Sound Salvation Army

When I was in University I edited and wrote for my school’s student newspaper, the Carillon. I also had an advice column for the romantically retarded. It was called the Book of Love (for what should be obvious reasons). That title had nothing to do with Stephin Merritt.

But there is a tangential connection. At the time I had no business dispensing advice to people with romantic problems, having fallen into a series of ineffective and one-sided relationships with sexually aggressive women with low self-esteem (how little things change). The advice that came out of that piece of work was based more around a loose concept of what should work in any given situation: communication. I’d make a few jokes, impugn someones manhood (either theirs, mine, or their boyfriend), and then tell them to talk about whatever was bothering them with their partner. To say it was half-assed is putting it mildly.

Stephin Merritt, on the other hand, doesn’t do things half-assed and when he bases a project around an idea it comes out a little more successful. That’s what lead to the release of 69 Love Songs a little more than ten years ago. The triple album was less a collection of love songs and more a collection of songs about love songs.

Of course, that would be nearly impossible to pull off without penning a few earnest, genuine love songs along the way. “The Book of Love” is a classic of the genre, covered by a variety of artists that showcases how pervasive and wide-raging Merritt’s work really is. Peter Gabriel’s version is best-known, a treacly string-bomb that was included in a romantic comedy starring (blech) Richard Gere. Quirk-filled singer-songwriter and former Soul Coughing frontman Mike Doughty offers a rather faithful live take, although he drops a few notes here and there (Fleet Foxes singer Robin Pecknold’s take is also pretty straight-forward). British multi-instrumentalist Catherine A.D. released a version on her first EP, flipping the acoustic guitar for piano, synths, and some masked glock.

Then there’s Library Voices. Regina’s highest-profile band of 2009 start with electric guitar as the lead instead of acoustic, but they keep the reverb wet and roomy. One singer keeps Merritt’s baritone melody intact while Carl Johnson overlays the same melody an octave higher, giving the lyrics extra weight and depth. Two-thirds of the way through an authoritative drum line, tambourine, and some ethereal synths give the track a strong full-band finish. The band, notorious for its double-digit membership, keeps restraint at the forefront by including nothing that’s unnecessary. The gorgeous arrangement is simultaneously at odds with and complementary to Merritt’s original; moving beyond the sparse arrangement conflicts with Merritt’s slavish devotion to the idea as the sole focal point, but I’ll be damned if this track isn’t pretty enough to be an inspiration for the 70th love song song.

 

 Library Voices - the Book of Love [3:29m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Magnetic Fields - the Book of Love [2:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Peter Gabriel - the Book of Love [3:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Mike Doughty - the Book of Love [3:17m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Catherine AD - the Book of Love [2:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Robin Pecknold - the Book of Love [2:34m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

You can get their album in any fine record store and on zunior and iTunes.

Pat entries anniversaries, Canadian content, Catherine AD, Library Voices, love songs, Magnetic Fields, Mike Doughty, Peter Gabriel

So yeah. Tanis beat me to the punch, but its the seventh anniversary of Joe Strummer’s death. Which totally sucked.

I remember the day, I remember reading the news on the internet. I remember feeling bad that I hadn’t listened to the Clash more. That’s my situation: the Strummer legacy for me, aside from London Calling, consists mostly of his late 90’s/early 00’s semi-solo output.

I remember living with Tanis in our basement apartment in Manitoba, blasting Global A Go-Go, the most recognized of Strummer’s work with the Mescaleros, from time to time. I remember how much we both loved that album, though I don’t remember if we ever really talked about it at length. I remember how excited I was when it first came out, having fallen in love with previous release Rock Art & the X-Ray Style. I loved its simplicity, its bare-bones vaguely-world music arrangements, a soundscape worlds away from the even the Clash’s most far-reaching sounds. He just sounded so joyous in those songs, like he was being reborn.

See, London Calling has an incredible legacy and is a record that the everyone ever should be familiar with. But I’ll admit, I don’t own any other Clash records. I’ve never seen a need. I know London Calling is their apex. I’ve heard the rest, but they don’t stack up. I don’t know anyone who disagrees.

But I adore Strummer’s work with the Mescaleros. I don’t know how they found each other but there’s a synergistic musical kinship that sews their three albums together in a magical way. There’s nary a bad note in the bunch. Even the 17+ minute “Minstrel Boy”, which closes out Global A Go-Go doesn’t get the skip button.

