Spotlight : Aidan Knight (an interview with...)

Aidan Knight – a stabbing, Versicolour, cereal, and starting a label

What just happened? I was in 7-11 across the street from Sugar [night club] where Said the Whale just played to a sold out, packed out house. And I was buying a 500ml carton of chocolate milk. While we were in line, one of the 7-11 employees ran beside us, literally ran beside us, and took off his belt and made a make shift tourniquet out of his belt and probably really helped out a guy who got stabbed. And then there was blood…

Aidan Knight, a singer-songwriter (in air quotes) from Victoria, BC joined me for an interview after opening for a sold-out set by Vancouver favourites Said the Whale and Hannah Georgas on a cold January night at a bus bench, with both of us reeling from a violent attack in downtown Victoria. The affable, tall Knight describes his music as indie rock mixed with pop, classical and country, “like a big gumbo of music.”

B: You’ve been described before as a sad Jack Johnson. Is that right? [laughs]

A: I guess I should clarify that it’s only because I play an acoustic guitar sometimes. And I put that jokingly, sarcastically in a bio, that people describe me as “sad” and “like Jack Johnson,” because someone who was really drunk once told me, “your music is like… it’s so sad!” And honestly, there’s this one guy at this other show who was like, “hey man, did you open Tegan & Sara’s show at Rifflandia?” And I said yeah. He was like “so great man, so great. You totally remind me of John Mayer.”

B: That’s a different one…

A: … And I get that people think that because I happen to have an acoustic guitar, and that I sing with it… I think it’s cool that people want to come and talk to me and tell me how much they enjoyed the set, and if that’s what their musical comparison is, then that’s what they like and they also like me, then I think that’s okay. At the same time, I have taken that off my bio officially, because that’s all I ever get quoted. Literally, the back of the Rifflandia program was one paragraph: ‘Aidan Knight: he’s from Victoria BC and his music is described as “sad” and “like Jack Johnson.”’ Period. So … if you’re asking what my music sounds in 5 words, I would not say—

B: “Sad and like Jack Johnson.”

Knight has played in several bands since he was a teenager, including Black Tie Social when he was 17, Counting Heartbeats, Toco & Jorge, Maurice, Lotus Child and Vegan Holocaust. He’s supported such mainstay Canadian acts as Julie Doiron, Patrick Watson, Tegan and Sara, Dan Mangan and Said the Whale.

On his latest album, Versicolour, he collaborates with Julia Wakal of Victoria’s gypsy band Bučan Bučan, Toronto’s The O’Darling and teams up with producer Jon Anderson. The name “Versicolour” is inspired by the name of a freckle-like skin condition that he had as a youth (tinea versicolor), which captured the sense of embarrassment and shyness which he can feel in sharing his music.

B: On Versicolour, was there a sound you were trying to achieve?

A: When I went in and first recorded, I wanted it to be very ‘70s-meets-Broken Social Scene. The O’Darling came and we were pretty much 10 people. In the beginning, I had an idea in mind of what I wanted certain tones and sounds to sound like. I just had no idea what the songs were going to be like when it was all finished. And then by the end of it, it just came together in the most unaffected kind of way. All the choices that I made in the beginning, and the choices I made later all compounded on top of those things and were what I would do, or what the O’Darling would do, or what Jon Anderson, the producer—he also played on it—so, there was just a great collaboration.

B: Would you say that other than Broken Social Scene, that the sound was influenced by anybody?

A: Yeah; Julie Doiron—I really like Désormais, it’s one of my favourite albums. My music has a lot more parts to it, like that album is very stripped down and basic, but the kind of spirit of what the guitars sound like, some of the time I was trying to cop her style. Also, I got to see Chet a lot… who are a Victoria institution. I remember going to see them a lot and really like the way that Ryan plays guitar, and the way he sang. I listen to a lot of specifically of Canadian music, and it’d be hard for me to go through and name everything. But yes, definitely Julie Doiron and Chet and Broken Social Scene. And Wilco is a huge influence for me but I think they’d just be in everything that I do, so I won’t even mention that.

One of the stand out tracks in Versicolour is the soulful, spiritual-esque closer “Jasper.” Upon hearing it for the first time, I thought it was a cover because it just sounds classic.  
You can grab a free mp3 of "Jasper" here.

B: Is “Jasper” about the place?

A: It’s about the Athabasca River. I was touring with Maurice at the time and it was the hottest day. And we stopped at this lake and we got out and all these people… hundreds and hundreds of feet out. And it was just up to their knees, and you could go all the way out. And the lyric “oh and I was frightened/when you put your face in/the mouth of the canyon” was about JP just like, diving into the water backwards and laying under the water and the water wasn’t even tall enough to fully cover him. It was inspired by that day; it was so crazy and coincidental that we ended up there that I thought to honour it with a song. And I was feeling a little bit twangy that day, and that’s the song that came out!

B: It’s definitely almost a spiritual.

A: Yeah. I also feel like I hear that sometimes. The lyrics are a little bit baptismal, and I know that the whole bathed in the water and stuff like that, that it’s a very classic religious allegory.

Knight definitely has been inspired by Christian allegory and experience in the church as a kid and youth. In his track “Alter Boys,” he drew from his experiences as one and credits years in the church choir with the hymnal quality to his music and his appreciation for harmony and choral classics such as “Once in Royal David’s City.”

A: Talking about influences, I listen to a lot of David Bazan because I love him as a lyrics writer. He’s the lead singer of Pedro the Lion. He’s very influential to me as a lyricist because he has very sardonic wit about how disenfranchised with God he is. I feel like it’s very edgy and raw and personal. And although I don’t want to write in that style, the things that he says have really captured my lyrical imagination. I love the way that he pieces together songs. I don’t want to steal all of his things, but in terms of adding those religious allusions in my lyrics, I just find that there are things that hint toward that.

You can grab a copy of Versicolour in stores by March 9, which will be under the label Adventure Boys Club. A digitally copy is available as of March 2. If you’re a vinyl person, you can pre-order it at aidanknight.bandcamp.com.

B: Tell us about your plans of starting a new label with a mysterious co-conspirator.

A: Tyler, from Said The Whale, and I are the adventure boys of The Adventure Boys Club. Which is our high-fidelity recording society. [laughs] It’s very elite. Right now we’re just setting the whole thing up. Releasing Versicolour is the only thing we’re doing right now. So hopefully it turns into more things with more bands we want to support. It’ll probably be a great British Columbian label.

B: Kind of like, what Arts & Crafts is like for Toronto?

A: I’m going to go on record and say that if it ever did become the Arts & Crafts of Vancouver or wherever, if it turned out to be the Arts & Crafts of the Georgia Strait, I’m sure that Tyler and I will be very happy about it. Things are looking good.

B: Who would you love to sign?

A: We Are The City. For sure. Even before they won the Peak Performance Project and got the money, they’re just fantastic and great friends. They’re young and have so much music and career and touring ahead of them. And my friends The O’Darling, I would love to give them a label home where we can just pay them money to live and create great music. Right now it’s pretty low key, a little independent label. Incredible friends and incredible musicians.

