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CD REVIEWS and FEATURES
CLICK HERE FOR LIVE REVIEWS
The Rails - This is How She Goes
by Andre Skinner
This Toronto band is cool, innovative, raw and are not trying to be something they're not. The whole package works, the CD cover looks like something from a mid 70's rock band and what you get on the inside is a great mix of tubular guitars sweet keys and an intelligent melding of 70's, 80 and modern sounds. The Rails are not political, they are more like the spokes persons for indie bands with tunes like Sound Check and Promoters Tango which details the trials and tribulations of life as indie artists. The icing on the cake is the quirky female vocal by LouLou who really drives the point home in all the songs with her honesty and individuality. The Rails rule dudes.
Andre
Gram Parsons: The Complete Reprise Sessions Rhino
by Andre Skinner
For people like myself who are totally blown away by Gram Parsons music and for other who simply like his music, this 3 CD set will set you straight. It has the G.P. and Grievous Angel albums on their own as originally released along with a 3rd CD of alternate takes and previously unreleased songs. One thing I really love about this set is that at the end of each CD you get rare interviews with Gram and a really cool live to radio interview/performance he and his band did while on tour with Emmylou Harris. During that radio spot the band perform Sin City live, which is low-fi but very cool seeing as Emmylou had never performed on a released version of that song. Not only has this CD set all the cool audio extras but it also comes with a sweet 50-page booklet that includes great photos and stories about his short but sweet music career. Last but not least the packaging is awesome, the 3 CD’s and booklet come in a very nice cardboard case with an alternate photo on the cover taken for the G.P. cover. This package totally rocks everybody who enjoys country music should definitely own a copy.
Gram Parsons: Fallen Angel DVD Rhino
by Andre Skinner
Gram Parsons life is truly that of a legend with his amazing music career with the Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers and his own solo career that was cut tragically short by the fast life of sex drugs and rock’n roll. Fallen Angel is a documentary that is gripping to say the least. This DVD covers everything from his family background and his upbringing to his beginnings in music and how his legendary career began at Harvard with the International Submarine Band. This story is authenticated by musical heavyweights such as Keith Richards, Emmylou Harris and Chris Hillman who all tell great stories about their musical ventures with Gram. There are also interviews with his former road manager Phil Kaufman talking about life on the road and telling his controversial story about stealing Parsons body from LAX back in 1973. One thing that is very interesting to watch on this DVD is the rare videos that we’re shot with the Burrito Bros that seem a little cheesy now but we’re likely way ahead of their time back in the early 70’s. This documentary is not groundbreaking in style or production but it does cover everything you would ever need to know about Gram Parsons intriguing life story and is define tally worth checking out.
The Bovine Sex Club NXNE 2006
MySpace Comment/Show Review
Jun 10, 2006 5:20 AM
You kicked ass at the Bovine tonight!
I knew I would love your band as soon as I saw your profile several weeks ago. If you look at my personal profile on my Top 16, not only do I have many of the same influences as you do, half the movies I love are vampire movies, therefore; it makes me love your band even more ;) My kind of band, great show!
Kudos for a spectacular ending to the night...
Mary
White Cowbell Oklahoma at NXNE
By: Andre Skinner
I thought I had seen it all after NXNE's 2004 Erocktica show at the Bovine with strippers and all that, but nothing I mean nothing comes close to a White Cowbell Oklahoma show, especially with a capacity crowd at the Legendary horseshoe Tavern for NXNE. With people lined out the door and dying to get in I knew this would be a show not to be missed. First off W.C.O. got the crowd juiced up and ready to go with their shotgun wielding sheriff who came out on stage and starred down the crowd making sure there we're no posers on hand, a few minutes pass and the band busted out on stage and got right down to business with some good o'll southern metal. I've never seen more energy and straight up kickass ear splitting' rock than at that show.
A few tunes in things started getting visually interesting when a sweet little cowgirl came out on stage and stated shakin' her thang eventually shaking it off showing some tits and ass, the crowd was freaking out and and the Horseshoe started heating up. The guys in the front row really got their money's worth as a couple of them got a face full of jiggling tits. They didn't seem to mind a bit.
W.C.O. was easily 3 times louder than the other bands I had seen earlier in the night and without exaggerating I left the Horseshoe with some ear damage. - IT WAS STILL WORTH IT.
