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The Oatmeal presents, 10 Types of Crappy Interviewees Soup delivered to your door (in Toronto),  but the soup doesn’t render properly in Safari, or maybe the site doesn’t. (via Terri) Facebook adopts Jabber for chat protocol, allowing me to ditch the buggy as hell Facebook chat function in Adium. Frank Chromewaves looks at Toronto’s Magnetic Fields show. Yes I’m calling him Frank Chromewaves! Buck 65 & Valery Gore make a song. If you like Buck 65, you might dig it. If you never understood the appeal of Buck 65, but a fan of Valery, you’ll shrug your shoulders and go “meh.” (via Valery Gore) Rick Mercer explains How Parliament Works. Hint:… Read More »Linky Link

Wavelength

10 years ago, Toronto’s music scene was bleak and boring; Canada’s music scene was incredible. Sloan had just released their best album Between The Bridges, The Flashing Lights were “Kings of the Canadian now,” and yet there were a handful of Toronto bands, but no decisive scene. We had Blue Rodeo, The Sadies and Ron Sexsmith hanging around, but Toronto seemed to be hostile towards new bands. Then came Wavelength… I could easily discuss how important Wavelength has been to me, and that’s usually what I talk about on this blog, ME ME ME; you can’t blame me, I’m AWESOME. Instead I’d rather examine what Wavelength has done for Toronto… Read More »Wavelength

Where can that sandy be?

OMG! OMG! OMG! Walking into the Queen Elizabeth Theatre and hearing “Robot Ponies” is slightly strange. I got to the venue partway through Laura Barrett’s set, and the sound was damned good, though you could hear the nerves in Laura’s voice, and more so her calming herself before playing. She played well, and had Ajay Mehra, Randy Lee & Dana Snell playing with her (the American dates of the tour are without Lee & Snell). After her set, I did hear some audience members commenting on how lovely Barrett’s voice is. No matter what, it’ll always be strange to be at a Laura Barrett show where there’s more than a… Read More »Where can that sandy be?

Realism Early Thoughts

I’m going to start by saying that I never like a Magnetic Fields record through and through when it’s first released. Actually I never like a Magnetic Fields record through and through. Their music seems to be cyclical in nature to me. I’ll listen to a record of theirs and love certain tracks, be indifferent to others, and hate others. Then a few months later, I love different ones, be indifferent to others, and hate others. This can be traced back to their first song I heard, “The Desperate Things You Made Me Do.” I hated it. Really really hated it. Now I love it, unashamedly love it. So I’ve… Read More »Realism Early Thoughts

Thrush Hermit box set

Courtesy of JoelPlaskett.com Disc 1- Clayton Park Disc 2- Sweet Homewrecker Disc 3- Smart Bomb and The Great Pacific Ocean Disc 4 – All Technology Aside – 22 songs – outtakes, b-sides and unreleased Disc 5 – Hits and Giggles – 23 songs – early singles, eps and unreleased tracks Disc 6 – Embarrass Ourselves Awake – hodge podge of really early material from Nabisco Fonzie, The Hoods, The Hermit and The Tim Robbins Experience.  Truly embarrassing stuff to keep you awake on long drives Disc 7 – DVD consisting of Learn to Party documentary (1999) and lots of extra never before seen footage from 1990- 1999 Will also include a 24 page booklet… Read More »Thrush Hermit box set

Next Year In Jerusalem

I finally picked up Herman Dune’s record Next Year In Zion; I was really impressed with their set opening for Julie Doiron. Herman Dune, from Paris, France, are an English-language band who released their latest record Next Year in Zion in 2008. I purchased it on vinyl today, and though it’s not advertised as such, it does include a digital download coupon (for those of us who love both our analogue and digital technologies). I’m really digging this record. I haven’t finished my first listen, but I know a handful of the songs from the Lee’s Palace show, and I can easily see this making its way into heavy rotation.

Rebranding

Today, I said to myself that it was time to rebrand this page. Though it’s a personal page, it’s more about music/film/etc than it is about Adam Anklewicz. So after debating over many domains, I chose this one, neverhadtofight.com. “Never Had To Fight” is a Local Rabbits song written by Peter Elkas. It’s the second track on their final, and best record This Is It, Here We Go. I did this in the afternoon today, about an hour ago, I got a message in MSN from Jay… you know, Trig… from The Board. A while ago, I told him that Gooseberry records was doing a Sloan tribute album, and a… Read More »Rebranding

Stephin and co.

On Monday I’m going to see The Magnetic Fields at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in the CNE. I’ve never been there… I’ve also never been as excited to see a band since I went to see Paul McCartney for the first time. I really have no idea what to expect. I’ve yet to hear Realism yet, as I’m waiting until I can get my hands on a copy (I don’t want to buy the CD, I’d rather just buy the vinyl with a CD, but I haven’t heard from Criminal Records yet that it’s arrived). I don’t know what kind of material they’ll perform… new stuff, lots from 69 Love… Read More »Stephin and co.

January 2010, in review

In December, I set goals for myself, how many films to see this year, how many shows to attend, how many records to purchase, and how many books to read. This is the standings, as of the end of January… Books I read (1/10 – 10%): Animal Farm by George Orwell | Originally published 1945 Films I saw (11/52 – 21%): It’s Complicated | Originally released 2009 Magicians | Originally released 2007 A Single Man | Originally released 2009 Fantastic Mr. Fox | Originally released 2009 After Elizabeth II (Documentary, from CBC Doc Zone) Crazy Heart | Originally released 2009 Brüno | Originally released 2009 Dan In Real Life |… Read More »January 2010, in review

Ben Gunning

Went to see Ben Gunning last night, he was releasing his second solo record, Mal De Mer. He played the complete record. For more photos, click here.