Saturday, December 27, 2008

A post in a busy season.

I slept in an empty house last night. Completely empty. Just me and a linen closet.

I'll continue with my best of 2008 posts tomorrow, starting with best concert, and then on the 29th I'll do a wrap-up of all my other bests, as well as reminders about the first two. Stay tuned...

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

An update on the pants situation.

I did wear pants today.

However, as the ankles are damp from a stroll in a foggy rainstorm, I am now taking them off.

Down with pants!

(up with skirts!)

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Tomorrow, I shall wear pants.


It is decided.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Actual musings on linguistics and cheese.

I would like to direct you, readers, viewers, those forced to read my blog at gunpoint, and whoever else may see this--that is, so long as you are users of iTunes--to the podcasts of Stephen Fry. His latest, released this past Sunday, is a discussion of Language, and I cannot do it any sort of justice in detailing its contents. You rather should listen to it, for one as delighted by the, as he puts it, juiciness of language as Fry spending half an hour discussing its nature and use is a matter of absolute ecstasy. Well, I doubt it shall be ecstasy for many aside from myself, for few I know take such delight in language and in words as I do, but please, do listen to and enjoy his podcast. Simply type his name into the search bar and you, mes amis, sont well on your way.

I think that this is the first time I've posted anything directly related to the title of this blog, for in his discussion of langue and parole, Fry states: "Cheese is real" as a comparison to the concretitude of utterance. Therefore this is indeed a compilation of musings on linguistics and cheese.

The fluorescent lights are humming a song.


Okay, so, spotlight today on New Royalty, a young band out of Charlottetown. I saw them open the Halloween party I went to and, frankly, I don't even remember what the headliner of that show was except one of them was dressed as a box robot.

New Royalty though were a lot of fun. The lot of them were dressed as 1864, if I remember rightly. Kind of genericish indie rock, but I don't often see genericish indie rock from the Maritimes, especially done this well. They rather blew me away and were awfully memorable. Some drunk girl who I didn't actually know but liked to think she knew me introduced me to their keyboard player and we had a nice little chat about dressing as ceiling fans. Cute person, nice person, YOUNG person. The next time we spoke it was about prospective universities she was looking at. With so little age behind them, the fact that they're so absolutely memorable and lovely says a lot. Lily, one of the singers, her voice is just stunning. I don't quite know what it is about it that puts me into this awesome trance but there's just this quality, sweet and not quite haunting but the same sort of idea. I don't know. I just woke up.

I have a couple tracks up here for downloading, but be sure to check out their myspace and find out when they might be playing near you. Fall in love with them! They're absolutely delightful.

New Royalty - Fluorescent


New Royalty - Midday Sun

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Happy Christmas your arse, I pray God its our last.


I've just returned from a khord in Saint John, stinking of sweat and beer. I hate this city. But the show!

Well, there are definite cons. I saw the Tom Fun Orchestra at a khord tonight, which is this little bar uptown. Cute place, but I'm convinced it's not insulated. I'm told it used to be the cop bar, or something. The Call Box, it was called in those days. This is not the matter. The show was meant to start at 11, so I got there early as I usually do, at about quarter to 11, and met up with some friends. We sat. And waited. And waited. And waited. And then the band got up and did a sound check. And we waited. And waited. And waited. Eventually Carmen got on stage at about midnight, and started playing her set. Well, you know how I feel about Carmen's music from the last blog about them: it turns out that I really was just unintrigued by her music. I enjoy her voice very much, I'm not saying I don't like her. I just... her band doesn't interest me. So I drank. And caught up with people I haven't seen in months or in years. It wasn't an altogether bad time, I just didn't enjoy the music.

But! But! Once Ian and the boys got on stage and kicked in to Heart Attack in an Old Motel, my night got better. I sang my lungs out (and after Last of the Curious Thieves, can barely speak), and Ian, as usual, was the perfect showman, talking about nothing in particular and everything at once. The crowd, though it has convinced me that Saint John crowds don't know how to clap along to music, was wonderful, dancing and jumping and though they didn't seem to know all the words they got so into the music, beautifully and wonderfully. I simply had so much fun, and Carmen's vocals on the songs I'm so used to are growing on me. Even on Watchmaker, I have to say, I really enjoyed her.

