Tuesdays are typically the day of the week when new music is released. So starting today, I'm going to attempt weekly album reviews. Well not really reviews. Mostly just me raving or bitching about some record in my collection. It may not be a new release, but just something I would recommend. Or not.
About a month or so ago, Elizabeth and I went to The Casbah in Hamilton to see LeE HARVeY OsMOND. This group is led my the enigmatic Tom Wilson (Blackie & The Rodeo Kings, Junkhouse) and the album includes quite the lineup of Canadian talent including Andy Maize and Josh Finlayson of Skydiggers, Margo and Michael Timmins of Cowboy Junkies and Colin Cripps to name a few. The album is a mix of sultry, bluesy, folksy, moody tunes and the band puts on one hell of a live show. I picked up the CD at the show that night but it's only appeared in the Canadian iTunes Music Store today. I give this one a "hell ya". Here's a little sample.
One of my favourite Tuesday rituals is to check out the new releases on iTunes. Today I was not disappointed. Tom Jones has released her first studio album of new material in 15 years. I downloaded it. And it's awesome.
I have to admit, it's also a bit of a nostalgia thing for me. I remember watching the re-runs of Jones' variety show This is Tom Jones, that originally aired from 1969-1971. I remember the skinny stick-like microphone he used, the untied bow tie he often wore around his neck and that near the end of the show he would mop the sweat off his face with a towel and then throw it to some woman in the audience who would shriek in delight. Just the thought of it totally cracks me up but back then it was so cool. And even now, at the age of 68, he can still illicit the same kind of enthusiastic reaction from an audience. As far as I'm concerned, that's the mark of a true entertainer.
I'm feeling a bit melancholy these days. And when I'm feeling blue, I turn to music. Tonight I downloaded an album from iTunes that I have wanted forever. The Indigo Girls have long been one of my favourite bands and until today, I have not owned their brilliant 2005 release, Rarities. It's the perfect recording for my current mood. The album is a collection of originals and covers, each full of the beautiful harmonies and gut-wrenching interpretations that make the Indigo Girls the musical force that they are. Their rendition of Elton John's Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters really struck me and reminded me how brilliant the lyrics of Bernie Taupin are.
Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters Music by Elton John Lyrics by Bernie Taupin
And now i know Spanish harlem are not just pretty words to say I thought i knew But now i know that rose trees never grow in new york city
Until you've seen this trash can dream come true You stand at the edge while people run you through And i thank the lord there's people out there like you I thank the lord there's people out there like you
While mona lisas and mad hatters Sons of bankers, sons of lawyers Turn around and say good morning to the night For unless they see the sky But they can't and that is why They know not if it's dark outside or light
This broadway's got It's got a lot of songs to sing If i knew the tunes i might join in I'll go my way alone Grow my own, my own seeds shall be sown in new york city
Subway's no way for a good man to go down Rich man can ride and the hobo he can drown And i thank the lord for the people i have found I thank the lord for the people i have found
Today was a big day for us Mac-fanatics. Steve Jobs delivered his much anticipated Keynote at MacWorld. So when I got home from work, I opened a bottle of wine and eagerly watched it on the Apple website. I'm no tech wizard, but I have become a bit of a Mac geek. So here's my take on the keynote.
Steve Jobs broke the announcement down into 4 categories:
1) Time Capsule The Time Machine backup on the new Leopard operating system is supercool, but Time Capsule makes it that much cooler for the notebook user. Being able to back up wirelessly rocks! My only beef is that it comes as part of the Airport Extreme base station. Since I already have an Airport Extreme, I guess I would have to sell it on eBay and get the new Time Capsule. A serious pain in the ass that will probably stop me from purchasing it anytime soon. Instead, I'll stick with the wired external hard drive that I'm currently using.
2) iPhone/iPod Touch For the iPhone, awesome new functions including maps with location, webclips, home screen customization, the ability to SMS multiple people at once and other cool features. They're all available as a free download, but since the iPhone is not available in Canada yet, it's hard to get really excited about these. For the iPod Touch, five new apps including mail, maps, stocks, notes & weather. I love the idea of these extra little applications on an iPod, without it being a phone. All new iPod Touch units will come with these features but existing owners will have to download these from iTunes for a $20 fee. Seriously? I know $20 is not much, but don't they get some kind of bonus for being early adopters?
3) iTunes Movie Rentals/Apple TV Brilliant idea! How cool is it to be able to rent movies on iTunes?!? For $2.99-$4.99 per title you can watch a movie on your TV, Mac, PC or current generation iPod. You'll have 30 days to start watching the movie and 24 hours to finish it. What if you start watching a movie on your PC but want to finish it on the commute to work on your iPod? No problem. Just transfer it from one device to the other. What about your fancy new HDTV? Plug Apple TV right into your TV and rent movies in HD with Dolby 5.1 surround sound. You can also view podcasts, photos from Flickr and .Mac and videos from You Tube. You can even buy TV shows and music from iTunes. All without plugging into a computer. Very cool. The only catch for us Canucks is that these features are not yet available in Canada. But if all of these features are available when it's released internationally later this year, you can be sure that I will be purchasing Apple TV.
