vintage

Because I like doing ridiculous things with absolutely no point to them (except maybe self-torture, by the end), I’ve taken a dare from my roommate to listen to the Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense once a day until I can’t do it anymore. It’s been four days so far. With most other albums I’d already be sick of the whole adventure, but this one’s holding up spectacularly. It helps that it’s only 9 songs long* and one of the best live recordings ever.

Continuing on that theme, here’s the video of “Life During Wartime” from Stop Making Sense. David Byrne is one of the most awesome people on this planet.

* I’m listening to the LP version, which is five songs on one side and four on the other. There’s a few different releases, and one of the CD versions has sixteen songs on it .. but I’m just sticking with the recording I had on when this whole thing started.

Tags: david byrne, stop making sense, talking heads

I’ve finally decided on the best live shows I saw all year. I couldn’t narrow it down to ten (largely because of the Calgary Folk Music Festival), but who decided that was the format for year-end lists? Fifteen it is, and in chronological order because I cannot figure out how to rank them.

Sloan (March 6, The Supermarket, Toronto)
review

Just by virtue of the fact that they played a host of songs I never thought I’d see them do (“Stood Up” and “Same Old Flame”, for example, from an old 7″ released around 1996), gave us a preview of some new tunes a few months before Parallel Play, and had a good time on a small stage.

The Bad Plus (May 24, Quincy’s, Calgary)
review

One of the more talented jazz groups I have had the pleasure of witnessing, and of course, they ended with their now-famous cover of Rush’s “Tom Sawyer” (which the Bad Plus have released on 2007’s Prog). Incredibly talented and versatile musicians, and Quincy’s was a great venue for them.

The Weakerthans (July 24, Calgary Folk Festival)
review

I credit this show with catapulting me into becoming a Weakerthans fan. They were terrific, and just the perfect sort of music for a summer afternoon. There couldn’t have been anything better about the Weakerthans’ short folk festival set.

Be Good Tanyas (July 25, Calgary Folk Festival)
review

I’ve wanted to see the Tanyas for quite a few years, dating back to the first time I heard “The Littlest Birds” from Blue Horse. Unfortunately, they didn’t play that, but they put on a very impressive show at the Folk Festival, reminding us that their blend of bluegrass, folk and country is not going anywhere. Three of the finest voices this country has to offer.

Andrew Bird (July 25, Calgary Folk Festival)
review

Definitely one of the most unique and interesting acts at the Folk Festival this year. It was hard to believe everything was being done by one man and a hard-working loop pedal; very intricate and delicately crafted music, and a great experience to see it being done live.

Blue Rodeo (July 26, Calgary Folk Festival)
review

Words can’t describe how much fun I had with Blue Rodeo. It had rained most of the afternoon and evening that day and I was ready to bail, but I’m glad we stuck it out — it’s obvious to me now why Blue Rodeo have been around for such a long time. Incredible musicians, and their joy of playing radiates from everything they do.

Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet (July 27, Calgary Folk Festival)
review

Abigail Washburn: a redheaded Southern belle who can sing in fluent Mandarin, accompanied by a string band. This alone is good enough to land the Sparrow Quartet on the list, but on top of that, they are amazing (also featuring banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck). To see these musicians is a real experience.

Squeeze (August 28, Kool Haus, Toronto)
review

I’ve wanted this to happen for years, and when it finally did, nothing was a letdown. Tilbrook was on top form, his voice and guitar skills as good as they ever were, and a bonus of touring without an album to back was a setlist jam-packed with all kinds of unexpected songs. A party from start to finish.

Sigur Rós (September 22, Massey Hall, Toronto)
review

I didn’t know what to expect going into this, but everything about it was great. Ethereal and soaring and very, very musical. The encore didn’t hurt either: a huge, joyful version of “Gobbledigook” featuring all the members of opening band Parachutes, and near the end, the biggest blast of confetti I’ve ever seen inside a concert hall. We were picking up the pieces for weeks!

Martin Tielli (September 28, Hugh’s Room, Toronto)

I regret not doing a proper review for this show, since it stayed with me for quite a few weeks. Tielli is one of those musicians you can go to when you’re sick of everyone doing the same thing, because he’s never, ever conventional. An incredible performance of his solo tunes and Rheos material with a great band of supporting musicians.

David Byrne (October 29, Massey Hall, Toronto)
review

Byrne is a real legend, and deservedly so; he did all the right things on the Massey stage, and added some quirks too (like the dancers!). The new material translates exceptionally well live, and he threw in some Talking Heads favourites too. He’s a thrilling performer, and one I’d see again in a heartbeat.

