MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: MIKE BIGGAR & BAND - LIVE AT THE BMO THEATRE

It's East Coast Music Award week, this year in Charlottetown, and I'm on my way. It's always an exciting time for music, and not just because of the shows. There are always new albums being released as well, musicians using the event to grab a little more attention for their projects. I always come back with several new ones, and the promise of more soon.

Saint John's Mike Biggar is launching his latest, his first-ever live disc. For some performers, the live album is simply a standard move, to bridge a gap between their latest releases. In Biggar's case though, it's a much-needed introduction to his stage talents for those who haven't seen him in concert. He has three major talents that come across clearly live: 1.) That big voice he offers on record is even more effective in person, intense and heartfelt, with a great command of higher notes that tear through the atmosphere of the room. 2.) He's funny as all get out, and here you get a taste of some of his lighthearted moments in between songs, plus a mom story that almost everybody will relate to. 3.) His story-songs work really well in a show context, and it lets the listener appreciate how fine a writer he's become.

Recorded in his hometown, the audience is made up of supporters who recognize some previous favourites, such as Hero, an inspirational number that could easily be a Mellancamp or Bon Jovi anthem. There are some originals, and even a bit of fun with Bonnie Raitt's Love Sneakin' Up On You, where Grant Heckman stands out on slide. Biggar clearly loves playing with his full group, as he often performs in duo or solo shows, and they add a lot to his already-enviable energy.

Mike Biggar's playing the ECMA festival if you're in Charlottetown. The day to catch him is Saturday, when he'll be playing the Blues Matinees, at the John Brown Richmond St. Grille, starting at 1:45 PM.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: KATE BUSH - THE OTHER SIDES

If you are a Kate Bush fan, you have probably been in a conundrum whether to shell out the bucks to buy her recent career-spanning box sets. The remasters sound great, but if you have all the albums, it's perhaps an unnecessary expense. Unless, of course, you want the four extra discs in the second box.  They feature a bunch of oddball tracks from over her career, from b-sides to charity cuts to 12" remixes.

The fan above, who didn't buy the second box, will no doubt be thrilled to find out those four discs can now be bought in this break-out collection, at a much cheaper price. Of course, those who bought the box just for the rare cuts will now be cursing. But as Record Store Day has taught us, most of what is marketed as exclusive and limited eventually becomes widely available if there's demand.

What I can tell you is that there are lots of interesting cuts here for the Bush fan. The remixes disc features five cuts, four from Hounds Of Love, and the other one being the one-single Experiment IV in an extended form. The Big Sky is wilder and richer, with the drums pounding and the intensity greater. Running Up That Hill is a denser, more hypnotic version, and Hounds Of Love features radically different vocals and chorus. Of course, these are some of her best, and best-loved songs as well, so there's certainly nothing boring about these lengthier tracks.

Discs two and three feature b-sides from her career, and non-album tracks. Most of them come from the first part of her career, while she was still putting out lots of singles, recording more and labouring less on each track, so she had more extras. These date back to 1975, when the precocious 16-year old was already working with Pink Floyd's Dave Gilmour on her own compositions. The big gem is a track called Humming from that era, previously unreleased, which has a raw energy that was smoothed over by the time her debut The Kick Inside came out three years later.

The rest of these 20 tracks have been out before, but you'd have to be a big collector to have them all. There's the updated version of Wuthering Heights from her 1986 best-of The Whole Story, the single version of Experiment IV, and her much-admired 1980 Christmas single, December Will Be Magic Again, tracks that are pretty common. But there's another Christmas cut, this one from 1993, Home For Christmas, that never gets played or included on holiday compilations. There's a b-side from The Red Shoes era of 1994, that shows the influence of Prince in her sound of the time, and a rich gem that should have been on the album. And the piano ballad Warm and Soothing from 1980 is another must, for those who can't get enough of her early, simpler sound.

