I am a man who keeps his word.

I am a man who keeps his word roughly 75% of the time. Why 75% of the time you may ask? Well, any less than 75% and others would perceive me as unreliable, flaky and even potentially a liar. While if I were to keep my word more than 75% of the time, say roughly 80% or god forbid 90% I would be looked upon as reliable and potentially have more responsibility thrust upon myself that would dwindle my precious free-time down to nothing. I believe I have found the happy medium.

Now without further waiting on your part I have the two mp3's that I promised from the "Guilty by Association" Compilation.

Petra Haden - Don't Stop Believing

Goat - Sugar, We're Going Down Swinging

Jon

**Downloads should now work.

New Band of Horses.

New Band of Horses single is now released on their myspace, but I actually took the effort to tag it properly so you don't have to do it yourself.

Band of Horses - Is There a Ghost

Fucking wonderful. If this is the first track on the album, which i suspect it may very well be then the second song it leads into is sure to be wonderful. This has potential for album of the year.

Speaking of "Album of the Year", I think compilation of the year may go to this bad boy.
If possible I will try to get an mp3 of this up ASAP. But for now the Devendra Banhart's cover of Oasis's "Don't Look Back in Anger" on youtube will have to do.


If anything this release provides a healthy amount of irony with a satisfying aftertaste of pure unadulterated joy. Guilty pleasures indeed.

Jon

Liars

I lied, that was not my last post. I'm too kind, and too easy on your eyes. This is the most amazing list of upcoming CD's ever. Wintersleep, Sunset Rubdown, The Acorn, Holy Fuck, Tokyo Police Club (even though I'm against Saddle Creek) and Metric.

Sep 18 - Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew - Spirit If...
Sep 25 - The Acorn - Glory Hope Mountain
Sep 25 - Stars - In Our Bedroom After The War
Sep 25 - The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour*
Oct 2 - The Most Serene Republic - Population
Oct 2 - Wintersleep - Welcome To The Night Sky
Oct 9 - CBC Radio 3 Sessions Volume III
Oct 9 - Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover
Oct 16 - The Diableros - Aren't Ready For The Country
Oct 23 - Cuff The Duke - Sidelines Of The City
Oct 23 - DJ Incognito - A Captured Moment In Time
Oct 23 - The Evaporators - Gassy Jack And Other Smells (CD/DVD)
Oct 23 - Holy F*ck - LP
Oct 30 - Buck 65 - Situation**
Oct 30 - Tokyo Police Club - Smith (EP)
Oct 30 - Metric - Up In Flames

In other news, check out Peter Mansbridge and the CBC's!

Grumpy Forever

Hey cats and kittens (irony),

I'll be posting no more this summer. My affair with you is coming to its inevitable demise, foreseen with my duties being served elsewhere later this week and early the following. I'll be heading up to Toronto briefly to catch a show with my pal Pat, a Windsorite by choice (school) and score with the University dean's. Nonetheless, I've scouted out a wicked show to visit. For all you Torontonians awake and reading, head on over to The Boat this Wednesday night (@ 158 Augusta, just south of College) for a night filled with Prairie Cat and Gravity Wave.

Prairie Cat is where it's at right now for me. I'm in this musical stage where obscurity pisses me off, and anything with a G chord in it makes me want to hit something. But Prairie Cat isn't typical, nor does it matter if the songs involve a G chord, because the heartly-pop-goodness is what makes my Synapse lightning bolts content. The song "Trust Don't Rust" could fit in on Oh, Inverted World with it's bubble-sixties melody well-suited for what I've read to be a former Menomena opening slot. Myspace golden track "Payin' The Rent" would equate well on a new, hypothetical Jim Guthrie release.

I'm stopping no shorter than "I'm very excited to see them live in Toronto" with the exception of my prayers rooting for an all ages venue.

New Boss

New Bruce Springsteen record is coming... seriously. New track too... really. Fuck John Cougar Melloncamp.

