Why Nobody Cares, by a Nobody

I posted this picture because that’s the last time Blink 182 was relevant. ‘Take Off Your Pants and Jacket’ and ‘Blink – 182’ were the last albums anyone cared about. That’s right 12 years ago. Do you know what else was popular 12 years ago? Finding Nemo, Hilary Duff, and Limp Bizkit. That should tell you something. At least it does for me. Granted I’m not the biggest Blink fan, but they did have a time for me. That time was when I was in high school and their big album was ‘Enema of the State’. Remember the album? Of course you do Janine Lindenmulder was on the cover. They were huge (er the band I mean). However, that was then and this is now.

By now you’ve probably heard that Tom Delonge has quit Blink 182 and his former band mates Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker are none too happy about it. I don’t think I overly care but the media has it everywhere and I can’t help but get sucked into the Blink vortex. At first I was under the impression that it was a media whoops. After finding out it wasn't, I didn't think it was very cool of Tom to stiff his band mates as it appeared and that it must suck for Travis and Mark to be left hanging. We have now heard what Mark has to say via Alternative Press and what Tom has to say via his letter to the fans he posted on Facebook

last night. While I am sure the truth as it always does (see Motley Crue, the Eagles, and many others) lies somewhere in the middle, this is what I do know.

Regardless of whether Tom, quit, was fired, or the band breaks up we know Hoppus and Delonge almost split songwriting credits, it appears however, that Delonge by a narrow margin edges out Hoppus. Blink was supposed to go into the studio right away and do a new album. Now, as one of key songwriters how does one write an album when both sides have made it very apparent that they don’t get along? They haven’t spoken in months. I can see where this would be hard on the soul and tough to get motivated especially when you have so much else going on.

It would appear to me this strikes Tom as someone who would stop and think about this. While Mark and Travis have a hard time taking their “cash cow” to slaughter. Even if he is there ready to go to slaughter on his own. It’s probably best Tom move on and work on one of his many avenues he has a passion for such as Angels and Airwaves. Side note: how sick is it that Angels and Airwaves are more relevant than Blink. Maybe this way we can get some substance out of Tom. I don’t overly care about either band.

One thing remains to be seen. Is there a future for Blink 182? I don’t know. I do know it’s not Tom’s band specifically but If Steve Earle leaves Steve Earle and the Dukes, you got no fucking Dukes!

Travis has the Transplants and well Mark I don’t know he seems kind of boring. Maybe he can join the Madden brothers or something. No one cares about Blink’s jack off songs or how depressed Good Charlotte are. That music is gone. Long gone.

I am trying to stay neutral however it would appear that I not. I will say this. Tom should have quit a long time ago if he was unhappy and the other two, shame on them for not growing a pair and dealing with it at the last minute when they are forced to.

I hope you read all of this as if it were Jerry Springer’s final thought. Now can we all go back to important things like the Super Bowl and the Kardashians?

Cheers

Kent Rocks Dirty Top Thirty of 2013

Whoa! Has it been a year in music already? 

Who says music isn't what it used to be? I bought 50 albums this year and I might mention, most of it was pretty damned good. That said, every album wasn't good though and some of you may not agree with my opinions. That’s the beauty of year end lists though right? Sorry Lee, I just couldn't put Volbeat on the list. Volbeat uniting Metallica with Elvis because let’s be honest that’s what it is, should really grab me but I just don’t get it. It wasn't new and for ME it wasn't exciting either. That said, that’s as negative as I am going to get. Let’s focus on the years highlights. There might be a couple surprises in my list. I won’t say anything about Fall Out Boy’s credibility or authenticity, and they won’t change the world but all I am going to say is that world is a lot more fun with them in it. I didn't see/hear as much local talent this year, but that was only because my schedule didn't really permit it.However I am sure there was tons of really great stuff!

To start, here are my top 5 ep’s of the year:

05. Julian Jones - Rock Air Fire Wood

04. Butch Walker - Peachtree Battle

03. Lydia Loveless - Boy Crazy

02. Stone Temple Pilots feat. Chester - High Rise

01. Lucero - TX & TN

Without further ado here are my favourite albums of 2013:

30. Sound City - Real to Reel

29. Airbourne - Black Dog Barking

28. Said The Whale - hawaiii

27. Kris Kristofferson - Feeling Mortal

26. Joan Jett - Unvarnished

25. Pearl Jam - Lightning Bolt

24. Placebo - Loud Like Love

23. Matthew Good -  Arrows of Desire

22. Bad Religion - True North

21. Nicke Borg Homeland – Ruins Of A Riot

20. Travis Meadows - Old Ghosts & Unfinished Business

19. Blue Rodeo - In Our Nature

18. Joshua James - Well, Then, I'll Go To Hell

17. The Winery Dogs - The Winery Dogs 

16. Fall Out Boy - Save Rock N Roll

15. Todd Kerns - Borrowing Trouble

14. Songs For Slim - Rockin' Here Tonight

13. Steve Earle - The Low Highway

12. Emmylou/R Crowell - Old Yellow Moon

11. John Fogerty - Wrote a Song for Everyone

10. Frank Turner - Tape Deck Heart

 09. The Matinée - We Swore We'd See The Sunrise

08.  Billie Joe + Norah - Foreverly

07. Eddie Spaghetti - The Value Of Nothing

06. Tegan & Sara - Heartthrob

05. Arctic Monkeys - AM

04. The Bronx - IV

03. Northcote - Northcote

02. Sinking Ships - Late For Everything

01. Headstones - Love + Fury

That's all folks. Start thinking about 2014. I can tell you I am already excited for the new Supersuckers, and Against Me!. I am also really curious about new Bruce Sprinsteen record.

Cheers! 

Kent Rock's Top 25 Albums of 2012

Well another year of record purchasing has come to an end. There were some surprises and some let downs but for the most part it, artists released the product I had anticipated. I'll keep this short as JJ pretty much covered the year. We definitely grew tired of writing the standard review. I like JJ, also purchased some 40 new albums this year. It's interesting to see where we agree, where JJ is wrong haha and how our duplicates appear in their pecking order.

Again I will keep this short and sweet as JJ pretty much nailed the how the year went.

The biggest surprise for me went to Serena Ryder for her work on 'Harmony'. Serena Ryder is an artist I always assumed I wouldn't dig. My bad there. She's great.

My favourite find of the year was Del Barber. Del was an artist I discovered at the Regina Folk Festival with two albums in his back catalogue and a new one 'Headwaters' all of which are impeccable.

My biggest disappointment should have been obvious. I liked their first album in the mid 90's but had written their following albums off as crap. When they came back with a new album after a ten year hiatus I had hoped Matchbox Twenty had grown up and put out an adult record that was going to be fresh. Turns out 'North' was everything I hoped it wasn't going to be. Worst album of the year. I do embarrassingly like the drums in their single 'She's So Mean' but that alone can't save the record let alone the album. I should have known, I admit.

Other albums that should have impressed but I felt just simply missed the mark was The Darkness' 'Hotcakes' and Soundgarden's 'King Animal'. Soundgarden's single 'Been Away Too Long' fires on all cylinders but the rest of it just kind of blends in like wallpaper to me. The Darkness has some ripping tracks musically but vocally it just never seems to match up and doesn't get me off.

Best ep's go to The Biters for 'Last of a Dying Breed' and the self titled Lifetakers record.

