SoundSalvationArmy

Ooooh, boy. Year-end list. Best albums of 2009. Here we go.

I’m going to start with the ones that didn’t quite make it, the albums that were excellent but not the very top of the heap. Some Canadian groups shone brightly, groups like The Rest, Bruce Peninsula, and Passenger Action are getting off to amazing starts. Bob Mould continued to excel in his new solo career, his prolificness exceeded only by the quality of the songs. Austin Lucas continued to shine with the help of his friends and family and Tegan and Sara’s familial connection continued to result in great pop songs. Attack In Black, Vivian Girls, Manchester Orchestra, Two Hours Traffic, and Dead To Me put out great second albums. Thursday, Lucero (and Ben Nichols), Pete Yorn (with Scarlett Johansson), and William Elliott Whitmore all wrote compelling new chapters in their songbooks.

But I’m going with a top 20 this year for the absolute cream of the crop. Let’s begin.

20. Converge - Axe to Fall
This album is so good it makes me wish I listened to heavy music more often. It’s not their albums specifically, I just only listen to a few heavy bands with any regularity. I’ve always liked Converge but I tend to listen to them much less than most other heavy bands. Which is odd, because their work has been transcendental; they’ve changed hardcore at its very roots and literally everything they’ve done is as the very least highly interesting. This album is very, very good. It would be ranked higher if I felt compelled to listen to it more but for some inexplicable reason I just don’t. Even though it’s amazing.

19. the Danks - Are You Afraid Of The Danks?
Spiritual cousins to fellow PEI rockers Two Hours Traffic, the Danks have a slightly more energetic, driving sound that embraces the hooks-only aesthetic of bands like the Ramones. Throw together some Super Friendz, Thrush Hermit, Stone Roses, and Buzzcocks and you’ll be tapping your foot until you start to lose feeling (or until the half hour is up). Read more here and celebrate the East Coast resurgence.

18. We Were Promised Jetpacks - These Four Walls
Perhaps their eyes are bigger than their stomachs, but We Were Promised Jetpacks have come forth with a stirring debut packed tight with tension and youthful energy. Compressed to within an inch of their lives, each song is big, loud, and brash and full of life. Not every moment is flawless, not every note resonates, but everything comes together in an inspiring package. Commenters liken it to a Scottish version of Bloc Party covering Thursday’s Full Collapse. Read more here and decide for yourself.

17. Bomb The Music Industry! - Scrambles
It took me forever to “get” Bomb The Music Industry! Or at least what seemed like forever, seeing as Jeff Rosenstock puts out an album or two every single year. While his arrangements continue to have a considerably chaotic tapestry this is lyrically his most mature offering to date. Yes, he’s aping Springsteen more than Black Flag but he’s also making it work. He still talks about “the scene” to an ob-scene degree (which is a little Inside Baseball for me sometimes) but no one speaks for the slowly-maturing punk rockers of this generation quite like he does.

16. Andy Shauf - Darker Days
This is easily one of the best albums released by a Regina artist in a long while. Shauf’s style is understated and gentle, his tender singing voice a perfect compliment to his acoustic guitar and banjo arrangements. Some are hushed and atmospheric, some are peppered with sprightly electric guitar runs, and all are imbued with the quiet intensity and intimacy of bedroom recordings. Even better for Shauf and the world at large, the album has been released on a wide scale by P Is For Panda, an imprint of the wonderful Hopeless Records. And he has a new EP out! Huzzah!

 

 Converge - Dark Horse [2:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 the Danks - 374 [2:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 We Were Promised Jetpacks - It's Thunder and It's Lightening [4:49m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Bomb The Music Industry! - Fresh Attitude, Young Body [3:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Andy Shauf - the Darker Night [3:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Andy Shauf: Website and iTunes
Bomb The Music Industry!: Donation-based label, vinyl purchasing, iTunes
We Were Promised Jetpacks: Fat Cat Records store, iTunes
the Danks: MapleMusic, iTunes
Converge: Buy music, iTunes

Pat entries acoustic, Andy Shauf, best ofs, Bomb The Music Industry!, Canadian content, Converge, pop rock, post-punk, punk rock, rock, the Danks, We Were Promised Jetpacks, year in review

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

I’ve been a Tegan & Sara fan since their earliest national tours. I saw them play Regina’s Exchange stage three times before Canada, Neil Young, and David Letterman decided they were awesome. I’ve lent out my copy of their first album to roughly as many people as I know.

