5) Yeah, I'm still doing this.

AHHH! Now that was the very definition of a busy week. I am officially first aid qualified and I'm pretty sure I clocked over 40 hours in the work place again. Time moves on, and Easter is here, and I got to see Sigur Ros last night!


It was pretty amazing. Oneohtrix Point Never opened the show. He's almost like if you were to cross Aphex Twin with Sigur Ros; pretty strings and choir samples, sliced together in a frantic collection of sounds.


Sigur Ros themselves, I felt, started a bit weak. They had this curtin in front of them for the first couple of songs. I had a neat effect for a little bit, but they weren't doing enough with it to warrant how long it was up. As soon as it dropped, I felt like the show began. I can't really remember the set. I did mean to take notes. I wound up sitting there, gapping maw, blown away by the brilliance and beauty of what was in front of me. They played every song that I wanted to hear (minus BaBa from the EP BaBaTiKiDiDo, but I would have been REALLY surprised), and even the songs I didn't care for on album sounded amazing. I still haven't heard the newest release, but now I almost have to because of how BAD ASS the songs were. The one piano player/aux percussionist had a full rack of metal slabs to get a proper "pot and pan" feel.

The back drop for the set was all the modified music video clips you can find from past shows. They did a good job at meshing images displayed on the screen and some of the stage lighting to make things seem like they were one. The lighting was really cool; either really organic lights set up like stars, or frantic strobes and spot lights to convey the frantic nature of some parts. Joining Sigur Ros on stage was a horn section (who, though very talented, I have no clue who they were) and I thought it was Amiina rejoining to fill out the string section, but I have been corrected. Everyone played their parts brilliantly, though it was fun to hear the occasional bunk note.

Now for things I could talk about any day.

Bioshock Infinite is staring me in the face. I really would like the time to get that plastic wrap off. I am beyond stoked that it has finally been released, now it's just a question on when to play it.

To my dearest metal heads: please do yourself the favor of looking up the Toronto band Titan. They are by far one of my favorite bands in Canada and my favorite metal band who haven't broken up. Bone-crushing rhythms and tear-evoking melodies in a soul-destroying arrangement with relentless and bloodied cries piercing through the cascading collection of melodiousness sounds. Parts and pieces of their sound reminds me of the Hamilton local band named Hoosier Poet, which is another one of my favorites.

Here is a horrible sounding live video. It's still pretty, though.

Here is the BandCamp for the new album.

Basically, what I'm getting at is that I love bands that remind me of Buried Inside and all of their brutal, beautiful sounds.

AND NOW FOR ME TO GUSH OVER BURIED INSIDE!

This band still holds the status of the prettiest band I have ever heard. It is the only band that can brutally beat the shit out of my ears and I cry with joy and absolute awe. I came in durring the era around their second album 'Chronoclast: Selected Essays On Times Reckoning And Auto-Cannibalism' and what a brilliant time to find them. The album is one long song broken into ten tracks with names to keep the theme going. Might I add that I'm pretty sure the drummer uses a single kick the entire time? Isn't that just amazing?
I was rather depressed when I found out that I missed their last show a couple of years ago. I had heard that they were coming up to ten years playing brutally fast music with hectic shows and mostly just playing for food and new an end was in sight. Of course, when someone offered me tickets and didn't mention it was their last show, I thought I'd have another year at least. Boy, was I red.

Shit quality, but you get the idea.

4) I have friends with friends who like high places.

Sean Houston. Oh you beautiful man. Would you please stop playing shows on nights when I can't make it out? I haven't seen you physically on stage since the Parking Lot*. Though I am pretty sure that 15 year old you would not care for the direction you have gone, I think I can forgive you. OK, I should start this over.

My good friend and co-worker Sean has been busy lately. It seems every shift he has he comes in exhausted, but really excited to tell me about what his night consisted of. Initially, it was just things like jamming with the guys and working on some neat ideas. Slowly, it became this mystical thing (from my eyes, anyway) named Lambs. When it was first brought to my attention, it was about experimenting with post-rock ideas and edgy directions. If memory serves well, they played one or two shows instrumentally. The next I hear about Lambs, it was how Sean has started singing and they are now going psychedelic rock.

