Bob Mersereau's Top 100 Canadian Blog

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY THE ORIGINAL SERIES PAN AM

2012-02-13T17:34:00.000-08:00

The new TV show Pan Am is after the same audience that fell in love with Mad Men, going for that retro late-50's/early 60's feel of adult America, and the exciting lives of stewardesses. So, it makes sense that they'd go for the same soundtrack style as well. That means no rock n' roll, but plenty of what was then pop. This flight is filled with the slick but still cool sounds of famous jazzers and adult vocalists, with a whiff of martini in the air.

The compilers have tried to go past the obvious hits, and they did well with that, as almost none of these bothered the charts. However, they are also strong choices, and my relatively hasty research shows most weren't released as singles, but probably would have been decent choices. The names are all recognizable for the most part; Bobby Darin, Ella Fitzgerald, Brenda Lee, Peggy Lee, Dinah Washington, even Count Basie shows up with a late-period attempt at modern sounds, an instrumental version of Ray Charles' recent hit I Can't Stop Loving You. All good stuff. Oddly, the one major hit that is included here is so overused that it's become annoying: I hereby declare a moratorium on the appearance of The Girl From Ipanema for at least a decade. It needs to rest, at the same retirement home as Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah.

There's a ringer here, and it will be of interest to a lot of folks. New festival favourite Grace Potter is a grand choice to update another classic, with Fly Me To The Moon an obvious and good choice for the show's subject matter. She does a smooth job of it, too. With the non-album Potter oddity, and the mostly-obscure track listing, this makes a nice pick-up for those with a taste for some light swingin'.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: RICHARD THOMPSON BAND - LIVE AT CELTIC CONNECTIONS

2012-02-12T10:24:00.000-08:00

Funny thing, fame. Viewing this new Blu-ray, and reflecting on Thompson's long and high-quality career, it strikes me that even though he is not what we'd consider a star, he may have found the perfect mix of commercial and artistic success. He's basically a cult artist, highly respected and loved by those that know him, a big enough draw to fill small halls, and continue to release albums, get lots of adoring press, yet not really bother pop culture or be a household name. I'm sure he'd like to add a zero onto every pay cheque over the years, but here's what he'd have to give up.

Almost every act of his vintage (he started in the late 60's) pretty much has to come out and do a greatest hits show, and lean heavily on the tried-and-true numbers from the start of their career. Thompson, however, can do shows of entirely new material, as we have here, and still have the audience thrilled. I bet he appreciates this, and for an artist, it may be more important than that collection of luxury cars in the garage their more commercially-successful peers can afford.

This set comes from a festival in Glasgow, rather than the similarly-named one in Cape Breton. Recorded in January of last year, it sees Thompson perform the bulk of his latest effort, the strong Dream Attic album. That album was actually a live one, of all-new material, captured in concert rather than in studio as Thompson and his crack band worked out exciting stage arrangements. We get the usual devastating character studies, take-downs of greedy bastard bankers (The Money Shuffle), self-important rock stars (Here Comes Geordie, reported to be about Sting), and vile serial killers (Sidney Wells). The musicianship is of the highest order, with Thompson effortlessly coaxing ripping solos, but more importantly providing a rich and ringing tone through all his rhythm and fills-playing.

The band is stellar and able to move in any direction Thompson chooses, adding lots of their own colours. Pete Zorn is a mood machine, going from dark and gloomy to full-out rocking on sax and flute, as well as beefing up the set when needed on second guitar and vocals. Canadian and McGarrigle associate Joel Zifkin is whiz on fiddle, and as Thompson explains in the liner notes, not stuck on any style, so a valuable sideman. Rather than impressing with solos, this band is all about making a joyful noise together.

The hall-capacity audience is highly supportive of these new-to-them songs, and nobody is rushing out to the beer vendor like they do when The Rolling Stones try to sneak in something written after 1978. And even when the Thompson Band returns for the second set of older material, it's hardly a greatest-hits night. Instead his fans are treated to rare gems such as The Angels Took My Racehorse Away from his solo debut Henry The Human Fly in 1972 ("the poorest-selling album in Warner Brothers' history", he says triumphantly). Thompson could cherry-pick just about anything from his discs and get away with it, but of course he does add some of the better-known favourites, this time Wall Of Death, Al Bowlly's In Heaven and Tear-Stained Letter, the latter perhaps his biggest showboat crowd-pleaser.

If you are a Thompson fan, you already know you need this video. If he's new to you, it's a great place to start, and lucky you, as there will be so much to discover.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: LEONARD COHEN - OLD IDEAS

2012-02-10T10:27:00.000-08:00

When Leonard Cohen opened his world tour here in Fredericton at The Playhouse on May 11, 2008, it was a glorious event. While it could have been simply a last love-in for a senior taking a farewell jaunt, the wily veteran proved he had the chops to continue, and had lost none of his ability to captivate. What should have been a retirement trip was in fact the start of a new phase, one that would see him on the road for two years, and most surprisingly, offering new tunes on stage, and the promise of another album.

That was welcome news, but not entirely exciting. After all, his most recent releases, after the later-period thrills of I'm Your Man and The Future, were the underwhelming Ten New Songs (2001) and Dear Heather (2004). He made nods to them on the tour, but really his reputation for a new generation was anchored in legend, and the unexpected revival of Hallelujah. The idea of a new, and stunning Cohen album seemed chancy at best. Of course, I never thought he'd start a world tour in Fredericton, either, let alone play possibly the greatest concert event I've ever witnessed, when he was 73. Now he's 77.

Old Ideas is not only better than I had expected, it is a significant work by a vibrant artist, obviously buoyed by his recent success. Everything you want from Cohen is here, plus a few surprises. There are songs of the highest lyrical quality, his hallmark since the start of his music career. With his experience, he learned long ago that economy is more important than verbiage, and the search for the perfect word and phrase would serve him better than haste. Cohen's wit is present as well, playing off his image, as he did with I'm Your Man. The disc opens with Going Home, and the very first lines we hear are "I love to speak with Leonard/He's a sportsman and a shepherd/He's a lazy bastard/Living in a suit." It's a fascinating number that seems to be about the difference between the public and on-stage Cohen and who he feels he really is: "He wants to write a love song/An anthem of forgiving/A manual for living with defeat."

Defeat? Love is defeat? Crap. He's probably right, and that little zinger is just tossed off in the midst of one number. As usual, love in all its agony and ecstasy is a major theme here, even after the fact, on Anyhow, where our boy tries to lesson a guilty conscious: "Have mercy on me baby/After all I did confess/Even though you have to hate me/Could you hate me less?" It's lines like these that draw us into the songs, and the album is full of them.

His other main song source, again something that has remained constant, is religion, combining these classic images with personal writing. In Show Me The Place (which features a welcome return of vocalist Jennifer Warnes), the images are from the Resurrection, the singer asking "help me roll away the stone", but it's another relationship song, our man willing to suffer for the love of one just as Jesus did for the love of all. Only L.C. could pull that lyric off.

Part of the success of that, and a couple of other songs, comes from the production and arrangements, which cast these songs closer to hymns than Cohen has ever come. Credit the various producers and arrangers here, because the disc features a varied bunch of styles and collaborations, and this is more good news. Both Ten New Songs and Dear Heather felt like Cohen was leaning too heavily on both Sharon Robinson and Anjani Thomas, and while both return here, they are part of the team, with Cohen seeming more in control of the overall plan, and more interested as well. Patrick Leonard and Ed Sanders are most prominent, but it always feels like Cohen's song. Even the co-writing credits are way down, Cohen solely responsible for five of the ten tracks.

One last and pleasant surprise comes at the start of the second half of the album. Until then, Old Ideas had sounded like the usual modern Cohen disc, spare but precise instrumentation, not as synth-heavy perhaps, very good for sure. But on Crazy To Love You, we get the return of the original Leonard, as the song features the nylon-string guitar with which his early hits are associated. It's Cohen's nod to his younger self, and might even be in answer to his son Adam, who recently released his own disc of nylon stringed tunes, saying he'd been bugging the old man to return to that sound for years. It is welcome, and as usual wise. Just a taste, not a return, that's not growth.

Listening through, the biggest surprise is what Cohen didn't do on this disc. He didn't go back, he moved forward, and strongly. He got better, like any artist wants, and even though his age is there, it's not the topic, not the excuse, not really considered. Unlike contemporaries Paul Simon and Bob Dylan, there are no ruminations on what things have changed. For Cohen, nothing really has in his work, and the work is all-important, which is why he "love(s) to speak with Leonard". He's our man, skipping into the future.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: BRANDON ISAAK - BLUESMAN'S PLEA

2012-02-06T18:57:00.000-08:00

Longtime front man for Vancouver blues favourites The Twisters, Isaak strikes out on his own with a solid debut. Showing skills in a wide variety of acoustic blues, Isaac brings it all together with a powerful, plaintive and gutsy voice, plus excellent writing over the course of the 14 tunes here. With lots of fine picking, evocative slide and plenty of changes, it's a surprise and wonder that he handles everything on the album aside from drums, which fall to producer Chris Isaak (the other one, Brandon's sibling).

There's a smoothness on a lot of tracks, but it's the good kind, not wimpy but instead soulful. Isaak really shines when he puts the gospel into his music, not literally, but grabbing the good swing found in those uplifting tones. You Gotta Pray is a number to get you out of the personal blues, and sees him getting close to preacher vocals. Instead of other bluesmen, at several points on the disc I find myself thinking about Lyle Lovett, and that's meant as a big compliment.

Even when the disc leans towards cliche, such as the lyrics on Hard Workin' Woman, where his baby is leaving on a big jet plane, the production quality, the sound, and the voice make the song winner. Luckily, there are far more gems with something new in them. He gets a slow funky groove going for A Little Wine, a cautionary tale, and for Tell Me Why, Isaac lets his inner Howlin' Wolf come out. Always known (and nominated) as a strong songwriter on the national blues scene, Isaak pushing to the head of the pack with this work.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: BIDINIBAND - IN THE ROCK HALL

2012-01-31T19:25:00.000-08:00

Fearless leader (more or less) of Rheostatics, or at least the company spokesperson, this is Dave Bidini's second outing with his new outfit, and shows he's moving along quite nicely. He gave good songwriter on the first one, The Land Is Wild, coming up with solid tales of Canadiana, pornography and tragic hockey players. This one is more of a rock band album, although fused throughout with Bidini's own literate and articulate observations. Plus, the Smurfs show up.

Drummer and secret weapon to both Rheostatics and Ron Sexsmith, Don Kerr, handles the production again, and this time he gets to go crazy on the classic pop and rock sounds, plus join the quartet in some serious volume-dealing. Given Bidini's breadth of vision, this means we get a bit of 60's (Hey Paul And Donna), an entire homage to the most annoying decade (The Best Thing About The 80's Was You), and some straight-ahead Middle-Eastern power chords (I Wanna Go To Yemen). The entire quartet, with Paul Linklater on guitar (the Paul of Paul And Donna) and Doug Friesen on bass, really get to explode and work things out over the course of the album. That explains why, at a recent solo acoustic gig, Bidini stuck to older stuff, saying the new songs didn't lend themselves to folk music.

On my first run-through of In The Rock Hall, I got caught up trying to follow the lyrics, my usual way. And I got mighty confused, trying to figure out what the hell he was on about at first, missing out on the excitement of the songs themselves. I guess I was expecting a disc full of tales like The Land Is Wild, Bidini's powerful telling of the Bryan Fogarty story. But this ain't that album, and the words are doing a different job here. Well, several different jobs. Eunoia is experimental poetry, where the words can only have one vowel. Bidini's partial to U, which means we get lines such as "hung stud lustful sluts such fun". Actually it is a bunch of fun, even at 10 minutes, as the group rattles off a whole bunch of different parts, creating a sort of Abbey Road side 2 medley of alliteration. Popcorn makes little conventional sense either, but is a joy as Bidini strings together pop culture cliches, including time-worn rock lyrics, quoting Stones, Elton, and The Who. I have no idea why he or anyone else would want to go to Yemen, and I had to tell myself to stop wondering about it and just rock.

The one easily-followed narrative is the closing, and title cut, and it's special for a few reasons. It's taken from a poem by the late Paul Quarrington, written after he did indeed visit the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland. Quarrington was a dear friend of Bidini's, a fellow musician, and his literary mentor. They met when Bidini asked him if he could borrow the title Whale Music from Quarrington's book for a Rheostatics album, and that turned into Quarrington asking the band if they'd do music for the film of his book. When Quarrington passed away, Bidini turned the words into a performance piece, and its a musical observation that might have come from Frank Zappa's pen had he survived to see it ("In the Rock Hall, they got your loin cloth worn by old Johnny Winter").

What I love best about this disc is the non-stop creative energy, the sheer fun of creating with music and words, the energy and intelligence. Over his three-decade career as a musician, author, and journalist, Bidini has been restless in his pursuit of creativity, refusing to tone down his ideas in order to grab a bigger (or any) share of the marketplace. And if it takes me two or three listens to figure it out each time, that's exactly what I'm going to do, because that's when the rewards start pouring in. Gimme some popcorn.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY - THE DOORS: L.A. WOMAN 40th & MR. MOJO RISIN': THE STORY OF L.A. WOMAN

2012-01-29T17:00:00.000-08:00

Chinese New Year indicated it was the Year of the Dragon, but apparently that was wrong. I'm now told it's the Year of the Doors, and we have these two new products to start things off, a slightly-late celebration of the 40th anniversary of the group's last disc, L.A. Woman. There's also the promise of more goodies to come, but given the multiple releases over the past few years, mostly live concerts, I can't imagine what could be left that's new. Well, check that. These are packed with new items, so perhaps there's more of interest to come.

The Doors, Inc., have done a good job of keeping each new generation familiar with the hits. After listening to this disc, I found myself singing Break On Through in the car, and my two teenagers immediately chimed in. Neither could remember where they had been introduced to the song, but they sure knew who Jim Morrison was.

L.A. Woman was the final work for Morrison, after the band had already quit touring due to his increased instability, from booze and riotous behaviour. With his Miami indecency bust hanging over his head, Morrison and the group must have felt that the studio was the only safe place left in the U.S. Morrison certainly did, as he would leave the band and the country soon after, decamping to Paris as a poet, not a singer. After some so-so albums, this became a massive hit for the group, a return to form and biographical proof that Morrison could still do it when he needed to.

It was a return to blues for the group, a return to the music they'd started with in clubs, and an opportunity to reign in the singer, and the tendency for the rest of the band to veer towards a Jazz Odyssey piece when left to their own. That said, it's not the greatest album in the world, a good one for sure, but of all things, there are a couple of basic blues tracks that are little more than filler. Those are offset by a trio of greats, key moments in the group's catalogue, and plainly major works. Love Her Madly was a tight, cool single, a Robbie Krieger song that Morrison got into, while L.A. Woman and Riders On The Storm are the best of their epic work, dark but enjoyable tales. Nobody captured the dangerous side of Los Angeles like Morrison, but somehow he kept the romance in L.A. Woman as well. His second film noir number, Riders On The Storm, was a serial killer tale that somehow ended up on radio, its melodic nature belying the nasty character behind it.

The secondary numbers are pretty decent too, with The Changeling, Hyacinth House and The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat) all with interesting lyrics. It's those blues workouts that take the entire album down a notch. Maybe it's just that we've heard so many blues bands covering John Lee Hooker and basic 12-bar over the years, that the songs have lost the power.

The second disc on the deluxe version is a revelation, almost all the tracks featured in alternative, early versions, complete with studio chatter. We hear Morrison playfully singing a western number before a take of Riders On The Storm, giving proof to the claim it's inspiration was Ghost Riders In The Sky. At one point he says there should be thunder sound effects added, which of course became a huge part of the mood of the track. None of these alternatives were hugely different, and in fact are all pretty close to the final takes, mostly just lacking in energy as the parts were worked out. The big news is that a previously-unknown Doors original has been discovered on the original tapes as this disc was being prepared. That's true, and it's called She Smells So Nice, paired here in a live-in-the-studio medley with the Muddy Waters classic Rock Me. The bad news is that it's a basic blues number, just a work-through to see if it had any potential. It didn't, and given my lack of interest in the blues numbers that did make the album, I don't have much to praise about this find, so don't fall for any hype over it. What you should be interested in is the whole album, from early versions to final takes, and if you only have a best-of, with The Big Three on it, Hyacinthe House and The WASP are important cuts to own as well.

Released in tandem with the album is a brand-new DVD documentary, based on the making of the L.A. Woman album. Mr. Mojo Risin' features almost all the surviving cast, including all three doors, label boss Jac Holzman, manager Bill Siddons, producer Bruce Botnick, and poet-pal Michael McClure. Of course, it is over-the-top in its praise, with sympathetic votes from DJ Jim Ladd, and critics David Fricke and Ben Fong-Torres of Rolling Stone obvious fans. But the footage is classic and well-used, and there's some great bits where Botnick uses that Classic Albums trick of taking down the faders you so can hear individual parts highlighted. Best of all are the bits where members Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger and John Densmore tell how the cuts came about, the song influences and riff ideas. Manzarek, as usual, is awfully pompous, but he's a great participant/actor, gleefully playing his keyboard parts and filling in for Morrison on vocals. Krieger is the humble one, and just as fun to watch perform his solos today.

It's a great one-two punch, having this DVD accompany the reissue of the album. I heartily recommend getting both for the full experience.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY - QUEEN: DAYS OF OUR LIVES (DVD)

2012-01-26T14:16:00.000-08:00

The story is probably pretty familiar to most fans, but the treatment is excellent. This DVD is a two-part TV documentary done for the BBC last year, and with full cooperation from the band. Well, at least Brian May and Roger Taylor; John Deacon is still maintaining his retirement silence, but it's so well done you don't even realize he isn't doing new interviews until you're well into it. Armed with a wealth of archival footage, much of it from the band's own vaults or rare and rediscovered tapes from the Beeb itself.

All the highlights are here, from May leading us through a tour of his old school where the band was formed, through to studio sessions showing early hits such as Killer Queen being recorded, and then of course the big breakthrough, Bohemian Rhapsody. But given the landmark status of that tune, it seems to barely pause to remark on it. And such is the trouble with only two hours to spend on a long-lived band, you can't dwell, you have to race. When you have a story as colourful and controversial as Queen's, that's a lot to shoehorn in, and it never, ever lags.

You know where it is going after all the successes and bumps in the road, and that's to Freddie Mercury's last days, one of the first major stars to die of AIDS. It comes as a bit of a shock now that such was the early '90's climate, he felt he had to hide his illness, and indeed, word wasn't released until mere hours before his death. But after a band lifetime of being pilloried by the press, one quickly understands why he protected his privacy. The real insight is his friends talking about how he drove himself to record more and more, even while he was weak and failing, giving his band mates carte blanche to do whatever with his final vocals.

Now that time has past, the band and associates are willing to talk freely (mostly) about Mercury, and all their vices and moods. We're the winners for that. There's a lesson to the press and fans there. You don't have to pry and push and stalk. Treat people well and eventually they will open up. You just might have to wait awhile.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: ANI DIFRANCO - WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?

2012-01-24T22:06:00.000-08:00

It's been a bit for Difranco, three years, and a tumultuous time for a topical songwriter to sit for long. Human rights, as always, are front and centre, as well as personal politics, with the artist always willing to bare her own life for the sake of the discussion. Musically, this is one of her most adventurous productions, using a whole host of guests, including various New Orleans folks, plus out-there instrumentalists. Various grooves are used, with Difranco's often wordy verses stuffed into the melodies. Sonically, at least, it's a success, but sometimes the verbosity overwhelms.

The title track is of course the famous Pete Seeger union tune, here updated with lots of new verses where Difranco recasts it as a direct question to men about feminism. It has the author's blessing, as Seeger does the banjo part here, and once again as a musical number is a winner. When the New Orleans horns blow in halfway through, there's real power, and it's a mighty production. But since she's probably preaching to the converted for the most part, there's really not much power in the words, as the audience is nodding heads in agreement.

Elsewhere, Difranco gets funky and jazzy, and has better luck with the words, getting into a more lyrical seam than just sending out statements. It's quite enjoyable when she cuts out half the words, as on the cut Albacore, when her voice is allowed to shine, and even warm up to the notes a bit. This gentle love song has much more power than the political numbers, and the essays she composes. I'll give her one thing though, when she gets a good line out, it can cut right through. If Yr Not features the killer "If you're not getting happier as you get older, than you're fucking up". I took a gulp at that one. It's another with the killer production found all through this, with great New Orleans horns, pounding drums and solid rhythm Tom Waits would love. Great sound, but the words are hit-and-miss.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: EDGAR BREAU - PATCHES OF BLUE

2012-01-22T18:37:00.000-08:00

One of the great surprises when I wrote the book The Top 100 Canadian Albums in 2007 was the appearance of the band Simply Saucers, and their album Cyborgs Revisited. The 70's group from Hamilton hadn't even released that work during their initial existance; instead, it was a cult phenomenon, a product of super fans and super sleuthing, tapes rediscovered and a whole new generation of alternative fans discovering the work, and declaring it a major find, filling in the blank spots between Velvets, art rock, proto-punk and prog. All of a sudden the group had a following, a documentary crew on their trail, reunion shows, new music and more notoriety than they'd ever enjoyed before, with major praise coming from leading mags all over the globe.

This left leader Edgar Breau in a dilemma. A reluctant participant in the music world since the '70's split of the group, when he did play and record, it was acoustic music, far more folk than any of the above genres. He'd also abandoned even that for long periods, working with wood rather than playing with it. But he gamely put the band back together, and that inevitably sparked the other side of his muse as well.

That takes us to this long-in-the-making project, as Breau takes another trip in the less noisy and spacey world. While there are lots of acoustic sounds about, you could never pigeonhole Patches Of Blue into one easy slot in the iTunes store. There's blues, ballads, folk, a little funky-dance stuff, you name it, he'll try it. Breau is a chameleon, who goes where the lyrics take him, and if he writes a line like "She says my sweet darling, I wanna have your baby,", well he's going to turn that puppy onto a disco beat. Of course, that all fits into the outsider vibe the album carries. Breau's whimsical side sees him la-la-la his way through a dandelion kingdom riding on a donkey, child-like and innocent, except for that well-traveled raspiness in his vocals. Girl On A Carousel sees him step back to latin-tinged 60's breeziness, something from a Parisienne new wave film perhaps, Lee Hazlewood taking Astrud Gilberto out for a date. Open Road is a soulful, bouncy, full band production, one of several that features gorgeous, full vocals from accomplished session singer Colina Phillips, really a co-singer here and on others. The contrasting vocal quality is one of the joys of the album, Dylan vs. Baez if you will.

The back-and-forth is another strength for the disc, with sparse acoustic numbers following big bright ones. It's on these quieter ones where Breau's lyrical skills become more apparent, with familiar blues themes of lovers and trains and travel getting new twists, with words such as esplanade and expeditiously flowing at you, in a British, poetic ambiance. And then, there's "It'll give you satisfaction when your baby shakes some action."

This type of unique bard-like character usually does pop up from England, be it Andy Partridge or Robyn Hitchcock, people with a flair for language and a broad range of musical interests. Breau might be able to make some Dickensonian comparisons to his east end Hamilton roots, but I think its more the case of the strangest career in Canadian music continuing to give us great surprises.

ALL-STAR FRIENDS, SOLD-OUT SHOW FOR ROSS NEILSEN

2012-01-19T21:29:00.000-08:00

It was a full-blown party at Dolan's Pub in Fredericton, NB Wednesday night, to celebrate and send-off local blues favourite Ross Neilsen. He's heading to Memphis at the end of January to compete in the International Blues Challenge. That's the biggest blues gathering and competition in the world.

Neilsen was chosen to represent the Maritimes, by winning at the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival last September. It's his second time at the event, having previously gone with his band, The Sufferin' Bastards. This time, he's competing as a solo artist. He follows in the footsteps of Theresa Malenfant, Garrett Mason, Keith Hallett, and Matt Andersen, who actually won the competition, the first Canadian to do so.

Dolan's officially holds 240 people, and those tickets sold out well before. Judging from the calls, people coming to the door, and Kijiji pleas, it could have been double or triple the crowd. Each year, Harvest holds a fundraiser to pay for the trip. Neilsen upped the ante by announcing that special guests would also perform. He came through on that promise in a big way. After an opening solo set, he brought on long-time drummer Karl Gans, and brand-new bass player Will Pacey. Pacey looks like he may be filling the slot permanantly, after the recent dissolution of the Sufferin' Bastards line-up.

The fireworks really started when the next two guests jumped on stage. Neilsen's old friends Thom Swift and Matt Andersen grabbed their guitars and let loose on a long set. it was a three-guitar attack, with each trading solos, and Neilsen and Andersen handling vocals. Swift was happy to handle slide duties. The crowd loved seeing the three amigos, a rare night they were all back in their old stomping grounds. The respect and friendship they share was obvious. Andersen especially seemed to enjoy the night, getting to wail on electric, head back and long hair flowing. That's when you know he's letting loose. Of course, he'd just returned from Toronto, where he'd walked away with three Maple Blues Awards. With all three together, it was an exceptional celebration of New Brunswick-born music.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: THE LITTLE WILLIES - FOR THE GOOD TIMES

2012-01-17T19:49:00.000-08:00

Norah Jones and pals return with their second collection of country-twang, filled with mostly with choice covers from the likes of Dolly, Kris, Lefty and Cash. And of course, there's a Willie Nelson cut, hence the name. The group shares the vocals, although Jones does get the main nod, sharing the lead job with songwriter Richard Julian. These New York-based cats don't have too many country bones in their bodies, and it shows, as they sound way too cool. But it's the 2012, and the battle over whether it's okay for city folk to cover this stuff was won a long time ago. There's no risk-taking here, no Gram Parsons vs. the Nashville Establishment.

While the gang here may have had lots of fun playing this semi-incognito in NYC bars, there are many other alternative folk out there doing it these days with much more heart and authenticity, and without their tongues in their cheeks. If you want to hear it with heart, check out any Neko Case album, for instance. But here Jones especially is putting on the twangy voice, rather than owning it. While her harmonies are right on the Hank Williams classic Lovesick Blues, you can hear her trying to get the southern accent too.

Fist City is a better attempt, as the group puts some rockabilly guts into the Loretta Lynn hit, and Jones gets into the words rather than the role. Julian's version of the lesser-known Willie song Permanently Lonely is touching and a bit sad, with a fine vocal in the Lyle Lovett style. Overall, Julian is the more enjoyable singer in the project, also handling the Cash number Wide Open Road, with aplomb, and Jim Campilongo adds some killer guitar. I'm much happier when Jones takes the harmony singer/piano player role. Her true stand-out is For The Good Times, where she does a great piano part and her only winning vocal.

Too much of the disc sounds like the group is treating the songs as novelty numbers. I'm sure they respect the songs, and I'm sure they have lots of fun playing it, it just comes out as a holiday project rather than a serious treatment.

A Moving Tribute To Gene MacLellan

2012-01-16T09:14:00.000-08:00

A packed Zion Presbyterian Church in downtown Charlottetown played host to a remarkable tribute concert Saturday night, to PEI's beloved songwriter Gene MacLellan. In the first-ever large-scale concert in his honour, MacLellan's music was performed and saluted by a cast of some of the very best Island musicians, plus special guests. The show, called Just Bidin' My Time, was produced by Music PEI, and recorded for broadcast by CBC Radio and TV.

Among the guests and dignitaries were MacLellan's family, including his three children, and all seven grandchildren (plus one on the way). His daughter Rachel and her two kids came the furthest, flying in from Kingston, Ontario for the event. "It was time," said his former wife, Judith MacLellan. "It was a little bittersweet, because this was the church where Gene's funeral was held, and many of the family hadn't been here since. But I looked over and the grandkids were smiling and laughing, and that made it all special."

MacLellan died in 1995, and his family had long felt a major tribute would be appropriate. Thanks to much hard work by Music PEI, and friends and admirers of MacLellan, the show became the finale of the year-long celebrations in Charlottetown as one of the Cultural Capitols of Canada. Also, it was the first event of the annual Music PEI awards week, which will be in full swing on Wednesday.

Taking the stage first was Ron Hynes, the only non-Islander of the night's performers. Hynes was a friend of MacLellan's, and has long championed his work. His appearance was a minor miracle of planning and modern medicine, as the beloved Newfoundland songwriter had just returned from a tour of Australia, and had succumbed to a travel bug that left him hoarse and feverish. The first attempt at MacLellan's Bidin' My Time showed how stressed his voice was, but as this was a show for broadcast, multiple takes for technical reasons were the order of the night. Reaching deep, Hynes found the strength (and improved range) to nail the song second time through.

