Posted in music, tagged Bon Iver, Cloudchord on September 14, 2016| Leave a Comment »
There is no way I can sift through all the emails, tweets, facebook messages, and ravens I get sent in a day. I miss great songs all the time.
Cloudchord tweeted at me back in August. I think I registered that I would listen then forgot.
Someone randomly “liked” the post the other day shooting back up on my feed and here we are. Enjoying Cloudchord’s tasteful remix of Bon Iver’s “22 (over soon).” I dig it.
I don’t know about that Cloudchord 😛
Go with yourself.
Posted in music, tagged Bon Iver on August 29, 2016| 2 Comments »
Bon Iver’s third album, 22, A Million is coming to us on September 30th.
He debuted the album live at the Eaux Claires Music Festival last month. Yesterday he posted a new song, “33, ‘GOD’.” Here we go!
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Busy weekend. I worked a ton….but did manage to get after it a bit with the kids. Yesterday we went to Harrison Hot Spring…and it rained on us!
Saturday I DJ’s a wedding….and found a little time for a quick hike with my daughter.
Might have to wake her up sometime this week and do the Coquitlam Crunch before work.
Finally, how about this wedding venue? The space is called The Permanent. It was an old bank back in the day. Now it’s a hall right downtown on Pender.
Go with yourself.
Posted in music, tagged Bon Iver, James Blake on May 11, 2016| Leave a Comment »
I love James Blake. His music is so weird and dark and oddly comforting to me.
His new record is called The Colour of Everything and features a song called “I Need a Forest Fire” which features the vocals of Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. The video is a stunning thing to look at and the song is on repeat for me right now.
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How about this…cassettes are so hot right now. And here’s a record that would lend itself so easily to cassette.
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Blah, feeling like a pile of shit today. This James Blake song is helping a lot.
Go with yourself.
Posted in music, tagged Bon Iver, Satchmode on April 22, 2014| Leave a Comment »
LA’s Satchmode sent of over his downtempo dreamscape remix of Bon Iver’s “Holocene.”
I like dreams, and I like Bon Iver, so we better hit play on this.
Hey, did you know The Morning After Show is on Facebook? It’s true! Don’t be shy, throw my a “like.”
Go with yourself.
Posted in music, tagged Bon Iver, Cursive, Dave Grohl, Dave Hause, Foo Fighters, Justin Vernon, Northcote, Sunny Day Real Estate, The Dismemberment Plan, The Promise Ring, Volcano Choir on January 8, 2014| 2 Comments »
First day back to the blogging grind after a few weeks away. On December 29th my son Jackson Hale was born. It has been a wonderful adventure so far, tomorrow it is back to the Radio factory.
The past few weeks have been filled with family. And music. I’ve been using my time to dust off old records, listen to new records, and enjoy the pleasure of listening for the sake of listening. It’s funny how listening to music for work can take away so much from the joy of a good song.
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Listen to THIS! >> Alternative to What?
I put together a little mix of a few of the songs that I’ve been enjoying lately.
The day my son was born, Cursive’s “Gentleman Caller” was blaring through my thoughts. The part where they sing “the worst is over…” During a brief chance to rush home form the hospital while my wife rested…I grabbed my album The Ugly Organ and popped it into the compact disc player. Its sat in the Honda since. Such a perfect record.
My buddy Razer came over to meet my son the other day. When Mom and Babe drifted off to sleep, we pulled out a couple beers and got talking music. Razer was talking Victoria performer Northcote and his tour with a guy named Dave Hause.
While listening to Dave Hause of RDIO, a song form Dave Hause came on that brought Razer’s attention back to the computer, he recognized it…. it was a cover of The Promise Ring’s “Skips a Beat (Over You).” Then we got into 90 alternative bands like The Dismemberment Plan and then Sunny Day Real Estate. There is a documentary about the Foo Fighters that tells the story of the band and Dave Grohl recruiting the Seattle band’s bass player and drummer.
The mix ends with a song from Volcano Choir. I’ve been looking at the album on the shelves at the record store…but haven’t pulled the trigger yet. My friend Tyson Elder was yapping about it on twitter and sent me a copy to check out. Pretty solid. I liked the song “Acetate.” Such a pretty album…but then what would you expect from Bon Iver‘s Justin Vernon?
I hope there is something in the mix you’ll enjoy. Go with yourself.
Listen to THIS! >> Alternative to What?
