Tiny Jubilees: Slop-Pop

Maybe I'm spending too much time inside and am consequently lacking the essential vitamin D. Maybe I'm spending too much time thinking about aimlessly fantastic road trips. Maybe it's all the Roald Dahl books I've been reading lately.

Whatever it is, I'm in the mood for breezy summer songs with slightly out of tune guitars, hand claps, silly lyrics and the perfect combination of childish bashfulness/total disregard.

So here are four artists who are sloppy, poppy, and fall under the polka-dotted parasol that I've [lovingly] dubbed... Slop-Pop.

[Left click on mp3 links]


THAT GHOST

Ryan Schmale is an eighteen-year-old crafter of lo-fi gems that are a foot-tappers dream. His more up-tempo songs jump!crackle!spark while the slower acoustic numbers breathe warm and sway around on tippy-toes. Overall: homegrown and intoxicating.

MySpace
mp3's: I Crossed Out the Options, Going Out When it's Warm at Night and Top Shelf


SOMEONE STILL LOVES YOU BORIS YELTSIN

According to Wikipedia, Boris Yeltsin "was the first President of the Russian Federation from 1991 - 99 [...] Yeltsin never recovered his popularity after a series of economic and political crises in Russia in the 1990s. The Yeltsin era was marked by widespread corruption, economic collapse, and enormous political and social problems."

And you know what? SSLYBY seem like just the kind of fellows who would forgive ol' Yeltsy for his screw-ups. Maybe it's the way they craft rather intelligently structured pop songs that still manage to sound impromptu-Saturday-night-jam-on-the-back-porch genuine. It's this polite, humble, ramblin' sort of sound that leads me to believe they wouldn't think twice about slapping a former president on the back, forgiving him for crumbling an economy [whatever it was he did], and inviting him over for sandwiches and lemonade.

And if you weren't already charmed enough, they sound like a blissful combo of Beulah and Rogue Wave. Pretty grand.

MySpace
mp3's: Tin Floor 51, Anne Elephant and Gwyneth


DREW DANBURRY

He has some very long song titles. He has lyrics like "Let's have some drum rolls for drunkenness." He's prone to using little flutes and whistles. His hands can't seem to stay apart--he's just gotta clap. His voice reminds me of lead singer of David & the Citizens and also of Dent May's voice. His songs are loopy and carefree, like a montage of all your favourite Julys.

MySpace
mp3's: Residents in Orange County Live in a Bland Republican Paradise and Don't Know What it Really Means to Jam Econo..., Lynette I Love You and I'm Pretty Sure This Is Someone Else's Song But I Couldn't Figure Out Whose So I'm Keeping It!


FRANÇOIS VIROT

What a jolly little French man!

It sounds like François was raised by a forest: he grew up as a free spirit meadow runner, a climber of mountains and a jump off-er of cliffs. One day he happened upon a guitar in a threadbare case and he picked it up. He slapped its body and poked at the strings and found that a strangled, garbled voice was singing out from his throat that was so unused to speaking at all.

He decided to go.

So he took his guitar and ran all the way to France, galloping across countrysides and whizzing through tiny villages where he would knock on the doors of strangers and play through the untamed joys he had written. His lyrics were almost unintelligible, broken up with whoops and high notes so far out of his vocal range he could scarcely squeak them out. But he stamped his feet on the front step and pawed at the guitar until he felt the song was over. And then he would smile at the stun'd, amaze'd new friend. Then he would take a bow.

And then he would move on.

MySpace
mp3's: Not the One, Where O Where A** and Island


Thanks for stopping by,
Alie

** I know that the file name for this song says it's called "Young Sand", but I assure you that I checked and the title is Where O Where A.

Mellowdia Mix: Old Year Nostalgia, New Year Anticipation

Image Credit: melissalibra of deviantART


"This year went by in the usual way,
Some friends were lost, some friends were made.
Money was spent, money was saved,
And in the end we're all OK.
In the end we're all OK."

Cheesy? Yes! Oh well? Yes!

Here is a carefully-arranged mix that serves a dual soundtracking purpose:

a] to be listened to whilst thinking back on your past year with nostalgia and/or satisfaction and/or sadness and/or regret and/or et cetera. I can only hope your back-thinking is more of a smiling affair than a frowning one...

and/or

b] to be listened to whilst thinking about the oncoming year with anticipation and/or fearlessness and/or peace of mind and any other positive outlook.

