So I was so bloodpumped about the new John K Samson EP, City Route 85, that I couldn’t help but expect to be let down when I heard it in it’s entirety. And, I’m not even going to preface this with a letdown, this is a great little album. There is no better proof of Samson’s growth as a songwriter than the album’s final track, “Cruise Night.” While the first two tracks largely seem to be from Samson’s own viewpoint, which is fine, poetic and precise, the last track shows Samson’s most well rounded and believable character study yet. While I like the ongoing tales of Virtute the Cat, and could feel the deafness of Elsabet, there were many examples- I’m thinking of the stockbroker in “Relative Surplus Value,” or the writer in “Uncorrected Proofs,” where the characters of Samsons songs were undeveloped and ended up sound like Samson in costume.

Part of this was Samson’s inability to ditch his own poetic lyricism. This makes sense: If you’re a writer who can write well, and, even better, one who has developed a recognizable prose style, it’s difficult to imagine tinkering with that. But that is exactly what makes “Cruise Night” such a delight; the extent to which Samson ditches all flourish and emerges himself in the goal of this song. As someone who used to get the same inexplicable pleasure from driving around, for hours, just listening to music and wasting gas, a song that celebrates such activity is bound to resonate. But even if you’ve never done this, Samson’s narrator will have you wishing you could. The excitement when Samson sings “Dude, just make it happen,” and the adrenaline when he claims “I want to rock the RPMs between the reds and greens,” make me smile but also make me believe every word he’s singing. Samson just invests so much in the kids who inhabit this song.

Even the song’s last line, “We’ll drive a while in one direction, then we’ll turn around” which could be patronizing coming from anyone but Samson here sounds like simple fact, delivered with warmth and premature nostalgia. That’s just what cruise night is.

I can’t wait for volumes 2 through six hundred and twelve.

“Cruise Night” is from John K Samson’s recently released 7 inch City Route 85.

By Jason Diamond

In the realms of “best songwriters” around today, I’d feel pretty comfortable saying John K. Samson of The Weakerthans is one of the top ten.  He is sort of like John Darnielle’s anarchist (opposed to Antichrist) cousin from Canada, and we love him almost as much as we heart  Mr. Mountain Goat.

Today, via press release, we hear that Samson is going to begin delivering solo albums “exploring the atmospheric streets and highways surrounding the musician’s home in Winnipeg Canada”, on Anti- Records. The first album titled, “City Route 85″ drops tomorrow via 7 inch, and digital download, and while we are excited to hear Mr. Samson will continue to write songs that we will inevitably love, we have to ask: wasn’t The Weakerthans his “solo project” when he quit Propagandhi all those years back?

Samson, we demand answers!!!

It’s been quite a while since my last posting. That has more to do with my schedule than anything else, but it doesn’t take more than half an hour to write an adequate entry, correct? No excuse other than sheer laziness, really.

Anyway, today marks the first day the wonderful, awe-inspiring, motivating, reinvigorating sun sets far too fucking early. Far, far, far too early.

I cannot stand the lack of sunlight. I can’t stand the darkness approaching at 3:30pm. Slowly conquering the last lingering sunlit days: first encroaching on them, then suffocating them, and finally stealing all color from their skies. Oh, but of course, it’s not actually night yet, so we don’t have any pretty stars. Just blackness. We have to endure this shitty situation for the next six months.

Darkness doesn’t matter to some people. They’re still emotionally balanced, regardless of the lighting conditions of the environment. Those people suck (but only because I wish I were one of them).

So I have to find some music that fits the early spread of darkness, the early obscuring of vision, the fact that leaving the house and entering the house is done in darkness every day. That fact that no matter how hard I concentrate, how much my imagination tries, I still can’t place the sun back in the sky. I still can’t see any light at seven o’clock. Some light should still hover around the periphery while eating dinner.

But I’ve had this problem my entire life; I just have to find a way to accept it. That acceptance will come reluctantly, indignantly, and stubbornly. But it has to come, or I won’t survive or succeed.

I find the best kind of music for these types of situations incorporates frustrated, gloomy lyrics within music with positive energy. Emphasis on positive—not just loud or angry; it can be loud, it can be angry, but the underlying tone has to be triumphant.

