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Sporting a minor sonic crush on Vancouver’s Wake Owl right now.  I can’t hear the “Wild Country” enough.

Trolling Alan Cross’ blog the other day (its pretty much a daily read) he talked about how he was into these guys.  Honestly, I don’t click a lot of AC’s new music recommendations because his style and mine don’t always jive (I still LOVE AC and the blog) but I guess in a moment of weakness I clicked to listen and wow.  So pretty.

AC calls it Ontario cabin country music.  He’s in Ontario.  We’re here on the coast, so this is coast music.  This is camping bonfire canned beer music.

The Wild Country ep is a “pay-what-you-want” download. So don’t be shy.

Vancouver’s Wake Owl will be giving us many opportunities to see them in the coming summer months.

July 13th-15th >> Vancouver Folk Fest
August 25th-26th >> Live at Squamish
September 13th-16th >> Rifflandia!

I am pretty excited now to check these guys out at Rifflandia.  I hope its a day that I have free to enjoy the concert!

My favourite song is “Wild Country.”

Wake Owl – “Wild Country”

Download MP3 >> Wake Owl – Wild Country EP – 01 Wild Country

I’ve had the song blasting pretty religiously this morning.  If its on vinyl it’ll make a good home record.  I find chillwave and folky stuff I listen to the most on vinyl.  I guess I am usually in that mood when I’m at home.

Coral has now set the dining room table up for regular everyday eating and we have it a rule.  Eat.at.the.table.  The record player lends it self to slow eating, whole foods/moods.  I can see Wake Owl being an important part of a balanced diet.

That’s all I got for now… Go with yourself.


I watched the end of a terrible comedy last night… and as the film was wrapping up and the protagonist learned a little bit about honesty and got the girl and magical song plays.  After hearing the opening notes my mind immediately raced to the possibilities of the end title song.

I had vague recollections about a couple songs but I needed Coral to actually help me track down the songs… the first idea I had was Pete Townshend’s “Let My Love Open the Door” but that wasn’t it… no, it was Dire Straits “Walk of Life” that I was thinking of.  Turns out it was neither… just some nondescript song.

But the earworm was in my head.  I had to find both those cuts.  Searching the internet, I found a great cover by Eddie Vedder.

Eddie Vedder – “Let My Love Open The Door”

Download MP3 >> Eddie Vedder – Let My Love Open the Door

Pearl Jam has covered the song a few times that I could easily find, but this Eddie solo jam came out pretty good.

Go with yourself.


Torquil Campbell and Amy Milan have some new music to share.  Already bouncing around the intertron and available from their website is “The Theory of Relativity.”  Now I have another jam from Stars upcoming album The North.  “Hold On When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It” of… “Give It” for short.  Punch it.

Stars – “Give It”

I’ve been a Stars fan for many years now, so this song is an easy sell for me.  The album, The North comes out on September 4th. Stars will be supporting Metric when they hit the arena in November.


Hai Gurl, where you been at?  Cat Power took a few years off of making commercially available music but today Bossman Johnny forwarded this jam from NPR. Also due in September… Cat Power’s Sun features a song called “Ruin.”

Cat Power – “Ruin”

Bitchin.

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Yesterday at the Osheaga Music Festival Broadcast at Curious Comics… I spotted a comic called Ianto’s Tomb. a Dark Sun comic?  SWA? Had to have it…

It wasn’t the best graphic novel I ever read… it was confusing at times and if you are new to Dark Sun, it might seem weird or hard to follow.  But seeing as I try to read everything I can get my hands on that is dark Sun, my mind filled in the gaps and I enjoyed seeing someone draw out what a D&D adventure on Athas might look like.  I wish I could draw… it seems like a fun way to create a fantasy story.

Go with yourself.

It can feel like a challenge, thinking about summer in Victoria in June.  The weather has been cold, grey and wet for the most part.  On Thursday, I had the chance to DJ on the Rooftop Surfclub for their Solstice party.  I was the first DJ up at 6PM and had a 45 minute set before Boitano turned it up and Marshal A and DJ Speedyshoes closes out the night.  I posted my mix on Mixcloud if you’re into it.

