The Otherside is Usually Brighter..

I had been allowing myself to listen to music outside of the usual genre I tend to cling to.
This Seattle based artist, Macklemore, first caught my attention by way of a KEXP session recording of this song. The mention of Fences in the title sparked my curiosity. The mixture of the indie singer-songwriter vocals of Christopher Mansfield creates a unique juxtaposition to Macklemores' raps. I think this is what raw talent should sound like, look like, feel like.

Macklemore (With Ryan Lewis) - Otherside (Ft. Fences)

Wicked Games

Coeur de Pirate - Wicked Games (The Weekend)

wicked games (the weeknd cover) - beatrice from beatrice martin on Vimeo.

I had been hearing a lot about The Weeknd and this Beatrice Martin cover has convinced me to finally give them a listen. You can check out The Weeknd's album here and download it for free.
I love available local music.

New Music.

St. Vincent - 'Cruel'

Huffington Post Article

Also: Nathan Howdeshell of Gossip has started a record label - Fast Weapons Label and this is the band that was signed on. Check them out. THE QUIETUS ARTICLE

New War - 'Ghostwalking'


Bon Iver and James Blake have collaborated:
'Fall Creek Boys Choir'


It's a shame their Vancouver dates are on the same day.

Sia Furler, What a Charmer.

Image Source
Sia
Commodore Ballroom
August 19th, 2011
Guests: Ximena Sarinana / Oh Land

The We Are Born Tour.

The last time Sia played the Commodore in April of 2010, she collapsed a few songs in. This time however, Sia played the full ~ 90 minute set. She walked out on stage dressed in a combination of a ruffled dress / poncho adorned and patterned with vaginas of different sizes, shapes and colours, completed with a pair of heels with, yes you guessed it a vagina pattern attached to it. It was extravagant, indeed. The set opened with a couple songs off of her newest release We Are Born, it seemed that the show would play into a pattern of a song after song cycle.... but I thought too soon, because between every few songs Sia's personality and hilarious anecdotes broke the crowd of the hypnotic trance that I'm sure most of us were in listening to Sia belt out the lyrics.

She talked about her experience of trying to explain to her friend the type of vagina she had.... (her sudden candid and un-shy demeanor was unexpected but completely welcomed) --- only stopping the story to hastily ask if there were any kids there... hopefully not. What I learned was that you could easily describe yours truly as a 'flower'. Lesson learned.

The Vancouver show was the last of her North America tour stops. It was the last "show, for a long time" as Sia told us, I realized just how special this show was. The sold out show filled with excited audience members laughed along to the random antics of the one and only Sia. A devoted fan baked her Kale cookies, and if you follow Sia on twitter you would understand her recent obsession to Kale chips and how much this sentiment means.
Between songs she encouraged us to 'talk' to her, ask her questions, throw things at her ---- you know, the usual things any musician would ask an audience to partake in. She is quickly become one of my favourite personalities, in addition to being a brilliantly talented musician.
Her powerhouse vocals were evident in her ballads and even more so in her more sincere songs.

Let's just say that it was all that I expected and more. On stage, Sia may not move and dance like the former Britney Spears, but her talent obvious from her musicianship --- overlook that.

Sia came back for an encore after a short period after leaving the stage to "sing the to two songs [she] hates to play". I was surprised to hear this, but it was completely understandable. "Clap Your Hands" followed by "Breathe Me" received the warmest and most excitable responses. Everyone danced and sang along to "Clap Your Hands", and swayed and sang along to "Breathe Me." This was the first song I had heard from Sia. This song holds a lot of sentiment, it was the song that helped me transition to High School, it was the song that can easily move me to tears. In whatever way that it helped shape my taste in music, I am sure glad that it was a part of my teenage years. Hearing it live was to me, a moment that I want to remember, for a while at least.
Beautiful.

Oh Land opened the show, I caught the middle of her set onwards and thought she was an eclectic mix of pop and dance. Her set warmed everyone up for Sia to take stage... I was too excited to really invest myself to pay much detailed attention to the band. Sorry Oh Land.

The Georgia Straight has a more detailed and semi(not-so-much) decent review, despite the writer claiming Sia to be 'nuts' it's bearable to read, he obviously doesn't follow her on twitter.


(I love this stop motion video for "Breathe Me" --)

Long Overdue

Image source
Beirut
Commodore Ballroom
August 9th, 2011

I remember listening to Beirut's 2007 release The Flying Club Cup and finally understanding that if I ever wanted a soundtrack to all types of uncanny emotions at once, this album will do.
My favourite track 'Nantes' was to me the introduction to brass instrumentation onto my iPod. It to me, encompassed what I though lavish European lifestyles would be. Only to be pleasantly surprised Beirut called Santa Fe, New Mexico home.