Good examples: THE GO STATION, Annie Lennox, Bloc Party, Civil Twilight, Guster, Pictures of Then, The Bravery, Great Northern, Ra Ra Riot, Delta Spirit, Woods, Metric, Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes, The Cloud Room, Elbow, incubus, Josh Ritter, The Killers, The Low Anthem, Matthew Good Band, Mute Math, Passion Pit, Pela (now very, very sadly broken up.  Anytown Graffiti has now reached another level, because I know I’ll never hear anything quite like it again), The Postal Service, Rage Against the Machine, The Rapture, Ray LaMontagne, Ryan Adams, Snow Patrol, The Stills, TV on the Radio, U2, The Uglysuit, The Weakerthans, Wild Light, Wintersleep, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and The Zutons. Examples from aforementioned bands forthcoming:

I was too excited and freaked out earlier from mychonny’s vid and that scary vid and I was eating too so I didn’t write about anything else.

Have you heard of the Weakerthans? Then you should know John Samson. He, accompanied by his wife, CAME TO MY MAGICAL SCHOOL TO SING SONGS FOR US AND TEACH US HOW TO COUNT TO 10!!! Yeeeh. Not really. But IT WAS AWESOME. THEY’RE SO FUNNY.

The Weakerthans is actually an EXCELLENT band. Go check out their website: http://www.theweakerthans.org/

Quote of the day: “Excellent, like ripping off a bandaid,” John Samson, The Weakerthans, talking about songwriting. LOL

Oh and my friend sent me this vid. I NEED TO PROVE THAT THIS ACTUALLY WORKS, YOU CAN’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE IN A VID. Also, word of advice to all of you, this is a pretty sneaky way to get someone’s number, even if it doesn’t work. Good luck home dogs.

Will probably post again soon.
WG

EDIT: This vid is 99% not true. It’s just one of those things that would’ve been so cool if it was true.

I need to get this off my shoulders: I did not intend on seeing The Weakerthans on September 16th. I was set on getting into fun.’s concert across town that night, but it sold out, and instead of waiting to see if I could scalp tickets before doors opened at 9, I made my way over to Paradise Rock Club to see The Weakerthans. I’d heard some of their material before, and I’ll admit what I had heard was very good, I just never got around to giving them serious playtime. Well, I’m an idiot. Alright? An idiot. I’m glad fun. sold out, I’ve already seen them twice, and The Weakerthans played an amazing show. I was blown away.

Tomte, playing their first show in the United States, opened the show. They enjoyed themselves, and the relatively small crowd that arrived early enough to see them play were into it too. I couldn’t really understand what any of the song titles were, as their frontman may or may not have simply been shouting a rambling slur of German syllables and then making up an English equivalent. They sounded great nonetheless, and anyone that takes a shot at America’s healthcare system is good in my book.

Rock Central Plaza were up next. At first I thought I was going to hate this band; I couldn’t get into the singer’s high-pitched, raspy vocals. He eventually warmed up, and by the third song his voice had cleared a bit and was actually quite decent. Certainly listenable, although maybe not preferable. Self-admittedly, they sing a lot of songs about horses, robots, and robot horses. Weird. I’m still undecided on their performance. Check them out if you like, but for now I’ll be passing on their albums.

By the time The Weakerthans were due to take the stage, the small venue was packed. And rightfully so. The band’s energy permeated throughout the entire venue, creating a great atmosphere; it didn’t matter where you were in the venue, it felt like you were against the stage. There was a good mix of full band and acoustic material, covering their entire discography. Highlights were, of course, “One Great City!” done acoustically, “Left And Leaving” performed to perfection, and John letting a guy from the crowd onstage during “Utilities” to play guitar (poor kid looked like he was ready to pass out afterward. Played the song well, though). If you haven’t heard this band before, do yourself a favor and listen to their music. Any of it. Over and over. That’s what I’ve been doing for the past week. And probably next week too.

So yes, I missed a chance to see fun. and miniature tigers, instead discovering a great band and perhaps a new favorite. A fair trade? Possibly. I’d say so. It was a fantastic night, despite getting a parking ticket on the mean streets of Boston.

