Posted in music, The Zone @ 91-3, tagged Daniel Wesley, Ko, The Rebel Emergency, The Zone Afternoon Show on June 3, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Last Wednesday, Daniel Wesley, Ko and The Rebel Emergency all came by the Zone afternoon show. And all three groups laid down a live acoustic cut. Here we go!
The Rebel Emergency – “Up All Night”
Download MP3 >> RebelEmergency-UpAllNight
Ko – “Moving Mountains”
Download MP3 >> Ko-MovingMountains
Daniel Wesley – “Head Outta Water”
Download MP3 >> DanielWesley-HeadOuttaWater
Happy Friday! Go with yourself.
Posted in music, tagged White Stripes on June 2, 2011| 2 Comments »
I woke up and serenaded Coral with the White Stripes “I Just Don’t Know What To Do with Myself.” She smiled briefly, but then rolled over and went back to sleep. I’ll need to work on my singing for sure.
I’ve had the song blaring in my head for days. When there is silence in the environment, this song blares in my head like there is a speaker duct-taped to my side. I wonder where it came from, but I think it just welled up out of nowhere because I missed Coral.
So weird, all moments of the day, the song rattles my head.
I am happy its such a great song.
The White Stripes – “I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself.”
Go with yourself.
Posted in music, tagged Alexisonfire, City and Colour, Dallas Green, Interview, radio, Rifflandia on June 2, 2011| Leave a Comment »
One of my modern rock best friends… Dallas Green from City and Colour and Alexisonfire called into my radio. Here is the complete unedited conversation.
Dallas Green on The Zone
Download MP3 >> 20110531 Dallas Green
The things we talk about: His new record, Little Hell and the maturity of the direction of his sound. hmmm, does that sentence even make sense? The album art (see above) looks awesome, what’s it all about? How the vinyl for Little Hell will be impressive. We talk some fragile bird and breakup songs and his little house in Toronto. And Dallas Green of City and Colour, what about Rifflandia? You playing that this year?
Go with yourself.
Posted in music, tagged Booker T. Jones, Esquire, Jessica Lea Mayfield, Jim James, Lyoyd Dobler, Mike Edel, Say Anything, The Belle Brigade, The Zone @ 91-3, Walk The Moon on May 31, 2011| 3 Comments »
stolen without a gun from Summer Stewart's facebook profile.
Four songs that I am having a near religious experience enjoying today. 3 of which come from Esquire magazine? SWA? I know right… they listed my boys in Walk The Moon as the “song of the summer” on their list of 30 Summer Songs for Men.
But I want to start my adventure closer to Victoria. Our May Band of the Month was a gentleman named Mike Edel. His song “Bottom Floor Apartment,” despite being similarly titled to Weeping Tile’s “Basement Apt.,” is such a pretty song.
Some songs resonate with Zoners, some don’t… this one never really grabbed on. Maybe Mike just needs more time. Too bad, such a lovely, romantic song.
Mike Edel – “Bottom Floor Apartment”
I heard this brother/sister duo one time and all I could do was shut-it and listen. As deep as this is… the only word that blasts in my head like a cartoony onomatopoeia is “BOOM!”
The group is called The Belle Brigade. The LA duo sound so lush and in sync. Weirds me out like watching the Sedins play hockey with the sibling ESP.
I listen to this song on repeat. The lyrics start off all depressing, “there will always be someone better than you…” but then gets mighty uplifting. Its about opting out. Like that speech Lloyd Dobler gives in the ’89 film Say Anything: “I don’t want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don’t want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don’t want to do that. ”
The Belle Brigade – “Losers”
I’m a sucker for hipster girls. No getting around that. Jessica Lea Mayfield. The name already has me gushing and I haven’t even heard a note.
This Ohio native began performing at 8 touring in her family’s band. She began writing her own music after her brother taught her some chords… and cites Dave Grohl as a major influence. Alright Jessica, I’ll bite.
Have a listen to this jangle… “suddenly I can see blue skies again”
Jessica Lea Mayfield – “Blue Skies Again”
Finally, something sexy for the DJ sets at the Veneto. Back in the olden days you might recall a group called Booker T. and the MGs?
Booker T. Jones is a musical legend earning both a Grammy lifetime achievement award and a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
He is still jamming out music and his new record, The Road to Memphis, features a slinky ditty called “Progress” featuring Jim James. I don’t know if oldies radio station play modern oldies? I wonder if there is a home for music like this in the year 2011 on the radio. It would be a crime if there isn’t… When Madelyn asks me how babies are made, I’ll sit her down and say, ” listen to this.”
Booker T. Jones – “Progress”
Go with yourself.