Its a sad day but a beautiful legacy to enjoy, regardless of what era you prefer. I guess that’s the point I’m trying to make.

 

 Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros - X-Ray Style [4:34m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros - Get Down Moses [5:05m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros - the Road To Rock and Roll [3:59m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Get your Strummer/Mescaleros albums from Anti- Records.

Pat entries anniversaries, Joe Strummer, legacies, legends, Mescaleros, misery

Joe Strummer died seven years ago today and when I think about that, it still makes me sad.

Nobody’s perfect. Nothing’s forever. You can change your mind. Damn the man. Steal shit. Know your rights. All things I learned, in a roundabout way, by listening to The Clash and Strummer over the years.

Have yourselves a merry little whatever you celebrate, but take a moment and pour one out for Joe. Here are some awesome songs.

 

 London Calling - The Clash: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Johnny Appleseed - Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros : Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Silver and Gold - Joe Strummer: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tanis entries Joe Strummer, legends, mp3, punk rock, rock

You ever think that one of your favourite artists is sort of off his game? Like, he released a bunch of awesome albums early in his career (seriously, several albums that are well on their way to becoming genre-defying classics not even ten years after their release) and then he started to kind of flame out? Maybe he released some albums that were not as good. Not BAD, just… not quite up to par with what you’ve come to expect.

That’s exactly how I feel about Hawksley Workman.

But based on what I’ve been hearing from his new album, Meat (it drops January 19, which I have already earmarked as a happy day in music land, cuz Spoon’s Transference comes out then, too), this might be the recording that puts him squarely back in my good graces.

He’s released several singles from the album. So far, my favourites are “You Don’t Just Want To Break Me” and “We Ain’t No Vampire Bats,” but “We’ll Make Time,” has all the hallmarks of a great Hawksley song: Chanted almost-rap lines, quirky melodies, driving rhythms, hand claps, a hooky chorus and a big, fat, rockin’ section in the middle. I haven’t heard anything from him that I’ve liked this much since “Striptease.”

When For Him And The Girls came out, I felt like I was listening to Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits meet up and agree that Tom would write and Leonard would sing and they’d make gorgeous, creepy, ethereal music together. Then came Last Night We Were The Delicious Wolves and glam Bowie comparisons were not out of place. Lover/Fighter was a little more commercial, but it still had a distinctly Hawksley way about it. The duality of love and anger was much more obvious, though, I think less fully explored than it could have been. After that, I tuned out for a couple years. Maybe because I was introduced to Hawksley when his songs had a very warm, natural vibe. His later stuff has been kind of antiseptic and, well, cold. It’s the difference between a lumpy loaf of artisan bread with chunks of grains and sunflower seeds in it and a perfectly square loaf of Wonderbread. The new songs seem like a happy return to the chunky, homemade bread. There are still some synth elements, but just enough to make it crisp. When it’s sprinkled into the mix, I don’t mind. In fact, I kinda like it. When it takes over everything, not so much.

My favourite Hawklsey Workman songs are about tender destruction and utter devotion. He sings about beauty and pain and the simplicity of love and I bet you’re thinking “Big whoop. Lots of musicians do that.” I dunno. They might try, but they don’t often succeed on the level he does. When he’s on, he’s fucking ON. Listening to a good Hawksley Workman song is like watching this scene from Punch Drunk Love:

Barry: I’m lookin’ at your face and I just wanna smash it. I just wanna fuckin’ smash it with a sledgehammer and squeeze it. You’re so pretty.
Lena: I want to chew your face, and I want to scoop out your eyes and I want to eat them and chew them and suck on them.
[Pause]
Barry: OK. This is funny. This is nice.

Hawksley, like Barry and Lena, knows what it is to love the sight of something so much that you want to destroy it. Which is why I love “You Don’t Just Want To Break Me.” This song builds to a whooping, screaming, yowling climax that oozes sex and hurt and anger and above all, passion! Hawksley’s voice is like a spreading bruise; violent but beautiful. You want to look away. You want to examine it intimately. You want to listen and that’s, like, all of the battle for a musician. You can stream all these singles on his website, which also has links to iTunes and Six Shooter, where you can buy them as MP3s.

