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Posts Tagged ‘Japandroids’

All those past dues, all those bad moods

Posted in music, neat-O gang, tagged , on April 19, 2012| Leave a Comment »


My girl Delna moved to Vancouver a few years ago from Victoria.  I still cyber-stalk her on the intsagram and follow along on her life.  One thing I noticed her taking pictures of was motorcycles.  She always seems to be in the shop learning how to repair bikes (and maybe restoring her own too?).

I asked her about it and she told me about a Motorcycle Community Repair Shop called Motomethod.  You pay a fee to rent a bay and work on your own bike.  Sounds like the perfect solution for an urban hipster living in a apartment or condo.  Since we all can’t have giant garages out in the ‘burbs.

OK, so we need something street, something East Van…

Japandroids – “Rockers East Vancouver”

Go with yourself.

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Becasue what you need now is MOAR! Japandroids

Posted in music, tagged , , , , , , , on April 3, 2012| 1 Comment »

Hey Japandroids… you guys are alright.  First single off their up coming album Celebration Rock, “The House That Heaven Built” is available digitally today on on the vinyl record May 15th.  B-side?  Its a cover of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. I can always, ALWAYS go for more Japandroids, and seeing how this my blog… I subject you to it too. Isn’t that what BOMFAs are for? (BOMFA = Best of mates for always… I was listening to BBC1 today)

Japandroids – “Jack the Ripper”

I like “The House That Heaven Built” better… but its the A-side, so the order of the world marches on.

***

Right. I forgot to talk about Record Club last week at Smiths!  So many fun times with other music lovers in the pub drinking a pint and eating curried poutine.  Next month’s show-and-tell project… its High Fidelity Night!

Top 5: Side one, track one

Fun attack!

Thank you for reading… go with yourself.

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and if they try to slow you down, tell them all to go to hell

Posted in music, tagged , on March 26, 2012| 1 Comment »


Mark it zero Dude… on May 15th I’ll be making my way to Ditch Records for the new Japandroids 7-inch… “The House That Heaven Built.”  Record, Celebration Rock, is out on June five.

The first single is blowing my mind… and its not even 2PM on a MONDAY! (and I got a few more songs to tell you about…)

The boys said their next record would be an uplifting party MoFo.

Brian King to Pitchfork: “But when you play for a group of people, and they’re singing the words that you wrote back to you, it just makes you feel a little bit less embarrassed of what you were trying to do. It’s something to celebrate. So, going into this album, we had a bit more confidence in ourselves and what we were doing.”

Japandroids – “The House That Heaven Built”

Kowabunga, its so good.  Kind of reminds me a bit of The Gaslight Anthem a bit?  But more rocking.  Can.Not.Wait for the new record.


A few days before I buy the Japandroids single… May 8th, new Silversun Pickups album called Neck of the Woods.
The new single is a pleasant listen… its not “Lazy Eye” or “Panic Switch” … heck I prefer “Broken Bottles” over a lot of SSPU songs, but this first single “Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)” is an airy fuzzed out jammer.

You’re getting that classic SSPU sound but I am pulling threads of modern indie rock out of this song for sure.  I don’t think, when you lay this song down beside the great body of Silversun music, you are getting a timeless career single.  But you are getting a fairly accessible light guitar rocker.  I’ll take it and give a guarded optimism rating for the record in may.

Silversun Pickups – “Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)


Lastly… I made a mixtape of the new music I put on my home playlist over the past week-ish.

Mixcloud: Mixtape >> Do Not Disassemble

So much new music today! I actually have  afew more for you, but alas, I’m outta time right now so tomorrow we’ll have a listen to new Wintersleep and Temper Trap.

Go with yourself.

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Oxford, Mississippi

Posted in music, tagged , , , , on August 30, 2011| Leave a Comment »


Blogging the other day about the Japandroids/Bass Drum of Death show… I thought I better track down an MP3 for you to check out.

Obviously, I love Japandroids, so it isn’t too much of a stretch for me to get into this bratty rocker.

Bass Drum of Death – “Get Found”

Download MP3 >> 02-Get-Found

I think if you like Queens of the Stone Age, Middle Class Rut or Eagles of Death Metal… this song should make sense for you.

Go with yourself.

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Will We Find Our Way Back Home?

Posted in music, tagged , , , , on August 29, 2011| 3 Comments »

photo: Lucas Kitchen

I interrupt not blogging for most of August to bring you this.

The Japandroids changed my life for the better Sunday night at Lucky Bar in Victoria.