Posted in Dave Babych, music, tagged Boston Bruins, Playoffs, Stanley Cup, Vancouver Canucks on May 31, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Yesterday I put my Canucks sweater on and made my way down to Soprano’s for the Canucks Fan Video shoot.
Alex, Chika and Jefe organized a bunch of Canucks fans to come together and make a video to put on Youtube. It was good times standing on stage with other fans and cheers to their Canucks song. A parody to the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s “Dani California.” The video will be online tomorrow (in theory) before game 1 of the Canucks and Bruins Stanley Cup final. Have a listen to the song below.
Sean & Brayden Ft. Ryan – “Hey Vancouver (Teach me how to Lu)”
Download MP3 >> 01 Hey Vancouver, Teach Me How to Lu
Go with yourself.
Posted in music, tagged Gold Panda, Is Tropical, Two Door Cinema Club, Walk The Moon on May 28, 2011| 4 Comments »
MUSIC!
I have more than a couple jammers to share. All very bright, booty-shaking, catchy, poptastical cuts. Almost all these songs were recommended to me by quality folks and now I’m passing them on to you.
Our musical journey begins East of the rockies in a little burgh that maybe you’ve heard of… Cincinnati. This fine metro of 2 million folks straddling the Ohio/Kentucky border is famous for WKRP, Ocho Cinqo and soon to be dance-rockers Walk the Moon.
My girl Scotty Fraser said I HAD to check out the song “Anna Sun.”
Walk the Moon – “Anna Sun”
Download MP3 >> 01 Anna Sun
Growing up in Coquitlam…me and my friends would play “guns.” Basically we trolled the neighbourhood fighting an epic war between the righteous and the not so righteous.
What if someone took our imagination and made a music video? My friend Paul tracked this music video down from the band Is Tropical and went, SWA? Holy shit right!?! Did those kids just cut another kid’s head off in cartoony gory violence? I think so.
Do these London cats have it dialed in sans rad music video? I was feeling it. I seriously want to make-out with Paul for sharing this song with me. no wait… errrr. You know what I mean. or do you?
Trolling the net I found this poignant prose in regards to Is Tropical’s music video and quotes George Carlin circa 1988:
“It’s a great country, but it’s a strange culture… This has got to be the only country in the world that could ever come up with a disease like bulimia; gotta be the only country in the world where some people have no food at all, and other people eat a nourishing meal and puke it up intentionally. This is a country where tobacco kills four hundred thousand people a year, so they ban artificial sweeteners! Because a rat died! You know what I mean? This is a place where gun store owners are given a list of stolen credit cards, but not a list of criminals and maniacs! And now, they’re thinking about banning toy guns — and they’re gonna keep the fucking real ones!”
Strange culture indeed.
Is Tropical – “The Greeks”
Download MP3 >> 08 The Greeks
… and because France has it figured out right now in electro-pop, I found out Is tropical is on a record/fashion label called Kitsune Maison. Same label as Zone modern rockers Two Door Cinema Club. There I found this glittery remix of the hot single “What You Know.”
Two Doors Cinema Club – “What You Know (Mustang Remix)”
Download MP3 >> 1-05 What You Know (Mustang Remix)
This party stays overseas in the domain of the Gold Panda from London.
Crystalhead sent me this mighty remix of Gold Panda’s “Marriage (Star slinger Remix)”
Download MP3 >> 01 Marriage (Star Slinger Remix)
I like the song. Its very bright. A little punchier than a lot of other chillwave.
mmmm, cocktails… that’s what pairs nicely with these beats.
Thank you friends for sharing some great new music with me. Go with yourself.
Posted in music, neat-O gang, tagged Camping, Jimmy Eat World on May 24, 2011| 7 Comments »
Back to the grind after an awesome weekend in Vancouver. Coral and I took Mads to Coquitlam to see my sister Andrea, Uncle Matt and Stuphie.
Saturday night, we teamed up with Coral’s sister Alyx and hit the Commodore Ballroom to see Jimmy Eat World.
The concert was my second chance to see JEW. The last time Coral and I went was 2007 when she was pregnant with Madelyn. I remember that show to this day being one of my favourite concert experiences.
This 2011, might go down as even better. Jimmy Eat World were playing songs heavy on classics and also from their album Invented. I love the hits as I do with any journeymen band… but seeing as my favourite JEW records tend to be the later ones, I was happy they leaned on Invented and Chase This Light for some great depth performances.
I loved that Jimmy Eat World brought Courtney Marie Andrews on tour with them to sing the female harmonies. It added a lot to the show and she sounded great on the Invented songs and the older JEW songs. Notably on the Bleed American slow-burn, “Hear You Me.”
