MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: THE WARPED 45's - MATADOR SUNSET

The story goes that when the young Tragically Hip were trying to get a record deal in the early 80's, one Canadian record company wanted them to become a country band.  Since they fussily refused, we can only imagine now.  But I have a feeling The Hip would never go Nashville completely,.  Instead, they might have sounded like Toronto's Warped 45's.  With their second album just out, the rootsy folk in the band are digging into the country's soil, ready to join the alt-kinda crowd of twangy singer-songwriter groups, literate patriots.

There's lots of great acoustic-fiddly-mandoliny moments all over the album, and musically, the band have got it down.  This feels like real, woodshed-campfire-ski lodge Canadiana.  By the way, I've finally had to up to here with the genre Americana, since as far as I can figure, The Band pretty much invented it, and The Cowboy Junkies sparked the second wave of it with The Trinity Sessions, way before Uncle Tupelo, Jayhawks, etc.  So, it's now Canadiana.  Co-lead singers Dave and Ryan Wayne McEathron give the group a one-two punch, and have a love of telling a bunch of our stories.

Ryan Wayne wrote the most interesting story-song, Grampa Carl, about a 1920's rum runner from Ontario shipping bootleg brew across the Detroit River.  Dave's Pale Horse is a great way to start off the collection, that particular pony a classic folk song image.  Sometimes the lyrics are a little too clunky, including the desperate metaphor that starts the title cut, "Past the hectares of hay bails like curlers in an old woman's hair".  The song Victoria Day picks on an easy target, the British monarchy we still cling to.  And Live Bait, sung in the seller's voice, is more Red Green than the outlaw Steve Earle song they hoped for.  But there are plenty of other tales that are the work of solid troubadours, including Hurdle River Crossing, a good 19th century tale.

Road warriors already, The 45's are getting to see a lot of the land, going east to west and back again.  The next leg of their tour takes them towards the Atlantic.  You can and should catch them nearest you, at these fine establishments:

08/02- Montreal, QC - Divan Orange
08/03 St. Andrews, NB The Red Herring Pub
08/04 Fredericton, NB - The Capital
08/05 St John, NB - Peppers Pub
08/06 Halifax, NS- The Seahorse Tavern
08/08 Charlottetown, PEI - Baba's
08/09 Moncton, NB - Plan B

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: SAM ROBERTS BAND - COLLIDER

The Sam Roberts Band headlines the 3rd annual Fred Rock Fest, happening August 13th in Fredericton. The popular outdoor event runs the whole day, and has an impressive lineup of national and East Coast stars. Joined Roberts and Co. on the stage will be hip-hop favourite Classified, the ever-exciting Joel Plaskett Emergency, and rising star Carmen Townsend, all three from Nova Scotia. Plaskett's not doing a whole lot of dates right now as he gears up for a new album and major tour this fall, so there's more anticipation than usual for his appearance. Carmen Townsend is on a roll, and climbing with each appearance. She turned a lot of heads opening up for Heart on a big national tour this spring, and the more people get to see her loud and rocking with her band, the more this guitar hero impresses. Joining them all is the golden-voiced Serena Ryder, appearing this time with The Beauties. Ryder sings like no other, plus knows how to rock the show, so there isn't a weak link in this lineup, from start to finish you have to be there for each set.

Sam Roberts Band is touring on the back of a new album, called Collider. As usual, Roberts takes a bunch of grooves, and builds them up into an intensity that sneaks up and makes you feel great. The songs often take off from the pulse of acoustic guitar, strumming vehicles for Roberts' tales. He's a foot soldier on the front lines of love, fighting and inevitibly loosing the battle, but maybe not the war. The musical drama builds with the personal ones, and hats off to this hard-working bunch, they make great-sounding productions. There are always great choices for the sound of the guitars, and the extra instruments and touches placed in the mix. Roberts' songs are always built up with layers of guitars, vocals, synths, even some excellent horns and woodwinds here. I wouldn't call it atmospheric, like a Daniel Lanois production, but there is almost always a secondary layer of sweet sound going on behind the main theme and melody, whether its the cymbal splash or answering echoes of vocals, the songs are aural treats.

