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…FAIL…

My playlist – I put all the songs on Playlist. But here is the list in case you don’t want to load it.

1. Jumper – Third Eye Blind
2. Rest of My Life – Blessed Union of souls
3. Forget December – Something Corporate
4. Another Day – Jamie Lidell
5. Amber – 311
6. Clocks – Coldplay
7. Black Balloon – Goo Goo Dolls
8. Losing a Whole Year – Third Eye Blind
9. Innocent – Our Lady Peace
10. Spaceship – Angie Aparo
11. Hurricane – Somethign Corporate
12. Meet Me in the Memories – Sister Hazel
13. Jolene – The Weepies
14. Existentialism – Straylight Run
15. Lullaby – Shawn Mullins
16. Iris (Acoustic) – Goo Goo Dolls
17. Speed of Sound – Coldplay
18. Champagne Supernova – Oasis
19. Meet Virginia – Train
20. Yellow – Coldplay
21. Closing Time – Semisonic

Well folks, its the beginning of 2010.  Which means it is past due for me to review 2009.  On the whole 2009 was a great year for music and I would be more than ecstatic if 2010 was as bountiful as 2009 was.  Here it goes people, the best music of 2009:

Best Albums of 2009

1. The Decemberists – The Hazards of Love

To say that I went into this album with some high expectations is a bit of an understatement.  But somehow Colin Meloy and his crazy crew managed to top even 2006’s ‘The Crane Wife’.  Not only was ‘The Hazards of Love’ the most cohesive album to come out in 2009 but the production on this album was also among the best that I have heard in some time.  All of that aside, you haven’t heard this album until you have heard it live.  The experience is nothing short of epic and far and away was the highlight of Lollapalooza 2009.

2. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion

Those of you that are even mildly tapped into the indie scene this year undoubtedly heard at least some hype about this record.  Let me be the seventeenth to tell you that this album lives up to every shred of hype you may have heard.  Previous Animal Collective albums have dwelled in the inaccessible land of hipster, Merriweather Post Pavilion on the other hand has something for everyone.  There are poppy hooks galore and the soundscapes on this album are unlike anything you have ever heard.  All this is not to say that this album is not going to take some effort, but if you give this album some time it will become obvious why this is such an obvious choice for critic’s year end lists.

3. Rural Alberta Advantage – Hometowns

Sometimes a band just comes out of nowhere and broadsides you with a debut album so great you are stuck listening to it for years to come.  This year, that band is Rural Alberta Advantage.  I purchased this album on whim after hearing a little snippet on Sound Opinions, and since then its spent as much time in my cd player as it has on my cd shelf.  Technically this album came out in late 2008 but was re-released by Saddle Creek (Record label of Bright Eyes, The Faint, Cursive, and so many others) in 2009, so I am calling it a 2009 album because it would be a shame to let an album this good fall through the cracks.

4. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadaeus Phoenix

I found Phoenix’s previous work to be pretty uninteresting but it is no surprise that they finally started showing up on people’s radar after this album because ‘Wolfgang Amadaeus Phoenix’ is rocking pop bliss.  I can only hope that this is a taste of what is to come from this band.

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5. Metric – Fantasies

Metric is another band who’s previous work has never really caught on with me but from the first minute of ‘Help, I’m Alive’ it was obvious this album was going to be different.  The production on this album is better than on their previous work and the masterful addition of electronic synths makes this work stand far taller than anything Metric has ever done.

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6. The Avett Brothers – I and Love and You

This was actually the first Avett Brother album that I have ever listened to but it is definitely not going to be the last.  The Avett Brothers cover a lot of ground on this album but almost all of the album rings with Americana perfection and terrific harmonies. Great stuff.

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7. Manchester Orchestra – Mean Everything to Nothing

Another Lollapalooza band, Manchester Orchestra was a band that I had heard of but had never bothered to check out before the show.  After the show I went over to the merch tent and picked up both of their albums and a little EP that came with ‘Mean Everything to Nothing’.  While their first album was good ‘Mean Everything to Nothing’ is definitely an example of a band coming into its own.  Songs like ‘Shake it out’ and ‘I’ve Got Friends’, are tracks that will get stuck in your head for days but the whole album is terrific front to back.

8. Cursive – Mama, I’m Swollen

I knew that there was no way that Cursive could continue along the trajectory that they have for the last few albums.  Domestica (2000) was a great album.  The Ugly Organ (2003) was phenomenal and likely one of my top 10 albums of all time.  Happy Hollow (2006) somehow managed to be perhaps better than The Ugly Organ.  It was only a matter of time before they couldn’t make an album better than the last.  That is not to say that Mama, I’m Swollen isn’t a fantastic record.  As usual it is rife with interesting guitar parts playing dissonant chords over vocals that ooze emotion.

9. Franz Ferdinand – Tonight: Franz Ferdinand

When I purchased this album I had no idea that it was going to end up on this list.  This album’s most striking feature is the rhythm section.  Alex’s job on vocals is great as always but this band really stands out because they have some great interplay between the bass and drums.  Oh and because they write songs that are catchy as hell.

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10. Thrice – Beggars

Thrice has been really hit or miss in the past for me.  ‘The Artist in the Ambulance’ was probably the peak of their career up till 2009.   However, ‘Beggars’ is easily the most rock solid album this band has ever put together.  There is not a bad song on this album and there are no shortage of great ones.  Finally Thrice as actually taken the great sound that they have developed over the years and put it into a form that is worthy of a year end list.

Best Debut Albums of 2009

1. Rural Alberta Advantage – Hometowns
2. BLK JKS – After Robots
3. Florence and the Machine – Lungs
4. Cage the Elephant – Cage the Elephant
5. Chester French – Love the Future
6. Dead Weather – Horehound
7. Ida Maria – Fortress ‘round My Heart
8. Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures
9. Asteroids Galaxy Tour – Fruit
10. The XX – The XX

Most Pleasant Surprises of 2009

1. Weezer – Raditude
2. Metric – Fantasies
3. A Place To Bury Strangers – Exploding Head
4. Mute Math – Armistice
5. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadaeus Phoenix

Biggest Disappointments of 2009

1. Our Lady Peace – Burn Burn
2. Imogen Heap – Ellipse
3. Green Day – 21^st Century Breakdown
4. The Fray – The Fray
5. Tegan And Sara – Sainthood

Ten Tracks I Couldn’t Stop Listening To In 2009 (All from 2009)

1. Things Fall Apart – Built To Spill
2. My Girls – Animal Collective
3. Shake It Out – Manchester Orchestra
4. Oh My God – Ida Maria
5. 60 Feet Tall – The Dead Weather
6. What Have I Done? – Cursive
7. Metric – Help, I’m Alive
8. Magic (University A Capella Version) – Ben Folds
9. Can’t Stop Partying – Weezer
10. Lisztomania – Phoenix

And Over-Hyped Album of the Year goes to. . .

Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca

Thats gonna close the books on 2009.  Feel encouraged to call my list garbage and post selections of your own in the comments!

