Category: Pop

Canada’s Best Music – 5 Songs At A Time – Part 7

Been feeling really tired here lately.  Winter is setting in with a vengeance (minus 25 predicted next week), the snow is here and no chinook in sight.  Had to work 5 days this week for the first time in what seems like months. All in all, very depressing and hard to motivate to do any posts other than the really easy stuff, therefore I apologize.  In an effort to cheer myself up, and I am posting another 5 Canadian tunes.  Hope you enjoy.

1. Gino Vanelli

“People Gotta Move”

Gino Vannelli, Festival de Jazz Riviera Maya 2009

A second entry from Montreal singer Gino Vanelli.  Kind of sings about what I need to do this weekend.  Gotta move.  This is a live version (I love live music, it separates talent from pretenders) and has a great vibe.

2. Blue Peter

“Radio Silence”

Some 80’s stylish rock from a pretty good band.  This song channels Bryan Ferry and David Byrne.

3. Bryan Adams

“Somebody”

Somebody (Bryan Adams song)

Another Bryan Adams classic.  A true anthem.

4. Paul Anka

“You’re Having my Baby”

Paul Anka at the 2007 North Sea Jazz Festival

Canadian 70’s crooning.

5. Jayne Sibbery

“Mimi on the Beach”

Jane is an interesting artist.  Quite the songwriter, yet she seems to shun the spotlight.

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My Top Tunes of 2011

Raphael Saadiq, American singer-songwriter.
Raphael Saadiq

This post includes songs that were new to me in 2011, meaning some of them may not be real 2011 releases.  Once again, my blog, my rules.  Now that I have set the ground rules, I will not mince words or platitudes on these bands or songs and will simply post the video with a link to their website.  Please visit them, and remember, support these artists and any others that strike you, be they authors, musicians, sculptors etc.  It is hard to be creative when you are starving.

10. Adele        Rolling In The Deep

Could have picked any of the songs on this album.

9. Matthew Barber    Keep It Alive

A beautiful ballad.

8. Foster The People   Pumped Up Kicks

The lyrics are what sets this song apart from the pack.  Easy to sing along, but what is it that you are singing.

7. Sara Bareilles    King of Anything

A light pop sound, but done, oh so well.

6. Amos Lee    Windows Are Rolled Down

This guy has been blowing me away for years.  Great, great song.

5. Cake    Sick Of You

My solar-powered entry.

4. Frank Turner   If Ever I Stray

British folk songs, sung by ex-punk stars with really cool videos seem to be very popular now.

3. Eliza Doolittle   Pack Up

Another cool retro style British pop song, and I have no idea why I liked it so much.

2.  Raphael Saadiq   Stone Rollin’

Saw him at the House of Blues in New Orleans.  PERFECT!!!  If R&B hadn’t been invented, he would be right now.

1. Trombone Shorty     Do To Me

I was stunned when I first heard this album.  Couldn’t download it fast enough.

Canada’s Best Music – 5 Songs At A Time – Part 2

Don't Call Me Baby (Kreesha Turner song)

Today brings 5 more Canadian songs that I would like to share.  The mix this time out includes some bluegrass/country with the Good Brothers, some modern pop with Justin Bieber (sorry, but he is Canadian), some classic rock with the Ian Thomas Band (Dave Thomas of Strange Brew‘s brother), some hip hop/dance with Kreesha Turner and some out and out rock and roll with Billy Talent.  As always, please follow-up on these people using the links, and on YouTube.

1.  The Good Brothers

     “Fox on the Run”

Some mighty fine picking on this live version of the song.  These guys have been around a LOOOONNG time, their first album was out in 1967 and they are still recording and touring.

2.  Billy Talent

  “Try Honesty”

Another hard-working band that made it big world-wide, Billy Talent has recorded since 1999 and together in one form or the other since 1987.  Great song.

3.  Ian Thomas Band

“The Runner”

A couple of things on Ian Thomas.  First, he is the brother of Dave Thomas of SCTV fame, and Mackenzie brother fame, the hoser.  Second, you may recognize the song as a Manfred Mann song.  Not so, Manfred Mann’s version was a cover of the 1980 original.