The Weakerthans’ Setlist
Night Windows
Tournament of Hearts
Our Retired Explorer
Benediction
Reconstruction Site
Aside
Relative Surplus Value
One Great City!
Bigfoot
Plea From A Cat Named Virtue
The Reasons
Sun In An Empty Room
Left And Leaving
Civil Twlight
(Manifest)
—-
Utilities
Wellington’s Wednesdays
Maryland Bridge

Bildmaterial von www.ghvc-shop.de

Während die „Weakerthans“ munter weiter in Kanada und den USA touren, kann man hierzulande immerhin bald den Sänger und Songwriter der Band live bewundern. John K. Samson wirbt nämlich mit einigen Auftritten für sein neues Solo-Projekt. Die erste Single „City Route 85“ wird als Seven-Inch (und als Download) ab Ende Oktober erhältlich sein und wird sich thematisch mit der als „Portage Avenue“ bekannten Route 85 in Samsons Heimatsstadt Winnipeg auseinandersetzen. Da es wohl noch längere Zeit dauert, bis wir neues Studiomaterial der „Weakerthans“ zu hören bekommen, sollten sich alle Freunde der Songwriter-Künste Samsons die Tourdaten vormerken:

11.11.2009 Düsseldorf (Zakk)
12.11.2009 Münster (Sputnikhalle Café)
13.11.2009 Frankfurt (Yellowstage)
14.11.2009 Stuttgart (1210)
15.11.2009 München (Orangehouse)
16.11.2009 CH-Zürich (Hafenkneipe)

Music @ Videos

Gone mental this week with eight… that’s right… EIGHT new videos for you to check out!

It has probably been posted in a few places already, but Animal Collective fans may be interested in Taken By Trees‘ take on their My Girls single below. Big fan of her current East of Eden album!

Enjoy your weekend, me hearties!

Times New Viking – No Time, No Hope

oooOOOooo

Lightning Dust – Never Seen

oooOOOooo

Tokyo Police Club – Your English is Good

oooOOOooo

The Dodos – Fables

oooOOOooo

Cursive – Let Me Up

oooOOOooo

The Weakerthans – Sun is an Empty Room

oooOOOooo

Taken By Trees – My Boys

oooOOOooo

Volcano Choir – Island, IS

The Weakerthans’ John K. Samson, an in interview with Exclaim, announced plans to release a series of 7″ records. The first is called City Route 85, and is due out October 30th via Grand Hotel Van Cleef Records. Head after the jump to read a quote from Samson about the series.

“[The release is] the first part in a planned series of three or four seven-inches I want to write and record about different roads and highways in Manitoba,” he says. “City Route 85 is otherwise known as Portage Avenue, one of the main streets in Winnipeg, and the songs are set in three different locations along the avenue. The next two releases will come out sometime in the [next] 18 months, I hope, and will be set north and southwest of Winnipeg.”

Die Weakerthans sind eine Band, die sich schon lange auf meiner Amazon-Wunschliste in Form ihres Albums „Reconstruction Site“ tummelten, aber aus irgendeinem, mir sich partout nicht mehr erschließen wollendem Grund es nie bis in den Einkaufswagen geschafft hatten. Bis zu diesem schicksalhaften Tag im September… nun, das geht etwas zu weit, allerdings hat der Kauf und das darauf folgende mehrmalige Lauschen der 14 Songs der Platte dazu geführt, dass ich sofort die restliche Diskographie der Band in den Amazon-Einkaufswagen warf und diesmal auch gleich den Bestell-Knopf tiefstmöglich eindrückte, um mich einem raschen Versand der weiteren drei Alben zu versichern. Mittlerweile ist das Triumvirat angekommen und wurde von mir belauscht, allerdings sprang der Funke erst beim neusten Album „Reunion Tour“ so richtig, die beiden früheren Werke müssen wohl noch etwas meine Hörrinde streicheln, bevor ich den ihnen sicherlich innewohnenden Liebreiz so richtig schätzen kann.

Was macht die Band nun aus, ist die Frage, die sicher der Leser (gäbe es ihn), stellen müsste. Warum sollte ich Geld in eine CD oder ein paar MP3-Dateien investieren, die dann ins reiche kanadische Winnipeg fließen (würde nicht die böse, böse Musikindustrie dem Künstler nicht schon den Großteil des Erlöses in ihre schwarz-modrigen Eingeweide abpumpen), anstatt einem armen kenianischen Kind für den gleichen Preis den Schulbesuch für ein viertel Jahr zu ermöglichen? *) Meine Güte, würde ich erwidern, hier argumentativ die Oberhand für die Weakerthans zu gewinnen ist ja quasi unmöglich, außer ich würde die böse, böse Entwicklungshilfeindustrie ins Spiel bringen. Was ich nicht mache, deshalb macht doch was ihr wollt.

