Hooo boy what a year this has been. It’s almost over! Scary. Final exams are coming up and like I said before, it’s time for procrastination…aka, dance parties!!! So, I’ve compiled two mixtapes full of songs I’ve been la-la-laaaaoooving lately. The first is for d-party fiends woop woop! The second is for when you actually feel like studying…relaxing…making origami…=)
Mixtape one: THE STORM
Mixtape two: THE CALM
Given that I haven’t been out to a show since Mother Mother back in October, I felt a need to get back out and experience some music. The plan was two shows in two nights at Call the Office, Attack in Black and Ladyhawk on Thursday, Small Sins and the Secret Machines on Friday. Contrary to my usual live experiences, I was not familiar with any of the bands playing outside a couple of songs, minus Small Sins.
Thursday was more of a traditional rock and roll night. The riffs were catchy and the drinks were flowing freely.
I saw Attack in Black sometime last year when they were supporting Wintersleep. Of course, not knowing who they were and arriving near the end of their set limited the experience. After listening to Young Leaves many times since then, I decided it was worth a gamble to make the trek out to see them. I don’t usually see bands on the strength of a single song, but I needed some rockin’ in my blood after missing out on the Bronx last week. The band drew quite a rowdy crowd, and delivered a solid set of tunes, heavily loaded with material from their forthcoming album. No, I didn’t get Young Leaves, but that was by no means a dealbreaker. Highlights include someone from opener Shotgun Jimmie (presumably Jimmie) hopping on stage for a song, and the band taking shots offered by the crowd. The experience inspired me to delve further into their catalogue. I even tried to get a T-shirt, but was denied by a lack of sizes. Medium dudes, keep stock of medium!
Ladyhawk took the stage shortly after, and I was even less familiar with them, but they impressed me. The crowd thinned after Attack in Black finished, as it did last time, but those that stayed were treated to some excellent music. Midway through the set, the drummer started calling for shots. One wonders whether he was in need of a drink or promoting their latest album. Either way, drinking and rocking continued. As the set finished, lead singer Duffy Driediger offered the following advice: “Don’t get fat, stay in school, and don’t do drugs.” Were truer words ever spoken?
Toronto readers are advised to attend the show tonight at the Horseshoe Tavern, if you weren’t there last night. Or even if you were.
After recovering from the previous night, Friday brought Small Sins and the Secret Machines. Braving a rainy Friday night, I continued my self-dubbed rock-a-thon.
When I last saw Small Sins a few years ago, they had just changed their name from the Ladies and Gentlemen due to legal reasons. A simple name change really hurt the band, confirmed by resident hand-clapper Kevin Hilliard at the merch table. The band had built a sizeable following that seemingly disappeared after the change. While the crowd was far smaller than the Ladies and Gentlemen days, the band was as tight as ever. The white band uniform is long gone, which was sad to see, but anyone who enjoys well done indie synth rock severely missed out. This is a band that really should be bigger.
I recall the Secret Machines being hyped up quite a bit years ago, and given that Brooklyn bands rarely play jolly-old London town, I figured they were worth a shot. The Secret Machines must be credited for putting on the best light show I’ve ever seen at a venue like Call the Office. Instead of utilizing the simple floodlights above the stage, the band brought in their own lighting system, with stunning end results. The stage was bathed in dynamic colour and fog for the entire set, adding a visual flourish to the prog-rock stylings of the band. I feel like knowing the band better would’ve really helped the experience of the show. Until the one-two punch finale of Nowhere Again and First Wave Intact, I was hypnotized by the band, and in my tired state I was hardly rocking as much as I should have. But of course, finishing with the two songs I actually knew snapped me back into reality and capped off the night nicely.
Secret Machines - Nowhere Again
I have no words to express the magnitude of hope, admiration, and joy when I think about what just happened a few days ago.
“…to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world - our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.”
A melange of feelings in song…
Mixtape: OBAMAWEEESOMEEE!!!
The Times They Are A-Changin’ - Bob Dylan (1964)
Caithlin De Marrais’ new album, My Magic City was just released last week through End Up Records. You may remember her as the lead singer of Rainer Maria. They broke up several years ago, much to my dismay. Thankfully, her first solo effort is damn good. The album is a far quieter affair than previous material. The emotional lyrics are kept, but the music is now sparse, haunting. The electric guitar is dropped in favour of the acoustic guitar and a piano. The music itself shares more in common with folk than Rainer Maria’s emotional indie rock, yet that raw emotion that attracted me to Rainer Maria in the first place remains, and I can’t help but love this album.
The entire album is streaming here. Listen to it.
Rainer Maria - Breakfast of Champions
Caithlin De Marrais - The Fire
