Archive for April, 2010

19
Apr

Monday Morning– Said the Whale, Islands Dissapear + Show

Matthew Stewart
By Mattzors 0 Comments
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Categories: Music Review and Show Review

I had been out a couple times on the weekend already, so I really had no intention to leave my apartment once I had gotten back from work. When I found a message waiting for me from my friend about a Said the Whale show at the Capital, I looked them up and convinced myself to go. I’m so glad I did.

The five piece from Vancouver, BC knew exactly how to put on a good show. I only knew the songs I had quickly looked up on their Myspace before leaving, but when they came on I had no choice but to feel the excitement. And the songs that I didn’t recognize I hoped and prayed were on the album. And they were such amazing crowd pleasers without even trying, making it look effortless to get the entire crowd included to finish a song with a slow chant, or to dance like no ones watching.

Said the Whale has some of the most original music I’ve heard in a long time. Take some rock, some folk, a dash of a sea shanty, shake with a xylophone, and top it with a ukulele, serve over fresh lyrics and enjoy. The upbeat tempo of Out on the Shield, and Camilo mash so perfectly with the slower melodies of A Cold Night Close to the End, and Holly, Ontario to make an album that’s so entertaining, it’s hard to not store it over at the beginning again, and again, and again (which I did as soon as I got home).

If you’re near any of these places on these dates you should most definitely be there.

28 Apr 2010 West End Cultural Center Winnipeg, Manitoba
29 Apr 2010 Amigo’s Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
30 Apr 2010 Starlite Edmonton, Alberta
1 May 2010 Royal Canadian Legion Calgary, Alberta
2 May 2010 Habitat Kelowna, British Columbia
4 May 2010 Sugar Nightclub Victoria, British Columbia
5 May 2010 Commodore Ballroom Vancouver, British Columbia

Official Website
Myspace
Twitter

18
Apr

Subliminal – Cast The First Stone

Matt Bernard
By bErMeNtAl 0 Comments
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Categories: Music Review and Reviews

 

Hell must have frozen over, I have, in my hands a finished copy of Subliminal’s album! For those of you wondering what the big deal is, Subliminal’s ‘Cast The First Stone’ is Moncton’s version of Guns and Roses’ Chinese Democracy. It’s been 8 years since they released their first demo and gladly, unlike Chinese Democracy, it doesn’t suck.

Cast The First Stone sounds really great. While this album is no reinvention of the wheel it’s a very solid, catchy album. A little less Pantera sounding than their first demo, this one is a little more on the stoner side, sounding more like Down mixed with Corrosion of Conformity. On first listen the standout tracks are Dominatrix (which will be stuck in your head after you first hear it), Suicide High and Deliverance while after a few repeat listens The Art of War, Winter Blues and the title track, Cast The First Stone (which will also be a single, release to campus radios soon) stand out as well. I also liked the mix between songs, while each song is pretty straight forward in itself, not really deviating much, the album as a whole has a mix between faster, slower, heavier and mellower songs. I only wished they would have mixed up the track listing a bit as most of the slower songs are near the end while the heavier ones are at the beginning. Lyrically it`s all over the place (in a good way), from songs about lost friends and schoolmates in Suicide High to Art of War that follows a story similar to Run to the Hills by Iron Maiden.

Cast The First Stone is a really great sounding album with no truly bad song, there is no song where I will just skip (except maybe the instrumental, but I tend to find instrumentals boring and this one isn’t the most entertaining one either) and there is something for everyone on this album. This is easily my favourite album of 2010 and will be staying in my car/mp3 player for a long time.

Don’t forget to check Subliminal out on Friday April 30th for the CD Release.

Listen here:
reverbnation
MySpace

12
Apr

Monday Mornings– Johnny Cash, The Man Comes Around.

Matthew Stewart
By Mattzors 1 Comment
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Categories: Music Review

When I first heard Johnny Cash had died, it hit me. Not as hard as some of his other fans, because at the time, I wasn’t a huge fan. I liked a few of his songs, but it had never really made a huge impact on me. It was just another country singer my Dad listened to.

About a year after he died I started really listening to him. And of course Walk the Line made him interesting to a lot of semi-fans. His music, and especially his voice, started getting to me a lot more than it had before.

While I was shopping for March’s CD purchase, I found Cash: American IV, The Man Comes Around. This was the last album released before he died, the fourth in the series of six. The age in his voice is very prominent, but in no way takes away from anything. This album is hard to put away, I listen to it roughly five times a week ever since I bought it. It’s truly incredible.