The final disc is called In Others' Words, nine choice cover versions from various sources, mostly tributes and charity albums. She's long been an Elton fan, and here we get both Candle In The Wind and Rocket Man, candy cuts, but she does fine readings. Better is her Sexual Healing, which shows that side of her personality, something she has addressed on a couple of her albums. And cuts Lord Of The Reedy River (Donovan) and the traditional My Lagan Love give us a clear vision of what she would have done as a folk/trad artist.

Bush strictly controls what's released in her name now, and some of her decisions are confusing and frustrating. There are a bunch more rare cuts, remixes and the like which she did not include in this set, and there was certainly lots more room to add many or most of them. But you can't argue about the quality of what's she's placed in the box, it's all grand, and for a set of secondary tracks, this kicks most people's hits collections.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: ADAM BALDWIN - NO REST FOR THE WICKED

Dartmouth hero Baldwin continues to forge his own solo path apart from his duties in the Matt Mays band. On his latest six-track EP, he vividly describes the price rock 'n' roll can extract. The songs come from a dark place, as he was kicking the destructive habits of substance abuse, and he poured it all out, not holding back in his words or intensity.

Able to view his addiction from the outside, Baldwin gives the other guy, his dark side, a voice in the story as well. In Salvation, he tempts Baldwin in the cold church basement, while he sits at a 12-step meeting. It's raw, loud and scary, like the stories the members were telling, and that constant voice in the back of his head.

True to form though, Baldwin's songs dark songs have strength imbued throughout as well, guitar epics that drive the words home with grandeur. In the best Springsteen/Petty tradition, there's defiance in the voice, guitar and drums, the rock 'n' roll a metaphor for survival. But there are no simple victories. As he sings in the closing cut No Rest For The Wicked, "Hope is a deception of the weak of mind/I'm here to tell you gently there's no peace to find." In other words, this work isn't going to end soon, and the dark guy will always be around, hard to keep at bay. The music alone here will inspire you, but so will Baldwin's honesty and humanity.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: WINTERSLEEP -- IN THE LAND OF

Our old Nova Scotia pals Wintersleep unleash their latest on Friday, March 29, so it's more than fitting they kick off an East Coast tour tonight (see dates below). In The Land Of contains songs from on the group's two great strengths, extremely catchy tunes albeit slightly unsettling and eerie ones. Check out Beneficiary for instance, with its disco-beat chorus and downright happy-sounding verse, until it sinks in that it begins "All my days I open up my eyes/Beneficiary of a genocide." The point is don't get too comfortable, remember how you got there.

Land is the theme of the set, how we relate to our surroundings, and how we can feel out of place. And isn't that perfect for this band, which always make songs where singer Paul Murphy seems at odds with the happy tune the group has concocted. Never Let You Go has a cheery Paul Simon/Me & Julio rhythm going on, but the lyric relates, "I can't communicate with friends and family/I can't communicate with anybody." Other cuts, such as Soft Focus, are tougher, with crunchy and angular guitar chords, but still have lots of uplifting melody to lean on.

Don't fear the themes though, this isn't some hackneyed prog concept album, Wintersleep is too experienced and thoughtful a group to fall for anything trite. They've made every song captivating and a listening pleasure, and having the lyrics so thoughtful is a gift that keeps giving each listen. A pleasure all around.

Catch some 'Sleep at the following:

Wednesday, Mar. 27 - Moncton, NB//The Tide & Boar

Thursday, March 28 - Fredericton//Boyce Farmers Market

Friday, March 29 - Halifax//The Marquee

Saturday, Mar. 30 - Halifax//The Marquee

Sunday, March 31 - St. John's//Club One

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: THE COMPLETE SOUNDTRACK - TRUE STORIES

David Byrne's quirkiness made for great, original music during the '70's and '80's with Talking Heads. That same oddball artiness didn't quite work out when he moved into film. After the surprise success of the Stop Making Sense concert film Byrne was given a budget and free reign to make True Stories, the 1986 movie that failed to find an audience. It was a musical comedy set in a fictional town, Vernon, Texas, with a series of stories Byrne took largely from tabloids, imagining what it would be like if these wild yarns were true. Music played a big part, with new songs written by Byrne sung by the actors or himself and Talking Heads. 

