Tuesday Tunes

Jim Guthrie
"3 AM"
This is an old song, I know, but it's been one of those weeks I guess. It's alright though, I'm a big fan of Jim Guthrie and this is one of my favourite songs of his. Morning Noon Night has made it's way back into my regular rotation of CDs this past week and I couldn't be happier. Now comes the time when I'll attempt to say why I like this song: it all boils down to the first line, "3 AM at your house, a mixtape on." I love that line, it says so much to me without having to say much. It's a situation I wish was happening to me, I guess! Go listen to the song yourself.

One Heart Many Hands

I was able to ask Steve Hesselink aka. One Heart Many Hands a few questions when he played here last week with Friday Morning's Regret and Jonas Bonnetta. Unfortunately my tape recorder screwed up and I didn't end of getting anything he said, so I had to do the interview again. He was a great sport about the whole thing, but I didn't want to take up too much of his time so I didn't really ask all the questions I wanted to:

How long has One Heart Many Hands been around?

Steve: I've probably been doing it for about a year, yeah, a year or so.

Do you write your songs in a way that allows you to properly recreate them live?

Steve: Well, when I originally write them, I write them so that I can play almost the exact same thing live, and on record actually I've done almost that exact same thing too because I loop everything so it's pretty thick as it is, so I just kinda play it as I would live.

How did you meet Friday Morning's Regret and Jonas Bonnetta?

Steve: Friday Morning's Regret I met through playing shows in Toronto and mutual friends Ohbijou, and Jonas I met kinda through the MySpace world and he was friends with them as well so that's how I knew him, and the D'Urbervilles, the other band I play in, we played at his house... so that's how I know him.

Jonas actually recorded your EP, correct?

Steve: Yeah, that's right, he's got a great studio space he rents, and yeah, we recorded basically about 35 minutes worth of stuff, so between that and some older stuff I had I'm going to release a full-length probably in the fall.

Will the full-length have these songs?

Steve: Yes it will, yeah all the songs will be on the full-length, they're just shorter versions of what I'll do later.

What made you decide to make One Heart Many Hands' postcards?

Steve: Well my friend Kimberly England out of Toronto, she makes a lot of stuff out of felt, and I said to her I wanted some posters or something to sell 'cause I really liked her work, and she came up with the idea of postcards and I thought it was great!

Tunes: myspace.com/1heartmanyhands

Tuesday Tunes

One Heart Many Hands
"The Gift"
I've seen a few musicians who have used loop pedals to perform their songs live, but One Heart Many Hands (Steve Hesselink of We're Marching On...) is the first one-man-band I've seen that incorporates not just guitar and singing, but also drums! It's pretty neat to see live, since this way of performing lends itself well to having many layers of instruments, and when really good drumming is thrown into the mix, the songs can get pretty epic. I picked up the EP he was selling at the show, and it really gives you an idea of what to expect live. Have a listen for yourself.

Friday Morning's Regret

Last night, Friday Morning's Regret played the Velvet Elvis on the first date of their tour with Jonas Bonnetta and One Heart Many Hands. It wasn't my first time seeing them, so I knew they were great live, but hearing them again made me remember exactly why. Not only are their songs well-written, but they pull everything off perfectly. Even if you don't know the songs, you'll know them by the end of their set, that's for sure.

They've recently released a new album, and they'll be making a television appearance later this week on MTV Live. I spoke to singer Gavin Gardiner and bassist Andrew Wyatt, who goes by his last name:

Could you tell me about the recording process for your new album When Lost At Sea?

Gavin: Well we recorded like ten songs in a weekend at a studio in Toronto called Orange Studios and from that we got the bass and the drums, and then we fiddled around with it for a fuckin' year, sorta tweaking knobs ourselves, and we also snuck into the SONY BMG studios, through our manager, and we recorded all the guitars there, and it turned out pretty awesome that way, the guitar sound pretty cool I thought.
Wyatt: It was fun working on it, to answer your question, it was fun, it took longer than expected but it was a good time.
Gavin: We put it off and had a lot of drinks and what-have-you when we should have been recording.