Best album that came out last year but just discovered this year is 'Killin' Uncle Buzzy' by Travis Meadows

So without further ado this is how I thought the year went down.

1. Lucero – Women & Work
2. The LustKillers – That Which Does Not Kill Us…
3. Gaslight Anthem – Handwritten
4. Del Barber – Headwaters
5. Serena Ryder – Harmony
6. Mumford & Sons – Babel
7. Pink - The Truth About Love
8. Hey! Hello!
9. The Cadillac Black
10. Soul Asylum – Delayed Reaction
11. Justin Townes Earle – Nothing Is Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now
12. Billy Talent – Dead Silence
13. The Wooden Sky – Every Child A Daughter, Every Moon A Sun
14. Holly McNarland – Run Body Run
15. Redd Kross – Researching The Blues
16. Zac Brown Band – Uncaged
17. Danko Jones – Rock and Roll is Black and Blue
18. JD McPherson – Signs + Signifiers
19. The Lumineers
20. Matt Mays – Coyote
21. JJ Voss – Show Em Who’s Voss
22. Jack White – Blunderbuss
23. Bruce Springsteen – Wrecking Ball
24. Our Lady Peace – Curve
25. Corb Lund – Cabin Fever

 

JJ's Top 25 Albums of 2012

Well, ladies and gents, 2012 is almost a wrap so it's time to look back at the year that was in music.  2012 definitely wasn't the most prolific year for myself and my fellow Spunster Kent.  It's been about half a year since our lost blog post so we sure won't be winning the "Hardest Working Bloggers in Show Biz" award any time soon.  I can't speak for Kent, but I kind of got bored with doing traditional music reviews so I gave up blogging for a bit.  I'm still a huge music geek, but after a while you can only use so many adjectives to describe a punk album or a folk album.  As well, we live in the world of Twitter where people only read tidbits of information in sound-bite form, so brevity is key these days.

That being said, it's always fun to reflect on the past year and compile my year-end list.  It gives me a chance to revisit some albums I forgot about and reaffirm how great albums are that I never got sick of.  As well, I feel I would be doing the world a serious disservice by not sharing my impeccable taste in music.  :-)

I didn't buy as many albums this year as I have in prior years so I'm sure I'm missing out on some incredible music.  I think I "only" bought 40 albums or so this year, which is pretty slack by my standards.  I'm sure if I gave the Japandroids, Fiona Apple, Hannah Georgas and Regina's own Bystanders a full spin or two that they'd be on this prestigious list.

2012 saw Bruce Springsteen release one of his best albums almost 40 years after his debut album.  Wrecking Ball easily stands next to Nebraska, The Rising, Darkness on the Edge of Town and Born to Run in Bruce's canon.  Leonard Cohen released an album that sounds like his last will and testament.  However, if this is indeed his last album, Cohen sounds triumphant and is at the top of his game, as anyone who saw him in Saskatoon will attest.  Metric released their best batch of tunes and their fellow Broken Social Scenesters Stars delivered another fine piece of work.  Green Day released three topnotch albums with tons of hooks and nary any filler.  Not too shabby for 37 songs.  After two rock operas, it's nice to see Green Day get back to basics and focus on short, fun bursts of power-pop-punk.

My biggest disappointment of 2012 was Jack White's Blunderbuss.  I was a huge White Stripes fan and was pretty stoked for this album but I just couldn't get into it.  It's far from horrible, but considering it's Jack White, I was left a little underwhelmed.  Maybe Jack will knock it out of the park with his next project.  As well, The Killers really dropped the ball with Battle Born.  I really wanted to like this album but Brandon Flowers and company forgot to bring actual songs to this huge sounding album.  Maybe next time.

My biggest pleasant surprise of 2012 was Van Halen's A Different Kind of Truth.  It may be partially due to nostalgia, but it was nice to see Diamond Dave and Eddie back together on record.  The fact that they didn't shit the bed with this album is a minor miracle.  At 15 songs, there is indeed a bit of filler, but songs like "She's The Woman" rock hard.  Now, it would've been nice to see Michael Anthony's bass and background vocals on the album to make it a full reunion but I guess you have to take what you can get.  That being said, Van Halen did the unthinkable and released a good album at this stage of the game and that made my inner 10 year old self a happy camper.

Anyhoo, without further ado, here is what tickled my musical fancy this past year.  Enjoy!

Best Reissues

R.E.M. - Document
Sugar - Copper Blue
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream

JJ's Top 25 Albums of 2012

1. Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball
2. Metric - Synthetica
3. Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas
4. Green Day - ¡Uno!
5. Whitehorse - The Fate of the World Depends On This Kiss
6. Serena Ryder - Harmony
7. Garbage - Not Your Kind of People
8. Stars - The North
9. Lindi Ortega - Cigarettes & Truckstops
10. The Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten
11. Corb Lund - Cabin Fever
12. Green Day - ¡Dos!
13. Rah Rah - The Poet's Dead
14. Billy Talent - Dead Silence
15. The Lumineers - The Lumineers
16. Our Lady Peace - Curve
17. Of Monsters And Men - My Head Is An Animal
18. Chad Kichula - A Fire
19. Foxy Shazam - The Church of Rock and Roll
20. Green Day - ¡Tré!
21. Imperial Teen - Feel the Sound
22. JJ Voss - Show 'Em Who's Voss
23. Mumford & Sons - Babel
24. P!nk - The Truth About Love
25. Van Halen - A Different Kind of Truth

JJ Voss 'Show Em Who's Voss'

I recently got my hands JJ Voss' sophmore record 'Show Em Who's Voss'. In the dozen or so albums I have picked up so far this year it is quickly becoming a favourite of mine. I consider myself a rock n roll kind of guy that likes a lot of country. A more accurate statement would be that I like well written story songs. Just about anything that I can really feel and grabs me I can get behind. Where the magic really happens is when you believe the artist. This is definitely the case with Regina native JJ Voss. JJ writes workin' man music. He writes honest music.


I really dug the first record 'Hillbilly Storybook' from a couple years back but wondered if JJ could top his debut when I picked up my copy of 'Show Em Who's Voss'. I was delighted to find out out that the hardest working musician in Regina has really hit his stride with his most recent effort. In scene chalk full of the likes Taylor Swift's and Lady Antebellum's, JJ is the everything you like about classic country with a really fresh new edge which keeps him from sounding dated, I have no doubt this record will get a lot of spins in the months/years to come. 


'Show Em Who's Voss' really pops. Between working with some killer people in Nashville and another group of stellar people in Regina, JJ has his bases covered. The Nashville band includes on of the original Steve Earle Duke's Harry Stinson, Paul Martin of Exile/Marty Stuart and Kenny Vaughan who has worked with Lucinda Williams and Rodney Crowell when not playing with Marty Stewart also. There are several uber talented musicians that he worked with in Nashville. That being said his Regina band is really impressive also. Jayson Brinkworth, Ken Burton, Brett Schinbein and Laura Roddick really lay it down at home. Between the two bands it's hard to pick a favourite. 


One thing is for sure you won't be disappointed in picking up this title. It really is fantastic from start to finish. It never drags and always keeps moving ahead steady like a train, My personal favourites are 'It's a Pride Thing', a song about being blue collar and happy with it, 'Bare Bones' which deals with the reality of living beyond your means, 'Breakin' Things' a super fun song about simply getting out of hand and 'You Pull Away', a ditty about chasing a girl in a seesaw situation.  