So yeah, I’m buying their new album, released Tuesday. That goes without saying. You probably should to.

They’ve come a lot way from the alt-folk sound that Hawksley Workman helped them shape on their first major label release and Sainthood is about as stark an example of that as they’ve released. It caught me a little off-guard for a few reasons, not the least of which is that Tegan has apparently turned into a disciple of Matt Skiba.

See, the lead single off Sainthood is “Hell,” a song not only using one of Skiba’s favourite lyrical foils as its title but also a chord structure, melody, and arrangement that could be taken from his songbook as well (minus the album-permeating keys). Maybe not directly mind you, but there could definitely be some inspiration happening here. Considering she enlisted AFI’s Hunter Burgan to play on the Con and dueted with Tom Gabel and Against Me!, I think we’re getting another glimpse into her iPod.

Anyway, pick up the new album. It has plenty of synths and is power-poplicious.

 

 Tegan & Sara - Hell [3:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Visit the girls’ web store portal page to access to sales information for your region. Commerce! iTunes is a thing too.

Pat entries Alkaline Trio, Canadian content, pop rock, power pop, Sainthood, sounds like, Tegan & Sara

Its ironic that someone who so perfectly embodies the dregs of American pop culture is one of Said The Whale’s biggest boosters.

I nearly junked the email from the band’s publicists when it hit my inbox, boldly displaying a laudatory quote from none other than Perez Fucking Hilton in the body of the letter. That’s right, the world’s biggest dinkbag endorsed an earlier single by the band, saying, “If the Killers and Badly Drawn Boy were to have a love child, it’d be Said The Whale.” As though Perez Hilton would know the first thing about love; as far as I can tell hate is his sole reason for existence. Moreover, I don’t really hear the Killers in this at all.

What you will get is a healthy dose of acoustic guitar-driven indie pop with an eye on the ever-expanding horizon that is available to the band’s members, both as Vancouver residents and as a touring band. They write what they know and since the release of their first full-length they’ve gotten to know a lot of Canada.

“Dear Elkhorn” and “Holly, ON” bookend the album, literally, their shared chord progression effectively starting and ending a journey across a large nation (even if they aren’t that far apart, geographically speaking). Manitoba and Ontario lie on the outskirts of the tracklisting, while Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Eastern island provinces, and of course B.C. (in several instances) are all touchstones or inspirations for the songs here.

The record begins memorably. The deliberate opening track is a gradual introduction, the bands complex vocal harmonies taking center stage and providing a transition into the bouncy, almost ebullient “Out On The Shield.” It’s an incredibly catchy number paced by frantic drum runs and sprightly piano. However that exuberance misrepresents the song’s lyrics, which concern discontented residents of a far-off mining town wishing for a less-isolated urban environment. The pace gets reigned in sharply on “B.C. Orienteering,” which sounds like a Roy Orbison song in so many ways its a little scary.

“Camilo (the Magician)” will command much of the attention the band will see this year. Showcased earlier this summer on an EP sharing a similar title, this is some bare-bones power-pop that is practically New Pornographic. While the song is dizzying in its pop prowess, it does showcase what is an occasional weakness for the band: the lyrics. I have no idea what this song is about. Apparently a magician that makes a car move….with his mind, perhaps?

The Whalers paint a more evocative picture on tracks like “A Black Day In December,” a story about the city of Vancouver failing to be prepared for or deal with an unusually brutal snowstorm. “Out On The Shield” is a simple idea wonderfully developed, encapsulating the intense malaise of the song’s characters. Even “Goodnight Moon” eventually transcends its opening moments, an homage to the famed child’s story. The common thread is the wistful and idolatry Canadian-ness of it all, the observations and memories intertwined around deft vocal melodies and meaty harmonies that give the songs not only staying power but also layers to digest later on.