–Ben

Happy New Year!! For many, 2009 was a year full of stories and moments based on survival. For 2010, I hope this time next year we are recapping stories based on thriving passed survival.

I have never made predictions before. I am sure the internet will be full of financial, technological, and global affairs/issues predictions so I will not bother speaking about things that other people are way more informed than I to speak on. What I will talk about is relationships and social communication trends. There is a long list of reasons as to how and why I have become so tuned in and passionate about social shifts and how they are affecting our relationships. I do not share my thoughts with you because I am particular fond of worry or doom and gloom. I simply believe a little awareness goes a long way and the result of actions based on awareness, creates more opportunity for positive impact.

Top 5 Relationship and Social Trend Predictions:

An Urge to Tune Out to Tune In – We are bombarded by new information at a rate that is often too fast for processing.  When we can’t process things we want to process or think we should it leaves what I call a “fact or fiction film” (FFF) in our minds. We want to move on and dismiss the need to learn new information yet somehow we can’t let it go. Layers of FFF builds up in our minds; to clean it out we have to take the time to slow down, stop thinking for a bit and then go back to it ready to discard what we don’t need and learn more about what we do.

Pitches of Promise Lead to Excess of Expectations – A good sales manager will train salesmen to “Under promise and over-deliver.” A relationship consultant will advise couples that unspoken expectations will hurt and destroy a relationship. The lure and promises of new technology will be promoted in a matter that anything and everything can be automatic and more advanced than human integration.  This thinking goes beyond gadgets that make our life easier. In the New Year we will hear more and more about Technological Singularity, the creation of smarter than human intelligence. We may start to think, if this device, software, etc. can’t solve my needs I will just find another one that can. This theme will spill over into human relationships creating more expectations; without awareness to this, relationship will become increasingly hostile and temporary.  As our brains become overloaded with information without even knowing it we may expect others to account for things we don’t know and when they do not clear our minds of the overload we become irritated much quicker than before.  Why? Because common ground means of instant communication like texting and Skype leave us anticipating nothing, without anticipation, relating becomes the tragic baby that as the saying goes is “thrown out with the bath water.”  It does not matter what your role is: friend, spouse, employer, employee, consultant; we all have to be sensitive to this and be responsible for our communication or lack of and how it affects the nature of a relationship.

A Turn toward Music for Guiding Philosophy – Some say that trends in music are connected to trends in drug use. A good example of this connection is portrayed in the movie/documentary “24 Hour Party People.” Newest trends in music are showing more of a connection to shifts and advancement in technology. How many songs can you think of that mention cell phones or texting? With technology comes demands and longing for emotional intelligence, musicians have been singing about this and predicting the effects of technology for years. Listen to Our Lady Peace’s album released in 2000 called “Spiritual Machine” from start to finish. This concept album was inspired by Ray Kurzweil’s book, “The Age of Spiritual Machines.” The music in this collection brilliantly simplified complex concepts by expressing the need for humility in relationships and love. At the end of the day is “Love All We Need?” There are plenty of songs that lead us to believe so and we love them and the artist that sing them. Check out my top 10 picks for “Songs to Believe in Love Again” and “Songs to Help you Tune Out to Tune in.”

Religion Redefined – Religion is defined as a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe with great consideration to the nature of which it was created by and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs. As religious leaders work to communicate and interpret earliest works of religious archives, they often overlook the importance of the community they are speaking to and what is necessary to keep that community together. People may come together because they share a similar believe yet they remain together based on an acceptance and understanding that is based on things they do not have in common with each other. People are starving for communities that support and inspire individuality. Church communities have the greatest opportunities to bring people together and connect them to each other yet churches do not usually promote individuality and so church membership is declining. People thirsty for a spiritual foundation and/or wanting to connect with people so they can openly question and explore faith are turned off by traditional religious communities because it seems judgment far outweighs the rate of acceptance. Many people find more opportunity to grow spiritually through reading books by authors like Karen Armstrong, participating in cause-related movements that support their beliefs and concerns and finding community via unique experiences like the Burning Man Festival. Note: I do not say these things to anger church leaders or challenge anyone’s religious beliefs, I am more interested in bringing much needed community to this world. I think there is huge opportunity for churches to rethink their community building practices and any an organization that is working towards bringing people together and keeping them together deserves some credit for doing so.

Conversations of Introspection Gain in Popularity over Social Small Talk – Being able to relate to people is the luxury that is missing in our relationships. The “Don’t Worry Be Happy” patterns of consumption founded in the 80’s have in some shape or form managed to stay with us, forcing us to face them head on in 2008 and 2009. Our government, banking system, business and life as we know it has changed. It has caused confusion, hardships and reasons to evaluate our methods. There is an abundant of resources to look to for the answers yet the sources of the most value will always come from conversations with people you trust. The capacity for learning greatly increases when the source is a person whose heart we trust. We don’t find or develop these sources via small talk, they come through the willingness to be vulnerable and transparent and the ability to recognize, listen and treasure when others are doing the same.

One of my loves in life is good music. The other day someone was looking at my iTunes and said, “You have 180 days worth of music on here.” I thought, that’s only half the year.

So, in case you are curious, here are my 10 favorite albums of 2009 (they weren’t all released in 2009, I just bought them in 2009):

1. The Swell Season:  “Strict Joy.” It is hard to describe this group and album, but simply put, this is such a beautiful record. It is one of those albums you sit and listen to with a good cup of coffee and a book with your sweetheart snuggled in.
2. Skillet:  “Awake.” Hands down the best rock album of the year. Period.
3. David Crowder Band:  “Church Music.” DC band always puts out great stuff. By far, my favorite worship leader from the whole passion movement, definitely the most creative of the bunch. Church music does not disappoint.
4. Dashboard Confessional:  “Alter the Ending.” I’ve been a big fan of Chris Carrabba’s since he was in Further Seems Forever. The last few DC albums have been okay, but this one is back to how it began. It might be his best one yet.
5. Kings of Convenience:  “Decarations of Dependence.” Closely behind The Swell Season falls the new album by KOC. These guys just get better and better. In fact, my favorite iPod playlist is Swell Season/KOC.
6. The Fray:  “The Fray.” We used several of the songs off this album this year at Revolution for various things. This is just a great album to have playing while you are hanging out.
7. Jason Mraz:  “We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.” Really surprised I liked this album as I wasn’t a big fan of his other stuff, but this album has been on pretty consistent play in our house this year. Great grooves and his voice is awesome (and Katie digs it).
8. Rise Against:  “Appeal to Reason.” This is the second best rock album of the year. This band does not slow down, the first song grabs you by the throat and will not let go. Very important for a rock album.
9. Switchfoot:  “Hello Hurricane.” This is a big step forward for this band. Feels a little like their old stuff, but definitely different. Has more of a Radiohead feel, which from my perspective is not a bad thing if you can pull it off. Which they did.
10. Our Lady Peace:  ”Burn, Burn.” I have been a fan of this band since Clumsy came out. Just good, straightforward rock. The singer’s voice is incredibly unique, which is what sets them apart.

