Once again.... I did not finish my Death Cab Retrospective

Got all caught up in my personal "Notes" on that damn FaceBook thing and totally forgot to post on this. To tell you the truth I've been thinking of shutting this guy down for awhile. For a couple reasons actually
1) I haven't bought a CD since i moved back to the 'PEG in April
2) CD's themselves have sort of become the new cassette (in my opinion)
3) reviewing all of my CD's would take a lifetime that i don't necessarily care to do at the moment and haven't for some time now.

So I give you this fellow reader. I may be back to blogger at some point and time. But not in this forum. Meanwhile the few people that actually care to hear my reviews on music can read, said "Notes" on FB. And if you aren't my friend on "the Book" Just shoot me a line and i'll respond.

Thanks for your loyal readership.

I need a little osmosis here

Personally this is not my favorite Hold Steady album. Boys and Girls in America is. Yet this one I pop in during times of feeling a bit low. Which i hope hasn't become redundant lately, but am not in the greatest state of mind recently. Not; belt around a door knob unhappy (I love using that reference these days). But just a funk that i'd rather get out of and I know that I'm the only one that can fix it. So here goes...step 1 in my road to being less shitty.

Band Name: The Hold Steady

Album Name: Stay Positive

Richard Release Date: Spring of 2008

I really enjoyed walking to "Big Fish" (My old working diggs) and listening to this album. Making the trek up Cresent Drive Ridge, overlooking the city. Feeling that i could just scoop up the Calgary skyline with a quick movement of my hand. The sun always seemed to shine when i listened to the title track. Although that's probably my delusions. Yet very good delusions. The Hold Steady, if you're not farmiliar are kinda a "gang singing" kinda band. They like their all nite parties. The thing that I really enjoy about this album is there are downer songs like "Sequestered in Memphis(or Winnipeg)" and "Lord I'm Discouraged" but then later in the album they seem to break out of their sludgy funk. Enjoy

PS the 2nd of that DCFC retrospective is coming...i promise this time.

Not too much has changed

Well its been awhile folks...guess i don't have to state that every time I post now, cause the people that actually follow my music writings know: that sometimes you have to wait some great lengths just to get anything out of me.
As some of you know, I've made a move back to Winnipeg, from a six year hiatus (or so i thought) out in Calgary. Didn't think much of the move at the time: ie. there were some points at which i truly despised that place, and i let it be known . But when push came to shove, and I'd been back in the Peg for a couple weeks, I realized that I really missed many of the people and the lifestyle that i had been living.
Now saying all that I have had a rough couple of weeks readjusting, check out this FB status (May 8th 5:04 am CDT) if you haven't already seen it. Yet things are slowly getting a bit better, as I'm really trying to put a positive spin on things.
So hanging out at my parents house alone, on a +1 degree day in WPG during May Long Weekend i figured i review a couple of CD's that reminded me of such a weekend (really only the Ben Folds LP, the other kinda deals with hope).


Artist Name: Ben Folds Five
Album Name: Whatever and Ever Amen
Richard Release Date: May Long 1998















Its funny that i'm reviewing this album. Seeing as this time 12 years ago I believe i was dragged to the Austin Healy retreat in Wasagaming that my parents are on as i write this. Reason i was dragged was because my parents were miffed/forced to bring me with them as they didn't want their house running rampant with unruly teenagers for probably the third time. Completely understandable. Funny thing is i doubt i could even get 5 people to a party here if i tried now.
The Ben Folds album comes into play, because at the time i dont believe i had a portable discman (haha discman), So i had dubbed this album to a blank tape: Side A (Ben Folds), Side B
(Matchbox 20). Hey cut me some slack on the Matchbox 20 i was discovering my musical taste at that time. I really enjoyed the high tempo jankey energy of "1 Angry Dwarf and 200 solemn faces" or still my ultimate breakup song "Kate" but i was mainly drawn to the piano ballads of "Smoke", "Brick" and especially the albums closer "Evaporated". I just kinda liked that someone had worse problems than myself and could express it better than me moping around a lonely central Manitoban vacation town. I also thought that a piano, stand up Bass and drums combo was about the most interesting sound i had yet to lay my ears upon at that point.


