Archives : all posts by Dan

*see previous post below for exciting news*

In honour of the day that it is, February, today is a good day for sunshine, followed by the sunshine of the night.

And what better day for a new Diskettes album to come out. They will be touring all weekend, see their site de web for details, but if you live in any of those areas, not going would be so uncool it would stretch all the way into being cool again, past that, and back into not being cool. I believe the show in Montreal will be free and inside a metro station. Bells On!

This was also going to be a celebration of their recording place, Blocks, but then I realised Jordan's been posting a bunch of Blocks stuff anyway, so you're all well-versed. Speaking of well verse period period period

Diskettes - "Get Together"

The melodies bounce off each other so well, it's almost as if this song were standing in the middle of a room, all fat and happy, being tapped and strummed and thumped from three different sides. It's like the Strokes with the bones on the inside. If that makes sense. Yes I do.

Diskettes - "1 2 3 4 5"

This song sounds like hopscotch at recess. Or a flipbook being flipped really slowly (a face whose everything turns to hearts). Or being in the centre of one of those great big spinning metal discs with radial bars you used to find in kids parks, but which you only really see in horror movies now.

Diskettes - "Gymnasium"

From their first album, this is what you should listen to tonight, and slow dance with who(what)ever you can find.

p.s. i like you too.

La Guerre Des Tuques - "Welcome to Paradise"

Well, I didn't think it would be so soon, but here's the first recording from this band. David Barclay (and Greg, and Elliot) is/are currently the most underrated thing about this town.

Ottawa - Tonight
Kingston - Saturday
Montreal - Sunday

Jordan told me to tell you he's getting a computer for his birthday (your tax dollars) which is Sunday. After that, he will be so diligent, you won't even know how to spell hiccough.

Danny Kaye & The Andrews Sisters - "Civilization (Bongo, Bongo..)"

Does loving this song make me a racist? Unfortunately yes. But if we all love the song, then racism ceases to exist. And with racism gone, who's to say what we can't achieve? Certainly not you. You're not going to tell me what to do.

What I like about this song is what I like about Bugs Bunny cartoons. The timely (and extremely dated) references it makes, to 'uncivilized pictures' the newsreel takes, and concern for the 'atom bomb' (not dated at all). Or maybe I'm rationalizing my love for kitsch. I really hope not. [Buy]

Weights and Measures - "A Most Efficient Method of Removing Pants"

Horrible title. Really good song. This band's song titles are very hit and miss. For example: "Yes As In Meaning No" = yea, "The Weekend Is For Making Babies" = nay. But that doesn't matter, it doesn't. When I saw them play (for absolutely no reason I was drawn to their 'break-up' show) I did not want to leave, but Jon and I had to. You know Jon, with the foursquare cap.

I didn't know this at the time, but drumming in this band is Jeremy Gara. If you haven't heard of him, this guy is responsible for the percussion in every band you've ever heard. [Buy]

Also, since .mac servers are acting up lately (for me), I'm using two different hosts for the music. To our regular guy, a huge thanks as always, and to this week's helper host, go play his video game.

The Parka 3 - "What's The Question"

This is a Parka 3 song. And I like them. But, there's this other band called La Guerre Des Tuques, and they play Parka 3 songs, but in such a way that I like LaGuerre waaaaay better. So, since I can't post a song by them yet, I'll post a Parka 3 song instead. So this is a great song, it really is, but imagine it played with like 6 percussionists (shakers, little toms, soft bass) and a clarinet, still sung with the same marvelous monotone. Yeah..magic. [more!]

Whysp - "Seedling"

This band is so much fun. Although, they're so...intense (for lack of a better) that it seems like they're having fun despite their best efforts not to. I would have bought their album on the spot, but they only had vinyl. I mean, I understand what cool is and all (note: I DO NOT understand that) but come on. If you're going on tour, bring SOME cds. [Buy it anyway!]

Pavement - "Saganaw"

Keeping on the 'medieval' feel of the last song, here's a great Pavement song. [Buy the Crooked Rain reissue, make Stephen Malkmus rich!]

note: I (Dan) am not making this post to appease anxious commenters. I simply think these bands all deserve more attention, and everyone needs more music.

This is Dan. Jordan told me to tell you guys he'll be posting to(day)morrow, whatever Friday is.

meantime, here's a song to tide you.

Luna - "Malibu Love Nest"

first track off the new Luna album. A brisk October walk. Honey bunny.

[This is Dan, he, and others, might write guest posts when I cannot. He posted in the past. He is...white-skinned. - Jordan]

Fuck Me USA - "Tan Thigh" Yeah yeah yeah, I know what they sound like. But there's so much catchiness in this song, just forget about that other stuff for a second. In the first 6 seconds, it becomes like a bunch of cymbals running their fingers through your hair, with this moping bass. And then wakes up and turns into this dancy, strutting, cowbelly thing that is more welcome when you know it's coming. I don't really have a whole bunch to say about it, I just wanted to share it with you, so you can maybe listen to it on the way to/from the bus stop. [band site]

Modest Mouse - "Untitled [Live]" Live tracks suck. and this is no exception. But this sucks in such an awesome way, it's incredible. You have to really like Modest Mouse to enjoy this musically, but you don't need to be a fan of the band itself to appreciate the sheer talent they are demonstrating between the times of 4:26-4:45. Probably the best 21 seconds in jam-song history. Isaac Brock has just come off a lyrical stumble, he's making this crap up as he goes along, and you can tell he's getting tired. But he comes back at the song, a sucker for punishment (break my jaw, now!) I guess. And the drums begin to build "you said then / what you meant then / what you did then / what you wanna have sex...", they know something is coming, the guitar is getting louder "...you could not pull it off but you tried to...", even the feedback builds to the climax "you said well..!..I don't need..!.." and then Brock just lifts the song up to the sky, like he's lifting up a car or something, "I don't need to wear myself a bikini today!!"

Then the band does one more little verse, wrapping it up, they know it's not going to better than that. And it doesn't. [the good MM fansite - r.i.p.]

[Ed. - Dan Beirne is a great friend, a fine film-maker, and at least 20% of the talent behind Better than Shakespeare (that's Canada's darkest, funniest indie sketch troupe). He recorded an album last weekend, but I haven't heard it yet.]

The Diskettes - "Come On Over". This band is like the sunshine and bubblegum version of The Halo Benders, and this song, for me, sums up their emotional impact and undeniable charm. It's like... doing things on purpose. Every part of this song feels like it's there for a reason. The fun is lined up single file. It's frolicking with a completely straight face. It's doo-wop with a dark side. "she: I can't wait for your hair to turn all gray / he: I'm wasting myself and I'm wasting my life away". If I knew more superlatives, this would be longer; the happiest sad song I own. [buy ($5!)]

The Hi Lo Trons - "Mania". When I first heard the Hi Lo Trons I wasn't huge on them. I says to Jordan, "They sound too much like Devo." And he replied, "They are not trying to hide that, Dan." That was a good point. So it sounds like something else, so what? This is just a really fun dance tune. When the organ kicks in at around the 1:00 mark, you can't help but move just a little bit. [buy]

It seems like each guest blogger is some sort of genre-Planeteer, each with their own specialty and, upon combining powers, make up the Captain Planet that is Sean's taste in music. It just sucks cause I think my suit would be pink.