Kurt Vile @ Criminal Records (In-Store Performance)

As of today, my most listened to album of 2010 has got to be Kurt Vile's Childish Prodigy, which is just about perfect as far as I'm concerned. There is something very seductive about its lo-fi melding of trippy 70's sounds and in your face songwriting that I find myself returning to it a couple of times a week. What's interesting is that, while expressing my enthusiasm toward seeing him perform in the intimate confines of a local record shop, a friend recently asked me to describe his music, and do you think I could do it? Of course not. And although my fumbling for the right words frustrated me a bit at the time, I suppose it's a testament to the originality of his material that I was unable to hurl a tag at him so easily. There's definitely some elements of psychedelia in there, but Roky Erickson, Mr. Vile is not. He's a little bit freaky and a little bit folky, but when the term 'freak-folk' calls to mind artists like Devendra Banhart, it hardly seems like that is an accurate tag either, although enjoying both of those artists may be a step in the right direction. Until I think of something better, I'm just going to go with fuzzed-out, lo-fi, Philadephian psychedelifolk, with a hint of classic rock throw in for good measure. And as lame as my particular description may be, the performance on that blustery winter eve was anything but.

When I heard his performances on CBC's Q earlier in the day, it seemed as if he was going to have some accompaniment on guitar and percussion with him for the show, but as it turned out, this was a solo performance and although he seemed slightly awkward on his own, that mild timidity still boasted an assured-ness that was quite endearing. There were a few issues with getting the sound just right, and although I don't think they ever really did, the slight hiss actually added to the overall effect, creating an atmospheric buzz that was well suited with Vile's fuzzed out tones. He opened with Overnite Religion and immediately followed that up with Dead Alive, both songs sounding even warmer and more haunting than on the album, largely as a result of his deliberately muffled vocals. One of the biggest surprises to me was the fact that he was a dang good guitarist, taking the opportunity to showcase his finger picking abilities several times throughout the show. His banter was laid back and brief, yet even simple questions like "What's the Opera House like?" was met with great enthusiasm. He played many of the great songs from the album, but unfortunately he didn't get to perform my favourite song Freak Train, likely due to the song's use of heavy percussion, of which he had none. Still, it was a short set that was still surprisingly heavy on material, and as he neared the end, an audience member loudly requested Blackberry Song, which had Vile respond by saying something like, "um, yah, well..." before he lunged into something entirely different. His sense of humour shone through though as he ended off with "that song for that dude" which, of course, was his way of introducing the aforementioned request. Sadly I wasn't going to be able to make it out to the Opera House for the actual show that evening, but I felt more than satisfied with what I did see, and there's no doubt that I'll likely get the opportunity to catch a full set next time around.

Photos: My pictures of Kurt Vile @ Criminal Records are on flickr
Myspace: Kurt Vile
Download: Overnite Religion mp3
Download: Hunchback mp3

Other stuff:
Born Ruffians are set to release their sophomore album entitled Say It on June 1st on Paper Bag Records. The first single, Soul Brother, is available as a free download. [Myspace: Born Ruffians]

The Weakerthans will be releasing a brand new CD/DVD set entitled Live at The Burton Cummings Theatre on March 23rd. They'll be celebrating this release with an all ages show at Queen Elizabeth Theatre on May 26th with their special guest Bahamas whose Pink Strat is up for a Juno in the Best Roots Album category. All ticket information is here. [Myspace: The Weakerthans, Bahamas]

Yah, so OK Go are officially the greatest music video makers of all time. Watch their latest video for This Too Shall Pass for proof. [Myspace: OK Go]

Two Way Monologues has ten questions with British Colombia's We Are The City. They are playing the Rancho Relaxo tonight for $5. [Myspace: We Are The City]

