Since I haven’t updated this blog in such a long time, I guess I owe more than one post. Therefore I will do my best to compress several topics and such into one. Here’s a list of the top 6 things I’ve been obsessed with lately:
1. Islands – Arm’s Way
I’ve always been a fan of Islands. Whether it was just a quick fix for my Unicorns deprivation or just my true respect for frontman, Nick Thorburn. But it’s been two years now since we’ve seen a release from the band and I was really starting to doubt if Islands were in fact, forever. Clearly I’ve been proven wrong though, seeing as how Arm’s Way will be hitting stores on May 20th and is already receiving lots of love from Stereogum. Also, if anyone’s ever seen them live recently, one may have noticed a brigade of new tracks along with their frequent white (face-painted) faces. Needless to say, after seeing them play a free show earlier this month at the Berkeley Church in Toronto, I was jittering with excitement. My first spin of the album was quite pleasant, especially since I was already familiar with many of the tracks, either hearing them live or through bootlegs and friends. The opener, “The Arm” is a grandeur spectacle of sharp riffs and lushly vicious violins that immediately made me fall in love with Nick and co. again. The album as a whole still maintained a sense of whimsical pop fused with a darker matter injected by Thorburn’s apparent theme of death on numerous tracks. Highlights include the ever-so-catchy “Creeper” and hauntingly beautiful 11-minute closer, “Vertigo (If It’s A Crime)”. The only disappointment in Arm’s Way to me would’ve been the popular fan-favourite, “Abdominal Snow” as the arrangements just weren’t as successfully executed as the demo-versions of the past. All in all though, definitely worth picking up next month. Arm’s Way is quite possibly one of the best albums of the year so far.
Islands will be making a stop at the Phoenix on May 29th (Tickets on sale now at Rotate This and Soundscapes. $12, 19+)
1. Islands – Arm’s Way
I’ve always been a fan of Islands. Whether it was just a quick fix for my Unicorns deprivation or just my true respect for frontman, Nick Thorburn. But it’s been two years now since we’ve seen a release from the band and I was really starting to doubt if Islands were in fact, forever. Clearly I’ve been proven wrong though, seeing as how Arm’s Way will be hitting stores on May 20th and is already receiving lots of love from Stereogum. Also, if anyone’s ever seen them live recently, one may have noticed a brigade of new tracks along with their frequent white (face-painted) faces. Needless to say, after seeing them play a free show earlier this month at the Berkeley Church in Toronto, I was jittering with excitement. My first spin of the album was quite pleasant, especially since I was already familiar with many of the tracks, either hearing them live or through bootlegs and friends. The opener, “The Arm” is a grandeur spectacle of sharp riffs and lushly vicious violins that immediately made me fall in love with Nick and co. again. The album as a whole still maintained a sense of whimsical pop fused with a darker matter injected by Thorburn’s apparent theme of death on numerous tracks. Highlights include the ever-so-catchy “Creeper” and hauntingly beautiful 11-minute closer, “Vertigo (If It’s A Crime)”. The only disappointment in Arm’s Way to me would’ve been the popular fan-favourite, “Abdominal Snow” as the arrangements just weren’t as successfully executed as the demo-versions of the past. All in all though, definitely worth picking up next month. Arm’s Way is quite possibly one of the best albums of the year so far.
Islands will be making a stop at the Phoenix on May 29th (Tickets on sale now at Rotate This and Soundscapes. $12, 19+)
Edit: The band's MySpace claims that this is going to be all-ages. I will try to clearify this up ASAP.
Also, “The Arm” and “Creeper” can be streamed on the band’s Myspace right now OR you can purchase the single for “The Arm” on iTunes starting today.
