Joining the Soundcheck Shoutout

Since Wavelength and Jen have both given a shoutout this week to Colin Medley his ego probably doesn't need any more inflation. Still Medley, winner of this years CBC Radio 3 Bucky Award for 'Best Fan', does amazing video for the National Post. If you have a YouTube account, or have been thinking about getting one you should subscribe to his YouTube channel.

For example:

Soundcheck - Ohbijou



Soundcheck - Ghost Bees



Soundcheck - Elliott Brood




etc., etc., etc., go check it out

The Coast (Doing the Opposite of the Junos)

Now that I've finished explaining why the Junos are outdated and uninspiring I should also mention that Halifax's the Cost has launched their annual Music Reader's Poll and goes about it entirely differently than most music awards. Anyone can vote and there aren't even any nominations.

Each person can vote only once and each of the categories is blank, you write in whoever you want. Now you should bear in mind that the Coast is a Halifax publication, so when they say "Best Local" they mean Halifax: Still if you've been paying attention a long list of Halifax bands should spring immediately to mind. Joel Plaskett? Rebekah Higgs (or her alter-ego Ruby Jean)? Superfantastics, Jenn Grant, In-Flight Safety (or just Daniel Ledwell)? Fall Horsie, Ghost Bees , Old Man Luedecke, Dog Day, Jon McKiel, Wintersleep???

See already as impressive as the Juno list, and that's just Halifax.

I'd worry with a process this wide open that it would just be a popularity contest, but it beats the hell out of the Juno's system. I think some combination of open voting and critics picks would be best. At any rate go vote! You can win an X-Box.

Wavelength Turning 9!

From February 12 - 15 Wavelength will be celebrating it's 9th Anniversary with 19 bands at 5 different venues over 4 days!

February 12 at The Music Gallery at St. George the Martyr Church, 197 John St. Timbre Timbre, the Ghost Bees and Dorit Chrysler.

Also February 12 @ Cameron House, 408 Queen W. the Diableros and Loitering Heroes

February 13 @ Wrongbar 1279 Queen St. West Slim Twig, Bonjay, Child Bite and the Magic + DJ Benjamin Boles

Saturday February 14 at Polish Combatants Hall, 206 Beverley St. $100, Brides,
Hooded Fang, The Luyas (featuring Jessie Stein with members of Bell Orchestre & Torngat), Element Choir + DJs Greg Ipp & Ian Worang

Sunday Feb 15 — Doors 9pm Foxfire, I Am Robot and Proud, Thank You, and Mi Ami + DJ Babylon Telecom, With your host, Doc Pickles and Projections by General Chaos Visuals

So come out and wish Wavelength a happy birthday! Admissions are $10 or PWYC, at the door only.

Laura Barrett at Concerts on Demand

If you weren't able to make Laura Barrett's CD launch for the (soon to be Polaris nominated) Victory Garden now you can be (kinda). The show has been uploaded to CBC Radio 2's Concerts on Demand!

Both of the opening acts for the release were also included! So first have a listen to Dan Werb (of Woodhands).

http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/cod/concerts/20080921dwerb

Then the Ghost Bees from Halifax.

http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/cod/concerts/20080921ghost

and finally Laura herself
http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/cod/concerts/20080921lbart

If you can't find Laura's new album at your local record store you can grab a high quality, DRM free, MP3 version of the album (complete with album art) for the an extremely reasonable $8.88 at Zunior http://www.zunior.com/product_info.php?products_id=2149&mo=9&yr=2008

Laura Barrett shows off her Victory Garden on Sunday

This Sunday at the Tranzac in Toronto, Laura Barrett will unveil her new album "Victory Garden" over brunch. People will gather at 11:30 a.m. for a brunch catered by Barrett herself and then at 1:30 the music starts. Dan Werb of the Woodhands and Halifax's Ghost Bees will be joining Laura for the CD release.

Unlike Barretts previous EPs "Victory Garden" will feature a full band including Werb, Basia Bulat.

The first review is up on Eye Weekly:

"Barrett’s debut long-player (her EP Earth Sciences was re-released by Paper Bag in February) Victory Garden offers 13 originals and the addition of a full band — fleshed out by local players like Dan Werb, Basia Bulat and Paul Aucoin. Riding high on swoony melancholy and offset by cinematic shimmers of strings and woodwinds, the pervading plunk of Barrett’s kalimba plays like a children’s music box in double time, wisely employed as an accent rather than punctuation. Her emphatic storytelling works two ways: musical theatre monologue (“The Sharper Side” marries Sweeney Todd with Dancer in the Dark), and piano-bar camp (“Rien A Declarer” holds a franglais charm), aided by the ephemeral harmonies of Ghost Bees’ Sari and Romy Lightman. Though it sounds ready-made for book-club kids, Victory Garden is a compelling album even if you haven’t done all the required reading."