BBC Radio 6 Music News reports that Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse's Dark Night Of The Soul album is going to FINALLY get an official release sometime this year. Because last year's leak of the album made it an unofficial release, I was not able to include it on my year end best of, although in my opinion it would've definitely made it into my top 3. Maybe this qualifies it to be included on this year's list. Hmmmm.... [Myspace: Danger Mouse, Sparklehorse]

Rural Alberta Advantage / Bahamas / Fox Jaws @ Lee's Palace

Procrastination nearly gave me a swift kick to the head last Friday night, when up until about noon that day, it looked like I wasn't going to get in to the Rural Alberta Advantage's sold out show at Lee's Palace. I don't know why I didn't think it was going to be a problem since, according to a very reliable source, the RAA is currently the hottest band in Canada. Thankfully, I was one of the fortunate ones as I was able to squeeze in at basically the last minute. Sometimes it's kinda cool knowing someone who knows someone.

If you're a fan, (and these days who isn't) then you've likely already read a review of this show somewhere else on the interweb already, but here's a few of my own highlights anyway:

Barrie's Fox Jaws opened the night, and as always, they put on a fantastic show. The band and I have been forming quite the bond as of late, due to mutual admiration for what we do. I love their music, and they love how often I gush about how much I love their music. It's a very special relationship. When I play their music for friends, I'm admittedly greeted with varying levels of enthusiasm, but their live show is one of the few that I have brought friends to that have resulted in blown minds every single time. Obviously there was no room for me to bring friends this time around, but I did run into a couple of them when I was there, and following the show it looked like the Jaws have recruited yet some more new converts. The performance was as high energy as always, the vocals were insane, and the group really benefited from the excellent sound at Lee's on this particular night. Besides all of the great new songs from their latest album At Odds (or Exercises in Separation While United In The Fall), it was nice to hear a couple of the older classics as well, most notably my favorite song My Hands, My Plans, which I swear I saw lead vocalist Carleigh Aikins dedicate to yours truly, even though none of my friends saw it, which leads me to think that maybe it was just in my imagination, but I'm going to pretend that it wasn't, so that I can go on believing that this show was, in fact, the happiest day of my life, next to my wedding and the first time that I tried an apple fritter at Starbucks. (I'm not kidding, have you tried one of those sweet delicacies of death yet? Life altering.)

Photos: My shots of Fox Jaws @ Lee's Palace are on flickr
Myspace: Fox Jaws

Next up was Fox Jaws Nevado labelmate Afie Jurvanen, also known as Bahamas. When I saw him back in February he was still starting out as a solo artist, having only a handful of contacts on his myspace page. Since then, a lot has happened, including the aforementioned indie label signing, as well as the playing of a lot of shows. I remembered liking him back then, but I actually remembered very little else about the show. On the contrary, after this show, I don't think that I'll be forgetting him again anytime soon, although I hope that it's his impressive guitar playing that sticks with me in the long haul, and not some of the other stuff. I have to admit that I wasn't a huge fan of his stage presence and banter. He came across to me as rather cocky, (and not the good kind of cocky), and a lot of the times that he thought he was being funny, he really wasn't. If his attempts at humor were just of the bombing comedian sort, then I'd just feel bad for him, but it was more of the cutting and insulting sort, and I don't really have a lot of sympathy for that. In his defense the audience was littered with an irritating "let's talk during his whole set" vibe, so I understand that it must've been a test of his patience. Also, personal opinions aside, many who were paying attention actually did seem quite taken by him so maybe he actually was funny and my idea of humour is just different than everybody else's. (I also think Dane Cook is the most not-funny guy ever, so there you go.) He eventually got better as the set progressed though and, although it was a case of too little too late, he did actually make me chuckle a bit towards the end. As far as the music goes, the songs were decent enough, though not particularly memorable, but what eventually won me over was his guitar playing. He is an outstanding guitarist, and I really would've liked to see him (hear him) do more of that. Frank Zappa has a collection titled Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar, and I think that nowhere would that sentiment have been more appropriate than during this particular set. Those moments where he stepped away from the microphone towards center stage and wailed away on that axe were the definite highlights for me, and he also gets full marks for closing with a fun cover of Purple Rain. He ended the song after only a couple of verses, so I didn't get to see if vocally he could pull off the "I know I know I know times are changing!" scream or the apocalyptic closing guitar solo, but from what I had witnessed of his talents, I'd imagine that he could have. At least the solo.