Hayden (November 1, Massey Hall, Toronto)

Backed by members of Cuff the Duke, Hayden’s jamming-in-a-living-room sort of set was homey and perfect, filling the beautiful old Massey Hall with his easygoing music. I didn’t want it to end. I’d see him again quite readily, especially since I bought his album after the show and know it reasonably better now.

Robin Williams (November 22, Massey Hall, Toronto)

The funniest hour and a half I’ve spent all year. Robin Williams just does not stop talking, and flits around from subject to subject to potty joke faster than light. Much ado was made about the American election, but also the Canadian one (he did a remarkable impression of Prime Minister Harper), and his accents and miming skills are among the most hilarious things I’ve seen in a while.

Justin Rutledge (December 1, Cameron House, Toronto)

If ever there were a perfect show, this might be it. The Cameron House’s front room capacity is about 70, and there were at least that many people crammed in there to hear Justin Rutledge on night 4 of his “Incredible Shrinking Tour” (each night brought a smaller venue). Many songs from Man Descending were played, and he went over two hours before finally deciding to take a break. I had no idea that much time had passed — a testament to the captivating things happening on stage.

Stuart McLean’s Vinyl Cafe (December 14, Massey Hall, Toronto)

I must confess: before this, I didn’t even like Stuart McLean. I would turn the radio off when the Vinyl Café started. However, there’s something about seeing the live version that makes things all the more enjoyable; ad-libs, personal anecdotes, and the really great musicians he brought along with him. I have been inducted into the world of Dave and Morley, and while I probably won’t listen to too many studio broadcasts, the live ones have a certain warmth that I really enjoyed.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: There were two shows that I feel worthy of mentioning here, but they didn’t make the main list mostly because I was heavily involved with them (and that is probably a conflict of interest!). One of them is The Bicycles’ CD release party at Lee’s Palace on November 8, featuring a myriad of guest performers like Forest City Lovers, Henri Fabergé and the Adorables, Sloan, Hooded Fang, $100, Matt Murphy, etc. I did play in about 8 songs, but the Bicycles put on a fantastic performance in every one, including backing up all the aforementioned bands. It was a great way to bring Oh No, It’s Love into the world. (review)

The other is Entire Cities’ CD release party at the Canadian Corps Hall on April 11. This is my band, and we had planned for quite some time to get the release party in order. Everything went without a hitch; no delays, no PA problems, great sound, and a lovely time. It still stands as probably the best show I’ve ever played, and certainly the best show with Entire Cities; I think that in itself merits a mention.

Happy new year, everybody! I look forward to the news and tunes of 2009 (already shaping up to be a pretty good year). Now if only that strike would end already.

Tags: abigail washburn & the sparrow quartet, andrew bird, be good tanyas, blue rodeo, david byrne, entire cities, hayden, justin rutledge, martin tielli, robin williams, sigur rós, sloan, squeeze, stuart mclean, the bad plus, the bicycles, the weakerthans

It’s finally here, folks — the top 10 list I have been trying so valiantly to complete (hey, it’s hard to do these write-ups!). It is probably not earth-shattering in any way, but it certainly does represent my listening trends over the past 12 months and might even introduce you to something you haven’t heard before. Comments are welcome!

10. SCHOOL OF LANGUAGE, Sea From Shore (Thrill Jockey)

Peter Brewis of Field Music, whose Tones of Town made it to the top of my list last year, is back with a new project. School of Language’s debut album is strange and quirky (the four-part “Rockist” certainly assures that much) but also features some great poppy numbers like “Poor Boy” and “Disappointment ‘99″. Every time you listen to it, something different stands out: you have to listen to it many times over to realise everything that it has to offer, and that cements its status as one of the top albums of the year.

Review: March 2008
Listen to Disappointment ‘99

9. THE BURNING HELL, Happy Birthday (weewerk)

The Burning Hell are awesome because they simultaneously don’t take themselves too seriously and take themselves very seriously. Mathias Kom’s earnest baritone is, well, serious, but he uses it to sing about dinosaurs, zombies and other playful subjects; the closing number involves him singing about his iconic ukulele. This is a band that isn’t afraid to appear whimsical (and they do, on several occasions) but Happy Birthday is also a lesson in how to play with a giant Broken-Social-Scene-sized ensemble and still make the music sound intimate and well-rehearsed.

