July 28, 2006
Geoff Berner, “Whiskey Rabbi”, Grad Club Kingston, 13 January 2006
photo by Silje Ese Haugen from a show in Norway in 2005.
The first show I attended this year was Elliot Brood in Kingston. While they were excellent, the real treat was seeing the opening act, Geoff Berner. Never before have I seen such a nervous looking guy grab a crowd’s attention, and with an accordion no less, singing songs about the failure of the Maginot Line (“Stupid! Stupid!”) and losing poker to Corb Lund. With an extremely strong voice, engaging storytelling, and audience participation, Berner had everyone’s attention through his rather odd set. His music is based in klezmer but informed by punk. It is passionate, political, and filled with dark humour. I would highly recommend checking him out live should you get the chance (he returns to Kingston on September 5th as part of a nation wide tour).
I only recorded one song from his set, but Berner has a live album which I suggest you check out if you dig what you hear.
* Geoff Berner, Whiskey Rabbi.mp3 (4.24 MB), Live at The Grad Club, Kingston, January 13, 2006.
* Geoff Berner, Maginot Line.mp3 (4.2 MB), from the album “We Shall Not Flag Or Fail, We Shall Go On To The End”
* Geoff Berner, Light to Enough to Travel.mp3, (5.6 MB),from the album “Live in Oslo” – visit here for more mp3s.
Bonus:
* The Be Good Tanyas, Light Enough to Travel.mp3 (2.86 MB)
Buy Geoff Berner’s albums from Black Hen Music (and visit for even more mp3s) and The Be Good Tanyas from FolkWeb.
Jason Collett, The Fine Line in Minneapolis, 29 January 2006 – Update
Back in March I linked to Schedule Two‘s excellent videos of Jason Collett‘s performance with Paso Mino in Minneapolis. But Schedule Two was not content to leave it there: now they have put up the entire performance in mp3 format for you to download.
Here’s a sample
* Jason Collett with Feist, Hangover Days.mp3 (via Schedule Two)
You know what to do. Go. Get. Enjoy.
Buy Collett’s cds etc from Arts & Crafts (and the word on the street is that if you spend more than $10 you will also receive the 2006 A&C sampler, while they last).
July 25, 2006
Shout Out Out Out Out’s Album is Out Out Out Out Today
I have to say Shout Out Out Out Out‘s album “Not Saying/Just Saying” counts as my most highly anticipated album of 2006. And guess what? My waiting is over because it is out today. The sound is heavily layered with vocoder vocals, four bass guitars, two drummers and enough synths to sink a small pleasure craft. It is electro-dance-rock which will make you move.
Do yourself a favour and get this album (already called “One of the best Canadian releases of the summer“) and definitely see them live if you have a chance. Here is what I said when I first witnessed the spectacle last October:
All in all I counted 6 band members….and 9 audience members. However, it was Kingston’s loss that they missed Shout Out^4 as they were absolutely unbelievable. I hadn’t a clue what to expect. The lead singer/knob-fiddler Nik Kozub was part of Luke Doucet’s former band Veal and he played a song with Doucet at the end of that set. The Whitey Houston guys were onstage as well as a number of others. There were two drum sets, four bass guitars, many keyboards, synths, and other devices that emitted awesome sounds. They bill themselves as a dance band (because I know essentially nothing of the genre my immediate point of comparison would be Daft Punk) but they rocked out seriously. Everyone on stage gave it their all and put on quite a show, despite most of the remaining audience was not terribly interested in dancing at first. By the end of it we all were up grooving. I really enjoyed their set and I really respect the fact that they played their guts out despite the fact that there was essentially no one there and after, so we were informed, their tour van broke down earlier in the day.
They rocked my socks off. Check it out for yourself:
* Forever Indebted.mp3 (5.19 MB) [from “Not Saying/Just Saying”]
* Nobody Calls Me Unless They Want Something.mp3 (6.56 MB) [from the 12″ of the same name].
Get Edmonton’s hottest export from Six Shooter Records (well, actually it isn’t listed in their store yet. In the meantime you can get it here. Update: it is now available at Six Shooter.)
July 23, 2006
Tangiers, CBC Radio 3 Session, 19 August 2004
Toronto’s Tangiers are one of the premier rock acts around although they haven’t, yet, hit it big. They’ve been called post-punk and “neo-garage” and people seem to have a lot of fun tracing out their varied influences. But it is too damn hot for me to worry about compartmentalizing them at the moment. You want some excellent Canadian rock? You like crisp drumming, jangly guitars and some nifty organ work? Then here you go.
Tangiers’ sound has evolved quite a bit over their three albums and this session for CBCRadio3 draws from their then newly released sophomore album “Never Bring You Pleasure.”
Tangiers, Studio 211 Toronto, CBC Radio3 Session, 19 August 2004
1) I Don’t Love You.mp3 (3.6 MB)
2) Tropical Ceremony.mp3 (2.69 MB)
3) Walk Run Walk.mp3 (4.39 MB)
4) Love Rackets.mp3 (2.57 MB)
5) Spine to Necklace.mp3 (3.44 MB)
6) Ro Ro Roland.mp3 (4.22 MB)
Get their most recent record “The Family Myth”.
July 15, 2006
Regina Spektor, The Current, MPR, 2 May 2006
Not too long ago I discovered Regina Spektor, thanks to Bows+Arrows, and since first listening to “Samson” I was smitten. She has an extraordinary voice with which she brings alive some of the most beautiful songs I have heard in a good long time. Spektor has amazing range and a fondness for rather unconventional vocalizations (for example, see “Better” in this set, particularly about the 2:30 mark; she talks about this in her interview with NPR’s “All things Considered”). She is a classically trained pianist and her skills match and accentuate her vocal abilities.