TV shows are much different from concerts, with technical perfection the goal, so the audience quickly became used to hearing songs twice, and even started to prefer the re-takes. Of course, part of this was due to the quality of the performers, and MacLellan's material.

Hynes got to make the biggest introduction of the night, reminding the crowd that "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree," and bringing on Catherine MacLellan. The daughter of Gene has now developed into a national star, including being named Female Artists of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2010. Comfortable as always in front of an audience (something her father struggled with), she thanked the crowd and Music PEI, and reiterated how much the evening meant to her family. Then, with the understatement of the night, announced she would play one of her "father's bigger hits," which turned out to be Snowbird. The iconic East Coast song, as recorded by Anne Murray, became an international hit, and had the world knocking on MacLellan's door, eager for more. What Anne Of Green Gables has done for PEI's tourism, MacLellan and Snowbird did for the Island's music scene, inspiring generations of musicians there and in Atlantic Canada.

Several of those musicians then took the stage with their own versions of MacLellan favourites, backed by an ace house band. Friend Lennie Gallant, who recalled the time MacLellan made a very rare guest appearance at a concert with him in the '90's, and said "how magical it was", contributed a touching version fo The Call, plus a beautiful duet with Meaghan Blanchard on The Shilo Song. John Connolly, who also served as musical director of the night, gave a stirring version of Thorn In My Shoe, a country hit in 1970 for MacLellan. Dennis Ellsworth and Haunted Hearts got the crowd going with the rowdier, country side of Gene's work, and Scott Parsons, who as a kid was befriended and mentored by MacLellan, played what may be the last song MacLellan wrote, Puerta Vallerta.

The biggest number came last. The whole ensemble crowded the church stage, and led a sing-along and clap-along version of MacLellan's staple, Put Your Hand In The Hand, which was a world-wide hit for the group Ocean in 1970, reaching #2 on the Billboard charts. Earlier in the evening, MacLellan's manager at the time, Jack McAndrew, told the audience the songwriter had at first demanded the record be pulled from the charts as it became a hit, because the group had changed some of the lyrics. "He cared about the words," said McAndrew, who at one point was overcome with emotion for his friend, 40 years on. It's a rare speech that rates a standing ovation at a music event.

The live show had been sold out for weeks, but the rest of the country will soon get a chance to take in the performances. CBC Radio and CBC.CA will start sharing it in the next few weeks, and the entire TV broadcast will be shown this summer.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY : FRANK SINATRA - BEST OF THE BEST

2012-01-09T21:09:00.000-08:00

Lord knows Sinatra's been collected dozens of times over, but this hits package actually delivers as a comprehensive, and high-quality listen from start to finish. First off, you usually don't get both the Capitol era (50's) and Reprise days (60's) together on one disc, so the compilers (Sinatra's children) had access to a lot more than usual. Not everything though; the 30's and 40's aren't here, his days with the Dorsey band and his bobby soxer heyday as the world's first modern pop star. This doesn't bother me, for as great as some of that material is, it's so different an era, it needs to be heard on its own. Also, the lushness of the orchestrations renders it more of a curiosity than an enjoyable experience. This is the moody, adult Sinatra, the stuff of late night, and timeless so far.

This two-disc struck me as odd on first glance, since only the first disc was studio hits, and the second a live concert. However, the show turned out to be quite good, and a great era, 1957, in Seattle. Here we have Sinatra at his greatest period, riding the top of the charts with hit singles and smash albums, his period of concept discs on Capitol, Wee Small Hours and Songs For Swingin' Lovers. Hearing his voice then, his total command, makes me wish I had been there in the heyday. There's a little too much joking, even mid-song, but it was probably great fun for the audience. The only disappointment is that the recording fades out just as he returns for the encore.

Disc one is something I could play every night. Apart from the overblown later productions of My Way and New York, New York (huge hits after all, and certainly worthy of being included), this is a master class in song selection, arrangement, and above all, owning a song. Nobody performed like Sinatra, as the quote goes, the best friend a song ever had. Despite a thousand covers, no other artist comes close to matching his My Funny Valentine, melting hearts six decades later. It Was a Very Good Year is the definition of nostalgia, before it was even a well-known word, shot through with melancholy. My Kind Of Town simply rocks, and listen to the guts he puts into the lyrics, despite the fact it was Chicago, not New York he was praising. I've Got You Under My Skin: how could the toughest guy in town be such a sucker for love? What Sinatra knew was there were none braver than fools in love, whether that was truly him or not, he gave unrequited love its biggest champion.

There are dozens more songs by Sinatra you could own, and probably should if you are a fan at all. However, this set is a great place to either start, or consider your ultimate Sinatra mix.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: DINNER BELLES - WEST SIMCOE COUNTY

2012-01-08T19:48:00.000-08:00

I didn't do a Top Ten of 2011 for the year-end. I gave up on them a few years back, as I've found that as soon as I would make them, I would start doubting my choices, and by the next day I'd come up with some I'd forgotten. Then, inevitably, I'd hear something I hadn't heard before (you can't hear everything as a reviewer), and wish I had placed that in my list. Also, I was tired of being mocked and admonished for my choices, especially by certain U2 hater. I won't tell you who, but his initials are John Poirier.

If I had made a top ten list, I can assure you this album would have been on it, and perhaps even top it. As I've told to ad nauseum, I love my yearly pilgrimage to the Hamilton Music Awards, and as I prepared for the trip this past November, my friends in the know told me I'd love this group, who had been nominated for awards for their debut. I made a mental note to see them play as well, as they were part of the festival programming.

Not only did the live up to the advance billing, they blew me away. Dinner Belles are a group of seven musical pals from the area who play in other outfits, but came together for this project out of a shared love of what I'll call alt-country for lack of a better term. It's a bit old-time, some good Gram-and-Emmy Lou, and lots of The Band and the Grateful Dead in there as well. The big group sound is easy-going acoustics with drums, plus ample use of banjo, mandolin, pedal steel and plenty of keyboards, great piano and organ. The focus is on the combined singing talents of Brad Germain and Terra Lightfoot. Germain does quite a U-turn from his previous gigs in the long-running Hamilton rockers The Marble Index, and the Euro-dancey Spirits. Lightfoot is closer to this music in her own new solo career, but also branches out on her own. However they got here, who cares, they're doing a great job with this stuff.

While there are solo vocals around the disc, it's when the two sing together (quite often here) that the record shines the most. Relaxed and pure, their voices intertwine so readily, you'd think they were doing this since childhood. Although these are harmonies, it's more like co-lead vocals. A great example, and my favourite song here, is Runnin' To Ravenna, which starts off with the two of them together, a great banjo driving the tune, and some beautiful pedal steel. Local pal Bob Egan plays that throughout the album, guesting from his Blue Rodeo gig. Props to all the musicians in fact, and a shout-out to Greg Brisco on organ and piano, keyboard player of the year at the Hamilton Music Awards.

When she does solo, it quickly becomes obvious Lightfoot is one of the best new voices around, lots of power in a great lower register, who also soars wonderfully to hit the higher stuff. Homewrecking Girl is a standout here, Lightfoot shamelessly playing the title role, defiant but sad.

Having seen them live, I can tell you the band knows how to deliver the stuff too, all strong and relaxed stage performers. Again, another great band from the criminally-ignored Hamilton music scene.

BARGAIN BIN FINDS

2012-01-05T18:18:00.000-08:00

Remember delete bins? It used to be you could saunter into your local K-Mart or Zellars and find big bins of deep-discounted albums for next to nothing. These were usually cut-outs, which were over-pressed records that didn't sell. The companies would sell them in bulk to chains at a fraction of the usual cost, and then they'd get dumped into the bins to be picked through by the vultures. I can recall picking up real gems back in the '70's, things like David Bowie's Station To Station album for $1.99. Occasionally you would get crazy lucky, and find a bin of European cut-outs, and I grabbed a bunch of 12-inch singles that way. You could, if you found a prime bin, walk away with an armload for twenty bucks.

Of course, department stores don't sell music anymore, and neither do music stores for that matter. As for delete bins, I didn't have the first clue where I'd find one these days, until I was helped by the modern miracle that is Facebook. A record-and-movie collecting friend from a far-off land (well, Nova Scotia), informed the world that he had, in fact, just scored a bunch of great CD's at a bin sale. He was raving, so I could tell this was an old-school, look-what-I-got score, the kind you feel happy about for months. The only problem was, I wasn't about to drive to Nova Scotia that day.

"Do you have a Giant Tiger?" Hell yes, we got one of them around here. Just down the road from my office, in fact, on my usual lunch hour walk. I never did find out what my pal was doing in Giant Tiger in the first place, but bless his heart, that's where he found his bin, and knowing how these things usually work, if one chain store has them, there's a good bet they all do. It wasn't too many hours before I was headed to Le Tigre Grande to try my luck.

And there it was. Now, things have changed of course. They are CD's, not vinyl, and surely it won't be just $1.99 for a cut-out. No, it wasn't. They were a dollar. Even. A buck. Ridiculous. Who said the music industry was hurting? I mean, if Giant Tiger can sell them for a dollar, think what the music company must have charged. That's a pretty substantial loss on planned revenue (my brother teaches Management Accounting at some university, and I stayed awake long enough to hear that one time).

Not all the hoped-for treasures that were found in Nova Scotia were in this bin, and it's possible I got there too late. But I had no trouble grabbing seven in the ten minutes or so it took me to devour the bin. The first thing I saw was a Ray Charles collection called How Long Blues, with tracks I didn't recognize. For a buck? Go for it. It turned out to be his very earliest recordings, singles he cut while he was still working the circuit, before being grabbed by Atlantic Records and helping invent soul music. It's solid stuff, bluesy stuff that just lacked the oomph he would get a couple of years later with better production. Score.

Then, a soundtrack caught my eye. Soundtracks are crapshoots for music companies, because you never know if you'll get a hit or not, and much depends on the movie. Nobody predicted Fame, Flashdance or The Big Chill would make fortunes at the music store as well as the box office. But for every one of those, there are twenty of these: Arctic Tale: Music From and Inspired By The Motion Picture. I didn't see it, but there are polar bears on the cover. More importantly, there was a sticker that said Brian Wilson, Aimee Mann, Grant-Lee Phillips, Pearl Jam, The Shins and Sheryl Crow. Most of these can be found on the artist's regular discs, but one of the Aimee Mann cuts is exclusive to this, I didn't have either of the Phillips numbers, and the Crow is a good one from her first album, Keep On Growing, which I don't own, so ya, I'm in for a buck.

Sometimes you get carried away, and I carried away a couple of mistakes. A 50's collection caught my eye, mostly because I've seen too many Mad Men episodes and those early seasons had the cool Dean Martin vibe, and Big Hits of the 50's sounded cool, but when I got it home, it was almost identical to another set I already owned from EMI. Turns out they had just pretty much repackaged it and changed four tracks or so. If anybody wants to groove to The Four Preps singing 26 Miles (Santa Catalina), just bring me a coffee and we'll trade. And I'll owe you forty cents.

Delete bins can also make you sad. I like music, and records and CD's, they have been my favourite possessions my whole life, and when I see great albums tossed in a jumbled pile of mostly junk, knowing all the hard work the artist did, only to have it reach such an ugly end, I feel for them. I still buy it of course, but it does make me want to aim a kick at the buying public at large, who didn't shell out the fifteen bucks for it the first time it went on sale. It looks like West Coast label Boompa Records gave up on its stock. I pulled out two mid-2000's discs by Canuck alt-songwriter Leeroy Stagger, who I enjoy, and another from the Boompa label, the second disc by the very talented Lullaby Baxter, Garden Cities Of To-Morrow, from 2006. This art-pop gem has long been a favourite, and I simply bought another copy to give to the first person I can think who'll love it. Charming, heartfelt lyrics, brilliant arrangements featuring strings, vibes, flutes and things, it's the best buck you can spend. Baxter, who has resided in Moncton the past few years, is thankfully readying new material and with any luck we'll have more soon.

It wasn't the best bargain bin I've ever flipped through, but it took me back to early thrills in my record collecting days, and best of all, it had me taking risks and getting welcome surprises. That's the best feeling there is, especially for seven dollars.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY - BUDDY HOLLY: LISTEN TO ME (DVD)

2012-01-03T09:50:00.000-08:00

Last fall a charity tribute album, Listen To Me, was released to coincide with the 75th birthday of Buddy Holly. Endorsed by the Holly folks, and benefiting music education programs, it featured established and current stars including Chris Isaak, Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy, The Fray, Jeff Lynne, Ringo, Linda Ronstadt and Brian Wilson. Also on Holly's birthday came this star-studded tribute concert, featuring many of the same artists, which has also been showing as a PBS special since December. The DVD version is the same show, adding a couple of bonus performances, video from making-of sessions, and a mini-documentary on the whole project.

I wasn't a huge fan of the CD, but the TV show is much better. Other than Austin City Limits, PBS can be hit-or-miss with music, and I had a vision of one of those dreadful 50's shows they do featuring old doo-wop bands sporting one original member. Thankfully, this is a much better project. The stage and theatre is great, allowing for excellent angles of both the performers and audience. This is especially nice when we get shots of Holly's widow, the famous Maria Elena, bopping it up at her table with Phil Everly, having a great time. It's shot really well, the audio is bright and very well recorded and mixed, and the lively pace keeps you glued to the hour-long show.

For the most part the performances are top drawer, with Stevie Nicks still belting them out on Not Fade Away and Its So Easy, Raul Malo handling the tender True Love Ways, and Boz Scaggs adding some blues grit to Maybe Baby. An all-star session band features Waddy Wachtel on guitar, Leland Sklar on bass and Russ Kunkel on drums, and it's all lead by famed record producer Peter Asher, who helmed the tribute album and the concert, plus appears on stage singing back-up (he was in Peter and Gordon, remember). The biggest highlights are Graham Nash's passionate Raining In My Heart, Lyle Lovett's Well All Right, and guitar giant James Burton's playing on I'm Looking For Someone To Love. Asher and co-host Isaak do a fine job too, not too much, not too maudlin or hokey, it's lighthearted and reverential at the same time.

There are the usual problems with such shows; a few too many times a singer's eyes stray to the Teleprompter, sometimes the band settles for safety over risk, and there's some annoying editing of speeches to get the show down to TV length. The taped celebrity tributes from Keith Richards, Ringo, Jackson Browne and Wilson are not necessary and mess up the concert feel. There are a couple of lame performances too, most notably Patrick Stump's Oh, Boy which saw him way out of his league vocally, even though he did fine on Everyday. And Asher's daughter Victoria and the other guy from her band Cobra Starship are silly trying to camp it up during Peggy Sue, but we know how she got the gig.

Paul Anka's speech is interesting, as he sounds humbled and still slightly shocked that he "traveled the world" with Holly, and sat in the studio with him while he recorded Anka's It Doesn't Matter Anymore. He even does a fine version of it, although he does unintentionally provide the funniest moment on the disc when he tells the audience to "please acknowledge the talents of that cat right there", during a nice pedal steel solo by backing band member Doug Livingston. That's how it's done in Vegas, baby.

It's certainly worth checking this show out on PBS, and if you want superior sound, the bonus features and a strong overall program, the DVD is a good bet too.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: LYNZIE KENT - SOMETHING WILD

2012-01-02T14:43:00.000-08:00

It's always great to hear a new voice (well, new to me), and a good way to start off a new year. Ontario's Lynzie Kent has just released her disc, called Something Wild, and features a parcel of excellent singing on what we used to call rock songs. Produced by Jann Arden vet and Juno winner Russell Broom, the disc has an in-your-face boldness, without any trickery, just strong tunes with good stories, and a singer who makes you want to hear them. If anything, it's a throwback to a day when you had to put some thought into the composition if you wanted to make a decent disc, instead of the Black-Eyed Peas view of the world, keeping it simple and stupid.

I take back my original statement, I think I actually did see Kent before, because she used to sing with God Made Me Funky in 2006-7, and I think that's right about when I saw them. But since then she's been slyly building up the fans by doing what she does best, singing, although instead of constant touring, she's been constantly updating her YouTube channel, adding cover after cover of current hits, just aided by acoustic guitar buddy Rich G. The result has been that millions of hits later, fans know what she can do with Kings of Leon and Adele tunes, but hopefully they'll stick around for her own.

I think, in the post-Adele world, people will be looking for actual singers who put some emotion into it, and Kent's a good bet. Not only can she soar with power in a couple of registers, she can front tracks with big drums, bells and whistles. There's certainly a touch of 90's and some 80's too, as if to emphasize this isn't about hip-hop, dance, nu-country or singer-songwriter, it's a pop-rock album. While most of the songs have an edge, Kent isn't above having fun too, with lead single (available as a video) Whoop Dee Doo, a Girl-Group/New Wave bouncy, winning track. Anyway, I can't tell you how much I wish radio would go this way, Kent's way, for 2012, because this is the kind of Top 40 I wish we had more of.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: ELVIS COSTELLO & THE IMPOSTERS - THE RETURN OF THE SPECTACULAR SPINNING SONGBOOK!!!

2011-12-27T21:34:00.000-08:00

If you are a pathetic, ridiculous music collector who has to have every b-side, reissue, alternate take, soundtrack number, guest appearance, picture sleeve 45, best-of collection, and magazine article on your favourite artist, this column is for you. We (because I am guilty as charged) are a pathetic bunch, having wasted what could have amounted to a very decent RRSP on buying multiple versions of the same song, shelling out $30 for an import CD just because it has one minor difference in one song that we feel we must own. Right now, a couple of doctors I know are scribbling down "OCD" with arrows pointing at my name. Stop snickering, we're all the same.

I got this jones for a handful of artists, but none more so than Costello. Ever since I discovered in 1979 that he routinely released 45's with non-LP b-sides, I was off to the races, grabbing all those pricey British imports. Even when he turned around a couple of years later and put them all on an easy-to-buy album called Taking Liberties, thereby rendering my investment near-useless, I was still happy, as the album had a couple more new-to-me tracks. This has not diminished a bit since, and I've grabbed every reissue, deluxe version, DVD and stray 45 (he's still making them!). I don't think anyone has been reissued more, with ever-expanding numbers of bonus cuts. Take his debut, My Aim Is True. There was the original Columbia album. Then it appeared on CD. Costello got the rights back, and teamed with Rykodisc, adding several bonus cuts. Those rights ran out, and it went to Warner/Rhino, who turned it into a double with many more demos and such. Then the rights went to Universal, who at first sent it out in its original, no bonus cuts version. Then they stuck it out as a Deluxe, squeezing the demos and such onto disc one, and adding a complete period live concert as the second disc. It goes without saying I have owned all these. At least I didn't buy it on cassette. However, I recently bought the CD soundtrack to the TV show House, to get him singing a cover of Christina Aguilera's Beautiful. On eBay. Cost me $20. It's not very impressive, don't do it.

I guess you won't be surprised that I have succumbed to the ultimate temptation offered by the Costello machine. The Return Of The Spectacular Spinning Songbook!!! is a deluxe boxed set, limited to just 1500 copies world-wide. It features music from his tour this spring with The Imposters, recorded at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles. There's one CD of music, and one DVD, with about two-thirds of the CD cuts the same as the DVD. Then there's a four-track vinyl addition, a bonus of four more cuts. Add it all up, you probably have most of the show, about two-hours of music. And the price for this honor? $249 if you order it from amazon.ca right now. Gack.

These deluxe boxes are becoming the norm for the pricey collector market. Pink Floyd did multiple disc versions for the reissues of Wish You Were Here and Dark Side Of The Moon, with The Wall coming out shortly. The Rolling Stones have a few of them, the most recent being the Some Girls box. The Who did Live At Leeds and Quadrophenia, and The Beach Boys have one for SMiLE. These all feature more discs than the regular versions, five or six usually, or perhaps 180 gram vinyl versions, and a nice big box with a nice big book in it. And the usual price is around $120. So what justifies the doubling of that grand price for Costello? Well, we get an autograph. At least, I think it's his autograph. It would take a highly-skilled forensic examiner, maybe that guy on Pawn Stars, to judge if it even says Elvis, such is the hand-writing. Yes, there is a very good hard-cover book, and there's a replica of the spinning wheel that was featured on the tour, which audience members spun on stage to select a song, The Price Is Right-method. Still, this packaging isn't that costly, it isn't gold inlay, so what we're really paying for is the exclusivity, the elite membership in the club, the collectible value. But of course, what's really happening here is that us life-long collectors just can't bare to have something out there we don't own. It should have also come with a t-shirt that said SUCKER.

Oddly enough, the person to blow the whistle on the whole scam was Costello himself. Shortly before its release, Costello put a message on his website advising people NOT to buy his new record. Even he found the price ridiculous, and claimed to not know the record label was going to charge that much. He advised people to who had that kind of money to instead invest in a recent, wonderful Louis Armstrong box, with hours more music, which Costello said was better anyway. Now, cynics have weighed in, saying he must have known the price being charged, these details are carefully negotiated, and he did sign each one (I hope). But it's possible he didn't, or his management didn't tell him, or they didn't ask, or something. His father was very sick of late, and recently passed away, so it could have been the last thing on his mind.

The kicker though, also came from Elvis's own pen, when he informed us that the individual parts of this set would soon be available separately to purchase, at a regular price. Double gack. So all this stuff I could have had for, like $40 bucks tops. And all I'm going to get is a book, a box, and a scrawl for my extra two hundred? Now I really want that SUCKER t-shirt. Because there it is, also on amazon.ca, coming in February, the cheap version of the disc.

Of course I should have seen this coming. It's just the sheer nerve involved in sticking this version out in advance of the other, and no full disclosure of the plans. All the other super-deluxe boxes come out at the same time, and there's no subterfuge involved. I know, buyer beware, and all that, and I'm getting awfully close to sour grapes rather than review here. But I did believe, at the time of purchase, that this would be unique, highly collectible, and aside from bootlegs or file-sharing, the only source for this. Since it is not, it is my opinion it is way over-priced. By at least a hundred bucks. I'm sure it took Elvis a couple of days to do all the autographs, but even he says it's a rip-off. With a couple of books out myself, and hard-bound, high-quality paper, with tons of pricey photos, I know a bit about packaging, and still, there's a ton of profit on this. $249 x 1500 equals $373,500 gross flying around, and somebody at Concord/Universal is smiling .

Jeez music company suits, don't pick on your last customers. We're the ones not downloading, and paying cash for everything, remember? The last of a dying breed. It's probably not a smart idea to alienate us.

Oh right, the music. The show. It's a lot of fun, there's this wheel, and real audience members, and it's one of the best-shot concert videos I've seen, and there's a go-go girl dancing in a cage, and Costello is acting this funny character, and The Bangles guest and go-go dance too, and Peace, Love and Understand and Alison, and lots of other old favourites and some recent good ones and even a brand-new song, plus an old one he'd never done live on stage before. But you know what? I think I'll wait to review it probably when the reasonably-priced versions come out, because with this special, limited-edition, ultra-hip, only the cool kids have it version, it's really not the same experience if you're not staring at his signature while you're enjoying the music.

There's one born every minute, and today, that's me.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: THE BLACK KEYS - EL CAMINO

2011-12-19T19:26:00.000-08:00

Tight, driving, groove-rich rock 'n' roll, served up by now-expert deliverymen The Black Keys and producer Danger Mouse. Slicing in at just under 40 minutes, each song is between three and four minutes long, and the whole thing feels like an intentional throwback to 1974, albeit with that signature sound the group has developed. You know, that buzzing guitar, heavy-duty slicing with fuzz.

This time though, there's more subtle moments, and in fact more mainstream touches. Check out Sister, a funky, soulful number, but with surprising ELO touches, a synth line, an organ fill, that kind of thing. The 70's have never been more obvious in the Keys' sound. Even the one time they stop that incredible pounding drum and fuzzy guitar, the acoustic guitar track Little Black Submarines sounds like something you'd find on a Traffic album. But then it includes my favourite moment on the disc, when the acoustic track gives way to the loudest moment on the record, the second half of the song a scorching number with an old-school electric solo. Again, that's such a 70's trick, and I keep thinking of all the groups I'm reminded of. But spot-the-reference is only fun once or twice. What really matters is that the stuff is all good, right through.

I can tell this album is damn good, because it zips by. The first two times it played, I looked up in shock at the silence coming from the speakers, in what seemed to me to have been about 15 minutes, no more. I think it's because of really clever pacing, and the uniformity of the song lengths. Or maybe I'm overthinking. Maybe, it's like the last words you hear sung on the disc: "Don't let it be over". That's how I felt.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: AMY WINEHOUSE - LIONESS: HIDDEN TREASURES

2011-12-16T20:30:00.000-08:00

The worst you can say about this collection is that it's not a proper album. Assembled from a variety of different sources, it's basically a grab-bag of styles and moods that WInehouse chose to explore over her brief career. Everything from old standards to hip-hop, girl group pop to bossa nova. Some go back to her two proper records, others were scheduled for the much-promised and never properly started third. Then there's the duet with Tony Bennett, Body And Soul, her last recording session, from March of this year.

It's always worrisome when producers take raw materials, in this case vocals, build the tracks posthumously. But since that's pretty much what her producers did anyway, you can't argue that they are over their bounds. Winehouse sang, they added. In fact, she had never met many of the musicians and voices on Frank until after the disc came out, such was the way Mark Ronson put it together. So, away they went.

While not being a regular, cohesive disc, these are worthy cuts all. Of course, it's her voice. Like Aretha in her heyday, Winehouse had the ability to make everything ring, seemingly effortlessly. She was a true singer, using her voice as an instrument, delivering both a tremendous performance and defining the mood. When you find out that many of these tracks were the alternates, the discards in the pile, left aside for other arrangements, its hard to figure out why. Highlights include a dramatic and very different arrangement of Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? that makes a mockery of the original, the new Between The Cheats, which surely would have been a highlight of a third disc, and Half Time, dropped from the Frank album, but clearly no lesser number. This is the rare disc to come out after an early death that enhances an artist's legacy.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: ARIANA GILLIS - FORGET ME NOT

2011-12-15T19:45:00.000-08:00

An insanely young and talented songwriter and singer, Gillis is just 21, but has already wowed everyone who has heard her, and continues to amaze on her new and second album. The Ontario performer won Young Performer of the Year at the 2009 Canadian Folk Music Awards, but you could have just dropped the "young" from that title. Also, I don't know genre to slot her in, other than great music.

She can rock out, ya. She can haunt you. That's the first three songs. About a minute into number four, a bouncy banjo one called The Cove, after you've already figured out she a top singer, she opens her range up and starts hitting high notes and you realized she's got more tricks up her sleeve. Then, the song toughens up and it sinks in that this is a number about those hunters that lure and kill the dolphins each year in Japan, the ones caught on video a couple of years back, and the protest against them. This is strong stuff.

Next comes something extra-special, and like nothing I've heard before. It's a fairy tale, a child's story with a moral, and so well done it will touch the most cynical of us all. John And The Monster has to be heard to be fully appreciated, with the spoken-word start, the switch into a song, the tender and touching delivery, the ingenuity of the story. A monster who can cure cancer? The boy who finds him, but chooses to save him from being locked up instead of saving his own life? Five minutes folks, I marvel at her ability to write and then polish that story into brief perfection. I hope she's ready to turn it into a kids book immediately.

Another brilliant bit of story-telling comes in the tale of Cannonball Sam, the smartest sailor ever forced to walk the plank. Next up is Snap Crack, a mystery-hipster-blues that Tom Waits could sing. I could go on about each song, but I've run out of superlatives.

Normally when I see parental involvement, especially in major jobs such as production and co-writing, my instincts tell me there's trouble afoot. However, not only is it clear Gillis comes fully deserving and talented to be an artist, she also had the perfect person to work with in-house. Her father David is a champion fingerstyle guitar player, an award-winning songwriter, and obviously an able producer. Plus, he's connected and smart to surround her with top-notch players, including Bill Dillon, Gary Craig and Kevin Fox. I guess you could say she has an unfair advantage over all the other 21-year olds. But this ain't Canadian Idol, this is the real deal, this is art.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: THE DECEMBERISTS - LONG LIVE THE KING

2011-12-14T18:34:00.000-08:00

Why, what perfect timing, this being December and all. It's another offering from the group, the second of 2011. This is part two of the sessions for the album released in January, The King Is Dead. What we get is six tracks left off the original album, as they really didn't match the tone of that big hit for the band. They include four solid studio originals, a home demo, and a deft cover of the Grateful Dead's Row Jimmy.