Sollte man sich aber irgendeine moralische Begründung zurechtgelegt haben, die es einem erlaubt, ein Album zu erwerben, so böte sich das folgende im Falle des Albums „Reconstruction Site“:

Der Tonträger, sofern man noch nicht gänzlich in die digitalen Weiten abgeschweift ist, hält vierzehn einzelne Stücke, die alle zum Entzücken des Hörers unterschiedlich sind. Nun, das stimmt nicht ganz, denn das erste („(Manifest)“), das mittlere („(Hospital Vespers)“) und das letzte („(Past-Due)“) teilen die gleiche Melodie, und erzählen die Geschichte eines Todkranken. Vor allem lyrisch gehören die drei Songs zum so ziemlich besten, was ich kenne, aber auch musikalisch sind sie ziemlich perfekt, es ist der zweite Song, und dort die zweite Strophe, die es mir aus irgendeinem Grund besonders angetan hat:

You tried not to roll your sunken eyes,
and said “Hey can you help me, I can’t reach it.”
Pointed at the camera in the ceiling.
I climbed up, blocked it so they couldn’t see.
Turned to find you out of bed, and kneeling.
Before the nurses came, took you away,
I stood there on a chair and watched you pray.

Das ganze Album kommt nicht unbedingt gutgelaunt daher, ist aber auch nicht durchgehend todtraurig. Der Titeltrack beispielsweise ist etwas nostalgisch und trotzig hoffnungsvoll:

Buy me a shiny new machine
That runs on lies and gasoline
And all those batteries we stole from smoke-alarms
And disassembles my despair
It never took me anywhere
It never once bought me a drink

Weitere Anspieltipps sind „One great city!“ (mit der schönen Zeile „I hate Winnipeg“) und „The Prescience of Dawn“.

Auf einen Song des Albums muss noch gesondert eingegangen werden: „Plea from a cat named Virtute“ ist ein schöner Song, der die Beobachtungen einer Katze (die „Virtute“, nicht etwa „Virtue“, was aber wohl das gleiche, nur auf lateinisch bedeutet, heißt) erzählt, deren Herrchen in Alkohol und Selbstmitleid dahinvegetiert. Sie erzählt, wie das Leben laufen sollte, was er tun könnte, um diesem selbstzerstörerischen Zyklus zu entkommen, und droht/ermuntert am Ende:

All you ever want to do is drink and watch TV
And frankly that thing doesn’t really interest me
I swear I’m going to bite you hard
And taste your tinny blood
If you don’t stop the self-defeating lies
You’ve been repeating since the day you brought me home
I know you’re strong

Auf „Reunion Tour“ wird die Geschichte dann in „Virtute the cat explains her departure“ weitergesponnen. Es geht also offensichtlich nicht gut aus, Virtute lebt auf der Straße und verliert am Ende wunderschön traurig vorgetragen die letzte Bindung an ihr Herrchen: „I can’t remember the sound that you found for me“

Was bleibt? „Reconstruction Site“ und auch „Reunion Tour“ sollten sofort gekauft, alternativ geklaut werden, um das eigene Seelenheil zu sichern. Prost.

*) Schulkosten geschätzt.

On a night when there were at least a half dozen rock shows I wanted to see (the trouble with living in a city with so many terrific local groups), it was a no-brainer I’d end up standing near the stage at the Triple Rock Social Club watching one of my all-time favorite groups, The Weakerthans.

But first… Openers and fellow Canadians, Rock Plaza Central started things off with a terrific if hard to categorize set.  They have a sound at times reminiscent of Bonnie Prince Billy, The Louvin Brothers and Neutral Milk Hotel.  Let’s call it (very) Dark Americana  coupled with a sharp sense of humor.  A great way to warm up for the main event.

The last time I saw The Weakerthans was at Webster Hall in NYC, a mammoth venue with terrible sound.  The place has some cool and unique features throughout its cavernous layout, but not the best place to see a group like The Weakerthans.  One of the big plusses of moving to a smaller city is seeing great bands in more intimate venues.  Such was the case last night at a completely sold out Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis, home of great sound, great sight lines and amazing vegetarian meatloaf (seriously, soooo good [even the most carnivorous among us agree]).

Frontman John K Samson is easily among my favorite lyricists alongside the likes of Blake Schwarzenbach, Craig Finn (who also sites Samson as a favorite) and Bob Dylan. Dude can write as well as pen a catchy tune.

