Horrifying radio

Well, I don't advertise any different. No refunds!

Track list:

1. Transylvanian Polka - transylvanian polka - 13th night

Comments: Apparently the last show played these guys too. We will make you famous, TP!

2. Ruth Minnikin & Her Bandwagon - various: wanna be your friend: a tribute to the inbreds - she's acting

Comments: I'm in love with this album. I want to have its little babies, excpet I've heard it's illegal.

3. Sunset Rubdown - random spirit lover - the mending of the gown

Comments: Oooooh good. Driving pop kicks my ass in seven directions.

4. Ira Lee and Critical Mass - die. - alberta's trying to kill me

Comments: The province of Alberta is trying to kill him! I agree, Alberta freaks me out. Perhaps I should dress as Alberta for Halloween? This song, though it has many offensive words, has a socially conscious message attached and also pretty much rocks the party.

5. Parlour Steps - ambiguoso - gargoyles passion

Comments: Good good introspection, and howling! Nicely done.

6. Share - pedes trian - dance dance retribution

Comments: HA! I can't resist the occasional video game joke. This is delightfully offbeat.

7. Bitter:Sweet - the remix game - bittersweet faith (thievery corporation remix)

Comments: Very funky, and yet so smooth, I think I just buttered myself.

8. Wax Mannequin - various: cbc radio 3 breaking new sound tour compilation - you and all your friends

Comments: Wax Mannequin send me regular emails, letting me know what's up with them. I appreciate it. Thanks, WM! You guys sound charmingly upbeat. Either that or you're bitter angry types who are also academy-worthy actors. Either way you have my respect.

Seafood buffet

I don't know what to tell you. I'm conflicted about my vegetarianism! And yet I'm wearing a leather jacket. But it's second-hand! Aw hell.

Track list:

1. Baby Eagle - no blues - rainwater blues

Comments: lamenting and lovely.

2. The Bloggers - the bloggers - last pay

Comments: unabashedly weird and therefore great.

3. Low In The Sky - we are all counting on you, william - the pursuit of the giant squid

Comments: Yeah, William. Don't let us down. Yeesh. This is serene and pretty, and makes me love squid even more than I already do.

4. Tunturia - our world is yours - cast shadows on clouds

Comments: The prettiest soundtrack music I have heard in weeks. I must be feeling vulnerable, because I'm even unironically enjoying the 'kids talking' sfx. Some of my filters must be on the fritz.

5. Portico - progeny blues - all you daughters

Comments: More lamenting pretty music. I swear, it's like you could map my psyche by the music I play each week. But don't! I don't need that. Use your skills for something worthwhile. Map your backyard, or something.

6. The Sadies - new seasons - my heart of wood

Comments: Oh, they were so good! SO GOOD. It was like stupid human tricks with guitars. Fabulous.

7. Tim Gilbertson - tim gilbertson - long walk

Comments: I'm always glad when it's been a few weeks since I played this song, because it means I can play it again. It's very charming.

8. Element Kuuda - le village - le ruisseau

Comments: The internet must make the French absolutely nuts, because you can't put any accents on anything. I know it makes me just about claw my own face off in frustration, so I can't imagine what a French internet cafe would look like. Miserable, purple-faced people with tension headaches, frantically drinking straight out of wine bottles to take the edge off. How awful.
You know what else might make me drink heavily? If this song refuses to kick in for a whole four and a half minutes. Still, an excuse to dull the pain is still an excuse, so I'm willing to go with it.

9. The Reasonable Men - the reasonable men - the gap in my teeth

Comments: strummy and scrummy. Is that just a made-up word? Is it only me and my granma that use that word? Probably.

The internet, she is broke

I can complain about the internet in a funny Italian accent because of my heritage! It is not offensive because my dad was born there! Woodstove-loving grape-squashers!
Anyway, the internet was broken yesterday, so I'm putting this list together today. And since I'm not spontaneously reviewing the songs as I go, I'm going to instead attempt to attach pictures that accurately represent my mood as it relates to the songs. Some explanation may be necessary. Here we go.

Track list:

1. John Vanderslice - the emerald city - kookaburra


Short, hammy, happy yet introspective, able to commune with the animals.





2. The Cave Singers - invitation songs - seeds of night


For some reason, when you google image search "eccentric genius" you get... buttwings. I guess everyone's definition is different.