Regardless of whether or not its the Perez bump at work or the band’s ability to capitalize on a few thousand extra MySpace hits, it appears to be working. In more ways than one, actually: not only is this a catchy and compelling listen, it is apparently tearing up the inter-charts. Islands Disappear hit the top of iTunes’ “alternative” chart and reached #5 on the album chart shortly after its release. As long as they don’t get dismissed for being a part of indie rock’s latest animal obsession they just might make the big time.

 

 Said The Whale - Camilo the Magician [2:53m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Said the Whale - Out On The Shield [2:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Islands Disappear is available physically here and (shocker!) iTunes has digitalz.

They aren’t hitting Regina this time around, but they are spreading the love:
Oct 24th - St. John’s, NL - The Ship
Oct 28th - Toronto, ON - El Mocambo
Oct. 31st - Thunder Bay, ON - The Apollo
Nov 2nd - Winnipeg, MB - Pyramid
Nov 4th - Saskatoon, SK - Amigos
Nov 5th - Calgary, AB - SAIT Gateway
Nov 6th - Edmonton, AB - Brixx
Nov 7th - Lethbridge, AB - Henotic
Nov 8th - Canmore, AB - Communitea
Nov 9th - Kelowna, BC - Habitat

Pat entries Canadian content, indie rock, pop rock, rock, Said The Whale

Today we’re talking about two records. Two records that are joined at the hip, both philosophically and by personnel. Two records that share a love of major chords, handclaps, and classic pop sensibility. Two records that should offer yet another bump in profile for Prince Edward Island’s burgeoning rock scene.

Two Hours Traffic broke out thanks to an upbeat radio rock single a couple years ago and rode the album it was taken from to a Polaris Prize nomination (recently losing out to blog favourites Fucked Up). “Stuck For The Summer” was a cherry piece of guitar pop with an undercurrent of melancholy that was so good it (and two other gems) were taken from a preceding EP and re-recorded for the album Little Jabs. A few years later, the boys are back with another full-length, produced once again by Island chum Joel Plaskett.

The band is continuing to develop its own rock and roll take on radio pop of an era long since past. Most of the songs here coast along on a mid-temp groove, propulsive bass providing a solid backbone to the relaxed feel of tunes like “Weightless One,” “Drop Alcohol,” “Painted Halo,” and others. Not to say its a “softer” album, but the record as a whole is a more down-tempo affair, relying less on upbeat, peppy arrangements and focusing more on tense, airy grooves and an expanded lyrical focus. There are more sing-song tracks, greater use of acoustic guitar and sunny vocal harmonies.

Taking a more serious approach this time around, there are songs about the dangers of alcohol dependence, one-sided relationships, and the camaraderie of misguided youths. Possibly their most engaging and atypical song yet, “Sing A Little Hymn” is an honest number about singer Liam Corcoran’s modicum of faith. He talks about a simple method he uses to lift his spirits without being overly spiritual. He’s far from evangelical, professing his adoration for both Darwin and the triceratops. But the gentle, piano-led track is quietly respectful of all levels of worship, emphasizing that Corcoran is mainly concerned about the wonder of love and its profundity.

Lead single “Territory” is one of few uptempo songs, recalling the rush of “Stuck For The Summer.” But by expanding on their sound and grabbing for the next rung Two Hours Traffic is taking another step towards longevity, even if youthful enthusiasm takes a hit.

The Danks flip the script, providing an eerily similar sound to Two Hours Traffic’s more upbeat moments, but with a quicker, more aggressive pace and tone. The guitar and bass comes courtesy of Two Hours Traffic personnel, but the vocal melodies and general tone of the songs definitely have a few things in common as well.