Artist Name: Sigur Ros
Album Name: ( )
Richard Release Date: sometime in '05















Don't think I've really ever gotten too many people into this band. That's kinda something i pride myself on. Opening people up to different albums and even types of music. Just to mention Sigur Ros is right there at #2 on bands i would donate a body part (after death of course) to see live, Weezer being A top that list. Many people at first listen think its mood music that you listen to when "down in the dumps" or somewhat depressed. But i listen to it when i want to be inspired. It just seems really uplifting in a sense. I guess i shouldn't be surprised as its lyrics are written in Vonlenska or Hopelandic.
Definition of said language: a constructed language of nonsense syllables which resembles the phonology of the Icelandic language.
It has also been said that the listener is supposed to interpret their own meanings of the lyrics which can then be written in the blank pages in the album booklet.
Never did that "write the lyrics in the booklet thing" but I've always thought that was a great concept.
Track one is my favorite BTW. I was also convinced i had lost this CD until one of my roommates Nephi moved away and was cleaning out his CD collection and found this unrecognizable white disc. It was my Sigur Ros disc that i had "hope"lessly lost months earlier.

Let out my inner Cusak

So the winds of change have been blowing in Calgary (literally! its been freezing here) Wednesday should bring some relief. And tommorow I will be most likely be making a phone call that will alter my summer, my life for some time. So when this happens I refer back to my one basic philosophy: look back at yesterday, take stock in today, plan for tommorow. Those really are the 3 things that keep me sane on a day to day basis. But when there's bigger change i tend to ponder a little more. The following Blog Post is a bit of a myth that i have been perpetuating for awhile with a few people in my inner/outter circle/ anyone that'll listen to me blather about my personal taste in music. I Have a Top 101 songs. Just never really wanted to put it out there for a couple reasons. 1) Its Epic Long. 2) Who wants to read that much? 3) Really its my personal opinion and i know that i might get a couple "wow i can't believe you didn't put like 17 Radiohead songs on the list?" Anyways here goes all in one shot. Here's to "Looking back at yesterday" , cause by tommorow my opinions will have changed. I already excluded Stars "Set Yourself on Fire". I'm so dumb



