TIN STAR ORPHANS
Yonder
The opening track of this Toronto band’s album is a six-minute instrumental called “Juvenile Haul,” an alt-country-esque jam that is reminiscent of Wilco. I got excited, because this track was showcasing the ability of this band as musicians. I was anxiously waiting for vocals to kick in, but after track two was finished, I was wishing that the record was entirely instrumental. Zachary Bennett’s vocals are the worst sounds committed to tape that I have heard (though that is barely scratching the surface compared to what Kent Davies has listened to). He sings in a high-pitched nasal whine, that sounds like he is singing the entire album with a clothespin on his nose. This voice is so grating, that despite the great musicianship of the album, I can’t really enjoy it at all. I’m against the idea of Auto-Tune, but this is one album that I wish was run through the program before it was unleashed on the public. (Sparks Music, www.sparksmusic.com) Charles Lefebvre
Review: The Black Seeds – Solid Ground
THE BLACK SEEDS
Solid Ground
New Zealand’s the Black Seeds have finally released an album on this continent and Solid Ground will fully please reggae music fans both old and new. This eight-member-strong contingent blows away the competition with their blasting horn charts, sweet vocals and deep roots vibe that are all heightened by air-tight production. This record is one wild ride that begs to be played loud enough to dislodge the dust in the cracks of your hardwood floor. Reminiscent of top ranking old-school U.K. combos like Matumbi, UB40 and Steel Pulse, this Kiwi band sweetens its vibe with a vividness that will compel fanatics to immediately hit the dance floor and cut loose. While it’s hard to pick favorites, tracks like “Love is a Radiation,” “One Step at a Time” and “Strugglers” are at the top of this listener’s personal hit parade currently. Oh-so-sweet and dandy, indeed. (Easy Star, www.easystar.com) Jeff Monk
Review: Ron Hawkins – 10 Kinds of Lonely
RON HAWKINS
10 Kinds of Lonely
Somehow it seems unfair and hardly proper that Toronto’s Ron Hawkins remains a rather obscure character in Canadian music. Any self-realized radio DJ with a decent library of tunes and a need to fill a Canadian content quota should be a little familiar with his “other” band, the Lowest of the Low, or his fine Ron Hawkins and the Rusty Nails albums. His latest solo ten-tracker tips the goodness scales well in his favour again—Ron Hawkins can’t and shouldn’t be denied. Again, his striking, observational lyrics are in full flow here. Sad sacks and street corner poets, emotional has-beens and people scraping through life’s dirt are all here and oh, so achingly familiar. Hawkins’ hewn vocals add an earthy dimension to whatever he sings and his emotional delivery will keep you coming back for another listen to hear if the song has turned out any happier since the last time you tuned in. A must for fans and a positively enticing listen for anyone looking for honesty, integrity and grit in their musical diet. (Independent, www.ronhawkins.com) Jeff Monk
Review: Thee Oh Sees – Dog Poison
THEE OH SEES
Dog Poison
In the two years I’ve been listening to Thee Oh Sees, I’ve gone back and bought up everything Dwyer’s done in this incarnation—over 15 objects (from two-song 7” records to LP and CD sets with 20-plus tracks). One thing they can’t be accused of is settling on a sound. Gone on this album are the fuzzed-off freakouts parts from Help, continuing on with a mellower, more Monkee-ish direction the band has hinted at on the dozen or so 7” releases since and given us a ten-song mini album of distorted, funky beach-pop. But it’s still definitely Thee Oh Sees. “Sugar Boat” is the nicest, most Beatlesy pop song they’ve done, and “I Can’t Pay You to Disappear” has that crazy echoed-distorto guitar thing that’s Dwyer’s sonic autograph (you’ll know what I mean when you hear it). The