had a house white and red available at all times but the feature was only a limited offering. Once I saw the concept and read the descriptions in the program, I thought this was a very smart idea. Below I have a picture of the program that shows the band and the wine, just so you know what I am rambling about.

  

The Blue Rodeo bio and the wine that was paried with them

Clever little details like this helped set it apart. I was very proud to be apart of this festival and want to especially thanks Six Shooter Records, their staff and their fearless leader Shauna de Cartier, Johnny Mac for having the vision and foresight for this festival, the Wine Guy, Gurvinder Bhata for pairing many delicious wines with delicious artists and Aimee Hill for stopping me at another concert, Ben Folds, to ask me to help her out with media. I am so pleased to have spent a wonderful weekend with so many like minded music enthusiasts.