An Ode to an End
by Michael
The title for this post comes from a wonderful song that Ohbijou wrote for their Friends in Bellwoods 2 album, but is completely unrelated to Ohbijou.
A few weekends ago, I went to a monthly show in my neighbourhood- The Basement. Every month three or four local bands play a show and it’s always a really great experience. The people in there are always so friendly, and it is run by my dear friends in the Passengers plus a few other very talented individuals.
Anyway, the reason that I mention the last Basement I attended is because it was the second-last show for Stop Drop, formerly known as Stop Drop N’ Skank. After that show they played one more, and then the band was finished. They had announced earlier in October that they would be breaking up.
The circumstances behind their breaking up is not know by me right now, but I was rather saddened by the news. I realized that Stop Drop N’ Skank (I’m referring to them by their old name because that’s who they were the first time I saw them play) are the reason that I even got into independent music, and if I hadn’t gotten into the scene I would have never started this blog.
I still remember that night I went to my first Basement in November of 2007- the only reason I even came to the show was because a girl I had a huge crush on at the time was also going. I had no idea who was going to be there, what kind of music was going to be playing and how awkward I was going to be since I was going alone.
I remember all of the surprised faces as I entered the Basement, many people who thought that I was not the type of person to go out to shows like that. And truthfully- I wasn’t. I saw the girl I liked of course, and was too painfully shy to make more than a few words of conversation with her.
The first few bands I can scarcely remember now, but it was when Stop Drop N’ Skank took the stage that I remember the night really picked up for me. I had never really been introduced to good ska music until I heard songs by these guys. I particularly remembered when they played “James Dean” because everyone went nuts when they played it. Even at the last show everyone went crazy with it.
As I mentioned, I felt really awkward during that night because I was alone and knew few people. But just because of Stop Drop N’ Skank I figured I may as well come to the next show. And from then on I went to every show, save for two or three.
It was as I went to more and more shows that I became more and more acquainted with the scene that had been previously invisible to me. I started to get really into this “new” music and it led me to listen to CBC Radio 3, which led me to discover new bands (why is it that almost every non-review post on the blog turns back to Radio 3?).
I saw Stop Drop N’ Skank play a few more Basement shows and enjoyed every single one. Hell, I even skanked at their next two shows following their first one, and I am so rhythmically challenged that I am surprised I was able to do it. My first skanking attempt was more skipping than anything else.
And so at their last show they played some of their old tunes, along with tracks from their new album, A Wake//At Sea which I will have a review for a little later on. A posthumous review- have I done one before? Maybe not.
I’ll draw this to a close now. I don’t want to use some clichéd phrase about how their end is only their beginning. This is the end for a truly great ska band from Toronto, and I know I am speaking for many when I say that they will be missed. James Dean will never ever be as sexy again.
Review- “Windows and Doors”- Jean-Paul de Roover
Reviewed by Michael
This new album from the Thunder Bay (more specifically, Kakabeka Falls), Ontario ”sonic architect” Jean-Paul de Roover is cool for a number of reasons. It is physically cool because, when you fold all the nifty panels of the CD’s case it folds into a house. Now how many of your CD’s can do that?
Moving onto the actual CD itself, the music is pretty cool too. The album does not even begin to fit into one genre- de Roover experiments with many different genre of music pretty effectively.
The album’s first track, “I Need You” dabbles into the realm of dance music, but don’t let it throw you off. The album proceeds into other songs that make use of the guitar and finger-picking, like “Fix.”
“How Come No Bones?” is a particularly prominent song to me, mainly due to the chilling tone of de Roover’s vocals. The vocals almost sound as though they are being spoken by some pirate captain, or even creepier, a pirate captain’s ghost! “Descanso” is a cool instrumental song which showcases more of de Roover’s talent as a multi-instrumentalist.
The album’s title is a theme present throughout pretty much every song. The “windows and doors” metaphor is representative of paths one can choose in life. One can take anything that’s given to them (going through a door) or they can aspire to achieve big dreams (going through the window). You can hear the references in many of the songs, like in the song “Idea.” At one point in the song the listener will clearly hear “This is your conscience/You must make a choice/Go through the window or go through the door/The decision lies with you/Standing still is not an option.”
The album’s best tracks are the acoustic numbers, particularly in “Corners.” The more intimate sound suits de Roover’s voice the most.
