Radiohead to Tour Canada

I don’t want to be responsible for music lovers not knowing such essential information, so, as such:

ATTENTION ALL RADIOHEAD FANS!

Radiohead has announced they will be making stops on their long-awaited In Rainbows tour in Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto. When? They haven’t told us. What venues? We don’t know. For how much? Hasn’t been released yet.

What’s important is I get to see Radiohead. And so do you. Anyone who wants to help me rent a bus and drive cross-country to see all three shows, let me know.

Radiohead will be hitting the continent twice. They will start the tour somewhere on this side of the Atlantic before June 6, head over to Europe, and then continue with North American dates after July 8.

Here is a list of all the North American shows, in alphabetical order:

Atlanta
Boston
Charlotte
Chicago
Cleveland
Dallas
Houston
Indianapolis
Los Angeles
Miami
Montreal
New York
Philadelphia
San Diego
San Francisco
Santa Barbara
Seattle
St. Louis
Tampa
Toronto
Vancouver
Washington, DC

Specifics about the tour will be popping up soon, so watch for it. Until then, try to fuel your excitement with some of these Radiohead tracks.

Bodysnatchers - Radiohead
Idioteque - Radiohead

Songs III, Bird on the Water.

Played early in the morning, Marissa Nadler makes my quiet and gloomy basement apartment feel like the setting of an obscure indie movie, one with a tragic plot and perhaps (or rather, ideally) co-starring Ryan Gosling. Her songs are haunting and beautiful, and as I sit here with a cup of tea, I wish I were a tortured artist or something as poetic.

Her voice starts off almost timid, but with a breezy quality that is perfect for the delicate instruments she is accompanied by. The perennial acoustic guitar is paired with violins, harp and even electric guitar. This latter, found on Rachel, was an addition that I didn’t think I’d enjoy on a folk album, but it fits so well that I cannot seem to imagine the song without it. The airy flute on Thinking of You is another pleasant surprise, with the instrument sounding like an extension of Nadler’s voice.

On some of the folksier tracks such as Leather Made Shoes, Nadler often sounds like she’s channeling Patsy Cline’s ghost. I would venture to say that if Patsy Cline were alive today, they would be friends. Oh to hear them collaborate on Tomorrow is a Promise...

She has cited Leonard Cohen as one of her influences, and to support this claim, her latest album includes a cover of Famous Blue Raincoat. And while interpreting one of Canada’s greatest poets can be daunting, Nadler masters this task with a rendition that is both incredible and lingering.

Her breathy, ethereal vocals echo and chill, and though it may take a few listens to get used to her styling, the whole album is a treat that I have allowed myself time and time again. Kind of like a long poem that you have to read a few times to understand, but that you end up loving in the end. A little patience goes a long way, and in this case, it’s so worth it.

Songs III, Bird on the Water (2007) is the 26 year old American performer’s third album, following Ballads of Living and Dying (2004) and The Saga of Mayflower May (2005).

I am leaving you with a few treats that I think you will enjoy, one is my favorite, the other is a harder-to-find Radiohead cover that is not on the album.

Famous Blue Raincoat
No Surprises

big loves of 2007...

ok, so i’m a little bit late on posting this one, as we are well into 2008. but in the name of effort and in honor of the snobs christmas party, here is my compilation of the best songs of 2007.

this is a mix of what i found myself listening to again and again, from my favorite songs to drive to (tokyo police club, midnight juggernauts, the tough alliance), to mushy masterpieces (the cinematic orchestra) and sweet covers (marissa nadler, jose gonzalez).

uh, and i tried and tried to fit one of ms. spears new songs on there, but space was so limited… sorry about the huge letdown.

enjoy!

1. tokyo police club - box

2. liars - houseclouds

3. of montreal - gronlandic edit

4. the tough alliance - first class riot

5. klaxons - golden skans

6. M.I.A. - paper planes

7. midnight juggernauts - into the galaxy

8. shout out louds - you are dreaming

9. caribou - melody day

10. miracle fortress - poetaster

11. citay - little kingdom

12. beirut - nantes

13. the national - racing like a pro

14. jose gonzalez - teardrop

15. chromatics - healer

16. the besnard lakes - disaster

17. marissa nadler - famous blue raincoat

18. radiohead - videotape

19. the cinematic orchestra ft. patrick watson - to build a home

New Smashing Pumpkins EP "released"

Yesterday marked the release of American Gothic, a four-song, 17-minute EP from the Smashing Pumpkins. Also known as Billy, Jimmy, and some other people. Also known as Zwan.