Japandroids are one of my favourite bands and I have never had the chance to see them live.  Always, always… I was either working, found out about show after it was sold out or they cancelled.  I was so excited to see that the one little whole I had in my schedule this summer was on the exact day the Japandroids would roll into Victoria.

I met up with Michelle and Lucas Kitchen just in time to see the supporting band, Mississippi’s Bass Drum of Death.

Wow.  What a savage fuzzed out rock & roll sound to get amped on the Japandroids too.

I knew was going to get into it when second song in… the Droids drop my favourite song, “Younger Us.”

Japandroids – “Younger Us”

Download MP3 >> Japandroids-Younger_Us

There is nothing like going to a show to see a band you truly love.  I knew the words to almost every song they played… and yeah, they played “Younger Us.”  I am a happy cat today.  I wore a Japandroids shirt to work.


Go with yourself.

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Spin 45s >> There is a treasure in you

Posted in music, tagged , , , , , , , 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.

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Thank you, Merry Christmas

Posted in music, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on December 29, 2010| 1 Comment »

Wow, just like that and Christmas is over. The adventures, good times, family, presents, dinners, treats. All done.  Back to the grind.

And what does the DJ who has everything get for Christmas?  Music silly.

My lovely sister-in-law Alyx found me a couple vinyl records to add to the collection.  The first up is the Japandroids’ second record which is actually a collection of their first two EPs.

No Singles ain’t blowing my mind in awesomesauce.  But even a casual reader of my blog should know they are one of my favourites and this record helps in my collection (though oddly I don’t have Post Nothing on vinyl?  weird.)

Where maybe the musical immaturity  falls a little short, the vinyl packaging is great.  Beautiful white vinyl, nice cover and the record comes with a picture book of the Japandroids life circa 2006-2008.  Lots of concert shots from little bars mostly in Vancouver and poster art.

It was funny… for Christmas I didn’t really ask for anything… but come to think of it… and it took my brother reminding me, I needed a new amp for my record player.  Actually, my brother thought that was what I was gunna for him. Derrrrrr…. hmmm, his 30th Birthday is when?  November?  Maybe then?

If you see or have an old amp for sale, let me know!  I want two of them.  One for me, and one for CJ.

Alyx was a doll and got me TWO records… and I guess she reads the blog as she knew that one of my great misses of 2010 was being slow to the resurgence of the Deftones.  She said she was going to try and track Around the Fur down for me, but no dice.  So Diamond Eyes it is!

My man Jon Williams talked far more eloquently on his Top 10 of 2010 than I will here as I am still new to the record and learning the songs.  I only had a chance to drop the needle on this record once and it was Christmas morning, uhhh, yeah, didn’t mesh then.  But maybe a different time it will.

Coral and my folks both got me iTunes gift cards! Huzzah… so tonight I took some chances on some albums that got great hype over the year on Pitchfork but I was unsure on.

Sleigh Bells, LCD Soundsystem, James Blake, and Flying Lotus.

Getting a bunch of new music can be blessing (well it is) but also a curse in that of these 6 new records… some will rise to the surface with repeat plays and some sadly will drift away.  Maybe I’ll blog in a month on what is still getting plays and what is not.

The Flying Lotus and James Blake will be good electronic music in the lounge for the nights when I feel more modern and less classics.  Maybe LCD Soundsystem has a party rocker or two that can go in a progressive dance set and Sleigh Bells will live in the indie/eclectic playlist for now… but we’ll see with repeat listens where they end up.

Lastly a couple singles.

Cage the Elephant‘s new record Thank You, Happy Birthday is out in January… the single is “Shake Me Down” and both Coral and I love it on the Zone… so it can live on my computer for home listening for sure.  In fact… this is a 45 I want to find too.

The other single is kinda silly, but I got the song stuck in my head and this is the best I could on iTunes.

Coral has had a fairly hilarious and ultimately fulfilling fascination with the straight to video British tween drama Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging… based on the popular book series  Confessions of Georgia Nicolson. I suppose in Coral’s defence, she might have been 16 when the first one came out?  So nostalgia compelled her to watch the film adaptation what 3 times?  In the last 3 days?  Go on-demand video!

The story centres on  15 year old Georgia and you know… boys.  errr, they’re so infuriating sometimes you know.

She falls for a one Mr. Sex God and wouldn’t you know it, he’s in a band!  The  Stiff Dylans… great band name, and they play a song a bunch in the film called “Ultra Violet.”