The songs go back to the earlier sound of the group, a little more folky, a little less calculated. I wasn't a big fan of The King Is Dead, except for a couple of cuts, as I did find it too polished and forced. These tracks feel like the band is more relaxed and therefore more true to what they do best. It's energized and modernized folk, songs that feel almost traditional, but clearly crafted and happily played by youngsters. The "demo", I 4 U & U 4 Me, is the sound of a great performing group recording off the floor, and the lack of polish and pretense is a sound I'd much prefer they chase. Burying Davy is a takes them way back, a real British countryside number, circa 1750. I don't know if I've ever heard a band better suited to covering the Dead either, settling perfectly into the staggering beat and almost off-kilter plucking and tinkling. Plus, Jenny Conlee sounds beautiful behind Colin Meloy's countrified lead.

These tracks were leaked on-line in that weird official way that bands and companies do now to attract attention and buzz, figuring the publicity is better than the lost sales. By the look of the 'net, it worked because fans and downloaders are crowing about some or all of them, especially lead track E. Watson, a major composition for the group. I just hope there's enough buzz to keep them leaning in this more relaxed direction.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: ROLLING STONES - SOME GIRLS LIVE IN TEXAS '78

2011-12-13T19:52:00.000-08:00

Remember when giant rock bands went on the road with a hot new album, and played most of it, throwing energy into these fresh songs, excited to introduce it to fans? And remember when fans actually wanted to hear something new from their heroes, instead of a greatest hits show from the past, and didn't rush to the concessions and cans when the first unfamiliar notes were struck?

Here's what that was like. The Rolling Stones were back after a few lackluster mid-70's years, fueled by that old motivator, one of them getting busted (Keith, Toronto, Heroin). Created amidst that serious situation, and other external threats to the band (the rise of punk and disco), the Stones pushed back by incorporating shades of those new music styles, and simply being edgier than either. While it may be the last time that happened, that doesn't diminish what a fine album Some Girls was.

And now we see, what a fine tour it was too, as the band cockily laid out a full seven of its ten cuts, in order, in concert. This new DVD and Blu-Ray features a previously-unissued show from 1978, deep in the heart of Texas. It's a rejuvenated band for sure, featuring new Keith foil, Ron Wood, now fully integrated, and only former Faces keyboardist Ian McLagen swelling the ranks (oh, plus stalwart Ian Stewart too, whenever he felt like plunking piano). That's opposed to the last few tours, when actual official Stones are outnumbered by support players. So kids, this is why some of us still snort about mega-concerts at Magnetic Hill and such, there's a DIFFERENCE.

"Go ahead," spits Jagger. "Bite the Big Apple. Don't mind the maggots." He's singing about NYC, deep in decay those days, and if there's one thing Jagger could document, it was late 20th century turbulence. You could tell Keith knew he was onto something, singing about the Twin Towers of depravity and depression that marked the city. While Miss You may have felt a little disco, it was the darkness in those dance clubs he was really tapping into. Anyway, watching Richards and Wood battling and riffing on stage, skinny and half-conscious, it just all seems so real, perfect, well done.

With the Some Girls songs the centerpiece, the group seems to almost rush through the opening four songs, desperate to get to the new stuff they knew to be so excellent. Let It Rock is hurried and sloppy Chuck Berry, Jagger even forgetting the words, a throw-back to the 60's when opening numbers were often tossed off in order for the sound crew to get levels and the guitar players to get comfortable. All Down The Line is pretty much the same thing. Finally Honky Tonk Women reminds us this is the Greatest Band In The World, and Star Fucker reminds us they are the rudest, thank you Sex Pistols. Then it's showtime, with When The Whip Comes Down leading off the new album set.

After that, we're back in familiar Stones territory, but at a rare peak. It's the best Love In Vain I've seen, Jagger morphing into James Brown. Tumbling Dice kills, Jagger back dancing and preaching. God he's great tonight. He's in total command now, jumping, pointing, teasing the audience, the front rows right at the edge of the stage, with no security perimeter in those days. No giant inflatable penises, no props at all. The comic relief comes from Mick slapping Ronnie on the bum during guitar solos. Happy, Brown Sugar, Jumpin' Jack Flash. They call them dinosaur bands now, The Stones and The Who. But there was a time when dinosaurs ruled the Earth, and they were scary, dangerous, bad-ass motherfuckers, the best there ever was.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: TALKING HEADS: CHRONOLOGY (DVD)

2011-12-11T18:13:00.000-08:00

This is perhaps my favourite kind of music DVD, a collection of live footage, mostly taken from TV shows and rare filmed concert appearances. In fact, I bet there's two or three times this available, but they chose the less-is-more plan, and compiled a solid, career-spanning 90 minutes. Plus, the bonus material includes a nifty 35-minute documentary from England's South Bank Show, so I can't complain, we're over two hours now. Plus, you have to watch it twice, because there is a great commentary track featuring all four band members, reacting to the times, the clothes, the goofiness, the fans. Tellingly though, David Byrne was recorded separately, cementing their status as Least Likely To Reform 80's band.

What a joy it is to see such early footage, way back to 1975, pre-first album, and while the band was still a three-piece, Jerry Harrison not on board yet. And of all places, it's CBGB's, where the band were one of the stalwarts along with The Ramones, Blondie, etc. There are embryonic versions of With Our Love and I'm Not In Love, and then, bam, there it is, a 1975, CBGB's 3-piece, different lyrics, Psycho Killer. It's the New Wave version of finding film of The Beatles with Pete Best at the Star Club. Then hop ahead a year, and here's this very shy, bizarre guy, Byrne, unable to simply introduce a song, any song, without messing it up. To show us how incapable he was, there's a montage of just introductions captured at The Kitchen in NYC, and you have to wonder how this guy ever became an MTV star.

Yet, he did. Watch Byrne and the band blossom, as they see their anti-rock star system bizarrely make them, well, rock stars. Marvel at them on American Bandstand, doing Take Me To The River, a minor hit, and being interviewed by Dick Clark. While they might have seem as cool as ice, the commentary track reveals how thrilled they were to be there, amazed that it wasn't just the artsy New York scene for them anymore. By the time they were debuting bona fide hits such as Burning Down The House on the new, hip Late Night With David Letterman show, it was a night-and-day difference in confidence.

It was a different band, too. They expanded in the latter half of the group's run, adding extra guitar, keys, percussion, vocalists, expanding to 11 members on some shows. Again, we are watching them grow up, quite literally grow bigger, a night-and-day difference from the three-piece in less than a decade. And then.. it died, and quite quickly. After the muddle of True Stories (a totally unmemorable album and film), Byrne pulled the plug, and it's been.... testy. That's why it's great to see the performance of Life During Wartime from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions in 2002, see how much fun they are having, and getting that confirmed by Tina Weymouth on the commentary track. Plus, even though he doesn't deign to sit with the other three for such a recording, at least they have nothing but positive, and even loving things to say about each other. Or rather, the people they see on the screen from those halcyon days. It's an excellent DVD, a fun-filled two hours, and damn, you know, here's one band I wish could get back together, it would be a heck of a lot more appealing than The Police.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: ROLLING STONES - SOME GIRLS DELUXE EDITION

2011-12-08T20:34:00.000-08:00

Sweet! Not only do we get one of the truly excellent Stones albums, but for once the disc of previously unreleased stuff is ... exactly what you hoped it would be, a whole bunch of pretty darn good new songs, some cool covers, and only one of them having appeared (in an alternate version) before. 12 full, actual Rolling Stones songs from 1977-78, and any one of them could have gone on the original album and seemed a good choice. Score!

Some Girls stands alone in the Stones cannon, with no other work sounding like it, and no disc connecting so thematically. Jagger was in charge, Richards was still struggling with the Toronto bust and his junkie life, Ron Wood was brand-new, and everybody had something to prove. Jagger came armed with a group of songs reflecting the mid-70's mess that was New York City, as down and dirty as the place would ever get, barely holding off economic collapse and moral chaos. Able to understand both the dance club hedonism of disco and Studio 54, and the polar opposite of punk (weren't the early Stones prototypes?), the band gave it back to both styles. Miss You is a funky joy, while the triple-guitar threat of Lies, Shattered, and Respectable showed the Stones were totally contemporary.

I don't think I'm overstating the quality of the bonus cuts here. Each one has some obvious quality that could have been explored into a finished track for the album. I don't mean they are demos; these are finished or nearly-finished cuts, missing a better mix or a solo or a lyric, something to take them up that final notch. Sugar Blue, the harmonica star of Miss You even shows up on two cuts, indicating they were strong contenders. One is an unheard Keith number, a cover of a Waylon Jennings number, We Had It All, which in the end didn't fit with the parody-country of Far Away Eyes. Country was obviously in the air during the sessions, with Mick singing Hank Williams' You Win Again here too. What's missing from all these cuts is the gritty, claustrophobic feel of the album proper.

One of the criticisms of the bonus cuts on Exile On Main Street was the significant overdubbing and producing done by Don Was, to get the bare tracks up to release-level. Here, there are reportedly lots of new additions, including new vocals, guitar parts, etc., but Was and Jagger (for the most part) have done a much better job matching the new parts with the old. I'd still like to hear the unadorned numbers, to make my own decision, but hey, the artist should be the one to control these things while living. Well recommended.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: OLIVER JONES - LIVE IN BADEN, SWITZERLAND

2011-12-07T20:07:00.000-08:00

The supple and sweet Montreal pianist wows 'em in this vintage 1990 concert recorded in Baden, Switzerland. Unreleased until now, it's a brilliant performance by the under-praised Jones, smooth and perfect on yet another night. His trio that night included Reggie Johnson on bass and fellow Canuck Ed Thigpen on drums.

Jones gives a bit of everything, from classics to blues to gospel to Gershwin, some originals and of course, some Oscar. The more I hear Jones, the more I wonder if he'd lived in another city, would his star have shined brighter, without Peterson ahead of him. Hearing his confident, rapid work, with total comfort on the keys, no sloppiness, all action all the time, I marvel at the skill and dexterity. Yet there's not an ounce of vanity here. He's in love with the music, and realizes the audience wants to hear such accomplishments as much as he wants to play them.

This is positive, bright, joyful material, with Jones' runs up the higher octaves dominating much of the show. That delightful tinkling might be too showbiz for post-bop and beyond, but to me its ear candy. I actually can't think of a better-sounding piano recording right now, at least one with the highs so rich and ringing. Oh to be a barfly in Baden..

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: U2 - ACHTUNG BABY DELUXE EDITION

2011-12-06T19:34:00.000-08:00

I'm hard-pressed to name another U2 album I think is better. Even if you have joined the 99% who think Bono should pay his taxes in Ireland and shaddup about everything else, it's hard to argue with this non-stop parade of hits and classics. As home to "One", "Mysterious Ways", "Even Better Than The Real Thing" and "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses", Achtung Baby is a high-water mark for the group's connection with songcraft, and it stands at a crucial time before they got REALLY overblown, with the Zooropa and Pop discs.

Not that the signs weren't there; "The Fly" introduced some sort of Bono character, and "Zoo Station" pointed to the tour concept, but they were still good songs for the most part, and rocked. Yes, they were trying hard to be big, but they were grand gestures, and not empty. Even the Singer still seemed connected to his audience then, able to admit he might be "Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World". This is one of the last great albums, in the old, L.P. sense, before downloads and single cuts took over. Each song packs a punch, usually both musically and literally, and stands distinct. It may be because of the unique situation of the recording. The usual Lanois-Eno team wasn't really working in partnership; rather they were changing roles, and including the talents of Flood and Steve Lillywhite as well, depending on the cut. For instance, on "Zoo Station", it's Lanois produced, Flood mixing and engineering, no sign of the others. On "Even Better..", it's Lillywhite producing with Lanois and Eno, and on it goes for each cut, some combination of the bunch.

This is the 20th Anniversary edition, and is the norm now, you have a choice of how much extra material you want, and how much cash to drop. The Deluxe 2 CD Edition is just fine for me, especially since the bonus disc is so strong as well. Comprised mostly of b-sides, it is a great mix of outtakes, inspired covers and interesting remixes. The excellent version of Lou Reed's "Satellite Of Love", which became a tour highlight, is found here, as is a cool take on the Stones' "Paint It Black". The remixes of "Mysterious Ways" and "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" are those rare beasts that add something to the tune rather than just mess with it. The Super Deluxe set has 10 discs, including 4 DVD's, and costs $118 minimum. Get this, the Uber Deluxe Box will run you $435, and seems to be mostly a limited-edition thing with magnetic parts and a pair of Bono's Fly sunglasses, I kid you not. Look, I'm one of the rare music writers who still likes U2, but if you find yourself tempted by either of these monstrosities, we have got to get you outside more.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: THE BEATLES - THE FIRST RECORDINGS

2011-12-05T07:51:00.000-08:00

I'm pondering. Can I recommend a 2 CD set not for the music, but for the booklet? For its historic interest, rather than the actual quality of the music on the discs? Here's the issue: The Beatles didn't just pop up at George Martin's studio singing Love Me Do one afternoon, fresh-faced from the streets of Liverpool. As we know, they had done long, hard time playing crazy sets for a tough clientele in Hamburg. While they were there, a top producer, exec and hitmaker himself, Bert Kaempfert, liked them enough to sign them to a small contract, and record them with fellow Brit rocker Tony Sheridan. Sheridan was the lead singer, and The Beatles got called The Beat Brothers for some reason.

The single, My Bonnie, was what caught Brian Epstein's attention, why he checked them out at the Cavern Club, and became the manager. Kaempfert, with not much happening, let his contract with the band lapse. Then things started happening, and you know the rest. Meanwhile, these few Sheridan/Beat Brothers tracks ended up getting grabbed up and sent out all over the world, and even became hits, thanks to clever packaging and unsure purchasers. They thought they'd get John or Paul singing, and they couldn't recall a Tony in the group.

There actually was one cut with a Lennon lead vocal, Ain't She Sweet, and another instrumental, Cry For A Shadow, that he wrote with George. But the rest were Sheridan, and not great. Still, those eight cuts that were found from the sessions have been press and repackaged many times, and still don't get any better. That is, until they got put in this silk purse.

It's the 50th anniversary of the real recording debut of The Beatles. In honour of that, the tapes have been obtained by Time-Life music, who do excellent historic releases, such as recent boxed sets from Hank Williams. The value of this package is in the excellent liner notes, and wonderful photos and memorbilia pictured. It's like a museum display, and despite reading about these recordings many times, I learned quite a bit from historian Colin Escott's notes, and saw photos I've never seen before from Hamburg. This is a fascinating story, and to have it presented so well is a real joy.

Oh, there's the music. Those eight cuts have several variations to them, including mono and stereo versions, different mixes used in Europe and the U.S., one re-recorded Sheridan vocal, added after The Beatles got hot, introductions in English, introductions in German. With all that, eight songs become 34 different cuts, spread over two CD's. It gets ponderous by the end of disc one, and the mono versions, and then you have to do it all over again in stereo. Or, don't. Just play the eight cuts once. You'll notice the instrumental, Cry For A Shadow, is pretty darn good really. The rest? We don't need to hear anybody singing When the Saints Go Marching In as a rock n' roll song. Just read the booklet.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: MARY SIMON - NO MORE MAYBES

2011-12-01T15:02:00.000-08:00

Readers will know of my strange love affair with the music scene of Hamilton, ON, a city that adopted me a few years back and keeps inviting me to their annual Music Awards. What can I say? As loyal as I am to my beloved East Coast music scene, each time I visit The Hammer, I come back with more excellent music and memories. As long as the well is full, I'm going to keep drinking.

How I missed out on Mary Simon before is beyond me, except to say that's the way it goes when you're being pulled 15 different ways, to check out various groups and acts. She's released five CD's in her career, and showcased at the Awards in 2010, which I somehow didn't see. I actually didn't see her perform this time either, instead only getting her helping out on mandolin and vocals for her friend Michelle Titian's set (more on Michelle at a later date). But she did slip me her most recent disc, and whenever her name came up, people I respect said, "you know she's an excellent singer-songwriter, right?".

I do now. No More Maybes grabbed me immediately, one of those rare listens where you keep waiting for something that you might not love as much as the last song, but not being disappointed, except when it ends. A roots songwriter, Simon has that ability to surprise you, and even scare you a little bit with how emotionally direct her lyrics are. In "Blue Eyes", it's a stare-down across the cafe, where she catches somebody checking her out; "I have a weakness for your blue eyes". There's no B.S. with this stuff, and since she's opening up her heart, she also gets to ask tough questions: "If I asked you what you stood for, would the answer be waiting on your lips?", she asks a potential candidate, trying to gauge his morals as much as his charm.

All this comes packaged in twang-and-tough roots rock, think Lucinda without the twang, although she can also breeze into a little more melodic fare as well. She has a deceptive voice, intimate and tuneful, but when she wants she belts a kick-ass chorus. There's great guitar throughout, and another hallmark is the solid structure to each number, with memorable bridges and harmonies. In short, we have a real songwriter here, folks.

So, that's the album, I'm loving it, but what takes it to the upper level is the what it leaves you with after you've finished listening. I'm hit right in the heart with lines that won't go away; from "Big Sore Heart", "Time to clean out the closet, time to make a brand new start/Old town, new life, sore heart/Big Sore Heart". From "Curse", it's: "More than hungry or tired, I'm just not wired/To be alone/This is my curse." In "Goodbye", it's "I will say goodbye/Let the story of us gently die", in a sad ballad with deep atmosphere, reminded me of Aimee Mann. As much as several of the songs rock, and are certainly empowered, the open emotion is near-overwhelming. Big Sore Heart.

Check her out at www.marysimon.com

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: RANDY NEWMAN - LIVE IN LONDON

2011-11-30T19:39:00.000-08:00

Mr. Newman has been concentrating on his grand back catalogue for this past couple of releases, re-recording his classics as solo piano pieces, quite enjoyably. He also did this concept on the road, presenting a few rare treats for lucky towns.

This live set comes from one of the great nations of Europe, in a show filmed for the BBC at an old London church now used for concerts. The cozy audience was almost equaled in number by the BBC Concert Orchestra, who join in for about half the 22 songs.

I can't decide if I'm partial to the orchestrated songs, or Newman's own solo numbers. For the most part, it's the uptempo cuts he handles on his own, often with his New Orleans-style piano, for favourites such as Mama Told Me Not To Come and It's Money That I Love. But the orchestra sure does hammer home the poignancy on say, "Louisiana 1927" ("Six feet of water in the streets of Evangeline").

I've seen this church before on other DVD's, and it's a visual treat, with its old exposed brick and huge windows. The show was recorded in daylight hours, which is even better as we have the trees and sky in the background. Trust me, it's one of the details that makes the difference in a concert DVD. For repeat enjoyment, you get the entire show on CD as well.

As celebrated and lucrative his soundtrack work is, none of that Toy Story stuff is here, which is smart. You've Got A Friend In Me is not quite as high on the Irony Scale as Short People and Political Science ("Let's drop the big one, they'll be no-one left to blame us").

Listening to old Randy Newman is always rewarded, even new versions of it. It's not like his voice has changed much. Plus, it's never been overplayed on classic rock radio. If it had been, we might be a healthier society.

MUSIC REVIEW: STING - THE BEST OF 25 YEARS

2011-11-29T18:52:00.000-08:00

This single-disc version is a frustrating little sampler for the much bigger, three-CD,1-DVD version that nicely does the compilation job. The trouble is, it's listing at $109 freaking dollars! Jeez, somebody forgot to tell Der Stingler that the music industry has tanked. You can't be charging those prices anymore, unless you're offering hard-cover books, unreleased concept albums, actual autographs and naked photos. I guess Sting already has enough money, and he can damn well do whatever he wants. Maybe he's part of the problem. You know, the 1%. Occupy Sting.

Anyway, Mr. Rich Rock Star has frustrated me by refusing to issue a decent Greatest Hits. I don't want a boxed set (especially at that price), nor do I want all his albums, not even one. Just gimme the best songs, that's about all I can take. The trouble is, there's one that is half-Sting, half-Police, and of course that means duplicating all your Police tracks, because you probably already own those classics. Then there's the Field Of Gold best of, which only takes us to 1994. The Best Of 25 Years gives us just 8 hits, one previously unreleased song, and 3 live numbers from the DVD that comes with the big box. Sigh.

It just makes little sense to me to stick out a disc that purports to be his best, yet there's no Englishman In New York, Love Is The Seventh Wave, I Hung My Head, I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying, it's a big list. Obviously the answer is a two-disc set, and that's what you can...in Europe! I just want a blasted decent best of, is that so much to ask? Every other artist, living or dead, has one, even those without actual hits. And no, I am not paying a hundred bucks to get it.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: THE DIODES - ACTION/REACTION

2011-11-28T18:11:00.000-08:00

Having just seen the reformed and fighting trim Diodes on their mini-tour of Southern Ontario, at the beloved This Ain't Hollywood in Hamilton on the final night of the swing, I can tell you the gang still has all the spirit that set them apart in the late 70's - early 80's. Contemporaries of all the classic punks, the group played CBGB's in New York, hung with Blondie, The Ramones and Talking Heads, toured with U2 and Gary Numan, and were pretty much the poster band for scene in Toronto. Such is the lasting esteem in which they are held, just weeks ago the group won a huge vote conducted by the Toronto Star to name the best Toronto band of all time. It was a shocker. Eat that, Rush!

Time to coincide with the mini-tour was the reissue of the band's third, and last, studio album. Like all things Diodes, it had a shaky birth and existence, but now gets treated with due respect by their new label, Bongo Beat. The master tapes had been lost in the shuffle label fights, and this had to be salvaged from a master used for cassettes and covered with Dolby. But today's magic has saved the day, and six bonus tracks of demos, outtakes and a live number punch it up more.

Great current interviews and liner notes inform us that The Diodes had actually broken up for a few months before this album, after being dumped by CBS in 1979. But, the corporate dummies neglected to realize that in the U.S., the label had just put out a collection that featured The Diodes infamous rockin' take of Paul Simon's Red Rubber Ball. It became a minor hit, which led to calls for the group to hit the road and studio again. The splintered bunch were cool with that, and had a bunch of songs too. They also had their free agent status, since CBS had cut them loose. They decided not to return to that company, because there were a couple of hotshot producers interested in them for their own new label.

Action/Reaction from 1980 gave the group a couple more decent-sized Toronto hits, Strange Time, and even bigger, Catwalker. Like the other great punk bands of the day (Ramones, Teenage Head, etc.), much of the group's sound is undated, raw and snotty 60's-styled radio pop music. This is the rejection of prog, singer-songwriter, southern rock, and the like, with the groups rolling back the clock to where the single was king and short, and mixing that with the similar-thinking Glam bands, Bowie, Dolls, Velvets, etc. The songs had punch, noise, distortion, but also had lots of melody and smarts.

I find they hold up better on stage now, but let's blame that on producers Willi Morrison and Ian Guenther, who were trying to get some kind of sound that doesn't hold up. But The Diodes weren't the absolute best writers either, and the lyrics didn't exactly require too much analysis. Or any. Hard to beat the energy though. The best bonus cut here is a ripping update of the Stones' Play With Fire, which goes double-speed one verse in, with classic punk-plucked bass, and a raw solo. It seems old hat now, but in those days, a brilliant cover was all you needed to set yourself apart. (One of the best moments here as well is when the song ends, and you here the audience at The Horseshoe pounding their draft glasses for the encore. Man, I remember that!)

Best Toronto band of all time? I dunno. It's a good story of course, and I think it's marvelous that it's brought this band back to attention, and even introduced them to so many new and young people. Action/Reaction has its charm, but it's very dated too, and not as skillfully made as most contemporary albums. It's a cool and important time in Canadian music though, so check out The Diodes if they do more touring soon.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: KATE BUSH - 50 WORDS FOR SNOW

2011-11-27T20:31:00.000-08:00

I can't figure out whether she's bonkers or brilliant. I'm leaning, as always, towards the latter, but maybe it's a bit of both, in a good way. She's certainly uncompromising, that's for sure. Here you get seven songs, the shortest just under seven minutes, the rest running up to thirteen-and-a-half. She's one of the most critically-acclaimed female singers of the last three decades, but for much of the album she employs male singers. And when she writes a song called 50 Words For Snow, it's exactly that, a singer listing 50 words for snow. Even stranger though, is that some of those 50 words are actually phrases, some of which make little sense, and some seem to be from a completely made-up language. Freaky.

These are odd things, and perhaps not what we want from favourite artists. But Bush has grown and changed since Wuthering Heights and Cloudbusting and Hounds Of Love, and we might as well go along for the ride, because she's not going to make anything so easily digestible. After all, this is somebody who composed and integrated part of James Joyce's Ulysses into one album.

So, we get a duet with Elton John, probably the most popular single artist of the rock era not named Elvis, and it's this incredible wordy number that's more like theater dialogue than a song. Elsewhere, these dense, circular numbers start to hypnotize you. At times you get lulled into enjoying them, and other times completely enthralled, wrapped up in where she's taking you. I don't understand a blasted thing about this album's lyrics, I mean not a clue. I haven't read any interviews with her in preparation, and certainly now I don't want to know, so I'm avoiding it. At some point I'm sure my curiosity will get the better of me, but right now I'm happy letting it be some kind of mysterious, totally foreign work, because it's so cool.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: BRIAN WILSON - IN THE KEY OF DISNEY

2011-11-26T13:42:00.000-08:00

Wilson's critical flag continues to fly high, thanks to this month's release of the legendary SMiLE sessions. He's still a big draw on the concert circuit, too. I think the new albums probably only sell to the hard-core though. The last one was him squeezing Gershwin (a huge influence on him) through the Wilson method, and now he takes a stab at another icon, the Mouse House.

You have many different composers and styles to choose from when you enter the Disney world, from decades of hugely popular songs. Wilson goes from When You Wish Upon A Star up to recent stuff from Randy Newman and Elton John, with varied results. The hard truth is that this once-tremendous singer has lost much of the pretty and most of his range through his dark years of abuse, and his age, of course. So when he's trying to hit the notes in a number such as Can You Feel The Love Tonight, it's kinda painful. His crack band can handle all the Beach Boys-styled parts, but it just points out the problem with Brian's singing. Ditto You've Got A Friend In Me, Colors Of The Wind, the nice stuff.

Where his voice does work well is on the older, and more fun numbers. Not only does the vocal not matter as much, these iconic songs allow him to have more fun with the production and arrangements, his true and undiminished talent now. He has the group get going on a medley of Heigh-Ho/Whistle While you Work/Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life For Me) that is a barrel of fun, especially when they start playing toy instruments and making workshop sounds. One voice Wilson can still do is a child-like one, so The Bare Necessities captures the lightheartedness of the film and original. And Kiss The Girl from The Little Mermaid comes across well recast as an early 60's number, something Wilson knows very well.

In the end though, it's a concept that smells more of brand marketing in a board room than a musical bare necessity. Disney signed Wilson to its label, crunched the numbers, figured out that it could turn a profit, and get a little status from having him on board. I'm not really sure what Brian's reasons are, other than it's another opportunity to be in the studio, which must be so rewarding for him. So, smile for Wilson about this, but there's no real reason to buy it.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: THE WHO - QUADROPHENIA DELUXE EDITION

2011-11-25T09:02:00.000-08:00

Pete Townshend's famous rock opera? Why, Tommy, of course. Townshend's best rock opera? I'm going with Quadrophenia. For all the beloved bluster for the deaf, dumb and blind boy, song-by-song, the tale of messed-up Mod Jimmy, trying to figure out his place in the culture clash that was 60's England, is a far more credible listen, and probably a more cohesive story. Although an icon for the fans, Townshend always felt himself an outsider to Mod culture, but his proximity and status made him a perfect biographer, hung up as he was on the complexities of youth as they changed British society, one pill and one punch at a time.