Posted in music, tagged Baers, Bon Iver, chillstep, Montreal, Skinny Love on November 14, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Some EDM outfits from Montreal are Adventure Club with their 200,000 + “likes” and some are more modest, like Baers. The production team sent a simple email basically saying, “hey check it, you might like it.” And a link.
My first spin of their “chillstep” cover of Bon Iver‘s “Skinny Love” was a little meh for me. I made a weird face and thought I didn’t like it. But I gave it a couple plays and it really ear wormed its way in to my head. Very chill…. beat cuts through the bustle of the office to propel the song. Female vocals and a trumpet also bring a high sheen to the song. This song will be making the lounge playlist at the Veneto.
Go with yourself.
Posted in music, tagged Alt J, Andr3x, Bon Iver, Download, Ghostkick, MP3, Mumford and Sons, Phoenix, remix, Work Drugs on September 27, 2012| 1 Comment »
Getting bogged down. Brain power is low, energy is low. So much work and projects that need attention. It didn’t help that sleep crept up on me last night and I crashed hard. Had to play catch up this morning. The one thing I really wanted to do was put together a mix of songs Coral found. We downloaded a bunch, but I fell asleep before I could craft a podcast. So… coming soon?
Did roll into the Zone to some fine music. Mumford & Sons… the band single handily responsible for bringing Depression chic back popped into the BBC 1 for a live performance. BBC shows always seem to showcase a cover which I love. Mumford & Sons tackle a jam from the British hipsters Alt J.
Mumford & Sons – “Tessellate” (Alt J cover)
Download MP3 >> When The Gramophone Rings
Cool song. I think they’re singing about a movie, but I get a Mexican Standoff vibe.
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I got an email the other day from some mucky muck working for Ghostkick. The duo reworked the massive massive from Phoenix, “1901.” This song has good propulsive energy for your running, workout of dance floor mix.
Phoenix – “1901” (Ghostkick and Andr3x remix)
Download MP3 >> Soundcloud
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Another remix that snuck up on me was this beauty by Work Drugs. He but a nice spin Bon Iver’s “Beth/Rest.”
Bon Iver – “Beth/Rest” (Work Drugs Remix)
Download MP3 >> Soundcloud
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I’ll be working on a lot of these songs during my set Friday night at Veneto. Maybe I’ll see you there?
Go with yourself.
Posted in music, tagged Appleseed Cast, Bon Iver, Braid, Interpol, Mission of Burma, Replacements, Smashing Pumpkins, Snow Patrol on April 24, 2012| Leave a Comment »
The Victoria Record Club will be meeting Tuesday, April 24th at Smiths. And I guess we’re feeling pretty basic because it is Top 5: side one, track one night. Everyone in the club is supposed to come up with their favourites…then we’ll play selections from the lists at Smiths for a couple hours.
What does “side one, track one” mean? Basically its a hipster way of saying… song number one on a record or album.
To me, side one, track one is hugely important and needs to do one of (or all of) three things.
01) It should be your best song.
02) It should be ripper.
03) It should introduce the listener to your album.
Breaking this down… rule number 1 is vitally important if your band is new to the world and I’ve never heard of you. Your first song needs to immediately grab my ears or you’re gone. When I hosted the Morning After Show in the days when the internet was still new, it was hard to learn about bands and music streaming was not really out there. I had to actually put your CD in the CD players and in real time listen. If your first song was some artistic fuckery, as rad as you probably are… I just skipped to the next CD. Cold. But that is how it was when I had a pile of wannabes wanting airtime at 3AM on a 1000 watt FM in Vancouver.
Now… if your band has some history, or track one truly is some great studio fuckery… then jam on rule 3 and have the song be a great movie-esque introduction to your band. A song that did not make my list (but was close) was The Appleseed Cast‘s “Ceremony.” Huge jam, instrumental. So perfect and sets the tone for a great album.
Instrumentals and studio fuckery is not your style? I respect that. and what? Your best song is a ballad and maybe not the best side one, track one? OK (if you’re not an indie band… indie bands should still always put their BEST song first) then rule number 2 applies to you. A ripper. Hit my head holes with sonic choiceness. And I will love you and grind through the dip of your shitty song two (and maybe three) to revel in the emotional depth of your stunning ballad. Snow Patrol‘s Eyes Open kinda does this. They want to save the jam for the single and track 2 “Hands Open” then bust your heart open with track 3, “Chasing Cars” so you get the highly energetic and lead single “You’re All I Have.”
wah wah wah…. here is my list. If you’re a regular reader on my blog, there shouldn’t be too many surprises. And actually, maybe you could leave me a comment if you think I screwed up my own list. Keep in mind, the purpose of this exercise was to dig through my collection of records… so my rule was, I have to own the record. if you think, “fuck this guy’s list! Imma make my own!” Awesome, share the link in the comment section so I can check it out.