I missed the opening acts and arrived just in time to see their highly anticipated performance.
Beirut sold out their August 10 date at the Commodore and so when they announced another date on the 9th, I jumped at the opportunity. I had been waiting 4 years to hear them play and see them perform flawless renditions of crowd favourites.
Admittedly, I hadn't heard their newest 2011 release The Rip Tide, this however didn't stop me from feeling like I was witnessing an incredibly talented group of musicians do what they do best.
Three brass players accompanied Zach Francis Condon who on vocals and the occasional trumpet swooned the crowd with his unique tenor vibrato. Percussionists and other musicians took place on stage to fill out the enormous sounds of what make Beirut absolutely authentic.

--- I made a friend at the show, Mike humoured me with drunken anecdotes of encounters with musicians and the like. What a charmer. No, really.

Deciding to see the show just after my final classes was a nice way to remind me that, yes it is summer and I should consider to partake in activities outside of burying my nose into a textbook.

CSS

CSS MAKING POSTERS! from csstv on Vimeo.

CSS - Vogue Theatre Oct/01/2011
I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS.

Underwater Tea Party.

NPR Article



Warpaint just released a video for their self-titled track.
They filmed a large portion of this video... UNDERWATER.
And this I find incredibly inventive, new and kind of exciting.
Each day that I continue to listen to their music,
I become more invested into them as artists, as personalities and musicians.
It keeps me excited to listen to music, ---
With school being so stressful and pressure feeling so heavy.
Their music makes me feel -- calm.
Finally.

Directed By Ted Newsome

http://www.warpaintwarpaint.com/
http://www.roughtraderecords.com/

Feeling Fooled.

I recently discovered WARPAINT and Bon Iver.
I feel like one of those really stubborn music listeners. I had put off on listening to these two artists, but a about a month ago I decided to give them a go. I was planning on courting them and taking them out. See if we share the same tastes, likes and dislikes.
We became best friends.

Firstly, let me admit the huge crush I have on every member of Warpaint. Just take a look at the photo below. They are all gorgeous, and great musicians.

I thought the bassist (Jenny Lee Lindberg) was Shannyn Sossamon--- who is beautiful. Only to find out that she is in fact her younger sister. Jealous.
I now feel the urge to go buy a bass and learn to play, because (fun fact) Jenny Lee picked up the bass at 18 years old and well about 10 years later she is writing bass lines that give me goosebumps, chills and the oh-so-happy feelings.
This band is hugely talented. I love that they rock the 90’s sounding jams that are so relevant today.
The first video I saw of them was for their song Undertow.

What Babes. (I feel like one of those obsessed teens who've just discovered something amazing)

They’ll be one of my favourites this year and maybe forever.
If I could, I would fly out to see them play. I want to so badly. What should I do?!
I get the same type of feeling from their music that CocoRosie gave me during their live show.
I’m so excited for the success of this band. (I want Jenny Lee to cut my hair --- is that weird?)
The oh-so-happy feelings are fresh, new and exciting.
Listening to them makes me want to dance at bus stops, skip steps and shout out loud.
Warpaint will be on rotation all summer.

BON IVER.
So I had always put aside this band, never really had the time or patience to listen to his songs. I had heard so much and well I recently discovered the beauty of his voice. Chills.

I managed to get two tickets for a friend and I. The show scheduled for September at The Orpheum Theatre this fall sold out within minutes. I can’t wait to sit in a theatre of 1000’s and possibly choke up to ballads of heartbreak, love and well, love.

SELF EVIDENT TRUTHS

I had been neglecting this blog.
Mostly because it’s been glitching and deleting my posts and pissing me off and not working. I might move to.... wordpress? tumblr?

...
I had been an avid admirer of Io Tillett Wright’s work for a while now. It actually stemmed from my love of CocoRosie. I found her website and photo catalogue after looking for the photographer of a particular CocoRosie photo. I can appreciate someone who knows how to capture great moments on film.
This was a few months ago.
Since then, I had been following her blog, DandyDarling
and found through the vast network of the interweb many of her aspiring projects. DarlingDays

One of which was MANIFEST EQUALITY
which spiraled into the now SELF EVIDENT TRUTHS PROJECT / SELF EVIDENT TRUTHS. I had “watched” --- well more say “followed” her efforts through her website and saw that it took on such great influence.

It is a beautiful project --- I just absolutely love the idea behind it.
Capture the humanity of everyday people through non-staged photographs. Truly Brilliant.

Self Evident Truths from Self Evident Truths on Vimeo.

