tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21639200806044175632024-03-21T18:28:19.641-07:00Continuous Thunder Indie rock and more! Concert reviews, setlists, album reviews, songs I'm digging, music news and what I think about it. Based in Edmonton. Subscribe for a good time!
Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-88911422305110242192024-01-04T17:49:00.000-08:002024-01-04T17:58:50.157-08:00Top 20 Songs of 2023<p>Well folks, Continuous Thunder is a decade old. That's right - 10 years ago, pushed by friends, family, and a particular distaste of "poptimist" music critique, I started the Continuous Thunder music blog. Named after one of my all-time favourite tunes by Japandroids, I had big dreams for the blog - concert reviews, album reviews, lists, interviews and more. After all, blogs were all the rage back then! Said the Gramophone (with their glorious free mp3s), Earmilk, and Hype Machine were some of my favourites back in those days and I aspired to emulate even a fraction of their success. But most of all, I just wanted to share a pure passion for indie, rock and alt music that I was hearing and was excited about. </p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWK8y_IPVdJAKEJ39dxl-5Qc5cFU4yMtbMA7m5i0zg7gfjK5Zusbj9HrUNz3NisPYl8tCktPGmO54hT3w36XGxGnOyWjua1xt4gPPnHB_L9YR0bcN5OfGfz9mL2-RLMhFQCjG1GrtoljSsmAvBTFWHIiaO3gsRubJRP6wOTG4Vgr81FcRPayfgsqeTyM/s4032/IMG_8110.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWK8y_IPVdJAKEJ39dxl-5Qc5cFU4yMtbMA7m5i0zg7gfjK5Zusbj9HrUNz3NisPYl8tCktPGmO54hT3w36XGxGnOyWjua1xt4gPPnHB_L9YR0bcN5OfGfz9mL2-RLMhFQCjG1GrtoljSsmAvBTFWHIiaO3gsRubJRP6wOTG4Vgr81FcRPayfgsqeTyM/w240-h320/IMG_8110.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bully at Biltmore, Aug 2023</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Back in 2013, I was a 19 year old in 2nd year at UBC and spent at least a couple nights a week seeing bands at some of Vancouver's legendary venues such as the Commodore Ballroom or the Rickshaw Theatre. But my absolute favourite venue was the Biltmore Cabaret. It's a 350 cap intimate downstairs bar venue in Mount Pleasant with a great setup, local craft beer (at least back then), and provides the perfect sized venue for emerging indie artists. In 2013 alone, I saw Japandroids on the last stop of their vaunted "Celebration Rock" tour, Two Hours Traffic (final tour) with Zeus and Rah Rah, and Cloud Nothings on an early tour, all at the Biltmore. Having so many bands come perform a single Vancouver stop on an otherwise American-only tour was a revelation for an Edmonton kid who was used to missing out on all the good tours. I was in indie rock heaven. </p><p>Recently, I was flipping through the used bin at my local record store, and a dusty purple coloured LP caught my eye. Pulling it out of its scratched plastic bag, I realized I had Surfer Blood's 2013 record <i>Pythons </i>in my hands<i>. </i>Flipping it over, I saw the $10 sticker on the back and knew it was coming home with me. Back home, I placed the record needle on that first groove and the opening riff to "Demon Dance" crackled into the air. Immediately, I was taken right back to my dorm room, playing air guitar in my house coat and screaming along to this absolute belter of a summer rock tune. I stand by it - that was 2013's best tune. ( http://continuousthunder.blogspot.com/2013/12/top-25-songs-of-2013.html )</p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IUkzWeKUsFnDySSo-KthwpekQBbwFtC6-4WVu6PPKeIoMCGdZ8-TmEQHPk6ciyO1AbMpbHE0F05UKcyXsjr2bBGS_PKNEtS0cRzQ5Qz0nE2F5-dtq7bUQgSHF2SdJoWZ2m27Trq4XDl7wVOCFqeB8-c1jfgcu1qrNXmpL_FIczXVuZQe5SYlBWJZE58/s4032/IMG_8485.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IUkzWeKUsFnDySSo-KthwpekQBbwFtC6-4WVu6PPKeIoMCGdZ8-TmEQHPk6ciyO1AbMpbHE0F05UKcyXsjr2bBGS_PKNEtS0cRzQ5Qz0nE2F5-dtq7bUQgSHF2SdJoWZ2m27Trq4XDl7wVOCFqeB8-c1jfgcu1qrNXmpL_FIczXVuZQe5SYlBWJZE58/s320/IMG_8485.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dope Lemon at Midway, Nov 2023</span></td></tr></tbody></table>10 years on and Continuous Thunder (the blog) maybe didn't turn out as expected. In 2014, I managed to commit to my goal, and wrote 18 blogs in that year. But in 2015, just 4. In 2016, just a lone single blog - my top songs of that year. Since then, the top songs post has been a single year staple of this blog (ok, I missed 2021, but it was a global pandemic, cut me some slack). Life got busy - I met the love of my life, graduated university, travelled, moved cross-country, started a career, got married. At the same time, the blog internet also started to die as attentions turned to Youtube and podcasting for music criticism. However, I still love to read all the year end lists from Pitchfork, Paste, NME, and others - and I hope you'll continue to keep reading this blog once a year. I promise to keep writing. </p><p>In 2013, I offered to burn CDs of the top 15 songs for those who wanted a copy. Hilarious! Given I no longer possess the technology to do that anymore, I can only offer a Spotify playlist - linked <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2UFTYjsQrLAYXMOX3ns5d3?si=ecf0b61cf36c4026">HERE</a> and below. I've also amassed the top 10 songs from every year's list from the past decade into a 100 song super playlist, linked <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4xQHkZVrMeAnzyJLJ4wr2m?si=1532af9e2ada405a">HERE</a>. I even added 7 of my favourites from the missing 2019, as a special easter egg. </p><p><b>20. "Sleepless" - Bombay Bicycle Club feat Jay Som - <i>My Big Day</i></b></p><p>A return to to form: Jay Som adds her beautiful shoegaze-y vocals to this indie jam from industry stalwarts Bombay Bicycle Club.</p><p> <iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/6tOmIMV6xTaQJkDVuGulUD?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe> </p><p><b>19. <i>"</i>Fingers of Steel" - Shame - <i>Food for Worms</i></b></p><p>Post-punk rockers Shame returned in 2023 as grown men. Formed as a high school band in East London in 2018, Shame's early work largely relied on pure noise, vulgar lyricism, and shouted talk-vocals. Effectively they were a juvenile version of post-punk contemporaries IDLES and Fontaines DC. With 2023's <i>Food for Worms</i>, the band grew into better melodies, more creative instrumentation, and lyricism worth listening to. "Fingers of Steel" is the perfect reflection of this with its jangly piano choirs, dissonant guitar riffage, and epic down-tempo chorus.</p><p> <iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/0aanNVtIr5u9qy0MFlzUFz?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe></p><p><b>18. <i>"</i>New Face of Death" - Home Front - <i>Games of Power</i></b></p><p>I always try to include a local band in my top 20 and Edmonton's finest new band is Home Front. With members from Shout Out Out Out Out and a debut album produced by Fucked Up's Jonah Falco, they were destined to be great. Fans of The Cure or Joy Division will love their blend of post-punk and new wave. </p><p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/5ktaRn6UG86ChilLNWCLN2?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe></p><p><b>17. "Real Love" - Cat Clyde - <i>Down Rounder</i></b></p><p>Much of my early 2023 music listening was devoted to finding the best music for my May 2023 wedding. As a huge music fan, I obsessed over the playlists to send to our band/DJ for each segment of the night (ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, dance). However, it wasn't until many months after our wedding that I re-discovered Cat Clyde's absolutely adorable "Real Love." It's simply a beautiful love ballad, full of gushy sentiments and just enough instrumentation to draw a tear to the eye on every listen.</p><p> <iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/1kWVPLSDshY6Fpi4ZywBvg?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe> </p><p><b>16. "I Believe" - Caroline Polachek - <i>Desire, I Want to Turn Into You</i></b></p><p>Written as a tribute to Polachek's late friend, the avant-garde popstar SOPHIE, "I Believe" is a breakbeat synth pop song with crushingly sad lyricism.</p><p> <iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/6GqesoY3jZD9BqT1v4UEmk?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe> </p><p><b>15. "Full Time Job" - Squirrel Flower - <i>Tomorrow's Fire</i></b></p><p>A grunge-y head banger reflecting on the futility of existence in a capitalist society. Incredible guitar tones really make this song pop.</p><p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/5v1HtDgl2JSKF3mqvtM4PP?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe></p><p><b>14. "Undergrowth" -Squid - <i>O Monolith</i></b></p><p>As noted, 2021 is the one missing year of my top songs list. Rest-assured, Squid would have featured high up on that list, with the incredible post-punk odyssey "Narrator." Chock full of plucky dissonant guitar, and uniquely "yelp-y" vocal stylings, "Narrator" set Squid apart in the UK post-punk revival of the of early 2020s. Squid's 2023 entrant to the list, "Undergrowth" is similarly incredible, yet completely different. Backed by a sludgy bass line straight out of a Viagra Boys record, "Undergrowth" immediately draws you into its pocket. At over 6 minutes, the song phases in and out, but we never lose that bass line nor the matching head bobs. </p><p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/0sKkpSv1JXwEAApUnrssao?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><br /></p><p><b>13. "LIKED YOU BETTER" - Jeff Rosenstock - <i>HELLMODE</i></b></p><p>As a big fan of contemporary pop punk from bands like PUP or The Menzingers, I should have logically been into punk rock legend Jeff Rosenstock long ago, However, I never was able to get into his more cerebral and wordy version of punk. What I love about PUP are the group sung choruses with collective fists raised to the ceiling. Rosenstock never really matched that energy in the same way. Given Rosenstock's 2023 album <i>Hellmode </i>is about his 5 millionth release (just check his wikipedia), and at this point in an artist's career, most are just phoning it in - I was going to just give the album a pass and not bother listening to it. Boy am I glad I did. Rosenstock cuts the crap on <i>Hellmode</i> and delivers pop punk banger after banger, no better than "LIKED YOU BETTER."</p><p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/7ATdjG4qMp9CIX3sIPnFHv?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe> </p><p><b>12. <i>"</i>Morning Zoo" - Ratboys - <i>The Window</i></b></p><p>A gorgeous alt-country Americana tune from Chicago outfit Ratboys. One of the best new bands in the USA.</p><p> <iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/2dydy3gfvQw8fHCYr25R7z?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe> </p><p><b>11. "My Sister in Jesus Christ" - Slaughter Beach, Dog - <i>Crying Laughing Waving Smiling</i></b></p><p>Slaughter Beach, Dog, the solo project of Jake Ewald (frontman of punk outfit Modern Baseball), released one of the more personal and introspective indie-folk records of 2023. Reflecting on themes of childhood and growing up, the entire album is deeply nostalgic and heartfelt. Tracks like "Summer Windows" and "Engine" go about this reflection from a melancholic angle, with downtempo soft drumming and heavy use of a slide guitar. Contrasting with these heavier tunes, my fav from the album is "My Sister in Jesus Christ," an uptempo, funny tune about growing up in a religious home and acting out against that. Some of the best lyrics of the year in this one!</p><p> <iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/5SQgTu7aPw85eoknZtRRyT?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe> </p><p><b>10. "Someday I'll Go Surfing" - Diners - <i>Domino</i></b></p><p>Power pop perfection from Diners. I could have chosen any number of catchy guitar-driven power pop anthems from their 2023 record <i>Domino </i>for this list. "Someday I'll Go Surfing" wins out with its Beach Boys-esque easy breezy summer sentiment.</p><p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/3VMcoVnbvrrR92epVw4rFh?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe> </p><p><b>9.<i> "</i>I Can Handle It" - Radiator Hospital - <i>Can't Make Any Promises</i></b></p><p>Frank and brutal lyricism is at the heart of Radiator Hospital's best tunes. My favourite Radiator Hospital is their 2013 hit "Our Song" which is a love song encouraging a partner to leave them for someone else. Pure sadness in a punky rock package. "I Can Handle It" is similarly honest, but from the perspective of a couple on the brink of collapse, trying to make it work through a rough patch, instead of just giving in like in "Our Song". It's a great return to form from a long time indie act that had somewhat faded from the limelight.</p><p> <iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/6XlV7oQ4tkVlcuMYurhYHk?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe> </p><p><b>8.<i> "5" -</i>Small Crush - <i>Penelope</i></b></p><p>Sounding like Frankie Cosmos meets The Beths, Small Crush rocks out on this quirky tune reminiscing on the simplicity of life as a toddler. One of the catchier choruses this year!</p><p> <iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/1lbQ2V3j4EsiRqDQySaSyK?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe> </p><p><b><i>7. "</i>The Clutch" - Palehound - <i>Eye on the Bat</i></b></p><p>In an album packed full of breakup songs, "The Clutch" stands out with its thumping beat and screamed vocals from Palehound lead singer El Kempner. In the arc of the breakup, the song represents the fight that boils over into a screaming match. For those of us just watching the fight (through our ears), we are treated to great power chord riffage, a driving bass line, and open cymbal clashing. Roll down the windows, untie your hair, and scream into the wind.</p><p> <iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/6doXwadVeStrBiLeNZUW0T?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe> </p><p><b>6. "Don't Fade Away" - Beach Fossils - <i>Bunny</i></b></p><p>Beach Fossils 2023 album <i>Bunny </i>seemed to fly under the radar of much of the music world, for whatever reason. Yet, it may just be their best work to date. The washed out slacker energy remains from their past work, but additional strong guitar work straight out of a Real Estate hit really makes these songs stick with you. "Don't Fade Away," a dreamy indie pop anthem with amazing guitar riffs, is the best song on the album. Its nostalgic vibe with lyrics longing for distanced friends and memories feels like sitting on a beach staring at the sunset reflecting on what could have been.</p><p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/55YY7cmB3jkIJq54cC7G4W?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe></p><p><b>5. "kisses" - Slowdive - <i>everything is alive</i></b></p><p>Exactly 30 years on from their genre-defining shoegaze classic <i>Souvlaki</i>, Slowdive is back with perhaps their most compelling work yet. Along with bands like My Bloody Vampire and Cocteau Twins, Slowdive pushed shoegaze to popularity in the 90s with its wall of distorted noise, washed out vocals, and soaring melodies. We get all that on 2023's "Kisses," but with a modern twist. Largely, Slowdive has matured, but also have clearly taken on new influences in the three decades since <i>Souvlaki.</i> Gone are the screechy distorted effects from the 90s, and in are the more washed out, reverb heavy keys and guitars, made popular by 2010s bands like Beach Fossils (ha!) and the appropriately-named Washed Out. Rarely do we get to see a band last for so long that it takes on new influences from younger bands, and those influences are crystal clear on this song. Known for extremely muted vocals on past work, the vocals throughout <i>everything is alive</i> are at the front of the mix and are crystal clear. At just under four minutes, "Kisses" is a shoegaze pop song with a couple of verses, a few choruses and a bridge centred around a classic Slowdive guitar riff. It was enough to push Slowdive into the top ten of the albums chart in the UK, unheard of for a shoegaze band - and I'm all for it.</p><p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/2qUNrUbCYoUE6MsOR3tTD1?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe> </p><p><b>4. "I Thought You'd Change" - Hotline TNT - <i>Cartwheel</i></b></p><p>Speaking of shoegaze, I'd like to think that Hotline TNT's Will Anderson would list Slowdive as one of his influences. Except instead of mellowing out like Slowdive, Anderson turns it up to 11 on <i>Cartwheel</i> and never really quiets down. Instead of a giant array of distortion pedals common to many shoegaze bands, Hotline TNT regularly have 4 guitarists on stage to organically create the cacophonous wall of guitar buzz heard throughout the album. This guitar heavy sound really triumphs on the album's best tune "I Thought You'd Change." Layers of riffage, buzz tones, and washed out lyrics combine in delightful melodies that take you away from the first note. Shoegaze really had a revival in 2023 (as evidenced by this list), and Hotline TNT was behind some of the most compelling music in the genre this year.</p><p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/3ePFWIRZNratB2vjSrSKoP?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe> </p><p><b>3. "Doubt"- Slow Pulp - <i>Yard</i></b></p><p>The dream of the 90s is alive with this grungy alt rock tune from Chicago band Slow Pulp. Longer term Continuous Thunder readers will remember their #4 placement on the 2020 Top Songs list with their tune "Idaho," a mellow alt rock tune that I called a "shimmering warm embrace of sound." In many ways, that 2020 record sounds like it was made for bedroom listening, full of slower, warm-toned songs perfect for drifting off to. After a few post-COVID tours with blog favs Alvvays, Slow Pulp came back swinging in 2023 with a loud country-tinged alt-rock record that sounds like it was written for the stage. This is no better exemplified by "Doubt" which is centred around a crunchy power chord guitar riff that starts the song off with a bang, with the drums kicking in shortly after with matching intensity. Vaguely a love song, it seems to be written about the awkward stage in a relationship when neither person wants to commit to putting a label on it. The catchy "do-do-do-do-doubt" in the chorus perfectly capture the hesitancy of that moment before feelings are fully confessed.</p><p> <iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/4xSLznRQL2b5NnGSLKPWzN?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe> </p><p><b>2. "Not Strong Enough" - boygenius - <i>the record</i></b></p><p>After a five year wait since the release their short self-titled EP, supergroup Boygenius (Phoebe Bridgers, Julian Baker, Lucy Dacus) announced they would be releasing a 2023 full length LP, which quickly became of the most anticipated indie releases of the year. Certainly aware of their own hype train, the album would be cheekily called simply: <i>the record.