SNOWSUIT SOUNDS

New Website

2008-06-02T19:39:00.003-04:00

This blog hasn't been updated in a long time. In fact, I'd kinda forgotten about it. Snowsuit Sounds has a new website! I'll keep this one around because it had some good interviews.

Baby Eagle

2007-09-13T14:43:00.000-04:00

This week saw the release of No Blues, the new album from Baby Eagle, otherwise known as Steve Lambke. Yes, the same guy who plays in the Constantines. I sent him some questions and he found the time to answer them.

When was Baby Eagle born?
Steve: I made the first record September 2005 in Winnipeg. Started playing shows January 2006 with an east coast tour with Jessie Stein/SS Cardiacs. That's when I called it Baby Eagle.

Who first turned you on to folk singing?
Steve: All this racket, all this singing is folk singing, right? Patti Smith says that rock and roll is the people's music; let's take it back, she says. Sometimes I like the acoustic sounds, when there is no amplifier. Same thing as punk rock I guess; it's there it's possible lets do it, but what do you have to say? What's the song going to be about?

Do you remember the first song you wrote? How did it go and would you be caught playing it today, in either the Constantines or Baby Eagle?
Steve: I do remember the first song I wrote. It's actually an alright song. I haven't played it in years. It's very much a teenage angst song. Yet it ends with a declaration of redefinition; the idea that the self and the relationship of the self to the world can be recreated. In that way it is like most of the songs I've written since, I guess. I've played it in a couple of bands but I can't see why the Constantines or Baby Eagle would ever want to play it.

The Constantines' song "Thieves" is one of my favourite songs, period, and I'm curious to find out more about what that song is about. It seems that song is about one particular experience, is that true?
Steve: 'Thieves' was very much based on a particular experience. Some of the specifics I made up, and some of the geography is a little confused. Some of the dialogue is real. Some of it is imagined. Every word is true.

What musicians do you listen to today?
Steve: I don't know man, we're in the middle of recording the Cons record and my head is spinning and I just want to go read a book or watch a movie or something.

This new album features even more guest players than your first one, all of whom you've toured and played with in the past. How did they end up accompanying you on the album?
Steve: All the musicians were in Shotgun and Jaybird. Our paths had been crossing for years. I was a fan. A very underated band. And a bunch of solid dudes. When you could see them play and how free they were with their approach to the songs, it was different from the records. Baby Eagle had played with them, the Cons had played with them a bunch of times. We met Fred up in the Yukon a couple of years back. There's some history. I was excited about playing with them. Those guys have a lot of feel. Jim had just moved into a 150 year old farm house out in the marsh. There was hardly any furniture yet. But good walls, and lots of space. I went there over Christmas holidays. Everyone was looking for an excuse to use that time for something out of the ordinary routine. Let's make a record. Julie only really got to come out one day, because she was spending the holidays with her family. But she was great. The track she sings lead on brings it all together. I got Will to play on that song when I came back to Toronto. His organ part is great.

I find with most Canadian albums I buy, I'll open up the sleeve and find that a bunch of other Canadian musicians I like have played on the album. I don't see that so much with music from other countries. What do you think it is about Canada that breeds collaboration like this?
Steve: It's the Canadian way. We're all in this together. Pool the resources. Pay your taxes.

Since there are so many people on this album, does this mean that you'll have other musicians with you live?
Steve: Shotgun will definitely be playing with me on this upcoming tour, and hopefully the Construction and Deconstruction folks. I think I might be playing a couple of shows later in the year with Christine Fellows and I think she'll be willing to help me out on stage.

Do you have a specific goal that you'd like Baby Eagle to achieve?
Steve: I want it to keep changing. I feel like it could be anything. I'd like people to hear the records. I want to keep making them.

Tunes: myspace.com/dreambabyeagledream

End of Chapter

2007-08-31T21:16:00.000-04:00

I just finished saying goodbye to Darrin. This is the third time I've had to see Darrin off, but this year is different. We've never had unfinished business before. Our goal was to finish five episodes of Snowsuit Sounds by the end of summer. After finishing up with Episode #3, we realized that just wasn't possible. Still, we were hoping to have at least one more podcast done for you before he had to leave, but it just didn't happen. We had the whole episode planned out, and had already filmed one segment. You'll see it one day I'm sure, we're not just going to abandon it. I'm proud of what we've created, and we're excited to keep it going. Though we'll be in separate cities, we're going to try our hardest to continue with the podcast. Even if we don't get any episodes completed, keep your eyes on our YouTube page for other videos.

So that's all I had to say really. Thanks to everyone who has watched so far, or has helped get the word out, or even been featured on the podcast. It's been fun. See you again next summer.

We're Still Here...

2007-07-31T20:31:00.000-04:00

There haven't been any updates for a while because Darrin and I have both been working full time at our actual jobs. No worries though, we've still been hard at work on Episodes #3, in fact, it should be ready soon. So hold tight, we're counting on you...