As with Tommy, it is necessary to separate the Quadrophenia album experience from its latter incarnation as a movie, a tour, a soundtrack, and another of Townshend and Daltry's retirement hedge funds. Just take this new reissue of the music, in its two-CD deluxe version, or the 5-CD, hardbound book and memorabilia-stuffed box set, with tons more demos and a new 5.1 mix. There is a natural flow between the songs that makes you want to move along in the story, a feeling of beginning and end, a sense of the confusion and depression and the bottled anger Jimmy feels. You enter the drab and gray world of cobblestones and clouds and cool, cool, rain, Jimmy searching for the real me. Although their aren't a lot of famous individual tracks from the album (really, only Love Reign O'er Me and 5:15 get that status), almost each one has epic moments, as they tumble by: Cut My Hair, The Punk And The Godfather, The Dirty Jobs. I never remember the titles, but as soon as they role, I perk up, and go, oh, that one!

You'll have to be quite the little Who fanatic, or a deep-pocketed music nerd to go for the $130 Super Deluxe Limited Edition. Yes, that's what it's called, such a stupid name. What you gain over the 2-disc set is 15 more demos, the 5.1 mix of only eight songs (weird), and all the extra ephemera. I have to think $22 dollars will be the much more appealing option. Quadrophenia is one of those albums that people don't often throw on, and you might not have even upgraded from your old vinyl, but I'd say it's ripe for rediscovery, Townshend on fire with the musical themes and melodies here, and certainly he was writing these amazing characters for Daltry and himself to inhabit. The 11 demos on the 2-disc version show the intricate compositions and productions he was doing at his home studio, envisioning Daltry's wails, Moon's thunder, and the band's on-stage swagger. Already fond of the early synthesizer, his patience and craftsmanship in building these near-studio quality demos is stunning, considering the limited technology of the time. He had become quite the one man band, and although The Who versions are better, as always Townshend's demos prove great listening. There are some significant differences from the final version, including lyrics and entire dropped sections.

Quadrophenia never became the same beloved piece as Tommy, largely I think because the subsequent tour was a minor disaster at times, with Townshend's beloved synths and such duplicated on backing tracks that inevitably failed at key moments. So while the piece itself deserved to be heard in its entire rock opera production, it quickly got pared down to two or three songs among the rest of the hits, and not revived until recently, when The Two had to come up with some other reason to reunite again. I can assure you I'm having a much better time with this disc than I have with any version of Tommy over the years.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: JANN ARDEN - UNCOVER ME 2

2011-11-24T20:21:00.000-08:00

Back for another go-round, Arden certainly doesn't have to do covers, but says she was asked and convinced by producer Bob Rock. Must have been a paycheque deal, I can't really see why either would be desperate to do it. However, let's mark it on it's artistic merits and interest value, instead of getting all snippy. See, I have to have these conversations with myself all the time. Glad you could join me.

Arden's interesting personality comes out in this covers set, as it did on the first. You get the usual suspects, a couple too many in fact (Love Hurts, You Don't Own Me, the must-have Fleetwood Mac song), and the quirky old chestnuts with some of her personality injected (Que Sera Sera, This Girl's In Love With You, Is That All There Is?). But then somebody, one hopes Jann herself, reached a little deeper in the data banks, and came up with some surprises. As an old Top 40 fan, I tip my hat to the Motels' Only The Lonely, and Dorothy Moore's Misty Blue. The real head-scratcher is a cover of The Smiths' Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me, which opens the disc. She doesn't make it her own, and it stands out in its relative obscurity, so it must be that she really just loves it. More satisfying is a cover of one of her own songs, written and recorded (but not yet released) for her pals in SheDAISY, who also sing backup here. It's a fine story-song, and did deserve to find a home on one of Arden's own discs.

I just wish it wasn't this one. As much as I enjoy a good covers set, and as much as I like a lot of her choices here, its the producer I have a beef with. Rock's recorded this in way too glossy a setting, with all smooth sides and no edge. It's a squeaky-clean sound, and even sounds like it's been put through a processor set to "cotton candy". I am no great technical whiz, but something's unreal about the effect, and I've never felt that way before about any of her discs. In the end, this makes the disc music for fans of polyester.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: R.E.M. - PART LIES PART HEART PART TRUTH PART GARBAGE 1982 - 2011

2011-11-23T18:20:00.000-08:00

And so we bid adieu to R.E.M., a band which tried so hard to remain relevant, or at least tried to keep themselves interested. But despite every attempt, they couldn't beat back the inevitable, and as predicted, never overcame the loss of drummer Bill Berry. He didn't so much mess up the mix when he left, as he did let the air out of the thing. They tried everything, it seemed; they recorded a lot, they took big breaks, they played lots live, they stopped touring, they tried a new sound, they went back to their earlier sound. They were soft sometimes, and loud others, and defiant over the dwindling status until the very end. Yet their legacy will be so easy to write; with Berry they amassed an impressive string of artistic triumphs, but without him, hits and passion dried up. The albums, while initially seeming to hold some magic, inevitably paled to the past, and a series of bland titles (Up, Reveal, Accelerate) hid groups of songs where nothing stood out to sit with the old numbers.

Nowhere is that more obvious that this new double-disc best-of. Once we get past New Adventures In Hi-Fi, and Berry's departure, the best cuts are either an old number revived for a previous hits compilation (Bad Day) or Peter Buck's Brian Wilson tribute (At My Most Beautiful). And if you can name any other tracks from their later albums, kudos my friend, you're one of the rare fans.

So now that the retirement is official, we can all breath properly again, and pay homage to the first half of the band's career, without feeling guilty and disloyal. Two-thirds of the tracks come from those days, and it's so easy to pick 'em, they fall off the discs like the biggest, juiciest apples. Radio Free Europe, Driver 8, Fall One Me, It's The End Of The World As We Know It, The One I Love, Stand, Losing My Religion, Shiny Happy People, Everybody Hurts, Man On The Moon, What's The Frequency, Kenneth?, what a streak. Like The Rolling Stones, we don't think of them as a singles band, but they sure knew how to make 'em. Maybe that's what happened to this band in the end, they just lost the ability to distill it in three minutes.

For the buyer, this set offers three final attempts, recorded this year in aborted sessions for another ill-conceived album. And once again, none of them has any energy or spark to burn them to your memory. It's as strong a two-disc set as you'll get otherwise, with all the must-own's here, and for the first time, the early I.R.S. years are compiled alongside the Warner material. A rare song or two might have sweetened the pot, but that would have meant further reductions from the latter part of the career, perhaps an even bigger embarrassment for the band. They probably should have either packed it in earlier, or embraced live touring as their future, but at least they tried. What each member does next should proof very interesting.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: BOB SEGER - ULTIMATE HITS: ROCK AND ROLL NEVER FORGETS

2011-11-22T19:00:00.000-08:00

Seger doesn't get quite the props he deserves, considering the decent quality of many of his hits, and his strong live act, which made him a Detroit legend. Like Peter Frampton and Springsteen, he toured and toured and toured again, conquering one market at a time, until the rest fell like dominoes by the mid-70's. As for his hometown, he was a god. Those with long memories might also recall a time when "play Bob Seger" was yelled at bar bands as often as "Free Bird".

It all went south when he sold out with that Like A Rock hit, which was pounded into the airwaves as a Chevy ad. Of course, it's a match made in Motor City, but it was still a time when that wasn't considered cool. Neither was the disco-funk of Shakedown, from the Beverly Hills Cop II soundtrack. It might have given him a #1, but it also killed what was left of his core audience.

Listening through this double-disc does provide lots of highlights though. I always liked Mainstreet and Night Moves, and Rock And Roll Never Forgets is one of the best songs about the rebels growing up, with "sweet sixteen's turned thirty-one". Some of them were played so constantly, it's permanently ruined the effect, but there's a reason Old Time Rock And Roll, and Against The Wind were monsters. The compilers gave us a good look at the live show too, with versions of Travelin' Man and Beautiful Loser that show how he owned the hockey rink.

This set is part of the comeback that's been coordinated this year, with a major touring schedule, and a couple of new singles that have found a certain audience Tellingly, they are covers, Tom Waits' much-heard Downtown Train, and an old Little Richard romp, Hey Hey Hey Hey. Both are here of course, but neither feel right, and we're left to wonder if rock and roll did actually forget Seger, or simply gave him the boot.

AND THE WINNERS ARE: HAMILTON MUSIC WEEK RESULTS

2011-11-21T19:54:00.000-08:00

So, I am home and it is over. It's been another fun-filled trip to Hamilton for the annual Hamilton Music Awards, and as always, after four such trips, I marvel at how connected I feel to the city's music scene and the dozens of friends I have made there. The culmination of the conference was Sunday night's awards show, and the after-parties that continued long into Monday morn. On a night bittersweet due to the Tiger Cat's disappointing loss to Winnipeg, it gave several hundred music fans a reason to be cheerful, and a lot of great live music.

Oh, and I got a job offer. Co-host of the awards show, along with comic Shelley Marshall, was local rock godfather Tom Wilson. Wilson and I have squared off at this gig each time, mostly over his mangling of the pronunciation of my last name. I've had to resort to using him as a comedy punching bag, leaving him staggering and acknowledging my superior abilities. Last night, he simply gave in to the inevitable, and told his band mate in Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Colin Linden, that he wants me to join the group, complete with my own Nudie Suit to match the trio's. I'll act as some sort of MC, I guess. I appreciate Tom's offer, but judging from Colin's facial expression and lack of enthusiasm, I'm guessing there's going to have to be a band meeting about this.

Blackie did perform at the Awards last night (without me), as did others from the cream of Hamilton's music scene. Doing his first big hit, Painted Ladies, was Hamilton native, and Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Ian Thomas. On hand to help present the award was his great friend, and colleague from Lunch At Allen's, Murray McLauchlan. That allowed me to have a catch-up with Denise Donlan, who is married to McLauchlan, who was one of the contributors to The Top 100 Canadian Singles book. She's been one of the major players in Canadian music, in her executive positions with MuchMusic, Sony Music and CBC Radio. One of the artists she helped while with Sony was Jeremy Fisher, who also wowed the crowd with his live performance. The sidelines were also filled with presenters and musicians straining to get looks at new acts with big buzz, hard rockers Monster Truck, and alt-country comers The Dinner Belles.

I particularly enjoyed another friend getting an award. Each year the HMA's honours someone from behind the scenes in the music industry who hails from Hamilton, who has made a major contribution over their career. This time it went to music executive Kim Cooke, who I first met during his time with Warner Music. In his 24 years at the label he signed up several major acts in the country such as The Odds, Great Big Sea, Sarah Slean and Colin James. Since he left that company, he's worked with Maple Music, and now has his own label, Pheromone Records, where Slean and The Odds showed their loyalty by rejoining him. He also just opened up Revolution Recording in Toronto, a new glowing and shiny studio that's the buzz of the tech side of things. Most importantly, he's a gem of a guy.

As for the trophies, it was Fisher who took the night, with three awards, including Album Of The Year, Male Vocalist, and Songwriter, all for his latest album, Flood. The Dinner Belles took Best New Group, and Alternative Country Recording of the Year, and the group's keyboard player, Greg Brisco, took the honour for that instrument. Blues singer Rita Chiarelli, took Female Artist and Best Blues. Monster Truck grabbed Rock Recording of the Year.

If you have a desperate desire to see me hand out two of the awards, as well as display some of the scintillating wit that has so captivated Tom Wilson, the awards show is televised in a couple of weeks. You might also like to catch some of the excellent music performances. It's going to be on CHCH TV, which is available across the country to Bell Satellite viewers, since I get it here in Fredericton. It's going to air Saturday, Dec. 10 at 7 PM Eastern time.

HAMILTON MUSIC WEEK: HAMILTON LIVE

2011-11-20T13:19:00.000-08:00

Hamilton Live. Some graying punk rock, some energetic speed metal, old-fashioned hard stuff from teenagers, a beloved roots rock band, some classic alt-country sounds. You can see it all in the Hamilton scene, just bouncing around from club to club on any given night. That's what the Hamilton Music Awards has showcased for us, this week. Here are some of my scattered memories, caught between cab rides and award presentations.

Last night featured the highlight concert of the awards, by Blackie and the Rodeo Kings. The group doesn't really have a home town, as the members come from different areas of the country, but in a way Hamilton would be its spiritual centre. Tom Wilson is indeed from here, still lives here, and was certainly in a great mood, dropping old and new city references, and memories of seeing Lighthouse as a kid in the very hall he was playing last night. The band was in great form, with Colin Lindon ripping off some amazing solos on guitar, Stephen Fearing showing off his excellent pipes as one of the truly underrated singers in the country, and Wilson... well, Wilson owned the building of course. His Lean On Your Peers was the highlight, his tribute to the hardcore Hamilton heroes, known ones and unknown, some passed on, but still with plenty of spirit felt in the city. Mentions of Frankie Venom and Tim Gibbons bring cheers in this place. They were allowed off the stage after five encore songs.

After that it was over to This Ain't Hollywood, given the Top Venue award earlier at the Industry Awards portion of the weekend. The show featured a return to the city of an old favourite, The Diodes. Hamilton loves this 70's-80's band, especially since they are now doing some short tours, with the promise of more to come. It's been a banner year or so for the Toronto group. In my book The Top 100 Canadian Singles, the band grabbed a surprising #23 appearance with Tired Of Waking Up Tired, as voted on by 800 music pros and nuts across the country. Then this summer, the Toronto Star ran a poll/competition for readers to pick the best Toronto band of all time, and shockingly, the group won the whole thing. They are clearly on a buzz from that, and played this mini-tour to great success. It's the original lineup, with two of the members coming back to Canada as they have lived in England for many years. Opening with their famous cover of Paul Simon's Red Rubber Ball, the band ripped through their catalogue, including numbers from the just-reissued album Action/Reaction, which I'll review in the next few days.

You can also expect reviews of other Hamilton artists I've seen this week, including Michele Titian and The Dinner Belles. Hamilton Music Week ends tonight with the Awards handed out, which I'll report on after.

HAMILTON MUSIC WEEK: RISING STAR WINNERS DAWN AND MARRA

2011-11-18T14:43:00.000-08:00

So the next big event at the Hamilton Music Awards is the Rising Star Search. It's the second year for the competition, and like last year, I'm going to be the MC. To say it's already a success is an understatement. Last year, 16 groups were chosen, from a ton of applicants, from early high school students to somewhat established groups in their 20's, all hoping to grab top honours. For good reason, as the prize package alone is worth it. It includes, most importantly, an autographed copy of The Top 100 Canadian Singles! A-ha-ha.

No, the real prize is the combination of goods and services that any young band needs, from photo sessions to studio time. As mentioned yesterday, runners-up Weekend Riot Club turned their prize into a 3-track debut disc, which just came out. The winners from last year went even further. They are Dawn and Marra, a young folk duo both in their teens, and already becoming established. Although it wasn't even part of the prize package, they scored a coveted opening slot on the big Harvest Picnic show near Hamilton this summer, with the likes of Daniel Lanois, Emmy Lou Harris, Ray Lamontagne, Gord Downie, Sarah Harmer and more sharing the bill with them. I got a chance to see them play this year at the conference, and you can tell they have grown in confidence and experience.

They also used their win to record a first disc, which I reviewed back in June of this year. Since it's Hamilton week, it's the perfect time to revisit that disc, as I present the Best Of Bob and Hamilton (really just an excuse for me to write less this week as a run around watching Hamilton bands at the conference). Here's that original review:

The winner of the Rising Star Search were a duo, two young women from nearby Dundas, 18 and 16, named Dawn and Marra. It was quickly obvious, even with just two songs allowed, that these two had a spark, and a desire to perform. I'm not talking about the "look-at-me" narcissism you see on Idol shows, or among high school class clowns. These two wanted to share what they do. What really impressed most people was that they also wrote their own songs, already. You can be a great singer, a fine musician, but add songwriting to that mix, and you've turned a corner. That's the thing about music -- somebody has to write it. Fine voices, good arrangements, harmonies, confidence playing just by themselves, Dawn and Marra has everything you'd want to see in a professional duo at club, and here they were just starting out.

Fast-forward to, well, today, half a year later, and I have the new, and first Dawn and Marra album, Never Ask Me Why. Using the buzz and support from the Hamilton Music Awards, they've done exactly what you'd hope they would: made a strong debut album, played almost every weekend since, and staked out an immediate future in music. The disc is all original, ten cuts, done in their singer-songwriter style. Marra Koren sings lead and harmony, and handles bass duties, while Dawn Larsh writes the bulk of the songs, also sings lead and harmonies, and plays guitar and ukulele. Quite good ukulele in fact, there's a couple of cool numbers with that as the base instrument, a different sound for sure.

Dawn and Marra are still learning, and there's an awkwardness at times with the lyrics, or times when they still sound like teens. But mostly on this disc, and live, they're showing their strengths in performing and writing. Already they stand out.

HAMILTON MUSIC WEEK: CATCHING UP WITH WEEKEND RIOT CLUB

2011-11-17T14:04:00.000-08:00

The Hamilton Music Awards and Conference is off and running with a successful first day. Most music conferences are for the artists and the industry, and fair enough. You expect that, for them to work on their careers, networking and such. The HMA's have taken a different approach. The conference is actually for students interested in the music world as a career.

High school and college students get to come to workshops and seminars in a variety of topics about jobs on the stage and behind the scenes. You can get in-depth with the world of a pro bass player, hear how to become a producer, or find out what music companies are looking for from songwriters these days. This year the stars heard from stars such as George Pettit of Alexisonfire, Juno nominee Emm Gryner, and Christopher "Black Velvet" Ward.

One of the people on stage was locally-raised Canadian music star Ian Thomas, recipient of this year's lifetime achievement award. Thomas first hit in the late 1960's with the group Tranquility Base. In 1973 came his breakthrough with the smash Painted Ladies, a Cancon classic. That turned into a long and stable career, with performing (Lunch At Allen's), songwriting (for Santana, Chicago, America, etc.) and voice work. The talented actor and mimic had the young audience giggling away at the revelation that he was Snap, of Snap, Crackle and Pop fame, from the Rice Crispie commercials.

I also caught up with a group I had first met last year, participating at the Rising Star Challenge. Weekend Riot Club did really well at the competition, coming in second out of 16 acts chosen to showcase. For that, they received a significant prize package, which included studio time at the famous Hamilton recording centre, Grant Avenue, founded by local Daniel Lanois. It was a blast to come back a year later and find out what they had done with it.

I got to hear the results in a forum where young musicians brought their demo and finished recordings to be heard by media professionals. That group including reps from music publishing, A&R for a major label, and a top engineer/producer and now-label exec. In an honest and sometimes brutal critique session, the musicians got some strong first impressions and tips from the talent scouts. They all agreed that the top music they heard that hour belonged to Weekend Riot Club.

The band has turned the three Grant Avenue tracks into a 3-song EP called Rubber Bullets, and it's available now on iTunes, and in local stores. It's rockin' stuff, and Melissa Marchese is a strong and feisty singer. Along with writer Mike Chetcuti, the duo is working hard to establish the group identity, polish the sound and shows, and get the word out. Just a year old as a group, the label reps were complementary about their progress, and I was pretty thrilled with the development they've shown in the time since last year's awards. It just goes to show that in the end, hard work wins.

HAMILTON WEEK: SHARON MUSGRAVE

2011-11-16T08:37:00.000-08:00

Hi, it's travel day, that means I'm heading to Hamilton and arrive in the Hammer this evening, ready get the actual Hamilton Music Awards going. Day one, Thursday, is the annual conference, which is where the industry comes to town to pass on knowledge and expertise to interested young people. It's unique I believe. It's a day-long event for high school and college students, where they can learn from industry pros and musicians what they could possibly do in the music business. I'm MC'ing the whole day, so I gotta get prepped!

What with the travel and the prep time, I'd better not spend too much time reviewing and writing, so I thought I'd do the class thing, a rerun. But it's a Hamilton artist, so that's fair, and it's somebody nominated for awards on Sunday, plus it's somebody you really should know better. Sharon Musgrave is up for three awards: Female Artist, Female Vocalist, and Soul/R'n'B Recording of the Year. Here is my original review of her disc as it first appeared at launch time back in February.

SHARON MUSGRAVE - OUTFLOW

The former William Orbit colleague fronted the Bass-O-Matic project in the '90's, singing and co-writing on the international hit Fascinating Rhythm and other tracks on two albums. Now she works out of the Hamilton area, and has had a string of projects on her own label the past ten years. Her smooth soul voice fits almost anything, from old school to hiphop to club to jazz, and it's all here, as well as a taste of reggae and Soca, and even some of her poetry spoken over a track.

While there's that little bit of everything for lots of styles, most intriguing is Musgrave's positive vibe that links track-to-track. More than feel-good music, it's actually life-affirming and almost spiritual, at least for those whose spirituality comes from believing and loving one's self. And not in some New Age-y or Dr. Phil message; rather it's just simply strength through self-motivation.

With a handful of remixes added on, Outflow will appeal mostly to dance fans with soul leanings. Musgrave and co-producer Peter Grimmer give everything a clean and solid groove, aided by Hamilton guitar monster Brian Griffith, and she adds several compelling stories that will keep you listening at home too. Although you'll be forgiven if you get up and dance by yourself.

HAMILTON WEEK CONTINUES WITH STEVE STRONGMAN

2011-11-15T09:22:00.000-08:00

Hamilton Week continues, as we count down to the start of the annual Hamilton Music Awards and Conference. It begins Thursday in the city affectionately known as The Hammer. Readers will no doubt be puzzled by this Maritimer's fondness for the Ontario steel town, and for explanation I direct you to yesterday's column, which gives a brief history of my involvement, and keen interest in the music scene.

What I've noticed is that you'll find something for everyone in Hamilton, and it's a very supportive musical community. It's not uncommon to see a table with a greying punk from the 1970's, a classical string player, a jazz hand, and a soul singer, shooting the breeze. They'll play on each others records, and they have each others backs. Everyone knows it's a hard road, being a working musician, especially when it's difficult to grab the nation's interest from their area (Toronto media indifference is my theory). So, hard work makes for better musicians, and it happens in each genre.

Today, we look at the blues, and it doesn't surprise me it's popular there. Like the Maritimes, Hamilton can be a gritty spot, with its industrial core. This blue collar aspect reminds me of places such as Sydney, NS and Saint John, NB, where industry rules. Bars are still bars in Hamilton, and there are several good ones I like, which feature live music, pub fare and put-a-pitcher-in-front-of-me service. I'll take that on Friday night, thanks.

From the blues scene of the city comes Steve Strongman, who has it all. He can sit himself done and play solo, wailing away, or get up with an electric band, and rip you a new one. Strongman is one of the country's best guitar players. I know, I know, everybody says their hotshot local is one of th country's best, but in this case, he currently has the proof in hand. He's been nominated for a Maple Blues Award for best guitar player of the year. This puts him in the top five, and it's no half-baked system saying that. The nominations come from a panel of over 50 blues writers, critics, broadcasters, festival organizers, that kind of quality, and from right across the country. So to get past all the warring factions and home town supporters, you have to have some pretty serious credibility. Those awards are coming out January 16th in Toronto by the way.

Strongman's ready to drop an acoustic blues album on us at any point, but for now is enjoying the guitar attention with his most recent electric disc, Blues In Colour. On that album, you get a full display of what the guy can do, as the main player in a small band setting. He has a fabulous clean tone, and his work has a lot of 40's and 50's feel to it, uptempo and moving. This is when the jook joint stuff started coming into the Chicago clubs, and electricity turned on all the players, when B.B. ruled the roost with class. That's how i think of Strongman, somebody who can pull off those sweet-sounding solos. Elsewhere on the disc, he slows it down, making the thing cry, and he adds a mean slide to some modern sounds too. Add in a good, high-pitched voice with a bit of urgency, and Strongman, to me is the complete package. Well, that plus a great blues name. He's always a highlight to hear on my visits, and he's building a strong national reputation as well. Mention him to your local festival.

IT'S HAMILTON WEEK! FEATURING THE ARKELLS - MICHIGAN LEFT

2011-11-14T18:52:00.000-08:00

I am hitting the road again, on another musical adventure. One of the best parts of my gig is getting invites to the various music conventions and award shows in the country. Some I attend as a reporter, and file stories for CBC. Others I asked to come and actively participate, as a guest speaker, panelist, or MC. It's all good.

One that has become a highlight for me is the annual Hamilton Music Awards. This will be the fourth I've attended over five years, and only illness prevented me from going that other time. It started in 2007, with the publication of my first book, The Top 100 Canadian Albums. There were quite a number of Hamiltonians in that list, including Daniel Lanois, Teenage Head, Crowbar and King Biscuit Boy. The organizer thought I'd fit in. Since then, It's been a blast getting to know the area, and its many exciting musicians.

Because Hamilton is so close to Toronto, it is often forgoten in the major media. Its own outlets do a fine job, but generally Toronto reporters won't venture forth to cover issues from that city's perspective. Given that the population base of the Hamilton-Burlington area is edging towards a million people, that's a big chunk of Canada going unreflected. This certainly happens to the music community there, and that's why I feel like I've been charged with some sort of mission to help get the word out. I'm happy to do it.

So, I head to Hamilton Wednesday, and will no doubt get more new CD's to hear once I arrive. Until then, I'll focus on the some recent Hamilton releases. The Arkells are actually having no trouble getting the word out to the rest of the country, which is great news of late for the rock scene there. The young band won a Juno for their debut disc, Jackson Square. You can't get more Hamilton than that, by the way, Jackson Square is the big mall right in the middle of the downtown, connected to the market, and boasting the usual huge food court/hang-out. It was definitely a message sent out by the proud Hammer residents. The new disc, Michigan Left, named after a highway sign no doubt, features lots of local references as well, from the Escarpment to the 403.

The album feels like a car drive, constant movement, bouncing around southern Ontario from Windsor to Toronto. Each song has some sort of travel or trip in it, such as a bus stop. That makes sense to me, it's an area where people plan their day around the drives they need to make, the possibility of traffic jams, and the huge areas around them they have to negotiate. The group gets into that headspace, plus the all-consuming job is always there, too. Blue collar is mentioned, evening shifts, going for coffee. In other words, this ain't pretty, it's gritty, just like Hamilton.

The Arkells are young, and I like the fact they don't simply sling loud guitar music. They've made an effort to write strong, thoughtful, melodic songs. There are several that are bright, up, and joyful, celebrating the real-life situations described in the lyrics. It's downright feel-good, something I've found missing in your basic rock band of late. And back to the lyrics, it's not just the settings and descriptions I like, there are good lines too; "This campfire won't last forever, the Hip have only wrote so many songs." Bahhahhhahhahah. Classic Canadian reference there.

So, Hamilton Week begins here on the Top 100 Canadian blog. Join me for more as I head to the Hammer, culminating in the Awards themselves Sunday night.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: RYAN ADAMS - ASHES & FIRE

2011-11-13T18:04:00.000-08:00

Adams has been roasted for years for putting out too much music, recording enough tracks each year to release boxed sets, let alone a couple of albums. Since his Heartbreaker CD came out to great acclaim in 2000, he's put out an average of a disc a year, plus if you dig a little bit there are other sets and songs on various spots. According to the man himself, he can write four or five songs a day. According to critics and even fans, he needs to stop and work harder on a few of them, and let others fizzle out.

Whether you think he's a singular talent who should be allowed to follow his muse, or a spoiled brat who would rather shoot himself in the foot than take advice is another good debate. There's currently a big on-line fight happening over an incident between Adams, Neil Finn and Janis Ian on a TV show in England, and once again, he isn't looking too mature. All this has nothing to do with the songs and albums, but it does point to the confusion fans have felt. The most common phrase heard from listeners is, "it's no Heartbreaker".

I've actually never heard a Ryan Adams album I didn't like, and usually I like them a lot. Often they aren't particularly memorable, and I rarely grab them from the collection. There are no key songs I'd point to that exist on any albums past Heartbreaker, but no junk either. I like the sounds of his ballads, I like the craftsmanship, I like it when he gets rockin' with the Cardinals. I guess that all he's missing are over-the-top excellent ones.

On this new one, it's a non-Cardinals album, which signals singer-songwriter fare. Sure enough, here come the sad ballads, and if Adams really does knock off four a day, he sure can come up with lots of good lines. The title cut is immediately swathed in sorrow from the start, as we find out about a guy who "As he stared past the fire/The hunger to leave, well it gnawed/His poor heart alive." You can't argue with the quality there. Norah Jones turns up on piano and/or vocals on a few cuts, and these are mellow highlights, heart-tugging like all the others.

