Jason Collett 'Rat a Tat Tat': "Love Is A Dirty Word" MP3
A new album from Toronto's Jason Collett is on the way, called Rat a Tat Tat, it will be released on March 9th 2010, but his label has seen fit to offer an mp3 off the record three months before it's release. Not sure why, but now that I ponder that question it may be to get a song out 6 weeks before the album leaks, which often is about 6 weeks before the official release date. I'm just thinking out loud, or talking out of my @$$.
"Love is A Dirty Word" is the song and I like it, no surprise there, I like much of what Collett has written and recorded as a solo artist. Listen to the song and think of the album's title, Rat a Tat Tat, I hear that in the muted bass line and even in the drums here and there. Is it the power of suggestion, or did Collett find the album title in this song? Just another of life's mysteries, I suppose.
Rat a Tat Tat Track List 01. Rave On Sad Songs 02. Lake Superior 03. Love Is A Dirty Word 04. Bitch City 05. High Summer 06. Cold Blue Halo 07. Love Is A Chain 08. Long May You Love 09. The Slowest Dance 10. Winnipeg Winds 11. Vanderpool Vanderpool
New Band: Novels feat. Born Ruffians, Tokyo Police Club: MP3
Born Ruffians recently announced that their new album will see light of day in 2010 and will be called Say It. Now, they haven't set a date in stone, although the word "spring" was mentioned, so it could be a cold winter for Born Ruffians fans looking for something fresh. Then again, maybe not... it just so happens that Born Ruffian, Luke Lalonde, has been steppin' out with Tokyo Police Club's Graham Wright, Will Currie of Will Currie & The Country French, Ex-Po's Dean Marino, and Jason Sadlowski of Jay Sad. Well, not for long, it was sort of a one night stand... they all gathered at Toronto's Chemical Sound Studios with the intention of recording an EP in one session. This goal was accomplished according to the band's website and I have 100% proof, okay, 20% proof (it's supposedly a five song EP and I've got one song for you to download). And they settled on the band name, Novels (pictured above).
They don't intend to sell the 5 song EP in any form, as stated on their website:
"NOVELS won't be sold in CD stores, on the internet, or anywhere else. Instead, we'll give them away, or put them places. Maybe you'll find a copy sitting on a park bench. Maybe a masked man will hand you one as he passes you on the street. Maybe none of these things will happen. But we'll make sure that everyone gets a chance to listen if they want to."
"This Would Be The First Time" is short, catchy as hell, and all yours... so, spread the word and the song. What? You can't get enough of Novels? You're in luck, the session was photographed and videoed ( is that a word?). Go here for vids (I know, that isn't a word).
This is the first single from Spoon's upcoming album, Transference, (due January 19th). And when I heard it, and "Mystery Zone" (another new track), I wasn't blown away, as I always expect to be when I first hear new Spoon songs. But, after a few listens everything slips into place and I realize that Britt Daniel is a magician, or the devil, or... god forbid... a songwriter, because how else can I explain why the new songs I've heard somehow recall all my old favourite Spoon songs and yet still carve out a nice comfy place in the sweet spot of my brain. Damn you, Spoon (and thank you)!!
"Written in Reverse" Lyrics I'm writing this to you in reverse Someone better call a hearse I can see it all from here From just a few glimpses Now that light bulb's gone off And it's pulling my wincin' And now the light bulb's gone off
I've seen it in your eyes I've seen you blankly stare And I wanna show you how I love you But there's nothing there
I'm not standing here Oh I'm not standing here And I'm writing in reverse You know it could be worse I'm not standing here I'm not standing here
I'm not standing here I'm not standing here and I'm writing in reverse I know it could be worse And I hear that famous song And I hear that can't be wrong
No nothing was planned You just can't help yourself Some people are so easily shuffled and dealt If there's only one of us you truly felt We're gettin' you raw And it feels real good Although only briefly Like high school poppers would Will you lose a bit of yourself? Will you lose a bit of yourself?
I'm not standing here Oh I'm not standing here And I'm writing in reverse You know it could be worse I hear that famous song And I hear that can't be wrong
Look out All I know, is all I know, Yes, all I know, is all I know Is all I know
I'm writing this to you in reverse Someone better call a hearse I can see it all from here From just a few glimpses Now that light bulb's gone off And it's pulling my wincin' And now the light bulb's gone off I've seen it in your eyes And there's nothing there There's nothing there I wanna show you how I love you I can see you blankly stare
Why? is the band and Yoni Wolf is the singer who moves between the friendly vibe of REM's Michael Stipe and the earnest and idiosyncratic indie nerd calling card of They Might Be Giants. The band's latest record is Eskimo Snow and boasts, "This Blackest Purse" a terrific song, with a simple melody and dense detailed lyrics.
A yearning vocal line soars over the throbbing bottom end of Toronto band Broad Way Sleep's song, "Too Late". Nothing earth shattering here in terms of originality, but what they do, they do well enough to turn heads and this song surely will. The band is centered around songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/executive producer Ralph Joseph and includes Alexander The (of Styrofoam Ones), Sarah Shafey and Robert Bolton a.k.a. Arowbe (of Times Neue Roman).