Enjoy these low-key tunes, and I hope this year treats you nicer than cookies treat taste buds.

Left clicks for mp3 links.

Gold World by Aloha
Song for Morrie by Forest City Lovers
Liar by Built to Spill
Rabid Bits of Time by Chad VanGaalen
Photo Booth by Ola Podrida
Tiger Mountain Peasant Song [Fleet Foxes cover] by First Aid Kid
This is the Dream of Win and Regine by Final Fantasy
Going Out Tonight by Andrew Vincent
Julie's Song by Angelshakes
Week Off by Malcolm Middleton
Green Gloves by The National
Dummies by François Virot
Apocalyptic Friend by Eef Barzelay
Dead Letter & the Infinite Yes by Wintersleep
The Year in Review by Her Space Holiday *
Atlantic City [Bruce Springsteen cover] by Tom Thumb and the Latter Day Saints
Floating in the Forth by Frightened Rabbit **


* The lyrics at the beginning of the post are from this little dittybop.
** I realize this seems like a fairly depressing note to end on given that the last sentence has the word "suicide" in it, but there's quite a bit of hope in this song--especially within the context of the whole, smashing success that is The Midnight Organ Fight. Bright sides and all that.


Thanks for stopping by,
Alie

P.S. Two of these songs are in WMA format, so if you're a Mac user or somesuch and that format just ain't cutting it for you and you REALLY want to have one of those Window-y songs, let me know and I'll try and get an mp3 version for you.

picture's worth a melody: ornaments

image credit: wakemeupinlondon of deviantart

sugared and shining,
she takes the warm hand of
a sleeping christmas eve.

13 months in 6 minutes by the wrens


thanks for stopping by,
alie

In Which I Come Crawling Back

Image Credit: BurlapZack of DeviantART

Me: I know we haven't talked in a while. But don't think I've been avoiding you. Please don't think that. I've just been really busy and life started to get complicated, you know?

You: ...

Me: You're right. I'm sorry. No more excuses. You deserve better than that. I can be better. For you. For us.

You: [Eye roll]

Me: Okay okay that sounded better when I practiced it in front of the mirror. Listen. I think we have something really good here, and I don't want to mess that up. Please. Give me another shot.

You: ...

Me: You don't have to say anything right now. But... I made you a mix. It's raining today and I thought you'd like a weather-appropriate mix. For tonight when you go driving. I know you like driving in the rain at night. So. Take it. Please.

You: ...

Me: I love you, blog. You'll see me again real soon, okay? We've got a lot to talk about, so this isn't over.

You: Um. Left clicks, right?

Me: Yeah! Yes! Absolutely! Hah! Yes. Left clicks. Just like always, baby.

You: Yeah. Just like always.

The Escapist by The Streets
We Rule the School by Belle & Sebastian
Hurtin' 4 Certain by Russian Futurists
Last Night by Julie Doiron
You've Done it Again, Virginia by The National
Post Script by Thunder Power
Rowboat by Emily Haines
Hottub by David Wingo & Michael Linnen
Until We Bleed by Kleerup feat. Lykke Li


Thanks for stopping by,
Alie

The Kaleidoscopic Stampede

number 2 by Winston Chmielinski. Part of his Plastic End series.
Things that come to mind: Cataclysms. Light-fogged eyes. One sharp inhale followed by a soft, "Oh."

Chmielinski poeticized it best himself with this series description:

"DEATH wasn’t what happened; it was more of a transformation, from flesh to plastic, from something gruesome to a candy coated explosion. Where gasps were intentioned came only the silence of innocent awe. There I was, watching them fall and hit and ripple out in greens then blues then reds and purples...

Their faces were the first to disappear (or rather expand and contort like decorated birthday balloons). It seemed painless, comical even—their inflated frowns, smirks, and pursed lips stretched into exaggerated smiles, eyes grew wide with animé wonder and ears and noses turned caricatural—before all gave way to a mess of runny colors and viscous swirls.

I wonder how it feels; I wonder at what point the Plastic transformation occurs. Can Plastic really be the end? Is it that simple? And will the same happen to me?

Spotlights and nude patches and body shells. And the colors that fumbled over and squeezed past one another--where were they going? if I were to, with a trembling arm, reach out (eyes averted heart pounding) and run my fingers through the kaleidoscopic stampede, what would I feel, and how would it change me?"

Left click for mp3 download links.