The general pop sensibility has close ties to both bands. Bouncy, simple bass lines, jangly guitar parts, and quietly emotive singers are common traits. Highlights on Are You Afraid Of The Danks? like “No Radio” and “Shifty” are the archetypes: jagged, raw-sounding guitar grabs your attention right out of the gate, falling off slightly as the vocals come in before reasserting itself in the chorus. Its a basic song structure as old as time itself, but the Danks’ unaggressive, unpretentious attitude puts the focus solely on the hooks and the strength of their arrangements. The bouncy “Die Young” sounds like a classic THT cut, its slinky bassline and tweaked guitar solo providing a danceable moment. The synth that opens “What’s The Rush?” could be ripped from a Cars album.

Frankly there isn’t a single dud in the bunch here, each song catchier than the one before it. This is driving music so good it will have you looking for an excuse to hit the road, even if only for a track or two. It cries out for motion, the blinking of the highway’s white line the perfect accompaniment.

I can only imagine that when these two groups hit the same stage back to back it rips open a hole in the time/rock continuum, plunging the audience into dizzying fits of ecstasy one has to see to believe. Dig it tonight in Regina at the Exchange and later elsewhere. You’ll regret it if you don’t. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but definitely when it comes time for next year’s Polaris nominations.

 

 Two Hours Traffic - Territory [2:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Two Hours Traffic - Just Listen [3:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 the Danks - No Radio [2:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 the Danks - 374 [2:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Two Hours Traffic merch is at Maple Music, as is the Danks. Convergence, meet synergy! Tour dates below!

October 8, 2009 - Sault Ste Marie, ON @ Lop Lops
October 9, 2009 - Sudbury, ON @ The Townehouse
October 10, 2009 - Brantford, ON @ The Ford Plant
October 13, 2009 - London, ON @ Call The Office
October 14, 2009 - Hamilton, ON @ Casbah
October 15, 2009 - Guelph, ON @ E-Bar
October 16, 2009 - Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
October 17, 2009 - Ottawa, ON @ Zaphod Beeblebrox
October 23, 2009 - Halifax, NS @ Coconut Grove (Halifax Pop Explosion)
October 24, 2009 - Charlottetown, PE @ Hunters Alehouse

Pat entries Canadian content, live music, PEI, pop rock, Prince Edward Island, punk rock, rock, the Danks, Two Hours Traffic

There is apparently no shortage of charismatic guitar rock in oil country.

A few months ago we heaped glowing praise on the Dudes’ latest album; now their spiritual cousins in the Fast Romantics are looking to grab some of the spotlight with the release of their self-titled debut.

The Romantics play a brand of rock and roll that simply doesn’t work without a lot of confidence and a very assured swagger is evident on this record. Don’t worry: it falls well short of cock rock but brings the handclaps, bluesy riffing, and lead guitar skronks you’d expect of a quality Canadian guitar rock band.

Immediate comparisons have been made to groups like Blur and Spoon and in many ways they make sense. The band has the purposeful guitar stab of Spoon and the propulsive, often-buoyant bass is as integral here as it was on Kill the Moonlight and Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. The songs collected here have plenty of charisma and the well-toned keys are a nice flourish, but the band seems to be a touch less playful than Blur.

Some high energy marks the album’s opening, the initial three tracks serving as some of its strongest numbers. The quartet opens the bag of tricks wide on first cut “Spooning the Gorilla,” grooving stabs at guitar and bass joined by purposeful drums, handclaps, and oozin’ aahs maximizing the pop sound. Some nice arhythmic bass flurries co-mingle with playful guitar leads and some impressive drum fills on the second track. The song also has a well-layered sound with the backing vocals a constant presence throughout and a strong, almost Brian Wilson-esque harmony in the chorus. The beat on “Moneymouth” is a classic, most recently resurrected for Jet’s “Are You Going To Be My Girl?” The song is also supported by a familiarly-funky bass intro and tambourine. Whether or not it indicates a desire for crossover appeal remains to be seen.

The remainder of the record strikes a middle ground, that question of intent coming up again and again. There is a heavy late 70’s boogie rock influence happening here, with some Ray Manzarek keys coming in on many of the tracks. The arrangements are deft, the solos noteworthy, but the band definitely falls into a comfort zone. While each song has its own subtle differences there is a bit of same-ness to the bulk of the Fast Romantics.