And hey, if you’re in Guelph in February (I won’t be, so sad!), Hawksley is playing the Hillside Inside festival before heading out on a cross-Canada tour of this bad boy. Catch him if you can. His live performances are the stuff of legend and something every fan of live music should see. You can pre-order Meat from Six Shooter Records, where you can also buy all his other albums. Including Almost a Full Moon, which I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend. Let’s call it a “seasonal” album and let’s also say that it’s his best work. I’m giving you a track from that one as an early Christmas present. Enjoy!

 

 We Ain't No Vampire Bats - Hawksley Workman: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 A House Or Maybe A Boat - Hawksley Workman: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tanis entries Canadian content, Hawksley Workman, live music, mp3, new release

Where is Sarah Harmer at, people?

Remember back in 2001 when her second solo album dropped? You couldn’t get away from that shit! She was on MuchMusic! Remember MuchMusic? You Were Here received accolades from critics and the listening public in kind for her relaxed, acoustic-based pop songs. They were like back-porch soul food for any and all musical appetites. She was a confident and assured performer with marvellous finger-picking and a knack for heartbreaking vocal melodies. It went platinum, for goodness’ sake!

She ventured into more diverse territory on her third solo joint, which had some quietly devastating songs as well. Textured with the vaguest of electronic, roots, and rock elements, All Of Our Names was a wonderful sophomore follow-up.

Depending on your perspective, her third album either lost the thread on what gained Harmer public approval in the first place or followed a natural progression into bluegrass territory. Despite the trepidation of some to embrace that bluegrassiness, there were still a few big singles (and the should’ve-been-huge single, “I’m A Mountain,” a version of which is found below). But she’s been rarely glimpsed outside Ontario since 2006, mostly sticking to the occasional fundraiser show. The last word her fans received on any type of recording was over a year ago, when she alluded to laying down some tracks for a future LP.

Now listen: I know you can’t rush the creative process. If you do the results are usually pretty unfortunate. And I wouldn’t bring it up if I hadn’t stumbled across a Bootlog post from 2006 last week that has some absolutely wonderful tracks that were recorded at a show in Toronto she did with the Weakerthans. I think it was broadcast on CBC at some point. Either way, there are some really cool cuts in this post where Harmer and the Weakerthans back each other up and cover each other’s songs. They also perform some covers of songs by the Shins, the Bee Gees, and the Replacements.

So aside from Harmer’s wonderful original tracks she and her band (which included Julie Fader and Danny Michel at the time, apparently) put together a downright majestic reading of one of my top 10 favourite songs of all time, the Weakerthans’ “Left and Leaving.” Its mostly pretty faithful to the original, tossing in a wonderfully-lethargic solo and some slightly-tweaked vocal inflections. But its just another example of how rock-solid a performer Harmer is and her knack for imbuing a song with genuine feeling.

So here’s some stuff to remember Sarah Harmer by while we wait patiently for LP5. It can’t come soon enough.

 

 Sarah Harmer - Left and Leaving (Weakerthans cover) [4:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Sarah Harmer & the Weakerthans - I'm A Mountain [3:28m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Sarah Harmer - Greeting Card Aisle [4:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Sarah Harmer’s webstore is a pretty good one; buy her albums by visiting it, through her main site. iTunes also has your back in a pinch.

Pat entries acoustic, Canadian content, pop rock, Sarah Harmer, the Weakerthans

They say storytelling is a lost art in our digital age. That oral and written skills are falling by the wayside as information gets translated into complex strings of 0s and 1s. That text-speak is the new shorthand, that “pwning” will some day become a legitimate word (okay, that might be a bit of a stretch — OR IS IT?). To wit: once reputable dictionary magnates have chosen “unfriend” as the word of the year.

Truly, these are dark times.

But there is hope out there for those that value the power of the written word, the art of a well-constructed story. His name is Franz Nicolay. You might remember him, you were introduced earlier this year. He’s the guy overflowing with musical notions, the guy who plays with some four bands just to get them all out there. The guy that just released a very dichotomous EP.

Coming not too closely on the heels of his LP release, St. Sebastian of the Short Stage draws clear lines about the emotional extremes contained in his songs. He divides the four tracks explicitly into “the fun side” and “the depressing side” of this 10″ slab of vinyl. And let me tell you, he isn’t kidding.