Ladytron (Interview with Rueben Wu)
By: Bryen Dunn
Its a beautiful day in Jacksonville. Thanks for calling the Hyatt. How can I help you?
Im put through to the room of Rueben Wu, one-quarter of Ladytron, currently one of the UKs hottest export commodities. Wu was in Jacksonville, Florida doing a solo DJ set before heading to the South-By-Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas. He had one other DJ gig in Cleveland before flying back to Liverpool for a couple of Ladytron warm up shows at Korova ~ the bands own club. They are now in the midst of their 2006 tour with stops in Europe before crossing the Atlantic for some North American performances, including Toronto.
Sounding quite relaxed, Wu confesses, Ive been DJing since I was 18, long before being a musician. Today a couple of us DJ, as people are intrigued by what were about and what type of music were into. Stating that his sets are generally electro-sounding, he mentions the time when he was called upon for a gig in Madrid at 5 A.M. for a hard-based techno set. You just go with whats happening at the time, he laughs.
Based in Liverpool, Ladytron ~ with Daniel Hunt, Mira Aroyo, and Helen Marnie completing the lineup ~ seem to be at the helm of todays DIY-Indie culture. Wu and Hunt are both natives of England, Marnie hails from Scotland, and Bulgarian born Aroyo rounds out the global composition that has provided influence to many of their songs. They are part of a scene of individuals who are creating a buzz as DJs, musicians, producers and promoters. They were recently asked to curate a special evening at the South Bank Centre in London as part of the Ether06 Festival. The event was described as a combination of a childrens party and arcane social experiment.
The band has always been involved in the Liverpool music scene since gravitating to the city several years ago. They had a successful club-night at Le Bateau called Liquidation, before deciding to open Korova (www.korova-liverpool.com). The weekly Indie night, EVOL, spotlights bands and DJs, providing others with an expression outlet. The obvious references to Clockwork Orange and Sonic Youth are in sync with naming their band after the title of an early Roxy Music song.
One year into the new millennium came the release of 604, a synth-based collection of catchy tunes. They were quickly adopted by the UKs New Music Express, and the foursome soon found themselves being compared to 80s musical icons, Human League. Its no surprise really, given the 2-boy-2-girl composition, the retro hairstyles, and that retro analog sound.
Wu is one of the key re-mixers in the group and mentions that he has just completed dance remixes for their songs, Hi-Rise and International Dateline. Besides remixing their own songs, they are sought after by other bands seeking a different sound. With the recent release of the Jim Abbiss (Placebo) produced Witching Hour, their 3rd full-length, the sound is much more polished, a tinge darker, and has further defined their own unique style. Destroy Everything You Touch is a power driven pop song destined to become an underground classic.
The obvious had to be asked being based in Liverpool are there any plans to do a Beatles cover? Wu admits that they were once asked while in Shanghai (twin city to Liverpool), but it just never happened. We were actually considering it but then got sidetracked with something else, he confesses. Probing further he discloses, If it ever were to happen, it would likely be a B-side or a live recording, and probably Taxman as thats the only song that fits our style.
Wu describes touring today as quite different to their first 604 tour, when he admits we sounded like the record. For their subsequent Light and Magic tour they added a bassist and drummer which allowed the band the flexibility to have more fun with their stage antics. I point out that Hunt was once quoted as saying, live shows are not important to the band. Wu laughs, It was likely during our first tour when we were lugging our own gear around and the equipment often broke down. Theyve since evolved and Wu is quick to point out that, touring provides a way of thinking that we need for self development. We cant survive without gigging. Good news for their growing legion of fans across the globe.
Ladytron play Torontos Opera House on April 20th (sold out) and Montreals Club Soda
on the 19th, which at the time of printing still had tickets available.
www.ladytron.com www.myspace.com/ladytron
Bryen Dunn
www.bryendunn.com
Email: info@bryendunn.com
Phone: 416 761 1673
CMW-uh?
By Bryen Dunn
Canadian Music Week blew through town once again last weekend, and just like
a hurricane it wreaked some havoc. There was the usual confusion,
cancellations and disappointment amongst the highlights of the Festival. I'm
not going to give you the typical band reviews, but more a CMW critique.
