The Music Lover’s Guide to Being Green(er).

Today my office sent all of us to a presentation on global warming to help develop our sense of corporate social responsibility (read: free muffins and coffee). The speaker was Jean Lemire, this amazing biologist and documentary filmmaker who spent a year in Antarctica measuring the effects of climate change. His advice and anecdotes were accompanied by a string of breathtaking photos and a sneak peek at his new movie, called The Last Continent (Le dernier continent).

Lemire’s tale of glacial adventures was spectacular, but also quite dramatic. He shockingly revealed that their coldest night was only -15 degrees Celsius, (though I’m going to guess that this does not include the wind-chill factor...) and that the water only froze during one winter month, an abnormality. From there, he detailed the alarming impact of these occurrences on local wildlife and on our societies, with a segueway into our role in this matter. Lemire praised the power of requesting and influencing change, however small the scale.

I left the presentation with a serious longing for a chinstrap penguin of my very own (omigod, they look like little Ali Gs!). But most importantly, I gained a greater awareness of my environmental footprint and inspiration to take action. NOW, to make this post relevant to the context, I will provide you with a few tips on how YOU, as a music fan, can help the environment.

I present to you the Music Lover’s Guide to Being Green:

1. Buy music online as much as possible. Sure, it’s nice to have a great big record collection you can display, but when you think of the production costs, the associated pollution, the packaging, the shipping... it’s just not worth it!
2. If given the option, opt for concert tickets that are sent to you electronically. You’re eventually going to have to print them, but you can do that on scrap paper. This means there’s no envelope, fancy printing and transportation required.
3. Talk to the bands! Don’t underestimate the power of your opinions. If you think they print too many unnecessary posters, flyers, stickers or other crap, tell them!
4. If you are a band, please don’t print too many unnecessary posters, flyers, stickers or other crap. At least use recycled materials if you have to.
5. Steal posters! We just theoretically took away your ticket stubs and your liner notes... If you absolutely want a memento of a concert or band, just take the poster off venue walls or phone poles. It’s eventually going to be garbage otherwise.
6. Remember mixed CDs? (Aw, did you make one lately? Cute.) If you have botched CDs, old mixes or even albums that you want to get rid of, recycle them instead of throwing them in the garbage. Make art, string them together to make a curtain, stack’em shiny side up and stick some flowers in the middle. No?
7. If you’re going to buy an album that’s not super recent, check out used record stores first. Not only will you get a sweeter deal, but you’re also Reusing something annnnd Reducing the amount of nasty plastic packaging (score, two out of the three Rs)
8. Add to this list! There are a hundred other things, but being aware is the first step.

Oh. And turn down the effing Eurobeats blaring from your earphones if you're going anywhere in public. Noise pollution is also very real.

xo.

J'aime.

This is one of those posts that I’ve spent days thinking about – a review of Karkwa’s latest album, Le volume du vent. I was so excited that I hunted this album down on the very day it came out. And for those of you who have ever tried to find French music in Toronto, it’s no simple task. Meaning that the victorious moment when I finally got my hands on it might have been accompanied by an embarrassing little dance (apologies to the startled HMV employee who witnessed it).

As I’ve mentioned before in the CMW post, Karkwa is a French band from Montreal, one of my favourites. Often dubbed the “French Radiohead”, their brand of rock is truly innovative on the Quebec scene. While their success is relatively new, these guys have been around for a decade. Le volume du vent is their third album and probably their most epic and complex, although each album has had its charm. And if they’re going to maintain the Radiohead comparison, they’re going to have to keep going with constant reinvention. And “pay-what-you-want” type album sales would also be cool, please and thank you.

