From their home in Peterborough, ON to a recording destination in Paris, the ever-expanding universe of Fire Flower Revue has effectively captured an exciting essence on their newest album. There’s a lot of experimentation in their 13 songs, ranging from bongos to accordion to opera samples to Bollywood. The tinkered with electro-pop bits and bites are present, tying everything together, lest it feel confusing. “The Structure,” “Doo Wap Hearts,” “You Are Only Good at Leaving” ― faster dance songs just waiting to be remixed ― and the romantic “Hedge Rows” are strong, while “Larger Dogs” is slower and pleasing to the ear, but not as pleasing in meaning. And yet, Jarret Prescott, Meg Kendrick and company find their playful side in 54-second breather “Whirley” and the toy piano-based “Gloc.” The album features a wide range of guest vocalists and, at times, feels tired, but is an imaginative, trippy, valid achievement. (Independent)
Here’s another one to add to your chill-out play-list. Californians Cambria Goodwin and Van Pierszalowski emerged as a simple bedroom recording project, and that fact is evident in Threadbare. Mid-tempo, ghostlike vocals adorn an album that represents a time of loss and getting back on one’s feet. It’s one of those records that brings you back down to earth. Songs such as “My Will is Good,” “Oslo Campfire” and “In the Meantime” glow with personal growth, but sadness sets in later. The acoustic guitar is their weapon of choice, but percussion via shakers and bells is also key to the experience. Goodwin’s voice is chilling, and her hums fly through the album, while Pierszalowski effortlessly provides support. Since inception, they’ve added a few more instrumental members. Violins on “Tree Bones” and the humble sound effects on “Threadbare” provide comfort. (TBD)
When Scott Sosebee moved to NYC, he most likely didn’t know that in six years, the move would affect him enough to write an EP subtitled “a comedy in five parts.” The notion of his band has been around for about ten years now, but Sosebee had been busy with countless bands in Georgia, as well as tragic injuries after falling from a trapeze rig. Now, he’s better than ever and has focused on his boy problems for this EP. Sosebee turns problems into play in songs such as “The Perfect Guy,” which jauntily details fictional romps around the city, and the collar tug of “How to be a Stalker.” Sosebee brings a light baritone, one he’s still finding ways to push to its limits. Trumpets, trombones, “sha la las” and a common beat from a list of backup musicians definitely help the EP. Together, they’ve all found a way to laugh at the past and make enjoyable music out of it. (Independent)
Parkas You Should Have Killed Us When You Had the Chance
By Jessica Lewis
The title is ironic, as this gritty Toronto, ON band have released this album eight years posthumously. There’s a healthy dose of blues rock, with warped guitars, banjos and an in-barn soundscape, as front-man Michael Brown powers through with thick vocals. Each moment feels like it holds some sort of secret that the band will get together over beers and laugh about when they’re older. Even with such precision in instrumentation (“Bad Comedian”) and an infectious jump sequence in “Isolation Play,” it’s hard not to notice that things start to get a little repetitive by the end. They still leave on a high note though, like an old warhorse pushing on. (Saved by Radio)
Woodhands has released their video for their second album’s first single, “CP24.” While the album isn’t out yet, this is all we have to enjoy, and I’d say it’s a great amount on its own. It’s hilarious, witty and bouncy. Dan Werb and Paul Banwatt should anchor on CP24, no doubt.
I found myself laughing through the entire thing, but that might just be because I am a journalism student… ah well.
There comes a time in any rock critic’s life when a band that they used to look upon fondly, who had since broken up, moved around but brought two of the members back in a new light. In my case, this comes to The First Joke. (Ironic, no?)
I grew up in Buffalo, New York. Halfway through my high school years I found my place in the local music scene as a reporter for NeXt inthe Buffalo News. I interviewed a ton of bands (and pretty much all of them have since broken up as well, but I’ll occasionally see people when I go back home, everyone’s doing well) but every single band looked up to the slightly older band, This Day & Age. Everyone was so charmed in their presence. I knew a girl that listened to their album every night before falling asleep. I found myself at many of their shows singing along with more oomph than I usually do at live shows. (Once, they played at Media Play-ha!- and they stopped short. I was still singing. Embarrassing.)
This Day & Age broke up a year into my university life, at the cusp of becoming something really big right after the release of their second album, The Bell and the Hammer. I don’t think I saw their last show (although memory is failing me right now, anyone care to fix this?) but I did make it to a show of theirs at Club Infinity in October 2006. It was bittersweet.