It was, of course, a Christmas concert, and some of my highlights were the Christmas tunes. Carmen and her band did a cover of Sufjan Stevens' That Was The Worst Christmas Ever, but as they tend to do, failed to hold my attention. (I'm sorry if ever you read this, Carmen; I love you in Tom Fun but there's just something lacking about the other. I'll still buy your record though when it comes out.) The Tom Fun Orchestra, though, did their own Christmas tune, which is available for download below, and, in one of the most perfect concert-going moments of my life, covered The Pogues' Fairytale of New York. Now, this could be just me, as that tune is my favourite Christmas song of all time, but Ian and Carmen singing Shane and Kirsty's parts is probably the best rendition of it you'll get since Kirsty kicked it. It was a gorgeous moment in my concert-going life, up there with Sarah Harmer doing How Deep In The Valley fully acoustic in this lovely old theatre and Laura Barrett's Sackville kitchen concert with sparklers.

The Tom Fun Orchestra - Merry Christmas From Me to You

They played with the energy you'll be used to if ever you've seen them, and Ian was very much Ian. I could swear that I heard him shouting "TOM FUN!" and heading for the bathroom at about eleven o'clock. They're among my favourite bands to see live, and I'm sure one of the shows will make my top 5 of the year. Keep your eyes peeled for that post!

Anyway, have a happy Christmas. I'm going to get some sleep.



PS: I just realised I said I'd reveal what made my belt so awesome. It was an NES controller holding up my favourite cords.

His work is all wrong.

I have made a sort of pre-New Year's resolution to for the remainder of 2008 listen only to Canadian music. I've done this since the 17th, and have come nowhere near running out or getting tired. Canadian music is a joy, and most of what I need is here. I mean, sure, I could really use some Decemberists or Jens Lekman or Sigur Ros, but I can wait til January when I have the Tom Fun Orchestra and Julie Doiron and Laura Barrett. I bet I could even live on East Coast music if I had to, but I'm not going to try. Not yet, anyway. Maybe that's my next project.

I have decided to tonight keep my trousers up not with a belt but with something similar thereto. I will reveal what this is in my review of the Tom Fun show I'm seeing. Just be assured: it is both epic and slightly legendary.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

LEGENDARY Weekend


Just saying.

You can blame us for the colonies of altruists and despots.


Construction & Destruction are Dave Trenaman and Colleen Collins, hailing from Nova Scotia. A couple of weeks ago I was at a CD release party for their latest, The Volume Wars, with Shotgun Jimmie opening. The show was absolutely wonderful, a fusion of rock provided by Dave and strange ethereal electronic noises as made by Colleen, with I'm sure some interplay between the two. They trade off vocals, so why not everything else? The lyrics are beautifully literate and gorgeous to the ears. The show erupted into an all-star Sackville explosion complete with tambourine and didgeridoo, adding new layers to the literate lo-fi music found on the album. The whole of the crowd joined in on the chorus of 'and not seeing nothing at all', repeated and repeated and repeated ad infinitum and it was a moment of absolute and pure beauty, c'est tout.

Construction & Destruction - Thresheld

As you might know, I absolutely love words, and the way these two use words is such a selling point for me--it's simply beautiful, the simplicity of music and complexity of words merged. Leaning against a piano in a darkened living room, the voices and the sounds washing over you like a tide, that was a beautiful experience. The toned-down nature of the music might have some of you just half-listening, but it deserves your full attention, absolutely. Only with all one's attention directed thereto is the true beauty of Construction & Destruction realised.

The contrast between Dave's comparatively harsh voice with Colleen's dreamy and fragile vocals, in addition to the wicked juxtaposition of noises and sounds and genres all through the concert and the albums make this a worthwhile listen. It's all just so beautiful; the perfect band to see play in a friend's living room on a cold winter's night.

So, here are a few songs. The first two are from their latest record, but the third is from their 2007 release, Homebodies.

Construction & Destruction - What The Non-Human Taught Us


Construction & Destruction - The Volume Wars

Construction & Destruction - First Day

Blast from the past II

I'm home again from Sackville, and decided to unpack an old box of about 200 CDs. I found some old gems that I'd forgotten about, and one which I hadn't but had forgotten just how much I adore it. These three tracks are here shared avec vous!

Femme Generation are or were a band out of Toronto who I saw open for Ted Leo in 2005, and though they hadn't released their album yet, they had a promo sampler they were giving out. This is a track from that. I was never able to track down their album.