Then there's the Roberts beat; his songs always seem to lope along, as toe-tappers, or head-bobbers, never fast ,never too slow, always catching your attention. It has a mellow feeling that doesn't say party, although it does say feel good, friends. Instead of punching your fist in the air, it makes you want to hug your neighbour and sway along. Ya, this kind of happy-mellow groove, not dissimilar to Crowded House. That, along with the trick of building the intensity on each song results in a positive, sonically triumphant disc, ending in the brilliant, near epic Tractor Beam Blues, the loudest and most celebretory song on the disc. It's a keeper.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: NICK CAVE & the BAD SEEDS REISSUES

This is my favourite period for Nick Cave, largely because it's his calmest period musically, putting the focus on his deep, bleak voice, and his deep, bleak lyrics.  These four reissues come from 1994 - 2001, the middle period of the Bad Seeds years, book-ended by louder, more violent music on both ends.  Ah, not this these disc aren't filled with violence, but it's in the words, more on that later.  It's also the next wave of splendid reissues of the Bad Seeds years.  All four feature two discs; the original album on the CD, and a huge DVD as the second.  It includes the album in 5.1 or stereo, and then a ton of extra material, including video, outtakes, b-sides, live sessions, each one two hours long.  The DVD for No More Shall We Part runs a whopping 2 hours and 36 minutes.

Cave to me is part Cash and part Cohen and part Jagger.  Not the TV-show hosting, Billy Graham buddy Cash, but the bad version, the pill-popping, hell raising, murder ballad-singing guy he fought to keep down.  The threatening guy who knew the dark side of life and religion.  Not the lovable senior citizen-monk Cohen, but the drug-taking, womanizing, low-crooning Cohen of the 70's, embracing his hedonistic side when fame and money came his way.  And not the sprightly dancing Jagger, but the one who wrote Sympathy For The Devil, and knew how powerful it was to be close to the fire.  Cave takes all the dark elements of art, and revels in them, creating sometimes gruesome, sometimes sad, but always powerful music.

Murder Ballads is just as advertised, a group of the classic folk form, except Cave turns of the songs into slasher movies or worse.  His Stagger Lee is the worst you've ever heard, obscene and x-rated.  While some are simpler examples of the form, no worse than the 18th century template versions, others feature killing sprees, such as O'Malley's Bar.  This is not the place to start with Cave.  In fact, if bleak bothers you, it's hard to recommend one of these, but if you believe songs should mirror life, including the sadder and darker parts, this is powerful literature at times, surrounded by the highly dexterous Bad Seeds, here kept simmering but adept.

Cave can go over the top sometimes, and it does get a little much in large amounts.  On Fifteen Feet Of Pure White Snow from No More Shall We Part, it's pretty obvious the guy is from Australia, as he can't capture the snow setting and its isolation, describing someone as having icicles hanging from their knees.  Wives and lovers are always sad, I guess because they're stuck with these deeply flawed men.  It's not all bad in life, but you wouldn't know that from spending a long day in Cave's world.  However, like reading a bleak novelist, say David Adams Richards or Robertson Davies, you learn a lot more about humanity, and once you get past the bad parts, you start to find the inherent good in everyone despite the obvious flaws.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: MADELEINE PEYROUX - STANDING ON THE ROOFTOP

The former Paris busker has shifted significantly for this album.  For the first time in a decade she's recorded a studio album without Larry Klein, the former Joni Mitchell producer/bassist.  This time the honour goes to Craig Street, known for his work with Norah Jones, k.d. lang and  Cassandra Wilson.  But instead of easy contemporary jazz covers, she instead gone the other way, going more experimental.  I'm betting that avant-atmospheric guitarist Marc Ribot had as much to do with that new sound as anyone.

Peyroux is stretching for sure.  Although she's written some before, she's far better known for her covers, of everyone from Leonard Cohen to Hank Williams to Edith Piaf to Patsy Cline.  Usually you see a phrase comparing her to Billie Holiday in there, too.  Forget that.  The Holiday-isms are toned down, as she takes a relaxed turn at the mic, and the covers are greatly reduced, and a bit further afield.  She leads off with a surprising Beatles number, Martha My Dear, McCartney's ode to a sheepdog.  Later on, there's an equally lesser-heard Dylan number, I Threw It All Away, and instead of her usual Bessie Smith number, she switches genders to Robert Johnson.