Importing Our Own

2007-06-29T14:20:00.000-04:00

I just picked up the July issue of Exclaim which contains an interesting article about how many Canadian musicians find they get more attention from international labels then Canadian labels. They cite examples such as London Ontario's Basia Bulat, whose brilliant album Oh My Darling is only available in Canada as an import.

Read It Here

André Ethier

2007-06-27T09:50:00.000-04:00

This week, André Ethier is releasing his third solo album, On Blue Fog, appropriately enough on Blue Fog Recordings. It's the follow up to last August's Secondathallam, and it was engineered and mixed by Paul Aucoin, who also played vibraphone on a couple of the tracks. Other guests include longtime collaborator Christopher Sandes, as well as former Deadly Snakes members Chad Ross and Matt Carlson.

Yesterday I saw André play an in-store set recently at Soundscapes in Toronto. I'm glad I finally saw him play since it makes up for the time a few years back when he came to Oshawa but I missed his set since it was a school night and I wasn't supposed to be out too late... and legally I wasn't supposed to be in a bar! Anyway, when I got home last night I decided to send André a few questions. Now I'm sharing his answers with you:

What's new in your life?
André: Not much is new. I sang the Canadian national anthem at Dodgers Stadium a couple of weeks ago. I met Lisa Loeb, who sang the American national anthem, and I think she was coming onto me. Do you know who Lisa Loeb is?

I was surprised to hear that you already had a new album coming out this week, how come the turnover rate between these albums was so quick?
André: The turnover happened quickly, yes. I guess that now that the Snakes have broken up, and I don't spend much time touring, I have more time to spend writing new music. Actually I have all the time in the world. For the past year or so, my job has been to paint. There is a gallery in New York that sells my paintings, and I have shows in America or Europe every few months. The sales of the paintings sustain me well. So I'm in my painting studio 5 days a week. I have a guitar in there, so a lot of writing gets done. Also I'm into putting out shorter records (9 songs ish) every 10 months or so. I just think that this process lends itself to a less labored recording.

How come this new album is on Blue Fog as opposed to Paper Bag Records?
André: I switched to Blue Fog because they seem more my speed. I'm into making records cheaply and efficiently and I'm really not into touring or talking about promotion. The bar is set slow and low with Blue Fog and that's how I feel about music biz stuff these days. I was feeling kind of like I didn't fit in at Paper Bag.

Who came up with the idea for the video for Mean Old World? I think the video is hilarious and want to know more about it.
André: I came up with the idea of ripping off Jimmy Page's dream sequence from Led Zepp's THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME, but the moment to moment nuts and bolts, and the references to the masons and stuff is all the directors Adam and Dave. They are the best. They are totally insane and want to make videos that are rad.

Exclusive Video:

Tunes: myspace.com/andreethier

It's Finally Here!

2007-06-18T02:41:00.000-04:00

The first episode of Snowsuit Sounds has been released onto the internet. It took just over two weeks to make and I must say I'm very happy with the end product. Sure, it's not perfect, but I'm going to take everything I learned making it and make sure the next episode is that much better!

Almost Here...

2007-06-13T01:01:00.001-04:00

On Struggles for Change and Hope

2007-05-29T18:31:00.000-04:00

Spy Machine 16 have posted a couple new songs over on their MySpace page. These are from their upcoming debut album How Things Come Apart, which they're describing as, "an 11 song soul-destroying, bone-crushing apocalyptic firestorm of ... well, the kind of music we play." I saw them this time last year and picked up their brilliant EP The Soap From This Soapbox Makes My Dirty Feet Slide. I hope they have a CD release party because it's high time I see them again, plus I want to get my grubby little hands on this album as soon as I can. I wonder if they still have dancers...

Gettin' Closer...

2007-05-23T00:58:00.000-04:00

Coming Soon...

2007-05-09T16:41:00.000-04:00

So it's almost summer and things are finally starting to happen. I have big plans for Snowsuit Sounds, and I'll tell you about them right now.

Last summer, my friend Darrin and I did a few podcasts for my website, Durhamrock. We only did a couple, but they were well-received and we managed to create a small buzz 'round these parts. On top of that, we also started to film local shows and put them on YouTube. It was really fun to do the podcasts and the videos, but come September, we were both back at school so we stopped. Around this time I started writing in this blog and hosting a weekly radio show with my friend Derrick up at Durham College. I'd been doing interviews with musicians for awhile, and I finally had a proper place to post them.

Anyway, that brings us to now. The radio show finished up a couple week ago, Darrin is home from University, and we've decided to continue on the same path we had last summer. Except, we'd like to combine everything we've done so far into one neat little package.

