Daniel Romano - 7" single

Attack in Black front man Daniel Romano has been a busy man as of late, which is great news for us the listening public.  Hot on the heels of his stellar collaboration with Fred Squire and Julie Doiron (Daniel, Fred, and Julie), Daniel has a solo album due out in the not so distant future aptly titled 'Workin For the Music Man'.
No official release date has been given yet for the LP, but we do have a 7" single on the way in the meantime.  The 'sings a losing song' single will have two alternate takes of songs that'll be appearing on the LP and will be released on Dine Alone Records soon. Those of you attending the last three shows of the Daniel, Fred, & Julie tour can pick up a copy at the shows.
We can also expect a 12" (45RPM) EP titled 'Songs for Misha' to be released on You've Changed Records this summer.  I think I speak for everyone when I say "keep the vinyl coming Daniel, we're listening!"
Below you'll find a performance by Daniel w/ Misha Bower from the Horseshoe in Toronto on April 15th.  Hopefully this tune will turn up on one of the forthcoming releases.

video by Matthew McAndrew

Daniel Romano & Misha Bower - New Song (Live from the Horseshoe Tavern) from Matthew McAndrew on Vimeo.

Blue Fog Revue

If there was ever a time this maritimer wished he lived in Toronto it would be now.  Our friends at Blue Fog Recordings have announced an amazing night of music set to take place on May 14th at Lee's Palace.  Unfortunately for the rest of the country this Revue is not of the Rolling Thunder variety so the only chance to experience it is to be in the GTA in May.  Here's to hoping some of these artists make their way East for an appearance at SappyFest this summer.


Canada's most discerning psychedelic/country/folk/ label, Blue Fog is proud to present Blue Fog Revue, on May 14th at Lee's Palace. Blue Fog Revue is a one time only spectacle that will feature collaborations and performances from the label's bands (in alphabetical order):

Andre Ethier - Castlemusic - Eiyn Sof - Nordic Nomadic - One Hundred Dollars - RickWhiteAlbum - Wyrd Visions

An event of utmost rarity, Blue Fog Revue brings these musicians together to play their own and each others music - a difficult feat considering the reclusiveness of both White and Ethier. (Despite critical acclaim for both "Son of Blue Fog" and "137" neither Ethier or White have feted or toured their latest releases). Solo artists Nordic Nomadic (Chad Ross of Quest for Fire), Wyrd Visions, RickWhiteAlbum and Castlemusic will be backed by Ethier's band and by One Hundred Dollars. Guest appearances from members of the Unintended and Elevator are also rumored. The night will close with a set by country phenom, One Hundred Dollars.  
Tickets Available at Rotate This and Soundscapes. $12 in advance, $15 at the door.
Contact bluefogrevue@gmail.com for more information


Rick White - Belief 
from the album '137' .  Buy the ltd edition LP from Sonic Unyon HERE





Nordic Nomadic - the Weather in Your Mind
http://www.myspace.com/nordicnomadic

April 20th ....

New Riders of the Purple Sage - Panama Red

SappyFest 2010 - Get yer tickets!

Your summer just got a lot better.  Sappy Records has announced the dates for it's 5th annual Music & Arts Festival, it'll take place July 30th - Aug 1st in Sackville New Brunswick.  They haven't announced who'll be performing yet but you can bet the lineup will be stellar given their track record from previous years. Past performers include the Constantines, Eric's Trip, Destroyer, Dog Day, Attack in Black, Chad Van Gaalen, One Hundred Dollars, Al Tuck, Calvin Johnson, and many many more great bands.

Early bird tickets are on sale HERE via TicketPro, there's only 200 of these available so act quick.  $56.50 + taxes/fees for 3 days of music, this is a no-brainer folks.

Chad Van Gaalen @ SappyFest 2008


Snowsuit Sounds (feat. B.A. Johnston) - 'Go East, To SappyFest'Pt. 1


Snowsuit Sounds - 'Go East, To SappyFest' Pt. 2

The exciting conclusion of our epic Sappyfest episode!

Record Store Day - 2010

This is the one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day and hundreds of artists in the United States and in various countries across the globe make special appearances and performances.  2007 was the inaugural year for the event and it's now celebrated the third Saturday every April.





Click HERE to find a participating store near you.  I'll be at Spin It in Moncton tomorrow morning trying to get my hands on some ltd edition vinyl goods.  After the jump there's a small sample of what's in store for people tomorrow.  
* note - stock is ltd, and not all stores will be getting these titles.  *

the Sadies - Darker Circles LP

Your favorite alt/psych/country/rock band The Sadies have a new LP out May 18th via Yep Roc titled Darker Circles.  This is their follow-up to 2007's critically acclaimed New Seasons LP and it finds the band once again collaborating with producer Gary Louris (Jayhawks).

There's a fancy little widget below that'll let you stream four new tracks from the album, and I must say this stuff sounds like classic Sadies.

You can pre-order the LP from Yep Roc HERE, or ask your local record shop if they can stock it, you know it's gonna be worth $20.

One Hundred Dollars - Regional 7" Series

If your musical listening tendencies have ever leaned towards the country side of things, if your ears perk up when you hear a pedal steel, or if you like your music with a side of REAL, then this band is for you.