Aidan Knight had just concluded a tour with Vancouver’s Dan Mangan through BC and Alberta. He is currently on tour with We Are the City, going all the way to Montreal, Canadian Music Week in Toronto, and then heading home. Below are some upcoming tour dates:


Mar 6 - Montreal, QC @ The Green Room w/ We Are The City
Mar 8 - Sherbrooke, QC @ L’Antiquarius w/ We Are The City
Mar 9 - Ottawa, ON @ The Observatory w/ We Are The City
Mar 10 - Toronto, ON @ Global Village
Mar 13 - Toronto, ON @ Criminal Records (Free Instore Show) w/ Dan Mangan & Hollerado
Mar 24 - Calgary, AB @ The Gateway (SAIT) w/ We Are The City
Mar 25 - Lethbridge, AB @ Henotic w/ We Are The City
Mar 27 - Edmonton, AB @ Haven Social Club w/ We Are The City

B: And our last question, which is completely non-music related, and since you’re holding chocolate milk, what’s with the obsession with cereal?

A: I think my cereal thing is just out of nerves of not knowing what to talk about. I’m not really an expert on anything, but if I had to be an expert on something, it would probably be cereal since I’ve eaten so many varieties, looked at so many different nutritional information panels on the boxes. Right now my thing is trying to eat more local food. So I’ve been really supporting Nature’s Path cereal, which is all over. Their main office is in Richmond BC, and their production facilities are all over there. The amount of distance for shipping is much less than Kelloggs, or Post, or General Mills.

B: It’s totally within the 100 mile diet.

A: Exactly! I’m trying to support them, and I’m trying to support local dairies. So companies like Avalon, Island Farms, stuff from the Comox Valley. If I can make just one simple change like that, if everyone could make a simple change to just eat one variety of food locally, it would be supporting our local industry and the idea of food security if there’s ever a problem.

How fitting that Said the Whale also had one of their songs featured in an ad for orange juice. Watching the two of them play is like having a complete nutritious breakfast! If you’re interested in checking Aidan Knight out further, his various websites/social networking things are below:

myspace.com/aidanknightmusic

twitter.com/aidanknight

facebook.com/aidanknightmusic

aidanknight.bandcamp.com (vinyl and stream full album)

** Note, if you buy the vinyl, you’ll instantly get a digital version of the album.

Live Blogging Olympic Music : Jenn Grant & Kathleen Edwards

Since I'm writing this a day late, I can also add-- first female gold medal for Maelle Ricker of North Vancouver in snowboard cross! My mom and I were watching--no, wincing-- throughout the preliminary rounds because of the choppy snow and heavy fog that lingered, necessitating a second qualifying round. And it was in this second round that Ricker came in third, sending her to the race which saw her beat her competitors by a mile and garner the third medal on the troubled Cypress Mountains. Very well done, Maelle, and what a big, contagious grin she bared to the TV cameras!

In a lot of ways, Ricker echoed a lot of the energy that dedication that Jenn Grant and Kathleen Edwards (and bands) demonstrated the night before in their shows at the Richmond O Zone on February 15th. Although the weather had been nice or overcast the entire day, the rain trickled in and came to a downpour once Grant's set began at 8:30. It wasn't just the rain; winds pelted sideways, bringing piles of accumulated rain down from the tarps above the outdoor stage onto the heads of front row listeners. Throughout the sets, especially Edwards', the band had to warm up their hands in between songs, and occasionally in between striking chords. Jim Bryson of Kathleen Edwards' band seemed to wince because some of his riffs simply couldn't happen because of his rigid fingers. But, needless to say, both bands stuck it through the set, and so did the soaked and shivering audience. So whether you were the ski officials up in Cypress or the fans down in the Cultural Olympiad, weather was the foremost thing on your minds.

Jenn Grant opened the night with her quirky voice and light pop. The show in Richmond was the second last of her 14 date Cultural Olympiad tour. Hailing from Prince Edward Island, I previously knew of Grant superficially from a few singles and the glowing recommendations from artists such as Hey Rosetta!. Unfortunately, the weather did not work in her favour, and the intricate and pretty pop orchestrations were largely distracted by the elements and the sheer size of the O Zone compared to the relatively small crowd. I wouldn't write off the show however; the crowd was still very pleased with her music, as well as her jovial banter. I would love to see her again in a smaller, more intimate venue-- indoors.

Kathleen Edwards and band stepped onto the stage amidst roars and applause, which was somewhat more muted than expected due to frozen hands. Edwards was warmly dressed in a poncho-- Peruvian and from her mother, as we were informed in between songs. Guitarist/keyboardist Jim Bryson (and established singer-songwriter in his own right) sported a toque and according to my friend, somewhat resembled Seth Rogen. It's fair to say that no layers were shed in this show. What was frequently shed were guitars; Edwards must've had no less than 5-6 guitar changes. She and band amped up the energy for the show, proving  to be better suited for the venue than their opening act.

Edwards kicked off her hour-plus set with the hockey-inspired "I Make the Dough, You Get the Glory." The show was filled with hits spanning from Failer in 2003 up to her latest, and the few times she went slower tempo, it worked in her favour. "Asking For Flowers," the title track off her latest 2008 Polaris short-listed album, was dedicated to the tireless Olympic volunteers. "Goodnight California" showcased Edwards' formidable fiddle skills, which was demonstrated in this one song in the whole set. That's not to say the band didn't pull their weight comparatively; both Jim Bryson and Edwards' husband and lead guitarist Colin Cripps switched between killer guitar solos and riffs and rhythm guitar alternately. Bassist Kevin McCarragher and drummer Joel Anderson kept the rhythm strong and thumping, and bodies in the crowd if not dancing, then at least shuffling enthusiastically.

It's perhaps apt that Kathleen Edwards played the day after Valentine's Day, as her songs are often filled with anguished love stories and fun kiss-offs. It's safe to say that it's always satisfying to listen to Edwards, whether on your iPod or in concert. And I'm very glad to have caught her live in one of her few, sporadic shows.

And of course, it's always nice to get a customized thank-you tweet from the band. Come back anytime, y'all.

And here is the set list for Kathleen Edwards' show. As you can tell, there are 2 new songs, "Mint" and "Empty Threat."


For some free tracks off her older records Failer and Back To Me (2005), check out Edwards' website under the Music section.

Graven - Valley Theory Tour

Growing up, Graven frontman Matt McKechnie was a massive listener of J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.), Stephen Malkmus (Pavement) and Led Zeppelin. Having played in garage bands since his mid-teens, he began to adapt and progress with the shifting musical terrain around him while still staying true to his idyllic influences.

With production and inspiration from folks like Charles Austin in Halifax (producer of Buck 65, Matt Mays, Joel Plaskett) and Dean Watson in Ottawa (producer of Meredith Luce, The Soiree, The Murder Plans), Graven is ready to hit the streets and rumble for the good of soul-singers everywhere.