Closing track “Mr. Magoo” attempts to break from that, incorporating strings and a New Orleans-style horn showdown into a positively Tom Waits-ian shanty song before breaking back into a rock and roll rumble. Its definitely the odd man out here and it stretches the listener in a way that might’ve played better earlier in the album, couched among the slate of similar-sounding tracks.

This is an album that’s been several years in the works for the group’s songwriters, one of whom was nearly killed in a car crash during the recording sessions. The songs have definitely been polished to an immaculate sheen during that time, the level of and attention to detail being very striking. But having said that, its kind of a shame it doesn’t result in a more memorable product. The Fast Romantics isn’t an offensive or boring listen by any stretch, but it seems to fall short of mind-blowing — though not for lack of trying.

 

 the Fast Romantics - Spooning The Gorilla [3:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 the Fast Romantics - Mr. Magoo [3:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Get the album from iTunes digitally and there doesn’t seem to be a specific avenue for purchasing a physical copy, so here’s their Facebook page. It’s the new/old myspace!

I nearly forgot to mention they’re playing in Regina tonight! Saturday, September 5th at the Gaslight Saloon. Come on by for the show and I’ll let you buy me a beer!

Pat entries Calgary, indie rock, pop rock, rock, the Fast Romantics

This is kind of a tough one.

The Perms are a group of — from what I remember of the brief Manitoba days of my previous life — exceedingly nice gentlemen who traffic in a vein of power-pop not dissimilar to the pantheon of Canadian pop-rock bands that have come before them. Comparisons to your Plutos, Gandharvas, Limblifters, Bloody Chiclettes, Starlings, et al are apt, as the entire album is washed in constant harmonies and sweet backing vocals, handclaps, tambourines, and a propulsive two-guitar attack.

Admittedly, I’m a fan of the genre. But for some reason I’m going back and forth on this record. Some spins its a slice of toe-tapping greatness, some spins it seems downright anonymous, almost to the point of fading into the background.

Don’t get me wrong: they do absolutely nothing wrong and do nearly everything right. The songs are the band’s most compelling yet and the energy and enthusiasm is there in spades. The tunes are catchy, well-produced, tightly-written, and radio-ready. They sound like they’ve absorbed and taken extensive notes from their forefathers (a Sloan vibe hits early and often) and worked hard to put their own gruff spin on the sound.

A lot of work clearly went into the album and it has plenty of engaging moments. “Give Me All Your Loving” is a catchy, propulsive opening track backed up with some strong swagger. Closer “Salvation” is a high point, slowing things down before ripping into a chorus that could be just as easily about God as it could be a girlfriend. The ambiguity is nice. I think this genre tends to benefit from a little guile. They even sort-of briefly crib the melody from “Footloose” in “Nightshift,” which really threw me off-balance for a second. The song is one of the better tracks on the album despite that retro transgression, amping up the energy and jangle. Later, on “Big Mistake,” the verse hook is eerily reminiscent of some classic guitar pop that I can’t place but I know I’ve heard dozens of times.

But for some reason there are times when I just don’t find myself that heavily drawn to this release. There’s something ineffable about Keep You Up When You’re Down that, on roughly every second spin, leaves me thinking I’ll probably wind up listening to it a few times before abandoning it to collect dust on my CD shelf. It’s a shame, because I really want to like it. I still have a copy of their self-titled debut I picked up at Arcade Records and Tapes in Medicine Hat and it was a very cute and praise-worthy album.

I have no doubt that it will gain an audience in the power-pop community, possibly a very large one. Its got just the right amount of bubblegum, but it doesn’t always taste so sweet. Listen below and judge for yourself.

 

 the Perms - Give Me All Your Lovin' [2:33m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 the Perms - the Mess: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Check out the Not Lame Records store for purchase or CD Baby for physicals. iTunes has digitals.

Pat entries Canadian content, pop rock, power pop, rock, the Perms, Winnipeg

We’ve got a special treat for our readers: A he said/she said review of the latest album from Calgary band The Dudes. Pat will take first crack at it because he got his shit together fastest, but Tanis gets the final say.