01) Smashing Pumpkins – “Cherub Rock”
Making a list of favourite music is always a personal experience and so I begin with some personal history. Siamese Dream is a hugely important record for me growing up and a vinyl I only recently added to my collection. “Cherub Rock” invokes rule 2 of Jeremy Baker’s Rules of Side One Track One. Not the best song on the album, but the best song to hook you into the fuzzy reverberated world of Billy and company. “Cherub Rock” is number one on my list because it does an exceptional job of telling the story of the album. You can hear this song… and probably make your mind up whether you wanna stick around. The album is great because if you do, you get rewarded with a collection of interesting and classic alternative songs.
02) Interpol – “Untitled”
The great albums like the great baseball teams have a strong lead off batter. Its a role player who gets on base so the power hitter can drive in a run and the team as whole wins. To me… I am hearing rule number 3… “Untitled” sounds like the opening credits to Turn on the Bright Lights. Its mysterious. Paul Banks barely sings anything… but its so emotional. It reminds me of American Beauty when Kevin Spacey breaks the third wall and talks to the audience and says that his character dies. Then the movie really starts.
“I will surprise you some time. I’ll come around. When you’re down”
What an intriguing promise. Now deliver… and they do with a masterpiece record that to this day remains Interpol’s best. This song is not only side one track one of an album, but side one track one of their discography. whoa…
03) The Replacements – “I Will Dare”
My favourite song from my favourite band. And it happens to be track one, side one off their album Let It Be. This song has done a lot to make my life better. It was the first replacements song I heard that got me to explore more about the band. It has gotten me through some ups and some downs in my life. Repeated listenings as I ride this rock around the sun year-after-year bring me renewed appreciation and different interpretations. I will probably love this song forever.
I’ll say this a rule 1 song. Best song, Right up front.
04) Mission of Burma – “That’s When I Reach For My Revolver”
Another rule 1 song on our adventure of my Top 5: side one, track one. The best MOB song at first listen. The beauty of the great bands… once you’re hooked, other songs emerge as “favourites.” But it is undeniable that “Revolver” is a powerful hook to demand attention. You give it and the song is rewarding. Stay with the record and you’ll quickly find other amazing songs on Signals, Calls and Marches.
I must have the Rykodisc 1997 track listing… not the original and not the Matador reissue in the 2000s. Huh.
Up to this point, it was actually pretty easy. I almost went right to my record pile and pulled these four records out and knew in my heart this was the list. Then the 5th pick.
I hmmmm’d and hmmmm’d some more on a few records. Its pretty late so my kid and Coral are sleeping. I have my headphones plugged in (and I noticed Madelyn was playing ‘records’ because there is some damage to Numark… MADELYN OLIVIA!!!!)… and this was actually fun… playing a whole bunch of record in my pajama pants trying to find the right 5th… in the end, it came down to The Appleseed Cast, Braid’s “The New Nathan Detroits,” Japandroids and a couple Band of Horses and National LPs… but in the end, I could not deny….
05) Bon Iver – “Perth”
Side one, track one off Bon Iver’s Bon Iver record is just so god damned pretty and lush. Another number 3 type of lead off track…. Bon Iver is doing the Bon Iver thing to introduce you to the album. Then he gets to the jam, but only after you eat your bread.
And its called “Perth” and I have a weird romantic fascination with that far off city… that actually know nothing about and will probably never go to. But a song called “Perth” gets my attention…. silly reason to be on my list, but its true. (and not the only reason)
After you listen to this song, you should be pretty primed to listen to the whole album. And if all you hear is “Perth” well… you get the idea of what Justin and his band of merry Wisconsinites are all about.
And that is my list. If you took the time to read this far and listen to some of the songs, thank you for indulging me.
Tomorrow I reckon I’ll get into the new Jack White if I have the time or talk about another great song I heard on Sons of Anarchy.
Go with yourself.
