A Fucked Up Holiday Season

So when it recently came to my attention that one of my favorite Canadian punk bands, Fucked Up, was releasing an album sometime in the new year I decided to look into it a bit.

I never really go digging when I look for music, so it was new to me... yeah...right.

Anyways, I didn't really find much info on the new album but I found something that was a little more relevant to the season. One winter I worked at a Toys R' Us and all they played was "Do They Know It's Christmas".That shits ingrained into my mind yo. But now our little Canadian punk band wants to make their own little Christmas time jingle. Oh, yeah, they brought some of their friends too...

...actually, alot of them. Their ranks include:

LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy, Black Lips' Cole Alexander, the Faint's Jacob Thiele, Chromeo's Dave One, AFI's Davey Havok, Attack in Black's Dan Romano and my personal favorite: Nelly Furtado.

So this mega selling, Africa saving single goes on sale at Toronto's Sonic Boom Records on Dec 15th where the band will also preform some covers of yer favorite Christmas Carols. Plus all proceeds from the single will be donated to the George Herman House which is a very respectable and reputable charity in the Toronto area that helps mentally disabled women. Which is good.

Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas
Fucked Up - Baiting the Public
Fucked Up - Stress (Justice Cover)

Portishead: April Release???

So finally after a decade of waiting Portishead have set the release day for their third LP release. Why did they wait so long you might ask? Well a lot of label problems apparently. Their original label Go! Beat was bought out by Polygram which then, as we all know, was acquired by Universal. At this point is was over 5 years since Portisheads last record and Universal figured that their appeal had diminished greatly.

Oh how little the Majors know....

At the beginning of this year, Feb 25th to be exact, Portishead played their first show at a small Bristol pub. Although the show was a secret show, the response to it was overwhelming. Hearing Beth's trembling and broken voice is a light through the dark veil of modern pop music. Great pop songs aren't only written by the glamorous and glitzy. Will trip-hop make a come back? And when the fuck will Massive Attack release another record aswell?

Portishead - Only You
Massive Attack - Karmacoma (Portishead Experience)

heartbreakers.

the number of bands that have broken my heart out number boys by approximately one million to none. i know bands don’t last forever. they break up. artists “grow,” move on to other things, new things, and occasionally better things.

i’m not quite over the loss of Acceptance, and i doubt that i ever will be. but there are other ex-bands which I am willing to talk about. time heals some wounds.

Northstar were one of my late 90’s emo-indie rock staples. between "Is This Thing Loaded," and "Pollyanna," they had a pretty good run.

they have long since disbanded, but Nicolas Torres along with Tyler Odem moved on to a different and wonderful project. Cassino is quite the departure from their upbeat-emo past. (hello oxymoron.) the genuine acoustic/folk sound executed by this band provides a seemless guide for Nic’s distinct vocals. From harmonicas to trumpets, there is use of instrumental technicality throughout this album that shows maturity. the piano in "The Old Year," seems to drive the song against the vocals in an awkward but beautiful way. "Sounds of Salvation," indeed.

it is rare that i find myself happy over a disbandment, but i sincerely hope Cassino stick around long enough to make a sophomore effort. it is because of bands not boys that i always have ice-cream in the freezer and a box of tissues near by. there need to be more post-break-up projects like this one if I’m ever going to completely buy into all that ‘everything happens for a reason” b.s…

The Old Year - Cassino

Rigged and Ready - Northstar

Demon Daze...

HOLY FUCK LOOK AT ALL THE SNOW.


Damon Albarn's first full prjoect after Blur has been a favorite of mine for quite sometime. The Gorillaz mixed dub, hip hop and brit pop almost perfectly and I love them for it. Surprisingly though the animated four piece makes their best music when they strip down all the dub and hip hop elements and opt for a more worldly sound. Hong Kong is the perfect example of how music has evolved and bands have seamlessly integrated sounds and instruments from far away lands into western pop music.

Also it's interesting to watch Damon perform this song off the "Gorillaz Live" dvd. The performance similarities between himself and his brit peer, Thom Yorke, are striking.

Hong Kong is the kinda song that I will play for my children and say, "This is when it was done right."

