It's not The Postal Service...but it'll do...for now...

Do you ever sit down with full intention of doing one thing then get totally sidetracked due to a not so random set of events?  It's never planned, it just happens.

This is exactly what has just happened to me...I sat down at my computer fully prepared to write a post about Passion Pit's album Manners, but as I was thinking about this album and what Passion Pit may have the potential to be I got sidetracked thinking about one of the greatest indie electro-pop albums ever recorded, Give Up by The Postal Service.  Of course this had me digging through my cd (yes cd) collection looking for this incredible album and have since ripped it to my hard drive...again...hard drive crashes suck.  

Listening to the Postal Service, then had me doing a little research which turned me onto Jimmy Tamborello's (one half of The Postal Service) solo dj project, Dntel...which I will wait to listen to until I finish this post.

Okay...back to the task at hand...about 3 weeks ago a band out of Cambridge Massachusetts released their first full length album titled Manners.  You may have not heard of Passion Pit, but chances are you've heard them on a commercial...I'm pretty sure it's a Playstation commercial...yes according to our good friends at Wikipedia it was a PSP commercial here in Canada.  The song in question is called Sleepyhead...it's a pretty chill track...and that sample is crazy...in a good way.

Sleepyhead is just one of the highlights on this album, which I've got to be honest at times had me ready to shuffle to anything else, but I'm glad I hung on as there are some musically brilliant parts of this album that make you think Passion Pit might just be able to make it work.

Now this being said, the album is definitely worth a listen...or 2...or more if you tend to be a little too critical...it's okay...I'm a jerk too.

Highlights include the opening track Make Light, Sleepyhead, and The Reeling...this track sounds like Black Kids and Hot Chip had a baby in the eighties, then Doc Brown brought it back to the future and it made music...it's great!  Also, be sure to check out Folds In Your Hands...about 1 minute into the track (75 seconds to be exact) it turns into a bangin' dance track...for about 30 seconds...then does it again later in the song.

Bottom line is Passion Pit's Manners is a good album, but it could have been a great album, and I have a feeling next time it just might be.  If you do like it...even parts of it, then do yourself a favour if you haven't and check out Give Up by The Postal Service (2003)...it will blow your mind...and it only took them one try.

Hey, look at that...I finished my post.

Let's take it back to 1998...

In September 1998 I was starting my second year at Brock University. I'm really not to sure where you were, but I know there were 2 guys in East Point Georgia getting ready for there third album to drop.  One of many albums that would have to go on my list of top albums ever recorded.

I'm talking about the great Outkast album known as Aquemini.  

I don't know where or when it was that I first heard the track Skew It On the Bar-B, but I know it changed the way I listened to hip-hop. It was incredible to hear Dre and Big Boi drop smooth flowing lyrics over a beat that you would normally hear on a much rougher sounding track.  It blew my mind!

Of course there's Rosa Parks, the first and probably biggest single from the album which scored Outkast their first Grammy nomination.  They lost to the Beastie Boys' Intergalactic, but then again who ever said that the Grammy's represented the voice of music lovers. 

Yes, Rosa Parks was a great demonstration of how these guys could manipulate words to drive their distinctive lyrical flow, but if you really want evidence of this, check the middle of the album. Da Art of Storytellin' (Parts 1 and 2) are 7 minutes I suggest you spend listening with headphones on and the volume cranked.  "She was fine as fuck, I wanted to sex the ho up. She said, Lets hit the parking lot so I can sick your duck."...it's so simple, but works so well...genius!

Aquemini was the first chance that Outkast had to do a lot of the album production themselves, without being dictated to by their label (Le Face Records).  Going back and listening to Aquemini after listening to Stankonia and Speakerboxxx/Love Below (4th and 5th albums) you really hear the start of the evolution of Outkast's sound which developed into the sound that launched them into mainstream popularity. Check the tracks Slump and SpottieOttieDopalicious...trust me.

