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Dada Life and monkeying around.

Bobbyisms #82 Monday, September 10, 2012

I write about random things a lot. I write a lot about random things. What's the worst thing you can think of happening at a concert? I don't mean deaths or anything negative befalling the performing artist, but rather the experience you have going to a show — what ruins a concert experience for you?

This summer I've come to witness the newest low amongst concert–goer infractions. It was Rock The Park in July, and headliner Slash began his fiery set with Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators following an afternoon of performances by Monster Truck, I Mother Earth and Bush. About four or five songs into the set, a drunk man weaving back and forth to the music in front of me suddenly half–turned, tucked his penis back into his pants and then disappeared into the crowd as everyone around suddenly realized the terrible truth: he had just peed on the guy in front of him. Sadly, the same happened to a dear friend of mine a couple of weeks ago at a concert in Toronto.

It's no surprise concert etiquette has changed over the years, and these days concert–goers now have to find patience with people playing with their phones and cameras in addition to traditional concert faux pas. But when fans can't feel comfortable or safe from assault amongst other fans, the experience as we know it will suffer profoundly.

Hailing from Sweden, Dada Life — Olle Corneer and Stefan Engblom — are putting the fun back into concerts. Known for their highly energetic live performances, the duo are at the forefront of the Swedish house music scene and just want their fans to have a good time. In fact, fans often dress in banana outfits for the show, as though the champagne, balloons and sausages being thrown from the stage triggers their inner fruitcake.

Dada Life has long been a part of the electronic music scene in their native country, and has enjoyed a growing status worldwide thanks to their distinct sound and fun attitude. You may have heard their releases back in 2006, but it wasn't until last year's "Kick Out The Epic Motherfucker" that they hit the top of the charts in Sweden, peaking at number two.

Dada Life is embarking on their biggest North American tour to date, stopping here in London on September 20 for their long–awaited return to the London Music Hall. The tour stops here in southern Ontario for a few dates before diving into the U.S. until the end of October.

Perhaps the most telling thing to consider is that Dada Life prefers to let the music do the talking. Don't mistake their laid–back disposition for indolence, however; the pair may exude a carefree demeanour, but their success has come directly from hard work.

"It started with doing a lot of tracks, doing remixes and doing songs," Corneer told Earmilk.com's Alex Leonard after their performance in London in November. "That's the best advice we give to new producers and DJs all around the world. Just keep doing remixes and keep doing songs and try to get them out to as many people as possible, it takes time, just be productive."

For more on Dada Life or to purchase tickets for their upcoming tour, visit them online at dadalife.com or follow along on Twitter @dadalife. Tickets for their September 20 gig here in London are $30 and doors will open at 10 p.m. Make no mistake, tickets are going to go fast for this event, so act soon or risk having to travel to nearby Guelph or Toronto to see them live.

And for more of the latest music news, views and more, consider following this column on Twitter @fsu_bobbyisms. Don't think too much and have fun, but please, don't pee on each other. I'm out of words.

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thefader: THE WEEKEND SIGNS TO A MAJOR LABEL

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Graydon James & The Young Novelists celebrating their album release in Toronto.

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Arkells, "On Paper"

Happy weekend, everyone. Here's hoping wherever you are is near to some good music.

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Not only are Toronto's Modern Superstitions looking forward to the release of their debut self–titled album this October 23, they're appearing on 6 episodes of LA Complex, beginning on September 10 on MuchMusic here in Canada (and on the CW in the U.S.).

Produced by Ben Cook (Fucked Up) and Brian Borcherdt (Holy Fuck), the album is the culmination of six years of exploration, the likes of which has shaped their unique sound over the course of three EPs and their recent 7" release.

“It took over a year to figure out what we wanted. Switched seasons and homes, lovers, jobs and desires," lead singer Nyssa Rosaleen said recently of the sessions. "Sometimes we felt unstoppable. Sometimes we felt homesick. Sometimes we felt heartsick. Sometimes we felt ecstatic. And sometimes we were just bored. But we set ourselves up to be what we are now, a class of our own, a weirdo pop band set against the rest, doing what we want.”

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Mother Mother, "Let's Fall In Love"

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No politics.