3. The Details - draw a distance, draw a border - a national anthem

I am extremely conflicted about this Cuomo guy. Over time I expect it to turn to the raw hatred that can only be born of betrayal, at which point I guess I'll have to change the photo.



4. Ruby Jean & the Thoughtful Bees - wanna be your friend: a tribute to the Inbreds - amelia earhart

In this photo we have true love and raw power, battling for supremacy. True love will win out in the end.




5. Nick Lowe - at my age - I trained her to love me

Here is a dude (?) who is thinking wistfully, possibly of olden times. But this hat is nice, he thinks, and the toilets now are undeniably better. Perhaps it is wiser and more satisfying to appreciate what we have now (plus ca change, and all that).


6. The Sadies - new seasons - yours to discover

Don Quixote, like me, is on an epic quest. We are both terribly dim, well meaning, and never going to achieve our ends. I'm trying to get a handle on the sprawling Sadies catalogue, whereas he's attempting to impress chicks while hallucinating. Only slightly more difficult, believe it or not.


7. The Luyas - faker death - cats in a bag

This cat likes this song very much. But he's currently a bit preoccupied by our society's overindulgence in collectibles. When will the crap-madness stop!



8. Legion of green men - baqontraq - dubbaq

Smash the system, yeaarrgh! There's a folk show on after me, so this is good for contrast. And also for system smashing hiiiiii-yah! And now I must take a nap.

Concertina

Shows - October is concert month (unofficially). I'm going to see at least four shows this month, which is at least four more than I have seen in the last six months. Oh, I never go anywhere. It's about to get socialized!

Track list:

1. Hrsta - ghosts will come and kiss our eyes - beau village

Comments: dude owns a proper Thom Yorke voice, which I'm sure he hears constantly and hates. I'm sorry about that, I'm constantly saying these things and then having to apologize. You would think I'd learn, but you'd be wrong. Anyway, I love it, own your pretty voice!

2. The Weakerthans - reunion tour - tournament of hearts

Comments: If you can catch all of the curling references, then you win my affection. And possibly some curling trophies, you must be a professional.

3. Nick Lowe - at my age - join the club

Comments: Continuously great. I love misery! I would like to formally note that this is basically the tijuana brass and elvis version of "just ask the lonely". Who knew such a thing was possible?

4. The Sadies - new seasons - the trial

Comments: Neko Case said they're the best live show ever, and she don't lie.

5. B.A. Johnston - various: cbc radio 3 breaking new sound tour compilation - deep fryer in my bedroom

Comments: If the carnival went to Alabama. Uh, what? I really just love this crazy crap. Be aware: language warning. Hear it on his myspace if that interests you (and it should). "Is it wrong? NO!"

6. Octoberman - run from safety - elbow room

Comments: Hey Marc, what's shakin? I like this, it's plinky and nice. This is definite walkin' home in a funk after a bad day at work music. Thank you for meeting my personal music needs.

7. The Deep Dark Woods - hang me oh hang me - shores of alabama

Comments: Radio stations demystified, part #85693 - The DDW sent two copies of this record to Ed, the music troll. He kept one for our library, which I am now playing for you (while typing this, anyway). The other happened to fall into my filthy little paws, totally unscathed by magic marker, and it now lives at my house. Or I lent it to my large paramour, I'm not sure. Anyway, it's mine, and it's damn good. Thank you for your unknowing donation, DDW! If you're playing a show anytime soon, I should come see you, just to pay you back, even the score, as it were. I'll have to do that. Okay, it's a date.
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The closest I'm getting is my birthday in Banff. Dammit!
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UPDATE: Luke, the skinsman for the band (okay drummer, but that sounds so much less dirty) says they'll be at the Railway Club, probably, sometime in late January. Hey, I think I just made a semi-exclusive concert announcement! Awesome.

8. Donovan Woods - the hold up - my cousin has a grey cup ring

Comments: awww yeah. I love the CFL. No lie. I could make a similar comment here to the one I made during song #1 with reference to Donovan and a dude called Sufjan, but again, I think there's no shame in that. Sufjan has a beautiful voice, and he's never going to venture into this awesome football territory.
To your right you will see an Argos ring, because Donovan is from Toronto - and because it's so sparkly. What other options do old men with a love of bedazzlement have? Sigh.

9. Bend Sinister - bend sinister - tv war

Comments: Somebody in the studio just said "eye of the tiger", but I think it's flattery rather than mocking. This is damned fun, that's all. And "she don't like" songs rule, in general.