Tres-seh

(click HERE to listen)

Alright, here's another slightly disjointed set of tunes for your consumption. There's a definite rock vibe running through this compilation, more so than in the last few sets I've posted anyway. If that's your bag then have at it, it's a solid one.
I've featured most of these artists on the podcast before so I'll keep the descriptions brief.

Don't Talk Anymore - the Whigs (Give'em All a Big Fat Lip)
Athens GA has been a hotbed for indie rock since before the days of R.E.M, and you can add the Whigs to that impressive list of southern talent. Their debut LP was released in 2005 to critical acclaim and with good reason, it's a solid listen from start to finish.

Shine a Light - Wolf Parade (Apologies to the Queen Mary)
I was fortunate to see this band a couple of years ago in their home town of Montreal at the Osheaga festival. The weather was shitty, the band had sound problems throughout their entire set, and they still managed to blow me away. I cannot wait for them to release a new record.

Got My Eye on You - Brian Jonestown Massacre (Strung Out in Heaven)
The Rolling Stones fan in me absolutely LOVES this tune. Anton Newcombe yelps just like Jagger in the chorus and the guitar riffs are pure Keith Richards, yet the band make this one all their own.

Two Crows - Herman Düne (Switzerland Heritage)
The Düne are a Restless Radio favorite. The first time I heard them I thought I was listening to an obscure Cake record, but I quickly realized that they have their own unique sound and a VERY extensive back catalogue. If you like searching, this is a band with a pot of gold at the end of each rainbow.

National Anthem of Nowhere - Apostle of Hustle (National Anthem of Nowhere)
From the pulsing horn section to the relentless bass line, this track from these Broken Social Scene family tree members is chalk full of epic goodness.

the Hook - Stephen Malkmus (s/t)
If you were a fan of the seminal 90's indie rock band Pavement then this track will be right up your alley. Their former front-man has been busy since the breakup releasing 4 "solo" records, most of which were recorded with his backing band the Jicks. In terms of song writers, this guy is as good as they come.

It's a Long Line - the Mendoza Line (Fortune)
I've gotta thank my NYC buddy Ian for this track. During one of his famous 2am phone calls from Queens one night (or was it the East Village?) he gushed about seeing this excellent band perform at some hole-in-the-wall club. At the time I thought it was just the liquor talking, but a few months later a CD mix showed up on my doorstep from NYC with this track on it. Wicked tune.

Maageeta - My Morning Jacket (It Still Moves)
In case I needed a reason to feature yet another MMJ tune on the podcast, I learned this week that they'll be releasing a new record in June. Giddy up!

G turns to D - Sloan (One Chord to Another)
With the ECMA's just around the corner I thought it fitting to offer up a tune from my favorite ex-pat maritimers.

Things I Don't Remember - Ugly Cassanova (Sharpen Your Teeth)
Fans of Modest Mouse will know this song well, but if it's your first time listening... you're in for a real treat. And if you're up for reading a great little story about the making of this project head over to SubPop's website.

Havana Gang Brawl - the Zutons (Who Killed .... the Zutons)
Just a fantastically fun song to listen to. Long live Brit rock.

I Don't Want to Go - Mike O'Neil (the Owl)
I think I've featured another one of Mr O'Neil's songs in a previous post, and to be honest I'd post the whole album if it wasn't illegal. One of the most underrated Canadian singer songwriters out there.

Heart of Lovers - the Mohawk Lodge (Wild Fires)
A track from one of my favorite albums of 2007. If you like it, head over to the White Whale Records shop and pick up a copy for yourself.

Modern Girl - Sleater Kinney (the Woods)
SK are the loudest live band I've ever heard. It's a damn shame they called it quites in 2006 after an 11 year career. Pearl Jam fans will no doubt recognize the chorus as it was frequently featured as a tag onto "Wishlist" during the '05 and '06 tours.

Shine a Light - the Rolling Stones (Exile on Main Street)
I have several favorite Stones songs, and this one is most certainly near the top of that list. I always thought it should have been the closing track on "Exile", but who am I?
You'd swear it was a gospel tune during the first verse, but in true Stones fashion they kick it up a notch during the chorus with Bill Wyman's bass and the dueling Taylor & Richards combo completely taking over. Billy Preston is all over this track, and in true Preston fashion almost steals the thunder (the Beatles "Get Back" anyone?) from Mick & Keif. I could go on and on about this track and the "Exile on Main St" album as whole, it's just one of those PERFECT records.

Enjoy!