Femme Generation - The Nation's Birthday

I know nothing about CaneFire other than that they're on this indie jazz compilation put out in 2006 by the now-defunct Sam The Record Man chain of stores.

CaneFire - Kaiso Blue


And of course you all know Feist, unless you've been living under a rock for the last couple of years. This is one of my favourite tracks off of Let It Die, it's probably the song, after Mushaboom, most responsible for my love of Feist persisting for four years now. That and the version of Lover's Spit with her on vocals. Me oh my, that's something should be put up some time. But instead, here's this.

Feist - When I Was A Young Girl

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

The answer's bacon!

I have for you my pick of the best 10 albums of 2008, with an appendix afterwards of some which didn't quite make the cut. So, let's get this mother underway!

10. Kyrie KristmansonPagan Love

9. Olenka and the Autumn LoversOlenka and the Autumn Lovers

8. Jason CollettHere's To Being Here

7. The Rural Alberta AdvantageHometowns

6. Old Man LuedeckeProof of Love

5. Ghost BeesTasseomancy EP

4. She & HimVolume One

3. WoodhandsHeart Attack

2. Laura BarrettVictory Garden

1. Hey Rosetta!
Into Your Lungs
(and around in your heart and on through your blood)


These are the fifteen runners-up, and I count the two Final Fantasy EPs as one, thankyouverymuch. I hope you've enjoyed this review. Now! Go out, take in all the music you can! There's bound to be a Christmas show that you can see somewhere. Go find it. Love it. Embrace all.


Tuesday, December 16, 2008

TWO! THREE! FOUR! FIVE! SIX! SEVEN! EIGHT!


Seeing as how I'm seeing the Tom Fun Orchestra again on Saturday, I think I should try to review the show I saw in November before it leaves my mind completely and is replaced by something new. I can't imagine it leaving my mind completely, though--it was the most epic and wonderful show I've been to this year, I think. It's in the running for that whole best shows of the year rundown that I'm doing after the 27th (when I see my last show of the year!). It was just so wonderful. It was at my favourite venue, George's Roadhouse, probably the most maritimey venue you'll ever see. And I can't imagine a more maritimey band than Tom Fun. It was the first time I'd seen them play with Carmen, but that wasn't bad at all. She's entertaining enough. I do miss Alicia, though. There's something about her voice that just can't be matched.

Anyway! The show! It was in this roadhouse bar, permanent stage in the corner, I'll take some photos at the next show there and share. The opener was a band called Olenka and the Autumn Lovers, and since I was near broke after a few draughts (absolutely did not bring enough money to the show) I wasn't able to get their CD. I chatted with Olenka for a bit after the show, but that's another story for another time. A friend's brother was there and bought the CD, but he lives in Fredericton and I haven't been able to get it out of him. One of these days! They're from Toronto, but they play, kind of in the same style as Tom Fun, but instead of the influence of the Maritimes, the influence is that of Eastern Europe. There's a lot of stomping, also, which always makes me nostalgic for the Port City Allstars... but all in all, I adored Olenka's set. It was something that I won't forget.

Carmen did her own set with her little side-group. It was something I did forget. I'll have to tell you more about her after Saturday, because honestly I don't remember much about the performance. Maybe it bored me, or maybe I just wasn't paying attention.

Then there was Tom Fun. Ian has the most dominating stage presence I've ever seen, and when you're on stage with eight others that's saying a lot. He is the band, plain and simple, and I'm sure he'd tell you the same thing. It was a big, sweaty, messy, maritimey dance party in front of the stage and we all smelled of moosehead and keith's. Every bit of it involved the audience, and Ian is definitely the king of showmen. I'm sure that at one point he had the crowd shouting back at him 'MEATBALLS AND RICE' or whatever had been the special of the day at George's. The crowd and the band were stomping, bouncing, just altogether a wonderful experience. I'm more pumped for the Christmas show in Saint John on Saturday than I am for Christmas itself. While I'm on about all of this, here's a track from the album. But trust me: they're all gold, and you have to see this band at some point. They are, simply, the most epic small-venue live show you'll ever see.

The Tom Fun Orchestra - Last of the Curious Thieves

Monday, December 15, 2008

Oh, world!

I signed the lease on my apartment today. The Sackville market is a little funky, the lease doesn't start until June but I was advised to jump on it ASAP to risk losing it. It's in such a prime location, too, right on Bridge St where the tent goes up for street concerts. Fingers crossed for another Sappyfest this summer. If any of my roommates read this, I call dibs on the room at the top of the stairs. I found the apartment, I should get first pick!