This past summer of 2009, Graven toured on their latest Ottawa-recorded and acclaimed EP Valley Theory. The title of the album symbolizes leaving old familiar terrain (the 'valley') for new adventures. Having limited time and an even more limited budget, Matt & gang recorded the 5 songs of the EP in about 8 hours in May with the help of sound guru Dean Watson (Gallery Recording Studios in Ottawa).

Sometimes changing all of the players (save for Matt himself) depending on the sound, Graven crosses between folk, power pop, hard rock, countrified cottage music and alternative country. Matt McKechnie’s songwriting style cannot be pinned down. The album also allowed Matt to finally showcase his irreplaceable and talented band of musicians -- Rehuel Ernest, Paul Godin, Owen Edwards and Landon Kotchapaw.

The older, re-vamped track 1 'Northglow' was one of Matt's first Graven creations and was roughly recorded in 2002; it was also recently featured on Zunior.com mixtape. The highly anthemic 'I Speak Your Sadness' garnered Graven considerable attention as it centered around the story of one of Matt's musical idols - Halifax native Matt Murphy (of Flashing Lights & Super Friendz).

The song speaks about Matt Murphy's surreal stage presence and musicianship. McKechnie actually convinced Murphy to attend their show at the Horseshoe Tavern back in June where they were able to chat for a few minutes - Murphy later wrote McKechnie a message saying 'Great set! I ESPECIALLY loved the song about me!'
Free MP3 of 'I Speak Your Sadness': http://www.mediafire.com/?mmqh4muzzhy
 
The album then takes a fictional turn as 'Golden Garage' delves deeper into contemplation as we learn of another musical character who has traded artistic success for commercial fame. 'Harsh' then depicts the near collapse of the singer who wants nothing more than to leave his town while the uppity twang of 'Country Stars' might have introduced the singer to a new reason to stick around.
Free MP3 of 'Country Stars': http://www.mediafire.com/?znwnhzkiimo


Check out Matt and the good ship Graven as they hit the waters of the east coast for a stripped-down, 3-night-stand at The Carleton in Halifax while sprinkling in a few dates across Ontario for good measure.

March 11 - The Carleton, Halifax, NS
March 12 - The Carleton, Halifax, NS
March 13 - The Carleton, Halifax, NS
April 20 - TBA, Guelph, ON
May 1 - The Avant Garde, Ottawa, ON (w Texting Mackenzie)

You can find Graven at:
label - http://gravenrecords.com
myspace - http://myspace.com/gravencanada
twitter - http://twitter.com/gravencanada
youtube - http://youtube.com/gravencanada


Graven - Beginning Of The End Of Summer (Acoustic)

Review: Gentleman Reg Heavy Head Residency w/ Hooded Fang, Kite Hill @ The Drake Underground, Toronto

Every Wednesday this month Reg "Gentleman Reg" Vermue & his band are in residency at Toronto's Drake Hotel. The occasion? To celebrate their recently-released digital EP (Heavy Head), the 1-year anniversary of the release of Jet Black, and to cap off a year of heavy touring. Last week's kick-off show featured two strong local acts, Kite Hill and Hooded Fang. I was there.

Kite Hill was up first, offering up orchestral pop, but of the tuneful rather than bizarre variety. The band is a project of keyboardist Ryan Carley (Ohbijou); his stellar backing band---Tyler Belluz (upright bass), Anissa Hart (cello), Steve Lappano (percussion), and Mika Posen (violin, backing vocals)---provided wonderful accompaniment. Carley's songs are pretty and a little melancholy, and with the string backing the effect is really quite lovely. This being my first time hearing anything from the band (other than a song that appears on the 2009 Friends in Bellwoods compilation), the songs tended to blend into one another. Another listen might help highlight differences. The band's debut album is in the works.

Next up was Hooded Fang. I've seen them a few different times since 2008, and consider them the city's top sunny, straightforward pop act. I was eager to see them perform, but a bit apprehensive: they don't always live up to my expectations. This night, they exceeded them. Yay! The band started off with "Land of Giants," the first track off their self-titled EP. Other than "Highway Steam," their contribution to the FiB project, the band performed all new songs. And they really looked and sounded like they were having a great time up there. The audience was a little shy of dancing, but I did my best to represent. What a fun set. A full-length should be out later this year. I'm looking forward to it.

Gentleman Reg have been busy over the past year, touring with A Camp, the Hidden Cameras, and here at home opening for the likes of Tegan & Sara, Zeus, Amy Millan, and Islands. I've seen this band a bunch of times, but, as Reg pointed out, they are usually the opener, and on reflection I'm not sure that I'd ever caught them in a headlining role. So it was about time!

The set started up with Reg performing a moving cover of Sam Phillips' "I Need Love" all by himself. Although the dancier tracks on Jet Black are my favourite ones, in his quieter moments, Reg can turn out moving performances, and this was one of those times. A good beginning to what would turn out to be a fantastic set. His backing band---these days only Jon Hynes (bass, not pictured) Kelly McMichael (keyboard, pictured left), and Dana Snell (drums, pictured right)---then joined him on stage. Over the next hour or so they offered up a good selection of tunes off the album, including all my faves: "Coastline," "To Some It Comes Easy," "You Can't Get It Back," "How We Exit," "We're In A Thunderstorm," and "Falling Back." The live versions seemed, in the moment at least, more spirited and fun than the recorded ones, though I missed the second guitar line. The band also performed "Wild Heart," the Stevie Nicks' cover off the Heavy Head EP, "For Trust" (from the FiB compilation, and Michael Stipe-approved, so Reg told us), plus a couple new original songs, including one that had never been performed before. Guests Shaun Brodie (trumpet) and Jessica Tollefsen (keyboard, tambourine, backing vocals) added extra layers to some of the songs. Everything sounded great, was performed with verve and, well, I was just thrilled to be there. *Gush*

Toward the end of the set, everyone around me was dancing. And so there was no way we'd let the band go without an encore, late on a Wednesday night though it was. Reg came out and sang a song he'd recently written "for a man I met in Winnipeg." As he introduced the song he told us he'd recorded a demo and emailed it to him, but hadn't yet heard back. "Story of my life." (Oh, Reg!) His band-mates then came back, too, and we were treated to an extended version of "The Boyfriend Song." Awesome!

Reg is one of my favourite pop artists, and I always enjoy seeing him perform. Wednesday's set was particularly great; I was practically giddy the whole time, and left with a big smile on my face. Reg is both charming and awkward, funny, likable on stage, always warmly acknowledging the inevitable friends in the crowd, and willing to be himself. It's all very endearing, and would work well even if the songs weren't as great as they are.

Download: Gentleman Reg, "We're In A Thunderstorm" (Jet Black, 2009).

The Wednesday-night "Regidency" continues throughout the month. This week's special guests are By Divine Right and the Balconies. On 17 February Gentleman Reg are joined by Sheezer (Weezer cover band including Laura Barrett, Robin Hatch, Alysha Haugen, Magali Meagher, and Dana Snell) and Dance Yourself to Death. The final show of the residency (24 Feb) includes Evening Hymns and other "special guests." Every night sounds like a winner. Tickets for each show are $10 in advance from Soundscapes or Rotate This, or $12 at the door. If you get your ticket online from GalleryAC ($12.50), you'll also get yourself a copy of the (digital-only) Heavy Head EP.