PAT:

I’ve been listening to an awful lot of Sam Cooke in the last eight months or so and I think he would heartily approve of The Dudes. While they may aim for the aesthetic of Al Green meets the Flaming Lips, I’d wager their obvious passion and enthusiasm for life, love, and soul-affirming music makes them spiritual cousins to the late, great songwriter and many others that have dabbled in “soul” music.

Tanis and I both loved The Dudes’ previous album, Brain, Heart, Guitar, for its energy and sense of fun. The band shoots for the aforementioned vision and in their own, “white-boy soul” kind of way, achieves it. Now they’ve got a new album out called Blood Guts Bruises Cuts and it has been way too long.

While the lead vocals of the nerdily-bespectacled Danny Vacon may not at first (or second) blush be what the average listener might consider “soulful,” he performs the balls off his songs, alternately purring like a kitten and pleading like a sinner for the salvation that only love/sex can bring. Serving as the undeniable centrepiece of the band, he pushes his voice to the peaks and valleys mined by soul singers through the decades, allowing the band to put a downright Costello-ian pop-rock spin on the genre.

There are two centrepieces in my opinion: first is “Mr. Someone Else,” a spiritual cousin of sorts to “Jessie’s Girl” in which Vacon covets a friend’s lady…hard. It is a quintessential Dudes song: it doesn’t take itself too seriously, but the arrangement is taught and muscular and the lyrics are honest and direct, a bald-faced and lustily covetous tale that would likely be considered ribald in polite company. They band is also totally willing to rock a cowbell in a non-ironic fashion.

The rest of the album follows suit, melding proto-rock sentiment and modern power-pop chords while Vacon analyzes, laments, appreciates, celebrates, and embraces love every way shape and form (including the wonder of make-outs and hook-ups).

If “Mr. Someone Else” is the yin of the album, the yang comes with “Ghosts We’re Buried On,” in which Vacon traces the roots of his musical passion back to a beat-up guitar played with fervor on his Grandfather’s porch, the soul of the music intertwining deeply and irrevocably with his own.

I could talk at much greater length of the wonderful and joyous songwriting displayed on Blood Guts Bruises Cuts, the razor-sharp hooks of lead single “Pretty Lies,” the band’s softer side showing through on “Small Mercies” and “Had Enough Of It,” the footloose and fancy-free celebration of life that is “Ever Been To Taiwan?” Instead, I’ll leave it up to you (and Tanis) to do yourself a favour and pick this album up.

At its very least it’s a perfect summer road-trip album; at its greatest, every track is a triumph that deserves to be heard.
_________________________________

TANIS:

When you move across the country to start a new job, the last thing on your mind should be bumping your flight to the next day so you can go see a band rock and roll all night before you leave, but thanks to The Dudes, I have done this. I only slept about an hour before hopping a plane from Calgary to Toronto, but their live show at the Hi-Fi was worth it and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Especially after listening to their latest effort.

The Dudes released Brain Heart Guitar in 2006, so the repeated lines “It’s a long time comin’” from “Pretty Lies,” the first single off new release Blood Guts Bruises Cuts, seem especially fitting. It took awhile, but by God, was it ever worth the wait.

The Dudes have turned this mother out, unleashing waves of jangly guitar, witty lyrics, hooky choruses you can shout along to and generally crafting the kind of happy, energetic songs that make legends out of local bands. They’re everything you want in a great pop act and they kindly ask that you respect their right to rock your face off, too.

Thanks to some tight producing, Blood Guts Bruises Cuts sounds much more complete and explored than Brain Heart Guitar. The band has stretched their legs, done some living, figured out who they really are and filled every corner of this album with their experiences. And they smartly did not slick everything up. This still sounds distinctly like The Dudes. Every song leads you down the corridor of their existence, pointing out pit stops taken and influences found along the way and the resulting album is the pinnacle of their creation.