“The fun side” kicks off with a tribute to one of music’s best storytellers, the legendary Jonathan Richman. Nicolay and frequent collaborators the Dresden Dolls (evidently the last thing they recorded before breaking up) offer a lively take on the ode to their regional home, “New England.” A brief intro of goofy staged dialogue precedes a piano/accordian/drum/handclap romp that is as true to the spirit of Richman as any cover of his work I’ve heard. The second track, “The Ballad Of Hollis Wadsworth Mason Jr.,” is an ode to the fictional crime fighter better known as the original Night Owl in the Watchmen graphic novel. Nicolay evidently participates in a regular songwriter’s workshop that reads a book and writes a song inspired by its contents, this track being the fruits of that labour. He deconstructs the titular character, illustrating the perceived motivations behind his nocturnal activities and his desire to stand up for what he believes in. Quick-paced drums, a lively bass line, and stalwart accordian give his tale a heroic sense of urgency.

“The depressing side” really can’t be described any other way. Both tracks consist primarily of emotive acoustic guitar and Nicolay’s desperate-sounding vocals. “When The War Came” is a suitably dark and dire number, its studied finger-picking creating a layer of tension built upon by some full-bodied piano chords and atmospheric organ. He looks at how an unnamed conflict affects individuals in a community, illustrating the deadness in people’s eyes when atrocities are being committed before them, the loosening of ties that could ultimately see brothers and friends turn on each other, the loss of identity when a new one is being forced upon you. Conversely, “I Just Want To Love” is about as insular and personal as a song can get. It is exactly what Nicolay describes it as: a depressing song written and recorded when he was in his early 20’s, not sleeping well, and working a dot-com job. Its the sound of a lonely young man expressing his need for human contact in the only way he knows how. It may be nearly the oldest songwriting meme in human history, but imbues the song with individuality. He has a flair on this number for giving an incredible weight to the seemingly-mundane; a sure sign of a gifted storyteller.

While the songs here all tell a story in one way or another, Nicolay also tries his hand at a different medium: included in the liner notes is a short story, titled “Paraska Mikhailivna Is A Witch.” It tells the tale of he and his girlfriend’s encounter with a Ukranian woman and her daughter living on the Romanian border. I won’t give away too much detail, but Nicolay definitely shows a lot of promise in its dozen or so paragraphs, weaving a non-linear tale that certainly presents a situation and a perspective outside of most people’s norm.

Obviously Nicolay remains on this release an incredibly evocative songwriter; in my heart I believe he’s a born storyteller. There’s ample evidence contained in this package that regardless of how his words make it out into the ether they’ll do so in a significant way. At a time when words are losing their value and importance it is goddamn wonderful to experience the work of someone who holds them sacrosanct and knows how to dress them up and show them off.

 

 Franz Nicolay - When The War Came [4:20m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Visit the Team Science webstore and buy this effing record, people. iTunes has the assist for digital nerds.

Pat entries Dresden Dolls, Franz Nicolay, new hot wax, rock, storytelling, Team Science Records, writing

A couple years ago, I went to see Jill and Matthew Barber perform at the Dublin Street United Church in a blizzard. Outside it was snowing and blowing and inside, people crowded into the pews for a toasty warm celebration of sound. I love hearing music performed in churches. They’re such great spaces that are built to carry sound.

So you should not miss tonight’s show there by the saucy, harmonious, gorgeous Good Lovelies: Caroline Brooks, Kerri Ough and Sue Passmore.

Ain’t they sweet?

They sang backup on Jill Barber’s last album (which was awesome) and they are fresh off a win at the Canadian Folk Music Awards, where they took home the prize for best New/Emerging Artist. They’re going to fill Dublin Street United to the rafters with their beautiful music and I think you should go.

I know for a fact that this trio from Toronto has been wowing the folk festival set this summer with songs from their first, self-titled album, their earlier five-song EP Oh My, and the newest addition to their discography, a Christmas album called Under the Mistletoe.

They don’t reinvent the wheel on the seasonal album, and why should they? Finding an album of Christmas Carols has lately become an exercise in annoyance and futility. For example, I saw the latest A Very Special Christmas album recently. And I realized that while I might have recognized a name or two, I couldn’t tell you what the performers looked like or name another song of theirs. Gone are the days when U2 and Springsteen and Bon Jovi played on those things. Look, I know Christmas songs are lame. But you are talking to a woman who knows all the words to Christmas Wrapping and Christmas in Hollis. So this throwback of singing classic Christmas songs beautifully is a nice respite and I should thank the Good Lovelies for their effort in stealing Christmas music back from Taylor Swift. I’m very sorry to say this, but she cannot sing. She’s terrible. I’m sure she’s quite nice, but her voice is just… not good. Please, instead of buying your mom her album for Christmas, maybe give the Good Lovelies a try. YOU might even like them!