Hmm . . . I might have to go again (and again and again)!

Q & A with Mike Smith from Muskox (and many other things).

This is the third installment of my interview series with Toronto music scenesters. You can read the first (with Ben Mueller-Heaslip) and second (with Randal Ball) ones on my blog.

Mike Smith is nearly-ubiquitous in Toronto's music community. Find him at Soundscapes most days, and performing with his main band, Muskox, as well as appearing and recording with a slew of others. In 2009 Muskox put out its fourth EP, titled 5 Pieces (Standard Form). You can pick up a copy at Soundscapes, or from the band at a show. The other three---Gallantries (2008, self-released), Fever Dream (2007, self-released), and Caveman Caveman Crystal Skulls (2006, self released)---are available in digital format from wherever you like to do your online music shopping. Visit Muskox's "hindquarters" here.

Jen: First off, I know that in addition to musical projects in which you play a big part---Muskox, of course, but also the rock 'n' soul band Steamboat, and your freelance work as a composer---you've contributed to the live and recorded output of many, many bands and solo artists. Want to give us a list of some of these?

Mike: This is a tricky question, as I'm bound to forget some. 2009 has seen the release of albums from Muskox, Steamboat, Canaille, Isla Craig, Bruce Peninsula, Lisa Bozikovic, TorQ Percussion Ensemble, and MV/EE, all of which I was involved with in some capacity. I've been performing with all those folks, plus Mark Laver's Earthtones, Gabe Levine, Jessie Kussin, and I Am Robot And Proud. More casual performances abound as well, mostly in the improvised music and jazz departments.

Jen: How do you characterize the Toronto music scene? I call it expansive, mostly-unknown, ever-changing, and inspiring, but my perspective on and relationship to it is pretty different than yours.

Mike: The music scene in Toronto is never-ending! There are so many sub-pockets and communities around that you could see a different band play every night for a year without ever listening to the same folks play twice. I mean, you may have to go East of Spadina to pull that off, but you've had your shots, right?

Jen: You spent some time in Montreal. Comparisons between the music scenes in the two cities are often made. Do you have any thoughts on this? Or how things have changed in Toronto in the past few years?

Mike: I'm not so sure I can be judge on that, as most of my time in Montréal was pretty anti-social. I dipped my feet into the jazz scene a little, and was playing some early music, but I didn't really get out to many shows or establish any lasting musical relationships. I moved there right when Arcade Fire went bananas and got a little weirded out by the entire bands that moved to town together to get something happening. I was definitely more into staying at home and pretending to write music.

I came home to Toronto in 2006 with a bit of a mission to reinvent myself as a musician and become more involved with the music community as a whole, as I had previously been attempting a sort of super-pro career thing that really didn't fit with my actual personality. I kind of dove in to the Toronto scene and have been getting deeper ever since. I don't know if it's changed at all---I've kinda been too busy trying to take everything in to notice any sort of trend.

Jen: What's your motivation for participating in all these projects?

Mike: I love playing music, and I love spending time with musicians. There are so many people making beautiful sounds in town, and I'm learning that if you hang around long enough, you may get to make those sounds with them. Also, I have a total inability to say no.

Jen: I want to know more about Muskox. How do you classify the band's sound? (I like labels.)

Mike: Man, I'm so terrible at this. I've had this band for three and a half years, but I still haven't come up with an elevator description of our sound. Andrew Zukerman called us prog-americana, which made me laugh a lot, so I used that for a while. A gentleman named Curran Folkers called us post-folk, which was pretty cool too, although that "post" shouldn't really mean post, but rather it should be a nod to the "post" in "post-rock". Is this difficult? Yes.

Generally I just spout off the list of instruments (banjo, harmonium, saxophone, vibraphone, cello, double bass and electric piano), then make a vague reference to Steve Reich or something. Ideally, the band should sound like an over-caffeinated Town & Country plus this awesome record that Ensemble Ambrosius made of Frank Zappa music on baroque instruments. It sounds like I'm trying to be obscure, but this is the real deal. Reviews seem to say we sound like Tortoise or Sufjan Stevens. We don't.

Jen: Are their other bands or artists you know of that are doing similar things as you do with Muskox?

Mike: No! I want to!

Jen: At one point I know you were putting out your EPs on these little mini disc things. How come? Are you still doing that?

Mike: Nope. The 3" Muskox CDs are gone gone gone. I have a few left of the first one, but Fever Dream and Gallantries are out of print. Mostly, it is because I'm sick of assembling them, but also it is because that format is really difficult to deal with. No one has CD players anymore!

I was drawn to that format with the concept of releasing twenty minutes of music every three months. It totally didn't work that way, but I did my best. The music will reappear sometime soon, however - I am very proud of Gallantries and would like to have it available---either as a 10" record or an LP with a rerecording of Fever Dream on the other side. Anybody got any money?

Jen: What's on the agenda for 2010, for Muskox and for you, personally?

Mike: 2010 is going to be amazing! I'll slowly be writing stuff for the next Muskox record, which is going to be a crazy studio kind of project with some new sounds involved - particularly in the keyboard department. Steamboat is already recording tracks for a full length record, which is thus far moving a long beautifully. I'm very very excited to be working with Sandro Perri on his new project along with all my favourite musical pals in town---Tiny Mirrors is one of my favourite albums of the past ten years, so it's a real trip to get in on the next one. Brodie West's tropical-music supergroup Eucalyptus is recording next week, and should be performing fairly regularly as well. AND I Am Robot And Proud is heading to Japan in April. My mind is blown. Plus, plus, Caitlin Smith and I are launching an insane 21-piece pop orchestra with strings and fake Jordanaires and everything that should be playing sometime in the fall.

There are a few very exciting recordings on the way, as well---Gabe Levine's album was recorded in the fall and should be appearing in the spring. From what I've heard it sounds amazing, and is probably the best experience I've ever had recording. I got to do some string arrangements that turned out super, and that really jazzed me up since I love doing that sort of thing, but folks rarely ask.

Muskox collaborated with Bruce Peninsula on a new version of their tune "Shanty Song" which is coming out as a 7" backed with a collaboration between the Gertrudes and PS I Love You. Both tracks sound amazing, and Muskox on wax makes my toes curl. It's at the plant at this very moment, so keep your ears open . . . .

Jen: Will do, thanks Mike! Good luck with everything this year. Sounds like life will, as you say, be bananas!

Download: "Ghost Ride" (5 Pieces, 2009).

Catch Mike performing next at Holy Oak on 13 February as part of a calypso band.

New Woodhands track (free download): "P'iss."

"Pitchfork doesn't care about Black people...."

Dan Werb and Paul Banwatt from Woodhands have released a new track, "P'iss." It's a dance and rap track---with Paul contributing the rapping---that takes a stab at the (in)famous American music website Pitchfork. The band is unimpressed with the site (to put it mildly): "Everybody else does it better than you."

Go download it for free now!