</i> And, by some miracle, the album did not disappoint. Perhaps feeling the pressure to perform, or perhaps simply existing as humans in the 2020s, the album frequently deals with topics of inferiority, doubts and general anxiety. "Not Strong Enough" best reflects these feelings in a concise folk-rock thumper complete with beautiful three part harmonies and a powerful chorus worthy of Indigo Girls or Kelly Clarkson comparisons. Singing, "I don't know why I am the way I am," the imposter syndrome is clear from the start of the song. By the bridge, they double down, with Dacus's lower harmony singing a repeated "Always an Angel / Never a God," suggesting that unlike men, who can be viewed as rock gods, a three-part women's band can only strive to be lesser angels. Boygenius has always played with this sexist trope - even in their name BOYgenius which pokes fun at the overpraising of male children. They often perform in oversized business suits to push this trope into the live world and their fans regularly refer to the band as "the boys." In a year where Taylor Swift was named person of the year and ran a multi-billion dollar tour and global phenomenon, I think it's high time to idolize women as rockstars. All 3 of the "boys" are certainly gods to me.</p><p> <iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/09DR0sHnQUhHOiSNttc1mv?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe> </p><p><b>1. "Days Move Slow" - Bully - <i>Lucky for You </i> </b></p><p>While I often enjoy listening to challenging or overly artistic music, I'll always have a soft spot for a perfectly written and performed alt-rock song with great replay-ability. "Days Move Slow" was that song for me in 2023. Take a distorted grunge riff straight out of 90s, slap on a punchy "Smells Like Teen Spirit"-inspired drum beat, and you're well on your way to a certified hit. However, what really sets the song apart, like most of the Bully catalogue, is Alicia Bognanno's distinctive vocals. She is always singing right at the maximum pitch and volume for her voice, with the strain on her vocal chords giving her voice a unique raspy quality, not unlike a distortion pedal on a guitar. In "Days Move Slow," she mourns the passing of her loyal dog, singing "And I'm stuck somewhere in between//Your death and my lucid dream." Yet, her experience of grief and mourning can be taken into any form of loss we might experience. At the end of the day, days may move slow, but at least they keep moving on. And, for Bognanno, those new days are best spent throwing your fists in the air, letting your hair down, and screaming about it.</p><p> <iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/4zeGdv0J2HFfTaZIyUPwrq?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-3743176621240841602023-01-26T20:56:00.003-08:002023-01-26T20:56:39.544-08:00Top 25 Songs of 2022<p>New year, new list- my Top 25 Songs of 2022. I'll keep the commentary brief until the top 10! You'll find the Spotify playlist embedded at the end of the blog, along with some bonus tracks not listed here. </p><p><b>25. "30 Degrees" - Dumb - <i>Pray 4 Tomorrow</i></b></p><p>A smooth-shooting can-con slacker-rock love-tune from Vancouver band Dumb. </p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/63n5EOG6JlJr1X4yAForxG?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>24. "Spitting off the Edge of the World" - Yeah Yeahs Yeahs - <i>Cool It Down</i></b></p><p>Nearly 20 years on from their smash hit "Maps," indie rock icons Yeah Yeah Yeahs triumphantly return with an anthemic tune chock full of soaring synths and pounding drums. </p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/0JX23XA8E7aN1Chj32kgVn?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>23. "The Game" - Sports Team - <i>Gulp!</i></b></p><p>A late-90s-esque guitar driven rock tune reminiscent of The Hives or Kaiser Chiefs.</p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/56He5FZNSvOojc60hNL2pu?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>22. "Wild" - Spoon - <i>Lucifer on the Sofa</i></b></p><p>The standout track from Spoon's latest fantastic record. </p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/05uhED0miR9OJYPalPi7tx?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>21. "Pictures of You" - Drugdealer feat Kate Bollinger - <i>Hiding in Plain Sight</i></b></p><p>A lovely jangly pop tune in the style of Montreal's TOPS. </p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/1XXwItGFhOuvQmopWby2dP?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>20. "The Place Where He Inserted the Blade" - Black Country, New Road - <i>Ants From Up There</i></b></p><p>The magnum opus from Black Country, New Road's 2022 album - a triumphant, yet haunting song that covers love, loss and everything in between. The group harmonies at the end of the song will stay with you.</p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/3k2kIiJqUiIP49iUcOLpWT?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>19. "Delilah (pull me out of this)" - Fred again... - <i>Actual Life 3</i></b></p><p>The song that pulled me (and likely thousands of others like me) back into dance/house music in 2022. Fred again... took the music industry by storm this year, capped with his epic Boiler Room performance in which this song features prominently. </p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/3wJrBiiTIRRfKSL2TQWR60?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>18. "Tides" -Bonobo feat Jamila Woods - <i>Fragments</i></b></p><p>A hidden gem from Bonobo's 2022 album <i>Fragments </i>featuring the always incredible Jamila Woods on vocals.</p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/622fSIVOm6SPcLPNOoYeJn?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>17. "Expert in a Dying Field" - The Beths - <i>Expert in a Dying Field</i></b></p><p>Melody, melody, melody. The Beths never disappoint when it comes to catchy, guitar led indie rock. A band in total control of their talents.</p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/7v5SMNpbt9eaO7dFHGoXLZ?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>16. "Waiting" - PUP - <i>The Unraveling of PUPTHEBAND</i></b></p><p>Long time Continuous Thunder readers will remember the 2016 Top Song's list, which had PUP's "Familiar Patterns" at #2 for the year. While 2022 brought PUP's first misstep in terms of album releases, <i>The Unraveling of PUPTHEBAND </i>still contained some great tracks. "Waiting" is very reminiscent of "Familiar Patterns," with both tracks centred around super heavy bass lines and contrastingly triumphant choruses. It's a formula I won't soon tire of.</p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/3iSzSXx1Y5bKWY16TJGOju?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>15. "Shotgun" - Soccer Mommy - <i>Sometimes, Forever </i></b></p><p>One of Soccer Mommy's best choruses since her break through hit "Your Dog." A great bass riff and excellent vocal delivery on this track.</p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/5gG1tBzjqPWXTevct5kaLX?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>14. "Respirate" - Pinegrove - <i>11:11</i></b></p><p>A yearning ballad about making it through the hard times that the pandemic brought on us. The reminder to "take it day by day//and do your best to respirate" felt appropriate at many times throughout 2022 for me. </p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/36aZOjVCmwLZl2zGhdi0AH?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>13. "I Don't Live Here Anymore" - The War on Drugs feat Lucius - <i>I Don't Live Here Anymore</i></b></p><p>The large-scale return to live music in 2022 meant I was finally able to check off some bucket list artists I hadn't seen live before. Snail Mail and Parquet Courts in early 2022, Lucy Dacus in the fall, and The War on Drugs at Edmonton Folk Fest. The later did not disappoint, bringing their new arena-rock-ish tunes to the hill and melting our faces!</p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/1GEkQ6waWJaWMNTqkGCaOa?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>12. "Medicine" - Momma - <i>Household Name</i></b></p><p>The seems to be a never-ending stream of fantastic "sadgirl" indie bands springing up these days: Slow Pulp, Snail Mail, Pip Blom, NewDad to name a few. 2022 saw Momma burst onto the scene bringing great melodies and guitar playing on a batch of fantastic tunes. </p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/34tKO5hA7rQTGPCrjGfziu?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>11. "Roman Holiday" - Fontaines DC - <i>Skinty Fia</i></b></p><p>We've watched Fontaines DC grow up in the last few years. Their 2019 debut record <i>Dogrel</i> was centred around rambunctious upbeat punk tracks like<i> </i>"Liberty Bell" and "Boys in a Better Land." 2022 Fontaines has brought a maturity in their songwriting we've yet to see from this post-punk band. "Roman Holiday" exemplifies this growth in a single tune. An effortless tight drum pattern pulls you in, allowing the reverbed guitar lead to drift in and out of time around it. Vocalist Grian Chatten changes up from his usual gruff Irish talk-singing, showing some serious pipes here. A triumph of UK post-punk.</p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/4IqBIufFMOV1sSYhzIPDoj?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>10. "Outta Time" - Orville Peck - <i>Bronco</i></b></p><p>My big musical surprise of 2022 was Orville Peck's amazing live show at Edmonton Folk Fest (closing the stage after The War on Drugs no-less!). I'd never really been a big fan of Peck's records. His songwriting and deep baritone voice always gave me Disney songtrack vibes. However, I gave <i>Bronco </i>another chance after seeing his incredible live show. "Outta Time" is a straight ahead country pop song with a memorable sing-a-long chorus and classic roadtripin' lyrics. </p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/3usFKA7XXOtaIqDdH6mUx9?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>9. "Bad Love" - Dehd - <i>Blue Skies</i></b></p><p>The best track from Dehd's stellar 2022 record. With a Springsteen-esque chorus, big tom-heavy drumbeat, and driving bassline, "Bad Love" is one to crank on the car stereo and drive down the open road. </p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/0atclF6Pp5MffEEi7CSFlE?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>8. "I Was Neon" - Julia Jacklin - <i>Pre Pleasure</i></b></p><p>In an album otherwise dominated by plodding, emotional, quiet tunes, "I Was Neon" wakes you up . Written in the spirit of Jacklin's similarly upbeat "Pressure to Party" from her 2019 release, "I Was Neon" tells us a similar tale as well. Jacklin pleads with herself not to "lose herself again" while trying to contend with societal expectations and a rapidly deteriorating modern world. </p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/2EFiEJ0WdC0zR6NYtoTE1t?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>7. "The Overload" - Yard Act - <i>The Overload</i></b></p><p>The title track from Yard Act's debut album truly exemplifies what makes this Leeds, UK band so great: Cheeky, cynical British lyricism. Echoing legendary British acts like Art Brut or The Streets, Yard Act lead singer James Smith talk-sing lyrics are easy to digest and enjoyable to follow. However, unlike Art Brut or The Streets, whose lyrics tended to top out at the level of attracting a mate ("Good Weekend" or "Fit but You Know It"), Yard Act is taking on important topics in contemporary British culture. Expect commentary on gentrification, wealth inequality, Brexit, and more. A must-listen album for 2022.</p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/6KDop8OGP6rXd3bLtZVy1h?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>6. "Memory" - Whitney - <i>Spark</i></b></p><p>When a band with just two albums totalling 20 songs releases a third album of entirely covers (2020's <i>Candid), </i>you begin to wonder if the writing fountain has prematurely run dry. And if the creative well had run dry, I wouldn't blame them. Primary Whitney songwriters Julian and Max have been producing stellar records since 2009 when they were just 17 with their first band, Smith Westerns. So when I caught wind that a 2022 Whitney record was on the way, chock full of new originals, I was thrilled. And then I was disappointed. </p><p>"Memory" is the stand out track from an otherwise lack-luster album. A jaunty guitar and piano riff hooks you into the tune from the start. Julian's now-legendary falsetto vocals speak to the late-20's millennial panic that a lot of us are feeling right now. The perfect tune to bring you back to the "Golden Days" of the <i>Light on the Lake</i>-era Whitney.</p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/1SAJZUMIg3tDCMpCVYd9Gm?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>5. "Spud Infinity" - Big Thief - <i>Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe</i></b></p><p>It is hard to pick a best tune from Big Thief's gigantic 20 song double LP from 2022. Many critics went for "Simulation Swarm," a subdued tune from the back half of the record that is very much in the style of old Big Thief songs. Truthfully, before 2022 I wasn't really a fan of Big Thief. Sure, I'd listen to their hits like "Paul" or "Masterpiece" when they inevitably ended up on any indie folk Spotify playlist, but I was never drawn into their back catalogues. </p><p>What changed in 2022? Hard to say, but apparently my ear was much more open to country-rock tunes than ever before. Country-leaning artists make of 24% of this year's song's list. Three of the top five are country-leaning artists. Probably my favourite show of the year was indie country act Cat Clyde at 3am at North Country Fair. I guess you can just chock this up to my frontal lobe fully being developed - I've moved on from the aggression of punk rock to the softer idealism of modern folk. "Spud Infinity" is a fun barn dance bluegrass tune complete with fiddle and boinging jaw harp. </p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/3Q6VfeIZ1bTjWiNe2Or4LQ?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>4. "Problem With It" - Plains - <i>I Walked With You A Ways"</i></b></p><p>"If you can't do better than that babe, I got a problem with it" sings Katie Crutchfield midway through one of the best choruses of the year. With a The Chicks-esque female empowerment vibe, "Problem With It" is a foot-stomping country-rock tune about taking the reins back and moving on. Beautiful harmonies between Crutchfield and bandmate Jess Williamson really bring this track home. For fans of Crutchfield's band Waxahatchee, this album is mandatory listenin'.</p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/1lhQDa5Rit1iMpo4PQpIGO?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>3. "Unspeakable Things" - Kiwi Jr. - <i>Chopper</i></b></p><p>Pure unadulterated riffage is at the heart of this indie single from Toronto rockers Kiwi Jr. Their 2022 album was produced by fellow Canuck Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade, Handsome Furs, Divine Fits), whose influence is clear. The band credits Boeckner on "Unspeakable Things" with having the idea to bring in a synth to perform the lead riff, instead of guitar, with the band saying: "that sound brings the song into a sort of new-wave territory that was fun and different for us." What I've always loved about Kiwi Jr is that their music reminds me of the early 2000s Canadian indie scene, back when CBC Radio 3's Grant Lawrence was the leading voice in my musical discoveries. Bands from that era, like Rah Rah, Two Hours Traffic, or Zeus are clearly in the DNA of Kiwi Jr's music. Adding a producer who was most popular in that era only adds to the effect. </p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/5pYlC9UrEOFZQp2GDEHBoN?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>2. "Hangover Game" - MJ Lenderman - <i>Boat Songs</i></b></p><p>My most listened to song of 2022 is a gritty rock song about the normal-ness of humankind. Lenderman uses the metaphor of Michael Jordan's NBA finals "food poisoning" which many now believe to have been a hangover instead, to show that even those at the pinnacle of society have their vices. "Oh, he looked so sick//It was all over the news//But it wasn't a pizza//And it wasn't the flu//Yeah, I love drinking too." Matching the excellent writing is a killer guitar riff and tight drumming complete with cowbell. While this is not Lenderman's first album, it's definitely the one that will put him on the map. </p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/0KgqfFDS6vvzZ50IozlD1Y?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><b>1. "Belinda Says" - Alvvays - <i>Blue Rev</i></b></p><p>Alvvays broke the power pop curse of unpopularity in 2022. The spunky Toronto based, east-coast hearted shoegaze band topped best song and album lists across the internet, including Pitchfork, Exclaim, and more. Last week, they played "Belinda Says" on Jimmy Fallon, making their network TV debut. As a long time Alvvays fan (and as a Canadian!), I am thrilled to see their success. </p><p>I've been into this band since I first heard their 2014 breakout single "Archie, Marry Me." I brought along my then-new girlfriend Sierra to their 2014 Vancouver tour stop at the Biltmore Cabaret, and was blown away by their live performance for such a new band. Of course, I knew of guitarist Alec O'Hanley's brilliance, having seen him playing with his old band Two Hours Traffic the year prior in the same venue. Lead singer Molly Rankin grew up in the shadow of the Rankin Family band and logically knows her way around a stage or two. Sierra and I saw Alvvays a handful more times in Vancouver, once at a UBC outdoor show, and once at the Commodore Ballroom warming up for the fantastic Courtney Barnett. </p><p>Alvvays then dropped off the map for a few years. In 2017, when they started to roll out their new singles, Sierra and I were travelling Europe together. I distinctly remembering logging onto a hostel shared computer in Split, Croatia, having heard of a new single from one of my favourite bands and desperately wanting to hear it. "In Undertow" burst through the tinny computer speakers, and I was immediately transported out of the grimy hostel communal room by the wall of shimmering guitars and ethereal beauty of Rankin's vocals. Alvvays would play a double night in 2018 in Edmonton in support of 2017's <i>Antisocialites, </i>and I attended both nights, desperate for any live music coming to our northern outpost. In the summer of 2018, Sierra and I would also catch Alvvays in the heat of a Montreal parking lot at Osheaga Music Fest. </p><p>Fast forward another 4 years and a global pandemic, and Alvvays is somehow back with their best album yet. "Belinda Says" takes your heart in a grip of nostalgia from the first note. At just 2:45, this is short song, but Rankin needs only a few short lines to bring you into her heartbreaking depiction of a too-soon pregnancy. Rankin easily conjures up these crushing scenes to tell the tale:a teenaged Blue Rev vodka cooler slugged behind the rink; a collect call to a fleeing partner or disappointed parent; the move to the country with Belinda Carlisle's "Heaven on is a Place on Earth" sputtering through the car stereo. It is truly an opus packed into a power pop package - crushing, beautiful, emotional, nostalgic, yet catchy and singable. </p><p>Alvvays makes their way back to Alberta in early March this year, and I am happy to be going to the show with my now-fiancé - funny how music earmarks our life.</p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="152" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/1Djmfnm69TVPw9OmSCPsoP?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
<iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="352" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/3kuY64tRusMxyL6lNmegML?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe>Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-11213752386892819532021-01-02T19:51:00.009-08:002021-01-02T19:58:16.869-08:00Top 20 Songs 2020<p><span style="font-family: arial;">Music has a way of time stamping memories into place. Like bookmarks in the book of life, certain songs and albums will always take you back to different times, places and memories. If I think back over the past 15 odd years, I might drift into a faint memory of air guitar-ing to Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out" in a sweaty elementary school gymnasium at the annual family dance. Or maybe I might wander towards highschool-angst-Will squinting at Spike Jonze's masterful music video for Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs" on his tiny 3 cm iPod Nano screen. 2012's "The House that Heaven Built" (Japandroids) would bring me back to racing back to dorm on a Friday afternoon, excited for a night with my friends nowhere to go (it didn't seem matter back then). </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEa0h-gsP8PkwP7MgROYcfIkrC6q5I9aqSeVdr-dYmng05iKybIKrXpBvQ-Ob4YrNxhtuyA38qNaT4rc7102p4CRyVBo8ihIdc8TBmcIwBq8lJPx23lcmY6MeJb7z7JO1guNy2LSsODM8/s448/Screen+Shot+2021-01-02+at+8.50.44+PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEa0h-gsP8PkwP7MgROYcfIkrC6q5I9aqSeVdr-dYmng05iKybIKrXpBvQ-Ob4YrNxhtuyA38qNaT4rc7102p4CRyVBo8ihIdc8TBmcIwBq8lJPx23lcmY6MeJb7z7JO1guNy2LSsODM8/s320/Screen+Shot+2021-01-02+at+8.50.44+PM.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Every so often, I come back to this oft-neglected blog to be reminded of old favourite tunes, and, in turn, the memories tied to those tunes. In that spirit, I thought I would put together a list of some of my favourites from what will inevitably be a very interesting chapter in my life: the Covid-19 pandemic. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As it turns out, while 2020 has been quite the downer of a year, it has been an absolute banner year for new music releases. I can't help thinking that artists love to release music at the turn of a decade - 2010 brought us so many legendary indie rock albums such as Arcade Fire's <i>The Suburbs, </i>LCD Soundsystem's <i>This Is Happening, </i>Black Keys <i>Brother,</i> and, Justin Bieber's <i>My World 2.0, </i>amongst many others. There must be something about a nice round number (2020) that brings out the big guns..err..guitars. With that said, here are some of my favourite tunes for surviving a global pandemic - enjoy. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Sorry for the 30 second previews only -damn spotify. Check the full playlist at the bottom and listen along!</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">20. “Falling Thunder” - Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever</span></div><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A simple power pop tune from the band with the confusing name and 45 guitarists (okay, just 4). Catchy chorus on this one!</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/3tfbS5ClqpsmSStP9kMlr0" width="300"></iframe></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">19. “Rot” - PUP</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">2020 saw the release of a B-side EP from my favs PUP. “Rot” is the leadoff track from EP and jumps right into it with a crowd sung chorus, heavy upbeat drums and thundering fuzzed out guitars.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/3rJqiMjL3ssw4NHbJMbgs3" width="300"></iframe><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">18. “Televised Mind” - Fontaines D.C.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Deep, dark, and brooding, “Televised Mind” is the standout track from Fontaines D.C.’s (sophomore slump) album <i>A Hero’s Death. </i>I love the interplay of the chaotic drum pattern and the throbbing fuzzy bass line.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/0jiz2yeS6GIdtufviCphqD" width="300"></iframe></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">17. “Time for Yourself” - Scenic Route to Alaska</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Edmonton favourites are back in 2020 with some excellent new songs on the album <i>Time For Yourself. </i>The title track stands out with its distorted bassline, heavy tom tom drums, and radio static vocals. Can’t wait to hear this one live.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/7vH5SLPxlUpbstrfozsIWL" width="300"></iframe></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">16. “Black Licorice” - Peach Pit<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It’s all about the unique guitar riff in this jangly indie tune from Vancouver band Peach Pit. Lead guitarist <span class="s1" style="background-color: white; color: #18191a; font-kerning: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">Christopher Vanderkooy </span>uses a string bend to pitch shift each note of the riff, leading to a distinctively emotive and memorable lick.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/2wH52gGTG6rBVWSc6aEczN" width="300"></iframe> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">15. “Hell” - Waxahatchee</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I could have picked nearly any song from Waxahatchee’s 2020 album Saint Cloud for this list. “Hell” just seems especially fitting for 2020. A straight up country rock song with an upbeat drumbeat and a sing-along chorus.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/2VgNfg6Z6WvEQSrM7l32Lu" width="300"></iframe><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;">14. “Model Village”- IDLES</span></div><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sharp angular guitars are front and centre in this poppy single from British punks IDLES.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/6YhSGEQqbJ88RtARKhxgAc" width="300"></iframe><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">13. “Concrete” - Snarls</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There are so many amazing femme-led alt bands out there making 90s-nostalgic music right now. Snarls is another fantastic entrant to this scene already rich with artists such as Snail Mail, Soccer Mommy, and Chastity Belt. “Concrete” is one of Snarls’ best with a melodic guitar riff and desperately sung, catchy chorus. Looking forward to more from this band.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/29bbBWxsVCNmYAtka38fKN" width="300"></iframe></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">12. “Kyoto” - Phoebe Bridgers</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Phoebe Bridgers’s amazing voice AND a driving drum beat?? I’ve never been a huge Phoebe Bridgers fan as I don’t typically listen to mellow music (can you tell?), but “Kyoto” is an instant classic. Take Bridgers’s typical depressive lyrics, pair it with a cheery keyboard riff, and a thumping driving drum pattern and you have a hit (at least with me).</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/4m32ZYmSYgGziMwx3cJxS7" width="300"></iframe><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">11.“4ÆM” - Grimes</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“You’re going to get sick, you don’t know when,” whispers Grimes in this drum and bass anthem from her 2020 album, <i>Miss Anthropocene. </i>Released only weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic gripped North American in March, “4ÆM” was an unexpected timely released. The song is feverish in its arrangement, oscillating between a walking pace house beat and a full sprint drum and bass club banger. Grimes’ vocals add to this oscillation, moving from near rap to near operatic in the span of seconds. To me,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“4ÆM” is indicative of 2020; equal parts exciting, disorientating, and distressing.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/0TLnlsLJDfSnwxDEu0zMzm" width="300"></iframe><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">10. “Home” - Caribou</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There are few producers in the world so adept at blending vintage samples with modern techniques than Caribou’s Dan Snaith. “Home” centres around a old-timey soul lyric sample paired with a boisterous 80s boom-bap drum beat. Snaith weaves his own lyrics in between the soul sample, creating a story around the meaning of home beyond the 5 seconds he’s sampled. Layer in some modern 808s bass lines, pokey strings, and you have an absolute masterpiece of electronic production.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/28zoejp0PJ4dpp9xOPQPiO" width="300"></iframe><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space">9. </span>“Out of My Head” - Mac Demarco</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A throwaway b-side from Mac’s 2019 Album <i>Here Comes the Cowboy.</i> I thought the actual album was total trash, definitely Mac’s worst album to date. However, this track came on 2020's <span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;"><i>Other Here Comes The Cowboy Demos, </i></span>a sloppy set of b-side tracks. “Out of My Head” was likely a warm-up studio jam but it gets back to what made Mac internationally loved in the past. Simple groves, lazily sung vocals, and plucky guitar solos. I went back to this song again and again to slow down, chill out, and generally escape from the stress of 2020.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/13LDViyr8foIumlsKfGgYj" width="300"></iframe><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space">8.</span>“Daily Routine” - Disq</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“this is my daily routine // spend my hours on computer screen.” Disq lead singer Isaac deBroux-Slone lazily belts on this crunchy punk tune. Echoing bands like Parquet Courts and Bored Décore, Disq captures the existential dread of the working person. Are we living or simply wasting our days away?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/5q62vMPnP2Lp3ufsFtT8iN" width="300"></iframe></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">7. “Dotted Line” -Pinegrove</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Evan Stephen Hall’s earnest yowl is at its best on this nostalgic folk thumper. “Dotted Line” is about that feeling when you move away from something or someone you know and love towards the unknown. While you’re scared and nervous to leave behind your past, somewhere in that pit in the bottom of your stomach is the belief that things will turn out fine wherever you’re headed. It’s a triumphant tune for the time, with the chorus “I don’t know how // but I’m thinking it’ll at work out.'</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/34n2YY1Cbz4zxb3k1Fy4W6" width="300"></iframe></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">6. “Dear Stranger” - STRFKR</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">STRFKR released their 2020 album <i>Future Past Life </i>right at the start of the pandemic in North America. It immediately become my go-to refuge to escape from the panic of the outside world. “Dear Stranger” is the lead off track from the album and features one of my favourite bass lines of 2020. On this track, and on the album as well, STRFKR presents a more mature and cohesive sound compared to their five previous albums. Joshua Hodges’s vocals are far clearer, and the overall production is warmer with lots of traditional instrumentation (acoustic guitars, live drums, piano). This is a departure from the overly synthesized STRFKR of the past. What remains unchanged is Hodges keen ear for memorable melodies - shown here beautifully.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/10cPYHOPt1VpgFGy7NO2JI" width="300"></iframe> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">5. “Acrid” -The Beths</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Long time readers know I am sucker for a sing-a-long chorus, and The Beths deliver on that with “Acrid.” There may be bands out there doing more interesting, experimental, and original things, but no one can top The Beths when it comes to verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus rock anthems. “It’s youuuuuuu, you I wanna run intooooooo.” Heartfelt power pop perfection. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/46Ygn8kMM2jPA54f4dO1dO" width="300"></iframe><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space">4.</span>“Idaho”- Slow Pulp<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Soaring, expansive shoe gaze straight from the 90s. The kind of tune that absorbs you in a shimmering warm embrace of sound.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> Lead singer Emily Massey is the captain of this wall of sound, with her incredible vocal range on full display here. Fans of showgaze legends Slowdive should certainly pay attention here.</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/4Vz0Wt4ySnCJi7WJycnoNj" width="300"></iframe> </span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">3. “circle the drain” - Soccer Mommy</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sounding like a lost hit on a dusty 90s cassette, Soccer Mommy’s “circle the drain” feels oddly comfortable. ”Warm” sounding production ties together strummed acoustic guitar, marching drums and a noodle-y electric guitar riff. Principally, the song is about the highs and lows of depression; you’ll go round and round trying to beat it, only to eventually be sucked down like the water in your kitchen sink. “I’ve been falling falling apart these days,” sighs Sophie Allison in the pre-chorus, somehow both lamenting her reality and accepting it for what it is in the same line. I think we’ve all been at that place sometime this year. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/2drtd6SptpMJ1KylMQ7mrE" width="300"></iframe><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space">2. </span>“Every Tradition”- Bully</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Likely the best song from my favourite album of the year, “Every Tradition” is grunge rock at its finest. A screaming lead guitar lick immediately grabs your ear above crunchy rhythm guitar and cymbal heavy drums. Singer songwriter Alicia Bognanno’s fiercely delivered lyrics dive into societal expectations around womanhood, adulthood, and motherhood. “It’s like pressure to have a baby when I don’t want one in my body.” It’s the perfect modern adaption of the classic 90s PNW grunge sound.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/1lNBAjDrjC5UwxQdDlHdVo" width="300"></iframe></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />1. “The Steps” - HAIM </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A fist-pumping, heart-wrenching belter of a tune reflecting back on a relationship gone south. “The Steps” features possibly 2020’s most memorable riff - a driving arpeggio played with a distinctive hollow, twangy tone echoing New Order’s “Age of Consent.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This rhythmic riff is the backbone of the song, with cacophonous drumming and screaming lead guitar layering overtop in simple perfection. Roll down all the windows and belt this one at the sun!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="80" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/75Fgpd6IWXCsMi2wJT8uPo" width="300"></iframe></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Spotify playlist:</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/1r7AgHkZWskqOhIDltBfjI" width="300"></iframe></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-25790057320334872272018-12-21T19:29:00.004-08:002018-12-21T19:40:08.769-08:00Top Ten Songs 2018<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_GeDEocTZToKhIEhYOjNC_8nKVSVlA4D0mbKHJZW0WjdcKggK6-NRh51bCL2y02Ivc1HKoJPNmBj37kgfDZA5SpjTjdOQ0_v9nj2LpSuy5XEBScpFW2bhDvfPF8RkJ-tI8b2mfXfuX2Y/s1600/a0017716233_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_GeDEocTZToKhIEhYOjNC_8nKVSVlA4D0mbKHJZW0WjdcKggK6-NRh51bCL2y02Ivc1HKoJPNmBj37kgfDZA5SpjTjdOQ0_v9nj2LpSuy5XEBScpFW2bhDvfPF8RkJ-tI8b2mfXfuX2Y/s320/a0017716233_5.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b>One year ago</b>, </span>when I compiled my <a href="http://continuousthunder.blogspot.com/2017/12/top-15-songs-of-2017.html" target="_blank">Top 10 Songs of 2017</a>, I vowed to update this blog on a more regular basis throughout 2018. Alas, as with many a New Year's resolution, I failed to follow this pledge even remotely. So here it is, my once-annual blog post: my Top 10 Tracks of 2018.<br />
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<b>10. "My Time/ I, the Luddite" - Bored Decor</b><br />
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"Bourgeois Punk." This is the cheeky label Vancouver's Bored Decor has slapped on their odd-ball Bandcamp page. Yet, it could not be a more accurate descriptor. Bored Decor take thrashy punk riffs and pair them to pompous lyrics akin to the Talking Heads or the Parquet Courts. I love the jangly piano combined with the jagged guitar riffs in this foot stomping tune.<br />
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<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3724840338/size=small/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/track=3411316950/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 42px; width: 100%;"><a href="http://boreddecor.bandcamp.com/album/the-colour-red">The Colour Red by Bored Décor</a></iframe>
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<b>9. "Espionage" - Preoccupations</b><br />
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Layering, layering, layering. This is a sonic masterpiece with intricate drum patterns that intertwine with percussive guitar noises and glossy synths. Vocalist Matt Flegel is clearer and more snarly in comparison to previous Preoccupations' albums. Older Preoccupations' releases tended to put the vocals further back in the mix and were used to provide more of a texture than a leading focus. A great leading track for a solid album full of similar tracks.<br />
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<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1061959590/size=small/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/track=1683118487/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 42px; width: 100%;"><a href="http://preoccupations.bandcamp.com/album/new-material">New Material by Preoccupations</a></iframe>
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<b>8. "In Shame" - Cloud Nothings</b><br />
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Cloud Nothings surprised fans this year with a quick follow up album (<i>Last Building Burning) </i>to 2017's <i>Life Without Sound. </i>Keen readers of this blog will know that Cloud Nothings have topped this list a couple of times before, but <i>Last Building Burning </i>provided fewer stand out tracks, instead focusing on the album as a complete package. "In Shame" more or less stands in for the album as a whole. Expect edge-of-screaming vocals, driving guitars, and frenetic drumming.<br />