This was very exciting to me

Now, after about a year of Sean being very tired and talking my ear off about all the new ideas they have and all sorts of stuff, the self titled demo has finally surfaced on BandCamp. As I am typing this, I am making my way through the album (currently on track 4 entitled 'Mister Mystic'). First thoughts? Damnit guys, stop being so awesome. Seriously, I can't help but think late '80s/early '90s Brit Pop. Kelsey (drums) has some of the most appropriate and driving percussive swells I have heard from a band in this scene in a while. Randy (bass) is a fucking beast and ANYONE who has ever heard that kid play knows EXACTLY what I am talking about. Brad and Sean both have some fantastic Guitar layers and it is very obvious that a lot of thought went into the polyrhythm in tracks like The Lobby. In fact, go listen to that song in particular.


Lambs are playing in Hamilton this Friday (fb link) at The Doors Pub with doors opening around Eight PM. I am going to be making an attempt at going to the show, but if ANYONE from Hamilton is reading this and you do not go, you suck. It's only FIVE DOLLARS at the door or THREE DOLLARS when you bring some sort of canned food item. OR you could bring canned food and pay five anyway. The show is looking stacked with sets from Lambs (duh), Slender Loris (see last weeks rant on Kevin), The Eden Wells (I'm sure I'll do something on them soon), and The Ednas (who sound amazing based on the 45 seconds from the first track on their BandCamp)!!

*The Parking Lot was a fantastic idea (and one of the worst executions I have ever seen). It was an all ages venue for punk, metal, ska, and rock bands based out of Cambridge, Ontario. Pretty much every independent band that could have come through the area played there. Sean's old band Susana No Pants used to play there all the time along with Sister Amadeus and All Cut Up.

3) Another week...

Well, this week was very long, very tiring, and full of new. This update will be short, but I'll try to keep it somewhat interesting.

First off, I have set myself a schedule of updating Wednesday and Sunday. Hopefully I can adhere to this schedule.

NOW FOR SOMETHING MORE INTERESTING!

Aphex Twin has been coming up a lot over the last month or so. My buddy Nate and I have been drooling over the vinyl rereleases of a good portion of Richard D. James and ...I Care Because You Do. I'm waiting patiently for Drukqs to be reissued even though I have this sneaking suspicion that it will never happen. Richard D. James is one of my heroes in music strictly because he does everything he wants to do and has been for a very long time. I will admit that I am not the hugest Electo fan and I am not well versed in all IDM, but I feel like few would disagree when I say he is one of the best in the genre. He has written a song based on a ball bouncing on a drum pad and has brought us some of the most disturbing music videos ever to be produced.



This has been a weird week around the store. It seems like Joy Division is making a huge resurgence (which is far from a bad thing). The idea of '80s Goth and Post Punk being asked about has me very excited. I have such a plethora of useless knowledge on the subject and it has been a very long time since I have been able to engage strangers and customers about music I actually care about. I think part of the blame should be directed towards the ever classic Depeche Mode. The new album is far from their best, but I have to admit that it was not as bad as I was afraid it was going to be. The first single is very boring and seems to go nowhere, however. It is great to see such an iconic and important band still releasing albums that don't suck. Nine Inch Nails also reviled a tour and new album for this year, so my new industrial itch is being soothed by good attempts and great news!

New Bowie came out this month to. Felt like I should mention it, seeing as it is in context.
He's done worse, and better. I say check it out and get back to me.

I should start making lists of releases that are notable for myself so I can streamline. I am sorry for all the rambly nonsense. So much has been coming up and there are so many albums that I'm just behind on. Grizzly Bear is such a band: I love Shields, but I feel like I really need to listen to more before I'm aloud to have any sort of opinion.

In (some sort of) conclusion; this is a weak update and I will make the next one better. Maybe I'll do something other than work 21 hours in 2 days and come up with something good for the next post.

