vintage

This is kind of a hybrid concert-review/band-ramblings/album-review post. Hopefully it is not too confusing.

Toronto’s blues-rock-country-drunken-party band The Schomberg Fair hosted a marvelous CD release party this past Saturday at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, smack in the middle of a weekend transit strike that essentially paralyzed much of the city (and caused terrifying gridlock for those of us attempting to transport ourselves to the show via other peoples’ wheely machines). However, it was remarkably well-attended, and featured a host of their friends’ bands on the bill as well. To make things somewhat confusing and rather narcissistic, two of those - not one, but two - were bands that I am a member of, namely Entire Cities and The Cheap Speakers. So I will forego the review of those, although I would like to mention that I think both sets were a lot of fun, and playing at the Horseshow really rules.

The third band was, as the others, a veteran of the Rancho Relaxo’s Two Way Monologues showcase; they were Tin Bangs, and to be honest, I didn’t enjoy their set all that much. I will refrain from commenting too extensively on it, mostly because I was extremely tired (having played back-to-back sets) and somewhat impatient to see the Fair’s notably crazy, country-filled goodness. I also was somewhat bored by their stylings. They are, to their credit, great musicians; the set was really tight and really poppy, but there was something the same about all of it, which left me pretty cold. According to a friend, they covered the Hives and the Strokes during their stage time, but I will freely admit I had no idea (not because of the way they played, just because I wouldn’t recognize a Hives song if it was waving an airport pick-up sign).

And finally, the power trio, banjo-filled, and (this night) completely drunk Schomberg Fair. They make you want to break out the hooch and your cowboy hat and go find some handsome lads or pretty ladies on the dance floor. Let me tell you, if you have any opportunity to see them, you must.

In a nutshell, the Fair are like rock ‘n’ roll with a lot of extra roll - that good old-style twang, banjo, and some incredible bass vocals courtesy (of course) the bassist, Nate Sidon. They do covers of Townes Van Zandt (really well, too) and also of the favourite “Wade in the Water,” sung entirely two octaves below sea level by Sidon, who continuously draws shocked and disbelieving looks from listeners and audience members as he defies normal vocal capability. Seriously. It’s excellent.

Frontman, guitarist, banjo player and vocalist Matt Bahen is no second fiddle, though. Even while listening to him noodle around on guitar during a soundcheck, it’s clear he knows how to play the good ol’ blues, and play it well. His voice and instrumental stylings are a combination of Those Who Rock and Those Who Country (er, that was not a verb until just now), and together with spirited drummer Jake Stewart, often a vocal contributor as well - and an excellent one - the three make up one of the most talented good-time party bands to hit Toronto in a while.

Their new album Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground is a good embodiment of all of these characteristics. A few bonuses is that it’s a bit easier to hear all the crazy things that Bahen does on his various instruments than it is live (where often some of the subtleties get lost in the confusion), as well as to hear Sidon’s vocal-cord rumblings for mostly the same reasons. The songs are well-produced and have just enough twang to appeal to those who enjoy, but not excessive enough to repel those who are wary of it - a pretty awesome feat, honestly.

The one thing I wish it had a little more of was their on-stage exuberance, although much of it is still present in all facets of the recording. Perhaps a little more restraint on that is good, since the further you go into “exuberance” the further you inevitably go into “sloppiness” after a certain while. Still, that doesn’t take away from what is definitely a contender for my list of best albums this year (I was just about to enumerate some of the other contenders, and then realised that would probably be a silly idea).

Conveniently, the Fair are featured today as CBC Radio 3’s Track of the Day with the title song from said new record, so do yourself a favour and go check it out right here.

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On a totally unrelated and fairly gratuitous note, I am really obsessed with the following albums lately: Murmur, Ball, Challengers, Heretic Pride, and It’s Never Been Like That. (If Wikipedia had music samples every other website would be DESTROYED FOREVER.)

A heads-up for Sloan fans: American label Yep Roc has put the band’s ninth studio album Parallel Play, due for simultaneous Canadian and US release on June 10th, on their website for your ears’ enjoyment. You can listen to the entire album streaming here.

If you do, let me know how it is; I’m going to be old-fashioned once again, and buy it the day it comes out without having heard the tracks beforehand. How revolutionary.

Wow, my friends, it has been too long. Blame it on the black hole they label “school”; now that that’s out of the way, we’re back in business here. Shows to review! Artists to talk about! So much music.

I recently picked up Jason Collett’s latest LP Here’s to Being Here (it’s on marble pink vinyl!), which I’ve been thoroughly enjoying. I don’t know that there’s any song quite as catchy as “I’ll Bring the Sun” (from Idols of Exile), but “Papercut Hearts” is cute and a really good time, and “Roll On Oblivion” is a well-chosen way to open the record. The groovy “Charlyn, Angel of Kensington” is a slightly sultry, funky, fun song that I’ve been pretty into since getting the album, and Collett’s voice on this and a few others sounds uncannily like that of Peter Elkas. Funny, as the two are actually on tour together, covering both Canada and the United States in a giant sweep; clearly a well-matched pair.

I also got the newest Mountain Goats album, Heretic Pride (also on vinyl, but unfortunately, not coloured). Right away, Darnielle’s voice seems remarkably more nasal than on previous records, hitting its peak on the title track with its jerky lyric; I’ll have to admit, that track bothers me a bit stylistically, but most everything else seems to make up for it. Songs like the slightly ethereal, muted “Sept 15, 1983,” for example - perfectly arranged and performed, and probably among my favourites. It’s true, the titles seem to be more reminiscent of Zappa than Darnielle sometimes (”How to Embrace a Swamp Creature,” “In the Craters on the Moon”) , and I have yet to find songs that I love as much as I do those on We Shall All Be Healed, but like with most Mountain Goats albums, I think it’s a grower.

I have to say, too, that I recently discovered Phoenix’s album It’s Never Been Like That, and I am hooked. Prior to this musical epiphany, the only track of theirs I was familiar with was the frustratingly catchy “Too Young,” from 2000’s United (#6 on Jay Ferguson’s 10 perfect pop songs!). I loved it, but the rest of the album left me cold. Somehow, It’s Never Been Like That just passed me by, and I’m only waking up to it now. I can’t stop listening to “Consolation Prizes,” which is singalongable, catchy, energetic, and slightly electronic-sounding - in other words, trademark Phoenix. Once you hear it once, you can’t stop. Have a listen - but don’t say you weren’t warned!

Coming up: Brent Randall & His Pinecones, the Weather Station, and more. (Side note: My band, Entire Cities, are releasing a CD tomorrow! Reviews of the other bands shall follow.)