In case you are curious, here are my favorite books of 2009.

Breaking Benjamin – “Dear Agony”

A Broken Silence – “All For What…”

Daughtry – “Leave This Town”

Hurt – “Goodbye To The Machine”

Joan Red – “Side Effects of You”

Marianas Trench – “Masterpiece Theatre”

Our Lady Peace – “Burn Burn”

Red – “Innocence and Instinct”

Vaeda – “Unsafe At Any Speed”

The Veer Union – “Against The Grain”

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas… Wait, holy #$@%, it’s no dream, it’s really snowing out there!!! Yes, it’s a white Christmas here in Korea, and I’ve gotta say, it is very nice indeed. I want to wish all of you a very merry Christmas, and as my present, here’s a Zip file of my Top 32 favorite songs of the year.

No, Rick Astley did not make the list, but these great tracks did. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did this year.

Adam Lambert – “If I Can’t Have You”
Alessi’s Ark – “The Horse”
Ciara & Justin Timberlake – “Love Sex & Magic”
Das Racist – “Combination Pizza Hut And Taco Bell (Remix)”
David Choi – “Won’t Even Start”
Drake – “The Best I Ever Had”
Eminem – “The Warning”
Girls – “Lust For Life”
Girls’ Generation – “Gee”
Glee Cast – “Endless Love”
Kelly Clarkson – “My Life Would Suck Without You”
Kris Allen – “Heartless (Live Version)”
Lady Gaga – “Bad Romance”
Lily Allen – “Fuck You”
Loney Dear – “Airport Surroundings”
Madonna & Lil Wayne – “Revolver”
Mando Diao – “Dance With Somebody”
Mariah Carey – “Betcha Gon Know (The Prologue)”
Nirvana – “Sliver (Live From Reading Version)”
Our Lady Peace – “All You Did Was Save My Life”
Pet Shop Boys – “The Way It Used To Be”
Project Jenny Project Jan & Fujiya & Miyagi – “Pins And Needles”
Rihanna – “Te Amo”
Sade – “Soldier Of Love”
Sarah Blasko – “All I Want”
Simian Mobile Disco – “Audacity Of Huge”
Super Junior – “Sorry Sorry”
T.I. & Justin Timberlake – “Dead And Gone”
Taylor Swift – “You Belong With Me”
Tori Amos – “Flavor”
Whitney Houston – “Million Dollar Bill”
William Fitzsimmons – “Heartless”

Top 32 Songs Of 2009 (Be patient, it’s a big file, but I assure you, it’s worth the wait!)

The Zone @ 91-3 signed on the radio June of 2001.  And since that time, The Zone has sponsored a large number of Zone Shows.  I didn’t come to the Zone till the spring of 2003, but I have done my best to reflect on some of the best concerts I can reckon from our extensive list of Zone Shows.

Were there better shows?  maybe… in fact I can think of a bunch of great shows that aren’t on this list.  I didn’t include anything that wasn’t a numbered Zone Show or anything that wasn’t in Victoria.

I wanted to include Rifflandia, it was Zone sponsored, but not a Zone Show… but it deserves a mention because it was so darn fun and the few shows I caught this year completely ripped!  About half these shows I was at,m the other half I am relying on eye witness reports of their greatness and my jealousy of not being there.  Here we go.

10) Sum 41 #1 Legends August 15th, 2001

The first Zone Show.  I was not there but after talking with Sara, she felt that it would be important to mark the historic first in the franchise of “Zone Show” that featured a band that would continue to grow.  When Sum 41 returns to Victoria now, they take up residence at the Arena, so if you were there back in the summer of ‘01, you saw something special.

I originally wanted to include  Sloan #60 Legends October 19th 2003.  Sara asked, “what makes that show so special?”

I remember it as being one of the first big rock shows I got to MC as a young buck rocking the evening show on the Zone, but more importantly, there is this Zoner that phones my show from time-to-time that told me the story of his life and that show.

He brought a girl out on a first date to that rock show and they would end up getting married and are still married to this day.  He always tells me how special Sloan and the Zone are to them because of that first date.  awww, cute.

Our first big arena show was aptly, Zone Show #91, Our Lady Peace Save On Food Memorial Center, April 26 2006.

09) Sam Roberts w/ The Killers #74 Centennial Square September 4th 2004

One of my great modern rock shames. Being the junior announcer on the Zone still, I had to work while everyone else went down to Centennial Square to see this hot new band with a hit single called “Somebody Told Me” open up for Sam Roberts!

08) Beck w/ Band of Horses #159 Royal Theatre August 27th 2008

I included this show for a couple reasons.  One: Coral and her friend Alix got to meet the lead singer of Band of Horses outside the Theatre.  Two: Beck totally slays.  Three, Band of Horses just keep getting better.  To see them in the theatre is a treat.

07) Billy Talent w/ Rise Against, Moneen and Anti-Flag #115 Save On Foods Memorial Center January 18th 2007

Fuck it rained that day.  I was outside huddled under a tent in the down pour for an epic live-to-air pre-show that included performances and interviews from all the bands involved.  It was Rise Against’s first time in Vic and marked Billy Talent’s rise to the top of the Canadian Arena Rocking pyramid.

06) The Killers #169 Save On Foods Memorial Center April 23rd 2009

They came in ‘04, they conquered in ‘09.  The Killers jammed out a bevvy of radio friendly hits, were gracious to allow an interview on the Zone, fired up an impressive stage show and just generally exceeded expectation.

05) Metric #101 Legends March 29th 2006

Metric’s first time in Victoria was a handful of years earlier opening for Hot Hot Heat at Sugar, then again headlining with Death From Above 1979.  Those shows were good, but this show, headlining in the basement of the Strathcona Hotel was great!  Metric was starting to firmly establish themselves and you knew then that these guys were gunna be huge!  Just read the The Zone DJs top records of the year and almost everyone has Fantasies on their list.

04) Tragically Hip #174 Save On Food Memorial Center June 20th 2009

The Hip have had more than a few amazing shows in Victoria.  I personally preferred their visit in January of 2007 for Zone Show #116.  Then I saw them at the Commodore with my brother CJ.  That show was spectacular.  But talking with Dylan Willows, he said that #174 was the BEST Hip show he had ever seen.  The special shout out that Gord had for the Times Colonist’s music writer Mike Devlin was go down in infamy ’round these parts.

03) Queens of the Stone Age #153 Save On Food Memorial Center May 1st 2008

There is a trend on this list for the best shows being later int he decade.  I think that is happening for two reasons.  The first being that I remember them better and second, the Zone is growing as a radio station and bigger rock acts are choosing our fair city.  I’ll take it.

Queens is arguably the biggest band we play on the radio.  Not only are these guy important to our playlist on the radio, Josh Homme delivers the goods on stage.  Was a joyful man to interview and just generally owned the evening.