2) This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things

Creative outlets? Not a subscriber, though I hear they are nice. One could argue that a blog is a creative outlet but I haven't been posting long enough (or regular enough) to really notice any sort of creative relief. As of right now; I see blogging as a nice way to kill a few hours and to get some of the noise out of my head. Plus it gives me something to better myself at (Give me feedback). Some days I wish I had a way to express myself in a multitude of sensory pleasures, but I have far too many ideas without any clue as to how to express them. One day I'll figure it out.

Until then, here are a few friends of mine who are doing some amazing things with their talents.

Chelsea Zimmerman :: Carapace Photography

For fans of Horror and all things Macabre.

My girlfriend Chelsea has really started to push her photography out into the world. She specializes in horror, gore & pin-up scenes. The thing I respect most about her work is that she is working with a micro budget and her friends. She is fantastic at direction and her angles she produces are unique and well lit. She comes at it the same way a director would a film. As a giant plus: I get to kill people in a good portion of her pictures! Always a good time. I'll post one of the murder-y pictures of me from a couple of weeks ago to keep things vain and to keep looking as arrogant as ever!!!! ^_^

I'm the one in the hazmat suit, in case you were wondering.

Luka (Luke) Kelly :: Hellhound Fashion

For nerds, fashion people, and people who like all things awesome.

Luka Kelly (from here on in referred to as Luke and if she has an issue with it she can just hit me later) has been one of my best friends for a very long time. She has always made her own clothing as well as doing clothing designs for local bands. She used to run a screen printing company out of her basement, press buttons, web design, myspace layouts, web hosting, and so many other things, all before she graduated high school. Now that Luke is finally done fashion school and has since been pushing incredible stuff out onto the internet for your credit cards to purchase. Seriously, her stuff is incredible. Click the picture below for a link to her Etsy. The link beside her name is to her fantastic Blog. She has always been better at that stuff then me. I won't tell her that I'm jealous, but I think by now she must know.

OH: Forgot to mention she is the biggest Marvel/Spider-Man fan I have ever met and so much of her swag is related in some way. Fellow nerds: ENJOY! Fellow DC fans, respect and keep quiet. She's small, but seriously, her right hook is cruel.

Kevin Fraser :: LIVESTALK

For fans of the ideas behind Sonic Youth, The Melvins and The Pixies

Kevin & I used to play in a band together for a few years. All Cut Up was the first serious band I was in and let me experiment both musically and professionally. He is one of the most talented sound creators I have ever had the pleasure of working with and has always had a keen eye for all things fucked in day-to-day life. We stopped working together shortly after I joined the hardcore group The Twin back in 2009 due to time constraints and life moving forward. The last thing I did with Kevin directly was session work on the Livestalk & The Bodies album Eudaimonia, which was released in August 2011. I played on 3 tracks using a four-piece kit with one ride and hi-hats. The musicians who wound up filling the rest of that album humbled me in ways no one would ever understand. Kevin painted a piece of art that I still listen to most days. He now plays in several bands all over Hamilton and, from what I can tell, is playing a gig most nights at some club somewhere in the downtown core. Everything on his BandCamp pages is either free or way too cheap for what it is. Please go support him.

There is so much other great stuff on the internet that Kevin has done. I am pretty sure I know less than I don't when it comes to his catalog.

Patrick Hussey :: Solo Work

For fans of Pop, Acoustic and Electro (but feel like there isn't enough crossover).

Oh Pat, what can't you do? This kid does so much work on so many different ideas that he keeps in that head of his that I can't even follow half of it (I do try, though). Pat and I have been jamming since 2007 and been playing shows since we started in the local scene. He has always been doing his solo acoustic stuff while fucking around with programs like Fruity Loops and ProTools to get his sound to one unique enough to stand some sort of time test. Everything he does is without an internet connection for tips or tricks for mixing. It is without any sort of training or preparation.  Everything he does is DIY (or with some help from friends) and it seems to always get better and better. He is still one of my best friends and I hope some day we can collaborate on something else, even if it's just one track.

Now, let's drop this beat!

Seriously folks, I posted this because I didn't expect to see it on the same page as his acoustic stuff. Click the links and go check out his SoundCloud. It's full.