101. Rave & Drool - The KillJoys (My Muchmusic Days)
100. Sugar We're Going Down - FallOut Boy (Great for singing in the shower/ Vienna Days)
99. Galaxie - Blind Melon (was into this album heavily when i found out he died in Mr. P's 12th grdae Math class)
98. Michelle -The Beatles (the french lyrics are endearing)
97. Needle in the Hay - Elliot Smith (Luke Wilson's, not so suttle shave in "the Tennenbaums")
96. They're a Comin' - The Dudes (What you dream every weekend could be like when you're 23/24?)
95. Back to School - Deftones (packed like sardines cranked to 12 on the way to PJ in Fargo)
94. Seether - Veruca Salt (Pure unadulturated guilty pleasure from the mid 90's)
93. I'm on Fire for you Baby - April Wine (Ricky pulling the big dirty)
92. Groovy Dead - Rusty (Hail to the Canadian Kings of Grunge)
91. Magic Position - Patrick Wolf (Pearl Sach's)
90. Somewhere Only We Know - Keane (walk to it in the bitter of winter, with no touque on for like 5 minutes. Wear headphones that cover your whole ear like earmuffs)
89. Anything to Say You're Mine - Etta James (Yes I can listen to "makeout music")
88. The Seed (2.0) - The Roots ( My generations "Sexual Healing")
87. Scared - the Tragically Hip (10th grade phone conversation)
86. babylon - David Gray (Mom)
85. Electrobank - Chemical Brothers (Sofia Coppola as a gymnast / Who is this, doing this?)
84. Hold the Line - Toto (Fez rocking the Keytar)
83. I bet you look good on the dance floor - Arctic Monkeys (Rock'n'Roll dance music)
82. Love Song - The Cure (best liked song to cover)
81. Run to the Hills - Iron Maiden (Being car chased in Lethbridge with Harvey)
80. This Modern Love - Bloc Party (Morning after)
79. Find a Way - A Tribe Called Quest (Grand Beach top down sheldon Cameron's JEEP)
78. Bed of Roses - Bon Jovi (Bahamas cruise, a little tipsy)
77. Brothers on a Hotel Bed - Death Cab for Cutie (Tucson on a Hotel Bed)
76. Beetlebum - Blur (The Jangly Guitar at the start)
75. Harvest Moon - Neil Young (Phil Jukes Karaoke)
74. Always Where I Need to be - The Kooks (Do da-do da-do da-do do do da-do)
73. Stand by my Woman - Lenny Kravitz (The Ultimate plea to take me back)
72. Shadowplay - Joy Division (Synth Bliss)
71. Rico -Matthew Good Band (My Fight Club Music)
70. Billy Liar - The Decembrists (what a foxtrot should be danced to)
69. I Like What You say - Nada Surf (Acoustic Please!)
68. Oslo in the Summertime - Of Montreal (Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba)
67. These Eyes - the Guess Who (Bill @ Boo at the Zoo Juke Box! he pre dated that chump Cera by at least a decade)
66. She Drives me Crazy - Fine Young Canninbals (Sue & Troy's Collection)
65. Stay Together for the Kids - Blink 182 (LOUD, quiet, LOUD, quiet)
64. Cannonball - the Breeders (the Pixies were lost upon me in 10th grade. I like Kim Deal's other "deal")
63. Closer - Nine Inch Nails (rebellious)
62. Around the World - Daft Punk (Convertable 12th grade chachiness/ Suzanne Smilek)
61. So Fresh & So Clean - OutKast (very tightly woven)
60. Seasons in the Sun - Terry Jacks (Nikki used to make fun of me for liking this song)
59. Strange Currencies - R.E.M (waiting for Kendyl drinking Orange Crush on a +35 day)
58. Get it Together - Beastie Boys (Lando word for word)
57. Brass Bonanza - Jack Say (Hartford Whalers fight song)
56. Swing, Swing - All-American Rejects (Blue Bug Blonde Hottie Remember Smile)
55. Lost Art of Keeping a Secret - Queens of the Stone Age (On the Balcony in Lethbridge)
54. Take you on a Trip - Interpol (DejaVu scary)
53. My Best Friends Girl - The Cars (From Vinyl to Casette)
52. Mad World - Micheal Andrews (When movies opened the mind)
51. O Canada - The Blow (Low Fi Fuzz)
50. O Canada - Calixa Lavallee (Yes the National Anthem)
49. Its Oh so Quiet - Bjork (Musicals on lots of uppers)
48. D.A.N.C.E. - Justice (Remix Please)
47. Oh La la - The Faces (I saved Latin! What did you ever do?)
46. Flagpole Sitta - Harvey Danger (My huge pre- Tom Cruise crush on Katie Holmes fueled my love for this song)
45. Winter - Dodos (Survival)
44. Bull in the Heather - Sonic Youth (Late night FM radio french programming while babysitting and watching ER)
43. Surprised - Gnarles Barkley (coreogrphed dance please)
42. Untitled 2 - Sigur Ros (best backround music of 2006)
41. One Armed Scissor - At the Drive-In (A song wished to have seen live)
40. Building a Stream with a Grain of Salt - Dj Shadow (As the title suggests)
39. 3rd Planet - Modest Mouse (An Ashley Roch influence)
38. Pardon Me - Weezer (Sincere lyrical rejuvination)
37. Wet Sand - Red Hot Chili Peppers (Larissa)
36. Drinking in L.A. - Bran Van 3000 (Ring a ding a dinghy)
35. At the Back of the Shell - the Kills (ridng the NorthWest train)
34. Yellow Ledbetter - Pearl Jam (the Wiebe boys in a boat with the only tape for miles)
33. Sylvia's Mother - Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show (Paul's ultimate mix tape)
32. Draw Us Lines - the Constatines (best song ive ever seen in the Hail. Best song I've seen at Sled Island)
31. Weighty Ghost - Wintersleep (misunderstood lyrics/ which a good smelling redhead set me straight upon, while we waited for many lights...... thank you)
30. You're Pretty Good Looking for a Girl (!st and favorite)
29. O Ye Coffee Tables - BOATS! (Kazoo MAGIK!)
28. Pure Morning - Placebo (Dude wears makeup, for real?)
27. Interstate Love Song - Stone Temple Pilots (Dubbed 100 times in a bedroom lined with football players)
26. Psycho Killer - Talking Heads (more endearing french lyrics)
25. Over Retired Explorer - the Weakerthans ( the final installment of "endearing french lyrics")
24. Paper Planes - M.I.A. (the gunshot hook)
23. Do You Realize - Flaming Lips (that everyone you know, will someday die.)
22. Float On - Modest Mouse (jumping in the streets)
21. Where is my Mind? - the Pixies (I came around to an extent)
20. Holland, 1945 - Neutral Milk Hotel (Oh the lovely horns, with dishes clanging and Micah singing)
19. Miss Misery - Elliot Smith (How do you like them Apples!?)
18. Just - Radiohead (Guitar madness to a frenzied silence)
17. Just Like Starting Over - John Lennon (#1 on my Birthday)
16. Poison Oak -Bright Eyes (Crying in a song)
15. Mr. Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra (Back of Jeff's Sedan balling my eyes out)
14. Since You've Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson (Karaoke/ Ipod classic)
13. Coffee Stain - Sarah Harmer (Only listen left vs. Baja)
12. Motorcycle Drive-By -Third Eye Blind (everlasting independance)
11. Murder of One - Counting Crows (Packing up junior High)
10. Whole Lotta Love - Led Zepplin (Christmas morning tradition)
9. Rock This Bitch - Ben Folds (Live Please)
8. Suck My Kiss - Red Hot Chili Peppers (Raw)
7. No Cars Go - Arcade Fire (HEY!)
6. Wolf Like Me -TV on the Radio (I know you have a dance as well?)
5. Betterman - Pearl Jam (lets all sing along)
4. Debra - Beck (I must make out to this song in my life, just once)
3. Across the Sea - Weezer (my favorite LOVE song)
2. Wouldn't it be Nice - the Beach Boys (the best peaks and valleys in the Biz)

