Friday, July 30, 2010

Submersed - Complicated

From the Punisher soundtrack. The good one with Thomas Jane, not Dolph Lundgren.



This is an average rock song on a decent movie soundtrack for an adequate superhero movie. Good for working out to but nothing memorable.

I love movie soundtracks. I think they're a great way to get a wide variety of music from different artists. When I was younger, half my CD collection was soundtracks. And if the movie was good, and the music fit well, a bonus.

My favourite soundtracks have been the musical score to the movie. The music to Princess Bride was the first time I really appreciated score. I can listen to the CD and imagine the whole movie from beginning to end. A friend and I had seen the film so many times we were able to act out this scene in time with the music.




We were wild and crazy kids.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Eva Cassidy - Time is a Healer




There was a period in my life about 10 years where nothing seemed to be going right in my life. My career wasn’t what I thought it would be and I had no real love life to speak of (I was seeing someone but it was mostly physical). I was living in a basement apartment and generally feeling pretty shitty about myself. During this period I had always thought that my friends would be there for me

One day, I get an email from 2 of them, Jackie and Karen. Both laid it out that I was not the same person I used to be and they decided I shouldn’t be in their life anymore. This really threw me for a loop. I always considered myself a good friend, fun to be with, there to listen when you had a problem, etc. I had no idea they felt this way about me. I was confused, hurt, and blamed THEM for what had happened to our friend ship. Sure I may have been a little cranky at times, but they had there own issues as well.

A couple emails were exchanged, each getting worse and more hurtful. Eventually we severed any ties we had with each other and went our separate ways, every one blaming the other for what happened. This put me into an even deeper hole. I refused to admit that I did anything wrong and they should take responsibility. I continued this line of thinking for a few months after.

Over the next year or so, after much soul searching I eventually realized that I did play a big part in it. I had been moody, cranky and without knowing it, I had taken took out my frustrations on my friends. At that point it was too late to apologize, the damage was done. They had gone on with their lives, and I had as well. I changed careers at this point and life was starting to look up again.

Over the next few years, my work life improved greatly (new job WOOHOO), my self esteem was up and I met my amazing wife. But there was always a nagging regret in the back of my mind about the way things had ended between the three of us. I missed them.


“All of those years we spent together
Well they're part of my life forever
I hold the joy with the pain
And the truth is I miss you my friend”


They were such a big part of my life for many years that I can’t even begin to think about who I would be today without them. We may have had a falling out but now when I look back, I think of all the great times we had together and the friendship we had developed.

Thanks to the magic of the internet and Facebook, a couple years ago I reconnected with Jackie. We exchanged a couple emails, explaining what we went through all those years ago and came to the conclusion that we were both to blame. (I probably was a little more at fault).

We will never have the friendship we had before. We’re both in different places in our lives and it would be impossible to have that again. But we’re friends again, and it makes me happy knowing that no matter what happens, we all have the power within ourselves to move on, let the bad stuff go, forgive and get on with life.

Life’s to short to carry a grudge.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Barenaked Ladies - Break Your Heart




While Barenaked Ladies are generally known as a fun band with catchy pop songs, (If i had a 1 000 000 dollars and Pinch Me), they also have a darker side. This is usually seen through the lyrics of Steven Page. His songs have always been a little more introspective and dealt with more mature themes.

Most “Love” songs deal with either expressing your undying love for someone or missing someone terribly after they've broken up. “Break Your Heart” takes the break up song, twists it slightly and gives us the perspective of someone that wants to break up but is to cowardly to do it. He can't bring himself to hurt her so he stays in a relationship he's not happy with.