4. Justin Bieber

“Baby”

Catchy, other than that – No comment.

5. Kreesha Turner

“Don’t Call Me Baby”

As if in response to Justin.

Listening to the Monkees

The Monkees, left to right: Micky Dolenz, Davy...
The Monkees

The Monkees are a major footnote in 60’s music and TV history.  Originally revered as America’s answer to the Beatles, with their own TV show that mirrored the Beatles movies, Help and A Hard Days Night, they, then, in classic pop culture fashion, became as reviled as, lets see. Milli Vanilli, as  scandal erupted that they were a throw together group of actors who really didn’t play or write the music.  While partially true, they really could play, they were trapped in this image of being nothing more than a made for TV act.

Headquarters (album)

Following the demise of the show and the end of their relationship with produce Don Kirshner, the band went into studio to put out some music that would prove they were truly a band.  This resulted in their album “Headquarters”.  The album went straight to number 1, yet faded quickly as it had the unfortunate timing as to be out at the same time as Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band was released. The band, while playing their own instruments, used real back up artists in session.  The list of artists is amazing.  Appearing on the album were Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Lowell George, Buddy Miles, Glen Campbell and Louie Shelton.

The video attached is from a TV special that aired in April of 1969.  Peter Tork left the band at the end of the taping of this special, which expedited the eventual end of the group.  The song is pretty much the only song by the group that I ever became attached to.  They had their hits, but this song, to me anyways, was their best effort at proving they were truly a band.  Michael Nesmith is a very talented singer songwriter and his skill shows in this song.  By the way, stop watching after about 4 minutes cause it gets all 60’s after that, you know, all that psychedelic stuff that we thought was really cool back then.

Listen To the Band

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My Philosophy Of Music

Frank Sinatra at Girl's Town Ball in Florida, ...
Frank Sinatrra

 

For those of you that follow my ramblings, you may have noticed that I post a lot of entries about music.  You may find it odd that a travel blog does this on such a regular basis.  The truth is, I find it hard to accumulate my thoughts and generate regular travel posts and I choose to fill these creative lapses with other people’s creativity.

I have had a life long obsession with music and have become slightly philosophical about it.  For example, the following videos.  What do they have in common.  Figure that out, and I believe you will understand my tastes in music.

 

Lady Antebellum – “Need You Now”

 

 

Clue 1 – I normally cannot even listen to country music, however, I do make the odd exception, and this is one of them.

 

John Mayer Trio – “Vultures”

 

 

Clue 2 – Supposed pop artists have other sides.

 

Hudson Ford – Crying Blues

 

 

Clue 3 – Just because you never heard of it, doesn’t mean the music is uninteresting or bad.

 

And finally

 

Frank Sinatra – Fly Me To The Moon

 

 

Now it is time to connect the dots.  Lady Antebellum, John Mayer Trio, Hudson-Ford and Frank Sinatra.  I do not like country, but I really like Lady Antebellum’s song, John Mayer, notorious pop artist, Hudson-Ford, obscure 70’s group, and Frank Sinatra, classic crooner, as far from rock as one can get these days.  The common thread is simply that each and every one of these is GOOD. Good is, well, good.   Nothing, even genre, can transcend great songs.  All of these are, in my mind, well written and well performed.  Great players make great music.  Even if you don’t like the type of music, certain songs can pull you in, solely by just how well done they are.  I have learned over the years not to dismiss or be prejudicial towards any form of music and to listen closely for what may be, or not be, something that could be the next big tune on my iPod.   I would hate to miss that song.

New Canadian Music Releases – November 15, 2011

Tegan and Sara playing a show in Hamburg, Germ...
Tegan and Sara

A slow week  for new releases as groups prepare for their Christmas releases or are releasing Christmas albums.  Having said that, our first new release is technically not new.  Tegan and Sara (from Calgary, Canada) have released a live album (Get Along) to go with their new DVD concert release.  They are twin sisters, Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin, and they have had some success on the indie/alternative scene around the world.  They have been recording since 1999.  This is their 7th disc.  They have been nominated for Juno awards in Canada on 4 occasions, having yet to win.  They have won 2 Western Canada Music Awards, the most recent in 2010.  This award was significant as it was an International Achievement Award.