I searched for the song on iTunes, but no dice… some more searching and I found it by a singer named Joanna.  That’s it, that’s her stage name… back to branding school for her… or American idol? or whatever, but the song sure enough is on there.  So I downloaded it.  And its terrible, not in a good way.  Doh, that .99 gone to the Itunes monster.

Now I’m thinking?  Do I download a couple Bruce Springsteen records?  Some 50s jams?  Or call it a night and leave my iTunes windfall for another night?

OK, good talk.

Go with yourself. 

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its raining in Vancouver

Posted in music, tagged , , , , on December 1, 2010| 4 Comments »

Madelyn standing in the pouring rain. Chinatown, Vancouver

Part of me thinks I’ve titled my blog with those same Japandroids lyrics before?  huh.

I had a very fulfilling adventure to Coquitlam and Vancouver with Madelyn.  Over the couple days we covered a lot of ground.  Had some fun times with Grandma and Grandpa and Matt and Andrea.  Visited with Paul and Sarah.  Saw some sights, explored some city.  All the while, pissing rain.

Whenever I visit the lower mainland I get nostalgic and think I want to move back.  But then I drive in rush hour traffic and scratch my head.  How and why do any of you do it?  Life is too short.  I’d be a transit cat for sure.  (which I love and so does Madelyn).

Driving around one afternoon and sampling the radio I heard the DJ talk about a band called Sick Puppies.

This Aussie band sometimes gets requested on the Zone by people that are into “alternative rock.” I’d never heard of them before so I was intrigued and cranked it up.

Sick Puppies – “Maybe”

I guess.  Rock, kinda.  Alternative, no.

The DJ even quoted the lyrics on the radio like they were some sort of deep manifesto.  Change?  Being Unique?  Fear? Challenge?  Trying for something more?  All these great points lost in distortion, soaring vocals and syrupy production.

Alternative rock should push you a little. Its should be vulgar, off center, and intriguing.    All I take from “Maybe” is a smooth and even listening experience, if I forget the lyrics.  Listening to the message of the song makes me mad. The song takes some basic human emotions and puts virtually no unique spin on them… just presents them.  The melodrama violated my ears.  Think of the word genuine… then to described Sick Puppies use the antonym.  I need something a wee bit more left of the dial. God bless ya if that’s your style of Alternative rock, but it ain’t mine.

I don’t want to be hard on the Sick Puppies.  They’re just a band trying to make a buck at rock and roll.  They wrote the best song they could and it got played on the radio a half world away.  Anyone should be commended by that feat which is truly a unique and challenging thing to do… Maybe I am more upset in the mass buy-in required to create the half world where that is possible.  There are worse songs that get played in the mainstream more and better songs that never do.  Weirds me out man.

The Replacements – “Left of the Dial”

Go with yourself.

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I make mistakes just like everybody else

Posted in music, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on November 1, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Middle Class Rut… something maybe you’re experiencing right now; also a band from Sacramento.

I’ve blogged before about my love of Vancouver fuzz duo Japandroids.  MCR (whoa, some shorthand as My Chemical Romance) are an alt-rock duo too… but their style is more reflective of a band growing up in the sunny excess of California and not the down-and-out hipster rain forest of Vancouver.

David Eleanor first brought up Middle Class Rut at our music meeting last Friday.  he noticed some radio traction in the US.  First listen, and I loved it.  The style of their single “New Low” immediately screamed Fu Manchu (another California desert fuzz band). in fact, the Fu Manchu comparison was so strong, I jammed out all California Crossing all weekend.

Finally on Sunday night I broke down and downloaded No Name No Color. NNNC is a collection of their earlier EPs and demos. A gritty, genuine, fuzzed out rock sound. I mentioned comparisons to Japandroids and Fu Manchu earlier, but you’ll also pull out threads of Black Keys and Queens of the Stone Age.

The style says desert and suburbs to me. Lyrically, they tackle themes of our modern consumer culture.  I haven’t owned the record for longer than 24 hours yet, and adore it.

The gentlemen of MCR recorded most of the songs in their studio located in one end of the drummer’s Mom’s house.   The record for the most part was recorded in the capital (or capitol in Americanese) of California and much of it was mixed in Van Nuys.

Middle Class Rut has had the opportunity to support Social Distortion, Alice in Chains, Them Crooked Vultures and Chevelle in concert.  They are off right now opening for Filter.

Have a listen to “New Low.”

Go with yourself.

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