So the plan is to do a video podcast called Snowsuit Sounds. It'll be great since it's going to incorporate everything we've been doing for the past year. I'm very excited to start, and hope to have the first one done in a few weeks.

What do you think?

Ashtray Rock

2007-04-19T14:50:00.000-04:00

Absolutely fantastic.

I'm more of a fan of Joel Plaskett-sans-Emergency, I mean, I love all his work, he's one of the most consistent songwriters I listen to, but I prefer his solo albums compared to those with his band. After taking a break, the Emergency are back with their new album Ashtray Rock, which tells the story of a couple of kids who live in Clayton Park and play in a band. Pretty much the same sorta stuff he's been writin' about for the past 15 years. I mean, Joel has always told stories through his songs, but this time around the whole album ties together, with a beginning and an ending. It works as a story, but the songs still hold up individually. With the exception of a short track here and there to tie songs together, all of these songs could have appeared on an of Joel's other albums. So that's what makes it such a great album. I recommend it.

The Irish Rover

2007-03-21T19:16:00.000-04:00

Jeff Leech recently put up four new tracks on his MySpace page, so head on over and check them out. They're more laidback than some of his older songs, but they're sounding great! I'm not sure if they're originals or if they're part of an album he's written, who knows! Jeff's a pretty mysterious guy... He's opening for Wayne Petti on March 29th in Toronto, which is great to see! Another great show I'll be missing. Someone go and ask him to explain himself.

When You Go Out

2007-03-13T22:44:00.000-04:00

Sebastien Grainger's going on tour! It's been awhile since he's been the road with a band (as far as I know) so this is something to get excited about! He's starting off with a few shows around Southern Ontario with Germans and Jewish Legend before meeting up with Bloc Party for a set of dates in the States and a few more back up here. I'm assuming he'll have the same setup as he did when I saw him back in January, which was him on guitar with Nick Sewell of the Illuminati playing bass and super-man Leon Taheny taking over on drums. If you're wondering what this all sounds like, you're not alone. Until recently, the songs he had on his MySpace page weren't at all like the songs he'd been playing live. A few weeks back he finally got around to uploading some rough cuts of songs that will probably end up on his solo record, and which you'll most likely hear for yourself if you go to one of these shows. So if you get the chance, try to catch him at one of these smaller venues while you can! I wish I could make it to one of them.

Magnificent Sevens

2007-03-13T21:06:00.000-04:00

Magnificent Sevens is a new record label out of Toronto, focused on releasing 7" vinyl singles for any band they feel should have one. They're currently taking submissions from bands that feel they have a song that would make a great single. According to their MySpace page, they'll bring you and your band to Toronto to record, and once complete, it'll be distributed across North America, Europe, and Japan. They've already released a few singles, including for The Easy Targets and The Mark Inside, who both played here this weekend. Perhaps you've already picked up a single or two!

I think this is a really neat idea and I can't wait to see what they come out with next. It might your band.

A Bigger Bomb

2007-03-11T00:37:00.000-05:00

Get excited kids, tonight we're seeing The Zoobombs! Can you believe a band from Tokyo, Japan is playing our humble little venue, here in Oshawa. That's what I love about musicians, the good ones will play anywhere. They've been playing around Ontario the past week and the kids over on Stillepost have been raving about their show. I can't wait to see it myself. They really have a diverse sound so I can't see them being boring live, especially since much of their music is really high energy. Tonight should be crazy.

Tuesday Tunes

2007-03-06T22:49:00.000-05:00

Arcade Fire
"Black Wave/Bad Vibrations"
Sure, a lot of people have probably been listening to the Arcade Fire's new album Neon Bible for a few months now, but I've avoided the leaks and turned off the radio, since I like to go into albums fresh. I enjoy buying an album the day it comes out and listening to it over and over from start to finish. I'm on my fourth listen through Neon Bible and so far I'd have to say this track is the one that's caught my attention most. The first half is sung by Régine, and she sounds just awesome here. Wicked track!

Moose Crawl

2007-03-02T16:56:00.000-05:00

I saw The D'Urbervilles and Forest City Lovers play at the Elvis earlier this week. The concert was a little under-attended (may have been because of the snowstorm... maybe not), but my friends and I showed up and we had a great time I'd say. I believe I've seen just about every lineup Forest City Lovers have had over the past year or so, but I think this one was the best yet! The new songs were sounding really good, I hope they keep this going and get to record soon. The same goes for The D'Urbervilles, who have actually already started to record what will hopefully be a full length album.

Tuesday Tunes

2007-02-27T19:09:00.000-05:00

Wayne Petti
"Here Is My Heart"
I've heard people ask, "Why is Wayne Petti putting out a solo album?" Yes, I have heard people ask that. Well, it's for songs like this. This song, as well as the rest of the songs on his album City Lights Align, wouldn't fit on a Cuff The Duke album. The acoustic has been brought out while the electric sits in it's case. This isn't a new idea, musicians have been doing it for years. But how many of them do it well? Go have a listen, you won't be disappointed.