JJ can be seen many Tuesday's at Bocado's lounge in Regina as the host of the weekly Tuesday Night Troubadour. You can pick up 'Show Em Who's Voss featuring "It's A Pride Thing" by ordering though his website here: http://jjvoss.com/store.html. It's also available at the Future Commincations outlet which is located at 508 Henderson Drive here in Regina.

Holly McNarland 'Run Body Run'

The first time I saw Holly McNarland, I was sixteen years old and walking through the wood chips at the then cross Canada touring Edgefest. The year was 1998 and it was my first concert. It was hot and just trying to take in everything was almost impossible. I felt as though I was in another world. It would have been hard to soak up everything at any concert for me the first time but a festival of this talent level had me on sensory overload. I was there to see Econoline Crush, Foo Fighters and Green Day. I was there to see those bands that day at Sask Place but I became a fan of Bif Naked and Holly McNarland. I knew virtually nothing of Holly McNarland. So as I walk across the grass heard this powerful voice sing/yell “…but I f@#ked him anyway”. I looked at the stage and thought, “that didn’t come out of that artists mouth did it?” On that day when I stopped and listened I was blown away. Fourteen years later I am still blown away.

Holly seems less angry on each record however she still emotes and is still a hell of if not better songwriter. With her having a family now and growing as an artist her songwriting has got to be affected in one way or another. Her phrasing, lyrics and earnest are still in every song on her newest record ‘Run Body Run’. That will never change for her.

As I have grown over the years, so has Holly McNarland. Which really works; she’s where she should be. I think this keeps her from getting stale and keeps her relevant. On this record you have some pop songs and some folk songs but they are all HOLLY songs. The only one that reminds of someone else is ‘After I’m Gone’ which is reminiscent of the beautiful and talented Emmylou Harris. No one can say there is anything wrong with being on the same page as Emmylou. ‘Only Money’ is a sure hit single and the other tracks are perfect for a Holly McNarland record. My personal favorites are ‘Alone’s Just Fine’ and the song she wrote for her daughter, title track ‘Run Body Run’.

Holly McNarland is still a gem. At this stage in her career she could do coffee shops, festivals, and shows like Austin City Limits or anything else she desires. She does it not because she has to but because she wants to and that makes for a fantastic record. ‘Run Body Run’ leaves me with that same sincere captivating feeling that watching her live did all those years ago at Edgefest. I am already looking forward to the next record. This is how a classy independent artist does it. Take notes.



As far as I know there aren't any official videos yet. That being said I did run across a cool bootleg from a while back of a track that made the record.

Cheers Rockers!

Kent Rocks - Top 20 Favourite Country Songs of All Time

A couple weeks back a friend of mine (Chris) got me thinking about my top 3 favourite country songs of all time. I like singer/songwriter tunes, be it country, rock, folk etc. I am not going to get into why I like country however, you can read that article if you please here: http://tinyurl.com/6ospd6m.

It got me to thinking however. I listen to A LOT of country. It's probably still outweighed by rock'n'roll 65/35 but when you listen to as much music as I do, it's a lot of country and folk. I realize I have favourite songs from almost every recent decade 1950's to present day and they are all different kinds of country. The order varies from day to day but here is the most concise list I was able to present to you... today anyway.

Enjoy.

Cheers,

Kent Rocks

20. Kenny Rogers - The Gambler



19. Corb Lund - Time to Switch to Whiskey

18. Loretta Lynn/Jack White - Portland Oregon



17. Fred Eaglesmith - White Rose

16. The Ginn Sisters - Hey Doll

15. Shooter Jennings - 4th of July



14. Justin Townes Earle - Slippin' & Slidin'



13. Zac Brown Band - Sic Em on a Chicken

12. Reba McIntyre - Fancy



11. Dwight Yoakam - Fast as You

10. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Modern Day Romance

09. Guy Clark - The Cape

08. Dolly Parton - Jolene



07. Waylon Jennings - I've Always Been Crazy



06. Blue Rodeo - Hasn't Hit Me Yet



05. Dolly Parton - 9-5

04. Steve Earle - New York City



03. Merle Haggard - Mama Tried



02. Hal Ketchum - Past the Point of Rescue

01. Johnny Cash/June Carter - Jackson

Nickelback: the Whipping Boys of Rock 'n' Roll

Nickelback are simultaneously the most loved and the most reviled band on the music scene. They are one of the few "rock" bands that are fortunate enough to sell shitloads of albums nowadays, so they deserve some respect for that feat. There is the stereotype that commercially successful artists must, by nature, be ravaged by the critics while obscure artists get rave reviews. For the most part, this has been the case throughout the years. For every Beatles who the critics and the masses universally adore, there are twenty MC Hammers who sell millions of albums and twenty Nick Drakes who merely sell thousands.

It's pretty obvious where Nickelback sits on the musical spectrum. The boys from Hanna, Alberta have been the favourite whipping boys of critics, bloggers and fellow musicians across the world for the last few years. Perhaps it's the power of the internet, but I've never seen such an outrageous amount of HATE expressed towards one band or artist. The only case that might be comparable would be the brief backlash against the Beatles after John Lennon said they were bigger than Jesus. But it's safe to say that their reputation sufficiently recovered after that.

So why do people hate Nickelback so much? Before the NFL Thanksgiving game in Detroit, there was an online petition to get Nickelback NOT to play. And this attracted a shitload of people. A similar situation occurred when it was announced that Nickelback would play the half time show at the Grey Cup. To the band's credit, they've had a sense of humour about it. This is especially evident in a pretty clever bit they filmed for Funny or Die.

The level of hate has grown to almost comical proportions. But for a band that everyone seems to hate so much, they sell millions of albums in an age where no one buys albums. They also sell out arenas across the world at the drop of a hat. So who exactly buys Nickelback albums? It seems like the "cool" thing to do nowadays is to hate Nickelback. I'm sure that since so many people claim to hate Nickelback that there are people in the hipster contingent who like Nickelback now... but strictly in a post-modern, ironic kind of way. Regardless, Nickelback get the most publicity of any rock band on the planet. But why?

Before I continue, I may as well let the cat out of the bag. I don't like Nickelback's music. Since the day I first heard of them, I thought they were just watered down post-grunge music. "Leader of Men" was an ok song, but it was so... bland. And since then, they've only gotten worse. However, I must note that I do respect Chad Kroeger and company for making a damn good living doing something they love. They're talented musicians so I have to give them credit for that. It takes balls to go onstage and set yourself up for judgement. And they seem okay with the fact that people like myself really don't like their music. Plus, Chad and company seem like genuinely nice guys. So kudos to them for making money playing music.

So why do people hate their music? I can't speak for everyone, but here is why I cringe whenever I hear a Nickelback tune. I mentioned before that I find their music so watered down. In 1996, I thought Bush were a watered down version of Nirvana. Well, Nickelback are a watered down version of Bush. They make Bush seem like Iggy & the Stooges or the Sex Pistols by comparison. They may play guitars, bass and drums... but any trace of rock 'n' roll has been completely sapped out of their music. They are the worst thing that a rock 'n' roll band can be:

They're safe.