and the winner is: #1. Run Around Sue - Dion ( Its got finger snaps harmony breakdowns and enough "hum da liddle liddle hey's" to satify someone for a lifetime.)

PS I'd love to hear your top whatevers.

I do like me a little funk?

I am in utter amazement that checking prior post the only mention of the Red Hot Chili Peppers was a faint promise that i may review "Stadium Arcadium" at some point. Which lets be honest at the pace that i write, that promise is as slim as they come. I also noticed the lack of hip hop or rap or R&B okay well I don't ever listen to R&B unless its Jamie Lidell or somehow I get trapped listening nostalgically back to 1994 and Boyz II Men?!!! PS I added the Roots as just start point and is not by any means my definitive or favorite album of its genre although its up there. Here's a quick Fix !





Band Name: The Roots
Album Name: Phrenology
Richard Release Date: Summer of 2003












I had finally gotten off my butt after a long winter spent on my parents couch wallowing from defeat at the hands of the Baja peninsula. Or so it has been documented. Owing my girlfriend money and in no hurry to get a job, said ex got me an interview with her aunt/cousins boyfriend doing some landscaping. Chris was his name. Tall lumbering fellow. Really nice guy, although later i found out he had apprehensions about keeping me on at 1st because i was constantly running my mouth and was kinda on the small side for hard labour. I guess my work ethic won out cause he kept me on and even offered me on of three winter maintenance jobs that he cut to from the 8 guys he employed in the summer. alas i was making my way to Calgary but did take this album as a reminder. Once employed with Chris i met about half a dozen pretty good guys even was able to attain a job for my ol' friend Scott Paper which he later squandered by sticking pens in the company trucks ventilator and being in the same truck during a collision with a guard rail on Bishop during a slick August morning.
Shaun Miller introduced me to this album one "skip day". Well we did do some work that day but we got a job in a suburban development construction jungle where there where only a few houses around. The residents of said house hadn't even moved in yet, but they had full flower beds already and we were sent to do the dirty work. Skip Day referred to the way work was done. With no boss and no people around Shaun put on the Roots and cranked it with " Rock You", "Sacrifice", "The Seed", "Break You Off" on repeat/shuffle. Later listening to the album i understand the connection with those songs as they are the most structurally solid as later in the disc it goes off into some spacejam/ jazz bull hooie. Ahhh "Skip Days"