All-in-all… such a beautiful concert. Too bad is took so bloody long to get home on the skytrain.
The rest of the weekend was filled with relaxing, hockey, eating and Bridesmaids.
Andrea and I took Madelyn to Dawes Hill Park which is a little playground and urban forest by my folk’s place.
As kids in the 80s… much of the neighbourhood where we grew up was forest. Now its houses. We’d spend hours patrolling our domain, making trails and exploring.
I was very happy that an old trail that we always trekked along in Dawes Hill was still there and that Madelyn was jazzed to wander it.
I wonder how she might take to walking on a trail? Maybe still a bit too young. Even this little adventure required me to pick her up and carry her for a bit when she got “too tired.”
But I was reading my Backpacker magazine and they were talking about kids as young as 5 getting out into the back country and even had some kids packs! O RLY? Kids Pack and a 4 person tent… then I’m gold!
Go with yourself.
Posted in music, tagged 2 Tone Records, Braid, Girls, Japandroids, Polyvinyl Records, The Selecter, The Specials, Vivian Girls on May 18, 2011| 1 Comment »
Last night was the Victoria Record Club Meeting 06 at Talk’s Cheap Record Store downtown on Pandora.
As I am always on the search for new and fun 45s to add to my collection, I decided to buy three last night. I am loving all my selections today.
Stream from Mixcloud: Spin 45s >> There is a treasure inside you
Download MP3 >> TreasureinYou
DJ Notes:
01) The Selecter – “The Selecter”
02) The Specials – “Gangsters”
03) Vivian Girls – “I Heard You Say”
04) Vivian Girls – “I Won’t Be Long”
05) Girls – “Laura”
06) Girls – “Oh Boy”
The first 45 up is 1979’s debut single from 2 Tone records… a split single called “Gangsters vs. The Selecter.”
I began the set with the instrumental cut from The Selecter. I bought this record because I love the Jamaican word for DJ… “selector.”
The record also includes an early recording from The Specials. They’d go on to have a long and storied ska career.
Changing gears and eras, but staying with a lo-fi type vibe, I have the new single from Brooklyn all-girl dream poppers, Vivian Girls.
The a-side is an interesting retro inspired teen melodrama. Lots of harmonies and pretty sounds all recorded to sound olden tyme like.
the flip to “I Heard You Say” is a more uptempo stomper, “I Won’t Be Long.”
Fun fact: Vivian Girls are signed to Champagne, Illinois record label Polyvinyl Record Company. That is groovy to me for two reasons.
1) Japandroids are also on Polyvinyl! awesome.
2) One of my fave records from the olden days is Braid’s Frame and Canvas… the first “big” record to come out on Polyvinyl. neat.
The set ends with San Fran’s Girls. I already have their 2009 record Album so I am familiar with the single I bought. “Laura” is a pretty cool jam. Also has a retro style.
Nice song about wanting to be Laura’s friend. awwww.
“Oh Boy” calms the set right down with a ghostly lo-fi vocal and lullaby guitar. That selector, he always saves the slowest song for last…
EMOTIONS! – go with yourself.
Posted in music, tagged Dave Grohl, The Joy Formidable, Whirring on May 17, 2011| Leave a Comment »
The band getting the most attention from my ear during the radio program right now is the Welsh rockers The Joy Formidable.
The single that we are jamming on the Zone is called “Whirring” and was praised by Dave Grohl in a tweet as the best song of 2011 so far.
So far.. maybe that’s a yes.
The album cut is even more punishingly fuzzy and pummeling. Dirging down then exploding back out all super nova for close to 7 minutes.
The Joy Formidable – “Whirring”
This song is playing out in repeat on the CD player of my mind. Almost as much as “Jack Sparrow“… almost.
Go with yourself.
Posted in music, tagged Coconutz, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Hawaii on May 16, 2011| 3 Comments »
This summer I am going to work all the time. Crush some debt, save some money, buy my camping gear…
Next summer (or year… or whenever) I need to go to Hawaii. I am going to camp in the jungle, work on a coffee plantation and jam out Hawaiian versions of pop songs. And yes, there will be giggling the whole time.
On the weekend, the TV showed the classic comedic cinema, Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
I love this movie. And after so many laughs, the credits rolled and some guy singing Hawaiian sang the Prince penned and famously made popular by Sinead O’Conner slow burner “Nothing Compares 2 U.” Amazing. Or at least it was to Coral and I lounging on our couch.
The Coconutz – “Nothing Compares 2 U”
Download MP3 >> 10 Nothing Compares 2 U
Aloha with yourself.
The Morning After 