Aside from the excellent music, a couple between song highlights included Samson (jokingly) threatening to beat up a guy who made frequent requests for the Propaghandi (Samsons former band) song Ska Sucks (apparently this song is requested at a large percentage of Weakerthans shows [It's the Freebird of Weakerthans shows!]).  Samson also demonstrated his new found mastery of sliding the pick up and down the guitar string.  Maybe you had to be there…

In any case, great show.  Check both these bands out if you ever have the chance.

Well, we may not win a lot of medals at the summer olympics, be any good at soccer, or have any sort of national identity beyond maple syrup, beavers and politeness, but the indie musicians in this country make me proud to be from the great white north. I’ve been into lots of Canadian indies for quite a while, but recently I’ve discovered even more, partly due to the amazingness that is CBC Radio 3. If you’ve never listened to R3, go check it out. Now. Since you’re already online reading this post, you have no excuse not to go check it out.

Sooo, in the R3 vein, here are 10 of my favorite songs by some of my favorite Canadian indie artists, some of which I’ve loved for a long time, and others that I’ve discovered recently on Radio 3 and elsewhere…

I know that this post will end up being super long, so I’m going to post it in 3 parts. Here is part 2.

4. Gold Guns Girls – Metric

All of Fantasies , Metric’s newest album, is pretty rocking, so it’s hard to pick one song that’s a true standout. To be honest, there were at least 3 other songs from the album that could have been on this list, but… Gold Guns Girls won out in the end. I can always count on this track to give me a good pick-me-up and get me grooving (did I just say grooving? Yikes), or at least make me wish I was out dancing instead of sitting in my box at work (yes, I work in a box. It’s just big enough to fit my me, my computer and my giant mug of tea, and just small enough to make me feel slightly claustrophobic). Emily Haines’ breathy vocals give a great contrast to the driving beats; my favorite vocal section is what could be called the bridge I suppose (“I remember when we were gambling to win/everybody else said better luck next time…”) where her voice becomes really rich but at the same time make you feel like she’s telling you a secret. To me, Emily Haines always sounds like she’s smiling when she sings, and this gives Metric’s rockier songs an interesting twist as no matter how big the beat is, they still retain a sweeter side. The only thing this song is missing is my favorite Metric-ism – Succexy (I still think this is one of the greatest words ever), but it does have a great alliteration to keep the wordy types like me happy.

Other Recommendations: From Old World Underground, Where Are You Now – Succexy; From Fantasies – Gimme Sympathy, Stadium Love, Collect Call
Disclaimer: I kind of missed everything between Old World and Fantasies. I’m sure there’s lots of good stuff on their other albums… I just don’t know it!

5.Deny Deny Deny – Joel Plaskett

If I had only three words to describe this song they would be awesome, awesome, awesome. On his album Three, Joel Plaskett has achieved a feat that I would not have imagined possible – incorporating his triple word frenzy into 14 out of 27 songs while still managing to keep all of the songs unique and decidedly un-cheesy. I love a well executed concept album; I think gimmiky things like this are awesome if they’re well done, and this one most certainly is. Deny Deny Deny is my favorite of the three-pronged ballads (and also my favorite among the songs without triple names).

Joel Plaskett is such a quintessential east-coaster, and the fiddle that comes in early on in the song and reappears throughout reminds me of Sunday nights watching Road To Avonlea with my family… it’s such a typical maritime sound. The fiddle plays a huge part in making Deny Deny Deny memorable and unique, and it, along with the amazing male/female dialogue, the super catchy melody, and the singable lyrics, makes me want to put this song on constant repeat!

Other Recommendations (from Three): Every Time You Leave, Through & Through & Through, Rewindx3, Preciousx3, One Look

6. Left and Leaving – The Weakerthans

This one’s an oldie but a goodie. Left and Leaving will always be one of those songs that brings back memories for me. I love those songs, the ones that can transport you back to a different time and make you feel like you’re reliving past moments all over again. Nostalgia makes me happy, and this one really does it for me.