Review: January 2008
Listen to Municipal Monarchs

8. THE MOUNTAIN GOATS, Heretic Pride (4AD)

I’ve always admired John Darnielle’s songwriting, and Heretic Pride is no reason to quit. Of course, the album features his trademark nasal vocal style, which admittedly gets to be a bit annoying on the title track particularly, but there’s also something about that style that fits perfectly with his abstract lyrics and occasionally jerky guitar. There’s some almost ethereal work on Heretic Pride too, though: songs like “San Bernardino”, featuring strings, and “Sept 15, 1983″, songs which remind you just how talented Darnielle really is and why he deserves a place on this list. (Well — that, and he has a song called “Michael Myers Resplendent,” which should be a bye into the top 10 no matter what!)

Review: April 2008
Listen to Sax Rohmer #1

7. LONGWAVE, Secrets Are Sinister (Original Signal)

I have Adam to thank for this one. I wasn’t familiar with Longwave’s work until 2008, so Secrets Are Sinister is the only album of theirs that I’ve heard in its entirety. Really, the best adjective for this record is “tight” — very together, very well put together, and very hard-driving. Maybe it’s just because I’ve been listening to it in the season of snow, but it seems curiously to sound like a wintry album without resorting to clichés. “Sirens in the Deep Sea” is a well-chosen opening track, and the whole thing feels a bit like a film distilled into musical form: a perfect flow from start to finish.

Listen to Sirens in the Deep Sea

6. THE BICYCLES, Oh No, It’s Love (Fuzzy Logic)

Before you jump up and call bias (I was on this record as a member of the horn section), I’ll remind you that I had no part in the actual writing or creation of this album, and so I think it’s fair game! The Bicycles’ sophomore record is much more mature and varied than their bubblegum-pop debut album, and the myriad list of guests (including Basia Bulat, Bob Egan, Laura Barrett and Dan Werb) fleshes out the foursome’s collection of musical ideas. At 19 tracks, the album runs just under 38 minutes — a testament to the tight, poppy esthetic the band still maintains. Oh No, It’s Love is simultaneously a fun, playful record and a slick rock collection, and finds its niche comfortably in between; again, the only thing wrong with this record is track 16, the unfunny, awkward comedy interlude (1:03) that disrupts the flow and holds the dubious honour of being the only track that needs skipping.

Review: November 2008
Listen to End of a Good Thing

5. DAVID BYRNE & BRIAN ENO, Everything That Happens Will Happen Today (self-released)

When you pair up two musical luminaries such as these, the unexpected will usually come to pass. So it is with Everything That Happens, a long (long, long)-awaited follow-up to 1981’s collaboration My Life in the Bush of Ghosts. That album was quite experimental, using “found objects”, strange samples, and other such interesting sounds; this album is quite conventional by comparison. Some songs even lean toward the singer-songwriter style, such as “My Big Nurse” — but still manages to incorporate enough inventiveness not to be dismissed outright. Curious piano riffs and odd vocal styles (“I Feel My Stuff”), understated downtempo songs (title track) and decidedly new wave influences come together in a sort of mishmash of sounds to create a slick, well-produced, and very interesting record. It’s not as weird or inaccessible as Bush of Ghosts, but this is a positive: Byrne & Eno have made a record that it is nearly impossible to dislike.

Review: October 2008
Listen to Home

4. HAYDEN, In Field & Town (Hardwood)

The best thing about Hayden is that his songs have a curious way of sounding like home, no matter where that might be or how long it has been since you were there. In Field & Town has a quiet humility about its tracks, which are unpretentious and charming to the end; when he played at Massey Hall with Cuff the Duke as his backing band, opening for Feist, the stage was set up to look like a cluttered living room, complete with rugs, a few lopsided table lamps, and even some dishes strewn on top of keyboards (just like his album cover, which is among my favourites). This album floats into your ears and waits for you to realise that it is worth keeping around; nothing is forced, and everything is perfect.

Listen to Damn This Feeling

3. SAM ROBERTS, Love at the End of the World (Secret Brain)

If Secrets Are Sinister was a winter album, then this is definitely one for summer. Sam Roberts has always had that breezy summer feel about his songs, and Love at the End of the World shows him at the top of his writing game; tunes like “Detroit ‘67″ and “Them Kids” just make you want to dance around in fields. “Lions of the Kalahari” and the title track are like the impending summer sunset, a little calmer but no less thrilling. Roberts has crafted an engaging record once again, and one that is immaculately produced to boot. It’ll be a long time before I’m tired of this.