Bobbyisms #81 Monday, August 27, 2012 

I write about random things a lot. I write a lot about random things. It’s no secret that the music industry is a frenetic landscape, built on a lot of hard work, imagination and daring, however, like an iceberg, the bulk of the action and drama occurs below the surface. Countless people are constantly working day and night to support the cause, whether it’s booking gigs, servicing music to digital sources online or submitting grant applications for tours, recordings and more.

That said, developments and trends in social media in recent years have afforded us more of a glimpse into the process and enabled us as fans to take a more active role in the music we’ve grown to love, and few are as direct as crowd funding — the ability to directly support and finance projects from artists we love is an incredibly powerful thing... just ask The Tea Party.

Formed in 1990 in Toronto by way of Windsor, The Tea Party — multi–instrumentalists Jeff Martin, Stuart Chatwood and Jeff Burrows — rose to prominence blending Indian and Middle Eastern flavours into their own style of psychedelic blues rock, creating a signature sound as well as a name for themselves unlike that of any of their contemporaries. From conception until their dissolution in 2005, the band released seven studio albums, sold over 1.5 million records, enjoyed a number–one single (1999’s “Heaven Coming Down”) and toured Canada and Australia over 30 times combined.

“It just sort of converged. I mean the movement was getting popular over time, but that was never our idea,” he said. When the band embarked on their ‘No Politics... Just Rock and Roll’ tour of Canada last year, Chatwood explained, they worried the attention might be more of an obstacle. “We thought we would actually face a really steep climb in convincing people who we were, and how we weren’t part of the movement.”

However the tour was a resounding success, even stopping in to Cowboys Ranch here in London before the month was out. The overwhelming response the band received prompted the idea of a live release, and in true modern fashion, the band decided to explore crowd funding opportunities and enlisted the aid of pledgemusic.com. The goal was simple: raise enough money and record their performances over the course of their 13th Australian tour this past July.

Launched on June 1 without a disclosed target amount, the drive offered exclusive access to updates and digital downloads in addition to producer credits, studio equipment and copies of the coming release on vinyl — the first time the band has had the opportunity to employ the medium. And although the pledge drive continues until September 15, it reached 100 per cent funding before 5 p.m. on June 6, only five days after launch.

The result: Live From Australia, a live double–album documenting their reformation tour Down Under. Although there has been no official release date announcement, the band has returned the love they’ve received from fans by providing a wealth of exclusive updates, from wallpapers to rehearsal photos, personal videos to song previews. Truly embracing the personal nature of social media, The Tea Party is another exciting example of a band once ahead of their time now finding a comfortable home in the present music climate and connecting in new ways with fans.

The band is just wrapping up a short Canadian/American tour on the heels of their sojourn to Australia, but you can get the latest on them by visiting them online at teaparty.com or following @theteapartyband on Twitter. As of this writing, the band has reached 230 per cent of their funding goal and climbing, and it’s not too late to pre-order an autographed copy of Live from Australia on CD or LP.

And for the latest in music news, views and more, consider following this column on Twitter @fsu_bobbyisms. Welcome to another school year at Fanshawe, I’m out of words.

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The Rolling Stones revealed the cover art for their new greatest hits album today.

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Returning to air.

Hello all. Just a quick note to formally say this blog is resuming publishing; the break over the summer was involuntary, at least at first. Finishing school, finding work and relocating to Burlington had a profound effect on making time to write here, but now that school has returned I can think of no better time to get back into the routine.

So thanks for sticking it out, now let's get back into talking about music.

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Bush perform Pink Floyd's "Breathe" acoustically at The Edge studios at Sugar Beach, April 22. They performed at the Air Canada Centre that night in support of Nickelback.

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Twin Atlantic on top of the world.

Twin Atlantic — Free  Release 13 March 2012 

All the best things about alternative rock in the last 20 years are present in Free, the latest record by Glasgow's Twin Atlantic. Released in Europe around the start of March last year, the record grew to be the best-selling British rock album of 2011, and when listening to it it's little wonder why.

Released March 13 here in North America, the album is favoured to make a strong impression on rock and radio audiences, and has the potential to make the band as popular and renowned here as overseas in the U.K.

There is an attack present in the performance, and whether it's indicative of the momentum they've gained since forming only five short years ago or of the hunger of a young band chasing its vision isn't clear, but it works very, very well. If the album somehow hasn't won you over by the third track, "Apocalyptic Renegade," the smooth way Twin Atlantic expertly executes the loud/soft dynamics of "Yes, I Was Drunk" may.