Since Speakerboxxx/Love Below Outkast gave us the Idlewild soundtrack, but that's been it, and who knows how long it will be before we hear from them again.  Yeah sure Big Boi is apparently set to release the album Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty this summer, but let's face it, this album has been pushed out almost as much as GNR's Chinese Democracy.  Okay, so it's only been a couple of years, but I still won't believe it until I hear it.

Bottom line...if you find yourself missing Outkast as I have been lately, then throw Aquemini on your iPod, and give it another listen...or 17...in a row...just for old times sake.  If you've never hear the album, then get it...anyone you know who's "into hip-hop" owns this album...and if they don't, then you should tell them to stop telling people that they're "into hip-hop".

Race Review - Sporting Life 10K

This morning I had the pleasure of running the Toronto Sporting Life 10K race with 13,000 other runners.

It was a great run, and for those of you thinking of running it in the future, or just wondering how it went, I'll break it down for you.

Let's split this into three section...the good...the bad...and the really good!

The Good:
Today quite possibly could have been the most perfect morning to run...ever. Temperature steady around 9 degrees C at the start, with absolutely no wind...incredible. I've ran a few different races...in all types of weather, and this was the best by far. Besides the optimal weather, the course was incredible. I live on Yonge St. and it's not too often (or ever for that matter) that you get to run down the middle of the street and blow through red lights. It was an incredible feeling.
The coral system at the starting line worked flawlessly, as this may have been the best race start I've ever experienced. I'll finish the good, by commenting on the on course entertainment...there were no shortage of bands along the course...it felt like one every 2km or so. They were good too (especially the reggae band). Thank you to the entertainers!

The Bad:
I understand that sometimes, it's necessary to spit while running, especially when the weather is a little cool...I may have even been know to hock a loog from time to time myself, but I would never in the middle of the race course. Honestly people...move to the side of the road, look around to make sure you're not going to hit anyone and do your thing. Also, for you running moms out there...leave the baby at home on race day. Don't get me wrong...babies are cute and all, but there are rules against strollers in this race for a reason. The biggest reason being the safety of your kid...13,000 runners...think about it.
Also, the end of the race was a little confusing at Fort York...but it wasn't that bad, and it was the first year for this finish, so things are bound to improve.

The Really Good:
The simple fact that the proceeds of this race go to Camp Oochigeas, which is a camp for children with cancer makes this race amazing. It's great that so many people ran this race, because more money went to the camp...fantastic.

The other really good was personal for me...I finished this race in just over 47 minutes (47:29:00), which although a little slower than I was hoping, was still a personal best for me. I'll take it.

The finisher medal was a nice touch, but I'd rather see the money spent on them go back to Camp Oochigeas. The shirts on the other hand were great technical shirts which you can wear running anytime. The odd thing was that the head hole was a little tight (on the mens small size)...kind of weird...lucky for me I have a small head.

All in all a great race, which I will definitely be running again.

Heads up 45 minutes...I'm gunning for you next year!

Here's my race playlist from today...
Bloc Party - Banquet
Broken Social Scene - 7/4 Shoreline
Bullet for My Valentine - Tears Don't Fall
Curtis Mayfield - Move On Up
Ludacris - Move Bitch
k-os - Valhalla
k-os - 4 3 2 1
Matt and Kim - Daylight
Mother Mother - Hayloft
Queens of the Stone Age - You Think I Ain't Worth a Dollar, but I Feel Like a Millionaire
Tokyo Police Club - Your English Is Good
U2 - Beautiful Day (Oakenfold remix)

Today I became a Yes! man

I know it's a couple of days late, but I just finished listening to the fourth album from one of Canada's premier rap artists, k-os. His fourth album is titled Yes!, and Yes! is what fans around the world proclaimed earlier this week, as it's been too long since k-os' last effort, Atlantis: Hymns for Disco.

Yes! starts off like all k-os albums seem to, with a smooth, chilled track. This time around the lead off track is titled Zambony, and in true k-os style, he gives props to Canada in the first verse. From here on out, the album builds and builds taking you on a ride, keeping you locked in with your arms and legs inside the car at all times from start to finish like only a few MC's can.