Gorillaz - Kids With Guns (Hot Chip Remix)
Gorillaz - Latin Simone (Original version)

Gorillaz - Hong Kong

Hello! Welcome to our new record! This is it!

How much fun was recess? lots. how much fun was your first rollarcoaster? probably alot of fun. How how fun is Junior Seniors latest album Hey Hey My My Yo Yo? oodles. Yes sir, this album reaks of fun and if your not having fun while listening to this record...I'm sorry my friend, you have no childhood. ^_^

It seems the Netherlands are a source of inspiration for a couple stand out artists this year. Of Montreal's Kevin Barnes wrote half of Hissing Fauna in Norway. Junior Senior is from Denmark; pretty interesting huh? The album came out in '05...so I might be a little late on this one.

But this is the opening track off the akbum...live...someone come to their show with me?

Junior Senior - We R the Handclaps
Junior Senior - Hip Hop a Lula

Junior Senior - Hip Hop A Lula (LIVE)

a captive audience.

i gladly forwent a bed, sleep, and my city to see The Velvet Teen open for Say Hi along with the A-Sides in Montreal. the venue was the smallest and coolest i’ve ever been to. walls of stone and arched ceilings did little for acoustics, but were aesthetically beautiful. the A-Sides were a good start to the show. they began mellow but melodic and finished in an admirable rhythm.

second on the bill were my heroes and reason for the road trip, The Velvet Teen. a short and limited set due to lack of instruments and time, they still managed to out perform any expectations i had. Judah Naglers vocals are the most distinct and haunting i have ever heard. i will not give up hope of one day hearing Chimera Obscurant live, but for this concert, the boys played primarily tracks of Cum Laude.

if you don’t know who The Velvet Teen are, learn. if you do, good. with three brilliant lp’s along with a four equally genius ep's. the band has bled constant maturity on every release. their sound has evolved laterally, shifting album to album, growing artistically but keeping a familiar voice. i adore.

Say Hi were enjoyable, but their place in my heart is significantly smaller than the one i have set aside for Judah. after the show we talked with him and Matt (also a member of Polar Bears) about the downfall of the music industry, California-isms, and the pro’s of vinyl. we helped the band load their gear, and went to an indie bar on St. Denis for drinks and more conversation.

i can sleep anytime. giving it up for a night of live music and discourse with personal heroes and a great friend was a good call. listen friends. listen and love...

The Velvet Teen - Milo 7
The Velvet Teen - Gyzmkid
Say Hi - Sweet Sweet Heartkiller

...Baby One More Time?

Somehow, I'll admit, that I got reading a review on Britney Spear's new album. I haven't actually heard it, but apparently some people like it? I donno. So anyways, I then stumbled upon NME's review of Britney's first album ...Baby One More Time. In the review (which gave it a 1 out of 10) the author writes this at the very end:

Hopefully, if she starts to live the wretched life that we all eventually do, her voice will show the scars, she'll stop looking so fucking smug, she'll find solace in drugs and we'll be all the more happier for it. Now grow up, girl. Quick!

And I thought it was a pretty good prediction.

Goodnight!

G.H.3.R.E.M.I.X

Sorry for the absence kids.

But listen, for those who like to rock! Guitar Hero 3 was just released and of course I had to pick myself up a copy. It had to be done. The track list is simply unreal. Paint It Back? My Name is Jonas?! THROUGH THE FIRE AND FLAMES?!

I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. So I got it, pop'd it in and started shredding. When I was going through the bonus songs I landed on something that made me smile from here to the fucking sun.

F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X - the Fall of Troy

I've played that song maybe a million times already and it definitely re-sparked a long love with this crazy triplet. For those of you who don't know, the Fall of Troy is sort of like that band that took prozac, listened to At The Drive In and picked up a 15 year old vocalist. It's good, but it has it's bad moments.

Actually it's about 50% good/bad.

Thats because 2005's Doppelganger is 100% amazing. While their 2007 follow up is 100% WEAK. They trade in their tight, melodic screamo for something thats more accessible; and listen, I don't mind a band becoming accessible, but when you do it so blatantly it's just wrong.

Anyways, I'll let you compare for yourself.

F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X - the Fall of Troy



Cut Down All The Trees and Name The Streets After Them - the Fall of Troy