2. Ladyfest Toronto 2008
Last week, I decided to sit in on the opening meeting for this year’s Ladyfest committee meeting downtown and let me just tell you, that committee is quite possibly the nicest bunch of ladies (and gentleman – Damien being the lone man) you’ll ever be surrounded by. To quickly recap what you missed: Ladyfest is going to be taking place September 18-21 around many venues in Toronto and it’s going to be bigger, better and far more diverse in everyway possible! Ladyfest is an annual art, culture, and music festival held around the world celebrating a framework of pro-feminist, trans-inclusive, pro-diversity, and anti-oppressive idealisms and aesthetics. This year’s new additions include a donation bank for knitwear of all sorts that will be given to Jessie's Centre for Teenagers and Anduhyaun Emergency Women's Shelter (a resource centre for pregnant teens and teen mothers, founded by the wonderful June Callwood), and if all goes well, more all ages events for the young feminists of the city. Being a youngster, myself, the latter appealed to me the most and I will definitely be working hard to spread the word to as many young women as I can. Those who would like to help can either contact me or someone at Ladyfest. Personally, I don’t believe enough young women are equipped with the knowledge of feminism and related topics and issues today and hopefully through this year’s Ladyfest, we’ll be able to change that, regardless of how many we reach. One’s better than none, right? Anyway, I’ll make sure to keep you updated.
If you are interested in helping out (or just reading up on Ladyfest) please visit their website. Further updates will be posted soon.
3. Festivals-Galore!
The sun is beaming, the weather is heating up and the bands are gathering together for some incredible summer fests! So far, the big ticket events in town will some be returning favourites – VFest, Over the Top Fest, last year’s successful Rogers Picnic and the sort-of annual Toronto Island bash. As we’ve all heard, Foo Fighters and Oasis will be the main headliners leading Toronto Island’s VFest in September. The line-up at the moment is obviously not as appealing as last year’s (Um, you can’t beat Bjork), but you never know who’ll be announced in the upcoming months. Who knows, maybe Broken Social Scene (not BSS Presents…) will make a triumphant return, since they’re probably not going to do so at the Toronto Island bash on June 7th (although theoretically, BSS is not touring at the time of this show…so fingers crossed…?). Arts and Crafts labelmates, Stars and Young Galaxy will be in attendance in June though, supporting headliner Death Cab for Cutie. Watch for their new album, Narrow Stairs to drop next month. Also playing with Death Cab and co. will be Rogue Wave. If we draw our attention towards next weekend’s Over the Top Fest though, we’ll surely be seeing a wave of lesser known acts swarm Toronto as the annual all-ages festival kicks off on May 1st. Acts to watch out for will be up-and-comers, Wye Oak and Toronto’s very own Huckleberry Friends. Those two are definitely worth checking out. But if the music is not particularly appealing to your musical senses, there’s always several movie screenings around the city. And just surfacing today are rumours of a returning Rogers Picnic. Not surprising though, since last year’s line-up was so amazingly diverse and enjoyable (Tegan & Sara, Little Brother, Bad Brains, The Dears, Apostle of Hustle, etc.). Exclaim is already speculating possible acts such as Cat Power, City and Colour, Animal Collective, Tokyo Police Club, Junior Boys, Chromeo, Born Ruffians and the Carps. Whew, that was a mouthful of bands! So as you can clearly see, there are plenty to look forward to this summer. So run to your nearest record store, purchase some tickets, listen to some fantastic music, have fun, and if you don’t have one yet…get a job to pay for all of this! Not necessarily in that order, of course.
Also, “The Arm” and “Creeper” can be streamed on the band’s Myspace right now OR you can purchase the single for “The Arm” on iTunes starting today.
2. Ladyfest Toronto 2008
Last week, I decided to sit in on the opening meeting for this year’s Ladyfest committee meeting downtown and let me just tell you, that committee is quite possibly the nicest bunch of ladies (and gentleman – Damien being the lone man) you’ll ever be surrounded by. To quickly recap what you missed: Ladyfest is going to be taking place September 18-21 around many venues in Toronto and it’s going to be bigger, better and far more diverse in everyway possible! Ladyfest is an annual art, culture, and music festival held around the world celebrating a framework of pro-feminist, trans-inclusive, pro-diversity, and anti-oppressive idealisms and aesthetics. This year’s new additions include a donation bank for knitwear of all sorts that will be given to Jessie's Centre for Teenagers and Anduhyaun Emergency Women's Shelter (a resource centre for pregnant teens and teen mothers, founded by the wonderful June Callwood), and if all goes well, more all ages events for the young feminists of the city. Being a youngster, myself, the latter appealed to me the most and I will definitely be working hard to spread the word to as many young women as I can. Those who would like to help can either contact me or someone at Ladyfest. Personally, I don’t believe enough young women are equipped with the knowledge of feminism and related topics and issues today and hopefully through this year’s Ladyfest, we’ll be able to change that, regardless of how many we reach. One’s better than none, right? Anyway, I’ll make sure to keep you updated.