Mixcloud: Mixtape >> Children of Summer

A few weak mixes in here…but for the most part I think you’ll enjoy the set if you normally listen to modern rock.

Some of my favourite songs on the list… Cloud Nothings.  I could listen to them all day.  I dig the Passion Pit and Imagine Dragons remixes.  Alex Clare is growing on my with every listen.

My next mixtape will be an Osheaga festival mix similar my Sasquatch mix.

Go with yourself.

I’ve been jamming these last couple blogs out at 5:45 AM-ish as I get ready to go to work.  I keep meaning to sit down and take some time in the afternoon, but I get so tired of the computer and blogs and social media…  I imagine today will be no different so its another quick one.

Harry Chapin – “W.O.L.D.”

Download MP3 >> 02 W_O_L_D_ (Live)

On Father’s Day, maddy and I went record shopping and I found Harry Chapin’s Live Record for $7.99.  Harry Chapin always reminds me of my Dad and finding the record without even looking for it was kind of surreal, so I bought it!

Go with yourself.


Woke up at 4AM to walk into the Zone to fill in for Dylan on the Morning Show.  Light rain, great light.  I was going to listen to music, but I put the ear buds away to hear the rain pitter-patter off my rain coat hood.

The song that did reverberate around my mind was this one from Current Swell.

Current Swell – “Long Time Ago”

A great song about growing up and staying positive.

Happy Monday.


I’ve neglected the blog for close to half a month!  Wow.  I will say, in that time I was on holiday to Las Vegas.  I wish I had some stories for you, and I probably do…but now is not the time.

I wanted instead to share a couple MP3s with you.  The week back to work has been crazy.  Typical holiday… you take time to rest from work, but you get back and its piled up… coupled with the other DJs going on holiday and the relentless ended march of the wedding season and its been… hectic.

Being in Las Vegas, I didn’t hear a lot of interesting music.  The thing about Vegas is that music is always, ALWAYS playing, everywhere, all the time.  BUT they never seem to play anything interesting.

I did hear a song when I got back that I loving and will be playing tomorrow at Veneto.

Tomas Barfod – “November Skies”

Download MP3 >> _Tomas_Barfod_-_November_Skies_ft._Nina_Kinert

I like this song….slinky.  Glitchy a bit.  It is from a record called Salton Sea and I am intrigued to check out the rest after hearing this jam.

***


I came back to work with a 7 inch single from a Victoria band called The New Colors.  The song I have for you is the a-side called “Escape.” I hear this song and I think… 1970’s sci-fi movie.  Or psychological futuristic horror with a heap of kitsch.

The New Colors – “Escape”

Download MP3 >> The New Colors – Escape

I have a bunch of new Victoria rock & roll that I could actually make a Capital Rock City podcast… if only I could find the time.

I hope you put your Father’s Day card in the mail.

Go with yourself.


Coral is back from Sasquatch and she has a whole list of new favourite bands.

Main stage, Day 1, first act…. Allen Stone.  Allen is a soul/R&R singer originally from a small town in Washinton State and now based out of Seattle.  I tracked down a song called “Unaware” that features maximum flute.  I really like this loungy style for both my set at Veneto and as the internal soundtrack raging though my head when I am strutting the strip in Vegas.

Allen Stone – “Unaware” (Live at KEXP)

Download MP3 >> Allen Stone – Unaware

When Coral first played him for me last night… I didn’t really get it… but I put him on while working today and got into the groove.

***

I am already for Vegas… got my suit together.  I bought a bow-tie (bow-tie’s are so hawt right now), white shoes, travel medical insurance (I was gunna skip this but Coral has stories and I plan on hiking / walking through the desert so you know… keeps you guys from having to rally at future fundraiser to pay the medical bills when I am forced to chop my own arm off after I fall into a canyon and am trapped for 127 hours.).

Rented a Kia Rio!  SWA?  baller.