Beyond the Christmas album, I really love what the Good Lovelies are doing elsewhere. I’m biased though, cuz harmonizing is one of my favourite things to do when I’m singing along to stuff while puttering around in my apartment. I frequently entertain the thought of putting together a smart, sassy girl group that would perform retro pastiche songs in kicky matching outfits. Though I gravitate more to the Phil Spector wall-of-sound girl groups when I do this in my head, I also love the straight-ahead harmonies of the 40s.

The Good Lovelies are what you would get if the Andrews Sisters met the Be Good Tanyas in a saloon. Their songs are upbeat and swinging and fun and they’ll leave you with a smile on your face. Who could resist such lush harmonies? Don’t front. It’s not you.

My favourite song of theirs is “Whiskey.” It’s a charming little ditty about bad behaviour encouraged by sipping on whiskey and tequila and the ramifications of the resulting hangover. You’ve been there, swaying slightly in your nylons and party dress in the kitchen, staring bleary-eyed at the bunch of bananas on your counter, your drunken brain telling you that you should eat one because electrolytes. It won’t be the first time your foggy mind betrays you that night. Bonus material on this track: Listening to the post-track patter as the Good Lovelies try to work up some burps.

You can hear some of their best harmonies are on the track “Sleepwalkin’” from their debut. Just gorgeous. Keep up the good work Good Lovelies!

I command you to buy their albums from Maple Music. And check them out on tour, especially if you live in Guelph and want to hear some magic tonight at Dublin St. United Church with Roxanne Potvin. Doors are at 7:30, the show gets started at 8 p.m. and tickets are $20 at the door.

 

 Good Lovelies - Santa Baby: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Good Lovelies - Whiskey: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Good Lovelies - Sleepwalkin' : Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tanis entries folk, Guelph, live music, mp3, the Good Lovelies

I’m getting antsy for the new year. Real antsy. And not January 1. No, that’s usually pretty overrated. But there is no way that the new year could be worse than 2009. It’s been a stinky year for both Pat and I, but I see things looking up in 2010!

In part because Spoon’s new album, Transference, is supposed to come out January 19. How long have I been waiting for this!? Two years. That’s how long! In the new world order of flavour of the month ridiculousness, that is forever.

If you don’t know who Spoon is, maybe you should educate yourself. Because I’m going to lay down a little truth sauce here. I would say that about 75 percent of the music I hear, all the “hot new music” MP3 blogs are trying to get you to listen to, is garbage. I can’t keep up with it all. I think to myself at least once a week “Aren’t there enough songs?” Oh, I’m so old! When I was a girl, music came on wax cylinders!

Maybe I’m being too harsh. It’s not, like, offensive garbage. I just don’t listen to most of it and think: “This right here is the sound of the aughts.” Maybe that’s why I don’t post quite as often as I should. I can’t stand to think that I’m just feeding the machine. What I write about is usually carefully considered. Life is too short to listen to shitty music. But I seriously digress.

Getting down to it: Spoon is hands down my pick for band of the decade. They were fashioning bold sounds before this new millennium rang in and I hope they continue to do so with Transference.

Stereogum revealed the album cover last month and the first single, “Written in Reverse” followed soon after. I’ve been listening to it non-stop ever since.

Britt Daniel somehow manages to write songs that sound exactly like Spoon songs should without becoming incredibly repetitive.

Their back catalogue is filled with the best pop rock this side of The Pixies. I swear, I could (and do) open up my Spoon playlist and never get bored. I love all their albums, but their last one, the ridiculously titled Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, was especially fantastic.

It says something that in the two years since that album was released, nothing has even come close to unseating “The Underdog” as the top played song on my iTunes. And there are five other songs from that album in the top ten.

“Written In Reverse” is a fantastic example of Spoon’s best work: Daniel’s nasal, hopped-up-on-cold-medication drawl, a building hooky chorus, angry guitar, a false ending and on this track, a piano pounding away in the background.