It's thrown back in his face when she calls him out for his cowardice


And you said
What'd you think that I was gonna do,
Curl up and die just because of you?
I'm not that weak, you know
What'd you think that I was gonna do,
Try to make you love me as much as I love you?
How could you be so low?
You arrogant man,
What do you think that I am?
My heart will be fine
Just stop wasting my time

And now I'm over you, I'll be OK,
and that I've got what I want,
and that's rid of you
Bye
And it's not 'cause I'll be missing you
That makes me fall apart
It's just that I didn't mean to break
No I didn't mean to break
No I didn't mean to break
Your heart

Screaming the line “just stop wasting my time” captures the frustration nicely. No one wants to be in a relationship with a partner that's not committed. And your not doing anyone any favours by staying in when you want out.

It's a shame that Steven Page left the band. They will go on without him, (I like what I've heard of their new album), but it won't be the same. And sometimes that's good. I'll always look forward to whatever either Barenaked Ladies or Steven Page put out.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Said The Whale - Goodnight Moon

Here's a reason why I love the internet




This was a free download off iTunes. I would never have discovered this quirky little song had it not been for the internet and its never ending supply of music. The ability to discover new artists and explore different genres that you won't hear on commercial radio or TV is limitless.

Here's a reason why I hate the internet

“You have the worst taste in music I've ever seen. You try to act all “deep” about these songs, but they're awful. Are Tom Cochrane or Roxette next on the list?”

One of my first blog comments from this post. I was kinda hoping my first few comments would be a little more positive and not so rude and condescending. But such is the anonymity of the internet.

While I appreciate how the internet has given us the ability to say whatever we want safely and without fear of reprisal, it seems to be stripping away some basic conversation skills. Chat rooms and online forums are great ways to exchange ideas and participate in open dialogues but statements like this don't add anything to the conversation. You don't sound smart or witty, you sound petty and conceited.

But in the interest of open dialogue I will address the above comment.

1.While you may not like my taste in music, I do not have the worst taste in music. You can't possibly know that for sure.
2.I'm not trying to act deep, I'm just blogging about what pops into my head when a song comes on my iPod.
3.Yes Tom Cochrane and Roxette will most likely be featured at some point.

I likes what I likes and I likes to share what I likes with other people. If you don't likes what I likes, I thank you for stopping by and sharing and hope you have a pleasant day.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Oren Lavie - Ruby Rises




I’m going to go out on a limb and say this is a song about someone waking up in the morning. I’m no English major but that much is clear. This fits with the music, a dreamy and meandering tune that will lull you into a daydream and distract you from the lyrics. Honestly this is the first time I really paid attention to the words and I’ve heard the song countless times.

I discovered Oren Lavie like millions of other people through his incredible video for “Her Morning Elegance”



I love music videos for the simple fact that the makers can be as creative as they want and there aren’t any rules for them to follow. Music videos don’t even have to have anything to do with the song being sung. A recent example is California Girls by Katy Perry. As lame as the song is, you can’t argue that the video doesn’t keep you glued to the TV set. (I won’t post it here as I’m trying to keep the blog PG). I don’t think the song would have been as big of a hit if it weren’t for the half naked girls dancing around in Candy Land. I read the lyrics, not one mention of a Candy Land pimp.

Music videos are great medium artists use to really explore, be creative and showcase a wonderful sense of the surreal. They can turn lame cookie cutter pop music into 4 minute works of art.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Kelly Clarkson - If I Can't Have You

Kelly Clarkson – If I Can't Have You

Ah the guilty pleasure.


I've been a fan of Kelly Clarkson since the beginning. And yet I have yet to make it through an entire episode of American Idol. Weird.

It was her 3rd single, “Low” that got me.


Could be her voice, maybe seeing her tight Aerosmith t-shirt (I'm male, what can I say), but I got hooked


I'm not going to pretend she's some amazing artist and that she doesn't have a committee of writers and producers behind. I will she is a solid and professional performer. She's out to sell a product and she does it well. Her music may be bubble gum pop but she not trying to some across as Radiohead or Feist. She's a Pop artist, pure and simple. And whether or not you like her music, you can respect her as a performer.