The cinematic equivalent of Nickelback would be a Happy Madison production starring Kevin James, and would feature talking animals, plenty of fat jokes... and at least ten scenes of guys getting hit in the nut sack. If they were a talk show host they'd be Jay Leno. If they were a beer they'd be Molson Canadian. If they were a burger they'd be a Big Mac. Nickelback is the soundtrack for people who buy their music from Walmart.

But why do they sell so many albums and sell out so many shows? See above.

The majority of the population don't want to be even remotely challenged when it comes to entertainment. With Nickelback, people can just turn their brains off and sing along. To Chad Kroeger's credit, he's found a formula that works very well commercially. In a nutshell, Nickelback are a (shitty) country band with cranked up guitars. If you combined country music with hair metal, you would have Nickelback. Chad Kroeger doesn't write metaphors. He just lays everything out for the listener. No one will listen to a Nickelback song and wonder, "I wonder what he means by that?" "I like your pants around your feet" means exactly that. They pick the standard country and rock 'n' roll subject matters: sex, booze, fights, sex and booze... with the obligatory ballad and "socially responsible" song to sway the chicks. Their music is ideal for guys getting off a 12 hour shift on the rigs. This type of listener doesn't want to hear the latest Arcade Fire or Radiohead tune. They want to get shitfaced, watch some UFC and crank up some AC/DC.

In commercial terms, Chad Kroeger's formula is brilliant. They found what sells and they stick to it. AC/DC had their formula and they stuck to it. The Ramones had a formula and they didn't change. I guess I just have a problem with Nickelback's formula because it comes across to me as pandering. I love lots of mindless rock and pop tunes. I even find LMFAO somewhat brilliant. They're dumb... but they know it. They're smart about being dumb. But Nickelback? I just don't get how people can just flock to their tunes. Yet, so many people gladly lap it up. And so many people rail against it. But they have people talking so I guess they're doing something right. In a recent Spin magazine, The Roots' ?uestlove said that he only differentiates music between being "effective and ineffective." I guess Nickelback's music is effective to lots of people.

But as I said before, despite the fact that I think their music is pure drivel and that a kid in Grade 4 could write better lyrics, I do respect the guys for actually writing and performing their own songs... and being able to perform live. In an age where every pop song seems to have autotune and people pay outrageous money to see Britney Spears lip synch onstage, it is nice to see people succeed by playing a (bastardized) version of rock 'n' roll. As Sloan once sang, "It's not the band I hate, it's their fans." I guess I don't hate Nickelback. I just hate that so many people have unquestioningly accepted that mediocrity rules. And I find that very sad.

Van Halen or Van Hagar? The Eternal Question

Most of my friends tend to be obsessive music geeks like myself so the usual music debates always tend to pop up in conversation: the Beatles vs. the Stones, the Ramones vs. the Sex Pistols vs. the Clash, 70's Aerosmith vs. 80's/90's/00's Aerosmith, why Rush do/don't suck, U2 vs. Queen, etc. Well, now that David Lee Roth has reunited with Eddie and Alex Van Halen for a successful comeback tour and now have a new studio album set to be released next month I figure now is a good time to weigh in on the Eternal Musical Question:

Diamond Dave or Sammy? Van Halen or Van Hagar?

To me, it's a no brainer. I'm a David Lee Roth fan all the way. It goes without saying that Sammy Hagar is/was a far superior singer. The dude has an amazing set of pipes. "Dreams" has to be one of the best male vocal performances in the history of 'rock n' roll... and it might even be my favourite Van Halen tune. So for pure vocal ability, Sammy wins in a landslide. It's no contest. However, rock n' roll isn't strictly about technical ability. If that were true, then Emerson, Lake and Palmer would be gods. David Lee Roth was never the best technical singer, but he made it work. He played to his strengths. But mostly, he had fun and he GOT IT.

DLR understood that a band like Van Halen should put on a a helluva show and HAVE FUN. The Roth version of the band wasn't trying to change the world. They were simply trying to provide the soundtrack to people having a good time. By combining the proto-heavy metal of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin with shades of glam rock and punk rock, Van Halen emerged from the L.A. club scene to gradually become arguably the biggest band in the world in 1984. For better or worse, Van Halen helped spawn all the hair metal bands of the mid-late 80's. Before Motley Crue could "Shout at the Devil", Van Halen were "Runnin' with the Devil." With Diamond Dave at the mic, the band understood that rock n' roll should be ridiculous at times. Most importantly, they never took themselves seriously as Artistes. Roth wasn't trying to be Leonard Cohen or Bob Dylan. The lyric sheets for "Hot For Teacher" and "Everybody Wants Some!!" couldn't be mistaken for long lost Elvis Costello songs. With Diamond Dave, Van Halen were a party band with the best guitar player on the planet. And DLR was one of the best frontmen. He had a charisma and swagger that few possess. But ultimately, it's the songs that matter. "Runnin' with the Devil", "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love", "Panama", "Jump", etc, etc, etc. These songs still sound amazing today.

When Sammy Hagar joined the band, they pretty much became a new band. Diamond Dave probably left at a good time because it would be pretty hard to maintain that "party band" ethos for much longer before the schtick got old. With Sammy, Van Halen tried their best to be a Serious Rock Band. There's no way they could've done this this with DLR. I will admit that Van Halen had a few great tunes with Sammy ("Dreams", "Poundcake" and "Best of Both Worlds", for instance). However, I think Van Halen lost the plot when they decided to focus so much attention on power ballads. If you saw the song titles "Love Walks In", "When It's Love", "Why Can't This Be Love" and "Can't Stop Loving You" on a set list you'd think it was for an Air Supply concert... not a hard rock band. When Sammy joined the band, they went from "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" to songs that Dianne Warren could have written. In trying to be a Serious Rock Band, Sammy Hagar once referred to his lyrics as poetry. It's safe to say that Diamond Dave never made this claim. It's pretty obvious that DLR had his tongue firmly in his cheek when he wrote most of his lyrics. On the other hand, Sammy reaches beyond his capabilities in the lyric writing department. As much as I love "Dreams", the lyrics are pretty cliche and would be perfect for a Tony Robbins infomercial.

Diamond Dave left the band when they reached a commercial peak with "Jump". So when Sammy joined the band it was kind of like a free agent signing with the New York Yankees after winning the World Series. So unless your name was Gary Cherone, it was a pretty sweet gig. The band went on to have more commercial success with Sammy Hagar because their music headed into a far more MOR direction. But just because they appealed to more soccer moms doesn't make Van Hagar a better band.

Sammy Hagar seems like a really cool, laid back guy. He just seems like a normal guy. I would much rather sit down and go for a beer with Sammy than Dave because, quite frankly, Dave seems like a bit of a douchebag. However, if I ever listen to Van Halen I always tend to skip over the Sammy songs... and I would much prefer to see the DLR version of the band than the Sammy version. For me, a band like Van Halen should be all about turning your brain off, letting loose and having fun. When Sammy joined the band they lost that key ingredient.

And as for Van Halen's new single "Tattoo" with Diamond Dave? Well... at least he has a cool hat. Unfortunately, the new single doesn't exactly help my case. But at least they'll play "Panama" in concert. You can check out the video below.

So who do you prefer? Van Halen or Van Hagar? Or do you actually think Gary Cherone was the best singer in Van Halen? Or do you not even care? Feel free to post your comments below.