Review: June 2008
Listen to Detroit ‘67

2. JUSTIN RUTLEDGE, Man Descending (Six Shooter)

My top two albums were a tough contest, and Man Descending sat in the number 1 spot for a long time before I finally made up my mind. That alone should tell you how good this record is! Justin Rutledge’s music is usually best listened to after dark, preferably near to midnight; it is calm and beautiful and intimate without being vacuous or boring. Everything about this album is understated, and Rutledge’s voice — smooth as honey — covers everything in a layer of softness. Although it’s by definition a country or roots record, there’s no hoedown or overt twanginess present here — instead, a very solid folk element, some nighttime campfire sounds, and a collection of beautiful lyrics. I can’t think of anything wrong with this record: maybe it should have been a tie!

Listen to Greenwich Time

1. ELLIOTT BROOD, Mountain Meadows (Six Shooter)

It’s a tough thing, choosing the best record of the year. I can’t say I have a remotely unbiased view, considering I heard a pretty small number of new albums in 2008. I can’t say that one winner really stood out at the beginning of all this, either — but out of the mess of good records, mediocre ones, and unmentionables, and out of the scrap between spots 1 and 2, a winner did emerge, and that was Mountain Meadows. This record is a mishmash of all kinds of sounds, from the Rutledge style of quiet folk to the rollicking piano-led hoedown of “Woodward Avenue,” from soaring build (“Fingers and Tongues”) to simple singable tunes (“Without Again”). There is very little that Elliott Brood has not thrown forth on this album, but it comes out as a cohesive whole instead of a collection of parts. Mark Sasso’s trademark raspy voice races through the songs, completely unrestrained (his entrance on “Woodward Avenue” is particularly striking!) and it’s unique touches like these that separate Elliott Brood from the rest of the country bands out there. They do what they want — and if what they want always sounds like this, count me in.

Listen to Fingers and Tongues and Woodward Avenue

Hope all of your holidays are going magnificently; another list or two is forthcoming and then it’s back to business as usual. Take care!

Tags: brian eno, david byrne, elliott brood, hayden, justin rutledge, longwave, sam roberts, school of language, the bicycles, the burning hell, the mountain goats

Last night was the much-anticipated performance by legendary David Byrne at Toronto’s Massey Hall, and let me tell you, all that anticipation was worth it. Byrne — sans opening act — rocked the house for a good two hours, including encores (three of them!), and the set featured a whole lot of classic Talking Heads material as well as new tunes from the record with Brian Eno (Everything That Happens Will Happen Today).

Notably, the large cast of performers included three dancers and three backup vocalists (the latter often doubling as dancers as well). The dancers were a pretty awesome addition, I have to say — even Byrne was choreographed into their routines much of the time, and what looked like a casual step back ended up being one part of a perfectly executed setup. Most of the choreographed tunes were old Talking Heads favourites, which included “Once in a Lifetime”, “Take Me to the River” and “Burning Down the House”. Byrne himself was relaxed and having a great time, smiling a lot and cracking jokes about the American election (“Why don’t you all drive to Buffalo and cast some ballots? They’ll never know!” — to which an audience member hollered “Drive to Ohio!”).

The new tunes translated really well to stage; the set opened with “Strange Overtones,” a nice solid way to start off the night. Also featured were “My Big Nurse”, “I Feel My Stuff” (particularly great), and, at the end of the night, “Everything That Happens”. The band was tight, the vocalists excellent, the dancing sublime, and Byrne himself was an absolute treat. I’m a Massey employee, but I was still getting my groove on a little during “Life During Wartime”. This ain’t no disco!!

David Byrne is clearly doing all this stuff because he loves it, and although not having Brian Eno on the tour was disappointing (though not at all surprising, since he never tours anyway), Byrne and company more than made up for Eno’s absence. It was an excellent show — well worth the excitement.

The record is also really good; it sounds more like a new wave album than My Life in The Bush of Ghosts did, but it certainly does a great job bridging the gap between Talking Heads and the aforementioned collaboration album. It’s out digitally right now (iTunes, Amazon, emusic, etc) and will be, as Byrne put it, “manifesting itself in the physical world” fairly soon. Expect a review when I have had more than three days to digest it!

In quick news, Stephen Harper unveils the new Cabinet to create the “right team for these times”; one cheeky commenter on the CBC website wonders “Two weeks ago, everything was fine and dandy; Harper said that due to his foresight the Canadian economy was fine and would resist recession. Now we have the right team for these times. If the times didn’t change, then did we have the wrong team before?”

Last night was also Barack Obama’s 30-minute televised infomercial, which is making waves all over the place today. Check it out. More on both of those topics coming soon.

Tags: david byrne, massey hall, stephen harper, talking heads