Like ALL the others. For whatever reason, Adams insists on compiling songs that are too similar. I mean, why can't the Cardinals play on other tracks? Why do they have to be a band you belong to, rather that a band you lead? Why can't you try to chill out? Yes, you're an artist, but at some point each artist has to acknowledge the existence and influence of the audience on their work, whether its considering their wants, or acting a little more respectful on a TV show.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: DUKE ROBILLARD BAND - LOW DOWN AND TORE UP

2011-11-12T16:37:00.000-08:00

Now, you could describe in great detail all the sources for these classic blues numbers Robillard has chosen to cover, from the pens of the famous (Hooker), the brilliant (Bartholomew) and the obscure (Sugar Boy Crawford), You could go through the process he employs to recreate the sound and the vibe of these raw, rich original singles from that purple patch of electric blues in the 40's, 50's and 60's, the live-from-the-floor, straight to 2-inch tape. You could discuss these musicians in the band who know how to do vintage. Or you could get all guitar-crazed, and go through the makes and models and years and tube amps that Duke finds to get just that tone from the original. These would be important discussions for those folks who revere and understand, like Robillard himself.

But here's the deal; you don't need to concern yourself with it. What is important is that this is better played and performed, better written and chosen, and simply more inspired and enjoyable than 95 per cent (or more) of anything else coming out today. It's a bunch of veterans, playing guitar-bass-drums-keys-sax, with ultimate feel and love for sizzling blues sounds. And, bonus! They know how to make them! I don't care HOW they make them, I know I can't, and neither can all those other bands that say they can. Most of them are trying to play those licks, and pulling it off half the time. Robillard, for instance, does them at ease, but then ads even a little more magic, something elongated, or slightly rearranged, just to show there's still more fun and experience to add to the blues, that it is, under his and other hands, still living.

Do Unto Others may be the best number here, the Dave Bartholomew number known from the Pee Wee Crayton version in 1954. Robillard's solos rip, and each one ends with a subtle slide up the string to a little *ping* ending, just as cool and tasteful as can be. But wait now, Sax Gordon's wail on the next track, Jimmy McCracklin's It's Alright, is remarkably dirty and fluid at the same time, and Duke's teasing us with tales of his baby, a song I know I've never heard before. Meanwhile, downtown tonight in your hometown, the usual suspects are once again, covering the same Robert Johnson tracks Eric Clapton turned into cliches in 1967.

I don't want to be too mean here to any other blues players. Rather, I'd like prefer to challenge your listening habits, mostly because I think Duke Robillard and his band are so very, very excellent.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: FOLLY & THE HUNTER - RESIDENTS

2011-11-10T10:25:00.000-08:00

Coming together like Arcade Fire mingling with Fleet Foxes, this new Montreal group takes the epic sound of the former and adds the acoustic, harmony-drenched anthems of the latter. Woodshedding for six months resulted in this debut album, expanding the boundaries of today's folk music. It's funny, new bands used to get together for months in garages, getting to know each other with their electrics and amps. Now, it's more likely they are in (metaphorical) barns and old churches, trying out cellos and different keyboard sounds and how their voices blend with echo and effects. Helping out all over the album are members of the red-hot Barr Brothers.

The words are a lot better, that's for sure. F & the H present a sweeping series of songs which tackle a lot of regret, leaving, and sad observation: "We were stuck in traffic for most of our lives". There's no bitterness here, more acknowledgement, and we get to feel more mellow than down, largely thanks to the beauty of the melodies and instruments. The wonderfully-recorded songs feature glowing voices, ringing pianos, and shimmering strings. It's like the mixing board had buttons they could push that said "gentle", "bright" and "beautiful".

The group is in the East right now to promote Residents, and let people check them out. You'll find them appearing with Paper Beat Scissors at:

Nov. 10 Baba's Lounge, Charlottetown
Nov. 11 Cafe Aberdeen, Moncton
Nov. 12 Wilser's Room, Fredericton

MARINE DREAMS DEBUT DISC, SHOW TONIGHT IN FREDERICTON

2011-11-09T11:18:00.000-08:00

The whole Attack In Black scene has developed into a treasure trove of solo and side projects. You have Daniel Romano doing his excellent, old-time folk ballads on his own or with Fred Squire and Julie Doiron. Romano and his brother Ian has started up the You've Changed label, for side projects and friends such as Shotgun Jimmie. Baby Eagle is part of that, too, a/k/a Steve Lambke of Constantines. Guitarist Spencer Burton calls his solo guise Grey Kingdom, and bass player Ian Kehoe has now become Marine Dreams.

It's Kehoe with the new disc, and like the others in the family tree, it's different than the sum of the parts of Attack In Black, a heavier rock act. While it's not as hushed as Daniel's folk music, it's not going to be put in the punk racks. Since Kehoe was the lyric writer for the group, it's been no problem for him to develop solo material, and he hasn't had to move that far away to find his own voice. In fact, it's the same old set of friends helping out here, including all three AIB former band mates, Lambke and Paul Henderson, ex-Shotgun and Jaybird, and part of the ongoing Sackville, NB connection the group members have established. In fact Kehoe and Lambke now call the town on the marsh home.

Ranging from the heavy riffs and downs of Sudden Dark Truths to the jangly strums of Visions, Kehoe's made a cool guitar album. While there are moments of pleasing pop, it never gets too conventional, with one or more parts, including the vocals, often put through the indie low-fi filter. Even mid-song, instruments and elements can switch from murky to clear. I'm sure it's nowhere near this simple these day in the studio, but it's like you can set a switch, and click it on and off at will, low-fi to high-fi. The sonic palette is pretty full here to, not a lot of space available, most of the space in your head between the earbuds filled up with guitars and drums.

Kehoe's touring Marine Dreams right now, along with buddy Baby Eagle. They play:

Wednesday, Nov. 9 Cedar Tree Cafe, Fredericton
Friday, Nov. 11 Gus' Pub, Halifax
Saturday, Nov. 12 Struts Gallery, Sackville, NB

MUSIC REVIEW: JOHNNY CASH - LIVE AROUND THE WORLD: BOOTLEG VOL. III

2011-11-08T09:23:00.000-08:00

This is the latest in the stash of Cash found after his passing, and curated by his son John Carter. This time, the them is live concerts, and the selections go from 1956 to 1979, snippets and greater chunks which give us a feel for the show he put on. Since he was an old-time performer, who grew up in a time when musicians catered to the audience, Cash always had a somewhat-scripted and well-rehearsed gig to present, even if it was a one-time only special evening. And although he was practised, it felt spontaneous and he had genuine affection and connection to the audience.
For most star performers, the big concerts of their lives happened in front of tens of thousands of people, or at legendary venues. Cash though found his moments in odd places, with select crowds, most famously in prisons. Here we get historic shows that may not be the best-recorded ones (hence the bootleg in the title) but are of signifigance for the event or the songs. His Folsom Prison and San Quentin recordings are already completely documented, but here we get another example from of all places, Sweden, in 1972. It turns out Sunday Morning Coming Down was something they understood all too well there, too. John Carter's ears are sharp, for sure. He grabs an excellent version of City Of New Orleans from a one-off set in front of a bunch of music industry suits at the CBS convention in 1973, showing Cash could wow even them whenever he wanted.

The oldest set here is a not-bad fidelity recording from a radio show called the Big "D" Jamboree in '56, the original Tennessee Two of Luther Perkins on guitar and Marshall Grant on bass showing us where the Sun Records sound came from. The still-new group does their single, I Walk The Line and Get Rhythm, and we hear a classic at its birth, songs that never needed to change. Next up is a 1962 rural show at an outdoors country stage in Maryland, and it's fascinating to hear the difference between country and rock and soul shows of the era; Cash is still doing a folksy, downhome routine, the audience members walking up to the stage to request favourites, the band and he trying comedy and impressions inbetween the numbers. The quality here is weak, but I don't know if I've ever heard a show quite like this, so the value far outweighs the listening issues.

By 1969, Cash was a kind of evangelist, but for humanity more than religion or country music. He straddled musical genres, politics and generation gaps. His admirers were kids and their parents, southerners and northerners, conservatives and liberals. When he appeared in Viet Nam for the troops, he could haul out a piece of patriotism such as Remember The Alamo, but follow it with Cocaine Blues, getting the soldiers revved up. Then, he and his fine-tuned roadshow (Carter Family, Statler Brothers, Carl Perkins) gave them big hits (Ring Of Fire, Jackson) and a stunning gospel finale of Daddy Sang Bass.

The centerpiece here is what might, at first, seem lame. In 1970, Cash was invited to perform at The White House, a tribute paid to such greats at the time as Duke Ellington. Not many could survive being tarred with the Richard Nixon approval. The Guess Who, for instance, lost much of their hip credibility in the U.S. by accepting an invitation. But the small-town boy from poverty recognized the importance, and even brought his dad along. Of course, he also grabbed the opportunity to do a little preaching, with pointed messages to the President and that part of the public. Addressing the growing rift between The White House and youth culture, Cash offered What Is Truth, asking for open minds from older Americans.
Johnny Cash did thousands of shows, and most were largely the same. This kind of cherry-picking is exactly the way to go, and hopefully there are more bootlegs to come.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: PINK FLOYD - WISH YOU WERE HERE, A FOOT IN THE DOOR - BEST OF

2011-11-07T09:18:00.000-08:00

Syd Barrett might have been crazy, but at least he was concise. You can't say that about the rest of Pink Floyd. I imagine if somehow he could have kept his hands out of the candy jar, he wouldn't have been serving up 20-minute album sides, as his pals did, passing interminably-long guitar solos and plodding synth lines as grand creations. But that's what passed for high art in 1975, and apparently still does in some quarters. Wish You Were Here still gets great props and poll numbers in the great album magazines. But sensible pruning would have revealed that disc to be about a sides' worth of decent tunes, no more. Syd, still alive in '75, no doubt wished he wasn't there for his infamous appearance at a mixing session for Shine On You Crazy Diamond, the song ostensibly about him. The group members notoriously didn't recognize him, head-shaven and a couple of stone in excess of a decent lorry-load. Supposedly they felt awful about what Syd had become, but to my ears they could have equally been embarrassed about what they had become without him.

I was never a huge Pink Floyd fan, but this recent reissue program called Why Pink Floyd? has had me asking the same question, and not coming up with a good answer. I've now sat through the entirety of their album catalogue, and it's only confirmed they had four good albums, and a whole lot of mind-numbingly boring albums that went on for hours before a song with a tune would rear its head and jostle me out of my stupor. That's the career in a nutshell, and it accurately describes the Wish You Were Here disc, too. Roger Waters, desperately searching for a concept, since by 1975 they were a concept band, and he was the main writer, had some material written, but wanted it all to link. This is the album that's supposed to be about Syd and the sense of absence that brought, but that's only part of it, and made for good copy and myth-making for fans. You'll find it in the ridiculously long parts of Shine On You Crazy Diamond that open and close the disc, as well as the much more enjoyable Wish You Were Here. The other lyrical concept is about the evil record industry, which it is, of course, but somehow these complaints, coming from a band that was allowed to record and release Atom Heart Mother, seem awfully whiny. Of course a bunch of suits are hovering around counting the money you made from Money. You should have been thanking them for continuing to take a chance on you for six years before that.

Anyway, that's just another rant, a little bit directed at the content, but I actually do think Have A Cigar is one of the best depictions of music moguls ("By the way, which one's Pink"?) you can find, and a good song to boot. It's just that somebody really should have taken a razor blade to Shine On. Out Nov. 8th are two special versions of the disc, a two-CD Experience edition, and the 5-disc Behemoth Monstrosity Gargantua, which includes no more new music, but rather endless DVD, 5.1, and other mixes, and for the live of me I can't figure out why they take three more pieces of media, but they do. How many ways do you want to hear this thing? Stick with the 2-disc, as it actually has quality on it from start to finish, and is historically important. You get the three songs the band had written in 1974 and were playing live in concert: Shine On, Raving And Drooling, and You've Got To Be Crazy (I guess it was the crazy concept they were working on). The latter two were chucked out after Waters came up with the other concept for the album, and they ended up being renamed and used on the Animals disc. There's also a famous wine glass-rubbing experiment that was used for a loop on the eventual album, and two cool album out-takes. First, a version of Have A Cigar as sung by Waters instead of guest vocalist Roy Harper, which I prefer to the released cut. Waters had felt he couldn't hit the notes with his range, but it sounds like a more natural version to me than Harper's well-known take. And, there's the often-reported take of Wish You Were Here, with jazz great Stephane Grappelli doing a violin solo. It had been rumoured that tape was gone, but here it is finally. It's obvious there was no point to having the solo, and it was wisely scrapped, but it's exactly the kind of thing you want on these bonus discs.

Also newly released is yet another in a long string of compilations by the band, this one called A Foot In The Door - The Best Of Pink Floyd. Now, being as that's about as far as I want to get inside the Pink Floyd playhouse, this is the one I'd hoped would have the truly best and brightest. However, it sticks with the usual suspects, concentrates on Dark Side, Wish, and The Wall, and misses both interesting cuts off, say, Meddle, and non-LP singles such as Arnold Layne. Being as the reissue campaign has few rare cuts, and there are plenty scattered in the Floyd discography, it would have been nice to see some of them show up somewhere (like the Dave Gilmour-only re-recording of Money, for instance). The two-disc best of, Echoes, from a decade back remains a better collection, and actually requires less pruning. Man, I find this group way too frustrating to enjoy.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: MAYER HAWTHORNE - HOW DO YOU DO

2011-11-06T17:44:00.000-08:00

Blue-eyed soul lives! I got a great new album by Darryl Hall lately, and then there's this guy, who's turning into the poster boy for 70's sweetness. This is Hawthorne's second disc, and is killing me just like his 2009 debut did. The guy lives for the great stuff, the Motown and Philly and Chicago 70's numbers, before disco and funk moved in. You'll hear Curtis Mayfield, Spinners, Isaac Hayes, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Smokey Robinson, even a little bedroom Barry White. It's not all slavish devotion to the era though; he can also drop some hop in there, and not too many white boys from Ann Arbor, Michigan get to duet with Snoop Dogg, but there's the man himself doin' in Doggy style on Can't Stop.

The Michigan thing obviously means a lot to him. A Long Time is a message of hope to Detroit, and the dire situation the city finds itself in these days. Hawthorne sings about how Henry Ford and Berry Gordy brought success and pride to the city before, and that somehow it will get that back. Hawthorne writes everything here, plays lots of the instruments, and produces as well. The guy's a giant. Another cool cameo, and a bit more telling than the Snoop duet, comes from guitar giant Dennis Coffey. The one-time Motown Funk Brother played on smash hits for the Temptations and many others, and had his own million-seller with Scorpio. He loans his signature feel to a couple of numbers.

I like how Hawthorne bounces around the soul spectrum, not settling on one style, but offering it up like a buffet. About half the tracks feature him in falsetto, and I really can't decide vocal style I like better, so I'm glad to have both. As a die-hard Motown and Philadelphia International fan, this stuff was made for me, but if you ever like a Spinners or Miracles or Amy Winehouse song for that matter, check this out.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: TOM WAITS - BAD AS ME

2011-11-05T12:58:00.000-07:00

No overriding concept here, no songs from stage plays, or themed weirdness, it's just new, and great songs. And what a delight. Written and recorded quickly earlier this year, Waits goes through all his usual styles, and even comes up with a few new ones. The disc is also more lighthearted than usual for him, not just bemused but also somewhat satisfied with humanity and times' passage.

In the title cut, our eccentric friend is thrilled to find a co-conspirator, a lover, who is equal to the task in his escapades: "You're the fly in my beer/you're the key that got lost....you're Mother Superior in only a bra." Where he gets his Film Noir characters is a thing of mystery, and as much from his gut instincts as from his imagination. And of course, he's still the best and main character in many of his songs. Unlike Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, who have taken to dissecting mortality as they approach their ends, Waits downright embraces it. "Satisfied" tells us exactly what he thinks about death, when he writes "I will be satisfied before I'm gone." Then he makes a shout-out to the kids that wrote about Satisfaction way back in the 60's: "Now Mr. Jagger and Mr. Richards/I will scratch where I've been itching/before I'm gone." What makes it even better is that Mr. Richards is playing guitar on the track.

In fact, Richards shows up for several cuts, and even sings on one with Waits, the simple ballad Last Leaf, which is pretty much about being the last leaf on a tree in fall, and the metaphor is way too obvious to bother to analyze. The two croak through it, and it's as perfect as you can imagine. As usual, the sounds of the disc and the performance are just as important as the composition, and Waits pulls out his usual crazy-quilt collection of tin pans and squawks. But in keeping with the lack of concept, the songs are more traditional, with melodies and verses and such, with the ballads being especially attractive in their melancholy. Still, he comes up with more tricks that haven't been featured before. Hell Broke Luce is about army vets, no doubt recent ones returning from the Middle East, as Waits chants his way through one of those marching songs soldiers do ("I had a good home but I left, right, left"). The song ends with disturbing reality: "Now I'm home and I'm blind and I'm broke/what is next?"

Joining Richards are more individual players, filling sonic roles. The great Marc Ribot is key on guitar, playing it like Waits sings. The list also includes Flea, blues harp maestro Charlie Musselwhite, Los Lobos mainstay David Hidalgo on accordion and guitar, Texas Tornado Augie Meyers on keyboards, Les Claypool, and Waits' son Casey is now his main drummer. If this reads like the cast of a circus freak movie, you got the right idea.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: DARYL HALL - LAUGHING DOWN CRYING

2011-11-03T18:54:00.000-07:00

I have absolutely no reason to be embarrassed about my affection for Hall & Oates. First off, I am not alone, even among the trend-setters. No less a source than the ultra-hip Herohill music blog did an entire H&O tribute mix featuring covers by indie favourites a few months back. But they are bandwagon-jumpers, those youngsters. I've been diggin' the duo since they landed early to mid-70's, when it was all blue-eyed soul, before Maneater. But...I kinda like Maneater too. Hall can sing, the both can write crazy hooks and do American soul music proud. And it's Movember, and who rocks a 'stash better than Oates?

Now, I'm no loon on this matter, and other than a double CD best of, you won't find anything else by them in the voluminous music collection here. I do think Hall's web TV show Live From Daryl's House is really well-done too, although it's hit-and-miss with the musical guest stars (check it out, YouTubers). So that made me at least want to throw on this new disc from Hall just to see what he'd sound like today.

It turns out he sounds like a somewhat more respectable version of his old, hit-making self. The 80's production values have been replaced by basic and conventional rock set-up. But (and here's the brilliance, I believe), there's still a little hint of the 80's in there, every once in a while. Talking To You has that little shimmer and splash of electric guitar and keyboards, a kind of signature sound you'll recognize immediately. It's not overused, but it's that little reminder of who you are dealing with. Of course, that voice is unmistakable, and still just as glorious. Every so often, he rolls out a classic whoa-oh-whoa, one of the rare people who can sing those wordless fills, and not sound stupid.

Look, if this wasn't Daryl Hall, but some unknown chap, half the critics would be all over this as an example of somebody able to get that great, smooth Philly or Memphis soul sound, and blend in so many Top 40 hooks. And the song Save Me sounds like great Allen Toussaint or Boz Scaggs. Really though, we should be saying it sounds like great Daryl Hall, and no snickering when you say that! Props are due. Oh ya, celebrate Mr. Mustache too, wherever the hell he's gone.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: PAUL SIMON - SONGWRITER

2011-11-02T19:48:00.000-07:00

Ah, a label change, that explains yet another Paul Simon compilation, of which there many in the market place. You have your boxed sets, and best-of's, featuring either Simon solo, or a combination of Simon and Garfunkel and Simon alone. SIngles, doubles, 3 or more CD's, you decide. No matter how much you might have liked his disc from this spring, So Beautiful Or So What, these days the real money is to be made from the catalog hits for these heritage artists, and when they go off to the highest bidder, there's inevitably a new best-of.

At least this one is solid and classy. The double-disc is a thoughtful walk through the solo years, curated by none other than the man himself. While it's sometimes a bad idea for the artist to do the choosing, as they often go for strange picks rather than fan favourites, Simon knows there has to be a certain level of big songs, and it's not like there's a shortage of them available.

The set starts off with the one temptation for hard-core fans who already own it all, a brand-new live version of The Sound Of Silence, recorded earlier this year, Simon showing he can still deliver quite a punch with this, his earliest hit. With a bit of a different arrangement, and of course, no Art, it's a new look at a song that has held up remarkably well. The other reason collectors might be doing a double-take on this set is the inclusion of a soundtrack song not found elsewhere, the quite lovely Father And Daughter, Simon's hymn to his own, from the 2002 movie The Wild Thornberrys. But with only two of 32 tracks offering a hint of new, any long-time fan won't be rushing to the checkout with this.

Another nice touch is the inclusion of Aretha Franklin's version of Bridge Over Troubled Water, certainly a superior recording, and a smart way to tackle the S&G years. If you haven't heard her take, Franklin hooks onto the gospel roots and does her expert thing. I wish there were two or three more choices like that here; perhaps Peter Gabriel's recent slow version of The Boy In The Bubble, or maybe an original Peruvian version of El Condor Pasa. But there are many hits and albums to get to I suppose, and Simon dives in with the obvious, and not-so obvious choices.

The 70's give us Mother And Child Reunion, Kodachrome, American Tune, and Still Crazy After All These Years, and Simon also finds room to include a couple of quieter moments, Tenderness and Peace Like A River, at the expense of crafted hits Slip Slidin' Away and Loves Me Like A Rock. But no 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover? A number one hit there, Bub. Simon disposes of the 70's way too quickly, but I suppose he's giving equal weight to all his babies. That's going to come back to haunt us on disc two. But meanwhile, we've reached the 80's, and his two crucial albums. Ya ya, Graceland, sure, but first, there was the frustrating failure of Hearts And Bones. Three tracks are included here, and I say good on you, Paul, it was a misunderstood masterpiece, and deserves to be plugged at every turn.

Graceland, followed by The Rhythm Of The Saints, and we're cooking now. But we've just started disc two, and you know what that means: The Capeman Cometh. Simon's Broadway flop has still not found an audience for its songs either, and the inevitable inclusion of two of them here won't change anyone's mind. The albums slip by with the 90's and 00's, with Surprise and You're The One, all of higher quality, but strangely unable to stay with us. The three cuts from So Beautiful Or So What, while equally appealing, seem destined to suffer the same fate.

I have no answers for this, other than perhaps Simon got too hung up on his nifty lyrics and neglected the tunes. I mean, I don't have a clue what The Obvious Child is about, but it rocks and I like to sing along to it. That's been missing for awhile in his music. However, I did find some renewed interest in these later album cuts, and maybe we just need to live with them a few more years. Except that friggin' Capeman thing. It's time to give up on that one.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: THE BEACH BOYS - THE SMiLE SESSIONS

2011-11-01T21:02:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you know too much about your subject. I know WAY too much about the making of, and myth of SMiLE. It's one of those nerdy, record collector things that some people got into years ago, and I was one of them. I can bore you to tears on this, especially if you don't buy into the "greatest album of all time" talk. My mind was made up years ago, when I heard about these infamous unreleased sessions from 1966-67. But if you have never heard of them, or heard the music before, gosh, it's going to be hard to give you a concise review.

I'll step back a little, and give you the legend, in summary. Brian Wilson, leader of The Beach Boys, was on a streak in 1966, having put together his masterpiece album, Pet Sounds, and the world-wide hit Good Vibrations. If those recordings had stunned listeners and his peers (The Beatles acknowledged his greatness at the time, as did most), now he was ready to blow minds. Together with a far-out lyricist named Van Dyke Parks, he hit the studios with the best session musicians in L.A. to create his "teenage symphony to God". SMiLE was a collection of compositions with a loose theme of America, encompassing history, environment, the elements, humour, and youth culture. The music would continue in the style of composition he pioneered with Good Vibrations, recording interlocking sections and interchangeable parts. That gem had taken six months to record, and featured many unused and abandoned ideas, as Wilson searched for the right order, composition, instruments, and lyrics. Now that would be expanded to a whole album.

Recording began smoothly enough, but a variety of problems soon overtook the project. There was some hostility among the members of the group, not an uncommon thing in their history. There was Brian's already fragile mental health, which included undiagnosed major issues. There was increasing drug use, which did not sit well with his mental state. There was some very tense business going on with Capitol Records, including missing royalties and the band attempting to set up their own label. Then, amidst all this tension, Parks flew the coop, as the sessions collapsed.

Rumours and tall tales came thick and fast. The album had already been promised and publicized, and when it was replaced the the lowly Smiley Smile (which brother Carl Wilson accurately described as "a bunt instead of a grand slam"), everyone wondered what had happened to the real masterpiece. It soon became obvious that something existed; The Beach Boys would raid the tapes nearly every album over the next five years, as Brian withdrew into his house and abandoned his leadership. The group would either rework or attempt to overdub the songs, usually with great results, as the songs themselves were quite excellent.

So eventually the hard-core fans figured out this SMiLE album did in fact exist, and in tantalizingly near-complete form. The group even promised its release in 1972, but that didn't happen. The word was that it couldn't be done without Brian, and Brian couldn't do it as he was no longer capable. Over the years, not only legitimate songs appeared, but so did bootlegs, as unknown parties leaked their fragments and tapes, and collectors compiled more and more information. I was privy to much of this material as early as 1978. The more tapes that appeared, the closer the final form could be guessed. More and more fans, especially musicians, became enamored with the myth and music. I can remember trading tapes with Jay Ferguson of Sloan, for instance, back in the mid-90's. With the explosion of the internet, all of a sudden everyone had access to the information, and the bootlegs.

In 2004, the unthinkable happened. Brian Wilson, who for years had trembled at the mention of his abandoned masterpiece, actually had become mentally stable enough to tour and record again. He was asked, and with the help of his touring band, actually tackled the long-delayed problem of completing SMiLE. Even he had no idea what the final form would have been, as those decisions had not been made at the time, and he truly forgot some of the plans. But with his groups, and Parks, he was able to put together an approximation, and he recorded a completely new version. It was an artistic triumph. And now there was only one thing left to do, revisit the master tapes and release them.

So, here it is, in all its fame and experimental greatness. The producers, long-time Beach Boys archival associates, have put together different versions, depending on your level of interest. Those with basic curiosity are directed to a two CD or two LP version (slightly different). Us SMiLE nerds (now numbering tens of thousands) will be shelling out at least $120 for a five CD, 2-LP and 2-45 rpm set, with a hard-cover book, huge poster, bells, whistles and smiles. Using the 2004 re-recording as a template, they have assembled the original versions into an album which might have been SMiLE. It's as close as we'll ever get, and it's dynamite. Then, over the other discs, you get all the other parts and sessions, which are just as fascinating as the completed songs. There are abandoned themes and different instruments used, vocal attempts and failures, studio debates and false-takes, but each one features this incredible music coming at you. So many groups have been borrowing and stealing the style through the decades since. How can you tell? Each time you hear a bass harmonica or a theremin or a cello or a banjo in a pop song, or some other combination of rare instruments, or of course, the famous harmonies, there's a good chance it's from a bunch of kids who spent hours listening to their copies of SMiLE fragments. That's Cabin Essence, by the way, piano-cello-banjo-flute-harmonica. Brilliance.

And now.. we have those fragments, not bootlegs and bad copies, but the real deal. Probably all of the pieces, or at least the great majority. At least all the substantially different parts are here, and if there are others there's little chance they'll be found now. Listening to the complete boxed set, you get to sit in the control room while Wilson conducts his band-mates and the studio whizzes, and we hear the songs build up as they come together. Who knows if Wilson would have continued, and created more music for his jigsaw puzzle, or if he could have completed it back then. Who knows if it would have wiped out the competition, including Sgt. Pepper, if it had been released in the Summer Of Love. Heck, it could have bombed, too. Those arguments will continue, probably with even greater intensity now that everyone has access. If you've never heard this stuff, a lot of you are about to be blown away. Lots more will wonder what all the hype is about, and go back to their belief that the Stones or Zeppelin or Nirvana or Jay-Z made a lot better music. For some of us, November 1, 2011, will be a date we'll always remember, when a dream was actually fulfilled. That's the intensity with which life-long SMiLE fans are greeting this release.

But, back to my main job, which is to review this collection for you, with the assumption you've not heard it yet. Here's what I can tell you: If you like Good Vibrations, and want to hear two or five CD's worth of music that is a lot like it, that's what you'll find here. As for myself, I'm going to be In My Room, SMiLing.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: THE WEBER BROTHERS - BADDEST BAND IN THE LAND

2011-10-31T19:09:00.000-07:00

We all know about the legends who have passed through the ranks of Ronnie Hawkins' various incarnations of The Hawks. You have, of course, The Band members, but that was just part of the story. Also in the group at various times were Roy Buchanan, King Biscuit Boy, members of Crowbar, Janis Joplin's Full Tilt Boogie Band, Dominic Troiano, even (gulp) David Foster. Given that track record, one should never take a credit in Hawkins' band lightly.