But even if this song holds no emotional ties for you, there are plenty more reasons why it will blow your mind. First and foremost, the Weakerthans are lyrical geniuses. I have yet to encounter a band that even comes close to them in their ability to create musical poetry. One of my favorites line in the song is the last one: “I wait in four four time/count yellow highway lines/that you’re relying on to lead you home”. What a beautiful piece of poetry. The metaphors and analogies that they use are so creative and interesting, and incredibly quotable while still being beautiful. Nowhere have I encountered so much good material for crypic facebook statuses, creative MSN names… um… yeah… before I really reveal my identity as an internet addict, let’s just say that the Weakerthans may be my favorite Canadian band of all time, and this song is a classic that will always hold a little piece of my heart.

Stay tuned for part three!

It’s the first day at Chart Attack and they’ve already  put me to work. In the first few hours I put out the following:

John K. Sampson to tour solo

Dizzee Rascal Calls Himself the New King of Pop

Said the Whale Announce New Album, Tour

Priestess Announces Canadian Tour

Matthew Good Tours Canada, Loves Cat

I’m really excited about how much I’m  already getting involved. On Thursday, I’ve booked an interview with The Swell Season (most notably of the Oscar-winning film, Once), and will be regularly producing the news until I am a bit more comfortable with the magazine’s structure. With any luck, I’ll be churning out regular pieces within weeks! From everything I did today, the piece on Dizzee is probably my favourite, it was nice to play around with my sardonic sense of humour, not to mention have it appreciated!

Almost any other year, Over the Rhine’s Ohio would have been my #1 album– by a longshot.

Everything about the album bears witness to its standing as a full-fledged masterpiece: Its epic, 2-disc and 90-minute length indicates its grand scope and vision, while its astonishing consistency testifies to the duo’s mastery of the form. And the form, in this case, is a deeply-rooted American songcraft that doesn’t distinguish between folk, country, gospel, rock, and blues. It’s a spectacular showcase for Karin Bergquist’s powerhouse vocals– truly, this album represents her full flourishing as a singer– but more than that, it’s an incredible feat of songwriting, a spiritual travelogue filled with devastating heartache and prayerful reflection, its concerns political and personal both at once. Few albums released this decade were as ambitious in their artistry, and fewer still were as effective.

Unfortunately– for Over the Rhine, anyway– they happened to release their opus right around the same time Joe Henry released his. Tiny Voices was, in many ways, Henry’s big step forward: Scar signaled that he was moving his art into an entirely new realm, but it did nothing to prepare listeners for the follow-up, an edgy and adventurous jazz-rock combo that ushered Henry into the rarefied company of songwriters like Tom Waits and Nick Cave. Sonically, it’s as bold as anything released this decade, its inspired improvisations seeming to recreate themselves every time the album is played. The songs themselves are elusive, embodying mystery and exuding grace. Henry would go on to make albums that were probably just as good, maybe even better in some respects, but Tiny Voices remains my favorite, and my top album of 2003 without question.

Nothing else released in that year comes close to matching the profundity or vision of those two twin peaks– a pair of honest-to-goodness modern-day classics– but that doesn’t mean there weren’t plenty of other exceptional and noteworthy albums that came out in 2003. The White Stripes released Elephant that year, their darkest and possibly their weirdest album. It might also be their most complex, and, depending on which day you ask me, it’s either my favorite of their records or a close second to the more primitive and ragged White Blood Cells.

Radiohead, of course, is, for many, the defining band of the 00s, and in 2003 they released Hail to the Thief, a record that’s noteworthy less for the material on it than for its signaling their return to more rock-oriented recording after the trips into the out-there with Kid A and Amnesiac. I think it’s the weakest album they made in the 00s, but, this being Radiohead, that hardly means it’s a dud: Yes, it may be a little bloated, but, as the angrier and more aggressive sequel to OK Computer, it’s as smartly political as any album released this decade, and it boasts numerous Radiohead classics.

Then, of course, there’s Outkast. If any group embodied the spirit of the decade, or set the tone for its music, as effectively as Radiohead, it was this duo. That said, the split double album Speakerboxx/The Love Below– featuring one solo disc by Big Boi and one by Andre– threw listeners for a loop when it arrived in 2003, and continues to do so even today. Despite its massive sales and Grammy-winning success, the album hasn’t necessarily aged well in the minds of many critics, which is no great surprise: After the disappointment of the Idlewild album, many began to understand it as the beginning of the end for hip-hop’s most visionary groups. That may be so, but the simple facts of the music itself remain unchanged: Speakerboxx is a blindingly ambitious and lively hip-hop album that would have been close to a five-star classic on its own. Couple it with the unerringly eccentric, often flat-out bizarre Love Below– inconsistent, but mostly brilliant– and you’ve got more than two hours of wildly entertaining, funny, insightful, and endlessly creative music. Few albums can make such a massive claim.