Glynis by Smashing Pumpkins
Mount St. Helens by Mirah
Charlatan by Monster

Visit the artist's website, deviantART, then do yourself and your walls a favour by bringing home something stunning up from his print account.


Thanks for stopping by,
Alie

Critters/Snowflakes!/Laziness

Margot & the Nuclear So and So's, an unfairly talented orchestral indie/folk group based out of Indiana are simultaneously releasing their new albums Animal! and Not Animal** this Tuesday, October the 7th.


And, because they're hip to the power of internet publicity / are nice folks, they are inviting kids to pre-dig:

Head over to Margot's MySpace Page any time today or tomorrow and listen to Margot's new albums Animal! and Not Animal all the way through!"

So do it!

MySpace: Ka-
Website: Blammo

And also give your ears a treat with some older Margot tunes [left clicks for the links]:

Waking Up and Walking Out
Vampires in Blue Dresses

**I guess those first six songs are Animal! and the last six are Not Animal. But who really knows.


IN OTHER NEWS

A lovely ladyfriend and I are hitting up the now sold out Wintersleep show at Barrymore's this Saturday.


This will be my fourth time seeing them, but my FIRST time seeing them as a show unto themselves... and my first 19+ show. Hollerrr.

Oh, and check out this bonus track from the Japanese release of Welcome to the Night Sky. It's addictive.

The Kids Are Ultra-Violent

I was hoping that Brian Borcherdt would open for the East Coast marvels at the Barrymore's show, given that he was the opener at last night's Toronto show. Alas, according to his his MySpace, it is not to be. Oh well. Dude's also releasing a new album next Tuesday, the 7th, called Coyotes, so here's a twin-named mp3 from the sooncoming release:

Coyotes


AND FINALLY

I forgot about my Wolfe Island Fest review... I know nobody's waiting with bated breath but it makes me feel productive when I take on a big review like that. So maybe I'll get it all done up over Thanksgiving weekend.

I know the anticipation is going to kill you.


Thanks for stopping by,
Alie

Sandra Day O'Connor is Not Afraid of You and She Will Beat Your Ass

I've been borrowing my roomie's 30 Rock DVD's:

Jack: You are both a disgrace to the Donaghy name!
Jack's Dad: It's pronounced "Don-a-fee," you lace-curtain half-an-Englishman!
Jack: When I think of all the things that I've been holding inside me that I wanted to say to you... [raises fists] Well now I'm gonna let "Saint Patrick" and "Saint Michael" DO MY TALKING FOR ME!
Jack's Dad: [raises fists] You'll have to get through "Tip O'Neill" and "Bobby Sands" first!
Eddie Donaghy: You call those fist names?! [raises fists] Say hello to "Bono" and "Sandra Day O'Connor!"
Jack: Those are the stupidest fist names I've ever heard.

'Nuff said.

Jazz Fight by Brendan Small [of Home Movies fame]
Fight Test by Flaming Lips
Fighting in a Sack by The Shins


Thanks for stopping by,
Alie

Every Day is Getting Awesomer and Awesomer and Awesomer and Awesomer

Image Credit: Complexo of deviantART.com

Even though there are only a measly two weeks left of summer, I'm trying to stay positive. So, until I stop being lazy and post my mix of songs to carry you through the rest of August, here are a few artists and songs that'll make you forget a case of the end-of-summer-sads, if you are in fact afflicted with the aforementioned condition.


PHOEBE KREUTZ

All Summer Long

I just wish I'd found this song at the beginning of the July. It's perfect: "'Cause every day is getting awesomer and awesomer and awesomer and awesomer / And every night is getting awesomer and awesomer and awesomer and awesomer / And it'll keep on getting awesomer and awesomer and awesomer and awesomer all summer long."

[MySpace and Website]


OLD CANES

Blue Eleanor
Both Falling Bright

This is infectious, excitable folk pop with horns, harmonicas and plenty of stamp-yer-foot acoustic guitar from the lead singer of Appleseed Cast. Makes me want to gather some friends and kazoos and tambourines and take a run through a forest. And that is a compliment.

[MySpace and Website where you can stream Early Morning Hymns in its rather pleasant entirety]


THROW ME THE STATUE

About to Walk
Written in Heart Signs, Faintly

About to Walk sounds like a long-lost Neutral Milk Hotel song with it's buzzy background drone, nasal voice and simple guitar/drums. And, in true NMH fashion, the simple parts work together to create a wonderful whole. I heard Written in Heart Signs, Faintly in Urban Outfitters yesterday and had to stop my woeful browsing [woeful because I am lacking in expendable clothes dollars] to chicken scratch a few lyrics down so I could find the song later, "I want to fall through the clouds to someplace where the kissing never ever stops / I want to spew little lightnings from my hands / so this shield that I got might explode." And it's really nice.