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This blog was put together while not only listening to and reading the amazing things my friends have done, but also while spinning Portishead's self-titled release from 1997. Jazzy, classy, haunting, and beautiful.
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Are you interested in more independent goodness? If people wish, I can keep dropping "Friend Spots" now and again to keep everyone posted.

1) A New Beginning

I was listening to the Ra Ra Riot album 'The Rhumb Line' today and I got thinking about life, death, money, music, and so on. Why did this album bring me to such a reflective state? I blame the Cello/Violin. Could also be that familiar feel and groove played in a different maner. If the string sections were more contemporary  I may have not bothered checking this band out. Thank your God they decided to do something different. The only downside to this purchase was that I had to pick up more plastic sleeves from a store a city over because my place of employment doesn't carry them. 

Speaking of vinyl and my work, we have in a tonne of sale stuff. It is very tempting to just start grabbing random pieces to expand my collection, but I feel like that may be rather pretentious. I decided a few months ago that I was going to stop picking up albums I either didn't care for or didn't know in some way. For instance: I came across a Ra Ra Riot video online and really dug the tune, so I picked up the album. YAY! Example of the opposite, the four or so vinyl I wish to trade out of my collection. I really don't need Hot Sause Committee Part 2. It's not that it's a poor album, it is just that it is not my favorite. Now, if I had Ill Communication... *drools*

Feist's album Metals works beautifully as a soundtrack to Minecraft. It would also work beautifully as that record that you found in your parents collection from when they were a teen and they may not have taken the greatest care of it but by golly they loved them tunes. By that statement, I mean throw a couple of light scratches and pops and the album may actually sound better than brand new. I am almost tempted to just push it around the covers of my bed to kind of mess it up a bit. I DIGRESS. It's good.

Just wrapping up side A of The Rhumb Line. The single I had heard closes out a very pretty twenty minuts. Seriously, bad-ass tune and neat video.

I haven't been home enough to fully appreciate all the records I have obtained since my birthday. I have also been neglecting reading. You can find the reading bit linked up in my Goodreads.com profile. I haven't even been gaming all that much, which is horrible. Finally beat Persona 4 Golden, and now I want to play it again to laugh and cry with every character. Seriously, it is too fucking good. I am about 75% through Far Cry 3, 90% through the story line. It's good, as well. I always seem to forget that I'm playing a FPS when I am playing Far Cry. It almost reminds me of a tighter, more serious Just Cause 2. If you never played JC2, stop reading this blog and go treat yourself to one of the most ridiculous games ever.

Also, 65% through Hitman Absolution. It is better than the advertising made it look, and just as ridiculous as it's predecessors.

MY GOD THE RAMBLES. I still haven't even explained my recent discoveries on life, death, money and love! Or maybe I have? 

OOOO STAR RATINGS FOR THE THINGS I'VE TALKED ABOUT!

(out of five)

Ra Ra Riot 'The Rhumb Line'  ::  ****

UPRATING- Great structures and flow

DOWNRATING- Though different, not quite original enough

Feist 'Metals  ::  ***

UPRATING- pretty pretty album

DOWNRATING- why should I care unless I'm in this mood explicitly?

Persona 4 Golden (PSVita)  ::  *****

UPRATING - ruined my life for 140 hours

DOWNRATING - None! Well, if you aren't a JRPG fan, maybe avoid.

Far Cry 3 (PS3)  ::  ****

UPRATING - Pretty game, amazing story

DOWNRATING - I just put it down for 2 months. I'll finish it, but because I feel like I should.

Hitman Absolution (PS3)  ::  ***

UPRATING - Murder in the best degree

DOWNRATING - I almost like these games for how cheesy they are. I can't bring myself to rate the story or gameplay higher than three stars.

Just Cause 2 (PS3/XBX360)  ::  ****

UPRATING - You can attach a pressurized gas casket to a mans leg and launch in 15 or so feet into the air to watch him then hit the ground and spin to his death.

DOWNRATING - The worst dialogue since Resident Evil, but at least they knew it.