Windows and Doors does not stop there, however. There is also a DVD included, so if you plan on purchasing this album you are definitely getting your money’s worth. While the live performances and music videos included on the DVD are not the most visually interesting, they provide a good look at all the work that de Roover puts into each and every one of his songs. His unplugged performance also features two songs not on the CD.
Top Tracks: “How Come No Bones?”, “Corners”, “Descanso”
3 Hoots (out of 4) + *swoop*
Usually I reserve a *swoop* for albums rated 3.5 or 4, but this album is definitely recommended because of the ambition and because it is so genre-spanning.
One-on-One with Lowell Sostomi of Great Bloomers
The guys of Great Bloomers. Lowell is on the far right.
by Michael
To set the record straight, this band’s name has absolutely nothing to do with undergarments. The name is simply a play on words of the phrase “late bloomers.”
I recently had the chance to have an interview with the lead singer of Great Bloomers, Lowell Sostomi. This year the band has released a full length album, Speak of Trouble and are set to tour with Rural Alberta Advantage. The tour starts November 11th in Hamilton and will visit Ottawa, Kingston and Peterborough Ontario before finishing off in Montreal.
Great Bloomers began as “a hobby band” for Sostomi, with members coming and going before the lineup finalized to what is stands as now. Their first EP, which was released in 2007, was “written before we even had a practice,” according to Sostomi.
What makes Great Bloomers interesting as a band from Toronto is that their music is not at all urban. Their sound can be found to be rural, and this sense is seen in their video for a song from Speak of Trouble which features them playing in a variety of settings including a pumpking patch and a cornfield complete with scarecrows. The video can be seen at the bottom of this article.
Their music has even caught the eye of Canadian music legend Gordon Lightfoot. Sostomi told me that they have met with Lightfoot many times already. In fact, they turned down one show with the Rural Alberta Advantage because they plan to go and see one of Gordon Lightfoot’s four shows at Massey Hall.
Great Bloomers couldn’t be happier touring with Rural Alberta Advantage. RAA have been getting bigger and bigger, partly because of them being featured as the X3 Artist of the Month for July, and partly because they are such wonderful people.
“I’m super stoked, they’re such a great band,” said Sostomi.
The band has of course experienced the pains of being a small band. “We’ve played to one person, we’ve made $10 from one show,” Sostomi said. But the best show for them was in the most unlikely of places- a small town in Saskatchewan with a venue which holds less than 100 people. The town is called Bruno, and the venue is called All Citizens.
Sostomi described it lovingly- a bunch of people who had absolutely no idea who Great Bloomers are went to see them, and got really excited as the band played their set.
What’s next for this band? Sostomi said he already has an album’s worth of new material. But don’t expect them to rush out anything- give them time to at least show people what Speak of Trouble is all about.
Interestingly, if you are a huge Tears for Fears fan, you and Great Bloomer’s lead singer would have a lot to talk about.
If you can, try and make it to the Steamwhistle Brewery in Toronto on Friday, November 6, when the band will be playing a show before their tour with RAA.
Review- “Safe or Free”- Matt Epp
Reviewed by Michael
According to his profile on the Killbeat Music website, Winnipeg, Manitoba’s Matt Epp is a troubador. He really is one in the truest sense- he lives on the road and has crafted his new album based on his visits to many places between Newfoundland and Mexico (that’s quite the distance).
The first thing I picked up on while listening to this new folk album is Epp’s voice. It is surprisingly clear for a singer of this genre, which usually lends itself to the gritter vocals. The instruments on this album are the folk standard, the acoustic guitar and the occasional harmonica. Not to mention vocal harmonies, which are evident in the album’s opening track “This Old House.”
This album has a very soothing quality to it. Many of the songs are laid back and no song moves at a quick pace. Over the past few weeks I have become busier than ever, and so listening to this album was a little more calming of an experience to say the least.
His travels are reflected in some of the songs- for example, in the second track, “Working Holiday” Epp sings “Newfoundland feels like home.” The song titles also give away some of his experiences such as “Travel by Ground” and “Crying in Mexico.”
I had two problems with this album. The first is a bit of a lack of originality. In the song “They Won’t Find the Bodies” Epp talks about how he doesn’t know what he would do if anyone hurt who I presume is his love. And says that if he found anyone who hurt her he would gouge out their eyes. It just sounds like so many songs I have heard before.