"Free," the album's title track, shifts sonically in ways that play well on your ear; it begins with a pulsing riff and cascades into the chorus in such a way that makes it impossible to sit still while you listen. "Crash Land" is next, a disarming acoustic song, leading into "Make A Beast Of Myself," a churning rock song twice released as an album single.

Song by song the record provides an engaging listen; Twin Atlantic are talented artists and have crafted a great rock record. Free is widely available in physical and digital versions across North America on March 13.

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Record Store Day like Christmas in April.

Bobbyisms #76 Monday, March 19, 2012 

I write about random things a lot. I write a lot about random things. Quick, what do David Gilmour, Jello Biafra, Lemmy and Henry Rollins all have in common? They all worked as roadies for different bands before joining or forming bands of their own! In this case, Pink Floyd, the Dead Kennedys, Hawkwind and The Teen Idles, who later became Minor Threat.

Now in its fifth year, Record Store Day is celebrated with special live performances, exclusive memorabilia and limited edition artist releases; collectors, vinyl aficionados and über–fans alike all mark the calendar well in advance in order to prepare their game plan to get the finds they want.

And it stands to good reason — as an example, copies of Nirvana’s Hormoaning EP were all swept up at the Sunrise Records at White Oaks Mall by 8:45 a.m. last year, before other shops in the city had even had a chance to open.

This year, there are a lot of exciting exclusive releases being planned for Record Store Day. Dine Alone Records, home of a growing roster of the best and brightest music around, has announced a number of exclusive, limited–edition vinyl releases, including Alexisonfire’s Math Sheet Demos on 10” vinyl, limited to 1,000 copies; The Civil Wars’ Live at Amoeba EP — eight songs recorded live in Hollywood in June 2011 — limited to 1,000 copies, and much more.

Animal Collective is releasing Transverse Temporary Gyrus, a collection of original and live tracks recorded in performance in an art installation at the Guggenheim Museum in March 2010. Metallica is celebrating Record Store Day with the release of Beyond Magnetic, an EP on silver vinyl featuring songs recorded during their Death Magnetic album sessions in 2008. And even The Receiving End Of Sirens has produced a release for the occasion, despite being completely defunct since 2007.

Vinyl Collective (vinylcollective.com) has been compiling and updating a list of announced releases, like exclusive 7” vinyl by Arctic Monkeys, James Brown, Flogging Molly, Florence + The Machine, Garbage, Jukebox The Ghost and more. Record Store Day always sees new life breathed into older releases as well, like deluxe reissue editions of albums by Attack In Black and Moneen, featuring extra discs’ worth of bonus songs and new artwork.

Some tips to help you make the most of Record Store Day this year:

Do your research. Call ahead or visit your favourite records stores in advance of Record Store Day to find out what additional specials or sales that the store might be having and what time they will open — many shops will open early for the occasion.

Be prepared to be flexible. Despite arriving early, you might miss out on the record you’re looking for. Roll with the punches — there’s likely a different deal or sale to be found nearby.

Take a chance on something new. There’s a lot of new music pressed on vinyl lately, but there are a lot of reissues from established acts, too... try something you don’t already know inside and out, you may find your new favourite album.

Don’t stress too much over money. You don’t need the stress of trying to choose between several coveted items, not to mention the time you’ll lose in trying to decide. It only comes once a year after all, and time is of the essence.

There is something for everyone! Record Store Day is often just the catalyst for further celebration — many stores have additional sales, giveaways and contests, translating into better deals and savings for collectors. There are few events as exciting for music geeks as Record Store Day; it’s the Black Friday of vinyl and music shopping in North America.

Here in London, Record Store Day is being celebrated this April 21 at Grooves Records at 353 Clarence St.; Speed City Records at 299 Springbank Dr.; The Beat Goes On at 1120 Wellington Rd. S.; and at all three Sunrise Records locations across the city.

For more information on Record Store Day, including exciting announcements, listings for exclusive performances and a search for your local participating record shop, visit recordstoreday.com or follow @recordstoreday on Twitter. To see Vinyl Collective’s growing list of Record Store Day specials, head to tinyurl.com/rsd2012.

