The Times Colonist asked, “should we invite him to Victoria?” Heck yes we should.
Phoenix rocked Vancouver the other night, and it turns out I missed quite the party!
Posted in music, neat-O gang | Tagged Phoenix, Vancouver | Leave a Comment »
Slowly but surely I’ll get us to number one on The Zone list of the Top 91 Songs of the 00s.
We left off last time at song 60, Finger 11‘s “Paralyzer.” Today I’ll tackle 59-50.
59) Radiohead – “Bodysnatchers”
What can i say about Radiohead’s bold game changer In Rainbows that hasn’t already been said?
Most of us were or are already ripping off tons of music from the internet, Radiohead basically said, “bless you my child,” and gave it to us. SWA? I wanted to teal it! Fuck you Radiohead, I’ll show you! … and yeah, I plucked down $9.99 for the thing. Take that Thom Yorke… how do you sleep at night.
Wiki says: Yorke told the New York Times that “Bodysnatchers” was inspired by Victorian ghost stories, The Stepford Wives and his own feeling of “your physical consciousness trapped without being able to connect fully with anything else.”
58) Hot Hot Heat – “Bandages”
Sandwiches, sandwiches, sandwiches. yum.
First single form their first album for this YYJ rock band.
57) The Flaming Lips – “Do You Realize”
When I was younger I used always dream of living in Omaha. I lived in a little house/cottage thing by the airport. Strange thing to dream about. Omaha is in Nebraska, not Oklahoma, I don’t why that story makes any sense.
This song is the official state rock song of Oklahoma. the Sooner State is the 20th largest state in the Union and joined federation in 1907. When in Oklahoma, make sure you check out the National Wrestling Hall of Fame! wow, does West Jet fly direct or what?
Guy (Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives) recommends Leo’s BBQ in Oklahoma City!
56) Arcade Fire – “Neighbourhood #3”
Arcade Fire’s Funeral got one of the highest marks that my fave indie rocker website hands out.
That review in 2004 set the stage for the amount of buzz necessary to shoot Arcade Fire into the stratosphere of indie rock demi-goddom.
The song is about the Ice Storm of 1998 that took place in Montreal PQ. The city was without power for a week and the darkness of the city was the inspiration for the song.
55) Cage The Elephant – “Aint No Rest for the Wicked”
Kentucky singer Matt Schultz dreamt up this song while working as a construction worker. His coworker was a drug dealer complaining of life and Matt says, “well why do you do it?” and he goes, “ain’t no rest for the wicked.” Boom, song.
54) M.I.A. – “Paper Planes”
This was a bit of a controversial song on the Zone. It came out in 2007 and the Zone featured it a bit but no one cared. It went the way of the dodo like many singles the Zone feature son the inbox. Then the song gets picked up later int he summer for 2008 for the trailer of the movie Pineapple Express and people are calling up wondering why we don’t play the song? Doh, so into heavy rotation it goes and many months of fighting with people on the Zone Phone about why they love and/or hate this song begins. awww, memories. TV commercials are a powerful medium, i don’t care what anybody says about how they “never watch TV” or “I always skip the commercials.” No you don’t.
53) Silversun Pickups – “Lazy Eye”
I first encountered Silversun Pickups reading Pitchfork. They gave it a “meh” type review. But when reading why the author didn’t like the record, he inadvertently sold me on the record. It sounded like something I’d like. So I bought the record and I’m glad I did. Turned into one of my favourites.
When not played on a ton of different radio stations, this song is also mega popular on TV shows or video games or… wow, everywhere.
52) The Killers – “When You Were Young”
The Killers channel their innner Boss for a more “American” style of rock song. It must of worked as “When You Were Young” turned out to be the Killers best charting song to date!
51) Evanescence – “Bring Me To Life”
We’ll have to travel back to 2004 for this song. happier times in the life of Evanescence singer Amy Lee. She hadn’t had her falling out with guitar player Ben moody, no weird relationship with the Seether dude. Times were good and this song dominated the world reaching number 1 on the Modern rock charts (actually number 1 on a whole bunch of charts, the song was everywhere).
50) Our Lady Peace – “Innocent”
The second single from 2002’s Gravity. I am by far, not the biggest OLP fan in the world. But this is a song by the band I don’t hate. in fact, I’m listening to it right now.
He references Kurt Cobain. hey I like Kurt Cobain too Raine!