Two of the most singular talents in country music released records in 2003, and, not surprisingly, they stand as two of the best country albums of the decade. Lucinda Williams‘ World Without Tears is a nasty, hard-rocking album that surveys heartache and romantic peril; the music is alive with blood and tears and plenty of sex, and, for my money, it’s the sharpest thing Williams ever cut. Meanwhile, in a very different sphere of country music, Emmylou Harris made an almost impossibly elegant, meditative reflection on love, grace, God, and redemption, called Stumble Into Grace.

Other landmarks from the year 2003: The Weakerthans made a punkish pop/rock album called Reconsturction Site that was catchy, funny, and profound. The Shins released their terrific, classicist indie pop album, Chutes Too Narrow. Drive-by Truckers made one of their strongest sets– possibly my favorite of their albums– in the earthy, literate Decoration Day. The Innocence Mission created one of their strongest works, a beautiful reflection on companionship and sacrificial love called Befriended. Daniel Lanois‘ Shine is an album that I was quite taken with back in 2003, though it hasn’t held up so well– the vocal cuts are all wonderful, but the atmospheric instrumentals quickly become tedious. And, bizarrely enough, the soundtrack to the so-so TV series Crossing Jordan proved to have some of the finest music released all year. Artists like Joe Henry, Sam Phillips, Lucinda Williams, Richard Thompson, and the Holmes Brothers cover songs by the likes of Tom Waits, Jimi Hendrix, Lou Reed, and the Beatles. How could that possibly not be great?

That was 2003 for me. What were your favorites?

See also: 2000; 2001; and 2002.

The Weakerthans, one of my favourite bands, titled their sarcastic ode to Winnipeg, “One great city!” (The chorus, famously, is, “I hate Winnipeg.”) I dare say, however, that even amidst the wisecracks and jibes against Manitoba’s capital, it’s hard not to detect a begrudging admiration, even love for the town they call home. Because, as any Winnipegger knows, hating Winnipeg is how we show our love.

Sure, Winnipeg — often dubbed the Chicago of the North — has a long way to go before it achieves the greatness of its southern counterpart. Heck, it has a long way to go before it achieves greatness even compared to its Canadian cousins. Expansive suburban developments continue to push the urban boundary farther and farther from the city’s epicenter, straining the city’s aged infrastructure, mocking sensible urban planning and any attempt at residential intensification.

And yet.

And yet, for all its faults — and it has many — Winnipeg has a remarkable charm. It’s unpretentious: take it or leave it, like it or don’t, visit or pass it by for Calgary or Edmonton or Vancouver.  Winnipeg just is.

Sure, it doesn’t hurt that it’s home to a ballet, a symphony, an opera, no less than three premiere theatre companies and the second largest fringe-theatre festival in North America, and the soon-to-be national human rights museum; professional baseball, hockey and football; a rich cultural, political and musical history.

But, to me, it’s the soul of the place that sets it apart.

After years living in Canada’s capital – a city that once boasted, without irony, to be technically beautiful – I’m excited to live in a city that has enough humility not to claim to be the best city, but enough confidence to suggest to all those who visit that it’s one great city among many.

Auf Wiedersehen im nächsten Jahr. Schön war’s mit dir (auch wenn es anfangs nicht so richtig mit uns klappen wollte). Eine Sache noch bevor du gehst: Komm bitte beim nächsten Mal bitte etwas ehern aus der Hüfte, ja. Man sieht sich…

[The Weakerthans - Left And Leaving]

It’s raining today. This is what I listen to when it rains.

So I was going to post this news at 2am the other day after the announcement but I was too excited to type properly and I’ve only now found the time. The Weakerthans are touring Australia everyone, The Weakerthans!! The band that I have quietly been in love for almost the entire time I have been interested in music and the band I had given up hope of ever coming over here. This is possibly the most exciting tour announcement, for me, ever. Oh some other bands are playing too and this is easily the best lineup that rich kid who runs Soundwave has put together. Let’s just hope no one good cancels this year. I would actually cry if The Weakerthans did.