With an album that holds it's own like this, it's hard to pick out highlights, but the Phantom Planet sample on I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman, is a definite. On a side note, here's a little cocktail party antidote for you...I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman was originally titled On The Run, but Saukrates who is on the track along with Nelly Fertado, is putting on his new album too. Since Saukrates got first dibs on the title, the record label contacted k-os and asked him to pick a different name for the tune, and he said "I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman", and the record dude said "Okay"...and it was done deal.

The first single 4 3 2 1, is a must-listen track, and a guest appearance from Emily Haines (Metric), on the track Uptown Girl is another highlight. Of course a the end of the last track, the Avenue, you're going to have to wait for it...wait for it...wait for it...the hidden track. It's there, as it always is.

All this being said, I've got to go back to the fact that you have to give this entire album a listen. In the words of a lot of people...It's All Good!

As for tour news for k-os, he's decided to support Yes! with a PWYC tour, called the Yes! Karma tour. You read right, pay what you can. How it works is you go to the venue and get a wristband long before the show...if you get one, you're in...if not, you're out of luck. Once you're inside there will be a booth where you can donate any amount you want. Here's the cool part (I know, like it could get any better), half of the proceeds are going to the David Suzuki Foundation. For all the tour dates and info check it - www.k-osmusic.com.

Do yourself and k-os a favour and pick up a copy of Yes!...and pay for it...after all the guy is giving us shows for whatever we can afford...plus, even I paid for it. ;-)

Fantasies of Emily Haines

So, it's been almost 4 years since we've heard new material from one of Canada's best indie rock bands, but on Tuesday the wait is over and Metric's fourth album Fantasies will be officially released.

Now I realize I may have confused some of you when I said that it's been a long 4 year wait for new material, but the fact is that their last album was in fact 2005's Live It Out, not the '07 release Grow Up and Blow Away which although released in 2007, was actually the band's first album recorded way back around 2000...it just took them 8 years to get it released. Please, feel free to use that little tidbit at your next cocktail party my friend.

I usually listen to music when I'm running, and when I say listen, I mean really listen. When I'm running I find I can really concentrate on everything...the music, the lyric, and the imagery the two can invoke when combined. When I first listened to Fantasies, however, I wasn't running, I was riding the subway to work, which I soon realized is another great way to really listen to music. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for music at parties and when driving, but when you can switch off everything else in your head and just concentrate on the music, it can be something amazing. Let me tell you, this was one of those amazing experiences.

Metric first caught my attention back in '03 when Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? was released. I heard Dead Disco and was totally hooked. A few years later I picked up their follow up album Live It Out, and I have to admit it was good, but I wasn't as blown away. To be honest, I've never really given Grow Up And Blow Away a fair chance, but I know I will one day.

Fantasies, however, has got me hooked all over again. The way that Emily Haines' voice simply flows with the music is incredible, she is one of those artists who can really use her voice as an instrument, and the final result on the album is almost symphonyesque (no, it's not a real word). Sure, there are stand alone tracks on the album, but this is also one of those times when the worth of the album producer is really evident...just listen to the album cover to cover and you'll hear the flow of the tracks that will keep you hanging on through till the last note fades out on the track Stadium Love.

Stand out tracks for me were Gold Guns Girls, Gimme Sympathy, and Sick Muse. There was also the guitar heavy track Front Row, which for some reason reminded me of what I've always loved about this band. The bottom line is I'm digging this album, and you might to, so check it out. Metric - Fantasies - Due Tuesday April 7, 2009 (1 week ahead of the original schedule).

A little extra for fans, they will be playing free shows and doing the following autograph signings:
Toronto - HMV - 333 Yonge St. - April 9 @ 5:30PM
Montreal - Apple Store - 1321 St. Catherine St. West - April 16 @ 8PM

There's also the live show happening April 14th at the Mod Club in Toronto, which is also free, but you'll have to win tix from radio station Edge 102. For Ottawa fans, your show is April 12...but you'll have to listen to radio station Live 88.5 for tickets. Good luck!