double-falsettos in “The Sun Goes All Around” are pretty, but they can’t help but make me laugh (check out The Hounds of Foggy Notion CD/DVD and you’ll find the humour). This album didn’t rock me like the last two did, and that’s OK; The Master’s Bedroom Is Worth Spending a Night In was a speed-fueled change from anything before, and Help pulled back a bit into the ’60s. Still, the band can do whatever they want and it always turns out fantastic. Pity it all clocks in at less than 25 minutes. People bitch and joke about quality, about how J.D. releases every song he records. To anyone who wants the band to keep putting out Master’s Bedroom, it’s happened already. Let go, move on. And who gives a shit what them kids say anyway? Thee Oh Sees are the best band alive. If they keep pressin’, I’ll keep buyin’! (Captured Tracks, www.capturedtracks.com) Patrick Michalishyn
Review: Eugene Mirman – God Is a Twelve-Year-Old Boy with Aspergers
EUGENE MIRMAN
God Is a Twelve-Year-Old Boy with Aspergers
Unlike his contemporaries Patton Oswalt and David Cross, Mirman doesn’t make you hurt laughing. Instead, he delivers a good chuckle once in a while. Not as crass as Cross or Oswalt, Mirman’s style is that of nervous disgust managing to score some big laughs with everyday absurdities. He takes on airlines, vaguely racist polls and online banner ads. Although Mirman never really hits a home-run joke, his greatest attribute is small, concise one-liners and audience participation, creating a ripple effect of sustained laughs. A good example is his unexpected argument with a bear as well as his series of angry letters, in which he gets the audience to pledge a boycott in the name of Eugene “Horse Cock” Mirman. At times his material might feel a little contained and self-serving, but it’s the length of the set that’s most disappointing—a slim 35 minutes. If I had paid for the show, I would want a little more. (Sub Pop, www.eugenemirman.com) Kent Davies
Weird Shit with Kent Davies – The Rocker Code
By Kent Davies
“Rock has always been the devil’s music.” – David Bowie
From the time legendary blues musician Robert Johnson supposedly went down to the crossroads to make his deal the devil the occult has been a predominate feature in modern music history. Now Greg Taylor, expert in esoteric phenomena and creator of the blog Daily Grail (tagline: Exploring the fringes of science and history. Caveat lector!), attempts to chronicle the strange and fascinating historical connection between rock music and the occult. In the second volume of the DarkLore anthology, Taylor examines how the supposed “dark arts” influenced some of the most important musicians of our time.
From the rare Zodiac symbols found on Zeppelin records to David Bowie’s obsession with keeping possession of his hair and fingernails clippings to avoid dark spells being cast against him, Taylor is a rock ’n’ roll Dan Brown, revising rock history to suggest what alarmist Christian preachers have been telling us for years: rock music has hidden messages, pagan symbols and is probably promoting sex. While some of the Taylor’s revelations are nothing new to music historians, such as the influence of voodoo ritual in early blues, he does manage to link the dominate feature of a coded lexicon in some modern rock and metal bands. By deciphering symbols, relationships and sometimes eccentric behaviour, we gain insight into the artists and the supposed truth behind their material. While Taylor deals predominantly with artists from the past, newer acts like Tool and the Mars Volta (who wrote their album Bedlam in Goliath using a Ouija board) are also included. While these carefully-placed symbols and occult references may be nothing new to some fans (especially metalheads), Taylor’s foray into rock’s occult underpinnings may be prove fascinating for others. You can check out an excerpt of Taylor’s essay at www.dailygrail.com/Essays/2009/12/Occult-Rock.