And for the latest in music news, views, album streams and more, consider following this column on Twitter @fsu_bobbyisms or via Tumblr at bobbyisms.com. It’s almost the end of another school year here at Fanshawe; time to start building your music library up for the summer! I’m out of words.

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Metric revealed the album artwork for Synthetica today.

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Breach False Minds will captivate you.

Exalt — Breach False Minds  Release 13 March 2012 

In Breach False Minds, Kitchener-based Exalt has created a highly appealing album that stands apart from the usual fare by hardcore bands and resonates with an immediacy, a confidence that exudes from its first explosive minutes throughout the entire album.

The members of Exalt are clearly passionate about their music. Breach False Minds is more than your usual hardcore record, it's appealing on a level that will even entice the "I listen to the music but I'm not a fan of the screaming" crowd, as transferable as was the Black Album to non-fans of metal in the 1990s. It's easy to see that a lot of care went into its production.

Recorded by Adam Wathan at the Bat Cave in Cambridge, the album is immaculate. You can so clearly hear each instrument and its distinct tone that it gives the impression you're in the room while the band recorded it. And musicians everywhere will enjoy the tones the band has achieved with their instruments; there is as much substance in the music as in the lyrics alone.

Highlights include "Misled," "Partisan Eyes" and "Onward," however the album listens very well as a whole, perhaps better considering the transitions from song to song, which are expertly done. This is a band that has clearly found its voice; Breach False Minds is a remarkable record, a real accomplishment for Exalt. It is released on March 13.

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Big Wreck satisfied with big new album.

Bobbyisms #75 Monday, March 12, 2012

I write about random things a lot. I write a lot about random things. I'm sure you know by now that Davy Jones, the iconic member of The Monkees and beloved British entertainer, passed away recently. Though it was the band that propelled him into stardom, he had already made appearances on a number of TV series, including Coronation Street in its second season.

What you may not know is that The Monkees had a lot of influence in the pop and rock music in their era; Jimi Hendrix' first American tour was opening for the famed group in the summer of 1967, and Jones himself is the reason another young musician by the same name would eventually choose the moniker 'Bowie' for his own career.

Thirty years after The Monkees came to the United States, another young group of musicians released their debut album, a brilliant display of musicianship and composition; although they may not appear to have much in common with the famed pop group, timing could not have been better when Big Wreck entered the scene with the release of their debut album, In Loving Memory Of...

"It's tough for me to say just what I was thinking back then, but I know that if I brought a song that had a formulaic sound or approach to the boys, I probably would've had something thrown at me," he laughed. "Then I'd say, 'But no, I've also got this riff in seven that you're going to love!'"

"I guess it started that way, we're all kind of nerdy on the musicianship side of things. But a good song is a good song, that's all you need."

On the eve of the album release last week, the band announced a Canadian tour that includes a stop at the London Music Hall on May 18. The band has been rehearsing, building a set that highlights the new material among favourites from their first two albums, however whether the band might tinker with their old songs remains to be seen.

"I've always thought of that improvisational aspect as being just as important to our band thing as the über-rehearsed 'let's not forget that change' thing," Thornley explained. "All that time spent jamming together and learning each other's instincts musically is part of the thrill for me, and I think for fans also. 'Whoa, how did they know that?' We didn't, that was an exciting moment for us, too."

"We've dug through the first two albums, and there are a couple of surprises that we're bringing out, for sure. We wanted to have as many tricks in the bag as we could."

Widely released last week, Albatross is a massive rock record that is sure to please old and new fans alike. Prior to the release, the band produced a teaser video online that showcased samples of them performing the new material together, earning thousands of views from rock fans hungry for their new music.

On the eve of the release, the lead single, "Albatross," celebrated its third week atop Canadian rock radio charts. Undoubtedly pleased, Thornley spoke of the record with a modest pride. "This record is very satisfying creatively; there was no conscious effort to steer a song away from where it wanted to go, and that's a nice feeling."

"I think in Thornley (a band Thornley started in 2002 after Big Wreck broke up — they reunited in 2010) we were going more in that direction," he continued, joking. "Like 'Fuck it, we don't need a guitar solo. Let's just hit the chorus again, do an outro and that's it — watch it climb the charts!' And then of course when that doesn't happen, you think, 'Man, I should've thrown a solo in there.'"