Did you have a producer?

Gavin: I kinda produced it I guess, I sorta kept it together anyway.
Wyatt: There were engineers and stuff like that, people who manned the boards...
Gavin: Yeah, John Nazario was one of the engineers, and Ryan Haslett, and Leon Taheny mixed it for us.

Did anyone else play on the album?

Gavin: Yup, we had Anissa Hart play the cello, Heather Kirby played some banjo, Wyatt also played banjo, and a couple of our friends sang on it, Nina and Conrad, Simon sang on it a bit.
Wyatt: Ben...
Gavin: Man he was excited when he saw his name in the CD, we heard him scream. [laughs] I think that was it.
Wyatt: We did most of the stuff ourselves I guess.

How did you become involved in the 'Friends in Bellwoods' compilation?

Gavin: Well I used to play drums, way back when in Ohbijou, and I went to school with Casey and Heather, so I knew them from that. We've played with those guys lots and we've been to the house lots, and we recorded a song there. I also mastered the album, so I helped Jamie on that, and they're just friends of ours so it worked out well that way.

Where are you all from originally?

Gavin: I'm from Morden Manitoba, just a little town outside of Winnipeg, about and hour and a half.
Wyatt: I'm from Cobourg, Simon the keybord player is from Cobourg and Chris the drummer is from Guelph.
Gavin: Annisa is from Lethbridge.
Wyatt: No she's more North than that.
Gavin: Oh no, Fort McMurray! That's right, I was thinking "Dethbridge in Lethbridge" but that's not right. [laughs]

Did you play in any bands before Friday Morning's Regret?

Gavin: Mhmm, yeah. [laughs]
Wyatt: You can leave it at that... [laughs] that's good enough.
Gavin: You wouldn't know them, they're just, like, high school bands...
Wyatt: Garage bands...
Gavin: Garage bands...
Wyatt: Mad Runner.
Gavin: Basement bands... what was it called?
Wyatt: Mad Runner.
Gavin: See, I didn't even know that.

So when did you start playing together?

Gavin: Well the three of us started playing together, it was awhile ago...
Wyatt: Almost four years now...
Gavin: Yeah almost four year. We sorta, like, were growing up in the city together, but yeah, it's been four years. I met Wyatt and then we started playing together like, right away, that's kinda how we met. So four years, fuck, that's a long time.

I have to ask about your band's name. Is there a story behind it?

Wyatt: We were talking about this earlier today actually...
Gavin: It's actually a tree planting term, have you ever gone tree planting?

No I have not...

Gavin: Well neither have I but, I just heard it and picked it up, I don't know what it means actually...
Wyatt: It has something to do with like, a weekend frost, and something to do with the soil, I'm not sure either, but it has something to with the frost from the weekend...
Gavin: We've sorta gone back and forth with it 'cause it sounds really emo, but the story's not so we've stuck with it. Plus you know, we started with that, we don't want to quit, we're not quitters. We pick something and we go with it.

Tunes: myspace.com/fridaymorningsregret

I Want My MTV

MTV is always going to be MTV. They'll always have crappy reality shows and annoying VJs. When MTV decided to launch a version of their channel here in Canada, I knew exactly what to expect, which was the same channel as they have in the States except with some required Canadian content somewhere in there. I was correct in my prediction, except for one thing. Somehow, my guess is divine intervention, MTV Canada started booking good bands to play their flagship show MTV Live. Not just good bands, but good, truly independent bands. Bands that MTV's Laguna Beach-loving fans have never heard of. My first notice of this was when Henri Fabergé And The Adorables were invited on to their show for an interview and a live performance. Since that time, it seems like once or twice a week they're having these smaller bands on, such as The Bicycles, Tokyo Police Club, Jon-Rae and the River, No Dynamics, Sailboats Are White (alright, some crappy bands get on), and The Diableros.