Review: The Soundtrack of our Lives
THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES
Communion
I think this latest album from Swedish progressive rockers TSOOL is a concept album. Over the course of Communion’s double CD expanse, this formidable group presents completely mind-altering tracks which seem to be linked by some kind of spiritual lyric theme that I have yet to fully “get.” What is immediately obvious is this band’s continued skill at presenting layered and interesting songs using a pretty conventional rock band set-up. Singer Ebbot Lundberg has one of those friendly sounding voices that he actually sings with, rather than just emoting, unlike many of his contemporaries. TSOOL handily deliver 24 tracks that alternately rock, rumble, sail and thump at all the right times—strokes of colorful paisley underlie their eclectic take on pretty discernible pop structures. The Arthur Lee tribute track “The Fan Who Wasn’t There” and the Stones-y rocker “Thrill Me” are initial standout tracks. The rest, as they say, will grow on you like rainbow fuzz. (Yep Roc, www.yeproc.com) Jeff Monk
Review: Zrada Cultural Academy
ZRADA CULTURAL ACADEMY
Zrada Cultural Academy
Formed in 2005, local act Zrada Cultural Academy is an earth-shattering mix of traditional Ukrainian folk, metal, ska and punk rock. Held together by soulful Balkan and Slavic melodies leading into epic guitar shreds, Zrada’s album is 16 tracks of harmonious majesty, intricately crafted with raucous rock attitude. Beginning with the introductory question, “What Was Born In…?” Zrada moves into “Give Me Liquor,” a lament about excess. Songs like “Dark Skies” and “Quick Waters” are melodically grandiose, while songs like “Parade” and “In the Woods is a Path” are fantastic forays into fantasy metal. One of the best cuts “The Young Writer” begins with a punk rock opening before diving into a funk section, all the while held together with traditional dance sensibilities. Although the entire album is entirely in Ukrainian, you don’t have to have a command of the Slavic language to enjoy it immensely. Mark my words, this album is absolutely incredible and a fitting testament to Winnipeg’s incredible music scene and rich Ukrainian history. (Independent, www.zradamusic.com) Kent Davies
Review: the Rowdymen – Gas, Liquor & Fireworks
ROWDYMEN
Gas, Liquor & Fireworks
After a lengthy hiatus, the return of guitarist/vocalist Jason Allen signaled the return of Winnipeg roots-rockabilly staple the Rowdymen. Their latest kicks off in classic rockabilly fashion with “Johnny Rumble,” a twangy up-tempo number that gives it a ton of gas, and tells the story of a boy “born with a guitar in his hands.” Other numbers, like “Ode to Possum” and “Road Hard,” display some liquored country-roots sensibilities with a little help from one of the best voices in Winnipeg, Joanne Rodriguez (Angry Dragons, American Flamewhip). Songs like “All Right Baby” add some vintage swing to the mix. The album ends with some fireworks courtesy of a couple great rockabilly numbers written by vocalist/drummer Ken McMahon. Much like in real life, Gas, Liquor & Fireworks amounts to a fun rockin’ time. (Transistor 66, www.myspace.com/therowdymen) Kent Davies
Review: the Mission Light – Hearts for City Limits
THE MISSION LIGHT
Hearts for City Limits
Hearts for City Limits is an accomplished debut from Winnipeg pop/folk act the Mission Light. Travelling is a theme of the record, with song titles like “Through These Streets,” “A Highway Song” and “Homecoming.” These ten tracks come courtesy of a highly talented group of musicians, superbly produced by Gemini Award-winning producer/engineer Norman Dugas (Leaderhouse, Daniel ROA) and mixed and mastered by Kyle Sierens (Sick City, Common Lives). Formerly known as the Guy Abraham band, which was named after its SOCAN Award-winning singer-songwriter, the group has a warm, acoustic flare, combining soft melodies, (partly due to the very talented Saya Gahungu on violin) with large, bold vocals. The record incorporates not only percussion and guitars, but also features pianos and organs, and it showcases both the group’s artistic and musical talents. The Duhks’ Sarah Dugas makes an appearance on “A Highway Song,” along with Dust Rhinos’ Dale Brown, who adds additional violin on “So Much More” and “Breakdown in the Afterglow.” Other Duhks Cristian Dugas and Scott Senior have also recently contributed to some upcoming tracks. With reflective and heartfelt songs that hold a creative edge, these local musicians are well on their way to making a name for themselves. (Independent, www.themissionlight.com) Sabrina Carnevale