My Mom gave me $100 and Coral did manage to come home with a fistful of singles… so that will be tips for strippers or gambling money.  Gambling money will probably be a better ROI considering I’m a married 32-year-old father with grey hair that DJs weddings.  If I can get lucky like Natalie, I’ll turn that $100 into $700 playing penny slots.  then me and Jevon are going to eat a tower of Seafood! mmmm desert seafood. Oh and Coral wants a purse!  Maybe I’ll have to take that $700 I win on penny slots and put it on Red to make it $1400?  no wait!  black!

Couple more days of work.  A Friday at Veneto, Saturday DJing at the 24 Hour Relay for Kids then I am heading to the desert where the weather has been consistently in the 30s for the past while and heading into next week, with a few 40s sprinkled in for good measure.

Go with yourself.


Cleveland, Ohio’s Cloud Nothings are a band gaining increasing hype.

My first encounter with the band is when I tracked down the Toro y Moi split 7-inch.  Their album Attack on Memory is number 1 on Stereogum’s Best New Music (so far) list and  Best New Music’d by Pitchfork.  From there I downloaded a couple singles and I have a stellar one for you today.

Cloud Nothings does a very raw, DIY style of punky, grungy, emo.  Steve Albini is a legend and he lent his production skills to this record.

I talk sometimes of bands that I would sound like if I had the skill to actually make proper music and not clumsy noise in the production studio or on my uke… this is a band I’d use as a touch point or inspiration for sure.  The song “Stay Useless” is so good.

Cloud Nothings – “Stay Useless”

Download MP3 >> _Cloud_Nothings_-_Stay_Useless

Happy Wednesday my friends… I am off to Las Vegas on Sunday and have been LOVING Natalie’s blog on the subject.

I by no means have an infinite budget, but I did rally enough to rent a car so I am excited to try a couple desert hikes.

People have said Red Rocks, Valley of Fire and Zion are all awesome.  Zion is 2 hours from Vegas, though I could swear it was further?  I’ll have to look into that.  Zion is rad if I remember from a family holiday we took there in the 90s.

I hope I don’t die, but if shit hits the fan, I eat Jevon first.

Go with yourself.


It was a busy weekend of DJ gigs, Swiftsure, weddings, Veneto, and Power to Be events… but now that it is Monday and back to work, I get to relax!

The picture at the top of this blog is from the Power to Play event on Sunday.  Woke up with the birds for a Tough Mudder type race pitting various companies against each other to tackle some pretty extreme challenges culminating in the Mud Bog and then climbing the pyramid to ring the bell and finish the race!

Team Zone was a group of listeners and they placed 9th!  And were the top media team to finish.

Power to Play is coming to Vancouver in September at Stanley Park… so Vancouver friends, check it out.  It was mighty! (and they don’t have a radio partner yet… hint hint)

***

Right, cover song freakout… I got a couple for you.  Song one was tweeted at me by Matthew.  Matthew knowing that I love all things Ben Howard AND Carly Rae Jepsen send me a cover of “Call Me Maybe.”

Ben Howard – “Call Me Maybe” (Carly Rae Jepsen cover)

Download MP3 >> Ben Howard – Call Me Maybe

I like this take as its a pretty dramatic spin on the bright Top 40 original.  You recognize the CR Jepsen, but its a Ben Howard tune.  Same words, same basic arrangement, different energy.  Love the vibe.

The other cover I heard today was Morning Parade covering Black Key’s “Gold on the Ceiling.”  They had the boys on SiriusXM Alt Nation talking about this jam.  The boys said they have stayed in a lot of nice hotel and a lot of dumpy motels and this song speaks to that.

Morning Parade – “Gold on the Ceiling” (Black Keys cover)

Download MP3 >> Morning Parade – Gold on the Ceiling

Once again… a great cover because they take the song, give it a different spin while maintaining the essence.

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In other news…. Game of Thrones this weekend… Battle of the Blackwater lived up to the hype in production.  As far as a TV series go, it was mighty.  Guys having their heads cleaved off, magical green fire and then!  GACK! My Shaw Box died.  And since then, no TV.  I’d complain to Shaw, but my resident Shaw employee is at Sasquatch.  The worst.  Oh well, I look forward to finishing the battle when she gets back.  Besides, no TV for a day… aside form the battles I’ll have with Madelyn tonight, probably for the best.

Go with yourself.