Ryan and Sam Weber were rock-obsessed kids from Baltimore who got introduced to Hawkins thanks to The Last Waltz movie. Youthful guts lead them to contact The Hawk back in 2001, and offer their services. Whatever Hawkins heard, he once again proved his talent scout smarts were still there. The Webers moved on up to Ontario, and got the full course under his tutelage. Then, like the rest, they went out to earn their own stripes.

The past decade has seen them settle in the Peterborough area, and put out a long string of discs, somehow avoiding any great attention. I want to grab passers-by and play them this new disc. While it might sound like a bragging title a blues group would use, The Weber Brothers are instead a great, classic, rock group who may indeed be the baddest in the land. They have mastered great chunks of bedrock group sounds, from the cowbell-dumb hard stuff of "Panic Attack" to the piano-pounding Leon/Elton number "Different Day". Both Webers handle lead vocals, offering more variety that takes us from hard to soft, gutsy and smooth. In "Can't Help Feeling Bad", they even conquer hit single-worthy material, that is if this was 1972, and they were Badfinger.

The thing is, it's also the most excitement rock band album I've heard in eons, or at least since The Sheepdogs. Unlike The Sheepdogs, who sound too much like their influences, The Weber Brothers have swallowed up everything and created a bold blend. It's as tight as a New Orleans funk band, and as surprising as the best mix tape. This is the band I want to see tonight.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: RAY CHARLES - LIVE IN FRANCE 1961 (DVD)

2011-10-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

As technology improves, archivists are better able to salvage lost causes. And as artists pass away, the search for unreleased material intensifies. It's like looking for shipwrecks; rumours that a camera crew was at a live concert, or that somebody heard demos one time of a certain unissued song. Even if its found, what shape will it be in? And is it any good in the first place?

So it was great luck finding, and even better luck restoring to quality, this stellar footage of Ray Charles. Plus, it's a momentous series of concerts: His first trip to Europe, his best band, his peak period, his greatest hits. A French TV crew was there to capture it for later broadcast, over four nights at the Antibes Jazz Festival. Although the master tapes were chopped to pieces, enough was left to put together nearly two hours of the four nights, with sparkling black-and-white footage. The angles are excellent; in fact, it would be considered well-shot and unique in this day-and-age. Best of all, the producers today were able to seamlessly match it to the original radio recordings of the shows, for much better sound and to cover many incomplete song edits from the films.

And here was Brother Ray, at that important moment in his career. He was on top of his game, having found a way to connect his rich soul music (which he mostly invented) to a mainstream audience, giving him huge hits with What'd I Say and Georgia On My Mind. His smaller orchestra on these dates did the funky soul thing, but they were also prime jazz players, and Charles was still doing instrumentals featuring his horns, and going back to his starting days in the Nat King Cole vein. The great Fathead Newman was with him on sax, and you can watch this disc just for the playing.

You can also watch it just for the singing. Charles was a master at delivery, and to hear the passion come out as the soul intensified is a thing of beautty. And to see the Raelettes, the original quartet, saunter out and belt such raw and rich accompaniment, well again we are blessed these tapes were located and lovingly restored. Hats off to the Reelin' In The Years team, which consistently produces some of the best music DVD's available.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: PETER GABRIEL - NEW BLOOD, NEW BLOOD LIVE IN LONDON

2011-10-27T19:36:00.000-07:00

Gabriel's Scratch My Back project has exploded into a whole career phase for the veteran experimenter. As always, when he tackles something, he knows how to make it big and interesting, plus highly artistic. The background is that last year, Gabriel released an album of him covering other songwriters. Those folks (Paul Simon, Regina Spektor, Lou Reed, etc.) are supposed to be sending him back covers of his songs. So far, only some of the songs have been completed in the And I'll Scratch Yours project. That left Gabriel with some time.

Oh, and the larger premise was that it wasn't supposed to be standard rock group instrumentation in these covers. With time in front of him, Gabriel decided to make another disc while waiting, and he decided to try on the concept himself, to see how it would work. So for New Blood, he went back into his own catalog, and chose songs which could be re-imagined into something non-rock. He assembled a 40-piece orchestra, and dumped the guitar-bass-drums format the songs were first recorded with. Some of the tunes were his hits (In Your Eyes, Don't Give Up, Solsbury Hill), while others were somewhat obscure.

You get two versions of the experiment here. The CD is a studio disc with orchestra, while the DVD is a two-hour plus concert recording back in March, before the album was even finished. Gosh, the guy really knows how to put together a project. Here we have the live experience coming out the very same time as the new album, that is fresh-thinking and solid new marketing. It's also because Gabriel really knows how to do live concerts well these days.

While both of these are worthy, because it's orchestra-based, some of the CD plods a bit, in slower sections. That's why I prefer the DVD, which also includes twice as many songs. Several of them are the covers he did on the Scratch My Back disc, including a dark take on Simon's Boy In The Bubble, and the excellent Magnetic Fields tune The Book Of Love, a highlight of that CD, and here. You also get more Gabriel songs with orchestra, including Biko, Blood Of Eden and Signal To Noise. Watching an orchestra is more exciting in this situation as well, seeing them build in intensity, especially since this concert was so well-recorded. Although I just have the DVD, you can also buy it in Blu-Ray and 3D, and a lot of care and a lot of cameras went into the shoot.

The other thing going for the video is that Gabriel always tries to make his concerts different for the audience, at home and in the seats. Visually, there's lots going on, with screen work and animation. At home, you see him messing with the on-stage mini-cams and you get cool edit tricks. This is the fifth Gabriel concert DVD set I have, and every one is a treat, the rare discs you can watch a few times. So, recapping, it's a good idea, the orchestrated versions are a lot more powerful and different than you'd imagine, it's fun to watch, and it's a new concept. It's all good.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: THE BRIDGE SCHOOL CONCERTS

2011-10-26T20:17:00.000-07:00

Over 25 years, Neil and Pegi Young have put on one of the most anticipated concerts of the year, for the school that has helped their severely impaired son. Much of the Bridge School's yearly budget comes from this event, and the Young's make sure it's star-studded each time. Since it's them, there's no shortage of talent happy to show up, and all pretty much A-list. Aside from some download tracks, this is the first time the vaults have been opened. It's a generous selection too, available as a 3-DVD or 2-CD package, with only about half the tracks featured on both.

Right from the start stars rushed to the stage, and from the first year comes Bruce Springsteen, doing a solo version of his misunderstood anthem Born In The USA. That set the program for the entire concert series, which remains a largely-acoustic showcase. So not only do you have the big stars, you get them in different settings, especially the large rock groups. That's a calm but mighty version of Disposable Heroes by Metallica, and Pearl Jam always sounds great at a reduced volume, giving Vedder a chance to shine. The acoustic rules get relaxed over the years for the biggest names (McCartney, Elton with Leon Russell), but lots of others play along, including James Taylor with nice Fire And Rain done with cello. Others choose to bring out rarely-performed numbers, such as Tom Petty doing Shadow Of A Doubt.

The concert also has become a most welcome stop for those doing major event tours, such as reunions. The Who came by on one of theirs, as did Simon and Garfunkel. And of course, CSNY has done it more than once. It's too bad they didn't include a number from this past year's Buffalo Springfield set, but knowing Young he probably has a whole live album of that coming at some point. Young doesn't hog the spotlight on the discs, despite the fact he appears many times during the actual concerts with his guests. Here we only get him with CSNY on the CD version, with REM playing guitar on Country Feedback, and versions of Crime In The City (DVD) and Love And Only Love (CD). Good on ya, Neil, because there are just wonderful performances by Fleet Foxes, Emmylou Harris and Buddy Miller, Gillian Welch, David Bowie with a lovely Heroes, Patti Smith and many more.

The DVD is definitely the way to go if you are only buying one. The performances come alive with the video, and there's a bonus disc of documentaries, behind the scenes and about the Bridge School. For some reason I found the CD flat, and there aren't many of the performances that are only on the audio version that you'll regret not having. No Doubt anyone? Fans who want to shell out the extra $20 for the discs will get a fine Norah Jones version of Wilco's Jesus, Etc., and Jonathan Richman's I Was Dancing At The Lesbian Bar, but you'll also have to sit through Jack Johnson. Oh, that wasn't nice, this is for charity.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: 4 ED SULLIVAN SHOWS STARRING THE ROLLING STONES

2011-10-25T18:43:00.000-07:00

It was so easy in the early to mid-60's. If you wanted to make it big in the U.S., you had to get on Ed Sullivan. The show got the biggest stars, and made them superstars. Diana Ross and the Supremes, The Beatles, The Mama's & the Papa's, the faces of that time were immortalized on the show.

Old-fashioned as the stiff Sullivan was, the program didn't shy away from modern times. It presented more African-American performers than the rest of network TV in total. The comedy could be, on occasion, mildly controversial. And sometimes, the rock music was subversive.

The Rolling Stones weren't even hit-makers in the U.S. when they first appeared on the show in May of 1965, but they were famous by reputation as the dirtier version of The Beatles. We're now so used to the sight of MIck and the boys that the shock is gone, but at the time they caused strokes in parents, and raw excitement for anyone under 20. It was great TV, before anyone understood the concept.

There are four complete Sullivan shows over two DVD's here, featuring the Stones and a variety of acts, plus all of Ed's chat, and even the original commercials. It's an amazing, often hilarious snapshot of the entertainment world, on the cusp of a dramatic cultural shift. The first show here is even in black and white, which is pretty wild to show your teenagers. The jugglers and clog dancers that seemed so interesting back then seem hopelessly lame now. Take the woman balancing a tray of glasses without spilling; That's all you do? And I thought I loved that little puppet mouse, Topo Gigio, but now it's awfully annoying.

And the Stones? Friggin' great, of course, and blessedly, mostly live, or at least real vocals over backing tracks. Watching them do Howlin' Wolf is a thrill, a great reminder of how strong a blues band they were. Watching a truly bizarre Brian Jones playing sitar for Paint It, Black must have blown minds back then. And of course, the infamous CBS censorship of Let's Spend The Night Together into Let's Spend Some Time Together was pointless, with the band simply sneering their way through it. We also get Satisfaction, Lady Jane, As Tears Go By, 19th Nervous Breakdown and more. The Beatles might have been bigger hits, but the Stones did better TV.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: TODD RUNDGREN - SOMETHING/ANYTHING

2011-10-24T21:39:00.000-07:00

I'm telling you, why this double-album doesn't get more love is beyond me. Sure, Rolling Stone mag has put it in its Top 500 albums of all time, but there's a Carpenters album ahead of it. Maybe it's just because it's from 1972, when there was a lot of great music around. Maybe it's because Todd became a bit of a nutcase. Maybe it's because so many albums that came later sucked. Maybe it's because there's a little weirdness spread around the four sides. Whatever. There is also some downright incredible music, and some killer pop songs. Plus, way before so many studio maniacs, he produced and recorded 3/4's of this album by himself.

Hey! Pay attention to that last bit. Aside from McCartney, nobody had really made an album all by themselves, to this hit-quality success. Aside from side four, which is a suite of songs recorded with a large group of studio pros, the first three sides were written, produced, arranged, played and sung by Rundgren, with only an engineer getting a credit on it. Pick your studio boffins, and they might be better at some aspects, like Brian Wilson as a producer and arranger, but Todd did it all by himself.

What you get on Something/Anything are three of my all-time favourite songs: Hello It's Me, I Saw The Light, and It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference. These are three genuine gems, now called blue-eyed soul, but really power-pop, on the ballad side. And listen to how sweet this mother can sing. Oh boy, he could melt hearts with this stuff. Plus, over the course of the album, he shows so many sides, from pop to hard rock to ballads to experimental sonics to humour to conceptual. It's no surprise that later on he became a hit producer for such different acts as Meatloaf, Grand Funk, The Band, XTC and The Pursuit Of Happiness.

Funny, you get so many bands with fewer actual career highlights, such as Big Star and Badfinger (another group Todd produced), that are cult and critical favourites, and beloved today. Yet Rundgren, who had several high-quality albums in this period, is barely mentioned, rarely in the same breath. However, allow me to present exhibit A from Something/Anything, the track Couldn't I Just Tell You, which I believe to be the equal or better than any raunchy bubblegum track Alex Chilton ever composed for Big Star. And the words? A confused young man, trying to explain that he wants to talk about his feelings with his girl, instead of bottling them up to seem tough? Holy Pet Sounds, Batman.

Oh ya, the reason I'm all-Todd all day, is because Rhino Records, that most wonderful reissue label in the Warner stable, has just put out S/A as a 180 gram pressing, which sounds wonderful, shiny and bright. It's exactly the kind of record that works well in the return to vinyl trend, because it was segmented over the four sides, and those cool old guitar and keyboard sounds are much better on warm vinyl. I'm either getting really cranky and old, or music was a lot better in 1972. Quit rolling your eyes, I'm not the only one who says that.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: JIMI HENDRIX - THE DICK CAVETT SHOW DVD

2011-10-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

For such a short-lived talk show, compared to the generation-spanning runs of Carson, Letterman, Leno, even hipsters such as Conan, that Dick Cavett has the honour of so many important rock guests and programs. Famously John and Yoko happily hung out, and Cavett's team put together a fascinating show mere hours after Woodstock, featuring CSNY, Joni Mitchell and Jefferson Airplane. Instead of playing it safe (Leno) or really being about the laughs (Carson and Letterman), Cavett had a journalistic streak that saw him tackle important issues and bring on important people, and rock music was a big part of that in the late 60's and early 70's.

Now, hats off to the producer who managed to make an entire DVD out of just two 1969 appearances by Jimi Hendrix on the show. And unlike the Woodstock or Lennon shows, he was just one of the guests those nights, so all you have is an interview and one song on the first appearance, and an interview and two songs from the second. The easy thing to do would have been using the whole show, but thankfully, we don't have to endure segments with actor Robert Young, or Robert Downey (yes, Sr. to Jr.). They did leave in the original monologues to give us a taste of what Cavett was like, and he's an odd duck for sure in the Great Host Wars. Dry and cerebral, he's goofy but not a laugh riot. He invited people to be bemused with him.

So, the monologue with now-obscure references, the music, the interview, from both shows, that's about a half-hour of time total. Added on is an hour-long documentary on the Cavett show and Hendrix at the time, with brand-new interviews with Cavett, drummer Mitch Mitchell, bassist Billy Cox, and music writer Bill Flanagan. But much of it repeats what we have just seen on the shows, so it's kinda boring. In the end, the important stuff is the music performances and the interviews, and both are interesting. For the first appearance, Hendrix plays with the house band, doing Hear My Train A-Comin', giving us some solos but nothing fiery. However, just to see the guy like this is fascinating, and on second viewing you realize how effortless this is for him, his nonchalance hiding tremendous talent. The second show has him with the Experience of that time, Cox and Mitchell, plus percussionist Juma Sultan, doing Izabella and Machine Gun. This is better stuff, although not the best songs perhaps. And The Experience really needed a concert setting to properly get up to steam (and volume). The TV studio, with its adult audience, was hardly their natural habitat. Jimi gives it a good college try though, and even a little teeth solo, but that's tossed off with a laugh.

The interviews are a bit strange, as Cavett and Hendrix never quite seem to exist in the same dimension. There are a couple of looks that suggest confusion over questions and answers, and really we get no historical facts. You do come to know Hendrix a bit better, as there is no artifice in his appearance, and he's not intimidated by this usually conservative medium. Thank Cavett for that though, he had made TV safe for counter-culture musicians in the U.S.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: T-BONE BURNETT PRESENTS THE SPEAKING CLOCK REVUE

2011-10-22T21:31:00.000-07:00

Oh, it sounded so good in the right-up, and I was looking forward to it. Plus, it's for charity, so you want to like it, but sadly that doesn't usually work out. What we have here is a T-Bone Burnett traveling circus. Burnett and lots of his musical pals, most of whom he produced, hit the road for a short tour of very nice theaters, to raise money for music and arts education. The confusing name for the roadshow came from the always-verbose Elvis Costello, Burnett's old partner in The Coward Brothers, who leads us off with a track from his latest, Burnett-overseen disc, called Jimmy Standing In the Rain. It's not a bad one, and the next number really had me going, from Gregg Allman. Yes, it's his chestnut Midnight Rider, still a gem. Neko Case did fine, but then my interest started to flag.

I wouldn't blame The Punch Brothers on their own, but things were starting to get pretty precious as the artsy-rootsy crowd was taking over. Yim Yames, that name thing is getting really old. Karen Elson and The Secret Sisters, i can barely remember. And I wish I couldn't remember John Mellencamp. I don't know why Burnett has an appreciation for him, but he's now produced his last two albums, and they are tepid and grouchy affairs.

I'm sure the whole theater went into bliss when the living icon Ralph Stanley took the stage to warble. But the problem with living icons is that they are better appreciated visually, as they are inevitably ancient. Stanley's rusty pipes are no relief for us, having now patiently waited a half-hour for some excitement at home. Jeff Bridges, you were not it. Like living icons, movie stars singing are only impressive in front of you, where we can gawk and take cell phone photos. Serious vocal flaws emerge when all you have is the audio.

So it's left to the final cut here to provide some spark, and you bet Elton John and Leon Russell deliver. Aided by horns, singers and a crack band of Burnett-approved sidemen, the duo show us that their recent album did indeed have some great life in it, with a funky and fun Monkey Suit. I get that this was a charity gig, and a revue, and not a regular concert, but there were way too many acts on board, most of them in the earnest camp. I guess they all had to be included, instead of giving us two or three Elvis or Elton/Leon cuts, and hey T-Bone, it's your show, but what was probably really neat live is not much of a disc to take home.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: MARIA MULDAUR - STEADY LOVE

2011-10-21T17:36:00.000-07:00

Proving that you either have it or you don't, and age doesn't matter, Maria Muldaur sounds absolutely smokin' her latest, album number 39 in a career that goes back to the early 60's Greenwich Village. Only so many people can sing a line like "If you want my peaches/you better shake my tree", and make it sound sexy not silly. Truth be told, Muldaur can sing just about any form of roots music, and make it work. It fact, she has sung most of them. In the past decade, perhaps the most truly fruitful of her career, she's tackled the great early women blues singers, gone back to visit her jug band beginnings, and done an album of socially-themed music. Now, she's in New Orleans, the place she says she feels the most at home.

Can't argue with that. This one grooves mightily, thanks to excellent playing straight through, and brilliant song choices. You're not going to see the usual suspects here for tunes, this isn't a troll through the Mardi Gras songbook. I recognized lots of the names, but few of the songs, and there are some gems. The late Bobby Charles number, Why Are People Like That?, is a powerful example of the great lyrics that came out of the city, and Percy Mayfield's Please Send Me Someone To Love reminds us why he is such an underrated talent. Not everything is an actual New Orleans song, but they are sure given the treatment, and I bet Elvin Bishop, Eric Bibb and Greg Brown never knew it was in them.

The biggest surprise is that there's just as much gospel here as gumbo. Stephen Bruton's Walk By Faith, Rick Vito's I Am Not Alone, and the Rev. Brewster's As An Eagle Stirreth In Her Nest all sound as convincing as the rest of the music, and even though it a case of strange bedfellows having them sit next to a tawdry little number like Soulful Dress, Muldaur pulls it off. Now, we've seen lots of recent discs where veteran performers, say a Mavis Staples or a Wanda Jackson, have a rootsy comeback thanks to a hotshot younger producer. The genius behind this project is...producer Maria Muldaur.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: HANK WILLIAMS - THE LEGEND BEGINS

2011-10-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

Amazingly, the treasure-trove of Williams material continues to yield incredible finds. Considering we're talking rare recordings from as early as 1938, and never commercially available, it's a shock these things survived. This time, there's enough for 3 CD's. The bulk comes from syndicated radio station programs Hank and his group recorded, shilling miracle cures for The Health And Happiness shows, or playing for charity on the March Of Dimes broadcast. Best, of all they are in great shape, probably better-sounding than you would have heard them on the radio back then.

The Health and Happiness Shows were eight separate programs recorded in 1949, after Williams had become a star with Lovesick Blues. They were about 15 minutes long, with commercial breaks inserted by local DJ's. The format was the same for all, a verse of Hank's theme song, Happy Rovin' Cowboy, one of his hits, a commercial, another tune, another commerical, a finale and a blast of fiddler Jerry Rivers doing Sally Goodin to end. Often there would be a hymn, always a staple in Williams repertoire, and for the first four shows, a guest spot by Miss Audrey, Hank's wife, either solo or as a duet partner. She was awful, barely able to carry a tune, and if she did, it would wander off-course at some point. After the first four, the sponsor asked that she not return for the next recordings. Too bad other live audiences weren't so lucky at the time. Hank's stuff was gold though, including band renditions of Wedding Bells, Lost Highway, A Mansion On The Hill, and I Saw The Light. While there is some repetition over the two CD's because of the theme songs, this is pure music history, time capsule stuff.

Disc three has the March Of Dimes broadcast from 1951, Williams by now the biggest country star in the U.S. While we get the immortal Lovesick Blues again, we also have Audrey to deal with, and Mrs. Williams graces us with a version of There's A Bluebird On Your Windowsill that's akin to Jack Benny's violin playing. However, hearing the couple discussing the year-old Hank Jr., and how sad it would be if he got polio, is quite a chilling moment.

There are significant audio problems with the other tracks on the third disc, but their inclusion is because of the historical value. Back in 1938, a teenage Williams was first captured on a radio show in Birmingham, Alabama. The very scratchy acetate of two songs was kept by the MC his whole life, a Williams pal, and he eventually gave it to Hank's illegitimate daughter, Jet, who now co-manages these archival releases. A bit better fidelity is found on four cuts found on a home recording from 1940, Williams doing popular covers of the day, including St. Louis Blues and Freight Train Blues. The teen obviously had a drive to perform.

I find these releases fascinating. What else exists in the world, waiting to be found? What do collectors have squired away, or which artists are holding onto their own debuts, thinking them insignificant or embarrassing? Maybe we'll even hear more from Hank from those vaults, "if the good Lord's willing, and the creeks don't rise," as he told his audience each week on radio.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: OHBIJOU - METAL MEETS

2011-10-19T16:44:00.000-07:00

Sound is everything to Ontario band Ohbijou. For their new and third album, Metal Meets, singer Casey Mecija says the group went on retreat to work on the aural qualities of the music, as much as the composition: "We spent a lot of time away writing and arranging it at a cottage. We were trying to come up with ways to push our sound from the first two albums. I think we've been able to take each others' musical capabilities and come up with a sound that is something that reflects all of us."

The group is hardly set up like a traditional rock band. Casey plays the relatively normal guitar, ukulele and piano, but little sister Jennifer chimes in with violin, and a variety of odd keyboards, while the other four members bring in banjo, trumpet, glockenspiel, cello, lots of synths, whatever works. Strings play a huge role, so arrangements are key. "We bring these ideas when we're all together and arrange them as a group," explains Mecija. "We all have input on each others' arrangements. That's why this album is one of our most cohesive, we did a lot of pre-production to get the songs ready."

The big change this time, and the major expansion for the group, is the addition of treatments and sonic adventures, aided and abetted by producer Jace Lasek. "We really tried to create an environment for each song," says Mecija of the final product. "We have never used effects that much until now, so we wanted to have this grandiose sound. We're not an exploding band, the level of our sound can get louder, but were not really considered a loud band. We explore the dynamics."

One thing that keeps them grounded in pop music is the lyric content. "It's very much a love story," Mecija admits, "and we're just trying to communicate that with a different language and a different way of playing instruments. It's a hopeful album set to a moody environment. I often use that word, environment, because we house songs in different environments and they can become anything that way."

You can be part of the Ohbijou environment as they take Metal Meets on the road. Here are the upcoming dates:

Oct 20 – Sackville, NB – George’s Roadhouse

Oct 21 – Charlottetown, PE @ Baba’s Lounge

Oct 22 – Fredericton, NB @ The Capital

Nov 9 – Sudbury, ON – The Townehouse

Nov 11 – Thunder Bay, ON – The Apollo

Nov 12 – Winnipeg, MB – West End Cultural Centre

Nov 13 – Saskatoon, SK – Amigo’s

Nov 14 – Edmonton, AB – The Haven Social Club

Nov 16 – Calgary, AB – Palomino Smokehouse

Nov 17 – Canmore, AB – Communitea Cafe

Nov 18 – Nelson, BC – The Royal

Nov 19 – Vancouver, BC – The Biltmore Cabaret

Nov 20 – Victoria, BC – Lucky Bar

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: CHRIS ISAAK - BEYOND THE SUN

2011-10-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

It's so perfect it's amazing it wasn't done 10 years ago. Everybody's known Chris Isaak has a classic old-school voice, akin to the Elvis-Roy-Johnny school of rockabilly from the 50's. Ya, he can really do up those kinds of songs, the ones that came out of Memphis. You know, Sun Studios and all that. He's so good at it, he could do a whole Elvis tribute album. Nah, too cliche. How about Johnny Cash? Again, it's been done, Orbison too, most of them. But somebody finally went, "hey, what if it was a tribute to all the Sun Studios artists, that echo-drenched sound? You know, the Sam Phillips thing?"

Beauty. You have to hear Isaak do Elvis, with big ballads his specialty here, Can't Help Falling In Love and It's Now Or Never, plus My Happiness and I Forgot To Remember To Forget. His Johnny is on the spot as well, on a couple of the big hits, Ring Of Fire and I Walk The Line. There are actually more obscure numbers than famous ones though, which is the real joy of this set. Dixie Fried is a little-known Carl Perkins track that is a gem, and since Isaak isn't mimicking here, he lets loose. But even when he is doing essentially an imitation, it's so top-drawer, you don't want him to even begin to mess with the arrangement or vocal style. A case in point is Great Balls Of Fire, where he actually does as great a version as The Killer.

And props galore to the band, Isaak's usual bunch, some of whom you know well from his old TV show. These guys are as expert at the sound as Isaak. And did they ever get the ambiance right. That famous slap-back echo is here, and the parts are perfect, the drums, guitar and bass all sounding like they could have been sampled from original records. For Heaven's sake, get the deluxe edition; you get another 11 tracks on a second CD, a lot more of a good thing, for only two bucks more.

It's really the project of Isaak's career in some ways. As much as I like Wicked Game and most of his albums, he has always been a man out of time, like someone mistakenly dropped in our midst by really cool aliens, or maybe the first of Jerry Lee's illegitimate kids. It turns out he's actually been sent to remind us where it all started, and to never forget.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: TREASA LEVASSEUR - BROAD

2011-10-17T17:49:00.000-07:00

Levasseur gets a bit more uptown on this sophisticated and funky disc. Polish is sometimes a dirty word, but not when it means professional and smart, and that's what rolls off this disc. Mostly self-written with three choice covers, she's belting out the R'n'B with gusto, and not afraid to make a big deal about it. Horns, harmonica, whatever is needed. Even the slow stuff, like the great revamp of Randy Newman's biting God's Song, is an opportunity to sing from down deep, along with her own soulful accordian. Feel Good Time is a classic 70's slow groove, something Bill Withers would have sunk his teeth into.

The disc was recorded with four different bands in multiple sessions, which brings a variety of players and styles to the table. Canadian blues favourites MonkeyJunk handle four of the cuts, solid blues pros. David Baxter produced three tracks with an ad hoc bunch of his and Levasseur's Toronto pals, including harp expert Paul Reddick. Baxter handles the elegant pop number Do Run, that moves her into a classy ballad style. Raoul and the Big Time take three cuts, and the last two belong to Wroxton Allstars, the nom-de-disc of Ben and Ken Whitely, along with drumming stalwart Bucky Berger. With different bands, studios and producers, it's surprising that the disc comes together so well and expertly.

More big kudos go out to the smart and fine cover of Neil Young's Walk On. She works it with a bit of a reggae beat, and MonkeyJunk's Steve Marriner plays a great call-and-response harp line, doing a pretty major reworking of the song. It's also one which many younger folk won't know as a Neil number, and I'm betting they'd still love it. An excellent disc from a roots 'n' blues favourite in Canada.