If you are interested in helping out (or just reading up on Ladyfest) please visit their website. Further updates will be posted soon.
3. Festivals-Galore!
The sun is beaming, the weather is heating up and the bands are gathering together for some incredible summer fests! So far, the big ticket events in town will some be returning favourites – VFest, Over the Top Fest, last year’s successful Rogers Picnic and the sort-of annual Toronto Island bash. As we’ve all heard, Foo Fighters and Oasis will be the main headliners leading Toronto Island’s VFest in September. The line-up at the moment is obviously not as appealing as last year’s (Um, you can’t beat Bjork), but you never know who’ll be announced in the upcoming months. Who knows, maybe Broken Social Scene (not BSS Presents…) will make a triumphant return, since they’re probably not going to do so at the Toronto Island bash on June 7th (although theoretically, BSS is not touring at the time of this show…so fingers crossed…?). Arts and Crafts labelmates, Stars and Young Galaxy will be in attendance in June though, supporting headliner Death Cab for Cutie. Watch for their new album, Narrow Stairs to drop next month. Also playing with Death Cab and co. will be Rogue Wave. If we draw our attention towards next weekend’s Over the Top Fest though, we’ll surely be seeing a wave of lesser known acts swarm Toronto as the annual all-ages festival kicks off on May 1st. Acts to watch out for will be up-and-comers, Wye Oak and Toronto’s very own Huckleberry Friends. Those two are definitely worth checking out. But if the music is not particularly appealing to your musical senses, there’s always several movie screenings around the city. And just surfacing today are rumours of a returning Rogers Picnic. Not surprising though, since last year’s line-up was so amazingly diverse and enjoyable (Tegan & Sara, Little Brother, Bad Brains, The Dears, Apostle of Hustle, etc.). Exclaim is already speculating possible acts such as Cat Power, City and Colour, Animal Collective, Tokyo Police Club, Junior Boys, Chromeo, Born Ruffians and the Carps. Whew, that was a mouthful of bands! So as you can clearly see, there are plenty to look forward to this summer. So run to your nearest record store, purchase some tickets, listen to some fantastic music, have fun, and if you don’t have one yet…get a job to pay for all of this! Not necessarily in that order, of course.
Ticket Info:
Over the Top Fest - tickets avaliable at Rotate This and Soundscapes (festival passes can be found online, check the festival website for more info)
Toronto Island show feat. Death Cab For Cutie - tickets avaliable at Rotate This and Soundscapes
Rogers Picnic - tickets are not avaliable yet.
VFest Toronto - tickets are avaliable at Rotate This, Soundscapes, various other places.
Added Bonus: For those who wouldn’t mind the distance, there’s always Montreal’s Osheaga Music Festival (August 3-4). Completely worth it, especially since Day 2 is offering Jamie Lidell, Broken Social Scene, CSS and the Go! Team, just to name a few. I’m definitely making the effort to go this year!
4. Jay Reatard vs. Rowdy, Greedy Torontonians?
I’m actually not a fan of Jay Reatard. Okay, that’s not correct – I’ve never listened to Reatard’s music. But regardless of my thoughts or opinions of him, I don’t think anyone’s missed out on this story in the past couple of days. I’m not going to attempt to retell this tale, in case I get certain details mixed up (Plus, I’m pretty sure you’ve heard about it in one form or another). But the following are several sites, forums and YouTube clips that seem quite self-explanatory:
Stillpost Forum Thread
Chart Article
Anyway, I just thought that this was incredibly interesting, as I have been reading endless articles about this today. I find myself to be quite neutral in this situation though. There are certain things in Reatard’s post that sound way too exaggerated, but understandable coming from someone who had his gear wrecked. For the sake of Reatard’s fans though, let’s hope he decides to return someday for another show. Just stay clear of Dan Burke and The Silver Dollar, I guess?