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<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1528523301/size=small/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/track=2458522969/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 42px; width: 100%;"><a href="http://cloudnothings.bandcamp.com/album/last-building-burning">Last Building Burning by Cloud Nothings</a></iframe>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYAKb90ep4xF64_y_hNy8G5hyphenhyphentIA7JkB1cX5uJH-qnHgs6i6rFx2Rml7XPbQt__FNExcj6g778XnGlBXu0-J_sh-Zv3TGNTt4D-2iEQpPRvhmidnIOtpIVgNfTEAUBVVHT08MTbxSXdec/s1600/Lucy+Dacus_+Historian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYAKb90ep4xF64_y_hNy8G5hyphenhyphentIA7JkB1cX5uJH-qnHgs6i6rFx2Rml7XPbQt__FNExcj6g778XnGlBXu0-J_sh-Zv3TGNTt4D-2iEQpPRvhmidnIOtpIVgNfTEAUBVVHT08MTbxSXdec/s200/Lucy+Dacus_+Historian.jpg" width="200" /></a><b><br /></b>
<b>7. "Yours and Mine" - Lucy Dacus</b><br />
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A beautiful tune that fills you with longing and brings you back time and time again. Excellent crisp production.<br />
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<a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/6eLVRsx7unP0v4WOfHMNGZ" target="_blank">LISTEN HERE</a><br />
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/6eLVRsx7unP0v4WOfHMNGZ"></a>
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<b>6. "Pain of Infinity" - Dirty Nil</b><br />
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It's all about the guitar riff on this heading-for-a-breakup pop-punk jam. I love the interplay of the bass drum with the opening riff.<br />
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<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3940388487/size=small/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/track=4214784586/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 42px; width: 100%;"><a href="http://thedirtynil.bandcamp.com/album/master-volume">Master Volume by The Dirty Nil</a></iframe>
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<b>5. "Gold Rush" - Death Cab for Cutie</b><br />
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A gorgeous and innovative song about losing your hometown to rapid development and condo-ization. Ben Gibbard laments the loss of geographic markers as triggers for memories both happy and sad. Like his rapidly changing hometown, every time you revisit this song it sounds a bit different. The layered "Gold Rush" percussive harmonies in the background twist and play with your ear, sounding a little bit different on each individual listen. It is a brilliant song and emphasizes the power of instrumentation to bolster the lyrical subject matter.<br />
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<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1112108572/size=small/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/track=3779938431/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 42px; width: 100%;"><a href="http://deathcabforcutie.bandcamp.com/album/thank-you-for-today">Thank You for Today by Death Cab for Cutie</a></iframe>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYpvNq2JNKQpvRnK3S53237I_RXElRadxE6jiw62ZOui252tSiLceCtEWckwfVs7E86EOfoJWMLe6sR7OJMW4hUgra92HRn7xj_DuAqTCPE4bLk38KCM7_OZVIpNVa-ObQXg4FmBw7wg/s1600/Vessel_Frankie+Cosmos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYpvNq2JNKQpvRnK3S53237I_RXElRadxE6jiw62ZOui252tSiLceCtEWckwfVs7E86EOfoJWMLe6sR7OJMW4hUgra92HRn7xj_DuAqTCPE4bLk38KCM7_OZVIpNVa-ObQXg4FmBw7wg/s200/Vessel_Frankie+Cosmos.jpg" width="200" /></a><b></b><br />
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<b>4. "Accomodate" - Frankie Cosmos</b><br />
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A classic catchy Frankie melody comes out of nowhere on this extremely short little jingle with the <br />
line: "my body is a burden/I'm always yearning/to be less accommodating." The first time I heard that line, I stopped the record player, lifted the needle, and listened to it again and again. Ah, the power of melody.<br />
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<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3086331064/size=small/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/track=3909345503/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 42px; width: 100%;"><a href="http://ingridsuperstar.bandcamp.com/album/vessel">Vessel by Frankie Cosmos</a></iframe>
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<b>3. "Talking Straight" - Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever</b><br />
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Killer guitars, a driving beat, and the best chorus of the year makes you want to crank up the volume, roll down the windows (even at -20c) and yell this tune to the heavens.<br />
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<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=528777777/size=small/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/track=796066030/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 42px; width: 100%;"><a href="http://rollingblackoutscoastalfever.bandcamp.com/album/hope-downs">Hope Downs by Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever</a></iframe>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq7tK56pAFSny45BV9LS-AVqHAlWo-BtXe1c0owf7wuEevs94sM2E7Hcuu9kJmpjayOCa6rvCbGMClv-6hsnHGs5wUPYygP5SbfPbHnCYGN6JP8Keqzq-iB9JhPxdyb1T8GtScGP2RY1U/s1600/220px-Clean_Soccer_Mommy_album_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq7tK56pAFSny45BV9LS-AVqHAlWo-BtXe1c0owf7wuEevs94sM2E7Hcuu9kJmpjayOCa6rvCbGMClv-6hsnHGs5wUPYygP5SbfPbHnCYGN6JP8Keqzq-iB9JhPxdyb1T8GtScGP2RY1U/s1600/220px-Clean_Soccer_Mommy_album_cover.jpg" /></a></div>
<b>2. "Last Girl" - Soccer Mommy</b><br />
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What at first seemed like the "goofy" tune on this album full of songs of self doubt and failed relationships, quickly turns into possibly the most damning song of them all. "Last Girl" is centred on self doubt; singer songwriter Sophie Allison sings about how her current partner's "Last Girl" is much better suited for him with lines like: "She's the sun in your cold world / and I am just a dying flower." or "Why would you still want to be with me? / She's got everything you'll ever need." Juxtaposed against these sarcastic but sad lyrics are bright guitar riffs and cymbal focused drums. My favourite tune from my favourite album of the year.<br />
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<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1822728762/size=small/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/track=3824948716/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 42px; width: 100%;"><a href="http://sopharela.bandcamp.com/album/clean">Clean by soccer mommy</a></iframe>
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Druuuuuuuuuuuum rooooooooolllllll.................<br />
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<b>1. "Pristine" - Snail Mail</b><br />
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The lead off track off Snail Mail's stellar debut album, "Pristine," gets right into it with dissonant guitar jabs and tight drumming. The song swells and peaks multiple times; just when you expect it to go one way, it shoots off somewhere else. But at the heart of the song are the lyrics. On the surface, the lyrics describe a teenage confession of absolute and undying love: "Is there any better feeling than coming clean? / And I know myself and I'll never love anyone else." However, as the song progresses, doubt emerges, leaving the listener puzzled with lines like: "Who's top of your world? / And out of everyone / Who's your type of girl?" Song writer Lindsey Jordan perfectly encapsulates the feeling of yearning for a love that is equally reciprocated, leaving to the listener to wonder if there's ever a point of truly "coming clean" with your feelings.<br />
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<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1512333407/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=532877326/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="http://snailmaillush.bandcamp.com/album/lush">Lush by Snail Mail</a></iframe>
Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-17070004734070349462017-12-18T21:17:00.002-08:002017-12-18T21:30:36.732-08:00Top 15 Songs of 2017<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yadda yadda Trump yadda yadda music escapism yadda yadda. Here’s my top 15 tracks for 2017:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>15. Jay Som - “Bus Song”</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">A delicious emo-pop tune from 2017 standout Jay Som. </span><br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/301242279&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>14. TOPS - “Petals”</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">As pretty as the title suggests, TOPS hits back with a dreamy number here. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Love the female harmonies in the choruses and the weird vocal effects on the verses. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>13. The Courtneys - “Silver Velvet” </b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The Courtneys returned in 2017 polished and refined </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">with their </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">album </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">II </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">(echoing buddy Mac Demarco with the album title). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Silver Velvet was the standout track with a catchy chorus, teenage love story lyrics, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and a solid garage rock backing track.</span><br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/291159305&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>12. Kane Strang - “My Smile is Extinct”</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">A catchy rock song from New Zealand artist Kane Strang. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“My Smile is Extinct” is about a hysterical overblown teenage reaction to a lost high-school love. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Quirky and unique, I expect big things from Mr Strang. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>11. New Swears - “Dance with the Devil”</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Ottawa-based punk rock party animals New Swears had a big year. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Signing to Dine Alone records, they embarked on multiple cross-Canada tours </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and unleashed an awesome road trip album, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And the Magic of Horses</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I caught them at their Edmonton show with about 6 other people in the audience (one being my dad). </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">They still brought it like the place was packed. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“Dance with the Devil” embodies the New Swears sound best: </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">slightly twangy, with killer riffage and crowd sung vocals. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>10. Portugal. The Man - “Feel it Still”</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">**Obnoxious Hipster Sentence Incoming** </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I’ve been a big fan of Portugal The Man since pulling their album Church Mouth out of the $1 CDs bin </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">at Zulu Records in Vancouver in 2014. It’s unlikely you’ll find them there again after the smash success </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">of this tune. 75 million plays on youtube, grammy nominations, AMA awards, what a year of this band </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">had on the back of this funky jam. </span><br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/310455689&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>9. Clairo - “Flaming Hot Cheetos”</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Clairo’s magic lies in “micro-melodies” (coined by me, 2017). </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Her ability to sculpt multiple different melodies over a simple 4 bar loop is captivating, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and keeps me coming back to this track time and time again. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Heartfelt lyrics and a beautiful voice don’t hurt either. </span><br />
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<b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">8. Faith Healer - “Try ;-)”</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The title track from local Edmonton artist Faith Healer (Jessica Jalbert) </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">marked a major clear change from her excellent last album, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Cosmic Troubles</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Clean, confident vocal delivery, and a poky fun bassline drive this track forward, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and completely disregard the washed out tones of the previous album. Nonetheless, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">washy guitars remain whimsical and pysch-y with faders and flangers messing with </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">the tone all over the awesome breakdown midway through the song. A mix of old and new. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>7. Sam Tudor - “Holiday”</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">My smelly and annoyingly talented former roommate returned in 2017 after a long few years</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">since the release of his first major record, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Modern New Year.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> While the album </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Quotidian Dream</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">is packed with new experiment sounds for Sam (electric guitars!? Saxophone?! Yelling!? Driving</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">drum beats?!), I always return to “Holiday,” a mid-tempo folk tune directly in Sam’s wheelhouse. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">That said, “Holiday” is not a boring folk song. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Driven along by a Simon and Garfunkle-esque drum pattern courtesy of Sam’s brother Harry, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">and accented by plucked electric guitar and heavily layered vocals, “Holiday,” to me, tells the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">story of our household of students. Many of us lived somewhat monotonous lives in rainy grey </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Vancouver, saving our money for vacations away to brighter climes. Melancholy, yet triumphant, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">“Holiday” is the perfect capstone to an excellent album. He still smells though. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>6. Arcade Fire - “Everything Now”</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">WOOLWORM was the big musical discovery for me this year. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">They’ve been on my radar for years as they are a local Vancouver band, but I’ve never </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">given their music a chance because I thought they were a hardcore band. So I was surprised </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">when I gave their 2017 album </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Deserve to Die</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> a listen-through and found a noisey, dissonant rock</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">band with real pop sensibilities. Coincidentally, their record label, Mint Records, calls them a “hardcore</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">band who have decided to play pop music.” While “Sun Rock” is more of a head-banging rock tune </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">than some of the more melodic cuts from the album, I keep coming back to this track because of its </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">soaring chorus and excellent vocal delivery from lead singer Giles Roy. He transitions from high pitched </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">pop tones to a deep throaty snarls with ease, keeping the listener enthralled. The chorus echoes some </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">of the more intense shoegaze artists like My Bloody Valentine, before dropping back into thrashy verses </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">a la Sonic Youth. An awesome genre bending track that catches your ear and brings you in. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">After a long period of near-silence from Japandroids following their massive 2013 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Celebration Rock </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">tour,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">many fans assumed the worst: Japandroids were done. Not so! “Near to the Wild Heart of Life” was the</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">first single from their triumphant return and serves as an explanation for the long silence for fans of </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Vancouver’s favourite duo. It tells of lead singer Brian’s move from Vancouver to Mexico City, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">following the love of his life, and leaving behind his bandmate Dave, the city he embodied, and </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“all he had.” This high-energy blast of a song echoes the sentiment of 2012’s “The House that Heaven</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Built:” go out, follow your dreams, be “bad.”</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">3. Kendrick Lamar - “Humble”</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Kendrick Lamar cemented himself as the greatest rapper of all time with 2017’s </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">DAMN. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“Humble” illustrates everything that puts Kendrick far above any other rapper out there right now. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">His ability to swap flows on a dime and rap in a multitude of voices is on full display on this swaggy track. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Mike Will Made It’s simple piano-riff-focused production is a perfect platform for Lamar to launch off</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">from, straddling the line between technical rap flow and a pop-friendly hook that made </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">this a huge hit for the Compton rapper. In a world full of people thinking they have the right to speak</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">over and silence others, Lamar’s request to be “Humble” is refreshing and hit a chord across the globe. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>2. Cloud Nothings - “Enter Entirely” </b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Long-time Continuous Thunder readers will remember that Cloud Nothings took the top spot</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> on my Tracks of the Year 2014 with their song “I’m Not Part of You.” In my write up, I called </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">that track a “celebratory break-up track” with </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">lead singer “Dylan Baldi coming to terms with </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">the past and rejoicing what lies in his future.” 2017’s “Enter Entirely” serves as the epilogue </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">to that song. In the years since 2014, Cloud Nothings saw both critical and popular success, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">playing all the major music festivals around the world, and Baldi’s songwriting reflects this </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">with the album </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Life Without Sound</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> bringing a refined, poppy, guitar focused sound. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“Entire Entirely,” with its memorable opening guitar riff, is the epitome of this new sound. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Baldi’s vocals are clean and easily heard, Jayson Gerycz’s always awesome drumming sits </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">further back in the mix, and multiple undistorted guitar solos add a different pop-rock feel to </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">this traditionally noise/punk/emo band. Lyrically, Baldi returns to a similar theme to </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“I’m Not Part of You.” While he proudly proclaims “</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">my world looks like I had only dreamed,” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">part of him is still stuck in the past; “Moving on but I still feel it / You're just a light in me now.” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Resignation? Maybe. But an awesome rock song nonetheless. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>1. Alvvays - “Saved by a Waif” </b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I went back and forth on which Alvvays song to choose for this list. Any number of tracks from </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">their standout 2017 release </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Antisocialites</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> could have taken this number one spot. In the end, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I’m going for “Saved by a Waif.” Fast paced, guitar lead, with killer harmonies, this song ticks </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">all the boxes. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Antisocialites </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">saw Alvvays return in the best way possible. “Saved by a Waif” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">sees lead singer Molly Rankin grab the bull by the horns; her vocals are powerful, pitch perfect, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and more aggressive than ever. Driving keyboards in the verses and arpeggiating synths in the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">pre-chorus add a refined and layered sound that we didn’t hear on their 2013 self-titled debut. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Yet, this new sound is so exactly Alvvays: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Alec O'Hanley brings his Two Hours Traffic guitar chops, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Brian Murphy adds his plucky bass line, the drum pattern is exactly as required, and Rankin pulls it all </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">together with her distinct vocal tone. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">As a perfect live set opener, “Saved by the Waif” just screams: “LET’S GET GOING PEOPLE!</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">It’s my number one song of 2017. </span><br />
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SPOTIFY PLAYLIST LINK (NOT IN ORDER)<br />
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/user/12159544712/playlist/5eDFcwaoHH0Uj9HKQwr801" target="_blank">LINK</a>Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-79255894558044515002017-01-03T09:51:00.001-08:002017-01-03T09:51:14.040-08:00Continuous Thunder's Top 15 Songs of 2016Here are my songs of the year!<br />
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15. "Peach Pit" - PEACH PIT - <i>Sweet Fa</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
A nice "slice" of dreamy power pop coming out of rainy ol' Vancouver.<br />
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<i><br /></i><br />
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14. "Be Apart" - Porches - <i>Pool</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Pulled in by the beautifully dissonant piano riff, "Be Apart" entrances you in a head bobbing groove from start to finish. Sad dance music.<br />
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13. "Monotony" - Preoccupations - <i>Preoccupations</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Back after a name change, Preoccupations wrote an album chock full of jarring and challenging rock tunes, following in the footsteps of their first album <i>Viet Cong. </i>What makes these songs captivating is the push and pull between comfort and discomfort displayed in both the instrumentation and the lyrics of their work. "Monotony" is a perfect example of this.<br />
<i><br /></i>
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12. "Cinnamon" - Cullen Omori - <i>New Misery</i><br />
<br />
2016 saw the remnants of the Smith Westerns' glorious legacy reemerge in two new projects: Whitney and Cullen Omori. Omori, former SW lead singer, went off on his own, creating synth pop tunes directly in the lineage of his former band. "Cinnamon" is the best of his new tunes, but misses the catchy guitar riffs of his old band.<br />
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11. "It Ain't Safe" - Skepta feat Young Lord - <i>Konchiwa </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
2016 was the year that UK grime music hit the North American mainstream. Skepta was the king of this grime-mania, winning the illustrious Mercury Prize for his album <i>Konchiwa. </i>"It Ain't Safe" is my favourite from the album, with its simple grimy bassline, typically boisterous lyrics, and catchy chorus.<br />
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10. "Hello Clouds" - Justin Martin feat FEMME - <i>Hello Clouds</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
For the last decade, Justin Martin has been on the cutting edge of house music, taking the four-on-the-floor groove to new levels. <i>Hello Clouds </i>is no different. Full of rich vocals, unique sounds and great grooves, <i>Hello Clouds </i>is one of the year's best albums regardless of genre. The title track is a perfect window into everything you can expect and more from this musical genius.<br />
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9. "Can't Stop Fighting" - SHEER MAG -<i>III</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
That riff. That howl. C'mon.<br />
<i><br /></i>
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8. "Dead Weight" - White Lung - <i>Paradise</i><br />
<br />
A ridiculously intense punk song with a shredding guitar and great lyrics. What more can you ask for?<br />
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7. "Can't Complain" - Justin Jay feat Josh Taylor and Benny Bridges - <i>Fantastic Voyage</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Following in Justin Martin's footsteps, Justin Jay is reimagining house music by going back to real instruments. A guitar solo in a house song? Real lyrics? Get those hips shaking.<br />
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6. "Come Down" - Anderson .Paak - <i>Malibu</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I was late to the Anderson .Paak bandwagon. His NPR Tiny Desk concert was a darn good introduction. He starts the session with "Come Down," one of the songs of the summer.<br />
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5. "Drunk Drivers / Killer Whales" - Car Seat Headrest - <i>Teens of Denial</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
As the climax of an incredible album, "Drunk Drivers / Killer Whales" is an epic. It's a blast of nostalgia that sends shivers up your spine.<br />
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4. "Butterfly" - Twin Peaks - <i>Down in Heaven</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
A fun moshy song with a catchy chorus. Great live song.<br />
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3. "Fool" - Frankie Cosmos - <i>Next Thing</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
A brilliant little jingle with an emotionally charged heart.<br />
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2. "Familiar Patterns" - PUP - <i>The Dream is Over</i><br />
<br />
It's hard to pick a bad song off this record. "Familiar Patterns" stands out with its high energy chorus and heavy breakdown at the end. You'll also hear classic PUP riffage and Stefan's charismatic yelp.<br />
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1. "No Matter Where We Go" - Whitney - <i>Light Upon the Lake</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Number 1. Whitney also emerged from power pop band Smith Westerns, and recorded one of the albums of the year. Their sound takes elements of power pop and jangle rock to create unique tunes and catchy choruses. "No Matter Where We Go" was the song of the summer; a carefree driving love song complete with clean guitar riffs and Julien Ehrlich's falsetto vocals. I just can't get enough!<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SN-9ZAr2ePQ" width="560"></iframe>Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-87238801560430034192015-12-25T11:51:00.000-08:002015-12-25T11:51:42.790-08:00Top 15 Songs of 2015<div class="MsoNormal">
Another
year, another list. I’ve paired it down to a nice manageable 15 songs to
tickle your ears this holiday season!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">15. Fast
Romantics – “Julia”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Coming off
their great 2013 album <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Afterlife Blues</i>,
Fast Romantics hit it big this spring and summer with this memorable indie rock
track. Great guitar lines, a catchy chorus and rhythmic tambourines just make
you want to throw back your head and sing along.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">14. Bad
Sounds – “I Feel”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">It’s the
fat fuzzy bassline that keeps me coming back to this track. Cool falsettos and
funk style guitar licks just add to the beauty of that bassline. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">13.
Telekinesis – “Sylvia”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Electro-pop
blast from Telekinesis’s 2015 album <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ad
Infinitum</i>. I love the very simple piano chords that come after the chorus, a
cool analog juxtaposition to all the digital synths and big electronic drums. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">12. Drake –
Back to Back (Meek Mill Diss)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Drake had
another big year, and this time I couldn’t just ignore it, especially given his
hilarious “Hotline Bling” dance moves. In mid-summer, when terrible rapper Meek
Mill accused Drake of using a ghost writer over twitter, Drake fired back in
true old school hip hop style with a pair of diss tracks. The first track was
alright, and definitely surprised people, but “Back to Back” REALLY shocked the
hip hop world; Drake was spitting bars. Using a super simple trap beat, Drake almost
drunkenly slaps Meek Mill with diss after diss. It’s gold. Almost as gold as
those Hotline Bling moves!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">11. Tough
Age – “50 Girls 50” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Great
surf/punk rock track from a Vancouver favourite of mine. The song really kicks
into another gear when the OOOOOOHHHHHS come out of nowhere. Talk about catchy.
<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></div>
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3644951080/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=1566175993/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="http://tough-age.bandcamp.com/album/i-get-the-feeling-central">I Get the Feeling Central by Tough Age</a></iframe>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">10. White
Reaper – “Make Me Wanna Die”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">I rate this
song almost exactly same as the Tough Age song. Excellent driving punk rock
with classic White Reaper keyboards that add special melodic flavour. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">9. Kendrick
Lamar – “Black Friday” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Kendrick’s
2015 album <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">To Pimp a Butterfly</i> is
contemporary, aware, insightful, anthemic, and powerful. It says many of the
things that need be said about systemic oppression, racism, and white privilege
in the midst of Trump’s heinous campaign, Black Lives Matter protests, and more.
However, as a body of music, Kendrick’s album is challenging. Unlike his
melodic, trap-beat filled previous album <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Good
Kid, Maad City</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">TPAB </i>is choppy, varied,
and wild. Instead of picking a track from the album, I have picked “Black
Friday,” a single released on that day of overconsumption in November. Here
Kendrick raps over another jerky, tricky beat from J Cole. Kendrick hits on all
the themes from the album with viscous intensity: race, consumerism, poverty,
the rap game, genres, Trump, privilege, and even Yeezy himself. It’s a
brilliant song and comes off as completely effortless, a sign of a rapper on
top of his game right now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">8. Viet
Cong – “Continental Shelf”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">This band
was on my radar forever, but I didn’t really give them a real listen until the
whole name controversy came up this fall. The band has since announced they
will change the name. “Continental Shelf” is a post-punk song grounded in
simple tension and release. The verses are grating, noisey, and irritating,
with lead singer Matt Flegel crooning, yelping, and straining. Just as you
think you can’t handle any more, the chorus floats in on a whim, complete with harmonious
and triumphant guitar riffs and angelic backing vocals. This juxtaposition
between verse and chorus is fascinating and keeps me coming back to this track
again and again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">7. Death
Cab for Cutie – “Little Wanderer”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">A subtle guitar
riff drives this longing love song from Ben Gibbard and the Death Cab boys. It
tells the story of a relationship strained by frequent separation, and is
probably-almost-for-sure-absolutely based in Gibbard’s divorce from indie
sweetheart Zooey Deschanel in 2012. Gibbard’s longing lyrics are the
centre-piece of the song, with a perfectly crafted catchy pop chorus straining
everyone’s heart strings just a little bit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">6. Mumford
and Sons – “The Wolf”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Will
picking Mumford?!?! I know, crazy. But how could I not pick this song! What an
amazing driving, energetic track. Awesome riffage, awesome drumming, awesome
vocals. It’s that kind of song you crank when it comes on the radio and drum
madly on the steering wheel...or maybe that’s just me. The 2015 Mumford-genre
switch, from predictable banjo folk to heart pounding top 40 rock caught many
by surprise, and has been lamented worldwide. I say heck ya! Bring me more of
this and I’ll be a happy camper. Excuse me while I air drum!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">5. Tame
Impala – “Let It Happen”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Okay okay
OKAY. This track. Honestly, an eight-minute track is VERY daunting for me. But
as the song titles suggests, you just have to “let it happen.” It’s all about
the build in this song. The song begins with intriguing synth layers, a bouncy
and clappy drum beat, and a noodle-y little bass line that reverberates throughout
the track. Soon this part of the track melts into a full orchestra of strings,
which build into the grand climax of the song: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the best riff of 2015. </b>The riff is crunchy, listenable, catchy, UGH
so good. Great song if you “let it happen,” no skipping to the guitar riff (it's at 6:15 btw) !!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">4. Mac
Demarco – “No Other Heart”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">There’s
something about Mac’s music that makes it very relatable. It’s the kind of
music that makes you want to pick up the nearest instrument, be it a guitar,
keyboard, drumset, or Peruvian pan flute, and write a little love ditty to your
sweetheart. Mac does exactly that on this track, layering jangling guitar licks
on top of simple piano chords and lovey-dovey lyrics like “come on give this
lover boy a try/I’ll put the sparkle right back in your eyes.” It’s cute.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">3. Lord
Huron – “Fool for Love”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Best song
from an album that all sounds the same. Love the carefree lyrics and fun
bah-bahs in the background of the lyrics. A groovy drum beat with a clappy
snare adds to the carefree vibes of this song. A fun one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">2. FIDLAR –
“Stupid Decision”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">I’ve liked
California band FIDLAR since their 2013 debut album, but with 2015’s album, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Too</i>, FIDLAR really grabbed my interest.