DVD REVIEW: THE HOLLIES - LOOK THROUGH ANY WINDOW

2011-10-12T14:12:00.000-07:00

Shamefully, the group is often overlooked in the ranks of British Invasion bands, but when you add up the hits, they score much higher than the Freddies and Gerry's, and there's no question the talent level was higher as well. This DVD is part of a strong and on-going series on Invasion groups, that showed promise with last year's first four, including a bang-up Dusty Springfield documentary. The Hollies one is the best so far, clocking in at two hours, and including every song used in its entire original length in the bonus features.

There was lots of lip-synching in those days, or groups singing live over pre-recorded tracks. Thankfully, the producers here have found plenty of full live performances, from sources all over Europe and North America. That alone is historically important and collectable for fans. They've also done a great job with the overall story-telling, allowing the group members to take it from the start to the practical end in the mid-70's, and ignoring the occasional reunion. There are subtle but important touches, as when Allen Clarke and Graham Nash explain they were obsessed with harmonies, but it was the addition of the third voice, Tony Hicks, that made the group special. Every important group member of the early days takes part, with candid but loving thoughts on amazing times from almost 50 years ago. There's lots of praise and talk of friendship, and no bitterness. They do talk about the tough times, the fights, but it's with some sober second thoughts, and a lot more maturity. If there's any enmity toward Nash now for quitting the group in 1968, its overshadowed by the ability to look at the situation now and see his side of the story.

You get that oft-told tale, how the fairly-progressive King Midas In Reverse failed on the charts, and the group was told to get back to simple stuff for the kids, so eventually Nash got fed up and left. It's a pivotal moment in rock history, leading to CSN. But if overshadows The Hollies hits before and after too often, and we get an ear-and-eyeful of them to remind us. Dig the driving bass on On A Carousel, the intricate arrangement on I Can't Let Go, and of course the vocal power on Bus Stop. Plus, not too many 60's groups were able to survive into the 70's, yet The Hollies did so with even bigger U.S. hits, Long Cool Woman and The Air That I Breathe. In these days of scandal-to-scandal coverage of pop stars, it's refreshing to watch a two-hour movie that shows the progression of a group, concentrating on the music. Nobody got busted or shot in this film, and I liked that better.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: REBECCA EVERETT - YOYO

2011-10-11T18:49:00.000-07:00

Interesting, in every positive sense of the word. Everett, a B.C. transplant living in Toronto, is a living crash course in different styles, sounds and times. We'll get to her fascinating voice in a moment, but you should also know she is a classically-trained violinist, and played and sang in a Klezmer band for six years and a bluegrass group for two. What you'll hear on this six-track EP is music that touches time periods and genres all over the decades, including jazz, torch songs, a touch of Paris, 50's popular, 60's pop, and a hint of her former bands.

Now, the pipes. Everett has one of those charming, lilting voices that cheers you up, and hints at all kinds of fun. It's what grabs you immediately and sets the tone that this is going to be something different. In her case, it's the ability to touch on music your mother should know, and somehow make it sound chic and today.

Everett is also the songwriter, so we're looking at the complete package here. Gloriously, she has word skills too. Put Your Hands On Me is a cool tune of desire, again with that playfulness. The one cover is a remake of a song we all know, but she turns Happy Together on its head, returning it to its love song birth, and dumping The Turtles' big brassy theatrics. It's too bad the one misstep is the focus song here, leading off the EP and getting the video and airplay treatment. YoYo, the title cut, is a goof, a tune about loving an old, cracked YoYo and not wanting to get rid of it

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: PINK FLOYD - THE WEIRD YEARS

2011-10-10T20:04:00.000-07:00

Continuing on with the massive reissue program of each Pink Floyd studio album, we now come to the most maligned, least understood period of the group's existence. Not that I'm going to challenge that. That these albums (aside from Meddle) got released at all, let alone became hits in various countries, speaks volumes of the initial interest in the group from the Syd Barrett days. Even the band members can't stand them now, both Gilmour and Waters routinely savaging Ummagumma and Atom Heart Mother when asked to comment.

Barrett was supposedly the drug casualty, but it's hard not to wonder about the rest of them. It wasn't so much weirdness at work, which has its own merits, as it was obstinate oddness. Faced with daunting prospect of writing and signing songs, after their leader proved too unstable, the rest of them all had a try, democratically sharing the blame in most cases. Required to "write", the members would come up with various bits, and try to string them together. At one point, in desperation, they tried an experiment where they recorded their parts without hearing what the others were playing, whether it was tempo or key, and attempting to piece them together later. Those remain unreleased, but when you hear what was allowed out, it's hard to imagine why.

More was a soundtrack for the French director Barbet Schroeder, and was no doubt a welcome artistic move for a group still looking for leadership. Roger Waters came up with most of the lyrics, but was still uncomfortable singing, so David Gilmour was the lead vocalist. The vocal pieces are mostly folkie little numbers, with just horrid poesy, some river-daughter thing, with a willow weeping in the river, which somehow zips on up to Cirrus Minor. There is a nice number called Cymbaline, but the best thing about this disc is that it isn't completely confusing.

Nor is Ummagumma. That's because the whole first two sides of this double is live, where we are treated to highlights from the band's early days, including the still-rockin' Astronomy Domine. For the next two sides, each group member was assigned roughly 10 minutes to fill, and that's when it did get confusing. Richard Wright's attempts at a mini-symphony, Sysyphus, is a mess. Waters is up next, with a not-bad piece from his pastoral phase, and then the hilarious"Several Species of Small Fury Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict". It is genuinely batty and wonderful, a sound effects piece much better than anything John and Yoko were doing. Methinks this went a long way to improving the group's cool factor with college kids, and coming from the glummest man in rock come The Wall, it's still unexpected. Oh that the others could be this playful. The rest is just dumb and dumber.

The best thing about Atom Heart Mother is the cow on the cover.

What happened in 1971 was an even bigger surprise. They got good all of a sudden. Mostly, they got their instrumental power back, coming up with themes that were memorable and powerful. Lyrically, Meddle doesn't get much better, but it's sounds impressive, which is half the battle. Also, Waters finds that whispered singing style what would serve him so well, a world-weary quality which added to the mystery. Add some synth and Gilmour's guitar work, and this was the sound of the future. If this had been the only album that preceeded Dark Side Of The Moon, it's success, both in quality and with the public, would not have been so shocking. But there were so many examples of their failed experiments on the other discs, this still seems like they just got luck.

One more soundtrack for Schroeder was next, 1972's Obscured By Clouds album, for the movie La Vallee. It was, like More, more bland than anything else, and a disappointing successor to Meddle. However, they were already hard at work on the true follow-up, and playing songs from Dark Side Of the Moon in concert. This very strange band was about to become one of the biggest groups in the world.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: ERIC ST-LAURENT TRIO - RUBY

2011-10-09T16:27:00.000-07:00

This is a cool blend of melodic jazz and World sounds, by very effective three piece. Montreal-born St-Laurent is the guitar whiz, but equal props have to go to other members. Jordan O'Connor adds a major vibe with his bowed bass, and roots the group in some blues. Percussionist Michel DeQuevedo makes it a whole new deal, with highly individual playing, often on bongos, part of his mixed drum kit. The Mexican transplant's Latin grooves fit seamlessly into the African-influenced playing from St-Laurent.

What's most enjoyable about this disc is the wide variety of styles featured in the nine tracks. That's helped by two guest vocal pieces, one African and one English, and St-Laurent's ability to cycle through quite a few melodic phrases in some of the longer pieces, while never losing our attention. He's a fluid and enjoyable player, clean as a whistle and this is very warm, fun music. It's very busy too, but with just the three musicians, it's enjoyable to hear them riffing, and never tedious.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: PINK FLOYD - 1st TWO ALBUMS

2011-10-08T21:56:00.000-07:00

Everybody's talking Pink Floyd again, as a well-timed and coordinated reissue program sees all their albums remastered, and special editions anticipating your every need. You can now buy each disc in a basic version with the original tracks and a nice new booklet, and some come as 2-CD Experience editions, and then there are the Immersion multi-disc sets for Dark Side Of The Moon, WIsh You Were Here, and coming next spring, The Wall. Those puppies have $100-plus price tags, and feature video and audio mixes, live concerts, outtakes, grand books, you name it. Or you can get all 14 basic studio discs in one boxed set called The Discovery Box. That's a lot of Floyd, and some tough choices to make. I'll review them in bits and pieces, instead of trying to sum them all up in one brilliant, Grammy and Pulitzer-winning piece of music journalism. Some day though, mark my golden words.

You don't have any choices with the band's first couple of releases. No bonus tracks or live material, not even the mono mixes that have been out before. These are the discs of the Syd Barrett days, and only The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn had his full participation Saucerful sees Barrett on only four tracks, as he was famously replaced by Dave Gilmour during this time, already an erratic shell of his former self. If you have never paid attention to the first blush of Pink Floyd, and know them for The Wall and such, this ain't that. In fact, it's not really like anything you know. Supposedly a blues band (hah!), the art college kids came along in a London that was exploding with avant-garde thought, and imported hippie culture. Barrett was writing strange and silly lyrics about gnomes and scarecrows, and the rest of them got all excited about experimental and spacey sounds. They were loud, loony, and had a psychedelic light show. It's also quite possible drugs were involved, but I wasn't there. At times, as you can imagine, this was drivel, and some of it got recorded. There's a reason why these aren't mentioned in the best all-time lists. But there are also some truly transcendent numbers, including Piper opener Astronomy Domine, and the instrumental blaster Interstellar Overdrive.

For Saucerful, Floyd found themselves leaderless, and everyone had to pitch in, Roger Waters far from in control then, and Gilmour still the substitute. Richard Wright and Nick Mason found themselves singing and writing. Luckily the group did come up with a couple more space numbers, Waters' Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun, and the instrumental title cut. Only one Barrett song made the final cut, the minor Jugband Blues.

I get the idea of keeping all the albums in their original state for these basic editions, but unfortunately it actually hurts the legacy of the group. As was the standard of the day, singles were kept off of British albums, which means several strong A and B-sides of this period don't get included. This means their first two 45's, Arnold Layne and See Emily Play aren't on Piper, which means you don't get the full understanding of what Syd Barrett was about, Emily being his best song with Floyd. Also, a golden opportunity was missed to celebrate Barrett's contributions, something supposedly important to the group. All the extra attention for this reissue blitz is being put on the big albums, but it might have be nice to tart up the little guys a bit.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: CUFF THE DUKE - MORNING COMES

2011-10-06T17:22:00.000-07:00

I like how you don't have to live in the same town anymore if you're in a band. At least Cuff is doing it, with Dale Murray happily hanging in Nova Scotia, joining the group when gigs are happening or there's recording to do. All it takes is some flexibility, and given Murray's versatility on stringed instruments and vocals, I'm sure the rest of the Toronto-base band are happy to compromise when needed. That's my little aside, to get in a plug for the Maritimer, which is kinda what I do, being a cheerleader and all.

Now, on to the review proper, and we're certainly in a purple patch as far as Cuff's career is going. 2009's Way Down Here was an attention-grabbing breakthrough, and now the group is releasing the first of two connected albums, the second coming soon, after a major tour. Singer/songwriter Wayne Petti has announced it's a big concept, about losing someone from your life, and the changes, confusion and loneliness that brings. Gradually you deal with it, and then new opportunities arise. The good stuff is going to come on the next disc, the high Petti calls it, while this is the low, where you're wondering if it's all worth it.

Woo-hoo! Happy stuff, huh? The good news is you don't have to hear the album on that level at all. I even knew the concept, and didn't feel it at all, because the music and singing is so good, and the lyrics are somewhat obscure. While it's produced by Greg Keelor, like Way Down Here, and the group is firm friends with the Blue Rodeo gang, opening shows and sharing the stage, they are actually more like The Sadies. You don't find Cuddy-like sentimental ballads, but rather 60's fired guitar country, the legacy of twangy instrumentals and The Byrds of that decade. There are some longer workouts, spacey licks, cool pedal steel, and fine guitar picking. Plus Petti is a top-notch singer, with a weary-but-wise quality. Yes, there's more of a frown than a smile in the mood of the songs, but given the excellence of the performance, I come away pretty stoked. I'm a little sorry I'm not paying attention to the carefully-planned theme of the disc, but maybe I'll get to it someday. I'm having too good a time for sadness right now.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: FEIST - METALS

2011-10-05T19:45:00.000-07:00

Anyone expecting another fun little ditty that will land Leslie on Sesame Street singing with Muppets better look elsewhere. Oh, unless the show has added a new character, Moody the Muppet, who mopes around the street followed by a string section. Seemingly determined to not travel that path again, there is nothing frivolous like 1,2,3,4 here, and not really any basic pop songs either, in the catchy definition. Instead, its a disc of mood and intensity, sound-shaping and vocalizing, sadness, reflection and artistic creation.

These are all good things, but something is also missing. Part of Feist's charm has been that sense of fun, intelligent fun, not the trashy-campy crap of so many wanna-be divas, but the joyous fun of someone getting to do this for a living, singing and entertaining and writing with your pals. This album is, simply put, mostly serious, the words dense poetry of natural images and passionate people. The opening track, The Bad In Each Other, is a good example of this: "Then a good man and a good woman will bring out the worst in each other." There's no colourful group-dancing video for this one.

Of course, who's to say Feist has to include some levity in her work, or give us a break in the flow of the album? There is lots of merit in this style, from her and others. Being a mellow, Pet Sounds-kind-of-guy myself, I can certainly take 40 minutes of down and in fact Metals does have its upbeat moments. No, my main complaint is in the recording and production. The overall sound scheme, as designed by Feist and her co-producers (Chili Gonzalez, Mocky, Valgeir Sigurdsson), muddies her vocals to the point you are straining to catch her words. It's better with earbuds I suppose, but it's as if she is off-mic slightly, and not enunciating. The note is there, the style, but not the substance. And it is a choice, a technique that was chosen, and to my ears, ill-advised. Yes, the sound of her voice, the quality is important, but if you're telling a story, why make it hard for the audience to hear? I am fully ready to admit this may just be a personal problem I have, and heck, maybe I'm losing some hearing from years of standing by the speaker columns in bars. But I will be interested in the long-term reaction to this album, as I advance my pet theory. What can I tell ya? I found Metal beautiful, melancholy and really hard to understand.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: ADAM COHEN - LIKE A MAN

2011-10-04T11:20:00.000-07:00

Kid Cohen has skirted success with his past releases, going back to 1998's debut, self-titled album, a French-language one in 2004, and another leading the band Low Millions that same year. To my ears, he's always sounded like a way-too-mainstream version of his father.

Now 39, something's clicked in his head, regarding the overriding influence on his life, dear old dad. It's one thing to have a parent who is successful, and follow in their footsteps, but quite another with that person is iconic. Harper Simon, Julian Lennon, Dhani Harrison, Jakob Dylan, it's impossible to escape the shadow, so as Dylan the Younger showed, you gotta do what you want, and persevere.

Cohen, it seems, is done with fighting fate. He's as big a fan of Dad as you and I, and has the added benefit of having the guy around anytime he wants, to help explain this writing and singing thing. Adam admits he seeks his father's help and loves it, and now is also happy to say he's deliberately choosing to emulate him. Specifically, he wants to sound like early Cohen, and has been trying to convince his father to return to that old nylon-string sound he used on his first view albums. In a recent interview with England's The Telegraph he said: "I have basically made this record because he wouldn’t. I had been begging my father to make a record more reminiscent of his older work, when he was writing on a nylon string guitar. There’s a particular record I have been studying my whole life, New Skin For Old Ceremonies. I think, in a lot of people’s mind’s eye, that is the era they really identify with Leonard Cohen. But when I try to tell him this, I don’t think he likes it very much, and he so vehemently has declined that I sort of said ’F*** it, if you’re not gonna do it, I will."

Brilliant, I say. And I have to tell you, this is by far the best work Adam Cohen has ever done. And, it's a lot better than most of the last couple of albums by his father, too. Time might change that opinion, but there's really nothing memorable on Leonard's Ten Recent Songs, for instance. Yet Like A Man has some striking songs, including the title track, a classic family-style lyric, admitting the failures of his gender and his desire to be better. It's the nylon string, stand-up bass sound, but with a nice twist, as a string section pops up for the bridge. You can hear his father in his voice for sure, but it's not ridiculously similar, and he's actually a better singer, more tuneful, although with Leonard it's the phrasing and sexuality, so there's no real attempt to copy on Adam's part, he's just stuck with a similarly-shaped throat, thanks to shared DNA.

Is he the equal of his father? No, of course not, just the legacy won't allow that. But there's an awful lot of talent that finally bubbled to the top here, and a darn fine disc has come out of it. And in case you've missed the point, and think he doesn't know how he's walking in his father's footsteps, he even drops this laugh-line into the cut Beautiful: "So long Willie Shakespeare, so long Marianne." Oh, and if the backing vocals sound familiar? One Jennifer Warnes, who did that job so perfectly through the 70's and 80's in the family business. I'm beginning to think the old man had better rethink his son's advice, he's getting beat at his own game.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: JF ROBITAILLE - CALENDER

2011-10-03T22:14:00.000-07:00

It's a return to action for Montreal's Robitaille, and a return home, after a sojourn to NYC ended in folded record label and lost CD. Considered a star on the rise back a decade ago, there's everything here to suggest he could slide back into that role now that he's back in familiar haunts. Robitaille's tunes fall deliciously inbetween folk and rock, acoustic strummers but with obvious edge. There's a little bit of Velvets-era Lou Reed to it, some Jonathan Richman, and a large dash of Cohen.

JF has a fine way with the words too, both in the enunciation and in the composition. There are lots of excellent choices, uncommon and important-sounding lines, delivered with emphasis on the key words. This might seem like an odd thing to point out, but I think it's the main reason I like the guy. He's delivering the songs in a way that wins me over, and gives each song added strength. It's especially effective on the acoustic numbers, when it's just JF and his guitar and maybe a bass and a harmony. There's power in the quiet, like those old Simon and Garfunkel songs about their exotic lovers.

Maybe it was the time in New York, but there is a distinct NYC late-60's sound to Calender. It has that Columbia Records production feel, the Tom Wilson and John Simon sound, the voice prominent and the backing sparse. You'll wonder about these mystery women he's singing to, you'll picture them, you'll feel the sadness, and be thankful you were given this bird's-eye view of their stories.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: NOTE OF HOPE: CELEBRATION OF WOODY GUTHRIE

2011-10-02T19:22:00.000-07:00

Coming in 2012 is the 100th anniversary of Woody Guthrie's birth, and the party is getting started a little early. You'll recall back in 1998 when his daughter, Nora Guthrie, announced the discovery of a treasure of Woody's words, completed but unpublished (and unrecorded) songs. Since there was no record of the melodies, the heirs presented musicians Billy Bragg and Wilco the lyrics, entrusting them to compose and record in his spirit, if not in his exact style. There were two volumes recorded, with successful and enjoyable results.

As was mentioned at the time, there's more where that came from. More lyrics, journals, stories and notes, more observations, political statements, love songs and foolishness. With so many possibilities, this time Nora called on bassist Rob Wasserman, known with his excellence in collaboration and project work. His Trios album still stands as one of the great concept pieces, teaming up disparate characters with great results. Nora asked him to take away more unpublished scribblings, find some like-minded souls, and come up with interesting results.

Apparently it took quite awhile, as Wasserman admits he had to be pushed to finish, but he also loved the project. Each piece features a different character from the rock, jazz or folk worlds. I say character, because these are folks known for their idiosyncrasies. Wasserman called on colleagues as diverse as Lou Reed, Ani DiFranco, Michael Franti, and the writer Studs Terkel. Wasserman led the band, worked with each performer on choosing the material, composing, and recording. No wonder it took significant time. It is a unique set.

The words chosen weren't a random bunch. Instead they were thematic, pieces by Guthrie about people he met, and from the 1940's. It gives you a snapshot of the times, and of course since it's Woody Guthrie, it isn't the movie stars or politicians of the history books, or even the soldiers. It's a New York voice too, Guthrie more settled than in his youth. And he's there as well, of course. The funniest number is one of desire: "I need an awfully liberal woman/I need a social conscious woman/To ease my revolutionary mind."

At this point I have to inform the fans of the Bragg/Wilco discs that this one won't make you as happy. Rather than the sympathetic lefty folk mixed with alt-country coolness, here we get a crash course in New Weird America. Rage Against The Machine's Tom Morello is the one to tackle Woody's libido on Ease My Revolutionary Mind, while Franti does his hippie-jazz-rap on Union Love Juice, which starts "I am the meat and the flower of sex", Guthrie trying to do something James Joyce on the little peoples. Terkel is on board to narrate a short story from the street, accompanied by Wasserman's bass and Don Heffington's drums. Jackson Browne got handing a text that ran several chapters, and edited it down, but it was still an insane 15 minutes.

Hats off to Guthrie and Wasserman; this isn't a typical tribute filled with star names and bland covers, but rather a challenging and ultimately rewarding work of art. We see a side of Guthrie we don't normally consider, and it's an addition to his legacy rather than just a reminder.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: THE JAYHAWKS - MOCKINGBIRD TIME

2011-10-01T21:22:00.000-07:00

As the first notes of Hide Your Colors come, its obvious The Jayhawks are back, and not in the usual lame reunion sense. Those two voices, raised again, Gary Louris and Mark Olson, it is special. Certainly they are among the very best harmony singers ever, and the only others on that list are siblings. One of the very best moments on the accompanying DVD on the deluxe addition is in the documentary, where they explain how they do the harmonies, and how their voices blend. It is certainly the magic of this band, what sets them above so many others. When the two of them started doing these incredible vocals, partly in harmony and partly in unison, for Hollywood Town Hall, they went from unknowns to the next buzz band.

But then Olson quit after the next album, Tomorrow The Green Grass, to go live in the desert and be a solo guy. Louris-led, The Jayhawks subsequent discs were actually pretty darn good, but once you lose a core member, it's never the same. And it's impossible to go back. Well, until now. This blows all the theories. After 15 years apart, you just assume there's no way they can put it back together. It's really like Olson never left. Song after song, everything is there, including top-rate material. Again, watching the documentary, it's a shock to see how casually they take the craft. They just do it, they write songs, they sing them like that, it's no big deal, if they want to do it, they do it.

Obviously if there was any animosity about the parting, it's long gone. Olson and Louris have even recorded and toured together since, but after that duo disc didn't sit well with fans, with its folk feel, they figured they might as well do the Jayhawks thing again, they always liked it anyway. Olson has long admitted he should have just taken a short break from the band anyway. Of course, everyone is going to focus on his return, but the other part of the equation is the return of the best version of the band, with drummer Tim O'Reagan, bassist Marc Pearlman, and keyboard player Karen Grotberg. She's the biggest surprise when you start listening closely, adding an important third harmony to many choruses.

I'm just going to dispense with the usual "solid return to form" statements, and instead opine that this is the equal of their very best work, and indeed, start-to-finish, might be their very best album. About all that's missing is one overall amazing song, no Waiting For The Sun, Blue, or I'd Run Away, but several come close, and every cut is a keeper. It's also a good idea to pick up the deluxe version, for the documentary, and four live videos, three new-in-the-studio ones, and a vintage 1985 recording of King Of Kings. I also just noticed on their website you can download free band-approved bootlegs, so I'm going over there now.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: JIM CUDDY - SKYSCRAPER SOUL

2011-09-30T20:52:00.000-07:00

Now on solo disc three, we know the drill: Blue Rodeo album, Blue Rodeo tour, another tour, and then time for solo work, with all the band members doing what they dig. Cuddy seems to be most comfortable in the solo career, having started a third family with the Cuddy Band, and will be out on tour in the soft-seaters this fall. And you know the drill for his solo albums; some folks use them to get their wild streaks out of their systems, but with Cuddy, it's more like his mild streak. Sometimes I think Keelor goads him into being that rockin' kid he used to be when they were starting out. And I think Jim lets Greg toughen up his songs in the Rodeo partnership. Because, quite simply, solo Jim Cuddy is softer than his Blue Rodeo stuff, where he's definitely the soft guy.

Okay, I have to go back and apologize, since I'm saying soft like it's a bad thing. What's a better word? It's probably a very hyphenated one: pop-folk-Canadiana-balladeer. Anyway, you get the shorthand, Greg's the wilder of the two. Having said that, don't think Cuddy plays it completely safe. He does experiment, in his own setting. This disc is actually less violin-No Depression than the last two, instead getting into some interesting melodies and vocals, finding some lovely chords and changes to wrap those gorgeous pipes around. Ready To Fall is a piano-based, delicate mood piece with a trumpet solo. And Don't Know That Much is completely unlike anything Blue Rodeo has ever touched, a vocal tour-de-force that's like a latter-day Brian Wilson number, all mood. There's also an R'n'B tougher number, Water's Running High, again not something you'd expect from Cuddy, but as always, a well-placed gritty number always sounds good from him, in contrast to the balladry.

The track that has the initial chatter is Everyone Watched The Wedding, which takes its title from the recent Royal nuptials. Thankfully, it's not as saccharine as that, and actually has a good tale in it, a guy taking stock of all the people in his life, the troubles they have, and how it all looked so perfect on TV in that fairy-tale existence. It's a great narrative. I have more problems with the title cut, a clunky metaphor, one of those ones that sounds better than it is: "I got a skyscraper soul/There's mud in my veins and there's steel in my bones." I don't even know what that means. But thankfully, it's a rare misstep, and as usual there's lots of touching lines and a few special moments. He'll have to drag out something rocky from the old albums to liven up the tour this fall, but he's already laid the tender trap for the fans.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: NIRVANA - NEVERMIND DELUXE EDITION

2011-09-29T18:26:00.000-07:00

Never mind. Forget it. Oh well, whatever. I feel stupid and contagious. Punk may have been an outsider music in 1991, but the words sure spoke to a lot of under-30's, and quite a few older than that. I remember walking into our local hip record shop and seeing the brilliant, arresting cover, and being told what was going on by the hardcore of the Moncton hardcore scene at the time. Within a couple of years, those guys could actually get big-time record deals, members of Eric's Trip and The Monoxides. Ya, Nevermind not only spoke to a lot of people, it shook the established rock world by the lapels and said, Entertain Us.

It's hard to separate the album from the tragedy that followed, now that we know just how torn Cobain was inside. However, it's good to hear the music again, step back and consider if it holds up. It does, of course, thanks to a flow of solid songs. This was not just an album built on Smells Like Teen Spirit; following in succession are In Bloom, Come As You Are, Breed, Lithium and Polly, each different and powerful. Cursed as it were to come out at the height of the CD era, when the art of lining up an album was lost, and all the best songs were stuck at the front, the remaining six tracks almost feel forgotten, but there's strength to them as well. Quit hitting repeat on Teen Spirit, you geeks.

Now, the real question: Should you upgrade? On offer is this Deluxe Edition, which gives you two CD's, including all the studio and live b-sides (nine of them), the original pre-production demos with producer Butch Vig, almost a year before the official session (eight more cuts), the infamous Boombox rehearsals, demos recorded by the group on a blaster, including the first-ever Teen Spirit (eight cuts) and finally two BBC session tracks. 14 of the 18 cuts on disc two are previously unreleased, and you probably don't have many of the b-sides unless you're a collector, so at $19, this is not a bad deal. What is a bad deal is the absolute lack of liner notes here, just a photo booklet. I assume it's because they saved up the essays for the 90-page book that comes with the Super Deluxe Version. They had to have something to offer to justify the whopping $130 price tag. Yes, it's four discs and a DVD, but get this: The DVD is the same concert as CD #4, Live At The Paramount, and you can buy that separately on Blu-Ray for $13. That leaves Disc 3 as your only exclusive, and it's just a different, earlier mix of the regular album, done by Butch VIg himself instead of the official mixer, Andy Wallace. Why? I don't friggin' know, because that information is no doubt in the 90-page book, which didn't come in the basic Deluxe version. It bugs me, but not enough to spend an extra $110 to find out. I'm thinking Kurt wouldn't think this was a cool deal at all. Times have changed in twenty years.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: WILCO - THE WHOLE LOVE

2011-09-27T21:28:00.000-07:00

Wilco has been out generating such good will and good media presence in advance of this album, I thought for sure it would see the group continue down the more mainstream path ventured on the previous release, 2009's Wilco (The Album). Well, what a surprise to find this one starts with a lengthy, experimental cut, complete with guitar weirdness from resident experimenter, Nels Cline. The second track, I Might, just might have been a pop cut on the last album, but here Cline is once again allowed to coax shrieking animals out of his amp.