In short, I love it. Can’t wait for more. And I don’t want to spoil it too much by talking about it right now, especially since this is the first I’ve heard of the album. I just want to lay back, turn it up, nod along and wait for Transference to make its debut.

You can buy pretty much all of Spoon’s back catalogue at their web store. On vinyl, even! Go get it!

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Spoon - The Underdog: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tanis entries Britt Daniel, mp3, Spoon

I want to preface this post by stating how much I respect Blue Rodeo. I like them very much. If I had to pick a band to accurately represent Canadian Music, I’d pick them over the Tragically Hip any day of the week.

First, and perhaps most important, they are grace and humility personified. They are truly nice, talented, genuine people. In short, they are the total polar opposite of Nickelback, which I think you will agree is a good thing. Then there are all the other reasons to love them:

They’re technically solid musicians. Their albums stand up to repeated listens years later. They have a wide, wide audience appeal (country fans, jaded hipsters, those with more mainstream tastes and my mom can all agree on Blue Rodeo) but they’ve never sold out, either. They seem like mellow, down-to-Earth kind of guys. Jim Cuddy has a great voice. They support younger acts and use their HUGE following to showcase talented musicians by having up-and-comers open for them on tours. They are solid and dependable. And Cuff the Duke could certainly pick a worse band to try and emulate.

Oshawa’s Cuff the Duke are going out on tour with Blue Rodeo in January. They recently (like, last night) played a show at the eBar in Guelph. I wish I could tell you more about it, but I had to take a miss to catch up on some beauty sleep.

Their latest album, Way Down Here, released this past September, reminds me STRONGLY of Blue Rodeo. That’s probably owing to how it was produced by Blue Rodeo’s Greg Keelor. I missed this album when it first came out. It didn’t exactly blow people away and I can understand why.

The group’s sound on Way Down Here is more lush, but it probably sounds the least like a Cuff the Duke album. It plays out like part of their musical progression, but for me, part of their charm was their spare sound and stripped-down approach to Canadian folk rock.

I think back to “Ballad of a Lonely Construction Worker,” “Surging Revival” and ”If I Live or If I Die” as great examples of their talents. They were poppy without being precious. Jaded, but not disaffected. This a completely different sound, more of a fuzzed out, ’60s vibe — kind of like Blue Rodeo meets The Hollies. It’s accessible and I like it, but I’m not sure I like it as much as I loved Life Stories For Minimum Wage or Sidelines of the City. They always sounded like a band that knew exactly who they were, but now… there’s not much there, there, you know?

If the Interwebs can be believed (and when have they led me astray before?) this is Keelor’s first major effort as a producer. I like the sound he gets from Cuff the Duke, but then, I like Blue Rodeo. And they sound an awful lot like Blue Rodeo here. In fact, Petti sounds so much like Cuddy on “Follow Me,” the whole thing sounds like such a Blue Rodeo effort, that I thought I better check to make sure it wasn’t a cover. I suppose if they’re borrowing a little, they could’ve done far worse.

The album waivers between sweet, jangly, rootsy pop like “Follow Me” and “Listen to Your Heart” and the shaggy, bombastic Dylan-gone-electric chimes of “Another Day In Purgatory.” There are other classic rock nods. The short instrumental, “Farley the Dog,” with its twangy, Ennio Morricone guitar, sounds like a slower, sadder reprise to Led Zeppelin’s “Bron-Y-Aur Stomp.”

Frontman Wayne Petti’s voice is almost unrecognizable on some tracks. I don’t know how I feel about that, but his guitar solos are flat-out better. My favourite song “Promises” features a truly fantastic, fuzzy solo that pours out of your speakers. It’s a standout moment. Together, with the relentless drumming, “Promises” evokes the best of classic rock. They switch back to the familiar haunted folk/country sound that put them on the map with songs like “Rocking Chair” and “Need You.” I think Petti’s been better as a songwriter. He’s walking a tightrope over cliche valley. He teeters sometimes, but doesn’t quite fall in. Maybe by the next album we’ll see what he was trying to get to on the other side.