Spotlight: Woodhands

One of the country's top electro bands, Woodhands, a duo made up of Dan Werb (vocals, synths) and Paul Banwatt (drums, live vocals), released a new album this past Tuesday. Remorsecapade is a follow-up to 2008's explosive Heart Attack, which led to tours in Asia, the US, and here in Canada. This new release keeps the band rocking the keytar, pounding out the dance hits, and exploring its emotional baggage.

To celebrate the release and help get the word out, the band hosted a secret, invite-only show Thursday night at Toronto's not-spacious Smiling Buddha bar. Slightly north and west of the usual hotspots, and often playing host to bands even I've never heard of, I admit to not having ventured there before. I got there early, and spent a quick hour and a quarter talking with an assortment of local press-types and friends of the band. At around 10:30pm, a smoke machine and two green lasers having created somewhat of a proper vibe, and with photographers assembled at the front, the band started to play. And then quickly stopped. Aw, Woodhands. The technical issues were almost instantly sorted out, and the show really got started. The band performed a few of the songs off Remorsecapade, brought Maylee Todd on to contribute her part to "Dissembler" and "Dancer" from Heart Attack, then seamlessly transitioned into "Coolchanize," the standout track from the new album. The performance wasn't quite the display of musical wizardry I've seen from this band, but that's hardly the point. Experiencing these songs---also "CP24," "Talk," and "I Should Have Gone With My Friends,"---performed live makes me excited for everyone who'll get a chance to see this band on their upcoming tour. And, as a friend of mine told Paul after the set, it was just fun to see them play in a small venue just like the old days. (Read more about that here.)

Remorsecapade is the band's second full-length album. Like the first, it offers up eminently danceable tracks and much artistic interest. Electro isn't usually this smart and fully danceable. The best track, "Coolchazine," grabbed my attention right away. Some of the others took a few listens, but by now I'm quite taken with the record.

The first track, "Pockets," sets the tone, and assures the listener that all the ingredients that made Heart Attack great are still present. Slow builds and quiet moments compete with pounding beats and aborted symbol crashes. The song's both groovy and meaningful. It's a love song, after all. "Talk," next up, is about a girl, too. It has dance hit written all over it, but the angst-ridden, yearning kind, not the bubble-gum version. "CP24" you've all heard (and seen). Here the angst gets aggressive and embittered. "Sluts"---which I just noticed begins with a technical glitch and Dan swearing "fuck this machine"---has a more dance club vibe. The girl problems continue, but there's a resolution. What begins aggressively ends with a much more healthy attitude. Awesome. And then comes "Coolchanize." As Dan himself might say, "Oh shit!" Screams! Grunts! This song takes me through the ringer. Dan---or the man he's singing about---has been done wrong. "Why are you fucking with my focus? Why do you have to be the closest thing to me?" and etc. The man can't get a break, though, deciding next that "I Should Have Gone With My Friends" instead of following his date around. This is another great dance track. After all this "Dissembler" comes as a welcome reprieve. Maylee Todd, whose smooth vocal performance on "Dancer" added so much to the first record, is back, performing a duet on this one with Dan. Much airier, this pop love song is really lovely. Everyone now feeling better about things, it's time to dance (and scream) again. "When the Party is Over," featuring fat synth beats, under-emphasized drumming, and great singing, is another solid Woodhands song. The final track ("I Want To Be Together," followed by the outro "How To Survive A Remorsecapade"), is radically different in sound. It's slower, contemplative, sad---"I want to be together" is the repeated refrain---but also a smart way to end a record that's full of anger and heartbreak and other emotional struggles. A "remorsecapade" indeed.

Download: "Pockets" (Remorsecapade, 2010).
Download: "I Kissed A Girl (Katy Perry cover)" (unreleased, 2009).
Download: "Dancer" (Heart Attack, 2008).
Download: "I Wasn't Made For Fighting" (Heart Attack, 2008).





And the live version:



Pick up a copy of Remorsecapade at your local record store, or order it through Paper Bag Records (or whatever other online retailer you like). You can also get both full-length records on vinyl from Paper Bag, as well as some digital-only releases, including last year's Dancer EP, a must-have for DJs or dance-party hosts.

The band is playing shows throughout Canada, February through April. Go see them if you're able!

2 Feb 2010, MTV LIVE, Toronto
6 Feb 2010, Hillside Inside at Sleeman Center, Guelph, Ontario
20 Feb 2010, Biltmore, Vancouver, British Columbia
24 Feb 2010, Pawn Shop, Edmonton, Alberta
25 Feb 2010, Broken City, Calgary, Alberta
26 Feb 2010, Amigo’s, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
27 Feb 2010, Lo Pub, Winnipeg, Manitoba
2 Mar 2010, Phog Lounge, Windsor, Ontario
4 Mar 2010, Level 3, St Catharines, Ontario
5 Mar 2010, Moon Over Marin, London, Ontario
6 Mar 2010, This Ain’t Hollywood, Hamilton, Ontario
11 Mar 2010, Opera House w/ k-os (Canadian Music Week), Toronto, Ontario
6 Apr 2010, Red Dog, Peterborough, Ontario
8 Apr 2010, Mavericks, Ottawa, Ontario
9 Apr 2010, Le Cercle, Quebec City, Quebec
10 Apr 2010, Club Lambi, Montreal, Quebec

Ticket Giveaway: EATT, Lioness, Rich Aucoin @ The Horseshoe, Toronto, 30 Jan.

Saturday night at the Horseshoe local music promoters No Shame are presenting electro-soul outfit Everything All the Time, electro-rockers Lioness, and Rich Aucoin. The first two bands feature great vocalists in Alanna Stuart (EATT) and Vanessa Fischer (Lioness). Not only can these women sing, but they've got stage presence and, well, attractiveness on their side. You can't go wrong. Alanna's also one half of Bonjay. Vanessa used to be in No Dynamics, and her backing men were in controller.controller. Rich isn't a woman, but that's ok. He can't help it.

You're in, right?

Download: Everything All the Time, "Lazy Days" (s/t EP, 2009).
Watch: Lioness, "You're My Heart" (s/t EP, 2008).
Download: Rich Aucoin, "10,342 Cuts for the US (An Exploding)" (Personal Publication EP, 2007).

Thanks to No Shame I've got a pair of tickets to the show to give away to one of you. For your chance at them, email me with "I want to EATT" in the subject line and your full name in the body of the message. Get this to my by noon on Friday, 29 January, and I'll let you know if you're a winner soon after. If you don't win, you can still get tickets at the door the night of the show.

Fine Print: No Shame presents Everything All Time, Lioness, and Rich Aucoin @ the Horseshoe Tavern, Saturday, 30 January, 9pm, $8.

[Photo credit: EATT by Laurie Kang.]

Live Review: OOTS 3rd Anniversary w/ The D'Urbervilles, Forest City Lovers, Evening Hymns, Jenny Omnichord.

Toronto label Out of this Spark celebrated its third anniversary at the Garrison in Toronto Friday night. The party was a showcase for all four of the label's current bands: The D'Urbervilles, Forest City Lovers, Evening Hymns, and Jenny Omnichord. Three of the groups have new albums coming out this year, so we were treated to many new songs.