There are a few photos of known musicians, artists, performers in this video, but that really doesn’t matter. It’s besides the point, the emphasis isn’t on celebrity and fame, it’s a focus on the humanity of people who fall anywhere along the LGBT(QIATS) spectrum. It’s about equal rights.

It’s great to see a project about equal rights attain such great attention and praise. People need to be focusing on these issues that directly affect all of us.

This video was just in time for the Legalization of Gay Marriage in New York.
I was ecstatic about the news, and genuinely surprised at how it actually made me feel. I was elated. I really was. Wanna Read Here?

I wanted to celebrate with the people in New York... times like these I think about packing up my whole life and moving to the big city of lights.

The internet really does create this artificial reality though.... and you don’t seem so alone. It’s a funny thing, because you really are alone anyways. I celebrated with the people blogging and tweeting and vlogging away.

Thank you New York for being the first state with a Republican-Controlled Senate to pass the Same-Sex Marriage Bill!

Lykke Li + Grimes = Light Show + War Dance

Lykke Li
Guest: Grimes
The Vogue Theatre
May 27th, 2011
Grimes 9:30pm / Lykke Li 10:30pm

Where do I begin to try to describe the show I just witnessed?
It had been a few months since I'd seen a show at The Vogue and it was incredibly nostalgic walking in through the doors and into the heart of the venue. I arrived just past 9pm and walked into a packed theatre. There was an excitement in the air, it was almost palpable and electric. Concert-goers milled about with their drinks in hand waiting for the opener Grimes to begin her set.

At around 9:30 Grimes -- stage persona of Claire Boucher, a multi-instrumentalist who syncs and loops her bass, synth and electronic beats into her keys to which she sung to. Almost immediately I noticed her unique voice which carried itself distinctly through her experimental-pop/contemporary melodies. She blew me and I'm sure everyone away with her child-like voice and overall cosmic-ethereal weirdness. I found her to have adorable stage presence, I couldn't help but smile and dance throughout her set. She stood centre stage with two keyboards and sang her trip-hop/melodic word rhymes-- it really does take you someplace special.
She's a Montreal based, Vancouver artist and she has me hooked.
Her music is particular yet strangely beautiful, it is genre-bending and absolutely unique.
I regret not buying her album after the show -- it is now on my list of "must finds."

This song sounded so great live.
Grimes - Vanessa

Grimes - Vanessa from Arbutus Records on Vimeo.

(I think I love this song--- and it's only been a few hours since I first heard it)

After Grimes' set --
Lykke Li took to the stage at around 10:30. Might I add that Lykke Li strutted on stage in a black robe/cloak that revealed just enough to make you swoon. She looked like a ghostly dark phantom that emerged from the smoke and flashing lights to deafening applause and cheers. From what I remember she opened with Jerome ---- I think.
It really doesn't matter what songs she played, or in what order, all that really matters is that Lykke Li commanded the stage with her "war dance" amidst the seizure-inducing light show. It was an incredible visual, an experience that leaves you hollering with excitement, and wanting more.

Lykke Li was accompanied on stage by musicians clad in black. There were two percussionist and therefore drum-sets, a plethora of keyboards/synths, an accompanying singer and a bassist/guitarist who all encircled Lykke Li, who stood front and centre stage.
What sets this show apart form the many others I have seen is perhaps the brilliant stage design of long black drapes which tossed and danced in the "wind" around the musicians on stage. The music stands on its own, Lykke Li, a Swedish native absolutely embodies a distinctly powerful voice which carries itself across in anthemic songs like "I Follow Rivers" and yet can still deliver the sweet and delicate sentiments of "I Know Places." She played a cohesive mixture of songs from both her albums, Wounded Rhymes and Youth Novels. Bringing out audience favourites "Little Bit," "Dance Dance Dance" with a strong focus on her 2011 release.
She also played an unreleased track which she doesn't play often (?) ("Made Me Move/Made You Move?), she played this just after telling us that we were "the best audience so far" which is always a great thing. Brilliant

My favourite moment of the night:
Lykke Li's band left the stage and she proceeded to play "I Know Places" sans accompanying musicians. It was a beautiful moment, and the audience shushed up for those few moments..... until she launched into an upbeat song which prompt the audience to break the silence and cheer, dance and enjoy the music.

Lykke Li - I Know Places

(My favourite track off of Wounded Rhymes)

DIrty Radio

To celebrate the LP record release of Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside, here is their video for "Dirty Radio" ("I Swear"?) -- It's a throwback to the sounds of 50's rock and roll/blues.

Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside - I Swear from Matthew Ross on Vimeo.