While the debut album was mostly skate punk tunes about partying, drinking, and
raising hell, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Too </i>is mature and
contemplative, yet retains enough fun punk vibes. “Stupid Decision” is a
perfect example of this. It’s an extremely heavy song about Zac Carper’s
lifelong struggle with drugs and alcohol. In 2013, while on tour with fellow
punk rock band Wavves, Carper’s pregnant girlfriend overdosed and died from
heroine use. Carper, a serious drug addict himself, was hit hard by the news,
and spiralled even further into addiction and depression. Since then, Carper
has recovered and sobered up; “Stupid Decision” tells his story. It isn’t very
often when punk is so personal, so <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Too </i>breathes
a serious fresh breath of air into the genre. Some critics have attacked FIDLAR
for softening up, but I couldn’t disagree more. While no longer a thrashy punk
band, Fidlar more than makes up for that with melody and better songwriting. The
lyrics, playing, and album crafting is top notch, and will be an album I look
back on well into the future. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Song at 30:18</span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">1. Courtney
Barnett – “Depreston”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Courtney
Barnett writes songs like a photographer. In “Depreston,” she takes us into a
photograph of a “Californian bungalow in a cul-de-sac” in suburban Australia. With
her deadpan sarcastic tone, Barnett conveys the overwhelming sense of grey
emptiness of suburban life. Her writing, combining with a simple guitar part,
immediately instills a nostalgic feeling deep in your gut. At its heart, “Depreston”
is a coming of age song; it’s about the sudden, depressing realization that “real”
adulthood means giving up a life of socializing in coffee shops for a glum existence
in the suburbs. Yet the song is redemptive; if you have “a spare half a million/you
could knock it down and start rebuilding.” While Arcade Fire advocates for “Suburban
War,” Barnett’s message is much simpler: get rich or die trying. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></div>
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Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-89455850505655859542015-12-01T10:45:00.002-08:002015-12-01T10:45:26.409-08:00December Singles<b>Here are a couple of new tunes tickling my ear hairs.</b><br />
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<b>Bad Sounds - "I Feel"</b></div>
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Cool fuzzy bassline, catchy lyrical additions.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/227004988&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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<b>Fine Times - "Not Dead" </b><br />
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Local boys continuing to mimic label-mates The Zolas in the best of ways.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/221319114&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>
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<b>Cage the Elephant - "Trouble"</b><br />
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Probably doesn't require a repost, but dang. CTE coming back with some "Cigarette Daydream" nostalgia on this tune. Very Portugal the Man-ish.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="113" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AcDYTcTXtI8" width="200"></iframe>
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<b>Silver Blueberry - "Walk With Me"</b><br />
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Effortless punk tune. Clash influence.<br />
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Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-74227883087101190642015-10-26T17:20:00.001-07:002015-10-26T17:20:36.480-07:00Don't call it a come backIt's time to stop being lazy and get this blog going again! Since I took the summer off, I thought I'd return with a super simple blog of straight tunes. I'll be coming back soon with album reviews, concert reviews, and my favourite top 10 lists!<br />
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Here goes:<br />
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Went to see Telekinesis a few weeks ago. The warmup, Say Hi, was hilarious. Here's a cool tune from the new record, I love the hollow synths.<br />
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FIDLAR is one of those bands really getting me fired up on punk again. While their last album was primarily party rock anthems like "Cheap Beer" and "Wake Bake Skate," FIDLAR seems to have grown up a bit on their 2015 release. Check out "40 oz on Repeat," a self-deprecating tune about the very real problem of money or lack thereof. Buy their album so they have more of that green stuff.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/216574706&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>
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Port Juvee is a Calgary rawk band, here's an okay tune!<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/221194230&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>
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Another Calgary rawk band that has caught my ear is 36?. Winners of the 2015 Western Canadian Music Awards Rock Album of the year, 36? is a strange band without a defining sound. Their song "are you scared yet?" is my favourite, a blend of Hot Hot Heat and Violent Femmes.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/131905376&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>
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Coming back soon with more!</div>
Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-84118342889680008932015-03-14T14:03:00.000-07:002015-03-14T14:03:08.525-07:00Album Review: Drum and Bell Tower - "Out of the Time"Note to fans of da blog: Sorry it's been so long between posts. School got busy and I've been listening to way too much house music as of late. That said, my friend Sam sent me this new album from Drum and Bell Tower. He's playing a show in Vancouver on March 21st at the Wise Hall. Here's my review.<br />
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<a href="http://static1.squarespace.com/static/54cfd3dee4b030c6f9433950/t/54e2166be4b094c160472da5/1424103026336/cdcover.jpg?format=300w" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://static1.squarespace.com/static/54cfd3dee4b030c6f9433950/t/54e2166be4b094c160472da5/1424103026336/cdcover.jpg?format=300w" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
Like Sam Tudor, Brent Morton (the man behind the moniker Drum and Bell Tower), is based in Williams Lake, a relatively isolated outpost in Northern BC teeming with musical talent. The nature of this northern town seems to leak its way into many its artists; there's a sense of expansion and desolation hidden within the sound of artists such as Brent, or Sam, or even punk bands like Rebel Spell. Drum and Bell tower is tone sensitive, lyrically driven early Radiohead rock mixed with strange electronic elements and breakdowns a la Kitchener's <a href="http://r3.ca/0fr3" target="_blank">Decomposure</a> (see the opener of the album). Drum and Bell Tower sound like you've heard them all your life, but you've never heard them before.<br />
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The first thing that strikes me about <i>Out of the Time</i> is how sonically cohesive it is as a whole. Many of the songs have similar guitar riffs and the vocal delivery remains even and paced for many of the songs, especially towards the end of the album. This similar soundscape gives a great continuity to the album, although sometimes by track six or seven I'm just begging for a track to break up the flow and truly surprise me with a new vibe or energy. A song like "Stitches" achieves this well, with a creepy and haunting drum intro and vocals done by Sam Tudor, sounding like a young James Mercer.<br />
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While many of the songs sound eerily similar, this is not necessarily a bad thing. The guitar tones are absolutely pitch perfect. Warm and round, but still edgy, these tones define the sound of the album, so I can't fault Brent for keeping a similar tone throughout the album. When the full band kicks in behind these gorgeous guitars, Drum and Bell Tower presents a serious sonic force. The best example of this, and my favourite song from the album, is "Song for a Teenage Girl." It begins with a heavy driving beat and careful guitar riffage. The vocals are pleading, and express level of warning. For a writer that has typically focused on large, political issues in the past, the lyrical basis of this track is very personal, telling of the pain of letting go of someone you love. The sentiment in the lines "take the pain and travel on" are matched perfectly by the desperate vocal delivery. The band follows along with the vocals, with an excellent bass riff and bass focused drums. It's a great track.<br />
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Overall, <i>Out of the Time </i>is an album of small, but deep impressions. It's that cool bass riff at 1:40 of "Song 0," or a particularly insightful lyric, or even just an emotion evoked. Like bands such as War on Drugs or Phosphorescent, Drum and Bell Tower does not focus on individual songs, rather on the album as a singular emotional unit, portraying a certain feeling. Like <i>Lost in the Dream, </i>Drum and Bell Tower takes me <i>Out of the Time</i> and into the woods of William Lake, BC.<br />
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Drum and Bell Tower play Wise Hall March 21st in Vancouver. To check out more tour dates, and to stream the entire album, head over to <a href="http://www.drumandbelltower.org/" target="_blank">http://www.drumandbelltower.org/</a><br />
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<br />Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-37562859355959818362014-12-21T23:13:00.000-08:002014-12-22T10:18:03.350-08:00Top 25 Tracks of 2014<div class="MsoNormal">
Here are 25 of the best songs that made me think, dance like
a dad, and poorly lip synch this year! Shake those buns!</div>
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<b>25. King Tuff – “Headbanger”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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A razor sharp guitar riff kicks off this upbeat rocker about
love in a record store. Bang your little head!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>24. Scenic Route to Alaska – “Paris”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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This local Edmonton bands really rocks out in a very
polished way. I love the howling vocal line. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>23. Broncho – “Class Historian”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Another song that brings in you with a great riff! This time
it’s a goofy vocal stuttering that sounds really cool, not to mention catchy as
hell! <o:p></o:p><br />
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<b>22. Band of Skulls – “Asleep at the Wheel”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Band of Skulls really blew me away with their rowdy set at
Sasquatch this year. “Asleep at the Wheel” kicked off the party!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>21. Alt-J – “Left Hand Free”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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It might be a made-for-radio label pleaser, but “Left Hand
Free” remains my standout from Alt-J’s mediocre 2014 release, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This Is All Yours. </i>There’s something
distinctly strange and awesome about such a creative, non-traditional band
producing such a straight-forward rock tune. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>20. Sam Tudor – “Modern New Year”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I like to picture Sam lying on his back on a bare mattress
in his barren beige room singing this song to the ceiling. I should probably
direct the music video.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>19. Mounties – “Tokyo Summer” </b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Whereas Mounties’ first hit “Headphones” is tiresome and
slightly annoying, they really nailed the riff on “Tokyo Summer,” capturing a
perfect slice of summer deck season.<o:p></o:p>
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<b>18. Shiba San – “Okay”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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I generally try to refrain from posting about house and
dance music on this blog, but this song requires an exception. “Okay” defined
the summer of 2014, be it in the club, in the car, or in my headphones. There’s
nothing complicated about this 4 on the floor deep house track, but Shiba San really
struck gold on this one, quickly becoming mandatory club fodder for any
aspiring DJ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>17. Run the Jewels – “Angel Dust”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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There’s just something about this duo of El-P and Killer
Mike that keeps bringing me back. This is grimy, dark, electronic hip-hop music
at its best. “Angel Dust” is straight from a ski movie intro with its heavy
bass drum and memorable chorus. EPIC.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>16. Solids – “Traces” </b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Solids, a Montreal punk rock duo, hit hard and fast on this
loud and grungy song. The piano chords in the chorus add an interesting texture
to the typical guitar grunge noise. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>15. Current Swell – “Keys to the Kingdom”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Current Swell have lots of amazing songs from previous
albums that I love, but “Keys to the Kingdom” was their key to mainstream
success. Aptly named! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>14. Broken Bells – “Holding On For Life”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Probably the first song I heard from 2014! The falsetto
chorus is perfect, and nicely opposes the deep bass plucking that continues
throughout the track.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>13. July Talk – “Headsick”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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I guess I really liked radio hits from indie bands…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkTuU6cOkaE" target="_blank">LINK</a></div>
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<b>12. White Reaper – “Half Bad” </b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Crunchy, obnoxious, and oh so good. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>11. The Rural Alberta Advantage – “45/33”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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A real headbanger from RAA’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mended with Gold</i>. This track stood out from the rest with its
distinct jam outs and final volcanic explosion of rock.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0x4335e_Xc" target="_blank">LINK</a></div>
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<b>Drumroll……..the Top Ten!</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>10. New Pornographers – “You Tell Me Where”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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While tracks like “Brill Bruisers” and “War on the East
Coast” are excellent, you must wait until the end of the New Pornographer’s
2014 release <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Brill Bruisers </i>for its
best track. “You Tell Me Where,” like many New Pornographer’s songs, is a
builder. This song is a celebration, with AC Newman, Neko Case, and Kathryn
Calder all sharing vocal duties unlike ever before on a NP’s track. The song
hits you with a full on wall of pop rock sound, dynamically balancing various
melodies against a classic New Pornographers rhythm. The romantic lyrics “you
tell me where to be there, I’ll be there” are a celebratory change from AC
Newman’s mostly depressing lyrics from his latest solo work, and ends <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Brill Bruisers </i>with a bang!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQZ4o4Bcck0" target="_blank">LINK</a><br />
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<b>9. Francisco the Man – “You & I”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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This is the opening track of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Loose Ends</i>, and completely sets the mood for what’s to follow. It’s
basically a mid-tempo guitar driven rock song set to a fantastic drum track
that marches in the verses and pounds in the chorus and bridge. The lyrics of
chorus tell of a tortured love, with “Laura, I love you. But I’m leaving.” The
chorus truly makes the song. It’s a soaring, melodic burst of energy that cuts
through the guitar and bass riffs and reminds us of how rock music can somehow
balance tormented feelings with melodic instrumentation. Francisco the Man, one
of my biggest musical discoveries of 2014, nails it on this track.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>8. Arkells – “Come to Light”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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I like “Come to Light” because it sounds like the Arkells of
old. By that, I mean the Arkells that brought us numerous rock gems such as
“Pullin’ Punches” and “Whistlerblower.” Whereas most songs on their 2014 album <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">High Noon </i>put too much sugar in my
coffee (if you catch my drift), “Come to Light” manages to balance a pop hook
against in a fantastic guitar riff that gives the song some edge. It’s that
edginess that brought me to like Arkells after<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Jackson Square</i>, and that edginess is sorely missed on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">High Noon</i>. That said, “11:11” is
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<b>7. Tokyo Police Club – “Hot Tonight”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Speaking of guilty pleasures, can we please talk about this
chorus? One thousand fishing rods can’t even match the catchiness of this tune.
Okay, I’ll admit that was a weak metaphor. This song serves little purpose
other than to get the people dancin’. And I love it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>6. Eagulls – “Tough Luck”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Riff of the year! The lead guitar and the bass pass this
amazing riff back and forth over the course of this grimy post-punk, noise rock
song. Somehow lead singer George Mitchell’s assured yelp works perfectly in
this setting, and I like to think of his howl as an instrument rather than a
voice. In fact, I can only barely make out a few words over the course of the
song, and it doesn’t matter in the least. However, that jangly, clearly plucked
guitar part remains the central unifying force in the track, and continues to
be my favorite riff of the year.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>5. Vacationer – “The Wild Life”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Vacationer nailed a cool jungle, tribal feeling with the
drum part of this extremely catchy tune. This mid-tempo bouncy beat sets the
track apart from other indie pop songs, bringing a totally fresh
instrumentation to a tired genre. The sentiment of the lyrics suggesting the
wild and spontaneous nature of life perfectly compliments the drum circle vibes
of the beat. Go ahead and clap along!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>4. The War on Drugs – “Under the Pressure”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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When I started to put together this list, I knew I had to
put a War on Drugs song somewhere in the Top 5. But I struggled to name a
single song from their beautiful 2014 album, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lost in the Dream</i>. I think that sums up the true beauty of that
album, since the entire album feels like one long song. In so many ways,
listening to the album is aptly compared to being “lost in a dream.” The albums
drifts and floats in the air; it feels non-material, as if it just belongs,
just as a feeling or emotion simply exists. “Under the Pressure” manages to
capture this feeling over the course of its 8 minutes. The simplicity of the
piano part flawlessly captures a somber, yet optimistic mood, while the drum
parts moves the track forward and keeps it focused. I like to think of the
first part of the song as that period right before you fall asleep. Your brain
is still chugging along, dissecting the day, but slowly and surely you begin to
tire of this, and you descend towards sleep, becoming <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lost in the Dream.</i> <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>3. Generationals – “Would You Want Me”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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If you know my musical taste at all, you know I’m a sucker
for riffs. And male falsetto. “Would You Want Me” checks both of these boxes.
Last year Generationals made my list with their “breakout” single, “Put a Light
On.” While that song blew me away with interesting rhythms and cool
instrumentation, “Would You Want Me” is much simpler. Nonetheless, this
simplicity captures a joyousness beyond its bars. The song starts with the
central riff played by an electric marimba-esque computer. This riff gets
reused throughout the track before exploding into a chorus of faux trumpets at
the end of the track, which makes me smile every dang time. Just wish they
skipped the fade out, <span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">fade out</span>, <span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">fade out, </span><span style="font-size: 6.0pt;">fade
out, </span><span style="font-size: 4.0pt;">fade out, </span><span style="font-size: 2.0pt;">fade out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b>2. Alvvays – “Archie, Marry Me”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Probably the biggest new band on the Canadian indie scene in
2014, Alvvays captured our ears with their catchy blend of dream pop. “Archie,
Marry Me,” the lead single from their debut sef-titled album, is the perfect
exemplar of their sound. The song tells of a love beyond material wealth, with
lead singer Molly Rankin repeatedly pleading some chap name Archie to marry
her. Dude Archie, just do it man. Seriously though, I love how Rankin sings, it
seems so nonchalant, yet dreamy and reverbed out. It cuts through the distorted
muck from the lead guitar part, and is clearly the key to Alvvays’s 2014
critical success. The video is pretty cool too!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>1. Cloud Nothings – “I’m Not Part of Me”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Cloud Nothings had been on my radar since their 2011 release
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Attack on Memory</i>, a loud, straight
ahead emo/no-wave storm of sound. Whereas that album lacked little on the noise
front, I felt it lacked a level of maturity and finesse. With their 2014 album,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Here and Nowhere Else</i>, Cloud Nothings
brought everything together with a new level of production, song writing
maturity, and general energy. “I’m Not Part of Me” is the climax of this
brilliant album.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The song is grounded with a steady guitar and bass chord
pattern, and like the rest of the album, it driven forward by drummer Jayson
Gerycz’s animalistic rhythms. He is one of my new favourite drummers based
solely on his performance at Pitchfork festival this year:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
Lead singer Dylan Baldi kicks off the song with the line:
“it starts right now”, which is odd given that this comes on the last song of
the album, but acts as a succinct intro to the pounding groove that follows.
