The New Pornographers @ Commodore -- 10/04/14

Fresh off the release of their sixth album Brill Bruisers, The New Pornographers kicked off their tour with a pair of hometown shows at the Commodore Ballroom.
I caught the second of the two, but for some reason, I was not as excited as I should have been. Maybe it was the recent news that Kurt Dahle (one of my favourite drummers) had left the band. Or maybe it was the lack of the promised Neko Case who, due to issues at the border, was not able to get into the country.
But I was intrigued by the announcement that Amber Webber, of Black Mountain and Lightning Dust, would be filling in, and excluding free outdoor shows, it was the first time seeing the band in a proper venue in over four years.

Unfortunately I missed the first two bands, Cool TV and The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, getting to the venue just as The New Pornographers hit the stage with the first song, and title track, "Brill Bruisers" and as soon as Dan Bejar joined them for one of my favourites, "Myriad Harbour", a lot of my misgivings had faded. The set dug heavily into their back catalogue, with lots of deep cuts throughout the night, showing off the bands 14 years of crafting some of the best power pop songs out there, from "Champions of Red Wine" all the way back to "Execution Day" off their debut album.

Frontman Carl Newman occasionally chatted with the crowd a few times, joking that in revisiting some of the older songs he found some were "pretty good" -- specifically "The New Face of Zero and One" -- and looked happy to be home, asking if anyone else went to school in White Rock. Bejar was on and off stage, joining only when he was needed, as he usually does, and while the absence of Neko Case was felt, Kathryn Calder unsurprisingly stepped in with her own fantastic voice. Guest Amber Webber was mostly on backup and harmonies, and there were only a couple times that her voice really soaring above the rest, the best example being "Born With a Sound", which featured her on the album. I actually ended up wishing they utilized her more; I would have loved to see how her haunting voice fit with songs like "Challengers" or even "Letter From An Occupant", neither of which ended up in the set.

After over an hour, they ended the main set with my two favourites from the new album, Dan Bejar's frantic "War on the East Coast", and the impressive vocals of Calder shining on "Dancehall Domine" before thy were back out for a few more. Bejar returned one last time for "Spyder", before they went all the way back and wrapped up with the with the first song, and title track to their debut, "Mass Romantic", a nearly perfect song, with Calder once again filling the room with her powerful pipes.

In the end, it was definitely a good show. There was too much raw talent on stage for it not to be, but something about it just felt... off. I have seen the band perform without Case a few times, and I think it all came down to the new drummer. He was a fine drummer, don't get me wrong, but the absence of Kurt Dahle left some pretty big kickdrums to fill.

setlist
Brill Bruisers; Myriad Harbour; Sing Me Spanish Techno; Born With a Sound; The End of Medicine; Twin Cinema; Execution Day; All The Old Showstoppers; The Moves; Silver Jenny Dollar; You Tell Me Where; The Spirit of Giving; The New Face of Zero and One; Champions Of Red Wine; Ballad of a Comeback Kid; Backstairs; Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk; War on the East Coast; Dancehall Domine.
(encore) Spyder; The Laws Have Changed; Mass Romantic.

3am Mixtapes: Episode Fifty Two: Whistling

Each week on the 3am Mixtapes podcast, I will share with you the Top Six Songs of a certain subject. The topics can be as general like best winter songs. Some might be a little more... specific. Top Six Musical Mysteries.

This week is the Top Six Whistling Songs! I don't know what it is about whistling that can take a decent-enough song and turn it into an earworm that will burrow into your head and leave little earworm eggs until your entire brain is overtaken by the song... but it is a thing that can happen. And does. So why not just sit back and let it happen!

Whistle along to:

"Danse Caribe" by Andrew Bird
"Feedback in the Field" by Plants & Animals
"Dick & Jane" by Sidney York
"Young Folk" by Peter Bjorn & John
"Drink To Me Babe, Then" by AC Newman
"Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" by Monty Python

Any questions or comments or waffles or criticisms or suggestions for future themes are welcome!