In the past few years, three of the members ended up in a band called the Reign of Kindo. I never really followed them. I was so busy learning new Canadian music. I regret such, but I am redeemed in the formation of The First Joke & Other Matters. Made up of the singer and drummer of TDAA, Jeff Martin and Steven Padin, they bring back what we all loved: the low-key late-night coos. What they didn’t bring from TDAA was the gut-wrenching yet still subtle wails, but you know what? That’s perfect. The First Joke shows how they’ve grown in music and their life paths, and those of us who knew TDAA still have those great memories.
The First Joke will be releasing their first album independently on January 19th. All of me wishes that it was just a few weeks earlier, when I’ll be home for the holidays. To have that kind of reunion would be great, and I’m sad I’ll miss out when it finally does happen in Buffalo. Hopefully Jeff and Steve will take this far or at least really put their love into it. These new songs show a lot of promise, like “Runway,” which will encourage your humming reflex to pick it up immediately and “Page in Book” is an example of the sweet harmonies Jeff & Steven have created for years now. It’s good to hear Steven taking more singing leads, such as in “Winston Was Here.”And in “Perelanra,” they’ve got a lil Latin flair.
Jeff revealed this information about the few of the songs on their blog: “a fun little fact about a couple of the songs.. i wrote the song “page in book” about this guy who realizes a bit too late of the damage he has done to his relationship. steve then showed me the music to what is now called “winston was here” and asked me to write lyrics for it.. (i did).. it then became the hopeful outlook of winston (the character from “page in book”) on the day after his wife leaves him, as he begins his new life.”
But hey, I’ll like just about anything these guys do if you couldn’t tell already. Definitely check The First Joke out, and pray they’ll get bigger and come to Canada one day.
The Reign of Kindo are still in formation, even making a new album, and you and I will do well to check them out too.
This sophomore release from this Cincinnati, OH-based band is incredibly optimistic and often catchy. The band are made up of two males and one female, with a flare for computer-generated snares and the banjo. When Margaret Darling leads a song, they tend to use beats that sound like they are waiting for a helicopter to lift off, whereas when Mike Ingram leads, things slow down. This album is a proud effort and songs such as opener “Winter 04″ and the calmer “Losing Light” showcase their collective talents, and many interesting instruments, but they would be better served bulking up their folk background and toning down the obvious electronic percussion. Keeping the pace fun and light is effective, but the banjo and drum machine need to work harmoniously. They do so to the brim in “The Push.” But what comes after “The Push” is ultimately a shove. (Eurodorable)
Oh, it’s a happy morning over here at the RoundLetters residence. I received a lovely newsletter email this morning all about everything upcoming with one of my favourite bands, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
In the past year or so, the band once and for all lost their drummer Nick Jago, released a live DVD/CD set and did some tours that were not here, basically.
2010 holds not one but three amazing bits of news for this Califor-ni-ay band:
-Peter Hayes and Robert Levon Been are introducing their new drummer, Leah Shapiro from The Ravonettes (yes! woman! making this band even more bad ass, who thought that was even possible?!)
-Releasing their fifth studio album Beat the Devil’s Tattoo on March 9 in US & Canada (album name suggests yes, they can be even more bad ass)
-and doing another crazy bout of touring, one day of which lands them in Toronto (April 1) at the Phoenix.
I’ve seen this band twice and both times were some of the most amazing performances I’ve ever seen. I’m not such a big fan of them playing at the Phoenix. I must say they really used Kool Haus well, but hey I can’t complain, I’ve also seen them in a tiny venue in Buffalo.
Here’s a video of them playing a different show in Toronto in 2005. Check out the bad ass!
So if you haven’t noticed yet, the new (and 200th) issue of Exclaim! is now out on newsstands across Canada (or will at least be coming to your little remote farm town soon). It’s also the year-end edition, in which each genre tallies up the ranks from its critics. The critics send in their top 10, and the ranking turns into a top 20.
As I generally write for the Pop Rocks section, that is where I submitted my list. I was lucky enough to be able to write about my top 2 albums of 2009. They ranked at #3 and #5. It was a pleasure to write about two albums that really made an impact on the insane year I’ve had, nonetheless get the chance to obsessively listen to them again for a week.
So, want to know which albums I’m talking about? Read after the jump to find out! Oh, and stay tuned to find out what my #3-10 are… coming soon.
For any RoundLetters updates that came before May 09, go here.
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