The "week" began on Wednesday with "The Indie Awards" which could be an
excellent venue for promoting "indie" bands, but it's more a who's hot right
now sort of event. This year they even honoured a couple of old school
Canuck bands, Parachute Club and Pursuit of Happiness, into the "Indie Hall
of Fame". Back in the 80's the sound was known as "alternative" until
mainstream took over that word. Now it appears "indie" is about to be
morphed into the corporate world of music as well. What next? "Underground"
seems to be still valid as an all encompassing homage to the undiscovered
talents out there.
There were performances by The Stars and Magnet that were not really much to
drool over. Overall winners sounded like a top 40 play list with Arcade
Fire, Bedouin Sound Clash, Broken Social Scene, Metric, DFA1979 and even Sum
41. If this is "indie" then I would say suggest all bands out there sign up
to a (major) label quick if you want to be recognized.
Seriously though, something a bit more "underground" is The Galaxie Rising
Stars Award of the CBC, which helps new artists promote their name in the
Canadian music industry. This year the Award was determined by Critics'
Choice where music journalists across Canada voted to determine the winner.
The shortlist for the 2006 Galaxie Rising Stars Award of the CBC was as
follows, with Elliott Brood being chosen the overall winner with most votes.
All Purpose Voltage Heroes "Already Haunted" (Rectangle)
Black Mountain "Black Mountain" (Jagjaguwar/Scratch)
Elliott Brood "Ambassador" (Six Shooter)
Comeback Kid "Wake The Dead" (Smallman)
The Diableros "You Can't Break The Strings In Our Olympic Hearts"
(Independent)
Final Fantasy "Has A Good Home" (Blocks)
Holy Fuck "Holy Fuck" (Dependent)
Jon-Rae and The River "New Songs For The Old Town" (Permafrost)
Republic of Safety "Passport" (Independent)
So the "week" continues the following evening, which is the first night you
can use your wristband for anyone who actually purchased one of these. At
$35 a pop, it's hard to get full value over the three nights (Thursday to
Saturday) of the "week". Don't forget to add on cab fares if you actually
want to catch bands in various venues, but if you stuck to one venue for the
night at $8, you'd be paying $24 for all 3 nights - a savings of $11 right
off the top. But the purpose of CMW is to bop around club hopping, perhaps
getting somewhere to encounter a line up, or they are at "wristband
capacity", then it's another decision to be made. So in order to see the
bands you want you have to be pretty slick and on the ball. The CMW website
isn't any help as it seems the format hasn't been updated in years, and
navigating around is very cumbersome.
As for the tradeshows, these are actually quite valuable to those in the
industry. It's great for networking and learning tricks of the trade for new
musicians. There are tons of seminars with guest speakers, not all of which
are sales pitches. These are industry-only events so no need to flash your
wristband here.
I didn't actually notice many line ups this year, except for the show piece
event on Saturday at Lee's, with current darlings Mstrkrft. These cover boys
(on NOW Magazine) packed the place and evidently this was a known fact long
before the Saturday performance as NOW had the show listed as "sold out".
Another loss for those with wristbands, but they are pretty though and
likely reusable for something.
Then over at Social and Spin Gallery, the owners decided to cancel the
showcase that evening due to poor turnout the previous nights. The owners
didn't feel like taking a loss when they could generate more revenue from
their regular Saturday night DJ crowd. How could CMW let this happen? Are
there not any contracts in place with venues? Will Social be allowed as a
participating venue next year?
So the cancellation sucks, not only for people heading there to catch some
bands of interest, but also to the bands that came in specifically to play
CMW. Luckily some quick thinking and the show went on as a "house party"
just up the street. Now that's the "indie" spirit of a true music festival.
Comments: info@themarsbar.com
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Strut Magazine - Toronto Launch Party
By Bryen Dunn
On Wednesday March 8th The Berkeley Church (Queen and Parliament) was once
again transformed into a concert venue/promotional showcase for a Strut
Magazine www.strutmagazine.com event. Last year they created headlines by
bringing in Juliette Lewis and the Licks. This year performances by NYC's
"Morningwood" and Montreal's "The Stills" didn't bring the same buzz but the
bands rocked out in fine format.
Strut defines itself as "Canada's Coolest Magazine" and "the best in
Canadian fashion, photography and culture. I personally flipped through the
glossy pages scanning the 50% advertising content, 30% pictures, and finally
the 20% text that might of interest to readers. If you're a fan of GQ or
Vogue this is likely aimed at you, and you were likely at the launch party
as well.