Bruce Springsteen - Radio Nowhere

Goodnight,
Jon

IOU

The new school year calendar of events:

September 10 - Blonde Redhead @ Majestic
September 24 - Metric w/ Crystal Castles @ Saint Andrews Hall
September 29 - Caribou (formerly Dan Snaith's Manitoba) live in Waterloo
October 17 - Wilco @ Fox Theatre
October 21 - Do Make Say Think @ Magic Stick
October 24 - The Weakerthans @ Magic Stick
November 5 - Malajube @ Magic Stick

These are just a few of the many great projected shows in Detroit.

Losing California

I love this song. I remember being in grade school and waiting for this song to be played on the radio just so I can put it on my famous mixtape, which included such 90's classics as Gin Blossoms, Bush and Blur's "Song #2".

Woo Hoo indeed!

Thom played it this morning which reminded me why I love this song. Also it reminded me that if Thom goes to another University like he plans I may have to kill him.

Sloan - Losing California (CBC Radio 3 Sessions)

Five

Out of respect for the little guy, working hard to live the artists live in NYC. The attempted modern convention. Consulting post-war novelties, idealistic pessimism. Perfect match for few. Living on greens.

Les Savy Fav put on a show; just search Youtube. My first encounter with the crazy-rock-giants was during the Brendan Leonard Show back in 2004, where Big-B would choose one of his many favourite college-indie-rock bands for the soundtrack to each show. Thankfully he hooked me up to favourites like The Promise Ring, VHS or BETA and Les Savy Fav back in the eighth grade.

Les Savy Fav - What Would Wolves Do

Remember this tune, kids.

Confessions of a Hip-Hop Fan

"I think we are all in the closet about something"

One of the most definitive comments that anyone has ever uttered into my often inattentive ears. This statement although often reserved for those of us that chose to lead an alternative lifestyle, I will be using for another lifestyle choice. The Hip-Hop lifestyle. I know what your mind must be conjuring up at this point and no doubt the main thoughts are ones of confusion, mainly why would a Middle-Class suburban male who does not have a single ounce of oppression or alienation in him be listening to the very music that came to symbolize the release valve for the youth suffering from these things in the inner-cities of the world. Well my friends it is time for us to leave our respected closets and come out to the world.

It is our time to say, "World, I am here and I am a hip-hop fan!"

No longer should we fear the condescending stares of others for our love of an art form that has evolved over years and still has not garnered the respect it deserves. Well my friends I am here to tell you....

I really have no idea where I am going with this post. Seriously, comparing hip-hop to homosexuality?

Hey

I'd like to thank everyone who frequents this blog. I also love it when you comment on the content too, and not on spelling "fly-bys".

Michael brought me to a good point tonight: It seems that people (musicians) who purposefully create music to try and establish an aesthetic for that geographic landmark fail more often than not. Thankfully, bands like Hey Rosetta! who are from the obscure Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador don't try to do that. I say this reluctantly, but it's almost agreeable to the relationship indie label Saddle Creek shares with America both geographically and aesthetically. Artists on the label who are located in central America (Beep Beep, Maria Taylor, Azure Ray to name a few) vary uniquely. Contrastingly, one would say Saddle Creek musicians croon like my deaf Sheltie Wishbone, but think of the other "croon-tune-lovin" beasts anchored geographically. Polyvinyl in Illinois, Deep Elm in North Carolina anyone?!?! Regardless, this spark of musical inquiry (social theory of indie music) is interesting.

Here's the track listing to the Thom show.