1. Don't Talk Anymore - the Whigs
2. Shine a Light - Wolf Parade
3. Got My Eye on You - Brian Jonestown Massacre
4. Two Crows - Herman Dune
5. National Anthem of nowhere - Apostle of Hustle
6. the Hook - Stephen Malkmus
7. It's a Long Line - the Mendoza Line
8. Maageeta - My Morning Jacket
9. G turns to D - Sloan
10. Things I Don't Remember - Ugly Cassanova
11. Havana Gang Brawl - the Zutons
12. I Don't Want to Go - Mike O'Neil
13. Heart of Lovers - the Mohawk Lodge
14. Modern Girl - Sleater Kinney
15. Shine a Light - the Rolling Stones

Montreal Snowfall Effect

(click HERE to listen)


This weeks installment of the podcast is brought to you by a Restless Radio listener turned correspondent. I crossed paths with Aaron while living in Ottawa a few years back, he was living one floor up from my brother and would always throw in his 2 cents whenever Eric and I were discussing our latest musical discoveries. Since then we've always kind of been on the same mailing lists so we've stayed in touch and traded musical experiences from time to time. He's currently calling Montreal home and has been lucky enough to get one of those special gigs in the music biz.
Most of these tracks were first time listens for me so it was refreshing to hear so many excellent songs in one sitting from bands that I'd never heard of for the most part. Early favorites of mine thus far include Kinetic Stereokids, Holy Fuck, and Handsome Furs.
Much like a fresh blanket of snow, these tunes will creep up on you... happy shoveling!
MD

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allo, c’est moi aaron. i moved to montreal to get enwrapped in music. found a gig with pop montreal. pop is a music festival that breathes artistic creativity, magnifying the local community & culture and promoting musicians tout le monde who are pushing the industry (well in my modest and unbiased definition). over the past year i’ve been toiling around ‘the scene’, here is what my ears have fallen in love with via pop mtl.

side a

silently - blonde redhead
mccaren park pool, brooklyn, new york. sitting backstage, sipping free whisky, witnessing the sun slowly descend, peering out over the same scene the band receives, in their home court no less and all you have to carry you along is this sonic bliss. i’d place this song 12 times, but that doesn’t make for much variety.

sing! captain - handsome furs (mtl)
face from ‘wolf parade’ accompanied by his girlfriend provides montreal its own ‘beck’.

the wind - peasant
running around as a patron at pop montreal 2006, i tripped upon on this conor oberst/elliot smith-esque presence. couldn’t shake the bright eyes stage relation… with his drunkard between song shyness completely offset by a clear and ever emotional in song act.

this thing about you - miracle fortress (mtl)
still haven’t taken much a fondness or been won over considering the inner city hype surrounding this one man show (graham van pelt), but you can’t deny a good tune and everyone seems to speak praise of his character, haha.

acoustic blue sun - think about life (mtl)
onstage gimmicks are seemingly pretentious, but when the lead singer came out wearing a motorcycle helmet, it just seemed natural. they are a bit off the wall, and enjoy their fans going off so, but also show this calm side.

explosions were heard - kinetic stereokids
from Flint, MI. (yes, the lead singers parents met while working on the set of micheal moore’s film ‘roger & me’). in running the listening sessions for this year’s festival, i had to sit through over 1,000 bands material, this here was my veto (or needo if you like) to play the festival, my #1. you might not take to the samples (giggling kids), but hopefully you’ll take to the talent.
side b

lovely allen - holy fuck (mtl)
my vote goes for best live act of 2007. infectious, my eyes were glued to the drummer their entire set,…and I promise I don’t have a fetish for drummers. they giver 127.6% and improvise constantly. the transition to album is not magical, but a step down is expected, still keeping it pretty decent. for someone not liking instrumentals, you’ll believe there were words.

what we had - handsome furs (mtl)
if only they could physically get across the border, oh the movements they’d be making.

you are never alone - socalled (mtl)
nothing beats a jewish cowboy, or the sweet, sweet voice of an accompanying katie moore. additionally, the video is worth a look.

insistor - tapes 'n tapes
there’s always an exception to the rule, this is thus, no pop relation. coachella 2006, easily the best performance of that excruciatingly hot california weekend, they rocked out like it wasn’t even hot (and with mullets no less).

fog and the horn - hot springs (mtl)
guilty pleasure, despite a strong distaste for this attractive female as a person, can’t quite shake my love of the music. played the festival at a literal whole in the wall venue holding a max. capacity of 4 mice, somehow 100 loyal fans squeezed in, yet even the faithful are tired of her mundane antics, witness to them constantly shouting “NEXT SONG” to disrupt her sexually laced between song banter.

paul cries - think about life (mtl)
describe themselves as “black guy, a hipster, a polar bear, and an albino”. here they are giving their taste of ‘the strokes’.

23 - blonde redhead
this whole album should be on here.

as for Restless Radio, might i throw in this plug…

“I was always impressed with a tombstone of a nameless musician I once saw. All it said was MUSICIAN – HE PASSED IT ON”

- Keith Richards

tracklist
1. silently - blonde redhead
2. sing! captain - handsome furs
3. the wind - peasant
4. this thing about you - miracle fortress
5. acoustic blue sun - think about life
6. explosions were heard - kinetic stereokids
7. lovely allen - holy fuck
8. what we had - handsome furs
9. you are never alone - socalled
10. insistor - tapes 'n tapes
11. fog and the horn - hot springs
12. paul cries - think about life
13. 23 - blonde redhead

A Mix Tape For '08

(click HERE to listen)

Hey all,
By now I would imagine you're all fully recovered from the holidays, but in case you haven't .... toss on this mix, it'll cure what ails you.