 

There was a full album of the same name by the band that year, a strong seller that included the hit Wild Wild Life. But it wasn't the soundtrack, it was the band versions of the same songs. A soundtrack album was released, but it just included the instrumental portions. For the first time, to coincide with a Blu-ray reissue of the film, the full soundtrack has been compiled, all the songs by the actors, and the incidental music and themes in one place.

The music is better than the movie for sure. The eerie ballad City Of Dreams, the driving Puzzlin' Evidence, and the punchy Love For Sale are all highlight tracks, and Byrne certainly put together a fine set of material, much better than the next and last Talking Heads album, Naked. But having the actors sing didn't always result in appealing versions. Dream Operator, for instance, is a bit annoying sung by Annie McEnroe, when compared to the Heads version. And even a legend, Pop Staples, doesn't really have the right voice for Papa Legba. Surprisingly, John Goodman does a fantastic vocal on the highlight People Like Us, sounding more believable than Byrne delivering this outsider anthem.

As for the instrumental sections, that's a real bonus here, with some very imaginative themes and off-kilter creations. Best are the tracks recorded on a cheesy Casio keyboard, complete with '80's drum machine, meant to be a hip version of Muzak. While it's not overall as strong as the Talking Heads album of the same name, it's a different animal, and as a soundtrack, its really quite novel and enjoyable. You might want to pass on the film, I haven't seen it since it came out, and I can wait another 33 years.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: TOMATO TOMATO - CANARY IN A COAL MINE

Here's a big, and exciting surprise from the New Brunswick folk duo. The couple (John and Lisa McLaggan) are fun and full of happy energy, and have rightfully won a strong reputation for their positive, upbeat tunes and performances. However, they were also in danger of becoming a novelty act, with their bare-bones setup; just the two of them, his guitar and her washboard, plus that unending cheerfulness. But as this new album shows, there's lots more depth coming to the fore these days.

Enter Nashville producer Jon Estes, who has worked with everyone from Kesha to Dolly Parton, Robyn Hitchcock to Loretta Lynn. He brought the duo into his studio, and brought a whole new light on all their considerable talents. It wasn't a case of Nashville pros propping them up, but rather a sympathetic producer recognizing their unique abilities, and challenging them to do their best work yet. Lisa McLaggan has stepped up with her best-ever vocals, signing with power and confidence. Her husband's songwriting has never sounded better and more varied.

Variety is a key on the release, with the songs going in several directions, from the thumping rock of You Don't Know Anything to the soulful twang of the title cut to the breakup ballad I'll Keep The Frame. John McLaggan's lyrics have followed the cheerful path in the past, but there's a new edge in several of the songs. The couple arguing in a hotel lobby in You Don't Know Anything are truly pissed, he's abusive, but her resilience and courage wins the day. It's about as far from the couple's real life as we can imagine, and good for them, stretching to show there are a lot more tricks to this pony.

While they brought all the goods needed, it is great to hear them surrounded by some fine Nashville players, and all manner of roots instruments. Estes could have gone for a mini-Mumfords sound, slapping on the banjo and organ and made it like a thousand other bands, but instead the 12-track album keeps surprising, even including some searing electric leads.

All that, and there's a couple of attention-grabbing covers too. Their cover of Take On Me has already made the rounds and won smiles and even the kudos of A-ha themselves (I believe it also predates Weezer's current cover). John singing The Band's Ophelia will certainly help endear them to the festival crowds this summer as well. But it's all about the band growth on Canary In A Coal Mine, which has redefined the band.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: KATE BUSH - REMASTERED PART II

In the words of her Christmas track found on this boxed set, December will be magic again, if you're lucky enough to find this under the tree. The companion to Part 1, released and reviewed earlier this month, Part 2 features the later Kate Bush albums, her recent live collection, and a further four CDs that collect 12-inch remixes, assorted b-sides and bonus cuts, and cover versions for charities and the like. For those who've been buying all her albums over the years, those are the big finds in this box, but I'm betting there are lots who have let their interest slide, especially after her long career break from 1993 to 2005. For them, there are more revelations, including full fantastic albums.