Cheers!

JJ Ramone's Top 40 Fave Albums of 2011

At long last, the moment you have waited for all year long has finally arrived. Justin Bieber hit puberty! Just kidding. Give it a year. Ahem, it's time to reveal my list of favourite albums of the last 12 months. I know you've been losing sleep the last couple weeks, wondering which albums will crack my coveted list. Well, my children... you can finally rest easy. The moment is here. And this year, I've expanded it to a whopping 40 albums. What can I say? 2011 was such a great year for music. Last time I counted, I bought 60 or so albums (... which basically means I didn't watch too many movies or get laid much.) Of course, there are a handful of albums that I haven't picked up yet that would likely make the list (Fucked Up, Deep Dark Woods, etc). So this is by no means a definitive list... just one humble scribe's opinion.

So without further ado, here is my recap of the Year in Music: 2011 Edition. And like my fellow blogger Kent, I will try not to make this a novel.

The Regina Scene

For a small market, Regina has nothing to be ashamed of in terms of talent. In fact, I am confident enough to say that a lot of our musicians can hold their own with the best in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. Over the last 12 months I've been lucky to see incredible performances by a host of great artists and bands, including Library Voices, Rah Rah, JJ Voss, The Bystanders, Chad Kichula, The Dustin Ritter Band, Indigo Joseph, BT Judd, Johnny Hatch, Amy Nelson, Megan Nash, Alex Runions Band, Dan Silljer, Ralph Ell and the Hardcore Troubadours, Sonic Orchid, Jack Semple, Foxx Worthee, etc. And of course, if you ever want to just have fun rocking out to familiar tunes, Regina has a plethora of fun cover bands like Leather Cobra, Dangerous Cheese, Wonderland, Whatever, Method 2 Madness, Mascara/Wildfire, Carli's Angels, the Pink Slips, etc.

Most Disappointing Albums

Sometimes a friend can be a dick to you. Sometimes your girlfriend can be a bitch. Sometimes you can make a dumb comment on Twitter that gets overblown. We're human and we're not perfect. The following albums are by artists/bands whom I normally love... but they kind of stumbled a bit this go around. I'll forgive them. I'm sure their next albums will be great.

Feist - Metals

Radiohead - The King of Limbs

The Strokes - Angles

Best Reissues/Compilations/Live Albums/etc

2011 was officially the year where I felt OLD. 1991 was 20 years ago. Oy. You know you're getting up there in age when your favourite bands reissue their classic albums and some of them get inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Oh well, at least Michael Stipe or Bono never used auto tune.

R.E.M. - Lifes Rich Pageant

U2 - Achtung Baby

Nirvana - Nevermind

The Rolling Stones - Some Girls

Iggy Pop - Roadkill Rising... The Bootleg Collection: 1977-2009

Simon and Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water

Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream

Various Artists - Rave On Buddy Holly

Green Day - Awesome As Fuck

Pearl Jam - Live on Ten Legs

JJ's 40 Fave Albums of 2011

40. Jenn Grant - Honeymoon Punch

39. Ron Sexsmith - Long Player Late Bloomer

38. Johnny Hatch - Happiness Instead

37. Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You

36. Oh Land - Oh Land

35. Memphis - Here Comes a City

34. The Go! Team - Rolling Blackouts

33. The Dears - Degeneration Street

32. Young Galaxy - Shapeshifting

31. Laura Marling - A Creature I Don't Know

30. Kalle Mattson - Anchors

29. Timber Timbre - Creep On Creepin' On

28. The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar

27. The Horrors - Skying

26. Okkervil River - I Am Very Far

25. The Royal Alberta Advantage - Departing

24. The War On Drugs - Slave Ambient

23. Sloan - The Double Cross

22. Handsome Furs - Sound Kapital

21. Chad Kichula - Killer

20. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy

19. Cage The Elephant - Thank You Happy Birthday

18. Lindi Ortega - Little Red Boots

17. The Cars - Move Like This

16. Steve Earle - I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive

15. The Pack A.D. - Unpersons

14. Telekinesis - 12 Desperate Straight Lines

13. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Belong

12. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes

11. Wild Flag - Wild Flag

10. The Black Keys - El Camino

The Black Keys have firmly distinguished themselves from the White Stripes comparisons with this album. Every song on this album would fit perfectly on a Quentin Tarantino soundtrack. You can't ask for much better praise than that.

9. Library Voices - Summer of Lust

Just a year after the stellar Denim On Denim, Regina's own resident indie power-popsters put out a lean and mean collection of instantly infectious tunes. As usual, they have songs that make you want to peruse your bookshelf and get down with your bad self at the same time. These guys and gal just keep getting better and better.

8. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light

20 years after drumming on Nevermind, Dave Grohl reunites with producer Butch Vig and Nirvana bass player Krist Noveselic, welcomes Pat Smear back into the fold, and lets Bob Mould join in on the party for a song. The result is a rejuvenated Foo Fighters. This is easily the band's best album since The Colour And The Shape. The Foos are BACK.

7. Social Distortion - Hard Times And Nursery Rhymes

Mike Ness and company stick to the formula, mixing the Ramones with Johnny Cash and the Rolling Stones. With a formula like that, why the hell would they mess with it? This album sure isn't reinventing the wheel; it's just one of Social D's better albums. It's simply a great rock and roll record by a legendary band. Nothing more, nothing less.

6. The Kills - Blood Pressures

Alison Mosshart returns from her side gig with Jack White in The Dead Weather to her day job with this album. And the results are stunning. Mosshart just oozes sexiness. They've toned down the dance beats a wee bit and have focused more on stripped down, fun, bluesy rock tunes. Brilliant.

5. Elliott Brood - Days Into Years

It's hard to believe there are only three guys in this band. They sound HUGE. Combining folk, some crunching guitars and sublime harmonies, Elliott Brood are a force. I bought this album the same day as the new Feist album, almost as an afterthought. Clearly, my money was better spent here. I expected this album to be good... but not this good!

4. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake

PJ Harvey is an artist who doesn't rest on her laurels. She definitely keeps her audience guessing. Here, she abandons her trademark bluesy wail in favour of a childlike voice. Yet, when she sings bluntly of the brutality of war ("I've seen soldiers fall like lumps of meat", "Arms and legs were in the trees"), the results are chilling.

3. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead

After flirting with prog rock, Colin Meloy and company strip things down and take notes from the R.E.M. and Tom Petty songbooks. They even get Peter Buck to bring his trademark jangle to a couple tunes. However, the secret weapon here is Gillian Welch who harmonizes on most of the tunes. This is simply a flawless album from start to finish.

2. Tom Waits - Bad As Me

I don't know how he does it, but Tom Waits keeps getting better and cooler with age. After (finally) getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Mr. Waits releases one of his best albums. Here, he strips things down and focuses on rollicking bluesy stompers and a handful of wistful ballads for good measure. Even the bonus tracks aren't throwaways. Tom Waits is the man.

1. R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now

Over the course of 31 years, R.E.M. rose from being college rock heroes to one of the biggest bands on the planet to being the elder statesmen of indie/alt rock. And with their 15th album, they decided to call it a day. After regaining their mojo with 2008's Accelerate, Collapse Into Now is one hell of a way to call it a career. Here, the "little band that could" from Athens, GA give a perfect sampler of most of what they do best: rockers, power pop, soul balladry, folk... and the prerequisite weird, art-rock tune. It's their best batch of tunes since New Adventures in Hi-Fi. With this album, they sound like a band that's confident and triumphant. Berry, Buck, Mills and Stipe... it's been a slice!