The EP was released exclusively on iTunes and you can get it on its own or as a bonus when you buy the iTunes version of Zeitgeist, the July 2007 release from the Pumpkins after being apart for seven years. iTunes version, you ask? Billy and co. (let’s be serious, Billy makes all the decisions) decided that Zeitgeist needed not one, not two, not even three, but four different versions: one standard version, one to be released by Target, one by Best Buy, and the last for iTunes, with each of the last three featuring a different bonus track. Good business strategy, Billy. Suck the funds out of every diehard fan you’ve made wait so long for another album.

If I sound bitter, it’s because I am. I used to be one of those die-hard fans, and I hesitate to say I still am. It is just really hard to keep defending the Pumpkins when they so blatantly do it for the money. I’d rather hide behind my own ignorance, and Billy won’t let me.

American Gothic’s four acoustic tracks are worth a listen, but the songs won’t be stuck in your head hours after you finish listening to it. The lyrics are typical new-age Billy, with no pain or anguish in sight. It’s not that I don’t want my favourite musicians to be happy, but if a tormented soul means better music, sacrifices must be made.

Despite the lyrics, Billy’s musical abilities still shine through, with the voice we know and love and a progression of notes and chords that follow with the route the Pumpkins have taken as opposed to the Pumpkins we remember.

I might buy American Gothic when it's released in Canadian stores later this month, but only to complete my Smashing Pumpkins discography. Alongside those four Zeitgeist albums.

Rose March - Smashing Pumpkins

Pox - Smashing Pumpkins

the nice list.

pretty sure i’m on it this year. here are the album’s of 2007 that made my musical nice list. instead of pitting bands and albums of varied genre/concept/sound/brilliance against one another for contention of top 10 status, i opted to let itunes do the work for me. the following is a list of the albums I listened to the most this year. in descending order…

The Snake The Cross The Crown Cotton Teeth
caw-ton tee-th: genius arrangement of relaxed guitar, subtle piano, rough vocals, and honest lyrics. songs of mention: all of them, especially "Behold The River," "Cakewalk," and "Electronic Dream Planet."

Dear And The Headlights Small Steps Heavy Hooves
s-mawl st-eps hev-ee who-vs: running almost in the front. a voice that breaks in all the right ways at all the right times. nostalgic lyrics that leave me comfortably pensive. songs of mention: all of them.

Andrew Bird Armchair Apocrypha
are-mmm-ch-air ap-aw-cri-fah: delicate guitar, whistling, melodic, strings and more. against the saturated vocals, odd but pleasant. songs of mention: "Imotosis," and "Heretics." how about some credit now where credit is due.

LCD Soundsystem Sound of Silver
sow-nd ahv sill-vher: my favourite album of 2007. it ranges in emotion and theme, the results: maturity and cohesion.. songs of mention: "All My Friends," turning the simplest of piano riffs into 7 minutes and 37 seconds of sonic bliss.

Menomena Friend and Foe
fur-end ahnd f-oh: weird and wonderful, quirky vocals, piano, use of percussion, and tech sounds. songs of mention: "Wet and Rusting," for highlighting how hard it is to take risks with a pessimist. "My My," for its use of organ.

The National Boxer
bawk-sir: johnny cash esque vocals over ivory gold and guiding drum lines. this album is heavy in all the right ways and deserves special mention for it’s skilled use of brass arrangements. songs of mention: Fake Empire for being beautiful and driven. Ada, for the same reasons.

Portugal The Man Church Mouth
ch-er-ch m-ow-th: rock and roll. it didn’t die, it’s alive and well. songs of mention: "Tellers Telling Me," and "Dawn," sit down and listen.

Kings Of Leon Because Of The Times
bee-k-awz ahv th-uh tie-mz: stretched vocals. catchy enough to gain mainstream notice, good enough to maintain indie street cred. use of bass much appreciated. songs of mention: "My Party," and "On Call."

Justice (cross)
k-raw-s: sound. noise. beautiful beautiful sound and noise. songs of mention: "Genesis," nominee for most brilliant opening track to a record. "D.A.N.C.E." for making people want to.

Band Of Horses Cease To Begin
see-suh tew bee-ghin: pretty. songs of mention: "Is There A Ghost," and "Ode to LRC," for not caring what the people say.

Bring on 2008.

miss mixalot

It's that time of year again. The snow is falling, exams are being written, and music snobs around the world are making their best of 2007 mixes, with tracks from what they think were the best albums released this year.