I'm almost through writing my exams, I'm done on Wednesday. Christmas is only ten days away, but it doesn't at all feel like it. Oh well, Christmas just means going back to Saint John for a few weeks and leaving this town I love for the doldrums of suburbia. It won't be all bad, though. It will be nice to sleep in a double bed, again.

The world feels a little bit beautiful these days. It's always calm before the storm, though, and given my world is feeling so calm, relaxed, and beautiful, I'm anticipating a zombie invasion just after Christmas. Mark my words.

While we're here, I'll post a song for your troubles. This, I currently cannot get out of my head. Do enjoy.

Henri Fabergé & the Adorables - Favourite Kisses

Sunday, December 14, 2008

These painted lines, they brought us together.

These all seem to be Pop Explosion reviews. It's a pity I didn't have a blog back in October, I could have gotten them out of the way then, and with better recollection. Oh well.


This is one of the most beautifully packaged CDs I own. Handpainted on firm cardboard, inside and out, and even on the CD itself. Absolutely beautiful, just like the music contained within.

And who is the perpetrator of this wonder? A cute little thing named Jess Kussin. She opened for, of all people, Hilotrons, who seem to channel XTC, at the Pop Explosion. I always find these juxtapositions interesting.

Jess plays what I like to describe as Canadiana. Small-town influenced folk music with a distinct Canadian tinge. She can't stand much more than five feet, and trading between banjo and ukulele from song to song, feet dangling off the stool on which she sat, it was a purely beautiful and downright cute performance. Her vocals are heartfelt, are gorgeous. Andy Swan joined her on stage for part of her set, as he does for part of the EP, and though it did add something to the performance, I have to say I preferred her alone on the stage. The mood in the place might have influenced this, though. The bar was dead, with maybe 15 or 20 people watching. The world was silent and all there was was Jess.

The second of these tracks, both from her EP Big City Smile, features Andy Swan on vocals and guitar.

Jessie Kussin - Dodging Daggers

Jessie Kussin - Big City Smile

My curse.

As you may have noticed, I often have this tendency to be excessively verbose. This predisposition is without any real origin; I simply have a love of words. As such, I use them at such illustrious volume that, to turn a metaphor, the market for language becomes saturated and my readers therefore slightly bored.

This addiction to verbosity shall not cease, I am afraid. Live with it, bitches.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

I see your keys hanging in the same place, they haven't moved for a month.


an attempt at
ew, courier
what the hell

an attempt at
why the hell is this bold?
fuck off.

an attempt at defining the rural alberta advantage comes up short. to be frank, they're a rock band, and only one of them out of alberta. why am i not using capitals? i should really use capitals.

Right. So. The RAA (as they're known) are something special. A Toronto-based three-piece that I'm going to throw under Canadiana/folk-rock but that doesn't do them justice. They are the sound of-- well, take a listen.

The Rural Alberta Advantage - Ballad of the RAA

I saw the band in Halifax, opening for Ghost Bees and Laura Barrett. The night before, Laura had mentioned to me that she was a little bit excited to have them in the lineup, felt a little bit small as the headliner coming off such an amazing line of bands as came before (a lineup which also included Boxer the Horse and Rich Aucoin) and stressed the awesomeosity of the RAA. I, therefore, on the bus to Halifax the next day, was beyond excited for the concert. They certainly did not disappoint.

The band is comprised of Nils, the lone Albertan of the lot, singing and guitaring away, Paul (also of Woodhands) on the drums, and Amy, multi-instrumentalist and backup vocals.

Amy was, I think, what gave the band their character. There was the heart and soul of the band, the expat Albertan, playing the guitar, there was the drums keeping everything in order, and then there was Amy, tapping away at a xylophone or a synth or whatever else depending on what the song required. That little addition, the third of the three-piece not being a bass or even a keyboard but a multi-instrumentalist of her orientation, that is what won me over. I sat, and stood, there in the Coconut Grove absolutely enthralled for their whole set, and promptly tracked down a member of the band to pick up a CD.

Now, the CD, Hometowns, has the same stripped down sound of a three-piece in concert, the heartwrenching vocals of hometown exodus which I (see the rant) can fully understand. Exodus and heartbreak, beautiful indie folk-rock supported with strings here and there. But even when strings are added the stripped down mixing and overall sound rings true. One of the songs I have for you below, Don't Haunt This Place features a cello, though if I remember rightly Amy just played the cello part on a synthesizer at the show in Halifax.