My wife and I went to her concert a few months back and I'm not ashamed to say I had a great time. She puts on a good solid, pop rock concert. Great band, awesome voice and in the end, it was just about the music. There was no flashy laser show, no back up dancers or crazy choreography, just her, the band and the audience. And everyone was into it. She sang all of her hits, and threw in a couple cover songs. (Patsy Cline and White Stripes) You could tell she really enjoyed what she does and I think in the end that's what matters. She loves to perform and her audience loves to watch her sing.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Colin James - Find My Home

(click on title to hear the song. I haven't figured out how to embed yet)

Many a year ago, while still living in Winnipeg, I had the great pleasure of seeing Colin James play at the Times Change cafe. This was a few years after the “Sudden Stop” album was released, I believe during the Bad Habits tour. He had just played Sunfest, an outdoor music festival, was visiting his old friend Big Dave MacLean, a Winnipeg blues legend. (I have a vague recollection of Colin being presented with some sort of life time acheivement award but I could be wrong).

Anyway, after Big Dave played a set, a tired Colin James came to the stage and accepted the presentation. Even though he had just played a full set at Sunfest, they convinced him to pick up a guitar a play some old blues standards with the band. Words can't describe what I heard. Despite his tiredness, Colin ripped into theses blues numbers with the full force of someone who has a passion for the art. My exposure to blues was somewhat limited up to that point, Colin James being the most I'd ever listened to. But hearing it live and raw in a sweaty little bar on main street opened my eyes to the diversity and power that the blues has. Hearing the passion and the skill displayed gave me a new appreciation for the genre. Here's a great example by Tommy Emmanuel...



It also exposed me to a musicians like Big Dave, who could very easily have sold out and made a commercial record, but kept to his roots and played what he loved. I wouldn't say it was a turning point in my deeper love of music, but it was a contributing factor.

“Find My Home” is off of Colin's 12th studio album “Rooftops and Satellites”, released in 2009. It's slow, almost classic Colin James song, reminding me of his earliest work on his debut and “Sudden Stop” albums. Solid blues licks, gentle saxophone and lyrics about finding your way (duh... it's in the title). An argument could be made that it's not classic Colin James but classic blues with a Colin James “pop” twist to it.

Always a consistent artist, Colin James has been able to push blues into the mainstream Pop world while still keeping to it's roots. “Sudden Stop” will always be a classic canadian rock album for me, but Bad Habits and National Steel should be required learning for anyone wanting an introduction to blues.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Lenka - All My Bells are Ringing

Wasn't really expecting a Christmas song to pop up but such is the randomness of the iPod.



This was a free download from iTunes and a nice change from the usual Xmas pablum that comes out year after year. How many times can one you cover Blue Christmas and Let it Snow?

It's nice to see artist break away from the traditional Xmas covers and write their own songs. It might not catch on right away, but it could eventually become a holiday standard. Especially if it's featured in a GAP commercial.

Lenka hails from Australia where she's also an actress, appearing in several tv shows and productions. But she's know mostly in America from her song “The Show” which was featured in an Old Navy commercial. The album rocketed to #142 on the American Billboard charts.

All My Bells are Ringing is a cute, bouncy little love song. With lyrics like...

Take my heart
This Christmas
And wrap it
In a ribbon
And a bow
Yes
Take my heart
This Christmas
Take it
Where ever you go

...and what sounds like a child's xylophone, it's hard not to imagine glowing Xmassy imagery. Playing outside on a cheerful snowy day, building snowmen, throwing snowballs at your lover, eventually making your way back inside for hot coacoa in front of a roaring fire. Pure sweet fun, which seems to be the direction most of her music leans towards.



Life may be complicated but try not to let it get to you. Sometimes you gotta just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Rhymes with Orange - She Forgot to Laugh

She Forgot to Laugh – Rhymes with Orange

I remember seeing the video to this song on MuchMusic during my addiction to the channel in my late teens early twenties. I thought I was so hip when I new canadian band was featured and I was the first within my group to brag about how awesome they were.