Because I am off in dreary ol' Amsterdam, my close circle of snobs will be exchanging their mixes without me this year. Even though the event is taking place at my house. No, I'm not bitter. I'm in Amsterdam. Amsterdam trumps all.

Since I can't share my lekker mix with my friends, I would like to share it with all of you.
And before I get criticized for not having Vampire Weekend or MIA or Miracle Fortress, may I remind you that a CD only holds 80 minutes of bliss. And I don't like MIA.

Enjoy!

1. Flux - Bloc Party
2. Black Mirror - Arcade Fire
3. Nineteen - Tegan and Sara
4. On Call - Kings of Leon
5. Pioneer to the Falls - Interpol
6. The Past is a Grotesque Animal - Of Montreal
7. Missed the Boat - Modest Mouse
8. Drunk on Aluminum - Wintersleep
9. You! Me! Dancing! - Los Campesinos
10. North American Scum - LCD Soundsystem
11. Phantom Limb - The Shins
12. Wooden Sky - The Wooden Sky (formerly Friday Morning's Regret)
13. Four Winds - Bright Eyes
14. Fake Empire - The National
15. Videotape - Radiohead

Of Montreal X 2 + Girl Talk = 12

Twelve euros isn’t a lot of money. It can buy you two pints in an Amsterdam bar. It can buy you one gram of weed in one of the numerous coffeeshops around town. And as of Wednesday, December 12th, I found out that it can also get you a ticket to see indie rockers Of Montreal. Two nights in a row. With Girl Talk. Yes, you can be jealous.

Walking into Paradiso, one of Amsterdam’s premium music venues, I had no idea what was in store for me. I had assumed that Of Montreal would play on the main stage. Instead, I was pleased to discover that they were to play in a small room upstairs that probably holds no more than 300 hipsters. Score.

The room filled fast, and Of Montreal hit the stage full force, no opening band necessary. Even though the bright, eclectic outfits of all the band members and lead singer Kevin Barnes’ sparkled eye makeup would have been enough to keep my attention the entire set, it wasn’t necessary. The band launched right into their not-quite-12-minute masterpiece, "The Past is a Grotesque Animal" off of the 2007 release Hissing Fauna, Are you the Destroyer? (FYI, the song is also featured on my Best of 2007, in stores now). The show never slowed down as the quintet played most songs from Hissing Fauna and 1995’s Sunlandic Twins, with a few tracks from one of their numerous other albums. Barnes’ voice could only be described as heavenly, hitting some notes that I never realized were so high when listening to the albums. Highlights included a costume change for Barnes off stage as the band played the instrumental track "October is Eternal". The end of the song saw Barnes slither on stage in green, thigh-high fishnet stockings and a pair of jean booty shorts so tight that even I blushed when I first saw. I never blush.

The second half of the set was just as upbeat and energetic as the first, and after thirteen songs, the band left the stage, only to return and play "She’s a Rejector" as the encore. AND inform the crowd that they would be playing a free show the following night at the same venue with Girl Talk. This is where I would like to say thank you to the airport staff at the Athens, Greece airport. Because of your strike, Of Montreal could not play there the next night, and I got to reap the benefits. I hope your strike goes well.

The next night was just as good as the first, starting with a jam-packed room getting hot and sweaty to 1.5 hours of straight dancing to mashup DJ Girl Talk aka Gregg Gillis. He invited the crowd on stage. We went. Then we abused our power and took off his shirt to throw into the audience. And then we pulled his pants down. And that is how he dj’ed for the rest of the night. Track pants around the ankles and all.

Girl Talk ended at 12:30 and we had to wait until 2 a.m. for Of Montreal to take the stage. There were less people than the night before, seeing as the show was so late and there was a dance party going on in the main room downstairs. By the end of the show there were maybe 50 people in the room. Damn the ignorance of techno-loving Europeans. Regardless, Of Montreal played yet another stellar show, with only two tracks of the 15-song set being repeats from the night before. Even though I was a bit too drunk to fully embrace the full awesomeness that night, I definitely appreciated the cover of Prince’s "Purple Rain" as their final song. No encore came that night, as there wasn’t enough of a crowd to cry out for one. Unfortunately, the voices of myself and my friends weren’t enticing enough for Kevin and the gang. Alas, I left the room satisfied and feeling extremely lucky to witness what I did for the low, low cost of twelve euros.

Suffer for Fashion - Of Montreal
Forecast Fascist Future - Of Montreal