Band Name: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Album Name: Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic
Richard Release Date: 1996












I just opened my case. Uhhhh its not there. Its not on my Itunes either. I swear Ive lost this disc a half dozen times. People just take it like a used book?
Breaking the Girl is twisting and turning
Suck My Kiss Aggressive drug abused sex with a glint
I could have lied i'm such a fool.......
Give it Away is overplayed
Blood Sugar Suckerfish Blood Sugar Baby Sex Magic She Moves me
Under the Bridge reminds me of driving to soccer games?
This album reminds me musical enlightenment, as i was once at a party whilst living in Lethbridge and this album played in the background, this was around 2000. I asked off the cuff who this was ?to a couple of scragglers. They laughed as I was ignorant to the guitar genius of John Fuscainte (Later finding out that it was the obscure Sir Psycho Sexy playing. I mean not too obscure but i had never listened past track 11 before, ill be honest). Since then this album has been in one hand and out the other. Thanks to Chris Sommers who introduced me to RHCP way back in '96. And yes i do hate One Hot Minute!

Late Addition: Please view My love for this band goes this deep! http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Ddd1AaOQKwm0%26feature%3Dchannel_page&h=29e8c9e2d5072840848980f56fdc9e6e

Death Cab...... my retrospect, in parts

So this could be a four part blog or I may just stop with this one. We'll see how I feel after I lay down a couple things about one of my favorite love/hate musical relationships. I've seen Death Cab live 3 times. Twice at Sasquatch. Once co-headlining with Franz Ferdinand. And dammit I missed them opening for Neil Young this past Fall, here in Calgary. Needless to say they only wowed me once with their live performance. And their one stellar performance may have only been enhanced by a lackluster 3 hour performance by "the Cure" whom they had played before at last year's Sasquatch (can you tell its that time again, I've mentioned Sasquatch twice already in this blog post?) These two albums basically represent what I first liked about the band.


Band Name: Death Cab For Cutie
Album Name: The Photo album
Richard Release Date: Fall '05











I'm going to go backwards here. This was the 2nd DCFC album i ever purchased. This was like a new age Weezer/Blue Album for me. Now I know its not as good as Weezer's masterpiece and in retrospect to their careers this was DCFC 3rd full length LP. I'm referring to the impact it had on my musical tastes. I really had still been listening to a lot of mainstream rock at this point. trying to get into the Decembrists and The Willowz, yet this album solidified my love for all things upper NorthWest. I loved that Washington/Seattle area had somehow produced a great band that sounded nothing like Pavement or Soundgarden. With sweeping piano that was way harder than anything that tool Chris Martin was putting out at the time (and yes i like Coldplay).
This album came out at the end 2001. I didn't start paying any attention to DCFC until the summer of '05, a little over 3 and a half years after the fact. When in the pages of Rolling Stone some punk kid from "the O.C." was wearing this magical Tshirt. Said Tshirt did the trick I guess, cause on Tshirt merit alone I went and purchased this album.
I'm more a fan of some of the organ songs on the album. "Blacking Out the Friction" and "Coney Island" are solid listens. And anyone that can include long-johns in their lyrics wins me over hands down.

Band Name: Death Cab For Cutie
Album Name: we have the facts and we're voting yes
Richard Release Date: Winter '05













So by this time I was full force into "Transatlantacism". It was the DCFC album which had just come out. I thought i was so all over the indie scene at that time. Thinking i was really with it and ahead of things. Not until I heard this album did I realize I was so behind it, it hurt just a little. Listening to this album a couple times, I remember thinking how terrible the production on it was. How amateur the song writing was.................. then i took a couple of months, read a couple hundreds of things on the band and realized, that in fact this was something that they produced to build upon. This album holds some of their most classic live songs in "Lowell, Ma" and "405". This album has shown me to be patient with bands and their progression, look deeper, look for the potential. Not all albums will be a home run. That prior statement is what has kept "THE ALBUM" alive for so long, but i fear that same statement in 2009 could be the death of "THE ALBUM". That and ITunes.

I bid you adieu.