02) Tool #143 Save On Food Memorial Center December 1st 2007

It was my mother’s 50th birthday party on December 1st… and so I had a date in Coquitlam for the shin-dig.  And I missed one my all-time fave bands.  I am not too broke up about it however, I’ve seen Tool live more than once and every show they do is special.  I can only imagine that a concert that sold out instantly was as insane as I imagine.  this will be a show that Zoners will celebrate forever, along with,

01) Nine Inch Nails #161 Save On Food Memorial Center December 5th, 2008

Could there have been a more perfect live experience in Victoria of the arena variety?

The lights alone were worth the price of admission.  Trent had an exceptional set list, great energy and excitement for the entire evening.  I didn’t want it to end.

There were a lot of great shows in Victoria, a lot club gigs, little festivals, Meatloaf.  I could write all day about some of the adventures I’ve had watching Bob make out with some random goer in the beer line of the Def Leppard concert, falling down a flight of stair and cutting my leg at Pirate Party (that was after puking and sharing the hot tub with the twins… male twins… awkward), Plants and Animals, Lucky Bar in general, open Air at Centennial Square (RIP) all those crazy SUB parties up at UVic, Band of the Month shows… oh the list.

Actually, Meatloaf was pretty good.

Go with yourself.

Why is it that although school is finished in December and there is that relief of no more exams or papers, that the holiday season is probably one of the most busiest times of the year? *sigh* In any case…

This Friday December 18th, there is an event happening at 3 different locations around Library Square and the surrounding area. The event/fundraiser is called Busking For Change, and is organized by Our Lady Peace’s Raine Maida.

The event features about 24 Vancouver musicians including: Said The Whale, The Februarys, The Racoons, The Zolas, and Yukon Blonde.

The event is to raise money for War Child Canada, who is known to raise money for war affected children. I’m not sure if you are required to make a donation in order to attend the event, however, since it is a fundraising event, that might be a good idea to bring some money to support the cause.
I have a family evening to attend, so I won’t be able to make it, even though I’m always up for supporting a good cause and live music. If you’re looking for something to do this Friday, why not devote some time and money to a good cause. It might be a nice early Christmas present as well if you don’t want to have to endure the claustrophic, and wretched malls of downtown Vancouver. Why not take in some live and local music as well??

Busking For Change to Donate Online
Full List of Musical Acts

#29: Ryan Adams/Demolition (2002) — this album from ‘02 has something for everyone – and is his third album to make my Top 100 of the decade. The lonely heartbreak of ‘She Wants to Play Hearts,’ or the grooving nod to the 80’s on ‘Starting to Hurt,’ or the post 9/11 ode to NYC on ‘Nuclear.’ All of it true to form, and true to roots and heart.

#28: Zwan/Mary, Star of the Sea (2003) — the best output from Jimmy and Billy this decade. Though decidedly 70’s and ‘peace and love,’ in vibe, the update is still quite Pumpkinesque in tone and still features one of the greatest guitarists and drummers of the past 30 years. Jimmy has some of his best drum fills since MCIS on this album. Check out: ‘Honestly,’ ‘Jesus I/Mary, Star of the Sea,’ and ‘Desire.’

#27: A Perfect Circle/The Thirteenth Step (2003) — Maynard and Billy were joined by Jeordie White (Marilyn Manson) and James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins) on this follow-up to Mer De Noms. In turn, they collectively upped the ante with even more atmospheric songs while retaining their modern rock edge. Check out: ‘The Package,’ ‘The Noose,’ and ‘Pet.’

#26: Chevelle/Wonder What’s Next (2002) — I had an advance of this disc about three months before it was ever available for public consumption and knew every track on it was a winner and that these guys were gonna blow up. It’s nice to be right every once in awhile. Check out: ‘Comfortable Liar,’ ‘Send the Pain Below,’ and ‘Don’t Fake This.’

#25: Cold/13 Ways to Bleed Onstage (2000) — quite simply this album took a lot of guts to write and put out there and I think that’s why it connected and created the fanbase for Cold that it did. All posthumous albums hark back to this one. I listened to the album again tonight and (going through some personal shit…) I still feel connected to a majority of the tunes represented here. It’s almost like a primal scream for those in pain. Check out: ‘End of the World,’ ‘It’s all Good,’ and ‘Sick of Man.’

#24: Our Lady Peace/Gravity (2002) — it’s no secret that this album was a dramatic departure for the band and received mixed reviews for being so ‘mainstream.’ In my mind, Bob Rock did it again – he brought out the band’s brilliance. Was there a lot of polish on the songs? Sure. But was it the band that created the songs and ultimately signed off on it? Yup. The songs are just damn good from start to finish and still have an incredible emotional connection for me that makes me remember the summer of 2002. Check out: ‘Somewhere Out There,’ ‘Do You Like It’ and ‘Bring Back the Sun.’

#23: Blink-182/Blink-182 (2003) — no one picked up the pop-punk torch from Green Day and carried it quite so well as Blink did. On this, their fifth album, a significant growth in writing took place. This was the Blink album that moved me from a casual listener to an interested one. I love the new-wave synths that end ‘Always,’ lead into the rubber band guitars of ‘Easy Target,’ and then meld into the spare drumming and unlikely (yes surprisingly workable) cameo vocals of Robert Smith of the Cure. They pulled it off and created one of the best pop-punk albums of the decade.

#22: Senses Fail/Let It Enfold You (2004) — where Blink 182 and Offspring took Pop Punk, there were also bands that littered the decade with Emo/Punk and helped put Warped and Taste of Chaos on the map. If you’re looking for a flawless album in that vein, look no further than Senses Fail’s first full-length. This was one of a small handful of albums that put Drive-Thru Records on the map. Buddy Nielsen’s lyricism and the band’s songwriting sensibility made for a powerful combination. What blew me away was seeing the DVD on the Deluxe Edition and seeing these were just kids and so damn talented. Check out: ‘Buried A Lie,’ ‘Rum is For Drinking, Not Burning,’ and ‘NJ Falls into the Atlantic.’

#21: NIN/The Slip (2008) — is this NIN’s swansong from the studio? No one knows – but what a way to end the decade musically. On hearing ‘1,000,000′ I said to myself – this is the best song they’ve released since anything on Broken…and that’s saying a lot considering the wealth of material since. Much more complete/cohesive than 2007’s Year Zero and for a band that released three proper studio albums – all from 2005 onward – this one is #2 in my ears. Check out: ‘1,000,000′ ‘Discipline,’ and ‘Demon Seed.’

Ever been to a concert at Massey Hall in Toronto? I love seeing performers in a theatre-setting like that one. Sure, the building is showing its age (hell, it was showing its age 25 years ago) and the seats are a little on the snug side. And while a sell-out means just over 2700 in the hall, it’s still a remarkably intimate venue. Over the last 100+ years, the grand dame of Toronto concert venues has seen an incredible range of performers grace its stage, from Canadian icons like Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Young, Oscar Peterson and Rush to a who’s who of American and international performers. I’ve seen a handful of shows there, including Lyle Lovett, Paul Simon and most recently, Steely Dan.