Yesterday I went to see a taping of MTV Live with Derrick, because not only was their guest for the day Henry Rollins, but they were having a musical performance by Fucked Up. A lot of kids showed up, pretty much all the benches were full, and though the actual show was sometimes painful to watch, the interview with Henry was good. When Fucked Up were set to perform they moved the seats out of the way and let all the kids down to the floor. It was really cool because they let the kids do their thing and didn't get in the way at all. It wasn't really my type of music, but it was a lot of fun to watch the band and the audience get so into it. At one point, a barriere protecting the stage was broken off and swung around a few times, and it was pretty sharp so you'd think security would come and take it away at least, but they let the kids in the audience take care of it. They were either too scared to get in the middle of the mob of mostly teenage boys, or they just didn't care if anyone got hurt...

Another great thing is that, although they only broadcast the interview and one song from the band on each show, they actually let them play two more, all of which are archived on their website only a few hours later. This really impresses me and I applaud them for their efforts.

Now I still think MTV is a bad channel and I would never watch any of their shows, but the fact that they're doing this one thing right sort of makes up for it. I mean, I can ignore the crap, that is easy to do.

Today, The Rural Alberta Advantage played on MTV Live, and I just think that's amazing.

Tuesday Tunes

Today I'll be looking at some tracks that some local artists contributed to the Friends in Bellwoods compilation:

The D'Urbervilles
"We Are The Hunters"
Finally, a brand new tune from one of my favourite local bands. Except it's not entirely new, since I've had a live recording of it for ages. They decided to formally record it for the aforementioned Friends in Bellwoods compilation, so here it is. I've listened to a few times now and I've come to a conclusion: to me, it sounds very short. The song clocks in at 3:41, which one could argue is a normal length for a rock song, but a third of the song is spent rounding up the instruments before the singing kicks in. Hearing this live, it works very well, and here it still works, but the payoff just isn't as good. The actual recording is an improvement over their EP, but it still falls a bit short. I want those guitars to fuckin' slice through me, while right now I'm only left with a mild bruise. I love this song still, but it makes me want to hear more. Perhaps the remedy for this is another D'Urbervilles song, but in this case the next song is...

Forest City Lovers
"Don't Go, Please"
I was familiar with all three songs I'm writing about today before I listened to this album, but it was this song I knew least about. I'd only heard it once before, live, so hearing it this time was a pleasant surprise. Except it wasn't a surprise at all, really. Since first picking up Kat Burns' debut EP a few years back, I've always been impressed with her songs, and they've only gotten better since she added more players in the form of the Forest City Lovers. Everything works in this song marvelously, and I'd love to see it performed live with an entire backing band.

Jonas Bonnetta
"French Toast"
I was listening to this song through my headphones before bed, and it was at that part in the song when the trumpet kicks in, and I said to myself, "This is so good." The story I heard about this song was that Jonas brought it to the Bellwoods house, just his voice and guitar, and let his friends do their thing. How true this is doesn't matter, because all the additions just take an already brilliant song and just made it that much better. And that's what friends are for, right? The original recording appeared on his album Farewell to Harmony (which you should all buy), but the new version is streaming over at his MySpace so do yourself some good and go listen to it, now!

So there you have it, three fantastic tracks, all by bands that are originally from around here. I must clear something up though, I reread what I wrote about the D'Urbervilles song and I feel it came off a bit too harsh. I really like them, I think they're amazing live, but I want that same energy to blast out of my speakers every time I press play. Maybe that's asking for too much, but I feel they're capable of it and I have high hopes for future recordings.

Friends in Bellwoods

I'm so glad this compilation exists. It's a time capsule is what it is. This two-disc, thirty-six song album rounds up some of the best talent from across Ontario, some unknown, some who have been quite successful. Here though, they're all on the same level. It's something well all be able to look back on with pride. Did I mention the music is amazing?