But the real difference is all this songwriting, and the unconventional arrangements and accompaniment.  In the past she's attracted us with vocal talent and a somewhat alluring franco-flavoured sultriness.  Now it's a bit of work to hear her, and I'm not convinced there's enough writing talent to justify so many credits for her.  It's okay to be an interpreter after, especially when you do bring something new and enjoyable to the great material.  Just making your music sound different doesn't necessarily make it better though.  Apart from a fun song called Don't Pick A Fight With A Poet, the self-written numbers don't jump out.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: RAVE ON BUDDY HOLLY

How many tributes to Buddy Holly have been done?  I own three, I know there are others.  This one is for his 75th birthday this year.  Of course, he missed all of them after his death at 22, which is part of the allure. Do we really need more interpretations?  Well, he still seems to attract the attention of new generations of fans and artits.  Part of that attraction is that he didn't grow old and fat and obsolete.  He stays frozen in our pop culture with perfect songs and perfect glasses. 

It's almost a rite of rock 'n' roll passage that every five years, new hit makers join forces with past masters to pay tribute.  This time out, the cool kids include Florence + The Machine, Cee Lo Green, She & Him, Julian Casablancas,  and My Morning Jacket.  The Hall Of Fame team features Lou Reed, Patti Smith, Graham Nash and, inevitably, Paul McCartney.  I assume he insists on getting a track on each tribute, since he owns the catalogue.  Two bad, as usual McCartney tries too hard to sound hip, and tries to raunch up It's So Easy, making one of the few mockeries here.

Of the 19 cuts here, most artists simply play it straight, with better results than Sir Paul.  Justin Townes Earle sounds suitably rockabilly, and She & Him put a girl-group vocal on top of the classic Crickets twang, an interesting twist.  Leave it to the brilliant Nick Lowe to find a rare Holly composition, Changing All Those Changes, and point out what a great writer he was.  Just 22, and all those classics he either wrote or recording.

Some do get some modern touches, such as Words Of Love, turned into a more produced ballad by Patti Smith, complete with some Spanish dialogue, no doubt in tribute to Maria Elana, Holly's widow.  Modest Mouse tries to turn That'll Be The Day into some sort of grungy blues.  But really, it's more fun to hear relative youngsters such as My Morning Jacket's Jim James croon along to rich strings, just like Holly did on True Love Ways.

As with most tributes, it's a novelty record, one which won't get a whole lot of play top to bottom, but it's not bad for a few listens, and you can cherry-pick some cuts for the iPod dog walk.  Rave On.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: RORY GALLAGHER - NOTES FROM SAN FRANCISCO

Among rock guitar aficionados, Rory Gallagher is placed near the very top, and some argue he gave Hendrix a run for his money.  That's due to the famous quote, where Hendrix was asked what it's like to be the best guitar player, and he said he didn't know, ask Rory Gallagher.  Those were back in the Taste days, when Gallagher became one of the very first stars from Ireland.  The success of that band led to an even bigger solo career in the early 70's, as he proved to be a top performer and seller in the FM rock days.  Given his neglected fame these days, he may be the quietest 30-million album seller there is.

It also doesn't help that he's dead.  Gallagher died in 1995, after a liver transplant, necessitated by years of rock lifestyle, hard touring, and a potent prescription diet to combat fear of flying and other insecurities.  Also, he never had a radio hit.  Most people, me included, can't name a song of his off the top of our heads.  However, those guitar aficionados are a stalwart bunch, and they're not going to let Gallagher down.  Neither is Eagle Records, which has launched a huge reissue campaign of all his albums and DVD's, with lots of existing live footage coming out, as well as his best-known piece, Irish Tour '74.

This double-disc is a real bonus.  The whole thing is previously unreleased, dating from a 1977 and 78 attempt to record an album in San Francisco.  Ever the perfectionist, Gallagher shelved it all, the whole project, after months of work, and expensive sessions with Neil Young producer Elliot Mazer.  He later said they couldn't get the mix right at the time, and it had become too complicated, the songs didn't sound right.  He thought most of it could be put out with remixing, but he never got around to it again.  Now, his brother and nephew, who have steadfastly kept the Gallagher legacy going, have done that job, as well as cleaned up some outtakes, and found an entire live show from 1979 to put out on disc two.