The video below is “Call It Off”, not a live version, but is indicative of their body of work.

 

 

Don't Call Me Baby (Kreesha Turner song)
Kreesha Turner

Next up is Edmonton native, Kreesha Turner.  She is an R&B/Pop artist with a hip hop lean.  She began her road in music directly out of high school in 2003, winning an Edmonton radio station’s talent contest in 2005.  This is her second album release, a follow up to 2008’s “Passion”.  In her career she has twice been nominated for Juno Awards, losing both times.  She has already had some USA success having reached number 1 on the Billboard Dance Chart  with “Don’t Call Me Baby”. The video is from the new album and is titled “Rock, Paper, Scissors”.

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Music Video Made with Jelly Beans???

These are my Jelly Belly jelly beans, and you ...

This is a very cool video.  The work, the thought , the time that went into this is incredible.  Kina Grannis wanted to do something different and this, most definitely, is different.  The idea came from Greg Jardin, the director of the film.  The song “In Your Arms” is a nice piece, made extraordinary by this video.  The list below says it all.

To create a 3:25 video required:

22 months
1,357 hours
30 people
2 ladders
1 still camera
288,000 jelly beans

Enjoy, and appreciate the talent and work that created this.  The first insert is “THE VIDEO”.  The second describes the making of the film.  This is well worth the watch.

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New Canadian Releases – September 27, 2011

Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah Slean opening...
Sarah Slean

Our first new release is by Dan Mangan.  The album name is Oh Fortune and was released today.  Born in Smithers, BC and now living in Vancouver, Dan is an indie-folk-rock singer songwriter.  This album is his third as he steadily grows in popularity.  The video is the song “Rows of Houses” from the new album.

The second new release is by Canadian alternative band “Cuff the Duke” and is titled “Morning Comes”.  Hailing from Oshawa, their sound is kind of country folk mix in the style of Blue Rodeo.  The video is a cut from the album “Count On Me”

The Barr Brothers, are a Montreal based rock band and just released their self titled album.  They are not an in your face band and their music is very lyrical and though out.  The video is a lve version of “Beggar in the Morning” off the album.  As you will see, it is very laid back, but nicely done.

Our 4th entry is from Juno nominated artists, The New Cities.  Their latest album is called “Kill the Lights” and the attached video is “Heatwave” off the album.  This Trois-Rivieres pop band is riding a wave of popularity with the release of this, their second album.  Their music has been featured on “Gossip Girl” and “So You Think You Can Dance”.

Our final entry is a new release by Pickering, Ontario’s favourite songstress, Sarah Slean.  This is Sarah’s 11th album (6th studio).  Her first album was released in 1997.  She has cultivated a large following in Canada.  The video attached is titled “Set It Free” and is a catchy number that will continue to win new fans for her work.

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Listening to Canadians – Ash Koley

Ash Koley at the Rio Theatre
Image by emmerogers via Flickr

Ash Koley is a Canadian talent, born and raised in Winnipeg.  Winnipeg is a major Canadian hotbed of musical talent having spawned the Guess Who, Crash Test Dummies, The Watchmen and  Chantal Kreviazuk just to name  few.  Ash Koley performs a mix of pop, alternative and a dash of new wave in her music.  The song I have chosen to introduce to you, the reader is “Brighter At Night”.  Not a chart topping monolithic anthem, but a light enjoyable summer type of song, heavy on the pop.  Hope you enjoy, even a little bit.

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Listening to Foster The People

Mittwoch ist heute,
Image by baerchen57 via Flickr

This song is kind of a hoot.  The band, Foster The People, is an indie pop band out of California.  They enjoyed success with the song “Pumped Up Kicks”, the video for which is attached.  Released in early 2011, the song is infectious and could almost be called a perfect summer song.  It reached number one on several charts, including Canada.  I enjoy the song, but not as much as Lori, who really likes the beat and, for some reason, really likes saying “pumped up kicks”

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