Tag Archives: Music Monday

Aug 2 2010

Music Monday – The Weakerthans

I was going to start this week’s Music Monday post with “No band is more closely associated with Winnipeg than The Weakerthans”, but then I remembered a little group called The Guess Who. Let’s just agree that The Weakerthans are the current standard bearers for the ‘Peg, and they are beloved by all who call that city home.

If you’re a fan of elegant songs, intelligent lyrics, and fine musicianship, these are your guys.  They will be on tour in Ontario this week – you can catch them in Peterborough on August 6th, at the Wolfe Island Music Festival (across the bay from Kingston) on August 7th, and at the vaunted Edelweiss Tavern in Kitchener on August 8th. Jim Bryson will be opening for them, and then he’ll perform with the band at the Ottawa Folk Festival the following weekend as part of a new collaboration.

While it’s fair to say I love all of their songs, I’ve been listening to Night Windows a lot lately. It’s partly because I’m learning the guitar part, but the words also keep running through my head – especially “But you’re not coming home again, and I won’t ever get to say…” If you’ve lost someone close to you, that line has some bite.

Here’s a live version from the 2008 Polaris Music Prize concert at the Dakota Tavern.

Incidentally, John named the song after the Edward Hopper painting of the same name. If it gives you greater insight into the song, here’s the painting.

Jun 21 2010

Music Monday – The Marimbist

Today’s Music Monday post is very personal as it takes me back to the very genesis of my interest in percussion.  I was just a wee lad, watching the 1992 Miss U.S.A. pageant on television with my ma and pa, when Mr. Regis Philbin introduced an artist who would change my life forever.

Until that point in the talent portion of the competition, the performances had been pretty boring.  Lots of dancing and Broadway show tunes, and one decent baton twirler.  But then Miss South Carolina took the stage, and this marimba virtuouso gave the performance of a lifetime.

Her performance was a rare combination of technique, phrasing, and showmanship.  She flew up and down the keyboard, her hands a blur.  It was the talk of the percussion world the next day, and I dare say many young musicians, including yours truly, were inspired to take up this noble instrument.

For many years, this video was only circulated amongst the marimba cognoscenti.  Thankfully, technology has evolved and her talent, her joie de viver, can now be shared with everyone.

Take it away, Regis.

Jun 14 2010

Music Monday – The Swell Season

Festival season is almost upon us, and I’m starting to get really excited about some of the artists I’ll get to hear this summer. At the top of my list is The Swell Season, the duo of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, who shot to fame in the film Once.

Incredibly, there are some among us who haven’t seen Once yet. If you are one of those poor, unfortunate people, I strongly urge you to set aside 86 minutes tonight and watch it. You should probably also set aside a couple of hours tomorrow to buy a guitar if you don’t already have one – after watching the movie, your life will feel incomplete without one.

Watching Glen sing Leave was one of the reasons I bought an acoustic guitar last year. I had this romantic idea that a guitar would be a conduit, a way to unlock a passionate side of me that is just looking for a way out. So far, no dice. If and when it does happen, I’ll let you know.

Three years after the film was released, Glen and Marketa are still recording and touring together. They’ll be on the main stage at the Winnipeg Folk Festival on Friday, July 9th and at Ottawa Bluesfest on Sunday, July 11. Other tour dates can be found on their website.

You can listen to other Swell Season tracks at the usual places

The Swell Season Website

The Swell Season on MySpace

Jun 7 2010

Music Monday – Right Drummer, Wrong Gig

Playing ZZ Top tunes in a cover band once might be fun.

Playing ZZ Top tunes in a cover band 200 times a year would be excruciating.

Especially if you’re the drummer.

Unless…

Unless you cast aside the conventions of what a drummer should look like and adopt your own unique style.

Steve Moore, from Rick K. and the Allnighters, is one such drummer.

With a bag of tricks inspired by Tommy Lee and the Muppet Show’s Animal, limitless energy, and a commitment to being completely over-the-top, he’s gone from relative obscurity to world-wide fame in approximately six days.

He’s now simply known as, “the drummer at the wrong gig.”

May 31 2010

Music Monday – I’ll Be Gone

This week’s Music Monday pick is courtesy of Douglas Coupland.  Actually, it’s courtesy of Douglas Coupland’s Twitter feed (www.twitter.com/DougCoupland).  Wait, it’s actually courtesy of David Weir, who originally posted the link and then Douglas Coupland re-tweeted it.

In any case, the track is I’ll Be Gone by Lithuanian producer Mario Basanov, with Vidis, featuring Jazzu.  The song is fine, but I think the video is brilliant.  Simple concept, great execution.  The needles are hypnotic, and when the ink begins to lift off the page – it’s magic.