For 2010, the roster is building nicely. Already scheduled are homegrown faves like Colin James (January 26th), Jann Arden (January 27th-30th) and Blue Rodeo (February 2nd and 3rd). Blues legend Buddy Guy comes to town on April 9th, and another guitar virtuoso, Mark Knopfler plays later in the month on April 29th.

Now comes word of three new additions to the Massey Hall calendar, with tickets all going sale within the next week. First up, Canadian rockers Our Lady Peace will play two shows on March 12th and 13th. Tickets are $42.50-52.50 and go on sale to the general public Saturday December 12th @ 2:00 p.m. ET at ticketmaster.ca. According to the Massey Hall website, the band will perform their album “Clumsy” in its entirety on March 12th, and “Spiritual Machines” on March 13th. Each show will be rounded out by selections from the OLP catalogue.

On March 23rd, singer-songwriter Norah Jones takes the stage to promote her latest cd, The Fall. Tickets are $55.50-65.50 and go on sale to the general public Monday December 14th @ 12:00 p.m. ET at ticketmaster.ca. You can listen to music from the new cd streaming on Jones’ website here.

And then on May 13th, the always interesting jazz guitar legend Pat Metheny hits the stage for a solo show, of sorts. Metheny’s new disc, Orchestrion, will be out in January. According to his website, the disc is described as follows:
“With Orchestrion, Metheny dramatically redefines the concept of the solo album. He is indeed the only live musician on this recording, but it’s the opposite of, say, the austere 2003 One Quiet Night, in which Metheny hunkered down in his home studio to explore the musical possibilities of a single new guitar. Here Metheny works with a magical set-up of acoustic and acousto-electric instrumentation, assembled for him by a far-flung team of mad musical scientists and digital dreamers. “
Make of that what you will. I am a huge fan of the Pat Metheny Group (featuring long-time collaborator, keyboardist Lyle Mays) and have seen them in concert a couple of times. This is probably the configuration for which he is the best known and popular. Tickets for the Metheny show are $42.50-85.50 and go on sale this Friday December 11th at 10:00 am on tickemaster.ca.

All good stuff. Can’t wait to see how the rest of 2010 fills out.

Our Lady Peace:

Norah Jones:

Pat Metheny Group:

Wait, some of you might be thinking. Who is Robin Tunney?

Robin Tunney; image courtesy of tvdramas.about.com

I think Tunney was slated to be a star when she started cropping up in movies in the 1990s. While stardom didn’t happen for her, she’s had steady work, currently starring on The Mentalist, a CBS procedural. She was supposed to co-write a book on feminism with her friend Liz Phair, with whom she worked on the movie Cherish. I’m still waiting for that last one.

For many in my age group, we know her from back-to-back appearances in Empire Records and The Craft. As both movies were slumber party staples in my friend group, featured teen girl characters, and were accompanied by popular soundtracks, I knew I’d need to revisit them.

Empire Records came out in 1995 and developed a bit of a cult following, despite poor reviews and a dismal box office performance. It also instilled a personal desire to work at a record store, particularly an indie fighting to stay that way. At 13, it looked so cool and fun to “work” all day at such a place with hip teens and twentysomethings.

Well, maybe not them specifically, as the characters in Empire Records aren’t believeable as people so much as underwritten Generation X versions of cool kids dreamt up by a team of movie executives: there’s Joe, the anti-establishment boomer-era owner (Anthony LaPaglia); Lucas, the Zen-like hipster (Rory Cochrane); A.J., the sensitive artist in love with the unattainable Corey (Johnny Whitworth); Corey, the wholesome speed freak perfectionist (Liv Tyler); Gina, Corey’s slutty best friend who wants to be in a band (Renée Zellweger); Mark, the stoner (Ethan Embry); Berko, the rocker who clocks in between gigs (Coyote Shivers, who was married to Tyler’s legendary mother Bebe Buell at the time); and Debra, the rebel girl accountant who shaves her head after attempting suicide (Tunney).

Oh, they are so selling out; image courtesy of chartrigger.blogspot.com

The writing is the movie’s biggest problem, though I’ll never understand why casting directors thought someone as boring as Tyler would ever be a huge star (I’d ask this question again later in the decade when Katie Holmes started landing movie roles). The motivations of the characters, though meant to be read as young and madcap, are childish and inconsistent. The boys pine after girls, eat pizza, get high, and glue quarters to the floor. The girls pine after has-been teen idols doing in-stores, alternate between loving and hating each other, and get together with the boys who pine after them. Both sexes deliver such profound lines like “If I can love her in that skirt, than this must really be it” and “I went to rock and roll heaven, and I wasn’t on the guest list.”

That second line is the answer given to a question about bandaged wrists. It’s delivered to withering effect by Debra, potentially the movie’s most interesting character. She’s not glamourous like her female co-workers or sophomoric like her male colleagues. She also seems to have gone through real pain, deeper than the surface angst used to promote OK Soda and perhaps closer to the actual pain brought on by parental neglect and low self-esteem. In the early 1990s, these and other issues were particularly relevant to young girls, some of whom would form or discover riot grrl and queercore and develop their own queer and/or feminist identities. We only get a sense of Debra’s absent mother, resistent intellect, boredom with men, feelings of inadequacy, and the hope for something better.

Note: I’d recommend watching director Allan Moyle’s far-superior Times Square. Rest assured that the tale of two girl runaways falling in love amidst downtown New York’s early-80s squalor will get its due on this blog.   

It’s weird that slashed wrists bridge Tunney’s two major performances to date. Clearly suicide, perhaps most unfortunately personified by Kurt Cobain, was on young people’s minds at the time. I’d hedge that this has more to do with class frustration, racial injustice, conflicted feelings about sexual orientation, coming out to unsupportive families and communities, dysfunctional home lives, and a lack of any real support system. I’d also add that it’s an on-going problem.

Absent mothers also connect Debra and Sarah, the latter of whom lost her mother during childbirth. As The Craft was originally pitched as “Carrie meets Clueless,” it seems necessary to point out that these movies feature girls with compromised mother-daughter relationships. Carrie’s mother is a crazed witch. Cher Horowitz, like so many other fairytale heroines before her, lost her mother at an early age and has only an idealized memory of her. Sarah has similar baggage, along with the additional burden of being responsible for her mother’s death. Oh, and carrying on the ability to perform witchcraft. That’s a hell of a lot for any teenage girl to shoulder, especially when she’s moving to Los Angeles with her family.     

A heartening aspect of The Craft , no doubt motivated by how successful Clueless was, is the presence of girlfriends. Sarah meets shy Bonnie (played by Neve Campbell) and becomes friends with a trio of Goth girls. Two other movies came out in 1996 that focused on girl gangs – Girls Town and Foxfire. For a more nuanced analysis of these two movies and their depictions of homosociality and developing feminist politics, I highly recommend checking out my friend Kristen’s thesis Revenge, Girl Style. 