Jenny Omnichord is the solo project of Jenny Mitchell, a Guelph musician who also plays with other bands, including the Burning Hell. Mitchell is a great songwriter and lyricist. Her songs are often quirky, sometimes serious, but always earnestly delivered. It's also pretty neat to watch her manipulate her omnichords, an electronic instrument based on the autoharp that allows the performer to mix together a wide array of sounds using only her fingers.Friday night Mitchell performed some new songs off the album she's current working on---it'll include songs about "babies and skeletons." She entertained us with songs about a bout of bad luck in NYC, "Blankets & Bones," her young son, Elvis impersonators in London, ON ("The Kings of London"), her "baby daddy," skeletons in love ("Skeletal Love Song"), and a final one about "polyamorous skeletons," which included the singalong verse "How would anyone know whose are whose bones?" All in all, it was a nice, short set that afforded Mitchell enough time to show off her talents.

Download: Jenny Omnichord, "The Kings of London" (Cities of Gifts and Ghosts, 2008).

The slow jams Friday night were provided by Evening Hymns, a band featuring songwriter Jonas Bonnetta backed up on this occasion by the marvelous Sylvie Smith and Tim Bruton from the Magic, Shaun Brodie, and a drummer. The set started with an atmospheric buildup, perfectly setting the tone for what was to follow. I prefer my music a little more fast-paced, but there's no denying the appeal of Evening Hymns: pretty, meaningful songs with compositional complexity and interesting soundscapes. The set included several songs from Spirit Guides: "Lanterns," "Dead Deer" (my favourite), "Cedars," and "Mountain Song," among others. The band put on the night's best performance. Sylvie Smith has to be the perfect backing vocalist for this band. Her beautiful, clear voice is the ideal accompaniment to Jonas' vocals. Brodie's trumpet and accordion added much to the set, too. Though the chatty crowd kept to the back, this is a band best heard in a quieter environment, or listened to through good headphones.

Download: Evening Hymns, "Cedars" (Spirit Guides, 2009).

Forest City Lovers is the most prominent band on Out of This Spark's current roster. With two full albums already under their belt, and a another one coming this year, they've created a niche for themselves in the crowded Toronto folk-pop scene. I tend to prefer listening to their recordings than seeing them live, and Friday didn't change my mind. I don't know what it is, but it's true. It may be that I was standing too close, or the mix was off---the bass was more prominent than I would have liked. Still, Kat Burns was in fine form, and playing with her full band, including violinist Mika Posen, bassist Kyle Donnelly, drummer Christian Ingelevics, and extra guitarist Tim Bruton. They performed songs off Haunting Moon Sinking (2008) and The Sun & the Wind (2006)---I recognized "Don't Go," "Song for Morrie," "Watching The Streetlights Grow," "Sullen Seas," "Pirates (Can't All Sail the Indian Ocean)"---plus a couple new tunes, including "If I Were a Tree" off their recently-released 7". I eagerly await adding their next album to my list of favourites.

Download: Forest City Lovers, "Two Hearts" (Haunting Moon Sinking, 2008).

In the headlining spot were the D'Urbervilles. This is a great band, exuding cool and bursting with talent. Their 2008 debut full-length, We Are the Hunters, is still high-up on my list of favourite albums. The band's been recording on and off since the summer, and the new songs I heard Friday night bode well for their next album. What I like about this band's sound should still be there: funky bass lines, strong guitar melodies, top-notch vocals, and precise, interesting drum beats. Front-man John O'Regan is the stand-out performer here, but he's backed up a stellar team in guitarist Tim Bruton (The Magic, Forest City Lovers), bassist Kyle Donnelly (Forest City Lovers), and drummer Greg Santilly. John and the others tried to get the crowd revved up, but the audience was resistant. Too bad. Even spirited performances of "Spin the Bottle" and "The Receiver" weren't met with the enthusiasm I'd have predicted. With the right energy in the room the D'Urbervilles can deliver an explosive performance. Here's hoping that album of theirs comes out soon and I get another, proper chance to party with them.

Download: The D'Urbervilles, "Spin the Bottle" (We Are the Hunters, 2008).

As a special treat, at the end of the show, members of the D'Urbs and FCL got together with Jenny Omnichord to perform three more songs, one from each of their respective repertoires. Not quite the "family band" experience that we got in the summer, but hearing one of Jenny's songs played with a full band made it plain once again that she's far from a novelty act.

Happy birthday, OOTS. Here's looking forward to those new releases.

[Photo credits: Frank Yang. Awesome shots, eh? More here.]

Postdata - S/T (Includes free download)

Postdata, the side project of Wintersleep frontman Paul Murphy, is releasing a self-titled debut on January 27, 2010. The sound is a bit eerie, a bit aloft, but at once kind of comforting, much like Murphy's voice. "You may feel drawn to the haunted melodies of Postdata as you are drawn to the puzzling pieces of your own dreams." Does that make sense? No? Well, grab a copy of the song "Tobias Grey" below and come up with your own opinion.

Tracklist:

1. Lazarus
2. In Chemicals
3. Tracers
4. Paranoid Clusters
5. Eclipse
6. Tobias Grey
7. Warning
8. Drift
9. The Coroner

Thanks to Amanda Ash for the tip!

FREE EP from Novels

(Photo Credit: Marshall Angus)

And who is Novels, you ask? This new supergroup in Canadian music consists of Graham Wright of Tokyo Police Club, Luke Lalonde of Born Ruffians, Will Currie of Will Currie & The Country French, Dean Marino of Ex~po and Jason Sadlowski of Jay Sad.

From their website:

Hello.

In January of 2009, five of us locked ourselves away in Chemical Sound Studios in Toronto with the goal of writing, arranging, and recording an EP from scratch in one marathon session.  When we stumbled out the door in the wee hours of the next morning, we found ourselves with what we're now calling NOVELS.

NOVELS won't be sold in CD stores, on the internet, or anywhere else.  Instead, we'll give them away, or put them places.  Maybe you'll find a copy sitting on a park bench.  Maybe a masked man will hand you one as he passes you on the street.  Maybe none of these things will happen.  But we'll make sure that everyone gets a chance to listen if they want to.

We also had some friends come along to take pictures and video, which can be found on this website as well as in various other places on the internet.

Thanks for listening, and enjoy!

So go on! Download this EP and see if you'd like to be a part of the army of fans sharing this EP to friends and stranger alike.

FREE DOWNLOAD : Hannah Georgas - Christmas Touch

This holiday season, Vancouver-based singer-songwriter Hannah Georgas would like to wish you a merry Christmas by serenading you with her quirky, upbeat pop stylings. This free song by the recent winner of CBC Radio 3's Bucky Award for Best New Artist will only be available for the next week, or for the first 100 people, so grab it while you can!

[editor's note: never mind, we've changed the download location. It's available forever and ever and in infinite quantities!]

Hannah Georgas - Christmas Touch

Visit Hannah Georgas' MySpace if you like what you hear.
She currently has an EP out called The Beat Stuff that you can get online at iTunes. If you can hold out until the new year (and really, why would you?), she has a new album coming out called This Is Good.