The other problem is the repetition. Sure, it makes a good song but eventually repeated lines become particularly annoying, such as “Does this displease you?” in the song “Life For Life.”
That being said the album is certainly not an unenjoyable album. As I mentioned before, it is laid back and comforting, and will make a good listen for anyone who is under a lot of stress.
Top Tracks: “This Old House,” “Cover Me”
2.5 Hoots (out of 4)
Dan Mangan releases “Robots” music video
Grayowl’s Parliament’s Choice for October, Dan Mangan has released a video for his amazing single from Nice, Nice, Very Nice, “Robots”.
The video further cements the fact that it is impossible not to feel a tremendous amount of love when viewing or hearing anything of Dan Mangan’s.
Watch and feel the love.
Review- “Where Were You in the Wild?”- Language-Arts
Reviewed by Michael
I do my very best to be supportive of all Canadian artists of all genres, and I tried to give this album a score of at least 3/4. But I was unable.
It is very difficult to describe which of the many music genres this Vancouver duo belong to. The style is essentially pop-rock with a lot of fast talking by the lead singer, Kristen Cudmore. The album seems like it is trying to revive the glory days of everyone’s life- the time spent in elementary school.
The album starts off with the song “Cavity” which at one point enquires what would happen if the entire world were made of candy. It seems like something you would hear in children’s music, not music for full-grown adults.
One thing the duo strives to achieve is the art of using metaphor poetically. While it may be good, in some cases it is just baffling. The chorus of the song “Coughdrop” goes “Can I be your coughdrop?” With not much verse beforehand, it is up to the listeners to decide what that means. If that was the intention of Language-Arts, then they nailed it.
The instrumentals are definitely the high point of this album. Cudmore, as well as her bandmate Gregor Philips blend a simple acoustic guitar and bass sound most of the time with great effect. The beauty of some of the music is evident in the opening of “Grandfather of the Buffalo.”
The vocals are an enigma. At one point early on in the listening I actually got a headache from Cudmore’s voice, which is not high-pitched, but her vocals come out oddly. That and her enunciation is off in some places, but then, some of the greatest bands’ vocalists cannot be understood all the time. Cudmore’s lung capacity is definitely strong, showcased when she goes into a fast string of words in a few of the songs.
Some of the songs are just too long. The melodies work well in shorter doses; the combination of continued melody and the slightly annoying tone of Cudmore’s voice make longer songs like “Stay There” harder to listen to.
Finally, even with these criticisms, there is a certain catchiness to some songs, like the album’s title track. It is all very confusing. I believe it was Language-Arts’ attempts to be poetically valid that made this album as disappointing as it was.
Top Tracks: “Where Were You in the Wild?”, “Grandfather of the Buffalo”
2 Hoots (out of 4)
Review- “These are all my Friends…”- Bri-anne Swan
Reviewed by Michael
I always get really, really excited when I’m able to review the first album of an independent artist, and such is the case for this roots/folk singer from Toronto.
These are all my Friends… is a ten track album which is characterized by the strong vocals and lyrics of Swan. The album shows that there is more to a love song than just “I love you” or “Take me back”.
“Lucidity,” the album’s opening track is a great example. Some people who listen to this may have to consult a dictionary to better understand what the song is talking about. Lucidity means a sort of clarity, something that is completely understandable. It makes sense, especially when she sings “He made me take my mask off” and ends with “Then I stood up to thank you for helping me see.”
The album is generally comprised of many melodic, slower songs, but she still keeps things fresh with a few faster songs such as “Vast Misconceptions” and “Stars are Falling (& I’m Hungry)”. Not to say that her slower songs are bad- “Dear Sir” is a song which spans about six and a half minutes, a sort of “open letter” to a lover who didn’t behave like he should have.
Interestingly, one of the songs on the album is a traditional French song, “En Haut ces Montagnes” and Swan sings it perfectly, without any sort of hesitation over the French words. It is a great thing to see Francophones singing in English (such as Winter Gloves do) and it is equally pleasing to see an Anglophone singing ocassionally in French.
Though the love song is getting old and there are only so many songs that can be written, Swan’s intelligent lyrics and poetic devices make the record an enjoyable listen to say the least. Swan has a great amount of potential, and makes me wonder what she will do in the future.