4) MacBook Air OMG! This is the sexiest laptop ever! Apple has created the world's thinnest notebook, so thin that if fits inside one of those inter-office memo envelopes, complete with a built in iSight camera, full size backlit keyboard and 13.3 inch widescreen, LED backlit display. The trackpad allows multi-touch gestures making it much more versatile than the average trackpad. 1.6 GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB memory, 80 GB hard drive, Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR, 802.11n Wi-Fi and the magsafe connector. So what's missing? No optical drive. That's right kids, you can't stick a CD or DVD in this box. You can buy a SuperDrive that plugs into the USB. So how do you install software? Mac has created a remote disc functionality that allows users to install software wirelessly. What about battery life? 5 hours. This is one area that still needs improvement across the industry but Mac does an amazing job with their built in batteries. And just to appeal to my environmental side, the case is enclosed in a fully recyclable aluminum case, contains a mercury-free and arsenic-free display, includes BFR-free and PVC-free circuit boards and comes in 50% less packaging than the last MacBook. Do I want one of these babies? Hell ya! Do I have $1,799 US to spend on one when my notebook is only a year old? No way! But a girl can dream.
So all in all, Steve Jobs did not disappoint this Mac-head. I only wish that it didn't take so long to get some of these cool things in Canada. Nevertheless, you can't deny that Apple is one of the most progressive and innovate technology companies out there. And if you spot a wide-eyed, long-haired brunette drooling over a MacBook Air at a Toronto area Apple Store in the near future, make sure you stop and say hi.
As you may have been able to tell from the name of this blog, I am a Led Zeppelin fan. There was a time in my life when I listened to them non-stop. In my youth, I went through phases where I would get so obsessed with a particular band that I wouldn't listen to anything else for weeks on end. It was a little obsessive, but I guess it was my way of really getting to know the music.
This past week, the complete recordings of this Led Zeppelin were released digitally via iTunes. Even though I own a couple of albums on CD, I downloaded Mothership, the new 24-track "best of", as well as some of my favourite tunes not included on the new collection. Consequently, I spent a lot of time this week listening to Led Zeppelin and I was reminded just how incredible this band was. Each song is a finely crafted work of art with its own interesting combination of melody, harmony, textures and colours performed by four phenomenally talented musicians. While they definitely had their own distinct sound, the songs don't all sound the same. They each stand on their own as timeless classics. And they sound as fresh now as they did 30 years ago. I'm very happy to be rediscovering this music.
Now if only they would turn their upcoming reunion show into a world tour. *sigh*
Wow, it's been a busy few weeks. So much to blog about, but no time to do it. I should be able to catch up over the next week so expect to be dazzled with a flurry of blog posts! Okay maybe not dazzled, but expect a flurry.
Now on to today's rant.
I've appreciated Serena Ryder since I first heard "Just Another Day" off her album Unlikely Emergency. But it wasn't until I heard "Weak In The Knees" from If Memory Serves You Well that I finally bought these two albums. Serena is an incredible talent: brilliant songwriter with a killer voice. Her lyrics and style show a maturity far beyond her 24 years. If Memory Serves You Well is made up mostly of covers and her interpretations are fantastic. I recently downloaded her Sony Connect Set, a 6-song acoustic EP, from iTunes. The acoustic version of "Weak In The Knees" is even more heart-wrenching than the original. The whole EP is fantastic.
I was excited to hear that her new EPTold You In A Whispered Song was out and available on iTunes. But I was disappointed to find that it's only available in the US store. I checked HMV and Indigo to find it isn't available there either. WTF?!? She's Canadian! How can her label not release her recording in Canada? Surely I'm not her only Canadian fan? How long do I have to wait to get this recording?
Sadly, Serena's website is in serious need of an update so I have no answers at the moment. But every Tuesday when the new releases come out, I check iTunes in hopes that it will magically appear. For now, I have her previous recordings to enjoy. I just wish I knew why I can't get my hands on the latest CD. You'd think that with all of this new technology, purchasing music would be easier. But I guess the music fan is still at the mercy of the big record labels. And that really sucks!
Lame, camera phone picture of an incredible night.
Last night Steve, Christine, Stewart and I went to see The Police perform at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. I've always been a huge fan but last night, my love for Stewart, Andy & Sting was renewed and strengthened. They freakin' rocked the house!