Go with yourself.
Posted in music | Tagged Top 91 of the Decade | 1 Comment »
Forestry have recorded a new self-titled long players so they came by the CRC studio for a chit chat and to share some new music. They also play one from one of their favourite Vancouver bands Ladyhawk and reflect on an old Zone Band of the Month called Greatest Explorers in the World. Then we talk about who might have been the greatest explorer in the world? Henry Hudson? SWA?
Thank you for downloading.
Download: Capital Rock City #88
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***
DJ Notes
01) Forestry – “Love/War”
02) Forestry – “Edmonton, AB”
03) Forestry – “The Flood”
04) Greatest Explorers in the World – “Hide and Seek”
05) Ladyhawk – “I Don’t Always Know”
Peter and Blake of Forestry came by the studio on Monday night to share with me their new music. I like these guys because not only do they make sweet sounding indie pop, they are also radio guys! Peter jams out on Village 900am and Blake you’ll hear on CFUV.
We talk about things they have to do with trees, wood and wood related professions, some of their fave BC indie rockers, Blake’s sad panda tale about Edmonton, Peter’s love/hate relationship with Victoria, their take on who might have been the world’s greatest explorer and their upcoming shows at Lucky Bar.
Forestry w/ Ladyhawk and Treelines
January 30th, 2010
Lucky Bar :: Doors @ 8PM
Forestry w/ Wooden Sky
February 23rd, 2010
Lucky Bar :: Doors @ 9PM
***
My wife Coral has been very hard at work rearranging our apartment and in her organizing, she inadvertently dug up an old CD. In Medias Res’ first ever concert. recorded and put to CD and I got it! So next week I’ll pop it in the CD player here at The Zone and press play and we’ll hear what comes out.
*** HEY BANDS ***
I always need new music to feature on Capital Rock City so if you’re a Victoria, Island, Vancouver or Hinterland BC band, I’d love to have some music to feature. Heck, I’ll even take a Washington State band if you crush.
Go with yourself.
Posted in Capital Rock City | Tagged Forestry, Greatest Explorers in the World, In Medias Res, indie, iTunes, Ladyhawk, Ladyhawke, Lucky Bar, Podcast, The Wooden Sky, Treelines | Leave a Comment »
Whatever, she is still pretty hot.
aside from the fact the commercial is a bit of rip from the ” California – Find Yourself Here” ad, its pretty slick.
Posted in neat-O gang | Tagged 2010, British Columbia, California, Olympics, Tourism | 1 Comment »
I typed the word “swim” into my iTunes and this is what I got, a swimming playlist.
01) Brand New – “Jaws Theme Swimming”
02) Broken Social Scene – “Swimmers”
03) Bush – “Swim”
04) Frightened Rabbit – “Swim Until You Can’t See Land”
05) Great Lake Swimmers – “Moving Pictures, Silent Films”
06) Iron & Wine – “Swans and Swimming”
07) Jack’s Mannequin – “Swim”
08) R.E.M. – “Nightswimming”
09) Surfer Blood – “Swim“
Well didn’t this playlist turn out sorta neat? I was thinking about the Jack’s Mannequin song oddly tonight. Uplifting track. Too me it has a similar vibe of theme to Frightened Rabbit or the new Surfer Blood. Kinda interesting to think about the “swimming” metaphor.
The “swim” search brought up a bunch of songs but 9 different bands. I just included one Great Lake Swimmers cut. My favourite oldie.
I left the list in alphabetical order too… seems to fit. spooky. Starts with the Brand New song “Jaws Theme Swimming.” I like that the playlist has an intro or theme song to start. and sharks man, sharks. Deje Entendu does not get enough love. Very cool record.
I think the BSS song “Swimmers” is the one that includes Miss Emily Hains of Metric? yes/no? Sounds like her and i’m too lazy to look it up. But when I searched on wiki it had some tid-bit about how the original art was going to use a cartoon of Pangaea? SWA? My next playlist should be about Pangaea! Reminds me of the songs from Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, “Pangea.” They spell it different. hey nerds, if you’re gunna be super nerdy, figure it out already.
“Pangea, we used to be together/why did we have to drift apart?” lovely.
Alyx requested Bush tonight at the Clubhouse. weirdo.
I guess Sixteen Stone was a big deal in like 1900 and something.