(Photo from her recent show opening for Said The Whale's album release in Vancouver. More here.)

Ticket / CD Giveaway: Ketch Harbour Wolves, the Rest, and Chinese Food @ El Mocambo, Toronto, 11 Dec.

We're now firmly in December, and I'm in a giving mood. So here's yet another musical giveaway!

Next Friday, 11 December, is a stacked bill at Toronto's El Mocambo: Ketch Harbour Wolves, the Rest, and Chinese Food. Toronto / Cambridge, ON's Ketch Harbour Wolves stand out in my mind for working well as very much a rock band and in their stripped-down acoustic version. I've enjoyed them while sitting on the grass in a backyard and in a traditional rock club setting. If you've been around the Canadian music scene in recent years, you may have heard and loved them, too. After all, their last disc, Dead Calm Horizon, earned the no. 1 spot of Herohill's list of top Canadian EPs of 2008! (And those guys listen to a lot of Canadian music.) With strong vocals---including great harmonies---and an emphasis on lyrical content, KHW offer up catchy yet moody melodic rock. They also create awesome show posters, IMHO.

Download: Ketch Harbour Wolves, "Animals" (Dead Calm Horizon, 2008). Beautiful song.
Download: Ketch Harbour Wolves, "Words" (Dead Calm Horizon, 2008). Ditto... the whole album's great.

In the middle spot Friday night are the Rest from Hamilton. They've recently signed with UK record label Something In Construction, and were across the pond for a few shows in mid-October to spread the word about their gorgeous full-length, Everyone All At Once, released here in Canada earlier this year. They've just put out an EP, Walk On Water. The Rest remind me of Shearwater, a band I love but am not always in the mood for.

Download: The Rest, "Sheep In Wolves’ Clothing" (Everyone All At Once, 2009).
Download: The Rest, "Walk On Water" (Walk On Water, 2009).

Chinese Food round out the bill. Uh... why have I not heard this band before? Listening now and enjoying their pop sensibility. Guess this means I better be sure to hit up this show on time!

Download: Chinese Food, "Party At the Kennedy's" (When The Future Caught On Fire, 2008).

Why am I telling you all this? Oh, right: presents! Courtesy KHW, I've got a pair of tickets to the show plus a copy of their 2008 EP to give away. To get in on this, send me an email (historyjenATgmailDOTcom) with "KHW" in the subject line. Get it to me by Wednesday, 9 Dec, at 11:59pm. I'll let you know the next day if you're a winner. The show's 19+.

Fine Print: Ketch Harbour Wolves, the Rest, and Chinese Food @ El Mocambo (First Floor), Friday, 11 Dec., 9pm, $10 (door, or $8 adv, details here).

Review: Two Hours Traffic, Sports: the Band, and the Darcys @ The Garrison, Toronto.

A couple Saturday nights ago (21 Nov) I went to the Garrison to see one of my favourite bands, Two Hours Traffic, and a couple good local acts. The Garrison is the newest downtown venue for indie bands and DJ nights. Located in the Dundas & Ossington neighbourhood, it's just a stone's throw from the Dakota Tavern, and kitty-corner to a handful of trendy bars. I've been going there regularly since it opened in late October, usually because it is home to the Sunday-night series Wavelength. This particular show was all-ages, though it seemed like only a small handful of people were not wearing blue wristbands. I had missed THT when they played Lee's Palace last month during their proper cross-country tour, so was eager to see them, and at a smaller venue than they ought rightly to play. But so much the better for me.

First up were the always snappily dressed Darcys. I know I've seen this band at least once before, but it was so long ago that I really have no memory of it. Their recordings, though, I enjoy, even if they are a bit too rock for me. Knowing their songs didn't get me anywhere that night, though: the whole set list was, so we were told, comprised of new songs. How fun. Their record is done but no word yet on when it will be officially released.

Download: The Darcys, "I'm A Ship" (Endless Water, 2007).
Download: The Darcys, "The CN Tower Belongs to the Dead" (Final Fantasy cover, single, 2009).

The Darcys post-rock fuzz-gaze art pop (or whatever; I shouldn't even try) was followed by Sports: the Band, a more peppy / less preppy outfit. I've seen Sports a few times, and I quite like their spirited pop tunes. I've increasingly come to respect the fact that they are doing something a little different, even though their live performances aren't always as tight as they might be. What they lack in precision is more than made up for in stage presence . . . and here I especially mean the dorky/adorable Robin Hatch on keys and vocals. It was, unfortunately for me, her last show with the men, but it's all good. Here's to new musical projects and directions.

Download: Sports: the Band, "Cast Lots" (s/t EP, 2008).

Earlier this year PEI folk-pop quartet released their third full-length album, Territory. To my mind it's not as good as their second, Little Jabs. That record, though, is so so so good that I forgive them. A band can't be brilliant all the time. And so it was with their performance. Not quite as mesmerizing as they could be, but certainly strong enough to meet my high expectations. (It would have been hard to beat the last all-ages show they played in Toronto.) The set was about equally filled with songs off Territory and Little Jabs, including my favourites "Stuck for the Summer," "Jezebel," "Territory," "Stolen Earrings," "Backseat Sweetheart," and so many more! The bit at the end of "Lost Boys" was performed as a full song by Liam. Good stuff. The excited fans around me near the front---including CBC Radio 3 host Grant Lawrence, to whom the band dedicated their encore song---were singing along. Very quickly I found myself grinning and dancing. I really do love this band. They do folk-pop-rock pretty damn near perfectly.

Download: Two Hours Traffic, "Stuck for the Summer" (Little Jabs, 2007).
Download: Two Hours Traffic, "Territory" (Territory, 2009).

The Garrison, being a new venue, is still a challenge for sound techs, and this was apparent that night, especially during THT's set. The first song was rocky, sound-wise, and throughout the set I would have preferred a slightly better mix with louder acoustic guitar. No big deal, though. Improvements are being made, and the sound techs will work out the kinks. It's nice to have a new spot for good music, and so far I've had a great time hanging out there.

Tonight was no exception. Good bands, some variety, a healthy crowd, and I even bought myself a copy of Little Jabs on vinyl before I left. Now I just need a record player . . . .

Photo credit: Ming Wu, of the THT show in Ottawa earlier this month. He has his own music and photo blogs.

New Video: the Left - Drinking About You

the Left - Drinking About You



Download a free MP3 of this song at theleft.ca

Another Free sampler from Zunior.

In the hope of getting you to buy more music Zunior regularly hands out free samples. Their latest sampler is up with songs from Burn Planetarium, Mike Duguay, Boys Noize, the Wilderness of Manitoba, Magenta Lane, the Hoa Hoa's, the Montains & the Trees, Hot Little Rocket, Kyra and Tully and CFCF.

Grab it at http://www.zunior.com/product_info.php?products_id=2741.

Rhume Offers Free Discography (limited time offer)

Rhume is celebrating their 10th Anniversary and their triumphant return by giving away their older music. Kelp Records founder Jon Bartlett's band Rhume was active in the early 2000's, releasing a full length and two 7" singles then things went quiet for a bit and Jon got busy with other people's albums.

