Here's Holy Ghost featuring the inimitable Michael McDonald, with "Some Children"... I first heard about these guys when they opened for Cut Copy in Toronto recently. And to my surprise, the last track on HG!'s album features one of my favourite vocalists of all time... enjoy:
2011-04-28
2011-04-25
Google Prepares to Eat Apple's Dust
Apple has finished building their super-secret cloud based music monster [PopMatters]
Maybe Google could regain level footing with Apple by buying the music industry...
Maybe Google could regain level footing with Apple by buying the music industry...
Labels:
news
TV on the Radio concert review - April 18, Sound Academy
That was a hell of a concert.
It's taken me a week to get this review together, but yeah. It was awesome. This was the fifth time I've seen the band, and probably a close second for the best performance of the five. Of course, #1 is the time I saw them in 2004 at the Horseshoe, back when their shows cost $10, not $32, and the opener was this unknown duo named the Junior Boys. You could say I'm "OG-TVOTR".
My enthusiasm for the group was bested only slightly by the guy standing to the right of us at the show, who was seemingly the only other person in the room who lost their shit more than I did when we realized that the group was opening the show with "Young Liars"... when the drums kicked in on that song and the whole Sound Academy began to shake, I knew we were in for a special show. So did Mr. Superfan, who knew every break, beat and chorus.
Jamming into every song, including the start of the show, extending parts and changing arrangements, the set was dynamic and well-paced. The biggest difference was the trombone player on stage, filling out the group's sound with his smooth playing and picking up the tambourine when there were no horn parts.
The lighting show also was above and beyond anything I've seen them do before, and it really enhanced the whole set, especially "Staring at the Sun" and "Red Dress".
All the new material fits really well into the live show, and they did a good job working the new stuff in with the old. If you are a fan of the band, you gotta check out the new album, Nine Types of Light. I got into the band in the early days, so I wonder what it's like for some of these kids (yes, kids, a couple of them couldn't have been older than 13) to hear their dense, mind-blowing early work in comparison to the slick, crystalline production of Dear Science and Nine Types of Light... It's a cool feeling to have been following a group since the beginning and seeing new fans come in along the way.
I've mentioned before that I've heard people gripe about the Sound Academy... last time I saw TVOTR play there, in 2009, the sound was indeed a bit flat. This time, however, it was damn near perfect. (Well, the guitars could have cut through a bit more, but, ya know...) Compared to the recent drum machine driven Cut Copy show at the same venue, I can say without a doubt that live drums make a huge difference. TVOTR's drums were earth rumbling, amazing.
Here's the setlist, via setlist.fm (which is an awesome site cause I don't have to fret about trying to remember the setlist after one or two barley pops):
Young Liars
The Wrong Way
Blues From Down Here
Caffeinated Consciousness
Province
Crying
Staring at the Sun
Will Do
Repetition
Wolf Like Me
Red Dress
Encore:
A Method
Forgotten
Satellite
===
The makeup of the group harkens back to Prince and Sly & the Family Stone... I can see them touring with female backup singers in the future, one which I'm sure will be bright.
There are few better bands out there recording and performing right now, the "genre-blending" (I hate that term) of the group puts them light years ahead of other groups and makes you wonder why you listen to much else of anything at all.
It's taken me a week to get this review together, but yeah. It was awesome. This was the fifth time I've seen the band, and probably a close second for the best performance of the five. Of course, #1 is the time I saw them in 2004 at the Horseshoe, back when their shows cost $10, not $32, and the opener was this unknown duo named the Junior Boys. You could say I'm "OG-TVOTR".
My enthusiasm for the group was bested only slightly by the guy standing to the right of us at the show, who was seemingly the only other person in the room who lost their shit more than I did when we realized that the group was opening the show with "Young Liars"... when the drums kicked in on that song and the whole Sound Academy began to shake, I knew we were in for a special show. So did Mr. Superfan, who knew every break, beat and chorus.
Jamming into every song, including the start of the show, extending parts and changing arrangements, the set was dynamic and well-paced. The biggest difference was the trombone player on stage, filling out the group's sound with his smooth playing and picking up the tambourine when there were no horn parts.
The lighting show also was above and beyond anything I've seen them do before, and it really enhanced the whole set, especially "Staring at the Sun" and "Red Dress".
All the new material fits really well into the live show, and they did a good job working the new stuff in with the old. If you are a fan of the band, you gotta check out the new album, Nine Types of Light. I got into the band in the early days, so I wonder what it's like for some of these kids (yes, kids, a couple of them couldn't have been older than 13) to hear their dense, mind-blowing early work in comparison to the slick, crystalline production of Dear Science and Nine Types of Light... It's a cool feeling to have been following a group since the beginning and seeing new fans come in along the way.