What to expect: intricate instrumental layering accompanied by lead singer Louis-Jean Cormier’s incredibly versatile vocal stylings. Though I must mention that unlike Thom Yorke, Cormier actually enunciates. Le compteur, a collaboration with Patrick Watson, mixes distant piano, rolling drums and crescendo vocals to give the song a stormy quality, if that even makes sense. Échapper au sort lingers with an amazing drawn-out bridge and a chilling message (see video below), while Le frimas is a short interlude mixing glockenspiel, vibraphone and piano to produce an eerie movie-score type feel. The whole package also mixes in social commentary and smart lyrics, though understanding the message is not that essential to the enjoyment of this album (a note to all of you who are francophonically challenged).

Point being, they are fantastic, please have a taste and go seek out Le volume du vent.

If you're hooked and interested in some of their older stuff, try going here, or even here.

xo, g3.

Karkwa - Oublie pas
Karkwa - Combien

Islands everywhere!

I was very excited to see today that Islands have released another song off of their upcoming album, Arm's Way. The new song, Creeper, is the third track the group has leaked this year; The Arm popped up on the interweb around the end of January, and Arm's Way was released about two weeks ago. Trying to piece this album together, I feel like I'm collecting buttons . "Look ma! I found track three!"

Anyways, this album promises to be a good one. Creeper has an awesome, top-of-the-world beat to it and it's the kind of song you would listen to while strutting down the street on a bright sunny day. It does, however, have hints of a darker tone (which makes you question the innocence of those Islands kids). The Arm is more reminiscent of Islands' work from their debut album. If you listen closely enough, you can hear a few unicorns in the distance. See what I just did there?

Islands will be touring this month in the U.S. No word yet on Canadian shows.

In the meantime, here are a few treats:
Islands- Creeper
Islands- The Arm

(Links courtesy of stereogum)

Oh memories...

Sometimes public transportation is a bit like a twilight zone. Ok, most of the time. Like today, for instance, I caught myself staring at a man wearing white slacks. WHITE SLACKS! I also saw high-waisted, wide-legged leather pants, which should not be something that happens. Ever.

I realize now that I seem to have been paying special attention to pants. Which is kind of strange and I’m going to make a conscious effort to stop – maybe look people in the face. But riding the streetcar means you also get stuck beside people that are listening to their iPod just a tad too loud. And whilst the sound of too-loud, second hand BonJovi can motivate one to relinquish a coveted seated spot, sometimes, you land next to someone who is listening to something sweet that you haven’t heard in a long time. And it just brings you back.

I am a big fan of nostalgia. And with this said, I ask: Remember Rusty??? I do. They were Canadian, they were good, and the lead-singer was sorta hot in a homeless kinda way. They made it big in 1995 with their first full-length Fluke, with catchy grunge-rock songs and controversial videos. Their second album (aptly named Sophomoric) was released in 1997 and brought us Empty Cell, which was debatably their biggest hit. Sadly, the band underwent some troubles and broke up in 1998 after the release of Out of Their Heads. It’s disappointing, but hey, fame is fleeting.

I’ve had this “Remember Rusty?” conversation before, so to all of you who were unsure, I wish to provide you with all the tools necessary to properly recall this band. Here is the video for Misogyny and a few old tunes that you will hopefully inspire someone else to go hunt down – just play them extra loud next time you sit on the bus (please wear normal pants).

Rusty - California

Rusty - Empty Cell

Orillia Opry is gorgeous.

So this is the band’s description as found on Orillia Opry's label's website: Daniel Noble is from a small town rich with red brick buildings. Emma Baxter is from a valley on an island in the sea. Together they sing like crazy birds descended into the city from an opera house in a forest in the sky...

Say what?

However, once you’ve given them a spin, this strange description makes complete sense. No kidding.

This kind of artsy imagery used to describe the band is not difficult to conjure up once you’ve heard what this duet is capable of creating. Lighthouse for Stragglers’ Eyes is Orillia Opry’s second album. It’s whimsical and earthy, light and intense, and kinda... woodsy?

Hailing from Montreal (no, they’re not from Orillia, but I bet you were chuckling at your own dad joke), Orillia Opry delivers an eclectic mix of sounds and instruments, from pianos to creaking chairs, even a frontalini (thanks for nothing, Wikipedia). There’s a little bit of Neil Young, and a lot of harmonies.