[MySpace and Website]


CHAD VANGAALEN

Echo Train
Willow Tree

This hazy Albertan has it going on. I'm sure the shuffling, grunge-tinged Echo Train would gladly be covered by Pavement, while Willow Tree in all its gentle, dreamy, floaty, banjo-y, understated melodic glory should be played beneath a willow tree. Preferably beneath a willow tree that was alongside a slow river. Preferably beneath a willow tree that was alongside a slow river where Chad VanGaalen was holding an impromptu, late afternoon sit-down concert with members of Hidden Cameras providing some quietly lush orchestral background sounds and somebody was really nice and a really good cook and had brought along a picnic lunch with enough delicious food to feed the crowd of roughly twenty.

Or you could just creatively visualize it.

[MySpace and Website]


Thanks for stopping by,
Alie

A Million Miles to Go: Wanderlust

Image Credit: Derek Vincent of the website and the deviantART

Yesterday a creatively-frustrated friend remarked that it would be slightly incredible to be a musician full-time. And I replied that yes, it would be; the never-ending roadtrip, the meeting of [literally?] insane people, the playing of soul-fulfilling music with friends, the crashing on living room floors of half-friends and waking up the next morning to eat their unfamiliar food.

And uhm... did I mention the never-ending roadtrip part?

I have got a huge, galavanting case of wanderlust, and I haven't done nearly enough travelling this summer to remedy it. So instead, I've been listening to a recently rediscovered song that's doing nothing to help.

If anything, "Where Happiness Lives" just makes me more yearn-y for rolled down windows on the highway, with rushing wind that makes eardrums pop in an uncomfortable but totally necessary way, because rolled up windows are for chumps. And suckas. Foolish suckas.

Anyway. If you
a] are going on a long drive somewhere, or
b] are in the same, immobile boat as I am, then here's a song for both occasions.

Where Happiness Lives by Magnet


Thanks for stopping by,
Alie

Wolfe Island Music Fest 2008: LET'S GET INTRODUCT'D

Friends, Canadians, countrymen, lend your ears – not to me – but to the Wolfe Island Music Festival… 2008 style.

Quite possibly the most marvellous and musical days that Kingston has to offer are going down August 8th and 9th this year. A.K.A. real soon. So if you don’t have your ticket yet, head over to Brian’s Record Option or Windmill’s or some other building where the kindly people inside will sell you as many vomit-green tickets as your heart desires, assuming you’re buying a Saturday ticket. You can buy tickets at the gate on the day of the fest, though, if you’re just too damn busy.

ANYway, I thought it’d be nice to do an overview of the line-up, post some mp3’s and get myself and others acquainted with this MOST EXCELLENT bevy of musicians that shall be gracing the elegant Marysville Baseball Diamond in a few day’s time.

I present to you, in order, the line-up for the Saturday portion of the 2008 Wolfe Island Music Festival. [NOTE: Left click for mp3 links. And I'm feeling kind of lazy, so for the bands that had downloadable songs either on their MySpace or their website, I just linked to that and didn't put any mp3's in here. So there.]


P.S. I LOVE YOU



Despite my most searchiest efforts, I came up with diddily crap. All I found were a bunch of MySpace profiles, Facebook pages and websites pertaining to the movie, P.S. I Love You. All very well and good. But not so good when I’m trying to find out what these cats sound like. I have a few predictions, though.

1] They'll be Canadian,
2] There will be instruments involved in their act,
3] They'll be human [?]
And who knows, maybe they’ll pull a Spiral Beach, come out of nowhere, and shoot everybody up with awesome bullets.

MUSIC MAUL


FROM: Kingston, ON
SOUNDS LIKE: Nasal-voiced, lo-fi, slightly electric pop ditties. As of right now I'm a little confused by Music Maul. I can't quite figure them out. It'll be interesting to see how their live show compares to the studio stuff.
MYSPACE: Bang
WEBSITE: Boom
MP3's: You can listen to and download both albums from the website.