Lyrically, “I’m Not Part of Me” is essentially a break-up song, but whereas
Baldi’s previous break-up tracks were negative and self-deprecating, “I’m Not
Part of Me” is celebratory, with Baldi coming to terms with the past and
rejoicing what lies in his future. However, I don’t read this song as a breakup
with another person; instead I see this as Baldi breaking up with his past
self. This is apparent in the chorus: “I’m not, I’m not you, you’re a part of
me, you’re a part of me.” As much as Baldi might want to avoid being that person
that he used to be, it’s that past identity that made him who he is and who he is
going to be. In my opinion, long as that future person keeps making incredible
rock tracks like this one, I’ll be a very happy camper. Congratulations Cloud
Nothings, you ruled 2014 in my books. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/131156646&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
Here is the full spotify playlist of my top 25 for your streaming pleasure: <a href="http://open.spotify.com/user/12159544712/playlist/0tRS75xHz7mmdxcHWYxuRS" target="_blank">LINK</a><br />
<br />Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-53741126711191798982014-10-31T12:02:00.001-07:002014-10-31T12:02:27.116-07:00BOO! Halloween tunez for scaring little children with your love for loud noise rock ;) I mean the band is called White Reaper, gotta be worth some Halloween brownie points, right? - great album too!<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/143569117&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>
<br />
Gnarwolves - verging on that line between being emo I like and emo I dislike. Whatever here you go.<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/87976920&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>
<br />
King Tuff, again. Beware black moons tonight!<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/163882458&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
What's halloween without a couple of skulls? Or an entire Band Of Skulls?<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/3044578&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>
<br />
Play this tune loud enough and we might just need to perform exorcism on you!<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/129495405&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
Hopefully the sun won't be too sleepy tomorrow! Don't tire yourself out headbanging to this gem.<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/105449341&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-48434056894495812972014-10-21T12:01:00.002-07:002014-10-21T14:45:22.542-07:00Quick Run Down of a Few Newish Albums<div class="MsoNormal">
Hey! It’s been WAY too long between posts. I’ve the last
couple of months writing a few mediocre words on a few new albums but nothing
to warrant a full review. So I thought I might just slap a couple of sentences
together about each of these albums as a quick review of September and October
albums, chronologically.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://images.popmatters.com/music_cover_art/e/elephant_stone_the_three_poisons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.popmatters.com/music_cover_art/e/elephant_stone_the_three_poisons.jpg" height="200" width="187" /></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Three Poisons </i>–
Elephant Stone<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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JANGLE. Awesome guitars sounds on this psychedelic power pop
album. Loved their song “Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin,” from<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>their self titled 2013 debut, which is an all
out power pop explosion with THE BEST riff ever. So damn catchy. I was hoping
for some of the same on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Three Poisons </i>and
some songs do pick up on that trend, although there are some duds on the album.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
7/10<o:p></o:p></div>
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/59303632&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>
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<br />
<a href="https://soundcloud.com/elephantstone/all-is-burning" target="_blank">LINK</a></div>
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<a href="http://inyourspeakers.com/files/imagecache/298x298/images/reviews/generationals_-_alix-13383.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://inyourspeakers.com/files/imagecache/298x298/images/reviews/generationals_-_alix-13383.png" height="200" width="200" /></a><o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Alix </i>–
Generationals<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Career defining. What’s more to be said about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Alix</i>? It takes all the best bits from previous
Generationals albums and morphs these snippets into the best indie pop rock
songs of 2014. Catchy melodies, interesting instrumentation and sounds, and
lyrics that you make you think….what more could you want??? In addition, the
Generationals are hilarious and their social media blitz on Youtube is amazing,
combining Portlandia and good music in the best of ways. Love love love the “horns” on the last track, "Would<br />
You Want Me," that was a great decision (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dPTyiWt2bo" target="_blank">LINK</a>). A++++<br />
8.5/10<br />
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://subpop-img.s3.amazonaws.com/asset/productable_images/attachments/000/004/976/square_300/kingtuff-blackmoonspell-digital-900.jpg?1407268945" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://subpop-img.s3.amazonaws.com/asset/productable_images/attachments/000/004/976/square_300/kingtuff-blackmoonspell-digital-900.jpg?1407268945" width="200" /></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Black Moon Spell </i>–
King Tuff <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This is a wacky one for sure. Off-kilter rock tunes with a
clear blues background, but King Tuff really doesn’t follow convention on this
one. Punk songs, pysch songs, weird ass songs (“I Love Ugly”), this album has
it all. My attention was held throughout. Songs like “Headbanger,” and “Black
Moon Spell” are my personal favorites. I might have to start going back into
King Tuff’s discography to get a better picture of this band.<o:p></o:p></div>
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6.5/10<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/166850559&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.theraa.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/lbj-2073x3_300dpi-800x800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.theraa.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/lbj-2073x3_300dpi-800x800.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mended with Gold </i>–
Rural Alberta Advantage<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Simply put, RAA is one of my favourite bands. This album
didn’t really surprise me with anything especially new, beyond a bit more of an
electric sound. Has a formulaic edge to it, which isn’t a bad <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mended
with Gold </i>fits very nicely into their discography, and I expect the live
show to be extremely cohesive and awesome. Favourite songs include “45/33,” and
“Runners in the Night.”<o:p></o:p><br />
thing as RAA has
a damn good formula to follow. </div>
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7.5/10<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/157293795&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Special Bonus Round!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://cdn4.pitchfork.com/albums/20300/homepage_large.9419e472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn4.pitchfork.com/albums/20300/homepage_large.9419e472.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lost In The Dream </i>–
The War on Drugs<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I can’t believe I skimmed past this album back when it came
out in March. This album soars up and down, perfectly complimenting a lazy Sunday
drive along prairie back roads. I’m usually not one for long songs, but the
grooves laid down by the band on songs like “Under the Pressure,” and “An Ocean
Inbetween the Waves” are stellar—catchy enough to keep your attention, but lazy
enough to set you into a dreamlike state. You truly are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lost In The Dream</i>. You are enveloped in a wave of warm sounds, soft
guitar licks, and a distinct groove. Let yourself float. <o:p></o:p></div>
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8.5/10<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-49012847410242378622014-09-08T21:08:00.000-07:002014-09-09T01:00:34.467-07:00Album Review: Sam Tudor – The Modern New Year <div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoq7A9gp5r3KT_Sw0IKwe_bcnT6xCBoIZMialyrq_qmykGYomQ0j7-SsuDz5pZ8lfBeotmyE2aOIAEY2RU1b2N3aLqxpPN_sfUKYTeSKJW7BxnoEhnqzZKdoU-Ciz_5PA_pQ2mjNEzKhs/s1600/samtudor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoq7A9gp5r3KT_Sw0IKwe_bcnT6xCBoIZMialyrq_qmykGYomQ0j7-SsuDz5pZ8lfBeotmyE2aOIAEY2RU1b2N3aLqxpPN_sfUKYTeSKJW7BxnoEhnqzZKdoU-Ciz_5PA_pQ2mjNEzKhs/s1600/samtudor.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
Most students celebrate the end of first term by sleeping,
eating too much food at family Christmas dinners, and drinking excessively (and
not just eggnog!). Vancouver based
singer-songwriter-UBC-student-all-around-good-guy Sam Tudor decided to spend
his Christmas break a bit differently. He gathered a few of his musically
inclined friends and family, notably Brent Morton and Harry Tudor, drove out to
a cabin in the woods at Gavin Lake Camp, and recorded his second album, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Modern New Age</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The effects of this recording environment seem to resonate
throughout the album, which, while at points melancholy, has a nostalgic air
that brings you right into that cabin in the woods, escaping from the bitterly
cold air outside. Tudor crafts songs that blend the familiar with the new,
striking a balance between comforting instrumentation and thought provoking
lyrics. This is wholly illustrated in the excellent opening tracks from the
album. “Modern New Year” catches the ear, as an opener always should, with a “cheap”
sounding drum machine beat softly backing a vocal riff lazily and gloomily sung
in harmony. Then Tudor enters, clearly and carefully shaping visually
stimulating verses and a catchy chorus. I love the echoed and distance vocals
in the second verse calling from afar.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Modern New Year</i>
continues at a pace that balances the mellower songs against the peppy, goofy
tracks such as “The Exhaltation Of Some Things (Get On Out)”. This track shows
off Tudor’s more playful side with a kazoo solo reminiscent of the Beat
Farmers’ “Happy Boy,” and various whistling jingles and jangles flowing in
between string parts. The laughter ending the track just caps it off oh so well.<o:p></o:p><br />
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On the other hand, on more serious tracks like “The
Mezzanine Waltz” and “The Darkness Song” Sam’s song writing really shines
through. “The Darkness Song,” my favourite from the album, is a gloomy, brooding
march that builds towards the finish, highlighted by mellow banjo picking and a
tasteful solo. However, it is the coupled male and female vocals that really
make the track. It’s a song equally fit for a downtrodden bar as it is for a
campfire somewhere in the interior.</div>
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/166728499&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5r1H_TqZowbB4E9ebxniF0FRN0I9H2GVW4hT7zJcWwp6H5GWPJPPqElF4CIGM9HYO-__KVtH5zwmoIPO4Qpq4DI1_Gu7jMGRFGjO3EQYx_YUz6CAOLiNisrRzAyOo8w5rrBUv3-YZU4/s1600/1500999_577119645711137_1401305450_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5r1H_TqZowbB4E9ebxniF0FRN0I9H2GVW4hT7zJcWwp6H5GWPJPPqElF4CIGM9HYO-__KVtH5zwmoIPO4Qpq4DI1_Gu7jMGRFGjO3EQYx_YUz6CAOLiNisrRzAyOo8w5rrBUv3-YZU4/s1600/1500999_577119645711137_1401305450_o.jpg" height="178" width="320" /></a>“The Modern New Year” is a prime example how a little d.i.y.
attitude and a pitcher full of talent can create something rivaling anything
produced in a multi-million dollar studio. In some ways, Tudor attempts to
tackle the issue of computer produced studio albums being released everyday on
his last track “Lottapeople Blues.” As Tudor laments: “every 10 track game plan
measuring in charts and pounds” and “everyone the same, clogging up the drain a
billion times,” he makes the case for going back to the music, cutting out the
excess, and instead huddling around a mic in a cabin in the woods.<br />
<br />
Keep your eyes out for Sam's CD release party in late September/early October! </div>
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Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-17409012800191330332014-08-26T23:32:00.001-07:002014-08-26T23:34:46.166-07:00Album Review: The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzUPuMilMgNELBfTytjeJ1xsmxf2z8XSjSB_hD2FPa3tU4HK42cMqU2W5KdSBpwMUHwioMk_0yCZScDqxaSbVSntjfuycBr7q0JKbBZpeASURNZEgF_KFNwd1yvl3oCsOBM5jEP-9gdQg/s1600/The-New-Pornographers-Brill-Bruisers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzUPuMilMgNELBfTytjeJ1xsmxf2z8XSjSB_hD2FPa3tU4HK42cMqU2W5KdSBpwMUHwioMk_0yCZScDqxaSbVSntjfuycBr7q0JKbBZpeASURNZEgF_KFNwd1yvl3oCsOBM5jEP-9gdQg/s1600/The-New-Pornographers-Brill-Bruisers.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
If Canadian indie rock supergroup The New Pornographers have
suffered from anything in their five previous albums, it has been that the band
has simply too much individual talent. With songwriting stalwarts Carl (AC)
Newman, Dan Bejar (Destroyer), and Neko Case, not to mention Katherine Calder
(Immaculate Machine—excellent band!), the band has always struggled to make a
cohesive record from front to back, especially in their last two releases, <i>Challengers (2007) </i>and <i>Together </i>(2010). The pattern within
their albums has become familiar: the best songs are sung and written by Newman,
Neko chimes in here and there with her iconic vocal chops, and Bejar drunkenly
stumbles in every three songs with an off-kilter, yet oddly whimsical and
endearing track (see “Silver Jenny Dollar”, “Myriad Harbour”).</div>
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<i>Brill Bruisers </i>“challenges”
this familiar mold. The instrumentation is fresh, with deep modulated bass
riffs and more synths, while still keeping that distinct “New Pornos” blend of
indie rock. The band seems more cohesive, with vocals blending and fewer single
vocal tracks featuring only Bejar, Newman or Neko. This is perfectly
illustrated on the title track that features triumphant “bo-bahs” and “ooooohs”
sung by the whole band, while Newman confidently slides in between to add
lyrical depth. It’s a song that just screams happiness. This lyrical sharing is
a general theme throughout the album and is capped off perfectly with the pop
explosion that is the final track, “You Tell Me Where.” (<a href="http://r3.ca/6PWw" target="_blank">link</a>)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Even some of the songs with a single lead vocalist,
such as Bejar’s “War on the West Coast” are stellar. I love this song with its
dark, brooding bass riffs and creepy lyrics sung by the King of Creep himself,
Dan Bejar. On the other hand, songs like “Wide Eyes,” “Spidyr,” and “Hi-Rise,” are
just boring in my opinion and offer little lyrical or instrumentally.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As a final thought, <i>Brill
Bruisers </i>just<i> </i>doesn’t stand up to early New Pornogrpaher’s albums. It lacks the power chords of <i>Mass Romantic’s </i>“Slow Descent into
Alcoholism,” the pure energy of a Kurt Dahle drum fill a la “The Bleeding Heart
Show,” or the staying power of a catchy single like “Letter from an Occupant.” While
the album has its highs, I feel it simply doesn’t have that THING that will
continue to bring people back to it in years to come, unlike <i>Mass Romantic </i>or <i>Twin Cinema. </i><o:p></o:p><br />
<i><br /></i></div>
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/4068070&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>
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6.5/10</div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-58475607305092022052014-06-24T12:57:00.000-07:002014-06-24T12:57:15.177-07:00A Couple of Things to Look Forward ToNew singles are exciting!<br />
<br />
<b>New Pornographers - "Brill Bruisers"</b><br />
<br />
Have always loved this band, will always love this band, and I am super excited for their new album! Talk about an instantly catchy indie pop rock tune right here...love the "ba-bas" and the cool interactive video (<a href="http://www.thenewpornographers.com/" target="_blank">VIDEO HERE</a>).<br />
<br />
Album out August 26!<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/EhhtSXk1c70" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
<b>JPNSGRLS - "Smalls"</b><br />
<br />
Great newish rock band out of Vancouver. With plenty of rock band competition in that city, JPNSGRLS has crafted a nice blend of rock, punk, and ska to really set themselves apart from fellow YVR bands like Japandroids and Tough Age, among others. Love this single from their debut LP coming this summer.<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/147100755&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/105431251&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
<b>Spoon - "Rent I Pay"</b><br />
<br />
Spoon has a new album out this summer too! Spoon is such an off and on band for me, but this single, "Rent I Pay," is awesome with its crunchy riffage and thumping bass and drums. Crank it up loud and bang that head!<br />
<br />
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<b>Arkells - <i>High Noon</i></b><br />
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ARKELLS IS BRINING US NEW MUSIC! One of favourite bands is dropping their third studio LP this August, following up on the solid <i>Michigan Left, </i>and their breakout, best-of list topping<i> </i>album <i>Jackson Square</i>, which continues to be one of my all time favs.<br />
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The single "Come to Light" picks up exactly where the Arkells left off with <i>Michigan Left, </i>bringing back that instantly recognizable blend of rock and roll. And DAMN is that not a riff or what?! The other single "11:11" is much more poppy, almost cheesily poppy, but I still find it catchy enough as a light summer jam. Hope they bring some more RAWK for the full LP. Can't wait.<br />
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<br />Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-85033372313803410382014-04-13T22:03:00.004-07:002014-09-06T12:33:10.144-07:00Album Review – Cloud Nothings – Here and Nowhere Else <div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge6_QLzft1csErzkMOBETtze318BsHfw9xasZ2fVA2YOBBc0KjwHLg0I-jeBpGw5cuGrCXIOJ2s7r_86bQJiyJes-8iwzlTlVE6khKYrkKPbWFJynsJ8hI4UiFu-A4EtbWcfzgtndQGGA/s1600/cloudnothings_herelp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge6_QLzft1csErzkMOBETtze318BsHfw9xasZ2fVA2YOBBc0KjwHLg0I-jeBpGw5cuGrCXIOJ2s7r_86bQJiyJes-8iwzlTlVE6khKYrkKPbWFJynsJ8hI4UiFu-A4EtbWcfzgtndQGGA/s1600/cloudnothings_herelp.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
Cloud Nothings are an excellent lo-fi rock band out of
Cleveland. A guitar, bass and drums along with Dylan Baldi’s lead vocals. In
fact, Cloud Nothings basically started as a one man band of just Baldi, but the
band now has permanent bass and drum members too. However, Baldi is clearly
still the leader when it comes to the band’s musical direction.</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Here and Nowhere Else</i>
is a noisy lo-fi racket of an album full of textured rhythmic guitars, grimy,
hoarse vocals, and interesting melodic interludes that give some respite from
the more punk influenced rock outs. The track “Psychic Trauma” stands out as a
great exemplar of all three of these things. The song starts out with a simple,
yet catchy guitar riff parading along at a mid-tempo romp before the drums kick
the song into hyperdrive with some absolutely ridiculous fills and rolls. Baldi
follows the drummer’s lead with some screamy lyrics to match. Excellent track. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The album continues along with some great riff rockers,
along with some not so great moments where the lyrics become overpowering and
to some extent, detract from the stellar backing tracks. The song “Giving Into
Seeing” is a good example of this. The song is like an earlier Cage the Elephant
song on cocaine (speaking of which, did you see CTE’s Matt Shultz at
Coachella?—yikes!), with a super fast bass riff and solid guitar sub-riffage.