Posted in music, tagged 4AD, Bon Iver, Bonnie Raitt, Download, JagJaguwaur, MP3 on February 17, 2012| Leave a Comment »
My heart melted watching and listening to Bon Iver‘s Justin Vernon and Sean Carey sit at opposing grand piano’s and jam out some new, classic and cover songs.
This session was recorded at London’s AIR studio back in October. The video and music is beautiful. Their cover of Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me” is just so perfect. I had to cut it out and make it an MP3 for you.
Bon Iver – “I Can’t Make You Love Me” (Bonnie Raitt cover)
Download MP3 >> Bon Iver – I Can’t Make You Love Me
Seriously… I just want to be 10,000 better at making music after watching this. Why can’t we live in the world of Shadowrunner where you buy “skill chips” and insert them in your brain? c’est la vie.
Happy Friday!
Go with yourself.
Posted in music, tagged Arkells, Black Keys, Bon Iver, By A Thread, Coldplay, Decemberists, Foo Fighters, Foster The People, M83, Naked and Famous on December 5, 2011| 8 Comments »
Picking a top 10 list of favourite records is always excruciating fun. I always think it will be easy until I sit down and start going through my records. I enjoy remembering, but then quantifying and sorting those memories can be a challenge.
The radio consultants at the Zone always say that “your heavy rotation songs should be easy to pick.” I agree that my number 1 this year (like previous years) was an easy pick. But then after that… I dunno.
Another challenge is trying to weigh something I listened to heavy in January to something that is bright and new and shiny right now… Generally I figure, if I am not rocking it now, then probably not a top 10 list type of band. But then… Awolnation I used to listen to all the time. But couldn’t find a spot on the list. Also, Destroyer or Fleet Foxes I jammed out for a time…but not on the list.
Lots of bands had songs that I adore, but couldn’t include the record because:
A) I don’t actually have it
B) Not that good, even if I listened to a particular song a trillions time.
Man, I loved songs from Holy Ghost, Atlas Genius, We Are Augustines, Dinosaur Bones, The Strokes, Airborne Toxic Event, Gold Panda, Bell X1… hmmm there are bound to be even more… I jammed out tons of country, metal and electronic this year… but no records that get played heavy.
And then there is The Black Keys. Record comes out on Tuesday. It’ll come out in 2011… but I haven’t heard the whole thing yet so.
11) The Black Keys – El Camino
I have only heard part of this record… and I already know I’ll love it. The band dominated the Zone (and rock radio in North America) this whole year. 4 number 1 singles on the Modern Rock Countdown. My goodness.
I know doing things on margin is what caused the financial crisis but I had to include El Camino on my top 10 list! Even if its Number 11.
The theme song to my Hockey! segment… “Lonely Boy”
10) By A Thread – By A Thread
Over 10 years I waited for the follow-up to post-whatever band By A Thread’s The Last of the Daydreams. Over 10 years!
I loved this record when it showed up in the mail back in April. I put the record aside for most the summer… but once the weather turned, I dunno, but this record has featured tons on my listening habit. When I walk to the Zone, this record get blasted through the headphones and transports me back to my college radio days. I love this record because it has both a timeless feel to me, while sounding somewhat modern . I say “some what” because sometime I get tricked. maybe you’ll listen to this record and go… “hmmm, sounds like late 90s post-alt rock to me.”
all you need is “Fashion.”
09) Coldplay – “Mylo Xyloto”
Haters gunna hate… but whatever, this is a pretty good record from Coldplay. I enjoy the singles on the radio, I enjoy them when they pop up in mixes, and I enjoy the record which lives in my van for long drives. Just a plain, good old fashioned well produced mega slick, great big record.
Live to be a 40-year-old virgin listening to “Paradise.”
08) Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
Another big, slick mainstream record that is just good. I enjoy all the songs we play off this disc on the radio. The album was so super hyped before its release I was a little concerned I wouldn’t like it. But hitting play on this album is a rewarding experience and is another point on the list of why Dave Grohl is a living legend.
Shower in a truck stop with friends to this song, “Rope.”
07) Arkells – Michigan Left
Arkells are the band that demanded to be on my top 10 list. The story goes… I knew of the Arkells as a band. A Canadian rock band like a billion before them and a billion after them… then I saw them open for Tokyo Police Club and rattle the cage that was my brain. I quickly became a convert and devoured the back catalog. I was primed for the release of Michigan Left and was not disappointed. A fantastic, front-to-back album of rock & roll music. This CD lives in my van and I punch it up often.