It wasn't the most original video by any stretch. Band in a dark, bare room, couple flood lights in the background, cut aways to cute girl holding picture frame, weird camera angles, camera zooms and pans. Very low budget. Canadian acts never had a lot of money to spend on videos but they did the best they could.

I did a quick Google search on the band and eventually came to Wikipedia with this

RWO formed in Vancouver in the early 1990s. Rob Lulic and Alexander Julien were looking for a fresh new singer to assist them in the upcoming Battle of the bands. After a chance meeting with Manchester born singer [[Lyndon Johnson (musician), Rymes With Orange was formed. The group has since released four CDs and toured North America, Great Britain, Mainland Europe, and New Zealand.
RWO has had three top 10 singles on Canadian Rock Radio and sales of over 70,000 CDs worldwide.

That's it. Obviously had a HUGE impact on the canadian music scene.

The only other reference I remember seeing about them was about 5-8 years ago in an article talking about why canadian musicians can't make any money. It featured RWO and how they were dropped by there record label for poor sales. In the interview, Lyndon Johnson said (I'm para phrasing) “It would be easy for us to write a top ten single and sell lots of records but as a band we want to be more than that.” I read that and wondered if his ego helped pay his rent when he stopped selling records.

It's a shame they didn't do better as I really enjoyed the few songs I heard. Toy Train and ... ummm.. another one that's escaping me at the moment. I guess I didn't enjoy them enough to buy the CD (am I to blame for there lack of record sales) but I would turn the volume up a little bit whenever it came on the radio.

What sticks out with me about this particular song is the acoustic guitar jam that starts off the chorus. The song starts like a typical rock songs, electric guitar riff opens a couple bars, drums come in then the main hook plays and it gets loud. Singer starts to sing etc... (the Youtube video doesn't do it justice. Obviously of poor quality) What I thought was unique when I first hear the song was the acoustic guitar “solo” each time the chorus comes in. And not a solo in the traditional sense but just the player banging out 4 chords. It gave the song an interesting twist. The single will always have a place on my iPod. It's a good example of straight ahead canadian rock.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Bon Jovi - Someday I'll be Saturday Night

Released in 1994 on Bon Jovi's Greatest Hits album "Crossroads"



I got into Bon Jovi when I was in grade 12 and their Keep the Faith album came out. Yeah it was a few years after they were "big" in the 80's but KTF was their comeback album of sorts I really got into the title track. I would quickly buy "Slippery when Wet" and "New Jersey". Never saw the need to pick up their first two albums.

Since it came out on a best of album, I knew pretty much all the songs already. The big single for the album was "Always" which can be heard at weddings and karaoke bars across the world. But I always enjoyed "Someday.." more. It had a nifty guitar lick to kick the song off and quickly jumps into a simple 3 chord, acoustic ditty, an upbeat song with some pretty dark lyrics. The main characters in the song are Jim and Billie Jean who talk about how shitty their lives are. Jim is unemployed and living in his car, Billie Jean is a prostitute and was raped by her foster dad. The song never tells us what happens to these two but we're led to believe that it all works out in the end with the chorus.

Hey Man I'm alive I'm taking each day and night at a time
Yeah, I'm down, but I know I'll get by
hey hey hey hey man, gotta live my life
Like I ain't got nothing but this roll of the dice
Feeling like a monday, but someday I'll be Saturday Night

All in all, a bouncy and catchy song that, if you don't pay attention to closely to the lyrics, is a good pick me up.

I don't have any specific memories associated with it, but it does conger up a few random memories of 94. Working in the Photo Lab at Wal-Mart, hanging out with friends and generally enjoying life as a 20 year old. I had it pretty good those first few years after high school. There was of course "drama" with friends and parents but for the most part, I think back fondly at the people in my life at the time.


Life was always Saturday Night when you're that young.