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3am Mixtapes: Episode Twenty Three: Covers (that are not Hurt)

Each week on the 3am Mixtapes podcast, I will share with you the Top Six Songs of a certain subject. The topics can be as general like best breakup songs. Or some might be a little more... specific. Top Six Songs With Opposite Titles.

This week is all about someone else's songs, it is the Top Six Cover Songs That Are Not Hurt By Johnny Cash! I always love me some cover songs, and here are just a few of the ones that have stuck with me over the years.

Hear these bands do versions of:

"Hoppipolla" by We Are Scientists, covering Sigur Rós
"Le Pyromane" by The Zolas, covering Karkwa
Take On Me" by A.C. Newman, covering A-Ha
"Ignition (Remix)" by Zeus, covering R. Kelly
"What You Waiting For" by Franz Ferdinand, covering Gwen Stefani
"Common People" by William Shatner, covering Pulp

Any questions or comments or waffles or criticisms or suggestions for future themes are welcome!

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AC Newman @ Biltmore -- 11/08/12

Arguably one of Canada's best songwriters, Carl Newman is probably best known as from The New Pornographers. But he's also juggled a solo career under the moniker A.C. Newman, and hot off the heels of his third album, Shut Down The Streets, Newman returns to his hometown of Vancouver for a show as part of the Exclaim! 20th Anniversary Concert Series

First up was Omaha's The Mynabirds, lead by the strong voice of singer-songwriter Laura Burhenn. She was joined by Rebecca Marie Miller on backup vocals, and a few others to round out the band.
When they started, the floor in front of the stage was empty, but they soon drew people in with a catchy rock sound, with hints of both country and blues influences, and near the end of their set they even got some audience participation in the form of a call-and-response with the song "Generals".
They put on a really good set, and I will definitely be interested in hearing more from them in the future.

The Mynabirds were just ending their stint as Newman's opening act, and they figuratively passed the baton on to the next band of the night, Harriet, who were supporting the next leg of the tour. They had a synth driven rock sound, and they weren't bad, but nothing really stuck out. The songs were all pretty straightforward and decent, but there wasn't much that demanded attention.

And finally, AC Newman took the stage, joined by a full band that included a couple familiar faces, Megan Bradfield (Limblifter) and Paul Rigby (Neko Case), and a variety of instruments -- clarinet, saxophone, banjo, flute, among others -- to flesh out the sound. The keyboard player (whose name I didn't catchy) was also incredibly animated, and quite possibly the most fun member of the band to watch.
Starting with "I'm Not Talking", the lead track of the new album, the set was full of Newman's catchy and clever songs, going from the soft and mellow "Drink To Me, Babe, Then" to the sharp and incredibly infectious "Like A Hitman, Like A Dancer", and weaving through Newman's three albums.
There was a bit of joking between songs, but not too much banter from Newman, as he just let the music speak for itself. Other highlights included the bouncing "Encyclopedia of Classic Takedowns" and the punchy and upbeat "Miracle Drug", which ended the main set. Newman, of course, came back for three more, ending the night with another older track, the grooving "The Town Halo".

AC Newman, unsurprisingly, put on a strong show, and hopefully it isn't his last solo tour, as rumours seem to be implying.

setlist
I'm Not Talking; The Palace at 4am; On the Table; Encyclopedia of Classic Takedowns; Prophets; Strings; Get Guilty; You Could Get Lost Out There; Drink To Me, Babe, Then; Do Your Own Time; They Should Have Shut Down the Streets; Like A Hitman, Like A Dancer; Come Crash; The Heartbreak Rides; Hostages; Miracle drug. 
(encore) There's Money in New Wave; Secretarial; Town Halo. 

Musical Roots: The New Pornographers

Regular readers (all nine of you) may know I am currently schooling at BCIT, in the Radio Broadcast program. In our second, and final, year we take over the station Evolution1079*. At the station we are given rotating jobs every week, and a couple weeks ago I was tasked with Musical Roots; a 45 minute 'Ongoing History Of New Music' type program, where we take a close look at a particular topic. Because these ran at 11pm on a week when our streaming was down, and because I put a lot of work into these (wrote, voiced, produced... did everything myself) I would like to share it with you, fine reader, as a podcast.