It was ten years ago this coming January, that Rhume’s homebaked “Snack of Choice” came out, celebrating with a wild show at the Hi-Fi on Rideau with our pals Wayne Omaha and the Co-operators. While there was lots of Rhume activity in the early-oughts (two albums, a 7″ and a North American tour), Rhume has chiefly been an eating/drinking club in John Higney’s basement for the latter half of this decade, surfacing for the annual Kelp anniversary weekend show.

This will change in 2010, with a new album tentatively titled “British Teeth” slated for fall release. Till then, y’all younglings should get to know the catalogue, most of which was released when you were diapered, droolin’ toddlers.

In preparation for their comeback they are giving away what they've done to date. Just go here, enter an email and choose your format.

Review: The RAA, Bahamas, and Fox Jaws @ Lee's Palace.

On Friday night the RAA performed for a sold-out hometown crowd at Lee's Palace. It was a great show; I'll get to that. First, some background.

I've been following the Rural Alberta Advantage since the summer of '07, and first saw them perform back in May 2006 (with, apparently, Friday Morning's Regret, AKA the Wooden Sky, though I can't remember). About a year ago, I included the RAA in my personal list of the hottest Canadian bands of 2008. Listing them at no. 7, I noted that they'd gone on an east-coast tour, played to a capacity crowd during NxNE, and that their album had been

getting rave reviews from critics and regular folk across the continent. . . . Hampered in part by the success of Woodhands---drummer Paul Banwatt plays in both---the band has had to turn down show offers (to open for the Dodos, for one) and hasn't been able to tour as extensively as it otherwise might have. And yet. All this underground pressure must lead somewhere, and heck it has to be soon. I predict some lucky label will snatch up the RAA in late 2008 or early 2009, re-release Hometowns, and we'll see the band take itself out west and beyond.

(They made it to no. 19 on the actual hottest list.) A month later they opened for Ohbijou and the Acorn at Lee's Palace. I remember thinking that this was a pretty big deal for them, and the band thought so too. They were really excited to be playing that night. As part of my review, I commented, "here's to hoping for bigger things for this band soon!"

Well. I wasn't quite right about the details, but that's because I could never have imagined what actually did happen very shortly after I published my "hottest" list on 27 October. The story's been told well here, but the short version is that the good reviews got the word out a bit and in November their self-released disc, Hometowns, was named eMusic's album of the month. Soon enough bloggers all over the US (primarily) were writing about the album, giving it more rave reviews. I read a whole bunch of these, and got a huge kick when some random young woman in Ohio or wherever wrote that the RAA was her new favourite band. ("Hey!," I'd think, "that's my band!") Fast-forward to March, where at SxSW, thanks to eMusic, the RAA opened for Grizzly Bear in a church, to---you guessed it---rave reviews. Thrilling! Soon they were signed to Saddle Creek.

After that Paul Banwatt, Amy Cole, and Nils Edenloff started touring in the US---they'd played a couple NYC shows in early 2009 already---and then did make it out to western Canada and back. They've been on the road pretty steadily since then, and, if I'm not mistaken, have also been recording some new songs for their next album. Their 30 July CD release show at the Horseshoe was sold out (crazy, at $12-$15 dollars a ticket). Friday's Lee's Palace gig, their first in Toronto since then, was priced at $15 in advance, or $18 at the door, but tickets were long gone days before. The RAA is getting to be out of my price-range. How wonderful.

And Friday's show was indeed wonderful.

-----

Fox Jaws opened things up. This Barrie band, producers of finely-crafted indie rock, are always good, but Friday they were on top of their game. They sounded fantastic, and though I'm still not convinced guitarist Dan Allen should take over lead vocals from Carleigh Aikins on occasion, I was impressed. I'm starting to see what Bob sees in them, and though I think they are a little too rock for me, they looked right on that stage. One song fell a little flat---something about phone calls---but otherwise, great stuff.

Next up, the man responsible for one of my favourite albums of the year, Bahamas. I saw him---Afie Jurvanen---back in August (playing with the Weakerthans' drummer), and then again all by his lonesome when he opened for Amy Millan at the Mod Club. I really enjoyed both sets, but the Mod Club performance was something special. His banter was spot-on, really adding to his songs, and the heavily female crowd was pretty near silent. So I was looking forward to seeing him again, this time with his regular drummer.

Once they got on stage, they proceeded to sound-check---must'a not had a chance before---and that's fine, but it wasn't the best sign. Sound problems marked his set, but mostly sound problems the audience couldn't detect. Jurvanen got some laughs later by covering the song he said he could hear being played upstairs in the Dance Cave. The character I'd seen at the Mod Club was there in force, and I'm not sure I really like the extra attitude. All the talking between songs distracted somewhat from the music, and didn't end up having the hoped-for effect: to shush the audience. There were some good moments, including a song I'd never heard before, and a cover of Prince's "Purple Rain" to end things on a definite high note.* And he played some of my favourites off Pink Strat. I was happy, but not ecstatic.

Bahamas was less than magical, but the RAA really rose to the occasion. They came on stage to cheers from the audience, and the band members' grins gave away their delight. It had been quite a year, and though I suspect most people in the audience had no idea of just far the band has come, this did nothing to diminish the moment. Throughout the set I could hear people singing the words to songs they knew, and anticipating when it was time to clap along, or even when it was time to go "woo ooo" during "The Dethbridge in Lethbridge."

The set was heavy with songs off Hometowns, but we were treated to a few new songs, including one song I had never heard before. One of them, about life on the road, featured pounding beats. A real folk-dance number, it was awesome. Another, presumably titled "North Star," I've heard a few times, and it too I quite like. The one I'd never heard before started with an organ solo, and soon enough Banwatt came in with another pounding, primal drum beat. The chorus had Edenloff practically screaming. Brilliant. (Every time I see this band I'm struck by how amazing Banwatt is. Why do I always forget?) During the encore they played "Barnes' Yard," yet another new one. I'm looking forward to a new RAA record. Should be a stunner.

I've seen the RAA more than 15 times now, in a few different settings, and I always liked them. But, like I wrote about their July show, touring has made a difference. Not just in their stage set-up, which has Banwatt in-line with Cole and Edenloff, and not just in banter, which is much better, but in performance, too. They fill the stages they are playing with their presence and sound---Edenloff especially---and know how to perform to fans both new (mostly) and old (like me). Although I was most excited about hearing newer stuff, I was still thrilled with the ones I've been hearing live for years. And I still love their record. I'm listening to it right now.

Download: The RAA, "Don't Haunt this Place" (Hometowns, 2009).
Download: The RAA, "Frank, AB" (Hometowns, 2009).
Download: The RAA, "Barnes' Yard" (Daytrotter Session, 2009).

Great show. Oh, and that hottest Canadian bands list I referred to above? The RAA topped it in 2009. Of course.

Photo credit: I took the ones of each band member on Friday night from Chromewaves. Frank Yang has great photos of all the performers.

* I think I was the only person in the audience not to know this song. Everyone else was singing along.