Tuesday Tunes

2007-02-20T20:16:00.000-05:00

My Research with Dolphins
"Wooden Sky"
This is a cover of a Friday Morning's Regret song, but it's been taken in a completely different direction than the original. The gentle strumming of a banjo has been replaced by harsh guitar chords and electronic beats. I'm really diggin' this, as well as the rest of the stuff up on My Research with Dolphins' MySpace. Go on and listen to it, you may recognize the voice.

B.A. Johnston

2007-02-15T22:19:00.001-05:00

B.A. Johnston is an entertainer who travels across this great country singing his stories to whoever will listen. I recently approached him at a show and asked him some questions:

How long have you been playing shows?
B.A: I think I did my first show in 1993, but it was under a different name.

What name was that?
B.A: Me Against the World. It was huge, as you can tell.

On your MySpace page it says your music is, "nerd rock at its highest point." What does that mean?
B.A: It means I am number one at nerd rock. I am the pinnacle.

Who else falls into the nerd rock genre?
B.A: The Tiny Tim guy, who did that "Tiptoe Through The Tulips" song with the ukulele, maybe? I dunno, maybe there isn't any more, I've cornered the market.

So you're nerd rock defined?
B.A: [laughing] Yes, definitive.

You really seem to have a good time on stage, who do you think has more fun: you or the audience?
B.A: I hate every moment I perform. When people are like at Burger King and they're making your poutine, that's what it's like when I'm on-stage, but I just give 110% so it looks like I'm having fun, but I think the audience probably has the most fun. I know people that hate it, they don't have any fun at all.

How to do you keep things interesting while on tour?
B.A: You don't really. You just try to survive, and it's hard, and they try to stop you from doing it, but you have to keep going. Roads look really dull, it's just like a neverending... you try to look for good food a lot.

You get pretty close to members of the audience sometimes, often rubbing up against them. Has anyone ever taken this the wrong way?
B.A: Not really, I got pushed. Some guy threw a drink in my face, but I was wearing a snowsuit so it kinda repelled the beer, and I would have thrown it in my own face at some point anyway, but he was clearly insane, it wasn't my fault.

Also on your MySpace, The Velvet Elvis's back parking lot was mentioned on your "List of Shit 2006." Why did it make the list?
B.A: 'Cause my car doors don't lock and someone stole like, 50 CDs out of my car, 50 B.A. Johnston CDs out of my car.

At least whoever stole them will have good music to listen to!
B.A: Or they're in a dumpster somewhere, probably more the case.

Tunes: myspace.com/bajohnston

Tuesday Tunes

2007-02-13T19:46:00.000-05:00

Jeff Peers
"The Tips And Tactics of Avoiding Friendship"
I saw Jeff play at the Hoedown late last year and I was intrigued by his set. First of all, I'd never heard him sing. I can't really describe his voice, I guess I could call it raspy, but I really actually quite like it. On this home recording it's just Jeff with his guitar, a kick drum and a shaker, singing some cryptic lines about what seems to be one particular person. I've been listening to this song a lot since I got this recording off the radio last week, and I've grown quite fond of it. Good job Jeff, let's hear more!

Spill Yer Lungs

2007-02-09T11:33:00.000-05:00

If you didn't know this already, I thought I'd tell you that Shotgun & Jaybird have a large portion of their discography for download off their website, free of charge. There's a lot of music there, so if you're weary of diving into that much stuff at least download their self-titled album, which is, "a compilation of songs from our last four albums and the spaces in between." It's the one I've been listening to the most, and there is some really good stuff on it. At the time of this album, they were still a two-piece, before Julie Doiron joined the ranks. The sound is considerably low-fi, which isn't a problem at all because it only enhances the experience. They cover a lot of ground on this album (it is a compilation after all), so they switch directions a few times but it all works well together. If you read a bit about this band you'll find out that this band started in Dawson City, Yukon before relocating to Sackville, New Brunswick (Dick Morello and Shotgun Jimmie are both originally from Ajax, Ontario). The fact that they're so well-travelled makes it into their lyrics quite often, as does the statement that they're "looking for" something. I hope they've found whatever they were looking for, while I found one of my new favourite Canadian bands.

Tuesday Tunes

2007-02-06T18:52:00.000-05:00

Jeff Leech
"The Last Time We Met"
It's hard not to hear his influences on this track, even the non-musical ones. Jeff lists sunsets, sparrows and shadows as some of his influences on his MySpace and call me crazy but I can hear 'em! I've heard a lot of songs like this but it's so often not done particularly well. Jeff's got a great voice which suits his style of playing. I really need to pick up some of his stuff, but it doesn't look like he has any shows coming up...

Tuesday Tunes

2007-01-30T11:59:00.000-05:00

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.