This mp3 is a webrip, and may be missing several seconds at the start and finish, but it gives you the idea and impetus to seek them out... doesn't it?
Not sure if there's something wrong with the mp3 I've got, or if the song is intended to end abruptly, maybe they fall into the mystery zone. Here's what I hear, please leave any comments if you hear it differently.
"Mystery Zone" Picture yourself set up for good in a whole other life In the mystery zone
Make us a house some far away town where nobody will know us well where your dad's not around and all the trouble you look for all your life you will find it for sure In the mystery zone
Times that we met before we met Times that we met we'll go there to the mystery zone ah the mystery zone
There goes the rider at gates of dawn he takes no prisoners at all he'll be there on his own
What gets him gone off down that road is something he don't understand Ooh! The mystery zone
Maybe all he wants maybe all he needs is to know that the sun don't set on the mystery zone
How come it feels so familiar when you never been there? How come it seems so unreachable you never tried to find never tired to find the mystery zone mystery zone, oooh!
All of the people you used to run into but never do now they took off for the mystery zone
And when you know love when you find it for real it contains the emotion sense of everyone ready your cover was blown you weren't there but you were ooh in the mystery zone you weren't there but you were you weren't there but you were
Openin' windows doors never close it's the fresh air fiend it's the information troll
We'll pack a bag sendin' it off just some things that never fit right to the m... and we'll send it ahead as a test so we'll know call it up when it gets there "What's it like in the mystery zone?"
The times that we met before we met we'll go back there Oh, times that we met we'll go back we'll go back there the mystery zone to the mystery zone the mystery zone oh the mys...
If you're still searching for that special Christmas gift: The long playing vinyl version of Wooden Arms made it onto store shelves in mid-November, as well.
The Notwist and The Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra w/ The Sleeping Years at the Union Chapel, London Dec 12th.
After a series of celebrated concerts in Hamburg, Amsterdam, Munich and Cologne, The Notwist and The Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra will be playing a very unique show at the Union Chapel in London on the 12th December.
This combination of a 20-piece orchestra with a 5-piece band from Bavaria holds a lot more promise than the typical "Rock meets Classical" set up. Instead, old and new Notwist songs are elaborated upon to form extremely complex orchestral arrangements. These evenings celebrate a new interpretation and elaboration of the Notwistian songbook, which due to the obvious logistical reasons involved can only take place on a few very special occasions.
Mood. Creepy, gloomy, yearning, mood... it weeps, like basement cinder blocks sweat in summer heat, from the songs of Timber Timbre alias Taylor Kirk.
I don't know who Kirk is trying to sound like, but by making that journey (or effort) he has arrived at a place most musicians never reach. This is music, or mood, that grabs you by the hand, the shoulders or the throat and that all depends on how much this music infects you. I literally sat up straight, my ears pricked up, and all other sound and vision melted away when I first heard Timber Timbre on my mp3 player. Stumbling up against songs like this is one of the best things about loving music... the discovery of a new favourite. But all this emotion would just wash over you if it wasn't for the voice of Kirk. It's the voice that catches, that sticks like black molasses. It demands attention, sounding familiar, mysterious, and enviable all at once. One of my favourites songs from the current self-titled release is "I Get Low". Now it would be very easy for me to say I get high when I listen to the song "I Get Low", but that wouldn't be the truth. I get... umm... I get (why does busy keep popping into my head) I guess I get let loose into a world that Kirk has pulled and twisted from his mind. Maybe I should have said set free, I enjoy a sense of freedom... there's a special freedom that comes from listening to music that moves you.
Only three albums in (2006's Cedar Shakes, 2007's Medicinals and 2009's Timber Timbre) and the promise Toronto's Kirk shows those who bother to listen, easily outshines the bluesy gloom he crafts so well. I've said it before - and I'm sure I wasn't the first - but now I'll say it again: 'the best songs are sad songs'.
Doveman. The name sounds peaceful, it conjures an image of a large, a very large, soft feathered bird softly cooing from the upper ledge of a city building. Perhaps not the best image, or maybe the image you have is closer to a crime fighter a la Batman... Doveman, the Mahatma Gandhi of superheroes. Well, will you look at that, from cooing like a dove to kicking ass Gandhi-style... methinks you should lend an ear to Doveman a.k.a. Thomas Bartlett.
The latest Doveman record is called The Conformist, but it definitely does not conform to the music he has recorded and released to date. This new recording is bolstered vocally by guests such as The National's Matt Berninger, and by Bartlett penning much more accessible melodies, as if he's reaching out instead of turning inward as his earlier music would often seem to do. His recording and touring with The National seems to have rubbed off in the best possible way and I hear this most prominently in the song "The Angel's Share". Even without Berninger adding his voice to the song, the chorus would evoke many of the better, quieter moments of The National.