Box 2 starts where Bush reappeared, 2005 and the album Aerial. This quirky, playful and sometimes goofy set was split into two discs, the first a series of wildly imaginative tracks, the second devoted to a story about bird songs and nature. As a much-awaited return, it was probably too out there for North America, but proved a smash in England, with the cut King Of The Mountain a hit single. Eccentricity goes over better in her homeland, while here people were scratching their heads over a song about the washing machine (Mrs. Bartolozzi), imitating bird calls with laughter, and then there's Pi, where she sings it to a few dozen decimal places. Once you get used to that, the album is a revelation of beauty and intricate composition, from bare piano to orchestral to flamenco to progressive rock. It's definitely one you need to go back to again and again to capture the whole journey.

Next came another break, not as long, but still six years. However, then came whole mountain of work, at least in her terms, two full albums in 2011. The first was another intriguing surprise, called Director's Cut. Bush chose to revisit songs from two of her old albums, The Red Shoes and Sensual World, to strip them back, add brand-new vocals and in some cases completely redo them. One of the main reasons was because she had initially been refused permission to use James Joyce text in the song Sensual World, but had since been allowed, so it was redone as Flower Of The Mountain. As well, her voice had lowered in the years since, so she changed keys, added new parts and players, and went for it. In most cases, the songs retain and even improve on the originals, with only Rubberband Girl failing to match the bouncy original. Why do it? Why not?

Sadly, the other album from that year, 50 Words For Snow, was a letdown. Once again fixing on a story, and again on nature, this time Bush's long meditations on winter were more dull than intriguing, despite her usual rich production and instrumentation. A lengthy duet with Elton John just plods along, while the title track is an odd piece featuring actor Stephen Fry reading the fifty words Bush made up for snow (stellatundra?) while she goads him on from the side.

The biggest surprise of her career came in 2014, when Bush returned to the stage for her first full shows in 35 years. Instead of touring, she set up in one place, the Hammersmith Apollo in London, and played 22 nights. A huge triumph, the show was released in full two years later, a brilliant collection. Bush didn't do any songs from before Hounds Of Love, but performed most of that landmark set. The show was split in three parts, opening with a set of favourites (Running Up That Hill, King Of The Mountain, Hounds Of Love). Then came the entire second half of the Hounds album, the Ninth Wave suite, featuring dialogue and staging. The show was filmed, but hasn't appeared yet,  still it is a remarkable audio experience. The third act featured the complete second disc of Aerial, called A Sky Of Honey, that one with the bird calls/laughs, and again it's a beautiful, dynamic performance, wrapped up with an encore of Cloudbusting.

That's it for her albums, but with all the stray cuts in her career, it took four CD's to wrap things up. The remixes disc doesn't include the many variations, but certainly has interesting ones, including the very different Orgonon Mix of Cloudbusting. There are two discs of B-sides, and several of these are among her very best tracks, including the beautiful Under The Ivy, the clever single Experiment IV and the very early rocker Passing Through Air, from 1975. The final disc, called In Other's Words, has her doing covers such as Elton John's Rocket Man and Candle In The Wind, Donovan's Lord Of The Reedy River, and most surprisingly, Sexual Healing. A little more detail on where these all appeared would have been nice, as there are no liner notes for the box, but Google works too.

The most popular Kate Bush albums are featured on the first box set, but this is the one where you get more surprises and more rewards. Fans will have Hounds Of Love memorized and The Kick Inside feels like an old friend, whereas these albums are fresh, and will have you going down the rabbit hole. Who knows if we'll see more music from her? It's mightily impressive what is here.