This is the third of four episodes, which will released on a [hopefully] weekly basis in the next month. While the first two were more a chronological history of the featured acts, this one is a little different. This week I take a look at not only The New Pornographers, but also all the things that go to make up the band. All of the various members other bands; AC Newman, Neko Case, Destroyer, Immaculate Machine, Limblifter, Fancey and The Evaporators. And then of course, a look at The New Pornos themselves. The feature is in three 15 minute segments, and that is how I present them to you. In streaming or downloadable options.

I hope you enjoy it, and I would very much welcome any sort of feedback you may have (positive or negative), either commented here or through the emails at: 3amRevelations [at] gmail [dot] com.


Download The New Pornographers Part One

Download The New Pornographers Part Two

Download The New Pornographers Part Three

*If you enjoy this blog and do not know of this station, I suggest you give it a listen. We play a lot of awesome music, and I don't just say this because I am the current music director.

Favourite albums of 2009 (part the first)

It's only a little late, but I finally got caught up on my backlog of albums from 2009 I wanted to review; I think I did just about every new album I picked up during 09 -- which was over 50! -- so now I might as well post my favourite twenty albums. And yes, that is "favourite", not "best", so while something may be technically "better", these were the ones I liked the most. Also, they are in order of release date, as I am terrible at numbering/ordering things.
Were I a more organized person, I would have sat down this long weekend and listened to all 20 albums and come up with something new and exciting to say for each, but with my laziness school term coming to a close, I just didn't have the time, sadly. But I have given quick thoughts about each one, as well as included links to all the previous reviews I did on the albums, which are still as valid now as they were then.

Stay tuned tomorrow for part two!

Get Guilty by AC Newman (original review [warning, on the lamelivejournals])
catchiest songwriter around?

Tonight: Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand (original review [warning, on the lamelivejournals])
full of surprises

The Beat Stuff EP by Hannah Georgas (original review[ku])
can't wait for a full length

The Happiness Project by Charles Spearin (original review)
most interesting album of the year

Middle Cyclone by Neko Case (original review [warning, on the lamelivejournals])
unparallelled voice

Three by Joel Plaskett (original review [warning, on the lamelivejournals])
not many artists could pull off a triple disk

The Hazards of Love by The Decemberists (original review)
is there a more epic word than epic?

Calm Awaits by Black Diamond Bay (original review)
patrick krief is my new hero

Fantasies by Metric (original review)
a culmination of their strengths

Battles On by The Ghost Is Dancing (original review)
criminally under-looked.


So, what do you think so far? Agree? Disagree? Think I missed something major? Just like to complain? Let me know!

random top six

Time for another Random Top 6 list! Here's the deal: every week whenever I feel like it, I will choose a random category and select the top 6 songs fitting that criteria. Today I have chosen cover songs. It was hard to slim it down to just six, as there are a ton of great cover songs out there, and I'm not saying these are the six best of all time ever... but here is the Top 6 Cover Songs of the Time Being. Even though not all of them are new. I just pretty much chose six nifty ones that people may not have heard. Everyone knows Johnny Cash's Hurt is the best cover ever anyway. And before we get into it, if anyone has suggestions to future top six lists, let me know. I'm all ears.
Oh, and also, some of these are live, so may not have the best quality. But all are completely listenable. I have also included links to youtubes of the originals.

Top six cover songs
in no particular order


download Your Ex-Lover Is Dead by Ben Gibbard (Stars cover)


download You Can Call Me Al by Sam Roberts (Paul Simon cover)


download Take On Me by A.C. Newman (A-Ha cover)


download Power of Love by Final Fantasy (Celine Dion cover)


download Dirrty-licious by Keane (Christina Aguilera + Destiny's Child cover[s])


download Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots by Vyvienne Long (The Flaming Lips cover)