This album could have been a mess. Actually, it might even be a mess, but it’s a mess that works. In the future, when we look back on Cuff the Duke and their recorded history, Way Down Here will probably be the overlooked classic you wish you’d paid closer attention to. I like my country with a tinge of psychedelia. I think the disparate sounds clash just right. It’s a formula The Sadies have perfected and Keelor knows his way around those boys, too, since he plays with them in The Unintended. I’ve followed Cuff the Duke for quite awhile. I’ve seen them live more than a few times. They’ve earned the right to take a chance or two, so I don’t begrudge them a change in direction, I just hope they don’t get lost on the way.

You can buy Way Down Here on iTunes or at their official web store. Also, be sure to check local tour dates in the new year! Cuff the Duke is comin’ to a city near you!

 

 Cuff the Duke - Follow Me : Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Cuff the Duke - Promises : Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Cuff the Duke - Surging Revival: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tanis entries Blue Rodeo, Canadian content, Cuff The Duke, Greg Keelor, mp3, rock, roots, Wayne Petti

Okay, first things first: ignore the title of this record if you must. Don’t get hung up on what is surely one of the most reprehensible (but amazing) puns in all of recorded history. The title, however awesome, is irrelevant — don’t judge a book by its cover!

Now that that’s taken care of, lets talk Larry Arms. I love this band to an obscene degree. Their 2003 album, the Greatest Story Ever Told, is one of my 15 favourite albums of all time and their other two Fat-era releases aren’t far behind. Their two singer/songwriters have a distinctive yin/yang thing going for them, bassist Brendan Kelly serving as an abrasive, aggressive counterpoint to guitarist Chris McCaughan’s melancholic crooning. Common themes are drinking, living below your potential, alcohol, regret, booze, and dealing with past failures. Its a heady combination that’s further augmented by a dark sense of humour and occasional subversive pop-culture references. They’re one of Chicago’s most stalwart poppish-punk groups, so far managing to avoid the overtures to teenage girls made by your Alkaline Trios or the breaking up of your Smoking Popes.

This EP is released to mark their 10th anniversary and perhaps inadvertently it represents the past and the potential future of the group in stark contrast.

Kelly’s contributions reflect the former. “Spit Shining Shit” kicks off the EP, a number which reportedly began in Kelly’s side project, The Falcon. With a mid-tempo pace, palm muted power chords, and occasional rim shot percussion is indicative of that band’s more pop-rock leanings. “Them Angels Been Talking” is a less-adventurous cut, recalling several previous Kelly songs in its vocal melody and orchestration. The opening vocal of “Demons” and some other portions of the song heavily recall “Like A Record Player,” one of the poppier numbers from their last full-length, Oh, Calcutta!. These similarities aren’t overt, more a subtle sense of deja vu. That’s not to say these songs aren’t enjoyable, but it does ring a bit familiar.

McCaughan, on the other hand, seems like he’s continuing to look for the atypical arrangements that marked some of his best tracks on the Greatest Story Ever Told. He continues to provide some choice melancholy and lyrical lonesomeness as well, especially on the track provided below, “the Slowest Drink In The Saddest Bar On The Snowiest Day In The Greatest City.” The chorus in two parts outlines it best: “Walk through the street to a bar where there’s no one I know/Drink slow, drink slow, with nowhere to go/And when I leave I’ll be singing this song/Summer’s gone, carry on, I’m a ghost in the dawn.” The track is broken up by an alternating tempo, the shifting pace relaying the constant mental conflict and anguish a person can inflict on themselves when they’re alone. On closer “The Redness In The West” he spends the better part of 90 seconds seething about how he’s beholden to unreceptive, sometimes antagonistic audiences. The churning guitar and world-weary singing carry through a chorus-less number that seems mired in misery.

When the band comes in for the big finish on that track, it wraps up a set of songs that can be interpreted in different ways. For each lyrical or musical allusion that might suggest the group is somehow growing weary of doing what it does there is an accompanying self-affirmation. As McCaughan states on the final track, “I got a fever for the cowbell, boys/I fell for the beat and I stay down for the noise.” Of course, that’s before he insists, “This time we’re gonna roll where only fools dare/We’re gonna lie tonight/then we’ll disappear.”

I hope the former holds true instead of the latter.

 

 the Lawrence Arms - the Slowest Drink In The Saddest Bar On The Snowiest Day In The Greatest City [3:13m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Buy the new 7″ and most of the rest from Fat Wreck. Asian Man has more in their store and the iTunes covers off pretty much everything.

Pat entries brilliant titles, EP, Fat Wreck Chords, punk rock, the Lawrence Arms