Frightened Rabbit is my favourite band and they have a song for all occasions!
Great Lake Swimmers are a band that you might know, you might love, but you might not be aware that this cut was recorded in a barn grain silo in Ontario one summer. Listen, really really listen and you’ll hear all the nature buzzing around the mics. OK, you don’t have to listen to hard, I’m half deaf from all my years in radio and being a hipster and I can hear it pretty easy like.
Iron & Wine is really just one dude, Sam Beam. He was a University professor before deciding to becomes a folk star.
Turns out I’m super cool and got the limited press of Endless Summer Nights as ‘Swans and Swimming” was on the bonus CD. If I were less cool, I might get Iron & Wines odds and sods comp, Around the Well.
OK, its the honest segment of today’s playlist… I heard Jack’s Mannequin’s “Swim” during a promo for Grey’s Anatomy or something just as sickening. I heard it one time, it burrowed into my brain and I downloaded it that night. The chick that brought us Twilight likes these guys and directed a music video?… so hmmm, I’m a 12 year girl for this song. I’m not proud but I like it.
R.E.M. might give me some redemption, but “Nightswimming” is from Automatic for the People… so you can make the call of its redeemness. “Nightswimming” is one of the better songs from the record, does that help? no? oh.
The final cut is a new one and that how I like it. Fugly dudes from Florida called Surfer Blood. Pitchfork creamed themselves over their debut album Astro Coast the other day. I bought into the hype partially and downloaded one song, “Swim.” Its good.
The end.
Go swimming and go with yourself.
Posted in playlist | Tagged Brand New, Broken Social Scene, Bush, Frightened Rabbit, Great Lake Swimmers, Iron & Wine, Jack's Mannequin, Pangaea, Pangea, R.E.M., Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Surfer Blood | 5 Comments »
Posted in life or something like it | Tagged Victoria Film Festival | Leave a Comment »
I am constantly trolling for some new sounds to introduce at my various weeklies around town (tonight I’ll be at The Clubhouse in the Strathcona). Looking back at Pitchfork’s best singles section I downloaded Kingston rockers PS I love You.
What is cool about this song is that it was the B-side to another single. But this song is so darn good and from a band I had never heard of before from Kingston. What has Kingston ever done for Canada? (well, aside from The Hip, Headstones and Sarah Harmer….).
The song is mighty and called “Facelove.” Its on their Myspace with a bunch of other fuzzy, grungy, poppy goodness.
When I was a kid, my brothers and I played lots of wiffle ball (like LOTS) in the backyard. We had an imaginary baseball league with teams (with full rosters) from fake cities and divisions and pennant races and the whole dealio. The best team in my division was a team called the Mudtown Seekers. Ever since then, I have always liked the word seek.
Here is a record called Seek Magic. It is from an artist called Memory Tapes and is super sexy. Pitchfork describes the sounds as “glo-fi/dreambeat/chillwave.” I download a shit load of music every week and when it comes time to lay it down in the lounge, some sticks and some floats away, .99 cents I’ll never get back… I only downloaded a couple Memory Tape tracks but seeing as I lean on them almost every week, its time for some more. I downloaded “Bicycle” and “Stop Talking.” But I’d imagine the whole album experience would be a trip. And I’ll have to flex those internet recommendation machines and find some more like it b/c I am jiving on this style.
Go with yourself.
Posted in music | Tagged Memory Tapes, Mudtown Seekers, PS I lOve You | Leave a Comment »
“Buying Records in Record Stores is Cool.” aww, thank you Spoon, you’re cool too.
Spoon’s new one, Transference, is out today and I’m holding the 33 in my hot little hand right now (oh, I mean I’m typing, its beside me). Funny, I am not listening to the record, I got it going on electronically because Coral is watching TV, so I got to enjoy this music best with headphones on.
No problem, the record is spooky good. Lots of sounds. Lots of sounds? Swa? Its a record, it better have sounds. But what I mean is, its weird and mystical sounding in that jangly Spoon “ga ga ga ga ga” kinda way. Headphones works.
I was excited to get this record today. I didn’t have time before my radio show to swing by Ditch, so I had to get on my horse after the program to race down to Johnson and sneak in just before the bell.
Read a better review than one I could write: Pitchfork likes it!