The Whole Love is a mixed bag of songs by Jeff Tweedy, none of them ever allowed to be just normal. Dawned On Me is a sunshine-filled number, but every time you think it's going to relax into a radio-friendly hit, something is dropped in to insure it will never, ever grace anybody's consultant-based playlist, even if it's just the slightly warbled whistling or tiny bit of feedback at the end. Of course, Tweedy is an old hand at presenting things that are skewed. The big surprise here is the number of ballads, real acoustic and introspective numbers that see the electric boys step back and the string section take over, plus a major role for Cline's lap steel. Open Mind is a return to the country roots of the group, way back in the '90's, and it's almost shocking to hear Tweedy's voice in a relative normal setting, without Cline-effects or band craziness vying for equal attention. It's basically a pretty little melody with a sadness thanks to his natural default vocal mood. By the time his acoustic picking-Paul Simon-from-1966 number, Rising Red Lung, comes along at cut 10, you've forgotten this is the mighty, noisy Wilco.

Don't get comfy though. Next comes a ditty. Yes, I said ditty. It's called Capitol City, and it's a little music hall melody, with a jaunty rhythm and a silly organ, and if Davy Jones had been its singer, it would have been on More Of The Monkees. Wow, what a collection. It's the opposite of a thematic album, rather it's a work that shows how much the band has going for it, how many great ideas are floating around when these artists get to play. It's all over the place, in the way The White Album or Sgt. Pepper's is, and that makes it such a rewarding listen. This is truly an experience, and has all the hallmarks of something I'll be listening to over and over again for years. The disc of 2011, methinks.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: VARIOUS ARTISTS - NATIONAL PARKS PROJECT

2011-09-26T18:42:00.000-07:00

If you've done any traveling in New Brunswick, you know what Kouchibouguac National Park looks like. But what does it sound like? Not the gulls and wind through the trees and happy campers preparing breakfast, not that sound. What would it sound like as a song?

That was the challenge facing three musicians, and one filmmaker, dispatched to the park in 2010. Across the country, similar teams were sent out to parks in each province and territory. It's called the National Parks Project, and featured such artists as Sarah Harmer, Sam Roberts, Matt Mays, Kathleen Edwards, Old Man Luedecke and 34 others. The National Parks Project aims to explore the ways in which the wilderness shapes our cultural imagination. So this series of films and music was put together, and it's been airing on Discovery World channel, in a documentary narrated by Gord Downie. While the tunes have been married to the visuals, and available on iTunes, now we get a CD collection. (Vinyl hounds take note: you get a bonus six tracks on a 2 LP set, as opposed to the 20 here).

This is not a particularly easy task. If you're looking for strict inspiration from a tranquil setting, odds are you're going to get pretty calm music, and that is what has happened with much of the music here. Despite the inclusion of lots of Canuck indie rockers, most are mellowed out and trying to tap into their folk or ambient sides. I like the tracks with a little life to them, such as the couple here by Old Man Luedecke. Proof, as Steve Martin once told us, “You can't play a sad song on the banjo - it always comes out so cheerful.”

Back to New Brunswick, it actually inspired the best song on the collection, a real epic, with different movements and a stand-alone sound, quite something even without its companion film. It's called Mystic Morning, and feature the talents of Don Kerr, one-time Rheostatic and frequent collaborator of Ron Sexsmith, Casey Macija, the intriguing and high-pitched vocalist with Ohbijou, and Ohad Benchetrit, the multi-instrumentalist with Do Make Say Think, and musical pal of Broken Social Scene and Feist. The films probably give us more of the inspiration for each song, but in this case, the trio had no interest in recording background music.

Soundtrack work is always a different beast than normal recording, as the music is supposed to add to the film, and be collaborative between the disciplines. However, when you are putting 13 such pieces together, and presenting it as a finished collection, you can only hope and pray for some cohesiveness, or lucky break to make it all interesting. I find too much sleepy-time music was made here, either late at night or early in the morning. Maybe if you and I head out to a national park and listen on our iPods as the sun sets, we'll love it, but here in my living room, I nodded off.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? DELUXE EDITION

2011-09-25T22:13:00.000-07:00

It's interesting that at the same time we're hearing all about the 20th anniversary of Nirvana's Nevermind, and its impact on music ever since, this item also comes out, celebrating its 10the birthday. In its own way, O Brother is just as significant, a game-changer that reached much further than the several million copies it sold. Like Nevermind, its reverberations are still being felt. And like Nevermind, here's the Deluxe Edition if you want to buy it again.

The movie never set the box office on fire, but it was quite brilliant I thought, an artwork. The process of how the music was selected and recorded is described in a fine new essay by producer T-Bone Burnett. He talks about the magic of early American music, or as we came to call it when the soundtrack hit, Old Time. What he doesn't talk about is how Americana exploded with the disc, and all of a sudden even young people were cool with bluegrass and fiddles and banjo and such, and how live music was changed in festivals and clubs. If you think Old Man Luedecke would have had half the considerable audience he commands now without the disc, I beg to disagree. My gosh, last weekend in Fredericton a local bar almost exclusively catering to University-age crowds had a bluegrass afternoon. Every alternative band worth their salt has acoustic instruments now. I'm going to argue that while 20 years ago, Nirvana put really loud (then quiet then loud) into the mainstream, O Brother made everyone unplug ten years later, at least partially.

Of course, the music of the soundtrack was excellent, as we all discovered such gems of the past as Big Rock Candy Mountain, and Man Of Constant Sorrow, and enjoyed the sight of George Clooney miming with the Soggy Bottom Boys to In The Jailhouse Now. Well, it turns out T-Bone and crew did a great job the first time, and even though the set is expanded to with a second disc and 14 more cuts, there's not much you'll need in the extras. Tracks that first got me excited, including those by Colin Linden and Van Dyke Parks, turn out to be short instrumentals. Norman Blake does a nice Big Rock Candy Mountain, but it's still more fun to hear the old Henry McClintock version. It's almost entirely made up of the same songs, but different versions. So unless you've misplaced your first copy, it's still fine and dandy.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: BARENAKED LADIES - HITS FROM YESTERDAY & THE DAY BEFORE

2011-09-22T19:25:00.000-07:00

It just so happens that I saw Steven Page perform last Saturday, at Fredericton's Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival, just the man himself on guitar, along with the fantastic Mr. Fox, Kevin, on cello. He did a mix of songs from his first solo disc, First Page, and a selection of BNL songs he wrote and sang over the years. Since I was MC, I was backstage watching on the monitor, and one Green Room chat begin, "Boy, they had a lot of hits." Yes, they did. We forget that sometimes.

I think because the biggest hits were and still are played so often, we tend to forget there's a pretty good-sized body of work from the band, and not all of them wacky and fun. The band could be sneakily subversive, with a backwards solo stuck on, or they could rock out just a bit too much for regular radio, but somehow it got played. There were puns, but sometimes there was an underlying sadness, and often it was Page with the sensitive stuff. In a fair world, they wouldn't be thought of only as a comedy-pop band, but rather as a bunch of occasionally jokey big thinkers with killer hooks, a Canuck Crowded House.

So for every If I Had $1,000,000 we all know, there are ones like Too Little Too Late we forget, but that's track that always impresses me when I hear it again. Same goes for Call And Answer, and It's All Been Done, but I'll happily pass on hearing One Week again for oh, a decade of so. I notice that song is Ed Robertson's, whereas the others are Page numbers. Just sayin'.

I have a problem with this best-of, because it pales next to the last one they issued, called Disc One: All Their Greatest Hits 1991 - 2001. Unfortunately, the past ten years haven't offered many true hits to add to the canon, and to put a few recent ones on this new collection, some major tracks were left off from the past. Sacrificed are Be My Yoko Ono, Jane, Enid and their famous cover of Bruce Cockburn's Lovers In A Dangerous Time. There's no Shoebox or What A Good Boy, either. What we get are five you couldn't name if I offered you $1,000,000 in Kraft Dinner. The big grab here is the theme song for the TV show The Big Bang Theory, which has never been on an album before. Itsounds better in the 30-second burst you get from the screen, although it's not much longer than that.

One benefit to the inclusion of the later tracks is we do get to give another chance to last year's non-Page disc "All In Good Time", with the track You Run Away, where Ed proves in fact he can both write and sing the sensitive, non-goofy pop song. Is there life left in BNL? Or are they going to be Canada's R.E.M., hanging on too long? Tough call at this point.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: DAVID MYLES - INTO THE SUN

2011-09-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

What is David Myles thinking, releasing two albums in six months? It seems like yesterday I was writing about his Live at the Carleton album, and now we have Into The Sun, a brand new studio disc. I don't know the motive, but I actually like the thinking. All usual music business marketing practises are out the window now anyway, so why not go back to 1960's release schedules? It certainly didn't hurt those artists to put out two or even three albums a year. It's actually been a year and a half since his last studio album, Turn Time Off, but even that is a very fast turnaround these days, with three years being the norm for many artists.

I think what happened was that Myles got excited about an idea and a project. He's long been a fan of certain kinds of world music, rhythmic stuff from Brazil and Africa. Of course, given his age, that means Paul Simon was an early influence, and he also tells me he's been addicted to Harry Nillson of late, he of "put the lime in the coconut" fame. This is all a natural mix, since Myles is also a singer-songwriter first and foremost. As you'll hear on Into The Sun, the rhythms don't overwhelm the songs, and there are some numbers where they barely show. But the basic idea here was to incorporate some of these influences, and see where that leads.

This summer we got the first taste, with a sun-soaked single, Simple Pleasure. Both versions of that fun number are included here, the regular and the Classified mix. From there, you don't know quite where this album is going to go, but all the directions have good end results. Don't Look Back is Myles' version of an African number, and certainly you won't hear that same kind of song on anyone else's album. It features layered vocals and harmonies over a repetitive guitar line, and eventually a clip-clop percussion. There's that light, high electric guitar solo like the ones on Graceland, but that's about all you can fine to compare the two. It's one of the best vocal tracks, and lyrics Myles has done in his career.

The track Nina is one of the Brazilian-flavoured numbers, with a hypnotic Southern samba groove, and a 60's chintzy organ, plus more layered Myles voices on the ba-ba-ba's. He also gets to show off those high school trumpet skills. There aren't many words to this song, but who needs it, when the groove is so cool. This one is great lounge music.

Smart boy that he is, Myles never lets the experiment get out of control or too far away from his signiture style. The nice-guy singer-songwriter stuff is still here, and I have to say his voice has never sounded better, in studio or live. He's spoken about some training he took with New Brunswick opera singer Wendy Nielsen, a regular at The Met and stages around the world, and it sounds like this has paid off. Myles appeared Saturday night at the Harvest Jazz And Blues Festival in Fredericton, and he easily commanded the soft-soft theatre The Playhouse, a large house that needs a strong voice to fill up the space.

The disc is available on-line and in-store October 4th.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: WYNTON MARSALIS & ERIC CLAPTON - PLAY THE BLUES

2011-09-20T21:39:00.000-07:00

Clapton and Marsalis find the meeting place of blues and jazz, back in the 1910's and 20's. This is the cultural stew and birthplace of 20th century rhythm music, down in New Orleans, when it all was really one thing, the only difference whether it was in the church or out of it. So Clapton joined the Marsalis Lincoln Center combo, to play some classics live.

If this feels like the inevitable PBS fundraising show, you've got it. It's going to be a great TV show for sure, as the band is hot and so is the jazz. These guys are experts at what they do, recreating the classic sounds and solos of pre-modern jazz, Clapton's no slouch when it comes to the rich catalogs of everyone from Howlin' Wolf to W.C. Handy sampled here. The team is based on the lineup of the King Oliver band, which means there's a banjo, clarinet, trumpets and trombone, a sound I always enjoy. They even do a Dixieland number, the classic Just A Closer Walk With Thee.

So it's great fun, and for some, it's even a learning experience, if you didn't know about the blues and jazz intersection, and aren't familiar with that music. But it's a one-off just the same, and really not something you'll go back to for repeated listening. That's even with the inevitable inclusion of Layla, here rearranged and slowed down into something quite different. It's interesting, but not successful, not like the Unplugged version of the song Clapton hit with once before. Yes, it would have been incredibly cool for the song to be a hit for a third time in a completely different arrangement, but unfortunately, like the whole show, one listen is enough.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM - SEEDS WE SEW

2011-09-19T18:58:00.000-07:00

I'm sure Mick and John and even Stevie wish Buckingham would pass more songs their way. But this time, I doubt there's much they'd want, even if it meant another Mac reunion and tour. This stuff ain't the pop hits he can drop with ease. Instead, Buckingham seems to have completely given up on the verse-chorus-solo work, and gone with his kind of guitar noodling. The whole album has the feeling of "what the hell, hardly anybody will buy this anyway, I'm going to do what I really want".

What we get is Lindsey the Mad Professor, or at least wacky. It's the guy who brought us Tusk all those years ago, his first bold statement that not everything has to be three minutes of lush glory. He does that repetitive guitar noodling on almost every track here, with the same tone and advanced speed each time. I find it very annoying, and while it's his distinctive and signature style, I'd rather it be retired, instead of promoted.

Rock Away Blind could have been a single, if it was built into something more than a repetitive guitar number (again, that annoying plucky guitar, you hear as much pick on the strings as you do the note). I would love to hear a band kick in behind it, God, anything else than those notes, over and over again. He does a nice version of The Rolling Stones' She Smiled Sweetly, and that could have been a ballad hit, again, if it was fleshed out. Only one track here features other musicians and instruments, and Buckingham somehow makes it sound like they are playing child's toys. Hey, I'm all for experiments and creative freedom for artists, but it the artist in question is regressing, then you gotta call him on it.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE - HENDRIX IN THE WEST, WINTERLAND

2011-09-18T16:54:00.000-07:00

These two CD's are part of the most recent wave of Hendrix releases from the seemingly endless supply of live concerts, outtakes, and film and TV footage. Remarkably, the quality remains high, certainly interesting enough for confirmed fans. It's a testament to the man's talent that he made so much music in his four years at the top.

Some might already be familiar with the Hendrix In The West set. This live album first came out after his death, put together by his manager, and was relatively well-liked at the time. As usual with posthumous Hendrix packages, things have been changed and tampered with. But in this case, it's not a question of leaving well enough alone. Hendrix In The West was a sloppy and somewhat controversial package in the first place, with a lawsuit forcing it off the shelves, and it hasn't been out since 1974. Some tracks have shown up in other reissues, so substitutes are now featured, and of course, it's been lengthened from single album length to over an hour for CD, with an extra three cuts. This has been a devotee favourite over the years, but its importance has lessoned of late, since there are plenty of other live versions of Johnny Be Goode around now, for instance.

Where the title In The West came from is anybody's guess now, as the recordings are taken from the Isle of Weight, as well as several California shows, from October of 1968 to August of 1970. The original program only featured cuts by the Experience trio, and that remains the plan here, none of the expanded Band Of Gypsies, or other guests. So it's Hendrix, Mitch Mitchell, and either Noel Redding (early) or Billy Cox (later) on bass. It remains a hodgepodge of tracks though, without a real concert flow. The truncated God Save The Queen/Sgt. Pepper's opening is unsatisfying, and we're immediately thrown out of that show, and dropped back two years for a version of Little Wing. Quite a good one, actually, but the choppy and rushed Fire that follows blows the mood again. It's one of a trio of new-to-this-set live cuts, which only serve to increase the grab-bag feel of the collection. Even though original album produced Eddie Kramer is on board again, continuing his partnership role with estate minder Janie Hendrix, this one remains flawed, as it was at its birth. But the version of Red House here is so stunning, its worth it for that track alone.

Far more successful is Winterland, available as either a four disc set or this single sampler. The box is for the collectors, as there is much repetition of tracks over the 6 different shows recorded over three nights in San Francisco back in October of 1968. It's still the original Experience, a week away from the release of Axis: Bold As Love. He's one of the biggest stars on the scene by now, in the still-hippest rock city, at the hottest venue. Although the tracks on the single disc come from all three nights, this time it feels like a full concert experience, clocking in at 75 minutes. Highlights here include an 11-minute take on Like A Rolling Stone, again proving Hendrix could do Dylan better than Dylan, another gorgeous Little Wing, and a new-to-the-kids version of Voodoo Child. With Fire, Foxey Lady, Purple Haze and Hey Joe, it's still heavy on the early days and debut Are You Experienced album, but there's a (strong) argument to be made that this could be the best time to experience Hendrix.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: LADY ANTEBELLUM - OWN THE NIGHT

2011-09-15T08:19:00.000-07:00

I remember watching the last Grammy Awards, and thinking it was, for once, a pretty good show, what with Mick Jagger doing a great Solomon Burke tribute, and Arcade Fire winning and all. One thing was driving me nuts though. It was Lady Antebellum (awful name) winning several times, and THAT song getting played over and over. I even made up a real-life response: "It's a quarter after one, I'm a little drunk and I hate this song."

That's what I think of the trio's style: catchy but ultimately lacking in substance. Everything seems overly dramatic, and that continues on the new one. There's lots of boy-girl duets again, these poor hurt creatures dumped a million times over, usually to the accompaniment of a string section. Then there's the 70's pop duets, softer ones a la James Taylor and Carly Simon, the more electric in the grand Lindsey and Stevie tradition. Country being the new pop, you know. But even the rockiest songs aren't allowed to stray off country radio, but all that means is the token gesture of a pedal steel lick by the second verse.

I'm writing as I'm listening, and meanwhile, back at the CD, our poor singers have been ditched yet again! "I guess I wanted you more", they harmonize. And I hope those string players have a piece of the action, because they're getting more airtime than the guitarist. And holy crap, that's a harp! Jonathan Yudkin, stand up and take a bow, you're the first session harpist on a pop album since Elton John was in the Top 40. Don't worry about Yudkin though, he's got lots of other work here, with his credits including cello, fiddle (a damn fine solo!), acoustic guitar, bouzouki (!), and mandolin. He's one talented boy. And I just noted the band's drummer is Chad Cromwell, who is Neil Young's drummer as well when he isn't using Crazy Horse. Geez, Chad drummed on Rockin' In The Free World. Well, a paycheque's a paycheque. Speaking of that, it took seven people to write Wanted You More, including all three group members. That royalty cheque is going to be split a lot of ways. Lucky it's going to sell five million copies.

That's right. I'm more interested in the liner notes than I am in the music. Oh, the CD's over. See ya.

MATT ANDERSEN'S HOT NEW ALBUM, HARVEST HEADLINING GIG

2011-09-14T07:24:00.000-07:00

Here at the start of another Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival, I'm searching for something new to say. It's not an anniversary year, there's no big changes, thankfully no natural disasters to deal with as they have in the past. They've already got over the now-annual cancellation of Gregg Allman, so whaddya say? We all know its many successes, and everybody's ready to have fun.

Well, sometimes you have to put things in perspective. Step back and look again. Going each year, doing the stories over and over again, I forget what it used to be like. 10 years ago, for instance, this was a very successful festival for sure. But it wasn't as big, it didn't attract as many major acts, or have as many venues or free stages and it wasn't as long, either. The thing has doubled in size.

There's another difference that is really important. Back then, it was one of the festival's goals to expose local Maritime talent. Put these higher quality local acts on stage as often as possible, let them open up for the bigger acts, 3rd on the bill, and hopefully something would grow. They started a Rising Star contest for new groups to come out, with the winner getting to play on one of the big shows. So, what's that led to?

Now, it's obvious. The first winner of the Galaxie Rising Star competition was Flat Top, featuring Matt Andersen. I was there, a judge for the show, and people really liked the band, and that big guy destroying the guitar. Matt went solo and ..well... here we are. Matt doesn't open up shows any more. Matt headlines shows, his own, Thursday night at the Mojo tent. I mean, headlines, top act. Thirty bucks a ticket. If you had told me that 10 years ago, I would have told why that would never, ever happen. He's not the only one. David Myles is co-headling Saturday night at The Playhouse with Steven Page. Look at almost every show, and there are locals up there, and nobody is complaining, everybody's happy about it.

It's not just in Fredericton where this is happening for Andersen. Next week sees the release of his latest album, called Coal Mining Blues. This is Andersen at a different level, folks. After years of constant touring and exposure, Matt has built up a national fanbase. He's the talk of festivals across the country. Calgary, Winnipeg, all the right ones. Now, he has the disc to match that buzz. His Christmas album this past year was a great lead-up. It was a very strong seller nationally, in some surprising places, such as Ottawa. All the planets are aligned, and Andersen has delivered with this new album.

Recorded this past spring in Woodstock New York, Coal Mining Blues was produced by Colin Linden, Bruce Cockburn's producer, and a member of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings. It was done at Levon Helm's studio, a nice twist of fate, as Helm is now playing the festival too. Helm's daughter Amy actually sings on some cuts here, a great foil to Matt's rich belting. In a world of auto-tuned vocals and sampled beats, here is the real thing: dymanic, passionate singing and playing, by a man who lives and loves the music. His fingers fly, he never wants to stop picking. Tremendous, live-in-the-studio solos liven some songs, beautiful, soulful, eyes-full-of-tears singing charms others. Working with an expert in Linden, great performances came out, and the right instruments were used for the right colours. Plus, as always, Linden was able to capture the real sound of real acoustic instruments. It's a treat to hear what can happen when a talented guy like Andersen meets up with someone who can get the best from him.

All this would be good, and good enough, but Andersen has also written the best songs of his career. The title track was inspired by his recent move to Cape Breton, and is pretty much a classic already, a touching portrait of the coal miners of the region. Better still, there are no songs here that are filler, or feature sub-par lyrics, or are just shells of words, an excuse to jam. It's top drawer stuff from start to finish.

I've been hearing from people across the country about this album for months now. Industry people say it's going to sell. Colin Linden said flat out the guy is an amazing talent. Reviewers keep singling him out at their local festivals. So, the next time you go see a local band, and think, hey I like this, it's pretty good, trust your instincts. Don't think, oh, they're just local people, they can't be as good as the real stars.

Maybe in ten years they'll be the headliners.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: NICK LOWE - THE OLD MAGIC

2011-09-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

Long-time readers of this space (okay, there are none, but you get the point) will know of my abiding passion for the wit and wisdom of Mr. Lowe. I loved him back in the day, leading the New Wave, fronting Rockpile, producing the first-ever punk album (from The Damned), all of Costello's early efforts, writing What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love and Understanding, and bashing it all out without spilling a drop. That was then.

This is now, and Lowe, for the past decade, has reinvented himself as the sophisticated crooner, but a new and very individual style. Lowe hasn't gone the obvious route of remaking The Great American Retread Songbook (I'm looking at you, Rod Stewart), nor has he simply gone to Motown Retirement Home for Old Songs and Old Singers (time for your pills, Michael McDonald). Instead, he's back in the 50's and 60's, but coming up with his own songs for the most part, based on original sounds of that time. Lowe has essentially moved himself back to that era, and claimed the music as his own, whether its rockabilly, lounge, soul, countrypolitan, sort of a Madmen mix tape.

Lowe's had a successful trio of these discs, and why change now? But he does tinker a little bit, for fun and to not stagnate. This time, on about half the cuts you could call this Nick Lowe and his Happy Organ. It's an almost-cheesy, rinky-dink sound, kind of like skating rink music, but it works great. Combined with some ballads, and Nick's knack for writing lyrics which hold your attention, you quickly become glued to the disc. I hang on every syllable, waiting for the next gem to drop.

I love it when he comes up with new takes on classic themes, such as Stoplight Roses, where our straying hero won't be able to get back in his love's good graces with just a gesture of cheap flowers bought at the traffic stop. I Read A Lot is the response of the brokenhearted, all he does to replace his lost love. Til' The Real Thing Comes Along is the desperate plan offered by the man suffering from unrequited love, saying he'll stay until the real man of her dreams arrives. Aching stuff.

There seems to be more emphasis on Lowe's voice in the production, or the songs feature the performance more than in the past. Either way, I found myself noticing that he's actually a fine singer, with a relaxed mellowness. There is one moment though, in his cover of Costello's Poisoned Rose, where he hits and holds a big, solid tone, and the transition from sloppy rocker to sensitive song master is now complete.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: BACHMAN & TURNER - LIVE AT THE ROSELAND BALLROOM

2011-09-12T14:02:00.000-07:00

Um, this is BTO, right? In all but name, yes. Randy Bachman is the Canadian king of rock, and dysfunctional band families. Like he can't use The Guess Who name without the right former colleagues involved, the BTO brand doesn't belong to him, even with co-lead singer C.F. (Fred) Turner in the reformed group. That just leaves the other Bachman brothers, who aren't here, but I don't even wanna know what that's about. Geez, it's worse than the Wilson-Love feuds of The Beach Boys cousins, or the Fighting Fogerty's of CCR.

At least it doesn't have any effect on the music. All you needed for a BTO reunion in any fans ears and eyes was these two, and after a pretty good new studio album, we get this inevitable tour momento. Thank you's go out to the people who decided to throw in the 2 CD's of the concert along with the DVD, it costs so little, and means so much to us folk who really don't find a lot exciting about most concert videos. However, you do have to watch it once to see how Bachman and Turner look these days. They are old, hefty rockers, but of course, they never were in the best of shape back in the 70's either. I like the idea they aren't out jogging 10 km a day to be as thin and youthful as Mick Jagger. There's lots of old rock stars now, and I think I like seeing the ones who look like me rather than the dyed hair and botoxed faces bunch. Also, you have to see Paul Shaffer come on for the cameo during the encores, as a loyal Canadian music fan.

The nice thing about being Canadian is that we can wink while we enjoy BTO. We know it's not the most complicated, or certainly the most hip music ever created. But it's fun, and harmless. There's always been a cartoonish element to the group, heard here in the lyrics to Lookin' Out For #1, or the entire performance and concept of Not Fragile. At times, it borders on a Spinal Tap moment. Yet, they can hit on a clever line just as often, such as this little bit of breaking down the fourth wall between performer and audience in Roll On Down The Highway: "I'd like to have a jet, but it's not in the song".

Bachman and Turner throw in some new ones among the 20 tunes, but if Randy hadn't told us which ones, we would have just assumed they were non-hit album tracks, since nobody actually owned all the albums, did they? I guess that means the new stuff is pretty good at grabbing the old spirit, although it also means it doesn't stand out. It would have been a fluke if this (or another other high-profile 70's reunion) would have generated a bone fide new hit. Still, these two guys (and their new friends in the new band) are certainly enjoying themselves, and we might as well, too.

All the expected hits are here, including Hey You, You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet and of course, Takin' Care of Business. There's a nod to Randy's other band, with a short but sweet version of American Woman, and Shaffer gets to have fun with them on the ancient Shakin' All Over, the very first Guess Who hit from 1965. Turner and Bachman sound exactly the same as they did back in the day, so in the end, a find job all around.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: CHRISTINA MARTIN - A HOUSE CONCERT

2011-09-11T18:15:00.000-07:00

They are all the rage, and if you haven't been to a house concert, please consider it. More and more musicians are doing them, as an option to fill in dates during tours, or profitable add-on dates in their local areas. Fans like 'em because of the relaxed atmosphere, the up-close and personal feel, and the better set-up than most clubs.

Christina Martin's new album lets you hear what a house concert is like, with the casual and funny chat, the stripped-down acoustic sound, and the audience comments. With only a little judicious editing, this set features no overdubs, no retakes, and it's just like it happened that night, including the singalongs and remarks from the few dozen friends and neighbours. The hour-long disc features tracks from Martin's first three albums, either her alone with her acoustic or joined by husband/producer/multi-instrumentalist/harmony singer Dale Murray.

There's a twist though, it's not somebody else's party, this was actually done at Martin and Murray's house in rural Nova Scotia, where they have a home studio. It wasn't really cheating, because it was the same atmosphere, and was all set for making a disc. The project was done with an organization called PledgeMusic, which works with the artist to get funding, and sees the project divert some of the bucks to charity, in this case the Canadian Mental Health Association. So people that pledged money got various levels of payback, including autographed discs, right up to seats at the show.

I always love seeing Martin live, but this show, despite some nerves she mentions, saw her at her best. And although she might like playing with her full band when she can, Murray is a tremendous sideman, especially when he drops in pedal steel licks. Knowing her discs well, I have a hard time choosing between the full versions, and the stripped-back acoustic ones. There's an especially strong take of Take, and I always love how Martin draws from this well of emotion when performing these songs.

I could perhaps put 6 to 8 people, plus Martin and Murray, in my place for a house (well, apartment) concert. Christina, the offer is on the table.