2008 Top Albums in Review

So seeing as I didn't do one of these last year, I figured i'd appease myself by at least documenting my music tastes at the time. Once again i've been procrastinating all day to do this thing already. So I'm not promising anything earth shattering. Let it be known that the following albums are once again my opinion, mostly because they were the ones with a frequent rotation at some point this fiscal year. I've obviously missed the Bon Iver train? And contrary to what you have read in various other "Top Album" postings of the year, "Dear Science" by TV on the Radio does not merrit the praise its been getting.


Number 10: Elephant Shell / Tokyo Police Club




NOTES: - I saw versions of these songs live while they tourd though Calgary in late 2007.

Standout Track: Graves (Lots of Energy and Manic Guitars)







Number 9: Narrow Stairs / Death Cab For Cutie



NOTES: - I folded more pairs of socks to this album than any other this past year

- Saw them at Sasquatch Before the Cure and they actually didn't suck this time

Standout Track: - You Can Do Better Than Me ( Lyrically it makes me smile, sounds like Pet Sounds :)





Number 8: JIM / Jamie Lidell

NOTES: - The Male version of Amy Winehouse without all that nasty crack addiction

- Uh yeah I'm the fool with the short hair. Not my video so sorry for the sound

Standout Track: Wait For Me (Backing gospel singers outstanding)








Number 7: love is where the smoke is/ Jane Vain and the Dark Matter

NOTES: -I have a secret crusks on mrs. Fooks....ssshhh, don't tell anyone

- This came out in January. Props to lasting Power

Standout Track: Last Chance for Romance (Eerie Fleetwood Mac guitar with some ProTools mixed in I believe?)









Number 6 Vampire Weekend / Vampire Weekend



NOTES: -I tried to Hate this Album. I really did. I even went as far as calling it the poor man's Bedouin Soundclash

- I often picture people doing the Carlton dance to songs from this album

Standout Track: Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (The guitar picking kicks Jack Johnson's,... enough said. Oh and there some name dropping of Peter Gabriel)



Number 5: Weezer(Red Album) / Weezer

NOTES: -Uhh its WEEZER ?!

-Not gonna lie.......Its Weezer

Standout Track: The Graetest Man Who Ever Lived (Rivers and Valleys)








Number 4: Lucky / Nada Surf



NOTES: - Pick up the Deluxe edition with the Live EP you will not regret
Standout Track: I Like What You Say (Girls grab your tissues...okay guys too)















Number 3: Skeletal Lamping / Of Montreal
NOTES: -In 20 years every band will sound like this band, GUARANTEED.
- Best Live show I saw this year besides NIN
Standout Track: Triphallus, To Punctuate! (A song of just being there for friends, and them not returning the favor)









Number 2: NOUNS / NO AGE
NOTES: - Here's some Footage my roomate Phil Jukes put together of our Sled Island '08 escapdes
-This album fit right into the "Greatness" as it plays under 40 minutes!
Standout Track: Teen Creeps (an Anthem)









Number 1: Visiter / The Dodos


NOTES:- Also saw them at Sled Island '08
- Epic Tunes
Standout Track: - Winter (Haunting, best song Magnetic Fields never made)










So there you go folks although to leave you with a little extra, the best tracks I heard this year are as follows. If anyone can help me with links to MP3's that' be swell.

5. Gnarles Barkley - Surprise
4. Lady Gaga - Just Dance
3. Beck - Gamma Ray
2. Black Keys - Remember When (Side A &B)
1. Oldfolkshome - I Hate Dell
1. BOATS!- Chrome Eyelids

Have a musical 2009.

Jen NaGooGoo and the rest of the Crooo.

Well to keep the friends trend going, I figured I might give some love to the people that have to put up with my procrastinatory tendencies. And my somewhat Bullish nature. But with all the Bad there is some good, and this post is just a little thanks to those people that I get to share my passion for music, even if my musical taste are sometimes questionable?