From what I can gather, the band has a bit of a cult following here in Sackville, and it's well-deserved. There is something indescribable about them, something wonderful that can only fully be appreciated when experiencing the music. It's simply beautiful, and haunting. Frank, AB, the third and final song I have for you in this post, defines that haunting quality so well. Telling the story of the 1903 mine disaster in Frank, the song is one of those that stops the world, that takes everything outside and stops it, and you just live in the music for a few minutes. A band that can do that is a band that deseves universal laudation.

The RAA - Don't Haunt This Place


The RAA - Frank, AB


Actually, I'll throw this song up here, too, just because it's quite a bit different from the others. Now get out there! Go to their shows, pick up their record, fall in love with the music as I have.

The RAA - The Dethbridge in Lethbridge

Friday, December 12, 2008

What happened to you, Bill? You used to be cool!

Officially not a fan of Vista, and I've only been using it for 15 minutes. I want Windows 3.11 back. Who knows how to design an OS to mimic old-school Windows? There's a shiny new donkey in it for you.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Hometowns.

I bet you thought I was going to use that subject line to segue into a review of the album from the RAA. Well, I thought I would, anyway. But it's a negatory on that one, good buddy, as I am currently in my own hometown and my copy of Hometowns is in Sackville. Thus: no dice.

It's a mess of ice and metal that isn't Scandinavian. It's a consistent site of exodus; the population has halved in the last forty years and not a whole lot has left the city. Things have grown, things have changed, but those in charge don't seem to know what will keep kids here.

I used to organise a monthly all ages concert series, to give local performers a place to play and local kids something to do. I ran this for a year and a half, taking over from a friend of mine who had run it for several years previous. At the end of this year and a half, our venue, the Arts Centre, cancelled us, not due to any sort of funding issue (we were turning a profit) nor due to any damages (none were done) but due simply to the fact that the director of the arts centre wished to transition the building from a community space to a bona fide art gallery, and away with the riff-raff. I subsequently looked for a new host. None was found.

Some months back I started looking into the prospect of hosting a Christmas concert in the same vein, so as to bring people together. I searched and I searched, but no venue sprung forth. Those that did were of the ballroom orientation, with rental fees for a night starting at around $350. No 50-100 capacity all ages venue exists in Saint John. We used to have the Arts Centre and the Showroom, both of which are now defunct as such a space. Churches do things now and then, but not with any consistency. I'll be the first to admit not everyone wants an all ages music venue, but those who do are also the sort who, barring some kind of coffeehouse event or hardcore show, end up smoking up and drinking and fucking themselves into oblivion. Now, there's nothing wrong with drinking and smoking and fucking, of course. These things are the backbone of any university student's existence. But when one is 14 and passing out dead drunk in someone else's bed, there's something wrong. That's not a city they want to stay in, the city that leaves no options but drink and fuck and smoke and fuck and drink and fuck and smoke and die. The skate park finally opened, though, at least, at last. So now they can drink and smoke and fuck and skate and die.

I got out. I got out as soon as I could and I don't intend to live here again. I certainly don't want to start a family here.

Don't even get me started on the commercial politics of the city. Its only sustenance is pure unadulterated capitalism in the form of the Irving family. Yes, they do a lot of good. Yes, they are the lifeblood of the community. Yes, they are for the most part generally nice people but for crying out loud, they have this city by the balls. The beneficent industrial tyrant, if ever it was to pull up roots, would leave the city helpless. I read a figure once that 73% of working individuals in Saint John are in some way employed by the Irving group. And who's to doubt that? They own the refinery and the mill, obviously. They own the newspapers and the radio stations. They own the OsCo group, the logging industry, they dominate trucking and just about everything you can think of, there's an Irving stake therein. This is unhealthy. This monopolist capitalism is the defining feature of the Saint John cityscape, and all the more reason to get out.

This is a rant. No more and no less. I don't like this city one bit. I like the land on which it sits, in parts. I like the bay. I like the woods (but the Irvings even own that, don't they?). It's a hellish spot with no upward mobility, no culture to speak of, no promise for its youth. No wonder so many kids in this sorry town have no prospects for existence.

I was one of the lucky ones. I got out, soul intact.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

i will not call this kiss of deaf i will not call this kiss of deaf i will not...