For more on Big Wreck, their new album and tour, visit them online at bigwreckmusic.com or interact with Thornley himself on Twitter @bigwreckmusic. Look for Albatross in stores and online, and watch for tickets to their gig in London on May 18.

And for more music news, views, album streams and more, consider following this column online via Twitter @fsu_bobbyisms or on Tumblr at bobbyisms.com. Hey, this was my 75th weekly column, what about that? I'm out of words.

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#MusicMonday

Good morning, everyone! Just a note to tell you that regular posting here resumes today; I had to slow down to focus on completing school, but that done it's time to catch up — all this week I'll be posting the latest in music articles and interviews I've fallen behind on, starting this afternoon.

That goes for Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and the like as well, so in case you aren't following them here's a friendly reminder. As of this week I'll get completely caught up, plus I'm working on some aesthetic changes to this site, so stay tuned.

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Classified insight.

Bobbyisms #74 Monday, March 5, 2012 

I write about random things a lot. I write a lot about random things. Did you know that Cancer Bats snuck into London during Valentine's week to film a music video downtown? The band was shooting for their coming single "Road Sick" and came to London to film with the tank in Victoria Park.

Although passersby asked them what they were doing, the band managed to keep their identities quiet and work — one of Canada's most popular hardcore punk bands, and a moment's walk away from London Music Hall.

Fame is a funny thing, especially when it comes to the music industry. It's easier to focus on the negative than the positive — we've heard all sorts of stories about the struggle, about the long, hard road to success and the thrill inherent in making it big, but what happens after that?

Classified is a hip-hop artist from Nova Scotia who rose to success after building his name through a series of releases on his own Halflife Records imprint, one he launched to release his first LP when he was 17. His Shipwrecked Tour with Hedley saw the artist in London at the John Labatt Centre on February 29.

"It's more of an anal process now, where five to 10 years ago it'd be make a beat, write a rap, track that," he said. "Where now it's analyzing the shit out of everything. There's a beat, but could the beat be better? Could the drums be better?"

"There's the beat, the drums, bass line, pianos, so many options you can bring in. Then there's the dissolves, the bridges, the choruses, making sure the point isn't lost in the song," he continued. "Having more options definitely makes tracking a bit of a longer process nowadays."

Despite the options, Classified indicated his focus remains on quality — though he admits he might overanalyze things, he pushes for the best in himself, beginning with fleshing songs and concepts out long before the tape starts rolling.

"It's a harder process than 15 years ago, it's easy to get excited, like 'I've got something, I gotta write it down,'" he said, referring to his process of building a song. "I'm just writing ideas down, oneline song ideas or thoughts or whatever. Then when I come home I'll hit the studio, try to sit down and write everything out and come up with something."

But it's a process that works; audiences nationwide have been connecting with his lyrics for years. Canadians in any province can relate to coming from a small community and working hard on something they love, concepts that Classified has seen firsthand in his travels back and forth across the country — like his current tour putting him before thousands of people in a given night.

"It blows my mind; when I was coming up in 1996 there was a crew called Hip Club Groove who were like the big Halifax crew in the 1990s," he recalled. "They were doing shows and I remember they were making like $900 a night, and I was like, 'Dude, that's amazing, if I could ever get to that point, I'd really be doin' it.'"

To learn from Classified, finding satisfaction and longevity in your career is directly related to knowing yourself and constantly investing in finding your limitations and pushing past them, even if sometimes that introspection can sting a little.

"Sometimes I have a hard time listening to my old music, thinking, 'I could've done this better, could've done that better,'" he admitted. "I'm a perfectionist, a little more likely to focus on what's wrong with it rather than what's right about it. I'm always analyzing the shit out of it, and sometimes it hurts, but that's just how I make my music."

"I'm always trying to get better, it's good in that way, too — I want to make sure that the new thing I'm doing is better than the last thing I did, so I feel like I can push myself much harder and get that much more from it."

Classified is currently on tour with Hedley, with more Ontario dates scheduled midway through March. For more information on the tour or his acclaimed LP Handshakes And Middle Fingers, visit classifiedofficial.com or follow him on Twitter @classified.

And for more of the latest music news, reviews, album streams and more, consider following this column on Twitter @fsu_bobbyisms or via Tumblr at bobbyisms.com. I'm out of words.