This year the purpose of the party was to announce their new Toronto digs
over near Queen and Dufferin in the trendy west end of the city, after 3
years in their home town of Montreal. VICE Magazine recently moved into the
Parkdale area as well. Strut is now claiming they are going to conquer the
country one city at a time. Not sure if they know of the success/failure
rate of most publications, but then again with a 50% advertising content I'm
sure they will likely stay afloat longer than other upstarts.
The Launch Party itself was jam-packed, thanks to some excellent PR work.
Corporate sponsorship was everywhere including Oakley, Motorola and Skyy
Vodka. Morningwood (www.moringwoodrocks.com) came out shortly after 9 and
within minutes lead singer Chantal Claret had me thinking of her as the new
Patti Smyth. Tons of energy, hard-ass vocals and a no-shit attitude give her
control of the stage. Their single, "Take Off Your Clothes" was inspiration
for her to call up a young vixen from the crowd and then proceeded to rip
her clothes off her and got into some girl-on-girl soft core. Their
self-titled debut is a hit on college, university and indie stations across
the USA. It helps to have the credibility of producer Gil Norton (Echo and
the Bunnymen, Pixes, Foo Fighters) behind them.
The Stills (www.thestills.net) were quite tame after the explosive openers,
but they did their best to keep the attention of the largely non-attentive
crowd. This crowd was there after receiving complimentary invitations (and
drinks if you arrived early enough), again thanks to the good PR work. After
a solid 30 minute set, The Stills left the stage to make way for Carlos D,
from NYC's Interpol. Apparently he was quite late arriving, and again an
uninterested crowd couldn't care less and started filing out by 11pm.
I'm sure accomplishment was achieved by all parties involved with this
party. Let's see what they get up to next.
Comments: info@themarsbar.com
Bronx Cheerleader
Raising the bar for indie bands
By Andre Skinner
2005 proved to be a banner year for the music industry, we were introduced to many hot bands such as Bloc Party, Death Cab For Cutie, The Bravery and many more. The bar has certainly been raised from art rock to punk and all genres in between. That said, Bronx Cheerleader certainly felt they had to come out swinging and in top form with their debut full length “Tough Guy Cliches” in 2005. After a few spins of this brilliant debut I couldn't’t stop listening to it and decided that it was one of the best debut’s I’ve heard and was definitely one of the strongest releases of the year.
Rising from the ashes of former Toronto psych-rockers Pope Factory is founding member Scott Warren who after almost 3 years on hiatus following a the band’s breakup in 2001 had to bust out his axe and songwriting chops to get back to doing what he loves best: playing music. After writing a few new tunes in 2003 Scott had his momentum back and was on his way to laying out the blueprints for “Tough Guy Cliches”. This proved to be quite a task because Scott, who had since settled into domestic bliss with a new house and a brand new baby, had to find the time to juggle way more tasks than he was used to in prior music projects. The big changes had not only altered Scott’s lifestyle but also his songwriting which had evolved from the guitar rock sounds of Sonic Youth to a more mellow, yet still trippy, rock style comparable to the melodic styles of Mercury Rev, and vocal sounds of Elliot Smith.
Over 2 years into the project and a few band names later Bronx Cheerleader was officially born. The process of recruiting the band came while recording the CD, Scott had most of the tracks in place but needed key overdubs such as mandolin, lead guitars, drums and bass so he had to start making some calls to find players. The members of the band consist of a mixed bag of Scott’s musical acquaintances varying from family, friends, former band mates and a new recruit from a local record label, they are; original Pope Factory drummer (Sauder), brother in law & guitarist (Tom Tracey), long time friend and ex Palooka bassist (Eron Stroud), and finally Yummy Recordings label head and guitarist Joe Lapinsky. Having such a talented crew of musicians on his side was exactly what Scott needed to seal the deal and put out the long awaited “Tough Guy Cliches” and also have a spot reserved for the band on Yummy Recordings.
After the official release of Tough Guy Cliches, Bronx Cheerleader had to test the Canadian Indie market and start promoting their product, after sending out some promo CD’s they we’re surprised to find themselves on the national Top 50 chart of the Canadian College Radio circuit for over a month straight along with a spot on Earshot’s Top 30 Chart. Not too shabby for a St. Catharines band who had never even fully rehearsed or played a live show.