Top Tracks: “Vast Misconceptions”, “Stars are Falling (& I’m Hungry)”, “Lucidity”
3 Hoots (out of 4)
Grayowl Concert Alert> Oct. 23 – Oct. 29
by backdrifter
after more than a month of being hindered by circumstances hitherto unforeseen, we are pleased to announce the return of the recently very rarely seen Grayowl Concert Alert. Without any further banter, here’s what’s going down in T.O. this week:
Friday Oct.23:
Todor Kobacov [http://www.myspace.com/todorkobakov] @ 107 Shaw, 6:00 PM + 9:00 PM
Amanda Martinez [http://www.myspace.com/amandamartinezsola] @ Koerner Hall, 8:00 PM
The Johnson Report [http://www.myspace.com/thejohnsonreport] @ The Poor Alex Theatre, 9:00 PM
Saturday Oct.24:
Todor Kobakov [http://www.myspace.com/todorkobakov] @ 107 Shaw, 6:00 PM + 9:00 PM
The Balconies [http://www.myspace.com/thebalconies] @ Horseshoe Tavern, 8:00 PM
Rikers [http://www.myspace.com/rikersrikers]@ Drake Hotel, 10:00 PM
Paint [http://www.myspace.com/paint] @ C’est What? 8:00 PM
Deadly Hopefuls [http://www.myspace.com/deadlyhopefuls] @ Rancho Relaxo, 9:00 PM
The Thundermonks + The Hangers + Stop Drop @ The Basement (Mississauga), 7:00 PM
Sunday Oct.25:
Damhnait Doyle [http://www.myspace.com/damhnaitdoyle] @ Dakota Tavern, 8:00 PM
Slowly, slowly [http://www.myspace.com/slowlyslowly] @ Smiling Buddha Bar, 8:00 PM
Stop Die Resuscitate [http://www.myspace.com/stopdieresuscitate] @ The Garrison, 8:00 PM
Linda Mercer [http://www.myspace.com/lindamercervox] @ Smiling Buddha Bar, 8:00 PM
Monday Oct.26:
Adam Faux [http://www.myspace.com/adamfaux] @ The Drake Hotel (Basement), 10:00 PM
Tuesday Oct.27:
MINTO [http://www.myspace.com/mintominto] @ Rancho Relaxo, 8:00 PM
Jacqueline Rendell [http://www.myspace.com/jacquelinerendell] @ C’est What? 9:00 PM
Wednesday Oct.28:
Ania Ziemirska [http://www.myspace.com/aniazmusic] @ Café Taste, 8:00 PM
Yukon Blonde [http://www.myspace.com/yukonblondeband] @ The Supermarket, 8:00 PM
Reid Jamieson [http://www.myspace.com/reidjamieson] @ The Rivoli, 8:00 PM
Montague Street [http://www.myspace.com/montaguestreet] @ The Central, 7:30 PM
Said The Whale [http://www.myspace.com/saidthewhale] @ El Mocambo, 9:00 PM
Thursday Oct.29:
Slow down, Molasses [http://www.myspace.com/slowdownmolasses] @ The Garrison, 8:00 PM
Library Voices + In Flight Safety + Julie Fader [http://www.myspace.com/thelibraryvoices, http://www.myspace.com/inflightsafety, http://www.myspace.com/juliefader] @ El Mocambo, 8:00 PM
Montague Street [http://www.myspace.com/montaguestreet] @ Clinton’s Tavern, 9:00 PM
Muskox [http://www.myspace.com/muskoxmuskoxmuskoxmuskox] @ The Music Gallery, 8:00 PM
The Stormalongs [http://www.myspace.com/thestormalongs] @ Concord Café, 10:00 PM
and that is all for this week. Stop Drop (known much more widely as Stop Drop N’ Skank) are playing what is possibly their last all-ages show in Mississauga this week – I’m trying my best not to miss that, and you shouldn’t miss it either. Also recommended are Said The Whale (Wednesday) who have been enjoying a recent Radio 3 hit with “Camilo (The Magician)”, and The Balconies (Saturday). Now if you will excuse me, I will go plan my Halloween costume 
. Have fun, and i’ll see you next week. *tips hat and bows out*
Show Review: Spiral Beach
by Erin
This past Friday, October 16th, saw the return of Torontonian band Spiral Beach, fresh off the road from a cross-Canada tour with a little dip into the States. They have been celebrating the release of their second full-length CD, The Only Really Thing, and pulled out all the stops back here in their home town by playing not only one, but two shows on Friday night. One was a free, all-ages show at Sonic Boom, and the second was a 19+, covered show across the street at Lee’s Palace. Unfortunately, I could only attend one of them, but it was still an incredible experience. I’ve seen Spiral Beach a few times now and I am always hugely impressed by their stage presence and the energy and excitement that they bring to a venue, be it the wide open stage of Yonge-Dundas Square, or the more intimate setting of the basement of Sonic Boom.