This is not a tough call for anyone.  Do you know and like Rory Gallagher?  You need this.  Do you like electric rock guitar?  You will like this.  Do you find yourself wondering if this is for you?  Buy Irish Tour '74, and see if you join the cult first.  There's nothing immediately grabbing about any of the tunes here, but it's not the mess Gallagher thought it was, it just is what it is, decent material played by a very intense guitar god.  The guy played like a monster, with great fills constantly coming at you, but usually in pedestrian songs.  Nobody ever gave him a signature number, a Cocaine or Train Kept a-Rollin' or something to hang his legacy on.  Once he went solo it was all on his shoulders, but if he had've been a team player, say with a band like AC/DC, he would've been unbeatable.  Listening to the very enjoyable live disc here, I can imagine everyone leaving, shaking their heads, going "What a guitar player", but nobody singing the songs into the night.

Polaris Long List Targets NB'ers

Last week, the first step in the summer-long process of choosing the best album in Canada was make public. The long list for the Polaris Music Prize came out, which is made up of 40 choices of albums released between May of 2010 and May of 2011. Since 2006, the Polaris Prize has been handed to a Canadian album deemed the best, as voted by a jury of over 200 music writers, bloggers and broadcasters across the country, including me. So I thought I'd take the time to explain what happens with this award, and talk about the New Brunswickers who make the cut.

First off, it's a darn good idea and prize. The money is now up to 30-thousand dollars, which is a big chunk of what it takes to make an album, a lot more for some thrifty people. But it can be used for whatever the winner wants, it's no-strings-attached. Also, it was needed, and still is. Before Polaris, you only had the Juno Award for album, which pretty much went to the best-seller, or one of them, because it's an industry award. This is a critical one. You don't have to be a big seller or a big star to be the winner. In fact, it's more likely you won't be, as the voters are looking for talent as opposed to marketing and popularity.

Now, these being critics and reviewers, the tastes tend to be a little more esoteric than the general public...okay, a lot more. I listen to a lot of music, and each year there are discs on the long list I've never heard of, and frankly, when I hear them, I don't get it. There have even been winners of the prize that I think stink. But that's okay. It's a voting process, and there are always well over 200 people each year going through everything, all year long. We have a forum just for jury members that sends email messages to everyone where we rant and discuss and argue and fight for our favourites. And by June, the voting starts, each of us picking five favourites. The 40 with the most votes make up the Long List.

Now, you'll recognize lots of names here, starting with Neil Young. He doesn't make it very often, but this year many reviewers thought his album Le Noise was a worthy return to form. Then there's Arcade Fire. This should be an obvious choice, since the band won not only the Juno Award, but the Grammy Award too, for Album of the Year. But there's been some backlash about The Suburbs, the group's last album, among the critics. Some argue it didn't have a great lyrical concept, and that the group sound has become a bit of a cliche since their beloved first album, Funeral. There's a chance you won't even see it make the Short List of ten albums which will be the next step. Other names include Ron Sexsmith, Buck 65, Luke Doucet, East Coasters Sloan, Jenn Grant and Hey Rosetta!, and a whole bunch of people who are pretty unheralded in the mainstream: Hooded Fang, Miracle Fortress, Imaginary Cities and Land Of Talk.

Now, New Brunswick does have several jurors on the panel, so we're well-represented proportionately for the voting. But not too many of our acts make it in. Polaris voters, by and large, go for young and alternative, as rock music critics have done for so long. You don't find many blues fans or folk fans, and I don't know if many Acadians get heard for that matter. This year though the panel did make a big deal out of the alternative music in small town Sackville. Artists there have been catching their attention for a bit, thanks to the interest in sometime resident and previous nominee Julie Doiron, and the scene she help start, the Sappy Records bunch. Julie's moved on for now, but some of her old cohorts are still making vibrant music there, and the Sappy Festival is considered one of the best in the country, happening again this year over the August long weekend. Two Sappy mainstays are on the long list. Fred Squire, who made the album March 12 is there. Fred has recorded with Julie, on solo work and in the succesful Daniel, Fred and Julie album of 2009 of folk music, great old-time harmonies with Daniel Romano in that trio. The other one is Shotgun Jimmie. Jimmie and Fred used to play together, as Shotgun and Jaybird, and are still pals, Fred's on track 13 on Jimmie's disc. Jimmie's also worked with Joel Plaskett this year, and the two have a shared 45 single out right now, but this prize nomination is for his recent album Transistor Sister. Both Fred and Jimmie have garnered a lot of attention over the past few weeks for their work from the Polaris jurors. I was just reading another rave for Fred today on the Polaris insider forum. Will either make the Short List? Can small-town Canada knock off superstars Neil Young and Arcade Fire? In the Polaris voting, anything is possible.