Last night their was a CD Release party for the show at the Tranzac (capacity 150). The line-up went as far as my eyes could see through the rain, and considering they had pretty much sold-out the venue beforehand in advanced tickets, there was no chance of any of these people getting in. As soon as doors opened, they were closed again. Only a handful of people were let in, and I was not included. This is where it helps to know people. Thanks to a handful of people, who shall remain anonymous, I finally got in and caught the last the last two songs of The D'Urbervilles' set.

Next up were The Splinters, Bry Webb's new project, which includes members of several other bands including Tricky Woo and Snailhouse. They were so fantastic, and I'd have to say they were the best Constantines' side-project I've seen live. Their sound is comparable to the Cons' songs "St. You" and "Soon Enough," but he's taken it in an even folkier direction with the addition of banjo and lap steel. It sounded really great. I recognized one of the songs from the last time I saw Bry play solo (also at the Tranzac, two summers ago), and I was able to talk to him at the end of the night and he said he planned to record, which is great to hear.

Sebastien Grainger and his band played third, and considering it was their first show, it kicked all kinds of ass. It wasn't the tightest performace of course, but the songs were awesome and I just know if they record an album it'll be killer. Sebastien's transition from drummer to guitarist seems to have gone very smoothly. I was impressed with his energetic stage presence and how he just seemed to be having a really good time. I talked to him afterwards and he said he couldn't wait to do it again. He won't have to wait too long, since he's already been booked to open for Bloc Party when they go on tour in March.

Closing off the night, quite fittingly, was Ohbijou, whose members Casey Mecija and James Bunton are credited for organizing this whole thing. I saw them last summer and I enjoyed them then, but this time I was honestly blown away by how good they really are live. The songs are just so beautiful. I loved looking around the stage and seeing what each member was doing, and appreciating how well it all went together. I picked up their album, so you'll be hearing my thoughts on it sometime soon.

Go learn more at their website: Friends In Bellwoods
All proceeds from the concert and CD sales go to the Daily Bread Food Bank.

Tuesday Tunes

Elliott Brood
"Write It All Down For You"
When I last saw 'em in September, a good portion of their set was devoted to new material. So while we wait for the rest of the new material to surface, we can enjoy one of these new songs, which has been recorded in a set they did for CBC Radio 3. I'm really enjoying it, and I have high hopes for their new album. A lot has happened since Ambassador, so I'm sure they found enough stuff to write about, though singer Mark Sasso didn't spill the beans when I interviewed him.

Salt Lick Kids
"Down From Liberty"
This tune comes from Guelph's own Salt Lick Kids' second album, which comes packaged like a DVD. When I asked singer Geordie Gordon why they didn't choose the traditional CD packaging, I think he said that DVD cases were cheaper, though I could be wrong. Anyway, the point is, this album doesn't fit in with the rest of my CDs, so it gets placed with my DVDs, which for someone who likes to keep his stuff organized like myself, is pretty much a worst-case scenario. I don't regret purchasing this album though, because it's pretty damn good!

Sunset Rubdown

Spencer Krug is in too many bands. Well, that's what it looks like on paper. I mean, how can one person stay committed to that many projects. Sunset Rubdown could be called a side-project, but it doesn't deserve that label. Just like his other bands (Wolf Parade, the newly created Swan Lake, and Frog Eyes, a band in which he plays the occasional bit part), Sunset Rubdown is a fully fleshed out musical idea that offers something fresh and different from everything else he is doing. It's the same guy though, and it's great that he is out there pushing himself and not just resting on his previous accomplishments. I hope he keeps it up.

My friend Julien lent me this album and it's excellent. He was telling me that it was spooky, and that it reminded him of a carnival, and I'd have to agree. He really stretches out all the songs, but not to the point of becoming too long. While not as accessible as Wolf Parade, who aren't too accessible to begin with, this album is truly rewarding for those who give it a fair shake.