With such an impressive start in the band’s infancy there’s no question that we will be seeing and hearing great things to from this St. Catharines band as they are now in rehearsals preparing to hit the stage for the spring/summer season of 2006 and Scott Warren continues penning new material for their next CD which undoubtedly will be another killer album.
www.bronxcheerleader.com
André Skinner -
"AWESOME; I . SHOT THAT!"
Beastie Boys Film Review
Da 3 Dudes known as the Beastie Boys www.beastieboys.com are trying the talents in film nowadays - well sort of. "AWESOME; I . SHOT THAT!" - it's concert footage from their 2004 Madison Square Garden show taken by 50 concert-goers who were given cameras to film the Boys in concert, the fans, and anything else they felt like supposedly. The result is a
grainy-amateur-like 90 minute waste of time, visually anyway.
I think this could prove rock stars do not equal film producers. I totally
get what they were trying to accomplish, but let's leave this for the
amateurs and independents who don't have corporate backing and therefore it's an honest depiction of what they are capable of, not something
"creatively" put together by professionals. To add to the hype, THINKfilm
(www.thinkfilmcompany.com) did a pre-release on March 23rd that was shown on close to 200 screens across North America.
This was preceded by the world premiere of "A DAY IN THE LIFE OF NATHANIAL HORNBLOWER," a 30-minute short created specifically for this one-time event. This was quite the entertaining piece that followed Mr. Hornblower (David Cross - Arrested Development) through the streets of NYC doing his day-to-day activities while on his cross country skis - with no snow. He goes about his business dressed as a German Biermeister - not a leprechaun! There were a couple of priceless lines such as when finishing his morning expresso - "It's the elixir of the gods ~ a tiny cup of crystal meth".
FYI - Hornblower is a pseudonym for Beastie Boy Adam Yauch, who directed both flicks. THINKfilm states the short "will self-destruct right after it
is presented on March 23rd, never to be seen again." This enterprise is the
force behind independent and non-fiction film for the past four years, and
future projects include the movie version of "Strangers With Candy".
"AWESOME; . I SHOT THAT!" hits theatres for its regular run on April 14,
2006.
Comments: info@bryendunn.com
Absolut Vodka Makes Music
Absolut Vodka has always been known as the trendy artsy vodka, right from
that day in 1985 when they collaborated with Andy Warhol to create exclusive artwork for the label. They've since worked with many others in the art and fashion worlds, including Tom Ford, Jean Paul Gaultier, Gianni Versace and Kenny Scharf.
March 23rd was the official Canadian launch of their newest project, Absolut Tracks and specifically Absolut Kravitz, a venture into the music business with a recognizable internationally known personality. Legendary Lenny Kravitz (www.lennykravitz) agreed to write, produce and release his latest single exclusively via Absolut. "Breathe" is an excellent dance track that will likely be all over the airwaves this summer. It's yet another direction
Kravitz has taken, as with all his other non-categorical releases. He's
quoted as saying, "I wanted something with a simple dance beat, ala Donna
Summer's I Feel Love". I think he may have that down pat.
The one stipulation when developing the song for Absolut was to incorporate
the brands core values ~ clarity, simplicity and perfection. Kravitz admits,
"There's nothing more simple, clear or perfect than the essence of true
love. Once I'd felt that, the track just came.
What makes this release even more interesting is that it has already been
remixed by 10 different artists, and all tracks are available for free
download at www.absoluttracks.com, along with the video. Not sure what the
major labels are going to think of this approach, but Absolut seem to be
once again on the leading edge of pop culture. The Canadian link to all this
is a remix done by Montreal's DJ-duo Chromeo (www.chromeo.net), who
performed their remix version at the launch party. Other featured artists
are from Australia, Germany, Mexico, the US, and China.
The Launch was held at the Artcore Gallery in the Distillery District of
Toronto (www.thedistillerydistrict.com). Thanks to Absolut for their newest creations: Absolut Limelight, Apple Sweety, and Monsoon.