However the chorus yelling “SWALLOW,” in this disturbingly nasally, yet throaty
voice is off-putting, which is too bad given the quality of the song otherwise. ***edit: this songs freaking rocks<o:p></o:p></div>
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However, the album ends on an absolute dime with “I’m Not
Part of Me.” This is as good as it gets in terms of rock and roll. Just take a
listen. It’s catchy, just edgy enough, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE LYRICS (A+++),
and a nice length. Kinda reminds me of lo-fi rockers Ladyhawk, with the more
obvious Built to Spill influence. It’s a perfectly crafted little gem ending
off a solid album from Cloud Nothings.<o:p></o:p><br />
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8.5/10</div>
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Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-60524148307514835502014-04-08T15:09:00.007-07:002014-04-13T22:08:27.424-07:00Album Review: Eagulls – Eagulls<div class="MsoNormal">
Eagulls first caught my ear a few years ago with their
awesome rocker “Coffin,” a total party rock anthem with a great bass riff,
howling vocals, and a pounding drum beat to match.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_89Eq793REXbPBFxNh7l0xe0ccHx3duNs8-lwZ0M4ES7FYAQcXIGM8sqwEchl2suU6r0xQp936SoYjbhAz-VuFhpUS5ST-qfT3GtKCBvTJIhlFivzS5y9FW7TystaY55IfsWPEJnkO4/s1600/Eagulls-Album-Cover-608x608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_89Eq793REXbPBFxNh7l0xe0ccHx3duNs8-lwZ0M4ES7FYAQcXIGM8sqwEchl2suU6r0xQp936SoYjbhAz-VuFhpUS5ST-qfT3GtKCBvTJIhlFivzS5y9FW7TystaY55IfsWPEJnkO4/s1600/Eagulls-Album-Cover-608x608.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a>With their 2014 self titled debut LP, Eagulls have continued
the trend set out by “Coffin.” It’s a noisy, rambunctious post-punk album off
dirty, grimy guitars and beats. You can picture the band sweating it out in a
basement club in their hometown of Leeds, pounding away at their instruments.
Eagulls somehow mix the glistening guitars of shoe gaze with straight up punk
bass and drums and an almost New Wave-esque vocal licks. Good luck
understanding the lyrics more than 30% of the time.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The album kicks off with three solid post punk tracks, and
then the track “Tough Love” really grabs your ear. A great guitar riff really
brings some sunshine into an otherwise dark sound, and rather droning vocals. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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“Possessed” is the single from the album, and notably the
song they played on Letterman. How they managed to get post-punk on Letterman
is beyond me, but, hey, sounds good to me! This track has the best guitar riff
of 2014 so far! Great guitar solo too.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The album ends with “Soulless Youth,” a track that starts
with this weird feedback riff droning rhythmically before the band comes
bashing in from behind. The track rips along with screeching guitars and
furious drumming before melting down at the end into a tangle of feedback
tones. That’s how you end an alb<o:p></o:p><br />
um!!<br />
<br />
7/10<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Check this awesome live concert where they play the whole album + "Coffin" !!</div>
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Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-47544873753229703922014-04-08T08:52:00.000-07:002014-04-08T08:52:18.930-07:00Album Review: Foster the People – Supermodel <div class="MsoNormal">
Coming off their smash hit <i>Torches </i>from 2011, Foster the People had a major challenge to avoid
the classic “sophomore slump” on their 2014 release <i>Supermodel.</i> The name of the album provides hints into the muses of
Mark Foster, a man pushed from the margins of the music industry right up to
the very peak on the back of the success of “Pumped Up Kicks,” otherwise known
as the most overplayed song of 2010 AND 2011. The album is about coming to
grips with this new fame, with tracks asking “Are You What You Want to Be?” or
“Tabloid Super Junkie” or, more obscurely, the track “The Angelic Welcome of
Mr. Jones,” invoking Counting Crows’ “Mr. Jones,” which tells the story of a
man who thinks fame will bring him friendship and love, when in fact Mr. Jones
is just as lonely famous as he is before. (possibly the worst song I've ever posted...oh well it's just so catchy haha)<br />
<br /></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Musically, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Supermodel </i>is
a collection of very danceable pop songs and more mellow rock and folk tracks.
Tracks like “A Beginner’s Guide to Destroying the Moon” invoke Portugal. The
Man’s early work (see Churchmouth), except without the same flair and deepness
of a Portugal. The Man song. That’s my issue with the entire album, it all just
floats on the surface of your psyche, and fails to make a real impression. You
listen to the album, and enjoy dancing along to the catchy pop ditties, but
nothing is memorable and attempts to be super mellow on a track like “Fire
Escape,” just seem like mediocre attempts at profound song writing. You write
pop songs Foster, and you’re damn good at it, so stick to that. Check out “Best
Friend” for your daily dose of dance! Love the final horn breakdown just when
you think the track is over—what a kick in the musical gut! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
5/10<br />
<br />
Best track:<br />
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Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-16141512816821824662014-04-05T11:23:00.001-07:002014-04-05T11:23:37.351-07:00Album Review PUP – PUP<div class="MsoNormal">
I figured that because the new PUP album is being released
on April 8<sup>th</sup> in ‘Merica I’d toss up a little review of their
FANTASTIC self titled album that came out a few months ago in Canadia.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyiz-GjszhgLSlzkX8FiCA6NFAuFFiVx2HObyyfXnVKyX-Za75OTiZ9DbFt0W-VBOJD1Q_RNzTLukuU9r4BUQvvmniYucJSkB_6Dkv6AL_MQrpBX36oxM6kZ41DL9KKzhP5M2P1UytDs/s1600/20140201-PUP-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyiz-GjszhgLSlzkX8FiCA6NFAuFFiVx2HObyyfXnVKyX-Za75OTiZ9DbFt0W-VBOJD1Q_RNzTLukuU9r4BUQvvmniYucJSkB_6Dkv6AL_MQrpBX36oxM6kZ41DL9KKzhP5M2P1UytDs/s1600/20140201-PUP-7.jpg" height="262" width="400" /></a></div>
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PUP is one of those bands that can only really listened to
at one volume: really loud. That being said, PUP is far from just noise. Lying
under the pure punk aggression are great pop sensibilities and riffs. This is
well shown on tracks like “Mabu,” with its awesome noodley high pitched screaming
guitar riff nicely offset by tight drumming and a poppy bass riff. Nonetheless,
PUP is truly awesome because of the passionate vocals. If you’ve read this blog
before, you know how much I LOVE group sung lyrics, and PUP has mastered this.
Every track is layered with awesome “woaahs” etc that just scream “we’re all
here to party!” <br />
<br />
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The album rips along at a breakneck pace, but just as
your neck is getting sore from trashing about to the first handful of songs,
PUP slips in “Yukon,” a five minute, grimy, passionate, slow tempo head banger
of a track. I love the great visual lyrics, the awesome guitar (what song this
album isn’t awesome for that <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">à</span></span>
see “Cul-de-Sac”), and the absolutely animalistic end to the song with some
ridiculous drum fill action that approaches Kurt Dahle status (New Pornos, “The
Bleeding Heart Show”). It’s an epic track from an equally epic album.<o:p></o:p></div>
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According to itunes, I’ve listened to this album 48 times.
Just gonna end the review there. AMERICA YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT’S COMING! Go
buy this album and see these guys live, you won’t regret it. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
9.5/10<br />
<br />
Favourite Tracks: "Yukon," "Factories," "Lionheart," "Cul de Sac," OKAY THE WHOLE ALBUM<br />
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Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-62058893395681705572014-03-29T17:24:00.002-07:002014-03-29T17:24:12.552-07:00Spring Songs!Sun is shining, let's do this! Words are for the weak ;) Old songs and new songs!<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/79258774&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe>
<br />
PUP is hands down my favourite band right now. I am completely addicted to their new album. Best album of 2013, I totally blew it on that whole list thing :|<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/IkDhL3c3_io" width="560"></iframe>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/NJZiojEGuy0" width="420"></iframe>Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-84246495823474710582014-02-27T16:08:00.001-08:002014-02-27T16:08:31.888-08:00The Fratellis Concert ReviewDate: February 27th, 2014<br />
Venue: Venue, Vancouver (WORST NAME FOR A BAR EVER)<br />
Opener: Fever the Ghost<br />
<br />
I'll start this review by saying that I am by no means a fan of The Fratellis. I knew their big songs like "Flathead" and "Chelsea Dagger," but that was about it. However, a combination of curiosity and friends got me in the door last night.<br />
<br />
We got there about halfway through Fever the Ghost's set. THANK GOD. From what I heard, that was possibly the worst band I've ever seen live. It was just blaring noise with no emotion or anything. The reverb on the vocals was cranked all the way up, making whatever terrible string of words the singer was moaning totally incomprehensible. Talk about trying too hard! It was a relief to see their set end. The drummer rocked though; he should find a new band because there's little hope for that one...<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhZx1s5dWOnjYvR_wL769GZSirJAT7ho2Oosb1ErqdyVJrLRoBRINVyzmUkhgr86oD-Z8x39MjUIPkZDM83iI1L063ORVurrlqFwTUh3m7OStEQadvWA0AfyHX8_08YEVBJWzkMYe65Q/s1600/fraty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhZx1s5dWOnjYvR_wL769GZSirJAT7ho2Oosb1ErqdyVJrLRoBRINVyzmUkhgr86oD-Z8x39MjUIPkZDM83iI1L063ORVurrlqFwTUh3m7OStEQadvWA0AfyHX8_08YEVBJWzkMYe65Q/s1600/fraty.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a>The Fratellis jumped on stage right at 10 pm, and played what felt like a pretty long set ending around midnight with a four song encore. The crowd was rowdy and a sloppy mosh formed relatively quickly, but resembled some odd sort of off-time wrestling match instead of an actually fun mosh. It's clear the band has been playing together for a long time now (obviously). The set was super tight, but because of this, incredibly boring. There was no life in what they were playing. It felt like they were just putting in their shift on stage, and moving onto the next show. Basically every song dropped into a similarly paced quasi rock-a-billy march and droned on for a few minutes before ending. Lead singer Jon might mumble a few words into the mic between songs, which really added to the droning effect. YAWN.<br />
<br />
The thing that really symbolized the night for me: the drummer wore sweatpants. C'mon really? Maybe I should have borrowed them to have a nap in...<br />
<br />
So overall nothing especially WRONG with the show, just a bit lifeless and bland.<br />
<br />
PS. I got the setlist but gave it away as it wasn't worthy of my wall.<br />
<br />
Hate away :)<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/103121949&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe>
<br />Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-34773754575398162552014-02-25T14:30:00.001-08:002014-02-25T14:30:43.623-08:00My Name is Will, and I like Punk Rock.That is all. Diversity is the spice of life! Indie rock, power pop coming soon :)<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/58524051&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe>
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/105554591&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe>
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/4145715&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe>
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/39249912&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe>Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-43808819556003064492014-02-15T18:38:00.001-08:002014-02-16T00:17:15.058-08:00Album Review: Sam Roberts Band – Lo-Fantasy<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-YvGASC-5gvS2p1Ehoe0HX5o7nhKYcZ0CB-0QUKK6cGvKi6KwAK2YVu5cqLT3LPNPyOunoJxEI7rnCX5HqwkPNxwpYdZEFPwlCgLzKFt4naiCkmX1uwUKFpBBnGghMNPAlrf99G0D9oo/s1600/sam.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-YvGASC-5gvS2p1Ehoe0HX5o7nhKYcZ0CB-0QUKK6cGvKi6KwAK2YVu5cqLT3LPNPyOunoJxEI7rnCX5HqwkPNxwpYdZEFPwlCgLzKFt4naiCkmX1uwUKFpBBnGghMNPAlrf99G0D9oo/s1600/sam.jpeg" height="320" width="320" /></a>Sam Roberts, Canada’s most handsome rocker, dropped his fifth
studio album February 11th to relatively little fanfare, in the typical
humility we have come to expect from Sam. <i>Lo-Fantasy
</i>continues the great trend of his last album <i>Collider</i>, and, as with all of his albums, is centred on Robert’s
fantastic knack for writing memorable, catchy lyrics. Sam and his band have
also possibly taken cues from fellow Montrealers Arcade Fire in adding a
distinct disco sound to<i> Lo-Fantasy. </i>This
sound is most obvious on the tracks “Metal Skin” and the lead off pop-rock
blast “Shapeshifters.” However, the classic Sam Roberts Band sound comes
through loud and clear on a song like “We’re All in This Together,” which takes
the place of <i>Collider</i>’s “Last
Crusade,” with some epic sax riffage and a chorus catchy enough for Hockey
Night in Canada. Nonetheless, this album presents an odd mixture of future
looking, disco-tinged electro numbers, and rock tracks that follow the typical
Sam Roberts Band trajectory. Perhaps the band was worried about alienating fans by going all the way with the disco electro feel? -Note the deluxe album comes with a addition disc of remixes that definitely do take this new theme all the way.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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However, my favourite track, “Too Far” does a great job of
bringing in the new with its distorted synth bass bridge and jangling guitars,
all while blending with a classic SR catchy, anthemic hook. It’s a
fantastic song.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Rating: 8/10<br />
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Favourite Tracks:<br />
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"<a href="https://soundcloud.com/paper-bag-records/too-far/s-nGOiQ" target="_blank">Too Far</a>" (linked can't embed)<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/119172947&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe>
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Plus a track from the remix disc:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/120950825&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe>
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Will Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163920080604417563.post-26740964529089512772014-02-04T17:02:00.001-08:002014-02-04T17:02:12.799-08:00Sasquatch 2014 Excitement Sasquatch Festival lineup was released late last night to much anticipation, and for the most part everyone seems fairly pleased with the lineup, including me! It will be interesting to see if the two weekend experiment works out though; I still think one weekend would have been better. However, I'm really excited for the May weekend all the same! Here are a bunch of songs with no writing, because no one reads anyways.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdwlPayuR8f-JYTiuL-q32qrIXf85_qpZ0tPyvxmwaU6yRkWhwqW86l4j7bzoDGn3GZ_YZlUw_Yxu8gyUtcvoTk2wf4P98zVySqKFaOBovEq7ik6Nc4YtcOWOiXOtoeAlc4f9BZ-MaLY/s1600/sasquatch_2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdwlPayuR8f-JYTiuL-q32qrIXf85_qpZ0tPyvxmwaU6yRkWhwqW86l4j7bzoDGn3GZ_YZlUw_Yxu8gyUtcvoTk2wf4P98zVySqKFaOBovEq7ik6Nc4YtcOWOiXOtoeAlc4f9BZ-MaLY/s1600/sasquatch_2014.jpg" height="640" width="458" /></a></div>
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Starting from the Bottom, moving to the top (Now we here?)</div>
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Dance Party !!!</div>
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/92297531&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe>
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/10860296&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe>
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/92029636&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe>
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This song is high up on my all time favourites:
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/11704927&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe>
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SOOOO excited for Portugal. The Man, especially any track from this album:</div>
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/19043853&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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Doubly excited for Cage the Elephant. I'll be right up front for this, mark my words.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/62612168&color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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HEY YA<br />
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pce outWill Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05338752432482370299noreply@blogger.com0