Photos: My shots of Bahamas @ Lee's Palace are on flickr
Myspace: Bahamas

I had just seen the RAA at the Horseshoe back in July and, with a few exceptions, I don't usually make a habit of seeing the same artist twice within a certain space of time but there were a few reasons why I made an exception for this show. First of all, Fox Jaws (one of my exceptions) were opening. Secondly, the Horseshoe show was littered with irritating and out of place frat boy types and I was eagerly hoping that this wouldn't be the case this time. Thirdly, they seem to play bigger and bigger venues these days, which means if I don't catch them now, the next time could very well be a place like Kool Haus or Sound Academy and I just won't stand for that sort of thing. And fourthly, they're just so freakin' good!

The set of course was as phenomenal as always, with the band displaying that amicable sense of sincere gratitude that makes them so endearing to all of us. From where I was standing, the crowd was significantly better than last time, although I've read reports that seem to disagree. But simply forming an opinion based on those who were in my general vicinity, the crowd was appreciative and respectful. All of the touring and honing of their live show has really paid off in the sense that the band did not miss a step in terms of performance. Nils Edenloff didn't say all that much inbetween songs, but what he did say was worthwhile and enjoyable. He also, once again sang his heart out although it can't be easy to stretch the vocal muscles the way that he does night after night, and his voice did have a noticeable hoarseness that must be due to a staggering amount of performances lately. Amy Cole reminded me that she's much more than just another cute indie rocker, with her backing vocals adding just the right amount of timbre and variety to help these songs move beyond what they would be otherwise. Just like last time though, the star of the show for me was percussionist extraordinaire Paul Banwatt, who really is one of the best out there right now. The way he uses that kit to fill out the empty spaces within the songs helps to solidify their sound in such a way that the percussion really becomes the key distinguishing ingredient. They played almost every song from Hometowns which was great of course, but the highlights were a couple of the newer songs which showcased the fact that, while they definitely have a specific style, the next album is not likely to be a simple regurgitating of the same songs. There was one in particular that I believe they played right after Drain The Blood that sounded especially atmospheric and scrumptious. Nils solo cover of the theme song to The Littlest Hobo was also a nice touch that brought many of the thirtysomethings in the crowd back to their youth.

It looks like the tour is not going to be settling down any time soon as they spend a good chunk of December and January in the States, before settling in Vancouver in February. Hopefully they take a little break at that time and hit the studio to commit some of these new tracks to vinyl so that we can be spinning a second album in the early part of 2010.

Photos: My shots of Rural Alberta Advantage @ Lee's Palace are on flickr.
Myspace: Rural Alberta Advantage

Reviews are also available on Chromewaves, Narratives, Chart and BlogTO.

Olenka and the Autumn Lovers w/The Phonemes and Bahamas @ The Tranzac

Last Wednesday night was another winter filled evening of freezing rain and dirty snow, yet the girls and guys of Olenka and the Autumn Lovers made the trek from London, Ontario to our slushy city anyways for The Tranzac's Wombat Wednesdays, and boy, am I glad that they did! The last time that I saw this band, I was completely taken in by their uplifting sound, as well as Olenka Krakus' captivating vocal charms. They've been back a few times, but until now, I had been unable to catch their live show again. In the interim, they've continued to impress new audiences on a regular basis and, as I predicted, the buzz surrounding them is starting to grow.