Among the songs on American IV, is a cover of Nine Inch Nails Hurt. You’ve probably heard this if you listen to Johnny Cash at all. I think it was the last music video released before his death. It’s very powerful, and very mournful. He also covers Bridge over Troubled Water, Desperado, The Beatle’s In My Life, and a few others.

I’d like to pick up the rest of the American series. I’ve heard some of the songs from the other albums, and they sound fantastic.

“I see a lone rider crossing the plain, had he come to fetch me, and see what I’d done. And we’ll ride together to kingdom come. I pray for God’s mercy, for soon I’ll be dead, I hung my head…”

11
Apr

The Wind Up Radio Sessions

By iamawildparty 0 Comments
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Categories: Uncategorized

The Wind Up Radio Sessions – Red Brick House

Wind Up Radio Sessions are two brothers from just outside Donut Rock City, Ontario who over the years have cobbled together enough songs to put out a record.

“Red Brick House” isn’t a jump out and grab you by the throat record. There are well-crafted songs on here but some of the luster is lost on the vocals. Neither brother seems to have a very strong vocal delivery. I’m not sure if it’s an issue of their voices not lending well to their songs, but there is something a bit off on a few of the tunes.

That being said, the brothers do have a knack for songwriting. Despite the shortcomings in their vocals, the songs are still stuck in my head. Their use of layering and different instruments helps to build each song so that it sounds full, but not overinduldged.

All in all this is a solid debut. I look forward to hearing what comes down the pipeline from these guys as they become more road-worn, and comfortable in their voices.

buy here

05
Apr

Rage Against the Machine – Evil Empire

By iamawildparty 0 Comments
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Categories: Uncategorized

When I was growing up, my parents were pretty strict. The thing they were most strict about was music. Until I was 16, I wasn’t allowed to buy music, and I wasn’t allowed to watch MuchMusic. The summer I turned 16 I had a job. I had my own money. And I was living away from home. In my infinite wisdom, I went to the only record shop in the city town community I was in, and bought Evil Empire. I had managed to sneak in some music video time while my parents were out one night and heard Bulls on Parade. My little mind was blown. I listened to it non-stop for a long time. I love all of the Rage albums, but Evil Empire was the biggest impact for me. It was heavy, and funky, and it was the album with the most rap as far as I remember. I listened to it so much, certain phrases will trigger a song on repeat for hours.

Revisit this. Do yourself a favour. The Bulls are on Parade.

05
Apr

Kalle Mattson – Whisper Bee

By iamawildparty 2 Comments
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Categories: Uncategorized

I think I’m having a writers block, because when I listen to music lately, I can describe it, but usually very poorly. Kalle Mattson is going to suffer that fate tonight. It’s a good record. Well written songs, and some neat vocals and lyrics.

“But Joe, what does it sound like?”

Well dear reader (all one of you) it sounds like 8 years ago. 2002. It sounds like the first Wintersleep record, and it sounds like Reconstruction Site, and it sounds like every Ontario band that came through Moncton, except for the ones on Smallman Records. It sounds good. It doesn’t sound forced. But it doesn’t sound urgent. It doesn’t sound like it’s hungry.

Kalle Mattson needs to drink more, and needs to get dumped 3 or 4 times.

04
Apr

Saturday (oops) night movie– Where the Wild Things Are.

Matthew Stewart
By Mattzors 0 Comments
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Categories: Film Review

So this isn’t going to be a very long post, and I know it’s a day late, but it’s Easter, so I’m calling in a Holiday.

Now, if you’ve ever read the book as a child, you may be into this film. It’s kind of fun, seeing all the memorable monsters coming to life, and since they used suits instead of CG, it makes it that much better.

That being said, it’s really the best part of the movie. The main character Max, was hard to get attached to. The kid has a good life, his mother loves him, and gives him a good home, he has toys, a dog, everything a kid that age could every want or need. But his sister’s friend wrecks his igloo, and his Mom has company and can’t play with him, so he flips out and runs away from home. He’s a brat.And the monsters are the same, none of them are characters you can connect with, and the one that is the most relatable gets ignored for the majority of the movie.

Now, this isn’t to say that it’s not a decent movie. There are definitely people who would appreciate it a lot more than I did. I wont recommend this movie, but only because I wasn’t very impressed. But if your child at heart is still bugging you, it’s not absolutely horrid.

Either way, later.