This particular show started out a little slow and picked up from there as more and more people showed up. Considering the setting of the show (the basement of a record store), everyone was crammed right up against the “stage” (it was really just a small wooden platform that the band stood on) and in between the CD racks. There were even people sitting or standing on the stairs to better see the band!
And Spiral Beach did not disappoint their loyal fans. They played a forty-minute set that included a great mixture of songs from The Only Really Thing, and their first CD, Ball (2007), which included “Made of Stone” (Ball), “Battery” (TORT), “May Go Round (In a Mania)” (TORT), “Casual T” (Ball), “Scour + Devour” (TORT), and “Raising the Snake” (TORT). Not only did the infectious beats and insane melodies of the songs get everyone dancing, but the band themselves, who danced and jumped around on stage, sent a wave of energy through the crowd that just made you want to move.
Aside from their incredible energy, another thing about Spiral Beach’s shows that makes them so much fun is their crazy stage antics. They generally litter the stage with pylons, and even though there was so little space, the show at Sonic Boom was no excuse. They love to dance and move around, and often do some pretty crazy things. At this show in particular, Airick, the guitarist, danced up on top of the bass drum, and Maddy, the singer and keyboardist, danced around with one of the pylons on her head for a while.
All in all, it was an amazing show, and I’m sorry I missed the second one. Unfortunately, Spiral Beach will not be playing again in Toronto for the next few months, as they’re about to kick off their first-ever European tour in November. But when they return, I urge each and every one of you to at least check them out. Even if you don’t necessarily like the music, you can’t deny that the love and the energy are there. I don’t think it’s possible for anyone to go to a Spiral Beach show and not enjoy themselves.
Scour + Devour at Lee’s Palace.
Dani, Maddy, & Airick
Review- “Record in a Bag”- Hollerado
Reviewed by Michael
Before I even get to reviewing this band from Manotick, Ontario (a very small town) I would like to say that this twelve-track offering is available at their website, www.hollerado.com for free. You read that correctly.
Now that that’s out of the way, onto actually critiquing the album. The reason I first heard the name of Hollerado was because of, of course, CBC Radio 3. I heard an awesome song by them called “Do the doot da doot doo.” As odd as the song title sounded, the song itself featured a cool guitar riff, and a chorus which proclaims “Do you, do you do, do you do, do the doot da doot doo”. You have to hear it to completely understand what was first typed.
While perusing Hollerado’s website I came across Record in a Bag, and the site said it was free. I was skeptical, but it turned out to be the real deal.
It starts out with “Hollerado land (by sam)” which I at first thought (by the title) was a piece of self-indulgence. It turned out to be a simple acoustic progression with hilarious lyrics, such as “Better not take a dip/In alligator pond/’Cause then you’ll lose your arm.”
Many of the songs are hilarious, not in a laugh-out-loud kind of way, but because of the spin that the band puts on each song. This is especially jarring in the song “hard love” which at first sounds like a simple declaration of love- until the song talks about only doing certain things because he was high. Or “on my own” which features the lines “You bring the granola bars/I’ll bring a bag to put the wrappers in.”
Sometimes the band will even make you question what it was you just heard. In the song “got to lose” the refrain “You’ve got to lose love if you want to find love” is heard many times, only to be almost nullified by a lyric later on that says that sometimes people tell lies just like the refrain.
All funniness aside, the band is great at group vocals, in fact “got to lose” starts out with some great vocal harmonies. Overall, the band kind of reminded me of Weezer, only this band is much more talented.
There is absolutely no reason why you should not get this album. I mean, come on, it’s free. It’s also pretty damn good.
Top Tracks: “got to lose”, “Juliette”, “hard love”
3.5 Hoots (out of 4) + *swoop*