"While kissing is normally very safe, doctors urge people to proceed with caution, the China Daily reported."

My mind = blown. I had no idea kissing could create such epic suction. Wow. Just wow.

Blast from the past.

When I was just getting into the music I listen to today, crawling out of my my cocoon of The Beatles and The Tragically Hip, I was after about a year buffeted by new albums from those singers and groups who got me listening to music in the first place. Hawksley Workman put out Lover/Fighter (a disappointment), Rufus Wainwright put out Want One (which is just adorable), a little later Sarah Harmer put out All Of Our Names (a classic) and Tegan & Sara put out So Jealous (which I never got into). But in this 2003/04 avalanche of music that I'd already heard of, something happened which I did not expect. A dark horse for my mostly Canadian affections: a California indie rock band called Grandaddy released what was their third album, Sumday and on it, opening the record in fact, as most of you have probably heard, was the absolutely infectious Now It's On. This song has worked its way into my blood and I can't turn on a light without that hook attacking me, in the best way. A local duo did a cover of it at a coffeehouse a couple of years ago, and that rendition has stuck with me, too. An infectious song if ever there was one. So, here you are:


Click! Do do do do do oo do.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Drifting in calm waters with you.

Lets think of this as a supplement to my previous Woodhands post, in which I for the first time publicly profess my love for miss Laura Barrett. I met her this past October when she played a show in a small kitchen for a dozen-less-one of us. Sparklers were lit, much fun was had, and eventually it was remembered that both fire and human beings require oxygen. This prompted the opening of windows.

But so long as I'm on a Woodhands kick, I thought I'd supplement the other two tracks with this third. I hope you enjoy.

Don't know when I'll be back to get my things.


I had the good fortune of catching Woodhands in concert at the Halifax Pop Explosion this fall, headlining the Saturday night show. Turnout was mediocre, I assume because Sebastien Grainger was opening for Islands not far away at the same time. But: wow. Woodhands amazed me. Never have I seen such a high energy performance as that of Dan Werb. You might know him from Henri Fabergé and the Adorables.

Woodhands are a two-piece electronic outfit from Toronto by way of BC, with the same awesome nerditude of Werb's fellow Adorable Laura Barrett, who appears on the album. Heart Attack was released by Paper Bag Records this past spring, and I picked up a copy at the show after Dan and Paul absolutely blew my mind.

Their show was done live, Dan handling the synths, drum machines, drunken swearing--you know, all of the fun stuff--while Paul hit up the drums. That always makes me smile, a synth-based group who don't rely on samples and laptops for their live show. Honestly, fantastic, fantastic show.

The highlight of the album, for me, is not the universally praised Dancer, or even Laura's guest vocals on Sailboats, but a drawn-out, 8-bit sounding epic called Be Back Soon. It at first hit me with the building synth hook, but once the vocals and the song as a whole kicked off and the rhythm of the whole thing, the beat upon which it's all based-- The whole song just swims through you and you swim right along with it. The vocals are minimal and pumped through the synthesizer, and as such they just add as a part of the epic soundscape of synths and drum machine. The swimmy quality of the whole thing, the rhythm and measure, it all amounts to one thing for me, and I'll phrase it thusly: if you're looking for a soundtrack to break-up sex, this is it.


Of course, the slow-paced sex anthem that is Be Back Soon does not speak for the whole album. Heart Attack is possibly the most danceable album I've ever heard, start to finish. The live show reflects this, and you've probably heard this one by now, but just... this is the definition of a Woodhands show, this track here.


Nonstop listening pleasure, really. If you get a chance, pick up the album, or, even better, see these guys live. You will not be disappointed. They're in my running for best live show of the year. I might just do a top 5 rundown at the end of the month. We shall see!


In a bit of a shock.

So, I'm still slightly stunned by the fact that The Weakerthans and Constantines are coming to play at what is pretty well my favourite venue, in March.

I'm also trying to become a fan of blogger, again. It could happen. I'm horribly inconsistent, but the truth is: everyone needs a blog. Everyone needs a place to voice their own crazy plots and opinions on romance-novel-writing federal politicians. Doing this while living in what I like to call the indie concert capital of Atlantic Canada will add a certain sizzle, I dare say.

Weakerthans. Constantines. George's Roadhouse. Buddy's 21st birthday. Legendary weekend? I think so.



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