Comments: info@bryendunn.com
CANADIAN MUSIC WEEK 2006 - LIVE REVIEWS
Royal Wood at the Cadillac Lounge - March 4th
The night started pretty frustrating as my girlfriend and I we're denied entry to both the Horseshoe Tavern and Lee's Palace by frustrated doorperson's seemingly on a mission to make lives miserable. Even with the CMW delegate passes we we're denied, this being a first as I'm used to no lineups and no questions. So I decided on trying out the Cadillac Lounge which proved to be a wise choice and there was room to breathe in the bar and good acts to be seen. As I entered Royal Wood was on stage doing his best to wow the crowd with his somewhat Harry Connick Jr. esque soft voice and tall slim good looks. He's one of those musicians that even if he tried he could not hit a sour note, he had the smooth confidence that made his tunes stick in your head and roll along with groovy melodies. The first tune I saw was played on an acoustic guitar and to my surprize he hopped on the keys and jammed out a couple of more ditty's. For someone who was playing solo he was simply brilliant.
Andre Skinner
Yellow Light at the Cadillac Lounge - March 4th
After Royal Wood's easy going and laid back tunes I figured something similar would follow, well I was wrong. Enter 2 bombshell babes from Vancouver heading up their hard rock combo Yellow Light. They got started on the right note as their Les Paul's engaged and started blasting away at the crowd, the music was heavy, rocking and ballsy similar to that of Hole and Veruca Salt. The band stood out more visually than they did musically as I think they need a little more time writing hits than looking hot.
Sylvie at the Horseshoe Tavern - March 4
I decided to try the Horseshoe again after being denied earlier in the night and was let in before the lieup of 30 plus people without question??? As I entered the back room Wintersleep we're just finishing up and Sylvie we're about to grace the stage. The band was way cool, I mean there's something about a female bassist that usually lends to ballsy rockin' music. Sure enough this Regina band was blazin' though their set with the crowd engaged in every song. The singing duties we're traded off between the bassist and rhythm guitarist which made for a pretty cool and diverse set of hard/emo/rock somwhat remeniscent of Sonic Youth. With Sylvie's innovative sound I was pleasantly surprised and I'm now a fan. Excellent performance.
Andre Skinner
Much anticipated Anti-Hero Rocks the Bovine
Not many years ago, “pop-punk” would have been an oxymoron. We are blessed to be in a time in music that is seemingly free of constraints. Anti-Hero rides this wave by delivering a one-two punch of pop and punk that leaves a **** eating grin on your face as your knees buckle and you fall to the mat. Anti-Hero is both of pop and punk, both rude and charming, while being true to both extremes. The reason it works is their sincerity and energy.
Toying with the catholic goth school girl gone bad fantasy, Rose Perry fronts the band. Never far from her side is Nic, the tall blonde goddess foil to Rose, with the face of an angel but the voice of a demon. “I am 21” says Rose after the show. “Nicole here is still a tender 20 years of age.” To Rose’s right is band co-founder Jesse on lead guitar. Keeping the beat alive on drums is Matty - who the band kidded on stage, about having the nicest boobs of the team.
The band held nothing back, opening their set with the title track to their CD, “Unpretty.” Another song was later dedicated to their producer Rob Sanzo (Parade, Rob Black, Crash Kelly) who said to me later that although they showed a little greenness their first time in the studio he can see their potential, he loves their energy and is excited that Anti-Hero has no where to go but up. “Two words” was another crowd pleaser and by that time in the set the band owned the whole crowd.
The band had the presence of a stadium headliner. Rose knows how to front a band; she knows where the cameras are and won’t let the audience drift off. Anti-Hero got into the audiences face at Canadian Music Week and if they live up to their obvious potential, everyone in attendance will be boasting years from now, “I saw them first way back in ’06 at the Bovine Sex Club.”
Joe Chisholm
Fun Times Galore at The Crow Bar
Galore makes you remember when rock was young. They honour the music but don’t take themselves too seriously. With all due respect to the 100s of CMW bands I didn’t get to see, Galore wins my “Next Band to Break Out” award. They’ve got it all going for them. Galore is another band with the Moe Berg’s (producer) influence - infectious harmonies, catchy beats and choruses that invite you in.
Already getting satellite radio play this band is one break form Main Street to main stream. The show concluded with a rocking’ version of John Lennon’s “Cold Turkey” and closed the deal with “She’s an Elevator.”
Kudos to the owner and staff of The Crow Bar, who hosting a great night for Bhurr Records. Chris Case (RCDmusic.com) emceed what was a great night for the future of Canadian Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Joe Chisholm
Tacoma Redd Raises the Crow Bar
Here’s a band with two gears – neutral and 5th gear, without much use for neutral. 100% power pop describes them perfectly. They come at you full throttle and you wonder how they will keep this up then they do. Front man, Doug Smart engages a crowd like no other – dancing, pointing, wide eyed and when the constraints of a stage were too much for him, Doug join the audience, mic in hand. Kind of like a zoo with no fences, Tacoma Redd makes you part of the show.