Vegan in Furs - Of Montreal (Satanic Panic in the Attic)
Despite what their name may lead you to believe, these guys are actually from Athens, GA. Regardless of where you might be while listening to this track I can GUARANTEE you'll be groovin'. It's a full on assault on your ears.

Mr Saturday - Two Hours Traffic (s/t)
The best thing to come out of PEI since the potatoe.

Young Leaves - Attack in Black (Marriage)
I happened to catch this tune on Much Music while channel surfing a few weeks back. I only caught the tail end of the video but it involved the band standing around a record player listening to an Elevator lp. It was all the convincing I needed to track down the mp3 ... and I'm glad I did.

You Can't Hold the Hand of a Rock 'n Roll Man - Okkervil River (the Stage Names)
This track has it all! A great name AND a groove that won't quit. The band is on the Jagjaguwar label and toured with label-mate Julie Doiron over in Europe at the end of 2007.

Nevertheless - Brian Jonestown Massacre (Teppid Peppermint Wonderland)
If you haven't seen the movie DIG! please make it a point to do so as I believe to be required viewing for ANY fan of rock 'n roll. The film is a documentary that spans 7 years and details the life and times of Courtney Taylor (of the Dandy Warhols) and Anton Newcombe (of the Brian Jonestown Massacre) as they paddle their respective bands through the rough seas of the music industry.
note: the film is not nearly as cheesy as my description above.

Passenger Side - Wilco (A.M.)
Here's some old school Wilco for your listening pleasure. This tune is stripped down to the bare alt country essentials with liquor and Neil Young references abound.

What's Left Behind - the Sadies (New Seasons)
This is currently my favorite track from an absolutely face melting record by Canada's favorite alt country son's, the Sadies. The lead guitar licks alone will leave you bruised and battered.

Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car - Iron & Wine (the Shepherd's Dog)
My friend Mars described the (relatively) new Iron & Wine album best hen he said "it's f'ing serious". Nuff said.

Almost Crimes - Broken Social Scene (You Forgot It In People)
My better half isn't quite finished with her BSS obsession, so here's another great little ditty from our Arts & Crafts friends.

By Winter's End - Cuff the Duke (Sidelines of the City)
Another excellent track from a truly solid record.

Star of Bethlehem - Neil Young (American Stars 'n Bars)
This tune is in my top 5 favorite Neil tracks of all time. I've always been a fan of his mellower stuff to begin with , but what makes this track for me is Emmylou Harris on backing vocals. Absolutely Angelic. The track was originally recorded for the Chrome Dreams lp but the album never materialized so it eventually ended up on American Stars 'n Bars (an absolute goldmine of an album when it comes to classic Neil performances). "Yet still a light is shining, from that lamp on down the hall. Maybe the star of Bethlehem, wasn't a star at all. "

Eyes - Rogue Wave (???)
To be completely honest I'm not sure how this tune made it into my iTunes library, but after one listen I made it a point to buy an albums worth of material. The track has a bit of an Iron & Wine meets the Shins kind of feel to it and sounds VERY familiar. Did I hear it in a commercial? You tell me, 'cause I haven't got the foggiest clue!

Golden - My Morning Jacket (It Still Moves)
Some songs seem like they were written for the road. You hear them while driving and you just want to keep chasing the horizon.

Superstar - Sonic Youth (If I Were A Carpenter)
I saw the film Juno a couple of weeks back and side from being a great little flick its use of music throughout the film was excellent. Our friends over at the Aquarium Drunkard discusses the use of this Sonic Youth track here, check it out.

Anyone Else But You - the Moldy Peaches (s/t)
And finally to wrap things up this week I decided to use another track from the Juno soundtrack. The Moldy Peaches (fronted by Kimya Dawson & Adam Green) were an integral part of the New York anti-folk scene of the early 2000's and Kimya's music is featured prominently in the film. With clever lines such as "up up, down down, left right, left right, B A Start. Just because we use cheats doesn't mean we're not smart", the Moldy Peaches are a fun band to listen to, they sing about the little things in life that we've all lived but may have forgotten about.

Until next time!
MD

1. Vegan in Furs - Of Montreal
2. Mr Saturday - Two Hours Traffic
3. Young Leaves - Attack in Black
4. You Can't Hold the Hand of a Rock 'n Roll Man - Okkervil River
5. Nevertheless - Brian Jonestown Massacre
6. Passenger Side - Wilco
7. What's Left Behind - the Sadies
8. Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car - Iron & Wine
9. Almost Crimes - Broken Social Scene
10. By Winter's End - Cuff the Duke
11. Star of Bethlehem - Neil Young
12. Eyes - Rogue Wave
13. Golden - My Morning Jacket
14. Superstar - Sonic Youth
15. Anyone Else But You - the Moldy Peaches