Band Name: MGMT or (Management)

Album Name:Oracle Spectacular

Richard Release Date: Early 2008

So despite the fact that I didn't post a best of 2007 this album will get its proper due. And to be fair I wasn't even aware of this album til May of 2008. When I picked the album up it was in sort of the same ideology that I used to pick up albums for several years: Go into the music store and find the most obscure LP that i could find in the indie rock section. Sidenote: I rarely shop at HMV anymore as they have nothing I ever want. I hit up Disc traders, PLAY or MegaTunes on 17th Ave. So MGMT was purchased with a couple other disc that took higher precedence at the time. So It had to sit tight. I think I was listening to Beirut at the time. Anyways one evening I was watching the local music video channel late at night and saw their video for "time to pretend" and was sold. I believe I saw it with my fellow roommate Phil Jukes and both were befuzzeled and overcome with bewilderment on the sheer genius and psychedelia of what we had just witnessed? For the next 2 months it remained in the CD player downstairs for listening pleasure during long chats. At one point my friend Nicole and I had verbal sparring matches over which lyrics kick more ass. But this album did not come to fruition until I heard a cover track of "Kids" by the Kooks who just happened to be my friend Jen NaGoGoo's favorite. The 1st time I played it for her she melted. Memory Accomplished!

Band Name: Panic! At The Disco

Album Name: A Fever You Can't Sweat Out

Richard Release Date: Winter 2005 Jan or Feb?

So this is one of those that I have wavered back and forth on doing for awhile seeing as I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I thoroughly enjoy this album. This album full on exemplifies my madness in buying CD's. Anything that I can/could get my hands on. When I purchased Panic's rookie album it was before it blew up teeny bopper style. And I proceeded to play it to death and had my roommate Craig on board full throttle. The lyrics just lend to getting pounded in your head like a Levi's rivet. But by the time we were full on over it, (or at least we thought) Mainstream radio got wind of these boys. I know I put my other roommates ie: Al and Andrea through some painful repeat listens to this album but when I play this still, I can never get enough of "Lying is the most fun a girl can have without taking her cloths off" Lets get these teens Hearts beating Faster, Faster!

Me and My Home(mies)? Yeah that's not gramatically correct, so what?

The following posting is a total hoaring out of my friends that have recently been out and about touring this great land of ours. A couple weeks ago (Thanksgiving weekend to be exact) my old High School friend Jody Glenham came through Calgary, on her way to Winnipeg then back the day after next. Then it was up to Edmonton for the WCMA (Western Canadian Music Awards). Needless to say i made the 26 hour round trip car ride to Winnipeg for one day. Yeah crazy insane, I know this?! Anyways she has a new disc hopefully coming out soon. I think there might be 1 or 2 new tracks on her MySpace.

Funny thing happened that next weekend. Ricardo Lopez of OldFolksHome Fame. Some Ghetto Folktronica if your into that sorta thing. I am and most of my friends are so if your not, there's is a possibility your reading the wrong blog? Well Ricardo stopped by on his Western Canada tour a momentous 3 times. Despite being forced to watch Heroes with his Wingman for the tour Dan DeJager, both these men were old highschool comrades that were/are a tad younger than I so we were more of passing acquaintances back in the day. But since Ricardo also plays guitar in my friend Ashley Roch's many projects Boats, Ricardo has become what I'll proudly deem as a friend and a scholar. Ricardo is out East right now so if anyone that actually reads this that lives out there check out Ricardo's MySpace for dates.

So for the issue at hand. I figured I give you a review of One of my favorite Hometown Artists. And one from a band from the city that i've called home for the last five plus years. Hope you can enjoy.

Artists Name: The Weakerthans

Album Name: Reconstruction Site

Richard Release Date: 2004 Early

Just in case you have never heard this album before. Here's a little background. The Album is a cycle of songs about grief, regret and loss, the album is thematically framed by three tracks, "(Manifest)", "(Hospital Vespers)" and "(Past-Due)", which set three different sonnets about a terminally ill hospital patient to the same melody. Sounds kinda depressing but really its not. It makes me feel good about where and how I grew up. This album is really anthematic for me. It also has songs that seem like there have been thoughts of it picked from my brain. And when push comes to shove lots of the song structure almost reminds me of the 2nd album that is to be reviewed still in this post. If you think you may have seen the art before? Its the same guy that did the cover for Beck's "Guero" Album. There are many standout Tracks on this album for me. Lets start from the start shall we:

Track 2: The Reason: The Video was the bands first foray into Transit uniforms. It had a very musical feel to it. The chorus reminds me of a good Evan Dando/ Mike Watt tune.