One Hundred Dollars have recently issued the 2nd installment of their Regional 7" Series via Vancouver based Deranged Records and it's a barn burner.  The idea behind the series is to write a song about the area from which the record label is based, in this case Vancouver's lower east side is the setting and life on its streets is the subject.  Heavy stuff to say the least, and Simone Schmidt's vocals paint a grim picture.  This is something this band does really well, their subject matter is often dark and deals with the not-so-sunny side of life, as I mentioned earlier ..... REAL.  There's nothing overly flashy about the playing on this single, the music serves the song the way only true country can.  Stew Crookes is killer on pedal steel and the rhythm section holds down a steady groove.  What really makes this band unique is Simone Schmidt's vocal delivery, no one sounds like this girl, her voice is instantly recognizable and suits this genre incredibly well.  Venture over to exclaim! to hear this tune then order yourself a copy of this single, you'll be glad you did.  If you like what you hear you can also grab the first installment of the Regional 7" Series over at the Blue House.

The band released a full length album titled Forest of Tears on Blue Fog Recordings back in 2008 which is a great album in it's own right, although it's odd it hasn't received a vinyl release considering it's on the Blue Fog label.  Hopefully that's in the works for a future release.  Check out the band in action at Rick White's elder schoolhouse during the recording of their lp.

Andre Ethier s/t 12" EP

When searching for new music I often find myself browsing the rosters of the record labels of bands that I really like. A perfect example of this is my fairly recent discovery of Andre Ethier's music. I've been a fan of Rick White for some time, and the label he's called home for the past decade or so has been Blue Fog Recordings. After visiting their MySpace page I quickly realized that they had a spectacular back catalog with artist such as the Unintended, One Hundred Dollars, Castlemusic, and several others including our subject for the day Andre Ethier.

Andre is the former lead singer of seminal Canadian garage rockers the Deadly Snakes. Upon that bands demise he started releasing solo records and although he still has some bite to his vocals the music itself is a little more laid back, much the same way Dylan pulled back the reigns after Blonde on Blonde. He has four solo albums to his credit, the first of which Andre Ethier With Christopher Sandes Featuring Pickles and Price was released in 2004 while he was still with the Deadly Snakes. 2006's Secondathalam, 2007's On Blue Fog, and 2008's Born of Blue Fog all followed with each record being better than the last. Acoustic guitars, keys, percussion, and horns can all be found in Ethier's mixed bag of tunes, his melodies and earnest vocal delivery always giving each track their own unique flavor.

His albums are available on CD from Paper Bag Records and Sonic Unyon, but finding some of his music on vinyl has proven to be a difficult task. He put out a ltd 7" single on Dull Knife last year which sold out very quickly from what I've read, and recently Les Disques Steak issued a 4 track 12" EP compiling songs from his Blue Fog releases. As far as I know this is a Euro release only, but thanks to the wonders of the internet buying a copy shouldn't be too hard so long as you act quickly, they're ltd to 500 copies. I received my copy this past Friday from Germany's X-Mist mail order shop and the sound quality is nothing short of stunning.

For your listening pleasure I present to you Pride of Egypt, a track that appears on the s/t 12" EP and originally released on the On Blue Fog album.  Following that is a live version of Cop Killer.

you've changed ...

You've Changed Records is one my favorite labels going. It's an artist run indie label who prides itself on quality, not quantity .... as evidenced by their 3 official releases over the past year. I count each of their releases among some of the best music I own, which is why I'm VERY excited about news of an upcoming tour by Daniel, Fred & Julie !!!

Daniel Romano is one of the artists behind You've Changed Records, you may know him from his stellar band Attack In Black. He had an idea to record a few new songs and some old standards in an old school way, one microphone, a four track tape machine, and some acoustic guitars. The making of the record was detailed nicely by Daniel over on the Hero Hill blog, check it out, it's a nice little read. Recorded in Fred Squire's garage with a some vocal assistance by Julie Doiron, this album is a real slow burner and very easy on the ears. I find myself listening to this record in the morning while making breakfast, or sitting on the back porch. It's just an all around great listen with an old time vibe.

The video below is from a club date the trio did in Berlin last fall. Runner was penned by Romano and is one of the stand out tracks on the album. Do yourself a favor and catch these guys live if you can, tour dates below.

MP3 the Gambler & his Bride - Daniel, Fred & Julie

Tour dates w/ Baby Eagle as opener

Apr 7 Charlotte St Arts Centre - Fredericton NB

Apr 8 Baba's Lounge - Charlottetown PEI

Apr 9 North End Church - Halifax NS

Apr 10 Mt. Allison Chapel - Sackville NB

Apr 12 Le Cercle - Quebec City QC

Apr 13 Zaphod's - Ottawa ON

Apr 14 Jane Bond Cafe - Waterloo ON

Apr 15 the Horseshoe Tavern - Toronto ON

Apr 16 the Grad Club - Kingston ON

Unnatural Helpers 7" release

I've decided to attempt a revival of this blog. It's not going to be a full podcast as I just don't have the time to put one of those together each week, but what I will be doing is posting songs I like along with a little blurb about the band and where to buy the music (vinyl anyone?!?!).

I stumbled across this tune last week and cannot get it out of my head! It's straight-up power chord rock with a chorus that rejoices in all things SUMMER. Unnatural Helpers are from Seattle and are on Hardly Art, a Sub Pop subsidiary label chalk full of cool little bands.

This tune is from their soon-to-be-released 'Cracked Love & Other Drugs' lp, and it's also getting a 7" single release. Only 500 hand numbered copies of the 7" single are being pressed so act fast if you want one. (pre-order HERE).

Enjoy!