Well, that's it! Feel free to post comments and tell me what albums you've really dug this year. The best part of being a music fan/geek/snob is hearing about bands from friends, magazines, blogs, etc. There are so many ugly things in this world but music seems to make the world make sense most days.

Cheers!

Kent Rocks - Top 15 of 2011

So this year rather than write up a novel about the entire year I decided to do things a little different. I decided that I would post a live video of each of the top ten. Yes a real LIVE clip! Some clips are great quality and others are very handy cam. You already know that these are may favourites, so rather than do a write up I decided to let the artists speak for themselves. Granted these aren't the best selling records and in most cases nor are they some of the most critically acclaimed. They are simply the records I liked best. That being said, I once again did not include compilation or tributes. Had I done so both Buddy Holly tributes 'Listen to Me' and 'Rave On' probably would have made the top five but I am a little biased. Eddie Spaghetti put out a great record this year entitled 'Sundowner' but being it had three originals on it and was seventy percent covers it also for this reason didn't make the list.

Albums I thought I thought were good but didn't impress me as much as I thought might were The Kills 'Blood Pressures', Electric 6's 'Heartbeats and Brainwaves' and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.

Most disappointing was Civet's 'Love & War'. I love this band. Live they rule, their first record ruled but 'Love & War' just seemed not up to the girls talent or ability. It felt like they just punched it in.

A handful of mentions incude: Alison Krauss and Union Station's 'Paper Airplane', The Cars 'Move Like This', Emmylou Harris' 'Hard Bargain' and Those Darlins 'Screws Get Loose'. These were all great records that just barely fell short of the top 15.

Best shows of they year were from acts such as the Arkells, the Darlings of Chelsea and Civet.

So without further ado. Here are my top fifteen of 2011:So this year rather than write up a novel about the entire year I decided to do things a little different. I decided that I would post a live video of each of the top ten. You already know that these are may favourites, so rather than do a write up I decided to let the artists speak for themselves. Granted these aren't the best selling records and in most cases nor are they some of the most critically acclaimed. They are simply the records I liked best. That being said, I once again did not include compilation or tributes. Had I done so both Buddy Holly tributes 'Listen to Me' and 'Rave On' probably would have made the top five but I am a little biased. Eddie Spaghetti put out a great record this year entitled 'Sundowner' but being it had three originals on it and was seventy percent covers it also for this reason didn't make the list.

Albums I thought I thought were good but didn't impress me as much as I thought might were The Kills 'Blood Pressures', Electric 6's 'Heartbeats and Brainwaves' and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.

Most disappointing was Civet's 'Love & War'. I love this band. Live they rule, their first record ruled but 'Love & War' just seemed not up to the girls talent or ability. It felt like they just punched it in.

A handful of mentions include: Alison Krauss and Union Station's 'Paper Airplane', The Cars 'Move Like This', Emmylou Harris' 'Hard Bargain' and Those Darlins 'Screws Get Loose'. These were all great records that just barely fell short of the top 15.

Best shows of they year were from acts such as the Arkells, the Darlings of Chelsea and Civet.

So without further ado. Here are my top fifteen of 2011:

15. Steve Earle - I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive
14. City and Colour - Little Hell
13. The Black Keys - El Camino
12. Fred Eaglesmith - 6 Volts
11. Sixx:A.M. - This Is Gonna Hurt


10 Jack's Mannequin - People and Things
The more adult version of Something Corporate





9. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Not as good as 'The Colour and the Shape' but damn close!





8. Billy the Kid and the Southside Boys - Ours
Beautifully written singer/songwriter tunes





7. The Horrible Crowes - Elsie
Brian Fallon of the Gaslight Anthem does not disappoint!





6. The Arkells - Michigan Left
One of the most talented bands of my list and probably the closest thing to "hipster" I listen to.





5. Butch Walker - The Spade
If you know who he is, I don't need to tell you anything else.





4. Social Distortion - Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes
They have put out better records but this record still kicks 95% of it's competition's ass.





3. The Ripperz - You Are the Moon
Such a diverse, honest, real band.





2. The Darlings of Chelsea - Panic Is Worse Than the Emergency
Saving Rock N Roll!





1. Jim Jones Revue - Burning Your House Down
Resurrecting 1957 but louder.

The Ripperz - You Are the Moon

For many “live” bands it can be tough to translate the energy and emotion of being at a show to digital medium. The first time I heard anything about or by this band was at a show I witnessed by accident when looking for something to do out of boredom. I was enthralled with their live show and their self titled record I picked up that night was just as stunning. They instantaneously became one of my favorite bands.

I have waited since 2009 for a follow-up of their 2008 record. Finally in November of 2011 I received the second installment of Ripperz goodness entitled ‘You Are the Moon’. From what I can tell ‘You Are the Moon’ is like the first record in where each song was recorded as a band together at once instead of the drum track, bass track, guitar track, vocal track etc. etc. process (live but in a controlled studio environment.) One can only presume this is how they get their raw/authentic sound that evokes so much emotion. There are no surprises on this record.

At first I was almost scared to open the packing of the new record. You are never sure if a band you enjoy so much is going to disappoint on their sophomore effort. I was able to rest easy when I realized The Ripperz have not strayed far from what I can only assume was their original vision of a indie/rock/roots band that gives it 120% at everything they do. Some bands need a reworking of style or image or need new inspiration for writing. The Ripperz don’t. ‘You Are the Moon’ is just as fresh and hip as their first effort. There is nothing tired about this record.

The first track on the docket is the sequel to the first record’s ‘Tonight’ cleverly entitled ‘Tonight Pt II’. It’s a rocked up ditty that, like Travis Warkentin said about ‘Fly’ on the first record, I feel about with this song. It gives you the same feeling as leaving work on a Friday. If it’s a good song for me, usually I am singing along before the end of the first listen. This record is full of them. They are fun, full of emotion and, most importantly, real songs. There are no pretentious attitudes. Some of the songs are good-time type songs like ‘Just a Boy’ and ‘Don’t Let Me Fall’ and some just plain earnest or plaintive type songs like ‘Dancing on the Weekend’ and ‘Arena’. If I have to pick two highlights on ‘You Are the Moon’ for me, it would be the last two tracks. The first song being the up tempo ‘Moon and Stars’ and the second being the dramatic musically and lyrically final track 'Blood Orange’. All ten songs are really top game excellent though. Which are your two favorite?

Please support independent Canadian musicians. By 'You Are The Moon' here: http://www.thenewformlabel.bigcartel.com/product/the-ripperz-you-are-the-moon

Cheers rockers,



Here is a really raw live clip of 'Moon and Stars' that captures the band:

REMembering R.E.M.

Today, after 31 years, R.E.M. have decided to call it quits. For me, it's kind of like losing a close friend or family member. To call R.E.M.'s music the soundtrack to my life probably sounds pretty corny and cliche, but it's definitely true. I remember watching MuchMusic as a kid in the 80's seeing these kind of weird, low budget music videos by this seemingly faceless band next to these huge productions by the Michael Jacksons, Madonnas and hair metal bands of the day. But I always really enjoyed the tunes. Even as a kid, songs like "Fall On Me," "So. Central Rain" and "Can't Get There From Here" really made a lasting impact on me. When I saw them in interviews, they just seemed like normal, yet quirky, kind of guys. They definitely stood out from the Tommy Lees and Dee Sniders of the world. In other words, they didn't look like rock stars. However, I was still just a kid so my cassette collection consisted of Poison, Skid Row and such.