Track 3: Reconstruction Site: Title Track, The one song i'm sure Wilco wish they would have written (That's if they even know who the Weakerthans are?)

Track 4: Psalm for the Elks Lodge Last Call: This reminds me of cold drives home on even colder seats in Laidlaw or Richie Mo's Car from the Pembi on Thursdays in the dead of Winter.
Track 5: Plea from A Cat Named Virtue: My Brother in Law Shane. I believe he made his grade 12 English class dissect the song structure of this track. Rock On Mr. Larratt.

Track 6: Well I already did this one back in the day. #11

Track 11: One Great City: wow this explains the love/hate with WPG so well.

Track 12: Benediction: It has Sarah Harmer's vocal accompaniment. Enough Said.

Enough gushing just give it a try already?

Artist Name :The Dudes

Album Name: Brain Heart Guitar

Richard Release Date: Summer '06

So when I got to Calgary, I had heard lots of good things about these local "Fellas". But just never seemed to be able to either a) get my hands on a copy of their Beepuncher EP or b) catch them live. So when they appeared on the cover of the local FFWD news paper exclaiming that they would be releasing a full length LP I was enticed again to say the least. What is on this disc lyrically might not be everyone seeing as again its Boy croons about Girl, but that's what I think is so genius about it. Sorry Dan if you actually read this just being honest . And I think the honesty on the disc is what makes it hold up as a classic in my collection.

"Do the Right Thing" Makes me sing at the top of my lungs.

"Mendoza Line (Whoa Caroline)" The last line on this track makes me think it'll be alright.

"Dropkick Queen of the Weekend" Is an ode' to all the girls that are way beyond any guys realm. But then take that guy for granted, and the sweet revenge of loneliness in the end.

"Love is Dangerous" Once again Just listen.

Have a greeeeeeeeatttttt week. Only 3 more weeks till new G'n'R!

Work & Song Part 1

So i'd probably been meaning to do this post for awhile and the title is just to suggest that there'll probably be more post along the same structure. I know an Eminem album fits in there somewhere? Oh and i guess I semi had already done one? The idea just kinda came back to mind on the eve of starting a new job. Enjoy.


Band Name: Sublime
Album Name: Sublime
Richard Release Date: Sometime in 1997?

















This album also kinda falls into the Classics for me although over time and as musical taste have changed I've realized that Sublime just wasn't that great of a band instrumentally speaking. It was pretty terrible Dub/Frat Boy/Reggae but because of the middle moniker they somehow were elevated to Punk status. Not Punk rock, they were just Punk. Oh and the fact that lead singer Brad Knowles OD'd on Heroin just weeks prior to the release. I think that's how the story goes? Which made this album achieve cult status at least among me and my cook buddies @ Earls Main Street. Little back story here. When your young and dumb Earls is where its at to work. I remember many a days one Mr. Colin Laidlaw would pick me late as per usual but the way that Colin drove his new Honda Prelude we weren't late he assured me. Often Colin would put on a Pearl Jam or Soundgarden album but Sublime's self titled was always the CD of choice. This might be an exaggeration but we most likely went through 3-4 copies as it would just get scratched and tossed around so much. And as we pulled up with maybe seconds to spare in a Leaders parking spot Colin assured me that this was "okay" and that the shift leader would like it and maybe even thank him later for taking his parking spot. We would continue to recite lyrics with Murray in a Hurry, Brad, Scotch and Geezer, all through the lunch hour as we got our asses handed to us from downtown Winnipeg Suits. Those were the great rookie days of cooking, when its like your a kid again and your not so bitter and jaded of all the realities of the business.
A couple of things that I would actually like to mention about the tracks on the album. The first 5 tracks on the album have a coherence that rivals some of my favorite albums. Seed and Jailhouse aren't even that bad of tracks, and the next 2 are half decent, I can even dig the smooth flow of Pawn Shop but Paddle Out is where it kinda just goes off course from the terrific melodies and hooky guitars. Caress Me Down almost sounds like a Shaggy reject (I really can't believe that i just referenced Shaggy). And the cleaner produced radio version of What I Got was not really needed. Obviously the Stand=out track on the Album is Doin' Time. Its just the greatest way to end an album that you may have thought have gone a bit wayward. The song brings you back in.