The guitars are brash and bold – almost overdone – but they’re countered by frontman Dan Vacon’s shy, sweet voice. I wouldn’t be surprised if every word out of his mouth was accompanied with a nerdy shrug like “It’s OK, I guess.” He has this offhanded way of singing the most brilliant lines, just lazily letting slip these witty lyrics like they’re nothing. It’s positively Joel Plaskett-esque! There are also references, some overt, some subtle, to the Blues Brothers, Bon Jovi, the Beach Boys, Aerosmith, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. AND, I hear musical nods to Van Halen, The Cars, Cheap Trick and April Wine, among others.

At first, I thought Blood Guts Bruises Cuts was good. The second time through, I thought it might be better than Brain Heart Guitar. By the third listen, I knew it was. This album is so luscious and ripe, this band so primed for success. It will be so totally bogus if The Dudes don’t shoot to fame on the back of this bad boy.

I love the raucous and rockin’ “Ever Been To Taiwan?” and “Had Enough Of It,” a bright little duet with Calgary singer Lisa Lobsinger, recently of Broken Social Scene fame. And Pat’s mentioned the SUPERB “Mr. Someone Else,” the paen to the best song ever written. But the real standout for me is “Girl Police.” It’s awash with big, happy guitar riffs and power chords, a barely-contained ’80s sound, soaring oooooohs and aaaaaahs and with Vacon’s soulful vocals bobbing over it all. I can’t wait to see how they rock it live. I imagine there’s going to be some Budokan level shit happening there. Not to mention, it has the catchiest listing of names in a song since “Mambo No. 5.” Oh, come on. Like you never sang along!

The Dudes JUST missed the cutoff for Polaris Prize consideration this year, but I’d like to think that next year, they might be nominated for this stellar effort because I’ve already got it on my best-of list for 2009.

 

 the Dudes - Mr. Someone Else [4:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 the Dudes - the Ghosts We're Buried On [5:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The Dudes’ website proclaims Blood Guts Bruises Cuts is “available in stores” (DEAD BUSINESS MODEL WHAT?), but is also on Amazon and of course, iTunes. Obviously, we’d rather you contacted your independent retailer (if you still have one) and procured a copy through that means, but we don’t run your life. You’re an adult.

Pat entries, Tanis entries Calgary, Canadian content, pop rock, power pop, soul, the Dudes

That’s right: ask and you shall receive!

I have no idea what prompted it, but on the post regarding the latest Mountain Goats EP a commenter asked for some good pop music. Well, here’s your chance to listen to a few cuts of what will be the single greatest guitar-pop album of the year.

Had this website existed back in 2006, I probably would have thoroughly gushed about Phoenix’s last full-length, It’s Never Been Like That (thankfully released in Canada on Arts & Crafts, netting it a pretty wide distribution). The band craft taught, wiry power pop that stands on its own. Despite three years lapsing between albums, they’ve been mentioned once or twice before as a reference point.

New album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix finds the band in a curious spot. Yes, they played Saturday Night Live and killed it (playing the incredibly rare third song to boot), but nobody knew who they were before that and people still don’t seem to. At the same time Wolfgang is probably their tightest and most well-constructed album yet. Phoenix are like the Snuggie of the indie rock world: they’re sound is so warm, fuzzy, and comforting even in its darkest moments I can’t see how it’d be possible to resist it. Right from “Lisztomania” on through one of their darkest, most brooding and meandering tracks “Love Like A Sunset” the keyboards are unrelenting. The keyboards wash over the entire thing and just make it feel like a comforting old blanket. Gosh I’m sleepy right now.

Lyrically the band writes with a clarity one would not expect from some French dudes writing in English, their second language. Their lyrics come in crisply-penned, short couplets that are surprisingly insightful (when you can make out what they’re saying).

Anyway, here’s a few songs to enjoy; one of them is old and my favourite Phoenix song ever.

 

 Phoenix - Lisztomania [4:08m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Phoenix - Lasso [2:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Phoenix - Consolation Prize [3:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

North Americans ought to try InSound for physical copies of Phoenix records. iTunes is there for digital consumption as well.