By Grade 9, I kind of hit rock bottom with my music collection when I bought Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer albums. Yeah, things got pretty rough. But one day, all this would change. My days of listening to shitty music were over. On a whim, I decided to peruse the local record store with no set plan. I just wanted to find something a bit different. After scouring the store, I ended up buying Spirit of the West's Go Figure and R.E.M.'s Out of Time. Upon first listen, I thought SOTW's album was brilliant* and Out of Time was pure shite. But after a second listen, I was hooked. It seemed like a whole new world opened up to me. In particular, "Half a World Away," "Country Feedback" and "Me In Honey" absolutely flattened me. Grade 9 is a pretty pivotal year for the development of most people so I count myself pretty lucky to be exposed to R.E.M. that year. Within a few months, Nirvana and Pearl Jam broke and the rest is history.

After absorbing Out of Time, I went through R.E.M.'s back catalogue and saw how the band transformed from an underground "college rock" band to become one of the biggest bands on the planet. And looking back, it still seems kind of like a fluke. They've always had great songs, but "Losing My Religion" became the biggest song in the world... a song with no chorus and a mandolin is the main instrument. A fricking mandolin! Very bizarre. U2 have always strived to be the biggest band in the world. The "little band that could" from Athens seemed to accidentally stumble into the position of World's Biggest Band. And then it seemed like they did everything in their power to get out of that position. Eddie Vedder definitely took notes.

Since Out of Time, I have been to the record store the day each new album has come out, from 1992's Automatic For The People to this year's Collapse Into Now. And now I guess those days are over. But I am really grateful to have been exposed to such a vast, rich and diverse catalogue of music. They are the only band I can listen to, regardless of my mood. If I'm in a mellow mood, there's Out of Time. If I want to get pumped up for a run, there's always Monster. Over 31 years, they have dabbled with folk, rock, punk, glam rock, pop, soul, country, funk, ambient and electronica. Yet, it always had that distinct R.E.M. sound: Michael Stipe's unique nasal baritone, Peter Buck's jangly Byrdsy guitars, Mike Mill's melodic bass lines and backing vocals and Bill Berry's rock solid drumming. They were a band in the truest sense of the term, where the whole was greater than the sum of the parts.

Without R.E.M., I wouldn't have been exposed at such a young age to the bands that inspired them: The Velvet Underground, Ramones, Sex Pistols, Iggy and the Stooges, Patti Smith, Television. I also got acquainted with their peers: The Replacements, Husker Du, The Minutemen, Black Flag. Even though their sound wasn't abrasive, they took that whole punk DIY aesthetic and paved the way for the alternative bands of the 90's and today's indie bands. They helped create an alternate version of a "rock star" that people like Kurt Cobain, Eddie Vedder, Thom Yorke and Win Butler could relate to. Basically, they showed that you didn't have to dress in leather pants and act like an asshole to be onstage.

It can be argued that R.E.M. should've called it a day when their drummer Bill Berry retired in 1997. It really can't be disputed that their post-Berry work has been their weakest. They really did lose a bit of confidence after he left. However, the work still holds up. Up and Reveal are still pretty great albums. They hit a low with 2004's Around The Sun, but I would rank their last two albums Accelerate and Collapse Into Now right up there with the likes of Murmur and Lifes Rich Pageant. Both albums have deservedly earned heaps of critical praise as a "return to form" and re-established R.E.M. as a relevant force again. They were even deemed "hip" enough to be on the cover of SPIN for the first time in years and be the first band to play The Colbert Report. So if the boys from Athens want to call it a day, they might as well end on a high note.

So today is a sad day for me, but they left 15 albums and 31 years of musical memories to tide me over. R.E.M., ya done good.

"Radio Free Europe"

"Begin The Begin"

"What's The Frequency, Kenneth?"

"Mine Smell Like Honey"

- JJ REMone

*In retrospect, Spirit of the West's Go Figure stands up as a pretty damn fine album, although the production is pretty dated and tinny.

The Darlings Of Chelsea's: Panic Is Worse Than The Emergency

Remember when people said rock’n’roll was dead? It wasn’t. It still isn’t. You may have to search though ninety percent of all the “rock’n’roll…ick” that is commercially available but it is there. You can stop looking though, I have found it. It was hiding… hiding in the minds and fingertips of the anthemic soulful Toronto rockers the Darlings of Chelsea.

In mid-2009 the Darlings of Chelsea released their debut record ‘The Mimico Sessions’. This record was a six song ep that featured then vocalist Sean Robertson. I remember at the time thinking this band was going to take over the world. It was THAT great. When Robertson departed from the band, the remaining four went on to form the power quartet you now know. Lead guitarist Paul Thompson stepped into the front man and vocal duties naturally and with the greatest of ease. Thompson along with his rock’n’roll terrorist friends/brothers/band mates, bassist Robbie Ruckus, guitar player Jay Millette and drummer Chris Nova have now put out a back to basics, balls to the wall AUTHENTIC rock record with ‘Panic Is Worse Than The Emergency’ last Tuesday.

Although this is the Darlings first full length piece, these gentlemen are no amateurs. Know this; these four men have rocked the independent and mainstream circuit for some time now. They have toured the globe with their previous bands like Robin Black, The Black Halos, CJ Sleeze, Kill Cheerleader and Scratching Post. They know exactly how to do this. The Darlings are already garnering attention nationally as well as in the US getting attention from the CBC, SXSW and countless articles and interviews.

This record is classic rock but still fresh all at the same time. It’s not that tired ass shit you hear at your local state fair. Sometimes when you’re working for the weekend you wonder how the singer still fits in those red leather pants. Not these guys. No stale hoagie poggie crap here. ‘Panic Is Worse Than The Emergency’ is volatile, freewheeling aggressive yet fun eleven songs in thirty four minutes.

From the steady chug-a-long fist pump ‘Lucky Ones’ which opens the record to high octane high energy ‘No Rescue’ to an almost power-pop song like ‘Call To Arms.’ This album is everything it should be. It’s loaded with killer background vocals, sing-along gang vocals, ripping guitars, machine gun drums, solo’s that will blow your doors off and bass lines that will knock your fun parts to the floor. ‘Panic Is Worse Than The Emergency’ is an honest rock record that you, the kids, will cry for. I am going on four days straight of non-stop listening myself. If you think anything less of the product than I do then we can’t be friends… but you won’t, I guarantee it.

Cheers Rockers.



Stream the entire album below courtesy of your friendly neighborhood Darlings. If you like what you here please do go to itunes and pick it up and please don’t miss out on their cross-Canada tour which starts Sept 23. Oh, and I am telling you now you will dig this!