Talking to Chris Bell (bass), Bryan Richards (guitar) Dean Glover (drums) and Doug afterwards they talked with glee about working with producer Moe Berg on their CD. “Simplicity was the theme of the day” recalls Chris, “Keep it simple and be true to the song.” “Moe gets us.” Doug piped in. “We shopped around a lot for a producer but about two sentences into talking to Moe we all thought, ‘Wow, this guy gets it.’”
If you missed them, Tacoma Redd isn’t going drift into the shadows. Catch up with them at www.myspace.com/tacomaredd and check out an upcoming show. Bring your ID, but leave the Prozac at home. There guys will get your synopses firing.
Joe Chisholm
Dunes rock the Rancho Relaxo for CMW
If asked “what were your expectations, playing at Canadian Music Week?” some artists would say “Lights, cameras, a river of Champaign and a spectacle of journalists, A&R reps and industry insiders clamoring for our attention.”
When asked the same question, Kevin Pullen, singer and rhythm guitarist of The Dunes said, “If we can get our music out to a few new people we’ll be happy.” This humble and healthy approach to music will be one of the important building blocks that will keep these blue collar Rockers prominently in the face of the Toronto indie scene. Like the pied piper, The Dunes music is creating an ever growing following of Dunes fans, from town to town and venue to venue. If you missed them, you don’t want that to happen again. From their Rancho Relaxo CMW set (The first venue they ever played at by the way), The Dunes are off to Guelph before coming back to The Mod Club, Gladstone, Savoy, Cadillac Lounge and somewhere in there, finding time to do a live feature for IndieCan.com. The Dunes alt/rocked the Rancho Relaxo, breathing fresh life into the CMW weary midnight crowd. A packed house enjoyed a hot set and I am certain Kevin got his wish – a few new Dunes fans were added to their following. Keep these guys on your radar screen by following them at www.myspace.com/dunesrock.
Joe Chisholm
Canteen Knockout - Mitzi's Sister - 14/1/2006
For anyone who likes a little "twang" in their rock or a little "alt" in
their country, Canteen Knockout (along with guest act Shawn Sage) was their
best bet last Saturday night at Mitzi's Sister. The hip low-key venue had
a great crowd in attendance and Andre Skinner and his henchmen served up a
great set of alt-country/grassroots rock offerings that they are known for.
The band seems to have mastered their sound and the material seems to be
delivered now in a way that only CKO can deliver it. Skinner is one of
those frontmen who is at his best when he is at his most relaxed, and on
this night he definitely was. Guitarist Alex Maxymiw always alternates
seamlessly from the electric guitar to pedal steel, depending on the song.
That band's staple tunes were performed like their 2003 EP opener BENT OUT
OF SHAPE, as well as their new material garnering attention like the
single-bound HEADLINES and the beautiful easy-going HOME, both from their
forthcoming full length album hopefully out sometime in 2006. The music
seems definitely headed more in the (alt) country vein rather than the
variety of styles explored in their debut disc. The marketing, more
spagetti western (check out their kick-ass posters these days) and the
Skinner attire more fitting, great black western style shirt he was sporting
on stage(!). This was CKO's first big local gig of 2006 and a good
beginning to what will hopefully be a good year for our T-dot twang-packing
unsung heroes. Long may they ride.
Jeff Cole
Bobfest at the Renaissance Cafe 24/2/2006
The Renaissance Cafe had no shortage of a crowd last Friday as the local Dylan hardcores gathered for the first installment of Bobfest. The humble east end bar located at Danforth and Woodbine was pretty much at capacity by 9:30pm as the crowd was ready and on time for the 8:30pm start. Local singer songwriter and host Shawn Sage got things started right by playing Like a Rolling Stone and night was off on great note. There was amazing local talent on the bill with names such as Sam Larkin, Arthur Renwick, Jeff Cottrill, Peter Verity, Mike Barr and many more. The night went on till the wee hours and the music was still hapenning in the form of an open jam at 2:30am. From my perspective everyone in the place had a blast and I saw many leave with huge smiles on their faces. So keep your eyes and ears peeled for the next Bobfest.
Andre Skinner
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