Tuesday Tunes

Richard Laviolette
"Qq"
My brother got me this album for Christmas, since he lives in Guelph and they were selling it at the local record store. It's always cool to see what people are doing in nearby towns, and Richard Laviolette seems to have developed a bit of a following. He plays pretty soft folk-rock, and he definitely reminds me of another great Ontario singer-songwriter, Tony Dekker (Great Lake Swimmers), except just a little more pissed-off. Some of his friends helped sing back-up and play organ on this song, so it has a very... familiar feel to it. Great tune, read more about him here.

Julie Doiron
"Me and My Friend"
Another nice song, this one's off Julie's forthcoming album. Not much needs to be said really, it's what you'd expect from her, and that's perfectly alright. Listen to it, and watch the super-cute video here.

Reflections on 2006

I haven't written in here as much lately. I've had a lot to do, a lot of people to see and places to go. That's pretty much all done now so I should be able to devote more time to this lil' old blog.

A lot has happened in this past year, just like every other year before it, so I've decided to share some of my highlights (related to music of course) with you. I'll do it in chronological order:

January:
The year started off on a good note when I went to the Dungeon for hopefully the last time ever. I saw Broken Social Scene again (first time being August 2004) and it was... okay.

February:
I travelled to Hamilton to see my friend at University and to see the Constantines. A little-known band called Jon-Rae and the River opened and they were awesome. Picked up their CD and the rest, they say, is history. The Sadies played Oshawa, and everyone was there and we all had a good time.

March:
The Velvet Elvis celebrated it's third anniversary with a week of great shows. Baby Eagle played one of the final shows ever at Catch 22 before it closed, and he gave me some records! I saw Jonas Bonnetta play for the first time ever. A friendship was born!

April:
More great shows at the Elvis, including Mahogany Frog, The Diableros, and The Postage Stamps. This was when I realized how many good shows happen 'round these parts.

May:
I finally saw The Strokes, it was the first great show of the summer season. There was the first "Durhamrock Weekend," with The Mark Inside and The Exchanges one night, and The D'Urbervilles and Salt Lick Kids the next night. It was a success! Headed up to Toronto to see Islands, and it was pretty fun! I was also interviewed by Mr. McGuirk for the local paper. It was my first time meeting him and now we're best friends... or are we mortal enemies. I'm still not sure.

June:
Durhamrock's second anniversary bash took place at the Elvis and everyone in town came out and the site made a lot of money, which is still sitting in a bank somewhere. I saw Radiohead, and they played a lot of new songs. It was incredible!

July:
I tried my hand at interviewing... my first victim was Pete from The Diableros. He was a good sport about it. Then I interviewed Forest City Lovers, and then Wayne Petti. It was a lot of fun but very time consuming, so I stopped after that. This month I also started this blog after seeing the Weakerthans!

August:
Nothing really happened this month. The Deadly Snakes broke up and I missed their final show.

September:
I saw the D'Urbervilles when they opened for Mates of State. I remember that being a lot of fun. I began doing my radio show (also called Snowsuit Sounds) up at the College, and people actually listened!

October:
Hitched a ride with some friends to Peterborough to see Jonas and Timber Timbre, who was so good and who I must see again! Another good show at the Elvis with Anagram and the Creeping Nobodies. The Groove Lounge opened re-opened as a rock venue with a special free show from Cuff The Duke... and then it was never heard from again.

November:
I saw this great band called The Rural Alberta Advantage. Someone needs to bring them back to Oshawa... alright I'll do it. I finally saw Jon-Rae and the River again, this time at their CD-Release party in Toronto. The show was great and the album is amazing! I was also lucky enough to see Julie Doiron when she came to town, and I discovered Shotgun & Jaybird that night, who make the type of music that my ears enjoy.

December:
The Hometown Hoedown took place at the Elvis, but you've already heard all about that, haven't you?

Alright, thank goodness their aren't any more months, because that was hell to write. Now that I'm down though, I realize that I mostly just talked about shows I went to.