Hey Rosetta! - Another Pilot
Pinback - Fortress
Spoon - Don't You Evah
Rhume - Snack of Choice
Death From Above 1979 - Black History Month
Rogue Wave - Lake Michigan
Daniel Johnson - Casper
Voxtrot - Loan Shark
Patrick Watson - Man Under The Sea
Caribou - Sundialing
Emily Haines - Succexxy
Final Fantasy - Peach, Plum, Pear
Major Maker - Wonderful
Wolf Parade - I'll Believe In Anything
Land of Talk - Street Wheels
Miracle Fortress - Next Train
Think About Life - The Blue Sun
Ohbijou - Anabacus
The National - Minor Star of Rome
The Russian Futurists - Your Big Brown Eyes and My Big Broke Heart
Small Sins - Stay
Sea Snakes - Conception Bay South
The Weakerthans - Utilities
Jim Guthrie - Nighttime/Anytime
The Blankket - Hey Ya!
The Phonemes - Municipalities
Matias Rozenberg - Small Fires Burn Bright
The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour
Spy Machine Sixteen - Autobiography: Some notes on what's been called "Internalized" racism

Slow down and breathe

Sometimes I feel as if CJAM is actually much much larger than one can conceive of in the on-air studio in the middle of the CJAM building, which sits idle in the basement of the CAW Student Centre at the University of Windsor. Sometimes it's almost as if the stars align perfectly, and there are synchronous values within Canadian independent music sources.

Take for example, todays generous feature on CBC Radio 3's blog: The Mohawk Lodge. The Mohawk Lodge are a band, of course, from the west coast on Vancouver's White Whale Records (alongside Castle Project and others). They've got a brand new CD out that's been playing like mad all over Canada and CJAM alike, but their debut features one of my favourite off-day songs. By off-day, I'm referring to the times when one can tap their feet without worrying of the coming evenings events, or when you just want to match the vocal harmony and the end of Making Music when he croons "Slow down and breathe", and you do so.

Well, it was those off-day qualities that prompted me to bring in a couple Mohawk Lodge tracks the very first day Jon and I did the Breakthrough on CJAM. If I'm not mistaken (which I might be, but still it's equally congratulatory that my memory is still somewhat accurate) The Mohawk Lodge's track "Making Music" was the first song I played. Regardless of if it was, or if Jon requested Cadence beforehand, it was a damn long time ago. Coincidence it must be, that we ran across their debut LP Rare Birds yesterday before our show and decided to spin "Making Music" one more time. But what an even greater coincidence is the fact CBC3 posted their song of the day today as THE MOHAWK LODGE - MAKING MUSIC!@!!

This is the second time CBC3 has copied Thom and Jon in the morning, with the first time escaping me at the moment. Here's a cool band.

Hey Rosetta! - Another Pilot

Slow down and breathe.

Where have all the rhubarb boys gone?

Where have they hidden? I've been away, but Jon has just not updated! I've yet to indulge in certain books, yet to redeem coupons that expired today and yet to reach equilibrium. Here's all I got tonight, as it's been a long week.

Ron Sexsmith will be in Amherstburg this upcoming September 6th for the Erie Shores Wine Festival. Tickets are 20,00$ in advanced. This song is from Blue Boy, released back in 2001.

Ron Sexsmith - Cheap Hotel

Hey you in the car, stay out of my bedroom! You weren't invited and you wouldn't know what to do anyways.

Take down

God awful is the PEI university campus. Here is a sample of some of the tracks you'll be hearing in just 5 hours on CJAM 91.5 fm.

1. Eulogies - One Man
2. Sunset Rubdown - Up on your Leopard, Upon the End of your Feral Days
3. The Most Serene Republic - Sherry and Her Butterfly Net
4. The Weakerthans - Night Windows
5. The Constantines - Draw Us Lines
6. Tay Zonday - Chocolate Rain
7. Good Shoes - It's Imposible
8. Kyp Malone - Playhouse
9. Destroyer - Streets of Fire
10. Dntel - I'd Like To Know (Ft. Lali Puna)
11. Boards of Canada - Dayvan Cowboy
12. Ten Year Drought - Kill This Month
13. Regina Spektor - That Time
14. Ohbijou - St Francis
15. Final Fantasy - The CN Tower Belongs To The Dead
16. Great Lake Swimmers - Motion Picture Silent Film

The whole "mp3thisface" is going offline tomorrow (today) so Print Screen to your wildest fantasies boys and girls and children and mothers and sisters and daughters and wives!