RUBY COAST


FROM: Aurora, ON
SOUNDS LIKE: Sing-songy, boppy, happydancey songs with poppier tinges of Born Ruffians and Tokyo Police Club. [NOTE: The D'Urbervilles, who were set to perform in this time slot, had to pull out due to an illness in the band, just in case anyone's confused as to where these Ruby Coast kids came from. But for all I know, this is old news, and I'm just slow on the uptake.]
MYSPACE: Bang
MP3's: More Than Television and Neighbourhood

THE ACORN


FROM: Ottawa, ON
SOUNDS LIKE: Superbly melodic, wonderfully percussed slices of mellow, folk pie. The older tunes aren't as hand-clappy, multi-instrumental or as expansive as the newer ones, but honestly, you really cannot go wrong with these guys. I'm just surprised that they're on so early in the day. They're a pretty well-known band. But, I'll takes what I can gets.
MYSPACE: Bang
WEBSITE: Boom
MP3's: Crooked Legs and Blankets

TONY SCHERR


FROM: Brooklyn, NY [WHAT?! A non-Canadian perfomer at the Wolfie fest? Isn't that like... sacreligious?]
SOUNDS LIKE: Easygoing, summer bluesy-rocky-folksy fare, well-suited to an easygoing, outdoor summer music festival. He's got a Ryan Adams thing to him, too, which is very cool. Plus, he's got a song on the upcoming Hottest State soundtrack. And that is a killer soundtrack. I think we're in for an enjoyable set.
MYSPACE: Bang
WEBSITE: Boom
MP3's: Come Around

PLANTS AND ANIMALS


FROM: Montreal, QU
SOUNDS LIKE: Road trip-worthy, big, happy, sixties/seventies rockness that I am hoping and thinking will set the stage on fire. Everybody will just eat this up. Plants and Animals have a really inviting sound that'll bring out the inner [or not so inner] hippie in all of us. I'm expecting to grin throughout the whole set. I'm expecting to feel a little restless and childish, in a good way. I'm expecting to see people spinning out in the field with their arms outstretched. I'm expecting lots of platonic love to be flowing around. I'm expecting good things, good times, and excellent stage banter.
MYSPACE: Bang
WEBSITE: Boom
MP3's: Bye Bye Bye and Feedback in the Field

JASON COLLETT


FROM: Ontario
SOUNDS LIKE: Summer! Chill, laidback, very singable folk-pop-rock Americana [Canadiana?]. And he's part of that crazy Arts&Crafts label, so you know he's good. This will be awesome.
MYSPACE: Bang
WEBSITE: Boom
MP3's: Out of Time and Pavement Puddle Stars

LAND OF TALK


FROM: Montreal, QU
SOUNDS LIKE: Really cool, hip stuff. Assuming the sun is down by this point, kids'll be dancing in really cool, hip ways. I just hope that Land of Talk don't take themselves too seriously or think they're too hot. I like their music, but that kind of pretentious stuff gets in the way of a band being awesome live. So, here's to hoping they're just really nice people who make cool songs. [And yay! The singular female performer! Unless there are one or two kicking around in the very mysterious P.S. I Love You...]
MYSPACE: Bang
WEBSITE: Boom
MP3's: Young Bridge and Street Wheels

CADENCE WEAPON


FROM: Edmonton, AB
SOUNDS LIKE: Really fresh hip-hop that's weird and charismatic. I'm counting on a personality-packed performance. And while my friends and I are quite bummed that Holy Fuck doesn't have their seemingly annual slot in the line-up, I think Cadence Weapon is a pretty sweet replacement. We'll dance. There's some inventive electronic stuff going on here. So it's alllllll okay.
MYSPACE: Bang
WEBSITE: Boom
MP3's: In Search of the Youth Crew and Sharks

WINTERSLEEP


FROM: Halifax, NS
SOUNDS LIKE: A whole lot of dark-ish, macabre-ish, catchy, downtrodden, poetic, full-on rock powerhouses and softies. I haven't seen Wintersleep live for about two years now and I am stokeified to see how their Welcome to the Night Sky material has taken on new life since its release. What else... oh! Right. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
MYSPACE: Bang
WEBSITE: Boom
MP3's: Dead Letter & the Infinite Yes and Nerves Normal, Breath Normal


And there you have it, the 2008 line-up for the Wolfie fest. I'm super looking forward to hearing some awesome music, dancing around like a foo' with buddies, and hopefully seeing some new-to-the-festival-but-familiar faces. And that's from me until the epic review post.

Soooo... see you there?


Thanks for stopping by,
Alie

P.S. For more information, check out the official WIMF website.