If you have some extra scheckels laying around pick up the ridiculous super-ultra-limited edition release which features vinyl, artwork, special DVD release, and a special vinyl album with 48 fucking demos from the recording sessions for the record. Forty-eight! What the what?

Pat entries Arts & Crafts, guitar pop, Phoenix, pop rock, Saturday Night Live, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Sound Salvation Army is generally a pretty positive place; that’s why it’s kept a fairly consistent updating schedule in the year and a half or so its been around. We write about what we like, so we like to keep writing. That’s not entirely the case today.

Remember these guys? They weren’t embarrassed by their limited musicianship, the fact that none of their songs had more than four chords, and the closest thing they got to insight was, “Disaffected 20-somethings like to jerk it and are bored.” Or, “Life in the slums is depressing.” Well, apparently they’ve matured. Sort of.

Green Day’s 21st Century Breakdown is virtually the same album as American Idiot, the opus from three years ago that made them the biggest band in the world (again). They sound and are structured virtually the same, broken down into “suites” or sub-sections that tell a story (but not really) of characters living on the fringes of society and railing against the mainstream. Which, of course, is exactly what the band is now.

This time around they’ve done it by convincing themselves that they are the Who. Its all built upon huge, windmilling guitar riffs and more bigger everything. Musically there’s nothing really new here, aside from a bit more piano and acoustic guitar. Its fine, really, but that’s not what’s important.

The real issue is that they seem to have started buying into their own hype, feeling the need to repeat the last trick that vaulted them to the top of the industry. Its something they haven’t resorted to in the past and that could be why it comes out smelling so wrong this time around.

21st Century Breakdown is replete with milquetoast “protest” music that rails against the vaguest sketches of the corrupt and immoral in modern society but doesn’t have the stones to actually construct a real and substantial explanation of why they’re so angry. That’s demonstrated in the early offing with first single, “Know Your Enemy.” The tune is catchy enough, a mid-tempo pop rock number that offers twice as many guitar solos as any other Green Day song ever (two!) and vague platitudes of standing up to “the vast majority” and “the demons of the soul.” There’s a thick sense of irony in the too-often repeated refrain of “Do you know your enemy?” — the band themselves never really seems to establish who their message is aimed at. At least with American Idiot the listener was able to infer Bush/Bush II were the targets. With the latter’s administration now banished to the fringes of the U.S. political system it seems like what little fury Green Day can muster is either a day late or clumsily misdirected at the major structured religions. If your goal is to create a story-based concept album centering around young adults and how the church can corrupt and destroy them, you’re kind of venturing off on a fool’s errand; we’ve already got Separation Sunday and topping that is going to be damn near impossible.

So forget the half-baked conceits of modern days and let’s harken back to better ones when three punk rock geeks from the 90’s punk mecca of Berkley were satisfied with just being Green Day and not with creating the biggest brand in modern music.

I remember in 1992/3 hearing my sister listening to Kerplunk!, their second LP, and being intrigued by it. I snuck into her room to tape the CD onto a cassette and I listened to it constantly. Reading, playing video games, shooting hoops in the driveway; Stephen King’s Richard Bachmann novels and The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past still conjure faint whispers of “No One Knows” and “Christie Road.” That was this band’s real accomplishment, as far as I’m concerned.

But I’m an equal opportunity fan of their older material. Their second through fourth albums were more or less flawless (the sixth too). There are gems throughout the band’s history that are worth a second look, especially now that their more bloviating tendencies are so starkly on display.

 

 Green Day - Going To Pasalacqua [3:31m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Green Day - One For The Razorbacks [2:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Green Day - Westbound Sign [2:13m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Green Day - Walking Alone [2:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Green Day - Waiting [3:14m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Green Day - JAR (Jason Andrew Relva) [2:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

No disrespect: they’re still one of my all-time favourite bands of all-time, thanks especially to the impact their music had on my formative youth. But seriously you guys, the Foxboro Hot Tubs album? So much better than this.

Pat entries 21st Century Breakdown, American Idiot, Green Day, Kerplunk, pop, pop rock, rock