I've mentioned before that I've heard people gripe about the Sound Academy... last time I saw TVOTR play there, in 2009, the sound was indeed a bit flat. This time, however, it was damn near perfect. (Well, the guitars could have cut through a bit more, but, ya know...) Compared to the recent drum machine driven Cut Copy show at the same venue, I can say without a doubt that live drums make a huge difference. TVOTR's drums were earth rumbling, amazing.
Here's the setlist, via setlist.fm (which is an awesome site cause I don't have to fret about trying to remember the setlist after one or two barley pops):
Young Liars
The Wrong Way
Blues From Down Here
Caffeinated Consciousness
Province
Crying
Staring at the Sun
Will Do
Repetition
Wolf Like Me
Red Dress
Encore:
A Method
Forgotten
Satellite
===
The makeup of the group harkens back to Prince and Sly & the Family Stone... I can see them touring with female backup singers in the future, one which I'm sure will be bright.
There are few better bands out there recording and performing right now, the "genre-blending" (I hate that term) of the group puts them light years ahead of other groups and makes you wonder why you listen to much else of anything at all.
Labels:
concert review
2011-04-21
You have to hear this: The Weeknd
If you are into contemporary, fresh, modern sounding music that's atmospheric and mellow yet rhythmically intense, with a mix of rock, R&B and hip-hop unlike anything you've ever heard, do yourself a favour and grab The Weeknd's House of Balloons.
Excellent, just listen and let me know what you think... I'm going to go back and listen to this now it's so good.
Seriously, check out the album. Contains swears and sick grooves.
Excellent, just listen and let me know what you think... I'm going to go back and listen to this now it's so good.
Seriously, check out the album. Contains swears and sick grooves.
Labels:
album review,
new music,
tracks
2011-04-20
New Weird Al tune
My Dad sends me this link for Weird Al's new parody, a cover of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way":
I wonder if Weird Al has a bunch of songs lying around that he could post/leak for our amusement, or if the legal repercussions might be too dire... Prince was another artist that rejected a parody/homage.
===
Update: It's approved!
I wonder if Weird Al has a bunch of songs lying around that he could post/leak for our amusement, or if the legal repercussions might be too dire... Prince was another artist that rejected a parody/homage.
===
Update: It's approved!
2011-04-18
New Malajube drops tomorrow
From the Francophone pop-rockers' new album, La caverne... I like what I hear so far...
2011-04-15
Could Google buy the music industry?
Interesting article here: Why Google Should Buy The Recording Industry
the music industry is economically quite small and unimportant compared to the computer industry. And yet somehow -- through honed lobbying and old boy networks -- it wields a disproportionate power that enables it to block innovative ideas that the online world wants to try.After that, Google could buy Spotify, then we'd be all set. I like the idea of paying for music like a utility, I wonder how well it would work in practice.
Labels:
article,
music business
2011-04-14
2011-04-13
Cut Copy concert review & setlist
I caught Cut Copy last week at the Sound Academy with some friends. Pretty great show... it's weird when you've been following a band for a while and you see them grow from being not very well known to playing on TV and getting a lot of media coverage.
I would have liked one or two more songs from the first album, but that's a pretty typical complaint from someone who saw them "before they were blog-famous". The concert was definitely a way to show off the new direction they took on Zonoscope... longer songs, more builds, all geared to have a greater impact in a live setting.
Opener Holy Ghost was also impressive, I'll have to check them out further.
The sound at the Academy isn't all that bad - I know some people have issues with the place, but the band was tight and the sound was decent.... no complaints.
Setlist, via setlist.fm
Visions
Nobody Lost, Nobody Found
Where I'm Going
Feel the Love
Corner of the Sky
Lights and Music
Take Me Over
Pharaohs & Pyramids
Saturdays
Hearts on Fire
Sun God
Encore:
Need You Now
Out There on Ice
I would have liked one or two more songs from the first album, but that's a pretty typical complaint from someone who saw them "before they were blog-famous". The concert was definitely a way to show off the new direction they took on Zonoscope... longer songs, more builds, all geared to have a greater impact in a live setting.
Opener Holy Ghost was also impressive, I'll have to check them out further.
The sound at the Academy isn't all that bad - I know some people have issues with the place, but the band was tight and the sound was decent.... no complaints.
Setlist, via setlist.fm
Visions
Nobody Lost, Nobody Found
Where I'm Going
Feel the Love
Corner of the Sky
Lights and Music
Take Me Over
Pharaohs & Pyramids
Saturdays
Hearts on Fire
Sun God
Encore:
Need You Now
Out There on Ice
Labels:
concert review
TV on the Radio film
This seems to be the new trend with rock bands - see Arcade Fire and The Suburbs. Pretty awesome animation, worth checking out the whole thing if you're a a fan of the band.
The new album is pretty great too. Hard to top Dear Science, but after my first couple listens I'd have to say it comes pretty close.
Catch them on Monday at the Sound Academy - I've got my tickets!
2011-04-05
Small Sins - Why Don't You Believe Me?
Check out this light little ditty from Toronto band Small Sins... amazing video too:
[Small Sins website]
[Small Sins website]
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