The Craft entertains the progressive potential of girl friendship, particularly for outcasts. There are also hints at the queer possibilities of homosocial bonding and witchcraft. It even contains racially charged moments, particularly when Rochelle (played by Rachel True), the coven’s lone African American member, casts a spell on Laura Lizzie (Christine Taylor), a popular blonde who is on the swim team with her. After enduring Lizzie’s racist comments about her hair, Rochelle turns her bald, thus rebelling against normative, white-centric notions of feminine beauty. 

But these suggestions are sidelined. Because what the movie is really about is the battle between Tunney’s kind-hearted Sarah and Fairuza Balk’s destructive ringleader Nancy, who is jealous of her frenemy’s natural aptitude for witchcraft. It should also be noted that Nancy is working-class and coded as queer. The movie makes a considerable effort to undo her queerness, putting men in between her and Sarah, whether they be ex-boyfriends or Manon, the supernatural male figure that the girls worship. The movie ends with Nancy trying to kill Sarah, resulting in a showdown that tears the group apart, causes Sarah to move, and leads to Nancy being institutionalized. The final shot is of Nancy in a straight-jacket trying to fly out of a padded cell. The movie’s message: we are the weirdos, mister. Just don’t expect us to stay friends or keep a hold of our sanity. So much for sisterhood.

Nancy's farewell; image courtesy of channel4.com

Sisterhood is often lacking in movies, but is emphasized to market teen movies, if only to tap in to the girl market. But much of this was eclipsed in story development to make way for more lucrative prospects, none more pronounced at the time than the soundtrack. A considerable number of American teen movies in the 1990s featured a soundtrack, many boasting songs by alternative rock artists. Unlike The Craft and Empire Records, and more in line with All Over Me, Girls Town and Foxfire paid particular attention toward showcasing female artists, particularly those closely associated with hip hop and the then-waning riot grrrl movement. Scholars like Jeff Smith and Mary Celeste Kearney have addressed this in their work, theorizing that the soundtrack served as a way to cultivate potential audience markets and a source of textual identification for fans.

While female artists are present on the soundtracks to Empire Records and The Craft, they’re not the focus, perhaps out of fear of alienating a broader audience. This might further explain why The Craft soundtrack features covers of popular songs from lesser-known acts. Our Lady Peace contributes a version of The Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows,” Heather Nova covers Peter Gabriel’s “I Have the Touch,” and Letters To Cleo take on The Cars’ “Dangerous Type,” a tactic they’d repeat when covering Cheap Trick’s “I Want You To Want Me” for 10 Things I Hate About You at the end of the decade. And let’s not forget the double-nostalgia of former Psychelic Furs’ front man Richard Butler covering The Smiths’ “How Soon Is Now” with his post-Furs project Love Spit Love. 

Cover to "The Craft" soundtrack (Sony, 1996); image courtesy of thesoundtracktoyourlife.co.uk

A major problem both of these movies share, and is evident in other titles of this period and in the Brat Pack movies of the 1980s, is the need to broadly define its characters as members of a generation, rather than as complex young people with particular problems oftentimes informed by their identities. And while ennui and an ironic fluency in popular culture were markers for Gen X, these young adults were more than just sneering (white) kids in flannel, combat boots, and barettes. At least off-camera.

Oftentimes, they were frustrated by how little high school and a liberal arts education could get them in a job market, particularly during the late 1980s and early 1990s when the economy had yet to recover from the 1987 market crash. They were annoyed at the shrine their parents built to the 1960s, as it was clear just how empty and hollow their promises of revolution were. In some ways, they were no different than people my age or boomer hipster Paul Kinsey on Mad Men, turning to interesting records, movies, books, and TV shows, but knowing they wouldn’t make them any happier, politically mobile, or economically viable.

Michael Gladis as Paul Kinsey, proving the every generation has its hipster; image courtesy of readingunderthecovers.blogspot.com

Some of these people formed bands, often annointed with glossy but unremarkable one-word monikers: Sponge, Drill, Lustre, Cracker, Elastica, Spacehog, Dig, Hole, Belly, Hum, Bush, Toadies, Oasis . . . In a particularly cruel example of market imperative, many of these bands broke up or were without major label record deals by the end of the decade.

I still have Elastica's debut album!; image courtesy of forgottenfavorite.com

But it’s hard to convey all of this in a 90-minute movie, especially one that hopes to cash in on the wages of the very demographic these popcorn flicks were hoping to represent. Some did a decent job of conveying this generation’s ambivalence, particularly indies like Kicking and Screaming. I’d also add that Reality Bites highlights these problems, even pointing out the crass ways in which corporate America capitalizes on the very market its created. While I wish Winona Ryder’s filmmaker character Lalaina didn’t end up with Ethan Hawke’s slacker Troy, I understand why she can’t be with Michael (played by director Ben Stiller), who works for an MTV-type network that makes worm’s meat out of her documentary about her friends. 

Richard Linklater’s second feature, Dazed and Confused, did a considerable job at suggesting that Generation X inherited their sense of slacker frustration (and detached nostalgia for Schoolhouse Rock and The Brady Bunch) from their parents. That Linklater cast a bunch of twentysomething unknowns like Joey Lauren Adams, Ben Affleck, Rory Cochrane, Adam Goldberg, Jason London, Matthew McConaughey, Parker Posey, and Marisa Ribisi to essentially play the teenagers and young adults who would become their parents may strengthen Robin Wood’s argument that Dazed is a horror film. 

Some television shows also did a good job articulating the nuances of the slacker era. I’d offer up British programs like Spaced, along with MTV’s Daria and ABC’s My So-Called Life. The latter featured an angsty girl protagonist, complex teenage characters, depicted boomer parents being just as clueless and angsty as their brood, and created an immortal stoner heartthrob named Jordan Catalano (played by Jared Leto), whose band Frozen Embryos changed their name at the end of the series to perhaps the most perfect of Gen X band names: Residue.

Angela Chase (Claire Danes) with the object of her affection; image courtesy of thefbomb.org

But it’s always different for girls, and unfortunate that Tunney and many of the actresses of her generation were not given the consideration they deserved (though I love that Austin Chronicle writer Margaret Moser fancies herself as being like Balk’s character in Almost Famous). Some may attribute this to their flat delivery or lack of believability, but I’d wager that this has more to do with poor character development on the part of screenwriters and the industrial emphasis on youth than it does on the actresses. At 19, Kristen Stewart is playing the slouched-shoulder ingenue of a multi-million-dollar film franchise, its latest installment complete with a soundtrack featuring of-the-moment, indie and indie-friendly artists like Bon Iver, St. Vincent, Lykke Li, Grizzly Bear, and Thom Yorke. I only hope she has that sort of star power at 25.

Kristen Stewart at the "New Moon" premiere in Los Angeles; image courtesy of justjared.buzznet.com

It’s hard to believe but this year’s lineup is actually less credible. 54 40, Pinup Saints and Cure Gravity! Oh, My!