Two Hours Traffic

You know when you find that one thing in your life and it just works like a great song, and you never want to let it go. Well this song is very much like that good thing, although "In The Aeroplane Over The Sea" reminds me of the good (some may even say great) thing this song is slowly becoming a close second. Two Hours Traffic hail from the hideous campus of Prince Edward Island University** yet somehow manage to make beautiful music.

Two Hours Traffic - Jezebel

Love,
Jon

**I can say this because the campus is in fact much uglier than my own University of Windsor.

Strongerthan

I'm leaving the new layout, maybe for another week or so. A few days won't hurt, would be nice if archive.org could save it like this (huddle laughing).

The new few days will feature some new and anticipated Canadian indie from a variety of genres. First and foremost are The Weakerthans, who are going to put out their 4th album (in over 10 years of existence) this fall. It's titled Reunion Tour, on-par with the short stump album names they go for (Fallow, Left and Leaving and Reconstruction Site) and an arm lengths behind tracks like Psalms for the Elks Lodge's Last Call and Confessions Of a Futon Revolutionist. This new one is called Night Windows.

The Weakerthans - Night Windows

If only they toured Detroit. Oh wait, Wednesday, October 24th - Detroit, MI - Magic Stick AA/18+. Although not listed on the Majestic's website, it's on Ticketmaster-which makes it official. This will make up for missing them on December 18th, 2004 in Detroit-the last time they got over here, 3 years ago.

Planning to Conspire

Mad props right away goes out to Jonathon Nehmetallah. While I was sick, alone in my sweaty bed, Jon and compadre Norman (which I have a stuffed duck-fake duck-of the same name) did an excellent job taking over The Breakthrough. My cold held me like a crystal in my bed and then on the couch while hours stacked to nearly 3pm. Jon ultimately never got his phone call, which I apologize for, but it doesn't matter--not because I'm a rude friend--but because I'll make it up by taking him to a ballgame. His eyes better not slip past that last sentence, which appears to be against him if it were not for the second half.

Nevertheless, this is a music blog and not Livejournal. I would officially proclaim this digital flag-in-the-ground a living organism of music journalism, but I'm afraid the definition of journalism in America includes the necessity of getting paid. Thus we are not journalists, but isolated bloggers. Fair enough, I say, thanks again Jon.

This is the new license plate for Oklahoma. Funny, isn't she? The music portion of this post goes to my main man, the fist of action against institutionalized racism, Mr Tay Zonday. I didn't hotlink, also.

Tay Zonday - Chocolate Rain

But next Thursday marks a tremendous landmark in the Northern, Indie Blog Hemisphere. The flag-in-the-ground I spoke of earlier returns here: next week is the official reunification of Thom and Jon, the forces of good and evil, respectively. Our show will revamp ourselves totally, revamp up the ramp to purity. Starting when school does, in the all-but-too-soon future: the return of your favourite Canadian indie program a la CJAM 91.5 fm, redefining radio in Windsor and Detroit.

For there have been too many crying mothers, crying babies, crying fathers--whose distress, at the cause of the dissolution of segments such as The Royal Canadian Solute, City vs. City and Rock, Paper, Scissors--can only be reversed with the reinstitution of segments such as The Royal Canadian Solute, City vs. City and Rock, Paper, Scissors. I thank you, reader, listener, and more importantly friend, for getting through all of this, and understanding the sentiments in this post, and in every post we get to share with you.

This is not a letter of resignation,

With Love,
Thom (1/2)

P.S You didn't think I'd really post "Chocolate Rain" did you? But then you actually downloaded it and realized it's a good song.
P.P.S Equally qualified Jon? You think Norm is equally qualified? What the fuck is this nonsense?

Caugh

The worst formatted post we've ever done.

http://www.myspace.com/basquiatstrings

Basquiat Strings, from England.