In May, Spektor paid a visit to MPR’s new studio to chat and perform a few songs. All three are absolutely gorgeous – particularly this rendition of “Samson” which, while a bit softer than the album version, is perhaps even more powerful. I was also going to post her set from the Beeb on June 29th, but Kwaya Na Kisser beat me to it. It is well worth your while to go get that performance too. And for those who just can’t get enough Regina, I just saw that I{Heart}Music has posted her XFM Session.
Regina Spektor, The Current, MPR, 2 May 2006
1) Intro.mp3 (1.08 MB)
2) Fidelity.mp3 (3.39 MB)
3) Bronx talk.mp3 (3.01 MB)
4) Better.mp3 (2.89 MB)
5) Strokes talk.mp3 (2.62 MB)
6) Samson.mp3 (2.95 MB)
Thank MPR for their generosity in sharing this set by buying Regina Spektor’s albums through their site.
July 10, 2006
The Weakerthans & Sarah Harmer at Glenn Gould Studio – the missing tracks
In November Sarah Harmer and the Weakerthans peformed were brought together in concert by the CBC. I was able to get most of the show in a rebroadcast but they cut out a few amazing tracks. I put out a plea looking for the rest and a recent rebroadcast of the original (complete) show was recorded by b(oot)log reader Craig, who was kind enough to send me the tracks to share with you all. So Craig, you are hearby awarded the “b(oot)log order of merit for you alertness and generosity.” You are my new personal hero. Thanks very much and I hope everyone enjoys.
[UPDATE: as reader Chrisk correctly observed, I have consistently dropping the second “n” from Glenn Gould’s name. Thanks for correcting me – Gould was a fantastic musician and I should have paid more attention to my spelling]
The Weakerthans & Sarah Harmer, CBC Onstage, Glenn Gould Studio, Toronto, 18 November 2005
6) The Weakerthans, Judy G (Weeping Tile/Sarah Harmer cover).mp3 (4.04 MB)
2) Sarah Harmer, In a Town This Size (Dolores Keane cover).mp3 (3.02 MB)
4) Sarah Harmer, Left and Leaving (The Weakerthans cover).mp3 (5.11 MB)
6) Sarah Harmer, Took It All/Claire (Rheostatics cover).mp3 (5.91 MB)
Buy The Weakerthans and Sarah Harmer stuff
July 9, 2006
Gogol Bordello, NPR, 29 April 2006/BBC6, 6 July 2006
Energetic and raucous, Gogol Bordello bring it like no others. They are fierce and passionate: they are gypsy punks. Gogol Bordello have accordians and aren’t afraid to use them – you do not want to mess with them.
Unfortunately I have not witnessed the spectacle of their legendary live show but in a next-best thing scenario I give you their studio sessions at NPR and, from this past Thursday, a session with Gideon Coe.
Gogol Bordello, All Things Considered, NPR, 29 April 2006
1) Intro and Interview pt. 1.mp3 (2.23 MB)
2) Dying After You (traditional Gypsy song).mp3 (1.98 MB)
3) Interview part 2.mp3 (4.69 MB)
4) Avenue B.mp3 (1.74 MB)
5) Interview part 3 & Outro.mp3 (0.99 MB)
6) Superconducting Supercollider.mp3 (2.54 MB)
7) Greencard Husband.mp3 (1.37 MB)
Gogol Bordello, Gideon Coe, BBC6, 6 July 2006
1) intro.mp3 (0.3 MB)
2) Avenue B.mp3 (2.83 MB)
3) Interview. mp3 (5.25 MB)
4) My Strange Uncles from Abroad.mp3 (3.48 MB)
5) outro.mp3 (0.3 MB)
Bonus:
* Troubled Friends.mp3 (live from the Casbah, San Diego, 18 May 2004; via GB’s site, get it on eMusic)
Buy music (or here to support NPR) and merch.
July 1, 2006
The Dears, KCRW, 29 November 2004/Lamacq in the City, 4 May 2005/Gideon Coe, 23 June 2006
Photo from LITC show in Cambridge.
I am remote blogging so this one is going to be quick.
Montreal’s The Dears make orchestral-pop that has an epic scale. It is almost operatic. This, my friends, is powerful stuff. These tracks are from their BBC6 Lamacq in the City concert in Cambridge and their 2004 studio session with KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic.
Look out for a new album, titled “Gang of Losers”, due out in August.
The Dears, Morning Becomes Eclectic, KCRW, 29 November 2004
1) Intro.mp3 (0.5 MB)
2) We Can Have it.mp3 (4.88 MB)
3) Lost in the Plot.mp3 (5.36 MB)
4) Who Are You, Defenders of the Universe.mp3 (3.83 MB)
5) Interview.mp3 (6.08 MB)
6) Hate, then love.mp3 (5.4 MB)
7) Postcard from Purgatory.mp3 (7.58 MB)
8) outro.mp3 (0.6 MB)
The Dears, Lamacq in the City, Cambridge, BBC6 Music, 4 May 2005
* The Dears, The Second Part.mp3 (6.42 MB)
BONUS:
The Dears, Gideon Coe, BBC6 Music, 23 June 2006
Thanks to For the ‘Records’ for the heads up.
1) Intro.mp3 (0.5 MB)
2) Ticket to Immortality.mp3 (3.97 MB)
3) Interview.mp3 (4.36
4) There Goes My Outfit.mp3 (3.68 MB)
5) Outro.mp3 (0.3 MB)
Buy their albums via KCRW.
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