It’s also nice to see that Ships at Night label mates are there to help each other out: this album was produced by Plants and Animals' Warren Spicer. With this little number and all the attention P&A have been getting, it’s easy to predict a big year for this small label.

But enough of my rambling. Have a listen and make up your own crazy description. These are my top picks off Lighthouse:

Orillia Opry – I Lied
Orillia Opry – Shadow Shadow

Why? because.

a good friend introduced me to Why?’s Elephant Eyelash about a year ago. a perfectly orchestrated outrageous collection of sounds, lyrics, and instruments. the piano always pretty, the vocals not as much, but a seemingly perfect fit nonetheless, plenty of guitar, and a very very very very eclectic mix other miscellaneous "instruments" as far as I can tell.

this band defies genre, so I’m not even going to attempt classification. (although itunes seems to think it’s hip-pop, which if nothing else, is fun to say.) the new album Alopecia is an admirable follow up to Elephant Eyelash. i honestly struggle to convey the sound of this band. rap maybe, with bells? twinkle bells. twinkle bell rap? doesn’t sound quite right. so i’m going to stick to fantastic disregard for conventions of music and sound. "The Vowels Part 2" rolls you into the album in a nonchalent sort of way, fading into the fantastic rest, tapping out with a distorted building of noise and words in "Exegesis." the song "Sky For Shoeing Horses Under” has my heart. solid intermittent chords and simple heavy drums anchor the two and a half minutes of suspended chimes and monotone almost instrumental vocals. similarly the hollow percussion of the “Fall Of Mister Fifths,” combined with organ echoes enough to give the album cohesion, but not enough to pin down anything. i would post the whole album if i could, but i can't, so track it down please.

my descriptions cannot do this band justice. give them a listen. if nothing else, your ears will learn something new.


Rubber Traits - Why?

Fire in my belly...

Sometimes you stumble upon something that you just want to share with everyone. Maybe it’s a sweet restaurant, or a great movie or maybe even a fantastic new flavour of toothpaste. It doesn’t matter – you just want to tell all your friends. Liam Finn has just been added to that category in my books. Note that I am not trying to group him with my new Colgate MaxFresh (although I really really like it as well).

I have a plethora of favourite artists and musicians, but only a few true loves. Close to the top is Elliott Smith, whom I could listen to for years on end. And since I’m not going to hold my breath waiting for new material (at the peril of ending up in the same state he’s now in), I’ve resolved to simply continue to seek out musicians that give me the same feeling in my stomach. I put on Liam’s I’ll Be Lightning and the first song I listened to was Fire in Your Belly (aw, pun!) I immediately stopped whatever I was doing and just stood there, spellbound. No jokes, I'm really excited about this one.

From Melbourne, Australia, Liam is the 24-year old son of musician Neil Finn of Crowded House, an outfit that has always garnered many Beatles comparisons. And because people loooove drawing parallels, I’ll Be Lightning has also been compared to Neil’s work and to that of The Beatles. If you really want to explore that similarity, I recommend you turn to the I Am Sam Soundtrack to hear a Finn father-and-son duet rendition of Two of Us (awww).

But focusing now on Liam's first solo effort, I'll be Lightning is completely impressive. Songs like Gather to the Chapel and Wide Awake On The Voyage Home are ridiculously melodic and delicate, with breezy harmonized vocals. Lullaby is an a capella masterpiece and includes one of my favourite lines of the album: “night is just the day breathing in”. Better To Be is one of the more upbeat tracks and was a good choice to kick off the record. Dude has a great voice, but the whole deal is solid – heck, the man even plays the theremin!

Liam Finn is currently touring the States with Canada’s The Most Serene Republic and Miracle Fortress until the end of March, and then with Eddie Vedder until the end of April. Unfortunately for us, no Canadian stops have been scheduled.

Here are a few tracks for your listening pleasure.

Liam Finn - Fire in Your Belly
Liam Finn - Wide Awake On The Voyage Home