This time around they were only a four piece, as violinist Sara Froese was unable to attend, apparently at the last minute. The band hinted at a little bit of nervousness, due to the fact that the violin is such a key player in their overall sound. However, they need not have worried, since the music flowed like honey, and their brand of eastern European folk sounded as full as ever. I thoroughly enjoyed the band's playful demeanor onstage as they presented themselves in a completely non-intimidating way, totally devoid of pretentiousness. Although the themes contained in their lyrics can be dark, their show is anything but, which is what makes them such a delight to witness live. Besides all of the great songs that they played from their new self titled full length, they also included an amazing cover of The Everly Brothers' All I Have To Do Is Dream, which is one of my favourite songs of all time. They slowed it down to a sonic sonnambulance, that culminated in a Phil Spector wall of sound-esque saxophone part, mesmerizingly delivered by Shawn Clarke. The crowd's demand for an encore made it obvious that this is a band to continue to keep my eyes on. Unlike our economy, I'm pretty sure that the Autumn Lovers' stock is going to continue to rise in the months ahead and I, for one, am going to enjoy investing in their sound, as the payoff has proven to be great.

Photos: My pics of Olenka and the Autumn Lovers @ The Tranzac are on flickr.
Myspace: Olenka and the Autumn Lovers
Download: Flash In The Pan (demo version) mp3


There were two opening acts for the evening, the first of which was a local band known as The Phonemes. Sort of. Let me explain.

The lead vocalist for The Phonemes is Magali Meagher (of Hidden Cameras fame) who has been hosting Wombat Wednesdays for the month of February. According to the myspace page, The Phonemes are comprised of Magali and several regularly rotating associates. On this night however, filling the role of her bandmates were the members of another band, namely Forest City Lovers. So, although they were still going by the name The Phonemes, this clearly wasn't the regular cast of characters. Although their set opened with a relatively upbeat number, and it closed with a couple more, overall this was a very subdued affair. Their music is lovely, as it sits comfortably within the realms of warm and dreamy indie pop. Magali's voice is restrained yet haunting, as its subtle hush serves as the perfect accompaniment to the sophisticated instrumentation of her band members. Although I enjoyed the full set, I particularly liked it when the Forest City gang took a break and left Magali alone with only Katie Crown and Stephanie Markowitz to accompany her. The three of them have a definite vocal chemistry that I hope will continue to be pursued further, as it is ethereal and inspirational.

Photos: My pics of The Phonemes @ The Tranzac are on flickr
Myspace: The Phonemes

Taking the stage immediately prior to Olenka and her Autumn Lovers was Afie Jurvanen's latest project, known as Bahamas. If you're unfamiliar with his name, there's no doubt that you're likely familiar with his work. He's played guitar with Jason Collett, as well as handling guitar and piano duties with Feist. He also played in Paso Mino, an eclectic country rock band that has managed to establish a bit of buzz by means of their Good People album, which was released a couple of years ago.

For his latest project, it sounds as if Afie is exploring relatively similar territory. His talent, as well as his experience was instantly apparent, as he showed himself to be a very adept guitarist, as well as a unique sounding vocalist. On the live stage, I thought his sound was very much rooted in classic rock and standard blues arrangements. Upon listening to the songs on his myspace, I'm now also noticing a knack for lyrical craftsmanship, with a style that actually reminds me a bit of early Ron Sexsmith. Another interesting contrast that I'm noticing between the music I'm listening to now, and the performance that I saw on Wednesday night was that the performance I saw seemed to be more of a rock show than what his recorded material would suggest. Admittedly, this could just be due to the fact that The Phenomes were really quite subdued, and his guitar sound simply came across as more in-your-face as it followed them. Either way, the songs were very good, and it'll be cool to see how this project progresses in the near future. As of right now, there really isn't much online information about Bahamas since the project really is quite new. The myspace page was set up on the 8th of this month, and as of my writing this, he only has 37 friends. If he continues to impress the way that he did the other night, that statistic will undoubtedly be changing soon.

Photos: My pics ofBahamas @ The Tranzac are on flickr
Myspace: Bahamas