FAITH NO MORE, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, JANES ADDICTION, AFI, PARAMORE, HIM, ALEXISONFIRE, TAKING BACK SUNDAY, TRIVIUM, SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE, EAGLES OF DEATH METAL, THE GET UP KIDS, ANTI FLAG, REEL BIG FISH, MESHUGGAH, ALL TIME LOW,  DAY TO REMEMBER, IT DIES TODAY, ESCAPE THE FATE, CLUTCH, ISIS, GALLOWS, A WILHELM SCREAM, THE WEAKERTHANS, EMAROSA, ANVIL, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, COMEBACK KID, DANCE GAVIN DANCE, FOUR YEAR STRONG, YOU ME AT SIX, WHITECHAPEL, THE AQUABATS, ROLO TOMASSI, BARONESS, RX BANDITS, THE ALMOST, MAXIMUM THE HORMONE, THE CREEPSHOW

Soundwave will be happening in February 2010. Yeah this is an early announcement.

Soundwave Website

Allow me to share a bit of the geek in me. (I know, I know, it’s not hard to see, even from a distance.)

I have a deep and abiding fascination with the subject of “cryptozoology.” What the heck is that, you ask? I like to define it as the study of unverified animals. For the uninitiated, think Loch Ness, Champ or Sasquatch. The cable channel History has had a recent hit with Monsterquest, a scientific exploration of the search for these elusive creatures. Watch it, it’s a very interesting show even for those not into the topic. This blog is also a wonderful place to get a sense for the “scene” — I follow it closely.

On my morning commute, I was thinking about this subject in popular culture. YES, I actually do have a lot on my mind, but who can explain how the mind works. I thought I would try to pull together a list of songs that feature “cryptids” (the unverified creatures) in them. I have kept my list to only “a-list” artists in terms of impact. In other words, if your uncle wrote a song called “Mothman” he performs at open mic nights, he wouldn’t make the list. I have also kept it to things in the real world. So, as much as I LOVE Blue Oyster Cult’s masterpiece, Godzilla, it wouldn’t make it.

I do think I need some help. I found the process a LOT more difficult than I thought it would be. I KNOW I’m probably missing something, though. I thought I would put this out there and ask for your aid.

Here’s the list so far ::

1 ==> Synchronicity II — Reggae-Influenced Alt Rockers — The Police

Cryptid :: Loch Ness Monster
Sample Lyric ::

“Many miles away
Something crawls to the surface
Of a dark Scottish loch…”
————-

2 ==> Loch Ness Monster — Proto-Ska Artist — Laurel Aitken (recording as King Horror)

Cryptid :: Loch Ness Monster
Sample Lyric ::

“Loch Ness Monster…STRIKES
From the depths of the sea
I come to destroy…”
————-

3 ==> A Cappella in Acapulco — Swedish A Cappella Powerhouse — The Real Group

Cryptid :: Loch Ness Monster
Sample Lyric ::

“Don’t be afraid to wear a dress
When you’re looking for the monster in Loch Ness…”

————-

4 ==> The Kraken– Post-Punk Hot Jazz Devotees — Squirrel Nut Zippers

Cryptid :: The Kraken
Sample Lyric ::

This one’s an instrumental. No lyrics, here.

————-

5 ==> Lochness — Metal Pioneers — Judas Priest

Cryptid :: Loch Ness Monster
Sample Lyric ::

“A beastly head of onyx
With eyes set coals of fire
Its leathered hyde
Glides glistening
Ascends the heathered briar…”
————-

6 ==> Bigfoot! — Pseudo-Emo Alt-Rockers — The Weakerthans

Cryptid :: Sasquatch
Sample Lyric ::

“I’ll go through it all again
Watch their doubtful smiles begin
But the visions that I see believe in me…”
————-

7 ==> King Sasquatch — British Drum and Bass Pushers — Bad Company UK

Cryptid :: Sasquatch
Sample Lyric ::

No lyrics again. Another instrumental.
————-

8 ==> Sasquatch — Mega Rockers With a Wink — Tenacious D (Jack Black and Kyle Gass)

Cryptid :: Sasquatch
Sample Lyric ::

Scientists have proven that the Sasquatch, he is real.
Take a look at the plaster cast of his foot, now you know he’s real.
Listen real close to the audio tape, not human no you know he’s real.
Couldn’t be a man in gorilla suit, no fuckin’ way.
No, you know he’s real.
Real, real, real real, real, real, really real, real.
————-

Again, I need some help! Please comment with your thoughts and additions.

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The Weakerthans on a Monday morning ~ NICE!