Holy moly, how many records has this Austin, Texas band put out since the early/mid 90s? 7 LPs and a bunch of eps? I have only the most recent three, Transference, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, and Gimme Fiction. Plus the eps Got Nuffin and Don’t Cha Evah. One of the reasons I was excited for Transference was because I have so extensively enjoyed previous work. I was hard not to reckon that anything new would be great.
First listen in, and sure enough… its a good Spoon record. On the Zone, you might have heard Dave feature “Got Nuffin” and now he is trying out “Written in Reverse.” If you’re thinking of downloading a couple you might want to start there. I am also jiving on “Out Go The Lights” which is a bit more ballady for a Spoon cut. “Mystery Zone” is a good one too.
Today was a big day for all the indie rocking hipsters. It was the day that the tight panted gods wearing their godly ironic fluorescent yellow sunglasses announced the line-up for this years Coachella Music Festival. Now really, how many of will be taking off to the desert of California for a weekend in April? I wish (and fingers crossed some sort of miracle will happen). But this is a great bellwether for the festival circuit as a whole. These are the bands that want to be active this summer, in front of you, melting your face with sweet licks. And Spoon is on the list. SO! Will Spoon be at Sasquatch this year? Oh god I hope so… and I hope a lot of other things. Frightened Rabbit? SWA? They are my favourite band of the NOW and they’ll be at Coachella. Sasquatch is only a month later so I hope that means they could be there too.
Sasquatch is smaller, so all these bands won’t be there. But some will. Some is good. Frightened Rabbit and Spoon? best! Last year I died when I experienced Explosions in the Sky. It would be the cherry on my life sundae to witness a few more all-time faves.
This talk of Sasquatch reminds me that I should book the days off. Last weekend of May. The plan on paper has me trying to finagle some media passes. Coral and I walk on the ferry over to Vancouver. That is a considerable savings… which we plow into a tank of gas for my old man’s RV and south along the I5 we go… a good full day in advance of the festival. Some fine cheap US shopping in Bellingham to fill our stocks and then through Seattle. Maybe a pause to be tourists for a bit, then south-east to Ellensburg then the Gorge.
God smiles, and its sunny and hot like last year.
Coral and I are having a bit of a debate about whether we bring Madelyn of not. She’ll be over two which is good. She will be strong like ox. RV will really help. There were many kids last year at Sasquatch and when I am away from Madelyn for a few days, regardless of how drunk I am, when I see the families… I think, aw that would be fun. Coral thought we could get a little inflatable pool for the camp. Then I thought? What about bringing a pool into the venue? Could you imagine? Madelyn would make a lot of hippy friends if the temperature is in the 90s like last year.
Jury is out on Madelyn. Nana or Grandma might want to take advantage of a weekend with her, so then we’ll leave her. maybe they won’t. We bring her. I talk a mean game about getting drunk, but the truth is I might enjoy my weekend more if I keep it under control. So staying sober won’t be a big deal if my baby comes. And I think she’ll get a kick outta the carnival atmosphere, plus huge savings if I lay off the $9 US Daddy Pops. Anyways, its cool either way. We’ll see who wants to be part of the adventure and see what everyone thinks, cuz as they say… it takes a village to raise a kid and if it’ll be more buzz kill than cute attack I’ll beg Nana to have a sleepover for the weekend.
The other thought is pack down my DJ rig and some speakers and generator and fire up a dance party in the camp? That is an ambitious thought, but would be hugely popular after a day of rock & roll. The music is king but camp is like… not the king, but really good and with boobs. Queen? sure.
I better get off the computer now, Coral wants to play and she’s not supposed to use her cell phone to cruise the net! Silly Bell and their overage charges.
Go with yourself.
Posted in music | Tagged Coachella, Frightened Rabbit, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, Gimme Fiction, Sasquatch Music Festival, Spoon, Transference | 14 Comments »
I was reading Regine Chassange’s (the chick from the Arcade Fire) essay in the UK paper the Guardian. Powerful stuff from the Arcade Fire’s co-front woman. She made mention of how Haiti has been fisted by European powers since inception. Got me thinking about a blog post a did a while back about reading of Haiti’s storied past.
Revisit: I Can See For Miles and Miles
Seriously read the Country’s History (coles notes style from Wiki)
Hey France, maybe you should pay back the $21 billion you extorted? That might be a good start on getting Haiti back on track.
Go with yourself.
Posted in history 101 | Tagged Arcade Fire, Haiti | Leave a Comment »