And you thought Our Lady of Peace, David Usher and the Arkells was lame

If you bought into the rhetoric that last year the City of Brampton broke the bank and brought in all the CanCon heavy hitters — Our Lady Peace, David Usher and The Arkells — to ring in 2009, then the spin doctors in the Ivory Tower will be working doubletime to convince people this year’s lineup is even  remotely as big as last year’s.

Notwithstanding the marginal level of north of the border success 54 40 reached some 20 years ago (20 YEARS!), this crop of bands are all virtually no-namers (despite what City staffers say).

So than why would the City of Brampton book ‘em? Good question, friends.

Here’s a list of possible answers.

1. Price. The belt might have been tightened on this year’s budget.

2. Scheduling. Maybe more notable bands were unavailable.

3. Unfamiliarity. Who knew Friendly Rich and the Lollipop People, The Junction and Moneen all have signifcant roots in Brampton?

4. Favours. What’s so wrong with city booking staff  hooking up their friends with (presumably) paid gigs? Oh wait, that is wrong. Damn.

It didn’t take much, but a little bit of Googling revealed one of the  City of Brampton staff members who books acts for events like the new years eve party once run his or her own entertainment company. The entertainment company’s “marketing and promotions” person  also runs his or her own seperate entertainment group which, amoung other things,  is the main booking agent for one of the bands playing on Dec. 31 in Brampton.

Agree? Disagree? Shoot me an email: flowertowner@gmail.com

I’ll have much more on this topic in the coming week(s).

C.

#79: Red Hot Chili Peppers/Stadium Arcadium (2006) — I’ve already noted that John Frusciante is one of the best guitarists of all time. As a collective, any band than can pull off the prolific feat of a double album in this day and age and have a sizable chunk of that music trully showcase why a band should be a Hall of Fame act is considerably impressive. Check out: ‘Snow (Hey Oh)’ ‘Wet Sand,’ Storm in a Teacup,’ and ‘Turn It Again.’

#78: Dinosaur, Jr/Farm (2009) — Before Nirvana, there was Dinosaur, Jr. That was 16 years ago in my mind…and in MY mind, my formative years took place just before the alternative era…I was listening to the Pixies by way of the U2 Zoo TV tour, and naturally found myself turned on to Mascis and Murph and the 1993 commerical breakthrough, Where You Been?…this was back when MTV played videos, kids. ‘Start Choppin,’ and ‘Out There,’ garnered several spins in the tape deck (yes, remember walkmen? No, no the band…) Jump ahead to today and they’ve never sounded so good (with Barlow back in the fold)…every song a testament to why J Mascis should be remember for the guitarist and songwriter he is. Check out: ‘Pieces,’ ‘Plans,’ and ‘See You,’ for a brief tutorial.

#77: Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson/Break Up (2009) — o.k. we all know the story – Pete woke up one morning and decided to do a duets album. Save for the Robert Plant/Alison Krauss record, there haven’t been too many duets records this decade that have been able to truly cross lines and blow people away. As with anything over time, this album is an update on a theme, but it works (addressing both the past and present musically) – in the end, it’s a beautifully crafted pop album. Scarlett’s voice is truly a gift and a great foil and muse for Pete’s music. In a nutshell, it just works. Check out: ‘Relator, ‘I Am The Cosmos,’ and ‘Clean.’

#76: Our Lady Peace/Spiritual Machine (2001): Up until ‘01, was a damn good year for music and competitive for my ears, OLP was the only music coming out of Canada worth my time. OLP probably produced their most artistic and well balanced album that year, save for the whole conceptual, sci-fi b.s. The music stands the test of time, and holds up remarkably well. Check out: ‘In Repair,’ ‘Are You Sad?’ and ‘Made to Heal.’

#75: Nonpoint/Statement (2000) — these guys, like fellow East Coast Nu Metalers Sevendust, made a household name for themselves by just constant touring…I can’t tell you how many times (ad nauseum) they have ended on local bills. So much so that perhaps their message is a bit watered down these days. That aside, 10 years ago Statement was released and the crunchy metal along with a lead singer was the right amount swagger, sway and full-on rage fit the time in place. Bear in mind I was 23 and was still one for the pits. In fact I think it was crushing blow to the spine and jaw at a subsequent show that finally made me hang it up. When you ‘re having a bad day and want to imagine breaking sh*t…this is what one listens to. Full album is a TANK. Check out: ‘Endure,’ ‘What a Day,’ and ‘Tribute.’

#74: Head Automatica/Decadence (2004) — I remember the first listen of this album (my expectations were low, seeing as I just never got into Glassjaw – surprising, I know…), but I love a lead singer who can completely re-invent himself for a new project and that’s exactly what Daryl Palumbo does for Head Automatica. Decadence is a hard-rocking pop gem. The boys in H.A. get the party starting and never let up. Such great lyricis, such great funky rock. Check out: ‘At the Speed of a Yellow Bullet,’ ‘Brooklyn is Burning,’ and ‘Beating Heart Baby.’ — and you’re hooked.

#73: Thirty-Six Crazyfists/A Snow-Capped Romance (2004) — 36CF’s second album and second entry on my Top 100 of the decade. They don’t call it a sophomore slump for nothing folks – I can’t tell you how many bands I’ve seen crash and burn this decade b/c of it. 36CF cleaned up some of Brock’s vocals (but not the heart-on-sleeve reverence of his lyricism) and continued to bridge that gap between the hardcore sound remniscent in late 90’s acts like Handsome, Deftones and Flaw while maintaining a metal following for their brash, angular guitar-work. In other words, not for the weak of heart. Checkout: ‘The Heart and the Shape’ ‘Skin and Atmosphere,’ and ‘Waterhaul.’

#72: The Duke Spirt/Neptune (2008) — during my brief tenure at R.S. there were only a handful of acts that really got my juices flowing and made me want to bend over backwards to promote them despite many obstacles. Liela Moss is a true rock n’ roll frontwoman. That powerful European voice …fits into the hipster melodies crafted perfectly around her. The band is equal parts Spiritualized, Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine. God love ‘em. Another great ‘road,’ record. ‘The sky is more certain than you will ever be/the rainclouds are angry at you and at me/forgive me baby/I’m not all that you see/I would understand your heart/if I could feel it…’ Check out: ‘The Step and The Walk,’ ‘This Ship Was Built to Last,’ and ‘Wooden Heart.’

#71: Smashing Pumpkins/ZEITGEIST (2007) — It’s hard to say whether or not this release might’ve ended up higher had it not been for the past two years of Billy slowly jumping the shark and Jimmy finally jumping ship. I was a believer as promo built for the album and the Pumpkins returned to active touring duty for the first time in seven years. Yes, I say Pumpkins b/c I still believe the Pumpkins were really just Billy n’ Jimmy anyway. Save for ‘Starz,’ this album, when put together completely after you bought the final Best Buy version (and added the iTunes and Target exclusive tracks), is a formidable asset to the discography. While 2000’s MACHINA was the formal swan song of the band as SP diehards new it; this is the rock album fans wondered if they would see after Mellon Collie. Check out: ‘Bleeding the Orchid,’ ‘Tarantula,’ and ‘Stellar.’