Panic is Worse than the Emergency - FREE FULL ALBUM STREAM !!! by Darlings Of Chelsea

http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/panic-is-worse-than-emergency/id459752992

2011 Regina Folk Festival

So the 2011 Regina Folk Festival came and went and my body has FINALLY adjusted back to some semblance of normality again. The Folk Festival is hands down my favourite time of the year here in Regina... and this year was definitely one of the most solid top-to-bottom lineups in recent memory. Plus, I was lucky enough to have the privelege of cohosting one of the daytime side stages, so I had a pretty cool perspective compared to previous years. I have to give some major kudos to Sandra Butel and company for putting together such an incredible lineup. It was definitely tons of fun!

So without further ado, here are some of the highlights for me this year...

FRIDAY

The day began with an hour set during the lunch hour by e.s.l. These ladies put on a really solid set of cabaret and chamber pop tunes. Leader singer Marta Jacukieck-McKeever has a stunning voice. Plus their version of the Beastie Boys' "Girls" (sung by Cris Derksen) was a really fun way to get the ball rolling.

Grant Lawrence was once again the consummate entertainer, MCing the main stage again on Friday. I think it's safe to say that the former Smuggler is one of the coolest people in Canada. The guy is just effortlessy charismatic. And he's a heck of a nice guy to boot.

Fred Penner transported me back to my childhood with his mainstage kickoff set. You'd have to be pretty hardened not to get a kick out of his rendition of "The Cat Came Back." And the dude hasn't aged much since I was just a wee lad. Definitely an impressive set.

Shotgun Jimmie only had a teaser set, but he made the most of his 15 minutes. He's a natural storyteller and incredible songwriter. I'll definitely check out his full show next time he swings through town.

Braids' brand of dream pop sounded pretty phenomenal. The emphasis with this Quebec is definitely on experimental atmospherics. If you imagined the most mellow tunes from Stars combined with some Bjorkesque vocals, you'd have a rough idea of what this band's all about. They're definitely a band you have to take the time to absorb.

Andrew Bird put on an absolutely captivating performance. Using a loop pedal, Bird created some ethereal soundscapes with his violin and guitar. He definitely had the crowd transfixed.

Michael Bernard Fitzgerald only had a teaser set, but he certainly won over the crowd with his witty banter, soulful voice and mellow tunes. He would definitely be worth shelling out some hard earned moolah next time he hits town.

KT Tunstall absolutely blew me away. Obviously she is famous for her huge pop hits "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree," "Other Side of the World" and "Suddenly I See," but she put on a consistently thrilling and energetic set. Joined only by a bass player and a drummer, Tunstall wowed the crowd with her raspy voice, showmanship and solid musicianship. I was expecting a good show, but she definitely surpassed my expectations. She was one of the highlights of my weekend and a great way to close out Friday night.

SATURDAY

During the daytime, I got to catch some pretty cool performances and workshops. Zachary Lucky kicked things off with a solid set of Townes Van Zandt-esque tunes. This was followed by an amazing workshop hosted by Marshall Burns of Rah Rah and also featured the insanely talented (and fellow Tom Waits geek) Jeffrey Straker, Shotgun Jimmie and Grant Lawrence (who read excerpts from his book Adventures in Solitude). I can't lie... getting the chance to share the mic with Mr. Lawrence made me pretty giddy.

Shotgun Jimmie did a fantastic job of MCing the mainstage Saturday night. He's totally a natural for such a job. I think he could have a job with the CBC some day down the road.

Dan Mangan put on a phenomenal show, kicking things off in a perfect way. Getting the crowd to sing along to "Robots" in the pouring rain was quite the feat. But when a song is that good, it was pretty easy for the crowd to handle the downpour.

Jeffrey Straker put on a really entertaining show during a teaser set. His brand of cabaret pop went over really well with the crowd. He's another act I'll have to see when he's in town to do a full show. But anyone who digs Tom Waits can't be that bad, right?

Marco Calliari was quite possibly my favourite artist of the weekend. If you imagined a somewhat more subdued, yet more uplifting Gogol Bordello then you'd have a rough idea of Calliari and his band. Him and his tight band had the crowd in the palm of their hands. I think the entire crowd had perma-grin during the whole set. I know I did. Every year there is one artist I've never heard of who comes out of nowhere and captures the Festival flag. For 2011, it was definitely Marco Calliari. I really hope he hits The Exchange sometime soon. Wowza.

Hey Ocean! put on a brief teaser set (which I missed), but I got to see them put on a full show on Sunday during the day. This band has tons of fun, uptempo pop tunes and put on a great show. (And the lead singer isn't exactly too hard on the eyes.)

I'm not the biggest blues fan out there, but I was definitely taken to school by Taj Mahal. The guy is a legend and just has the indescribable IT that the greats possess. Mahal absolutely wails on the guitar and his passion and energy just resonates with people. I was completely blown away by his performance. This was a performer who I wasn't too interested in seeing at first... but he totally won me over. That's the beauty of a festival like this one.

k.d. lang and the Siss Boom Bang finished off the night. To be honest, I wasn't overly impressed. It goes without saying that lang has one of the finest voices out there. And her version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" was transcendent. In fact, the hairs on the back of my neck were on end for that song. However, I found the rest of her set to be full of subpar, midtempo material. Perhaps it was just my fatigue kicking in, but her set definitely didn't fit my mood. I think some of my disappointment came from me expecting her to throw in a couple of her Reclines era country rave-ups. Oh well, you can't win 'em all I guess.

SUNDAY

The daytime consisted of an amazing set of performances and workshops. The highlights for me consisted of Hawksley Workman (who was joined by Indigo Joseph and Michael Bernard Fitzgerald) jamming out during a workshop on a packed Scarth Street. As one of the MCs, I was dumbstruck after the performance, struggling to find the right words to describe what just transpired. I think I said something to the effect of "Wow... that was so cool." Not the most eloquent description, but I think it suited the mood. It was quite the jam to say the least. Sometimes all you can say is "wow." Hawksley has that effect on people. There was also another incredible workshop consisting of Library Voices, Rah Rah and Indigo Joseph. It was pretty awesome seeing some of Regina's best bands getting together and jamming together.

Fred Penner did a great job of MCing the main stage. The guy is definitely a pro. The Hard Ramblers put on a short but sweet teaser set of their fun "outlaw bluegrass." Library Voices are used to playing dark club shows, but they absolutely owned the big outdoor stage. Playing some selections from their upcoming album Summer of Lust along with earlier favourites like "Step Off the Map and Float," this Regina band once again showed that they can proudly stand side by side any band out there. They've got an endless supply of incredibly well written tunes, and tons of energy and charisma. It's pretty cool to see a local band become one of the highlights of the festival.

Coeur de pirate put on a fun show of cute, keyboard driven, happy-go-lucky pop tunes. She is so bubbly that I just had this urge to pinch her cheeks afterwards. After a teaser set by Fred Penner, Hawksley Workman closed things out with a stunning set. Joined only by a keyboard player, Workman showed why he's without a doubt one of Canada's most talented musicians. Since he didn't have a full band, Workman was free to tell bardic tales and rework some of his better known tunes like "Jealous of Your Cigarette." I would seriously pay good money just to see him tell stories and banter with the crowd. The guy just oozes talent and charisma. He's like the Prince of Canada.

From top to bottom, the 2011 edition was easily one of the best lineups of the Folk Festival in recent years. Once again, there was an incredibly positive vibe that emanated from the performers and the crowd. It's definitely money well spent for a pass. 2012 can't come soon enough! And maybe, just maybe, they'll book Tom Waits to perform. :-)