This is when I wished I would just turn 19 already and start going to fascinating shows like this. I’m weird, I know. I feel like listening to Reatard now (so hopefully by the time he returns for a show, I’ll be old enough to attend and be front and centre for the fun and excitement…just as long as I’m not directly in front of Reatard’s fist)
5. In-Stores: Making a Comeback
So if you read last week’s Eye Weekly, you would’ve noticed a very delightful article on in-store performances and how they’re “making a comeback” of sorts. It’s about time someone shed some light on them! I’ve been an avid in-store-attendee for a few reasons: a) I’m too damn young. For those bands that go on to play 19+ shows, it’s a great opportunity to see them live. b) They usually take place during the bright afternoons. Yes, shows can take place then. c) In-stores offer an intimacy and comfort that bar/club/stadium shows can never offer. It feels like you’re just watching your fun-loving (possibly wasted) uncle performing for the family during a holiday get-together. What, that doesn’t happen to you? Back to my point though, everyone should go to more in-stores. Oh, and I missed the most important reason – it’s FREE. And as much as we like to pay to be in a proper venue and waste the night away enjoying full sets from bands, paying nothing for a shorter set is not a bad compromise. But depending on the store, it can be tedious and irritating at times. For maximum satisfaction, Soundscapes would be the ideal setting for an in-store. Criminal Records and Sonic Boom are also great places that host some amazing in-stores, but problems with sound and positioning (e.g. if you’re really short and you’re standing in the middle, behind four really tall chicks…you’re fucked) do arise quite often. Either way, there are a couple upcoming ones that are definitely going to be barrels of fun.
Thursday April, 24th – Peter Moren (of Peter, Bjorn and John) @ Soundscapes, 4:00 p.m.
*Sunday April 27th – Born Ruffians @ Soundscapes, 4:00 p.m.
*Sunday May 3rd – David Monks (of Tokyo Police Club) @ Criminal Records
* I would advise you to show up a bit early.
Anyway, I just thought that this was incredibly interesting, as I have been reading endless articles about this today. I find myself to be quite neutral in this situation though. There are certain things in Reatard’s post that sound way too exaggerated, but understandable coming from someone who had his gear wrecked. For the sake of Reatard’s fans though, let’s hope he decides to return someday for another show. Just stay clear of Dan Burke and The Silver Dollar, I guess?
This is when I wished I would just turn 19 already and start going to fascinating shows like this. I’m weird, I know. I feel like listening to Reatard now (so hopefully by the time he returns for a show, I’ll be old enough to attend and be front and centre for the fun and excitement…just as long as I’m not directly in front of Reatard’s fist)
5. In-Stores: Making a Comeback
So if you read last week’s Eye Weekly, you would’ve noticed a very delightful article on in-store performances and how they’re “making a comeback” of sorts. It’s about time someone shed some light on them! I’ve been an avid in-store-attendee for a few reasons: a) I’m too damn young. For those bands that go on to play 19+ shows, it’s a great opportunity to see them live. b) They usually take place during the bright afternoons. Yes, shows can take place then. c) In-stores offer an intimacy and comfort that bar/club/stadium shows can never offer. It feels like you’re just watching your fun-loving (possibly wasted) uncle performing for the family during a holiday get-together. What, that doesn’t happen to you? Back to my point though, everyone should go to more in-stores. Oh, and I missed the most important reason – it’s FREE. And as much as we like to pay to be in a proper venue and waste the night away enjoying full sets from bands, paying nothing for a shorter set is not a bad compromise. But depending on the store, it can be tedious and irritating at times. For maximum satisfaction, Soundscapes would be the ideal setting for an in-store. Criminal Records and Sonic Boom are also great places that host some amazing in-stores, but problems with sound and positioning (e.g. if you’re really short and you’re standing in the middle, behind four really tall chicks…you’re fucked) do arise quite often. Either way, there are a couple upcoming ones that are definitely going to be barrels of fun.
Thursday April, 24th – Peter Moren (of Peter, Bjorn and John) @ Soundscapes, 4:00 p.m.
*Sunday April 27th – Born Ruffians @ Soundscapes, 4:00 p.m.
*Sunday May 3rd – David Monks (of Tokyo Police Club) @ Criminal Records
* I would advise you to show up a bit early.
6. My 6-track playlist:
Jamie Lidell – “Another Day”
Headlights – “Cherry Tulips”
The Constantines & Feist – “Islands in the Stream”
Ladytron – “Ghosts”
Islands – Pieces of You
Plants and Animals – Faerie Dance
Hope everyone had a wonderful Earth Day!
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