If I had a friend named Matty that rocked ‘Women and Songs 2’… well I don’t what I’d think about that. “Book Club”
06) Washed Out – Within and Without
Just look at that album artwork… don’t you wanna make-out?
An album of easy listening. I have a sweet tooth for this type of chill electronic music. I can’t deny it. This record is a staple of my lounge set at Veneto. This record also lives in the Civic and sounded so awesome this summer barrelling up the Pat Bay Highway.
You’ll get to third base if you drop the needle on “You and I”
05) The Naked and Famous – Passive Me, Aggressive You
Tricky… this record was technically released in 2010… but then re-released to a world-wide audience (and on vinyl) in 2011.
A super fun and catchy record that contains a couple of my favourite songs of the year on it. “Young Blood” and “Punching in a Dream.”
Jon Williams was a big champion of this album and randomly showed up at the Zone one day with a vinyl copy tucked under his arm; which he then gifted to me. Nice. This record was the soundtrack to most my summer… and spring… and actually I jam out “Punching in a Dream” during many of my club DJ sets.
its a banger… “Punching in a Dream”
04) The Decemberists – The Kings is Dead
A record that came out in January of 2011… King is Dead is the first Decemberists record that I truly loved…
I went to see the Decemberists in the summer with Simon from the Veneto and his wife. There I met up with Dan and Laura visiting from France and had one of my great summer nights of 2011. I drank a cocktail that night that tasted like a spicy Chicago Dog! (in the best of ways)
“Rise to Me” would also make my list of top 10 songs of the year.
03) Foster the People – Torches
What do I say about Foster the People? Their song “Pumped Up Kicks” went sub-atomic on not only rock radio… but a bonafide top 40 jam. Soccer Moms hum along to a song about Columbining your school.
This record was played all-the-time around my home in the Spring and Summer. Coral and I don’t really jive on the same bands much anymore. So I do find it special when we both have a record we could put on and crank.
I swear, I could take any song off this record and play it on the Zone and it would be a hit. If anything, this record is TOO sugar sweet on the ear drums.
I like the song “I Would Do Anything For You” because I am a romantic (and a dork). Ooh-la-la
02) M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
My top two records both win because they are chill-out records and most my (as in MY) listening… is late at night (what time is now… shit, 1AM). I put on headphones, hit go… and dream. So my Top 10 has a lot of records that reflect that as they are the records that I listen to.
M83 is a record I wish came out anytime prior 2006 when I smoked way too much pot. This is a pot record in the best way. Lots of weird audio wickedness to pet your ear-holes. I’ve blogged lots about M83 and could go on all day on why he’s so awesome. You’ve read it and taken it to heart, or you haven’t… so what Imma gunna do is post “Midnight City” again and hope this time… this time it is the time you go… “riiiiiiiiight.”
M83 could and almost should be my number 1, but it doesn’t win for a few reasons. As much as I love the sonic oddities… sometimes I’m not in the mood. I do find myself occasionally skipping songs which I never do with…
01) Bon Iver – Bon Iver
I said at the top of my list that picking the number 1 should be easy and this year it was… My end of the day go to record when the weight of the world is pushing me down.
Hot dog, its good. A front-to-back masterpiece of modern light rock. I am sure in like 20 years Bon Iver will be the Hall & Oates of this generation… but fuck, whatever. Hall & Oates is cool again, so maybe that says something?
This is another record that both Coral and I listen to… cute attack!
This album is not a rocker or very pop. So if you need growls, distortions, tattoos, testicles… this album won’t be for you. But if you like to strap in and explore time and space in some sort of out-of-body astral projection experience… then you’ve found the soundtrack.
This song is so beautiful, “Holocene”
That’s another list of some of my more memorable albums of 2011. If I can find the energy, I wouldn’t mind trying to lay down a top 10 songs… but now that would be an even greater challenge. Maybe top 20? Top 50? Zoinks.
As with anything, music is subjective so unless we’re already musically compatible, you might scratch your head at some selections… and that’s cool, maybe it’ll inspire you to write your own list? Just be sure to post a link in my comment section so I can read your’s too.
Ugh, I always feel like I am forgetting something…. I am sure that I am.
Thank you for reading my blog. Go with yourself.
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Because lists are fun:
Top 10 Records of 2010
Top 10 Records of 2009
Top 10 Records of 2008
My Favourite Records of the 00s
Top 10 Zone Shows of the 00s
The Morning After 