Having never seen them live before I was completely blown away by their musical ability. Especially Stewart Copeland! He's an absolute monster on the drums! In addition to an amazing drum kit set up, he had a full array of percussion including countless cymbals, sound plates, timpani, crotales and a 60" gong! My absolute favourite moment in the show was "Wrapped Around Your Finger" when Copeland made full use of his gear. Sting and Summers were just as amazing. The trio played for nearly two hours solid and never let up. They played every song that I expected, plus a few pleasant surprises. The set list:
Message In a Bottle Synchronicity II (yes!) Walking On The Moon Voices Inside My Head When The World Is Running Down, You Make The Best Of What's Still Around Don't Stand So Close To Me Driven To Tears Truth Hits Everybody This Bed's Too Big Without You Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (the first Police song I ever remember hearing) Wrapped Around Your Finger (one of my most favourite songs ever) De Do Do Do, De DaDaDa Invisible Sun Walking In Your Footsteps Can't Stand Losing You Roxanne
The encore consisted of:
King of Pain So Lonely (another personal favourite) Every Breath You Take Next To You
I should also mention the opening act. Even though we only caught about half of their set, Fiction Plane was really good. Similar to The Police they are a trio whose singer has a rather unique vocal quality. Sound familiar? Well it should! Fiction Plane's lead singer and bass player is Joe Sumner, Sting's son. To me, the band sounds like a cross between The Police and Rush and I mean that in a very positive way! Once I got past the nepotism factor I was thoroughly impressed. In fact, I was impressed enough to download their latest recording from iTunes.
A fabulous night and one that I will remember fondly for a very long time. Now if only we could bring Freddie Mercury back for a Queen reunion tour...
I have resisted the urge since I first heard the song, but I could resist no longer. Today, I bought the debut album by Mika from the iTunes Music Store. His first single, Grace Kelly, is getting serious hype and radio airplay. I usually stay away from music that gets this sort of attention because it is usually over-produced crap. But there is something about this guy. I've never heard anything more eclectic! He seems equally inspired by the Beatles, Erasure, Robbie Williams, Queen, ABBA and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. And his voice...holy crap this guy can sing! I'm hooked and I am no longer ashamed to admit it!
And if you don't believe that he can cut it live, I went looking for proof and found this.
In a previous post, I lamented the demise of the oh so excellent, Cool Waters Band. I was thrilled to discover that Greg Waters teamed up with Mark Little and released an album titled, The Roots. I immediately went over to iTunes to download it and discovered that it was released in 2005. I have to admit that I was a bit sad. I had hoped that this was a sign that this amazing band, who play their final concert this week, would still be carrying on in some form. I bought the CD anyway and it is fantastic, raw and funky! I sure hope that more music from these guys is on the way...
I try very hard to support Canadian music. Through the magic of iTunes, I've subscribed to a number of podcasts that highlight Canadian music. Maybe I'm getting old, but I just can't get excited about any of the up and coming bands that these podcasts are touting as the best new Canadian talent. I'm starting to feel like a bad Canadian, and believe me, I am a pretty hardcore patriot!
I have recently discovered two UK bands that I just love!
The Shakes are a 4 piece from London, England. When I first heard their song Liberty Jones on about 5 million podcasts in one week, I wasn't all that impressed. Frankly, I was quite annoyed that every podcaster in the universe was playing this song. That's usually the first clue that I will absolutely fall in love with a band. And I did! Soon afterwards, I was on the Podsafe Music Network listening to Liberty Jones over and over again. The really cool thing about this band is that they don't have a record deal and they don't have a full length album out. They have been releasing singles every few months and promoting themselves through the Internet. I can honestly say that the minute they have a CD out I will download it! In the meantime, I look forward to each new single, live track, podcast, and whatever else they put out on their website or the Podsafe Music Network. These guys are totally taking matters into their own hands! It's refreshing to see a band take a different approach. I hope it's working for them.
I am also totally into The Fratellis. These guys got a huge break when their tune, Flathead, was featured in an Apple ad promoting iPod + iTunes. There music is catchy and fun with some excellent lyrics. I'm a total sucker for great lyrics! From what I can tell, they are also an indie band and seem to be developing a good following.
So maybe I'm just more in tune with the UK sound these days. Whatever it is, I highly recommend that you check out both of these awesome bands.
At least one record company is finally getting it!
EMIannounced yesterday that they will sell their music DRM free on iTunes. This is a huge step forward for digital music. Basically, DRM software prevents songs purchased from iTunes to be transferred to a digital player other than an iPod. Selling music without this copyright protection is a huge advantage for Apple, but also for the consumer. The iTunes Music Store has the best digital catalog of all of the online suppliers. Without DRM, this catalog is opened up to all owners of digital music players, not just iPod owners.
The only thing I'm not sure of is the new price. DRM free tracks will sell for $1.29 each instead of the standard iTunes charge of $0.99. Why are we paying more for something we never should have been burdened with in the first place?
Regardless of the price, this is a huge move forward. It's only a matter of time before other record companies follow suit.
The idea is to make an independent music artist number 1 on iTunes on March 22, 2007 by getting as many people as possible to purchase one particular song by that artist on that day. The people behind this initiative have chosen Mine Again by Black Lab. Why this song and artist? Well, Black Lab was were once signed to Geffen and once to Sony/Epic but dropped by both. Why? Good question! I was a fan of their music then am again after rediscovering them on the Podsafe Music Network. Check out the album See The Sun. This music is way better than the crap they play on Top 40 radio. But we don't hear this on the radio because this artist does not have the support of a major record label behind them. Well screw the record labels! We want good music!!! We want independent music!!!
Stick it to the man! On March 22, Bum Rush the Charts!