#70: System of a Down/Toxicity (2001) — at the turn of the century, nu metal was on its last legs. Korn’s Issues was released in (1999) and they would only release one meaningful album over the next 10 years. Limp Bizkit were also fading away. Godsmack’s Awake came out in 2000 and, save for newcomers Mudvayne, could widely be considered the mainstream hard rock success as a heavier new scene in metal began to develop. S.O.A.D. debuted in 1998 and three years later launched Toxicity with all the manic tendencies of eccentric frontman Serj Tankian, railing about multiplying, leaving keys on the table, and pogoing at swinger parties. Beyond that Daron Malakian was creating metal riff’s that spoke to the masses while an Armenian percussion and backdrop offered a well-rounded, Grammy-winning style that set the band apart from its peers. Check out: ‘Chop Suey,’ ‘Bounce,’ and ‘Deer Dance.’

Dear David,

So I understand you may have had a problem this weekend with the twats on your twitter account. Someone posted in comments that one of your tards, like Pizza Screaming Tard, twitter-spammed you while you were at a concert. Some nonsense about her wanting you and your brother to come stand by her. Later she claims you screwed up her night because her car got broken into.

Good thing you didn’t stand next to Pizza Screamer because you would have had that obnoxious screamer screaming in your ear all night long, drowning out the music, distracting you, getting all handsy with your ass and parts south.

Block the bitch. It’s not hard. Go to her profile and hit ‘block’ She’ll be pissed off but you’ll be spared the sight of her constant drivel. She’s tweeted you so much I’m surprised she doesn’t have carpal tunnel by now.

I also understand that because you tweeted that you were going to see ‘Our Lady Peace’ at some time in the past that the concert front row was filled with your idiot stalkers. I can just imagine the sea of lesbian librarian hairdos, blubbery torsos and ill fitting denim and capris that the guys of OLP had to look out on. I’m sure they were most puzzled by all the old ladies there looking most unrock and roll, like some nightmare landscape of the damned. How did it feel to look down and see them yet again when you joined the band for a song?  Sort of like Homer Simpson when he was dragging around The Stone of Shame during the Stonecutters episode? D’oh!

Never tell them in advance what you’re planning on doing. Tweet about it either after the fact or as it’s going on. It’s either that or you’re going to have to obtain a clever disguise to be incognito.

Real fans do not pull that kind of crap. Stalkers do.

Song of the Day: Our Lady Peace – Superman’s Dead

Notes: Just came across this one again recently. Really not a bad song…

Man, I have been suffering.  Suffering!  I can’t concentrate; I can’t focus.  I can’t write a darn thing.  I had a beautiful first line to a story and then…nada.

Too much pressure, perhaps?  High expectations?  I’m not sure, but it’s a miserable thing.  Generally I give myself a little break and the world opens up for me again.  But this time I scouted around on the Internet for something to nourish my brain, and I found it.  A beautiful, serene, ephemeral picture.  First line + picture = MAGIC.  I’m so happy.  I feel whole again.

Also, a wombat emailed me free tickets to Our Lady Peace next week.  My first thought was, “Aw, man, I can’t go!” because the free concerts are usually held so late that I can’t snag a sitter.  But this time?  Super score!  I can’t wait to tell my husband that we’re going.  It’ll be fun.

Their song “Clumsy” was pretty much my theme during my freshman year of college.  I had the words “Hide the telephone in case you realize that sometimes you’re just not okay” written on my calendar.  Because I was all strong in the face of my teenage suffering, and stuff.  Whatever.

Have a good one, you guys.

Google history: flowy fabric, writing prompts, pupil dilation, infinite despair, pictures from space lights on earth, jimmy fallon billy ray twitter, woman with bite

Rock stars are not typically equally known for their social activism.  When someone of profile can use their celebrity and talents to help bring awareness to social causes, it can be a great blessing for those they help.

Part of the NSB Team & Raine Maida

Vice President of Tiffany & Co., Andrea Hopson noted:

“We all know how challenging it is to build and sustain significant careers, care for our families and still give a great deal of ourselves to our communities. Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida are doing exactly that with a range of very important, heartfelt causes.”

Chantal and Raine give of their time and commitment to War Child, fundraising projects that build schools for children in Africa, travelling to war-torn countries, and more.

I also attended one of Raine’s recent speaking engagements, where he shared some of the philosophies that drive him as a human being and inspired his social activism. He believes in both the philosophy and organization of Apathy is Boring:

• Get in and do something. Get your hands dirty.
• Engage in critical thinking.  Question tradition and authority, while still showing respect and gaining wisdom.
• Consider what kind of life do you want to lead? And how can you make that happen?
  ‘The only way to make change is to get people engaged. Today’s younger generations really hold the candle of hope for our future….’  Raine Maida

Chantal Kreviazuk, Theresa Beenken & Stacy Walman

Even though the humanitarian activity is strong, they are both artists first:  Chantal is on tour this fall with her new album Plain Jane and you can see Raine and Our Lady Peace early next year touring Canada with their Burn Burn album.

Gonna buy their albums and get my hands dirty…

I know, their name is Our Lady Peace, even though the first week of being first introduced to them, I thought their name was Our Lady of Peace. After taking a short hiatus period after releasing their sixth label recorded album, Healthy in Paranoid Times (2006), Our Lady Peace is back with new singles and a new album, Burn Burn.

During their hiatus, lead singer, Raine Maida, released a solo album titled The Hunter’s Lullaby. Maida criticized the making of Healthy in Paranoid Times saying,

“we finally had succumbed to a label: making us record that many songs, trying to find the right singles for American radio and MTV.” -Montreal Gazetter

Healthy in Paranoid Times producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Motley Crue, tons of others….), had OLP record forty-five songs during the making of the album, which created controversy between band members to which songs would make the album. The band noted that they came dangerously close to breaking up during the making of Healthy in Paranoid Times. The album took 1,165 days (3.25 years) to create, and may have proved the end of the band because of the differences they encountered during the making of an album they were not allow to create within their own will.

However, in February of 2007, OLP began working on the production of their seventh album, which was completed in March of 2009. Burn Burn was produced by Maida, leaving judgment to be decided by the band. Because of that, Maida has said that the album is a,

“proper rock album”—featuring a return to the raw originality of the band’s first album Naveed, though a “little more mature”.” -OurLadyPeace.net

Thirty tracks were recorded during the making of Burn Burn and ten tracks will be available on the album, with an added two songs as bonus tracks. The first single released, “All You Did Was Save My Life,” was released on May 12, 2009 and reached #12 on the Canadian Hot 100 (OLP is from Canada). A music video was also made for their first single, watch it here.

Only July 14th, OLP allowed access of their entire album on InMusic.ca. However, only people in Canada can listen to the album. I guess we’ll just have to wait until its U.S. release on Tuesday, July 21, 2009.

Rock, BC

Other Our Lady Peace Links
Official Website
MySpace
Twitter
Music Videos